Collateral Damage by E.S. Strout

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Lester Curtis
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Re: Collateral Damage by E.S. Strout

Post by Lester Curtis »

gino_ss wrote:Thanks, Rick. Regarding drone technology, I'm keeping n eye out for the upcoming battle between Amazon and Google delivery drones. Will they be armed?

gino
Not only will they not be armed, they won't even be legal any time soon. I saw an article about them on some TV show. Amazon is looking into the tech, but at this time, drones -- unmanned ones, at least -- run afoul of FAA regs, not to mention some very tricky technical problems. See here:

http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/02/technol ... index.html

I'd sooner put my money on a fleet of bicycle couriers.
I was raised by humans. What's your excuse?
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Lester Curtis
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Re: Collateral Damage by E.S. Strout

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If a face-to-face was actually necessary (as it was for the story, but wouldn't have been in real life), the most sensible thing I can think of would have simply been to have Major Bryan greet Hashmi with her standard-issue sidearm in hand. Might have gone something like this:

***********************

Robert/Abdul eased forward, switching the blade from one hand to the other. “You will know fear, infidel whore, and a lingering painful death,” he snarled.

Major Marianne Bryan, clad in full-dress Class A Air Force uniform, made unflinