“We have to get them together, I’ve got to give them a talk about safety and other issues. So they understand the rules! They’re not allowed to carry weapons especially in the Knurlings. Certain items, nowhere except in the strategy zones and the other areas for combat and simulation!“ He paused. I’m more concerned with weapons they already have like Becci!“

Arkia, had now joined them. Overhearing part of the onjgoing conversation, she looked puzzled, then realized, WHO in particular, he was making reference to.There were others with similar bio responsive weapons NOT as powerful BUT could still deliver a nasty sting or paralyse their victim for hours or permanently?

Margise had gems but they were more for decoration. She had never felt a symbiotic link with them. Cistera had taken her aside to explain that sometimes that happened. Relieved to know, Margise was not the least bit concerned about it.

The morning finished with their talk from him and Jsek. It was made all too clear the defined uses for carrying weapons! Then he talked about their own bio weapons, Becci’s gemstones and more.
“ONLY where the threat was too great, NOT, to protect themselves or, they were likely, to end up seriously injured or dead. Any other use, may, get you expelled!“

He had tried, to be fair about it, to not be biased. Though he found it hard, having known Becci for such a long time. Her father from when he was her age!
“You’re here to enjoy yourselves to LEARN to DEVELOP your LIFE SKILLS not terminate others!

LIFE SKILLS, before they’ve had a chance to appreciate LIFE!“ He grinned. Jsek was quick to point out that if the Kets had rage to burn off, there was always a place to expend that energy physically and get fit at the same time, within the Akademy! That applies to all of us. Tutors as well.“

Jsek, had arranged a little surprise conclusion, to their visit to the museum! Standing at one end, of a large chamber, the Kets huddled together whilst he talked to them.

 “Some of you, think that OLD technologies, are useless against NEW technologies, that you can learn nothing, from what is shown here.

Those like Corky , the old codgers, no disrespect intended, can't really teach you anything, because tech has moved on, cos our experiences are outdated and therefore, meaningless."

He had placed an object, on a pedestal; at the end of this chamber. Now  he activated; protection with an energy shield!  Stepping back, to where the Kets, were huddled together. They, could just see the object, at the end of the room. Puzzled? He beckoned Becci to join him..

Passing Becci, an Asrijian laser lance, he armed it.. “I hear from Corky, that you, have handled one of these with some skill. I want you, to fire the lance at that object. (Becci had, been trained, to use the lance, as a means for her to understand what it was capable of. NOT to protect her. Her gemstones would automatically do that! ) Becci had to admit, she was quite good with one; NOT as good as Ameryst who had taken time out to teach her all about it. BUT!

Despite the fact, that this lance is high tech, one of the latest weapons to join our arsenal, it will NOT, penetrate with ease, if at all! the energy shield, guarding the object. However, I still want you, to fire at it twice; TWICE.”

Becci took aim and fired. A loud hiss from the lance, as its blast, hit the energy shield, reflected off it? The blast wave from the destruction of the plasma flare, was now disipated, in their direction!

To die away, somewhat uncomfortably close, to where they all stood! Well not all of them. Some of the Kets seeing this wash of energy, headed towards them, ducked, cursing? Curses that got louder after the second wave headed towards them had died back.

“So, Kets. You all have seen the lance, as Becci will tell you, it IS, one of the latest, advanced weapons. YET it WAS useless, against that shield? There was, a general murmur, of agreeing with him.

Taking the item that Corky was now giving him, raising it for them all to see it. A BOW? A simple BOW! Merillian string, special curved shaped tournament bow.

“What do you think Kets, can I fire this with an arrow and pierce that shield?”   There were ripples of laughter, muttering at the thought of that. competing with an Asrijian lance? Only a fool would even give that any precedent.

“One arrow and I promise, the energy shield will disintegrate, two and I will destroy the object behind it. IF I do this will you be more respectful in future of the advantages of KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE to win against the odds?”

Ameryst, knew, what she had been told by Corky and always, took his advice seriously. Likewise one of her favourite mentors, Cxao had asked her if she had ever used a bow?

It, might, have seemed strange, that she had been interested, in knowing more about the bow, but ,out of the blue, Cxao had asked her, if she would like some training in using one? HE was not sure as to why he had been ‘prompted’ to talk about it? BUT!

In his youth, he had taken to using that for sport and had won some competitions with it. “A powerful weapon, if use in the right hands AND you, Ameryst, have the strength, the power in your arms, to easily master its use.”

She had agreed. Taking training, had been a real pleasure. He, had as always, been right. It was like a new toy to her. Speed, precision and accuracy, all to award winning standards. 
“Heck Ameryst, you’re making me; feel jealous!

Jesok could hear, the laughter die away; smiled.. “It’s not fair for me to steal the limelight in my final hour of seeing your all feel  fools. I’m going to have a KET fire the bow and arrows.”
He beckoned to Ameryst??

‘What the’ might have been on the lips of some. Small, scrawny Ameryst? Amused by the mere thought of her struggling with this task, let alone being able to fire the arrows from it?

NOT ALL of them. Becci, was smiling, nudging Ocasa, who too, was now grinning.  Ameryst stepped up and took hold of it. “When you are ready, aim and fire at the object twice; TWICE!”

She nodded. Within what might have appeared lightning speed, she fired, 1st arrow a slight pause as she loaded the second one to now fire it.

The first arrow vanished into the defence shield. NOTHING happened which for some was a moment of laughter.The second one likewise. Into it to vanish. NO effect?

The laughter had died away, some of the Kets, had been astonished by this scrawny Ket, who had fired the arrows, not only with an amazing level of accuracy; BUT! the SPEED she had loaded and dispatched them, was a  jaw (well for some) dropping moment in time! LIGHTNING, yes, that was it, lightning fast!

Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound. The object, disintegrated;There was also a strange blue gaseous haze around it? Pieces flying everywhere. NOT a danger to the audience watching on; BUT !

An arrow, or rather ARROWS, had breached the defence shield and destroyed it? “Would you like to go and bring me back some of the pieces?”

Surely, the defence shield; was still active? Nervously Ameryst approached taking faith, in Jsek telling her, she had no cause to be concerned.  Under her breath she was whispering a name; IaSiuu.

In fairness, Ameryst already knew that as she approached the risky area, her instincts were not alerted by her bracelet glowing OR the slight adrenalin rush?  She did know protection from the bracelet had been apparent on occasion AND had saved her from being injured? FACT. IT, protected her.

Gasps from some, as she now, stepped beyond the former force field, to bend over carefully picking up, some of the pieces and returning with them to Jsek.

Holding the pieces aloft, he noted the laughter had died away to be replaced with a desire to know more?

“A salutoryu lesson, for all who think old tech is useless. The 1st arrow, unlike the plasma burst; had no ‘ energy signature’, Thus the shield and its warning systems; did not respond to it.

IT did NOT, perceive it to be a threat. NOT the way it did, with the blast from the lance. How did it destroy not only the object BUT the force field; the shield? Magic?

NO! EXPERIENCE, KOWLEDGE coupled with an understanding of chemistry AND physics! It did not know, nor could know, that the arrow head, was tipped with Negaton4." He looked at Corky. He, pointed at one of the ‘simplet Kets’, she moved into view of the others.

“For those. who do NOT know, it reacts with the shields ionic power. Causes a reaction to take place, within the gas, we know that such a source gives off? . Thus breaking down of its chemical composition which in turn, breaks down the energy within it."

"Thank you Jaho. Nice to see a Ket who is so knowledgeable. There you have it Kets.

The Negaton 4, slow but VERY potent, caused a major reaction. At such a rate it could not recover itself quick enough, before the 2nd arrow hit home!

Imagine one of YOU Kets. behind that energy shield. You would now be DEAD or DYING! To me, you, are no longer a threat."  Jsek looked at Corky, grinned.

Remember YOUR thoughts, when you saw the bow and arrows? Let’s give that some ‘context’. Imagine you, are on a battle field, your enemies, have supplies, they need to protect?

Installed shields in place, that they KNOW, work really well, against most weapons? Now an approaching group of their enemy?
Are you joking? Some of them with BOWS and ARROWS?

The same thoughts, going through their minds! after they pick themselves up from laughing, a battle follows.

Whilst, they are deliberately, dragged into a provoked attack; the main force; not the least bit concerned about those supplies? To chase off the enemy with them still laughing at those who they clearly remember their bows and arrows!!!

Imagine, getting back to base, to see, such a high level of damage?
Celebrating of their victory requires some liquid refreshment! THAT is when the true shock, horror is the realisation their supplies; have all been stolen? WHAT the !  might spring to mind and what is that smell?

Gas and the defence permeter, shield is damaged; the power units beyond repair! Something burned out the power units! HOW, well Kets you KNOW why and most of all HOW!

He beckoned to Anora to join them. “Tell us what usually happens when an ionic reaction of a greater magnitude takes place IF we?”

“Increase the Negaton 4, to a certain level, it will not only, cause an ionic disruption to take place, but turn the power source into a weapon. In itself, capable, of massive destruction!  They are also as some of us know,  lethal when overheated, for instance in an environment where, the ambient temperature suddenly  rises dramatically, above a certain level OR in an IONIC storm!  to explode!. “

“Thank you Anora. Wise words AND ones  you ALL, should heed, as yes, we can use those types of ionic power units! NOW.. I hope. I’ve made you understand. Don’t dismiss the old tech, for new so easily. it CAN be adapted, improvised to be as effective, if not more effective than modern weapons.

Anora, had been surprised at being called on. She too, had witnessed the events with some scorn and had seen as events unfolded that she too had to rethink her thoughts, re old tech.

She too, had witnessed, was, in awe, of, the power Ameryst had delivered. Strength, speed, accuracy. YOU, she thought; I hope you are in my group. Your power, is something that has all the aura, of a born WINNER.

Cxan, Ameryst’s brother, liked her. She would foster that affection, by encouraging him, to push his boundaries, whilst of course, finding out more about her. She had to check the ‘group’ listings. You Ameryst, have to be, she hissed to herself; in my group!

In this instance? The bow and arrows, could, have been quickly made, from easily sourced materials and Negaton4 as we all know, is like Trexl. One of the most common of resources. It is KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE that counts. Plus in the hands of those, such as Jsek; let us not forget, Ameryst !  SPEED and ACCURACY but most of all TRAINING and EXPERIENCE! !

You don’t have, new technology to hand, to save your life? You have to ADAPT, IMPROVISE and OVERCOME. Use naturally found resources, to aid, you, LEARN from others, by communicating with each other!

REMEMBER what materials, where you can find them, what they do, can do. The chemical reactors. Fusables, You will get to experience first hand how they work, can be used not just as weapons but heating, lighting, cooking, fuel. Part of your education."

The expressions, on the Kets faces, had changed. Several of them now made it clear, they had the greatest respect for veterans like Corky and Jsek it seems, had gained a number of fans. That scrawny Ket Ameryst?? They would be watching HER VERY closely.

A lot of admiration and respect from some, who hitherto, might have been rather loathe, to give it, so easily. Modern technology ruled.

Few looked at the other options. That could so easily cost them their lives. Lack of knowledge, lack of experience, failure to listen, to take in and respect those, who had the knowledge, the experience.

True, Ameryst had NOT been alone. The moment, she picked up the bow, to fire those arrows, she had been at her side.

Strength, power, accuracy, to as Cxao had told her; that equal to a professional. She was a quick learner; she could watch, listen and then DELIVER with limitless and flawless energy!

“Slow but steady A, we’ve still got a way to go but when you, no WE are ready;
WINNING WILL be ours ! “

A while later, they had arrived back in their domiciles. Their resting would be interrupted. “All I know, is we have to assemble in that place the one we were in when we arrived!“ “What for?” “So we can be meet up and KNOW who the others are in OUR unique group.”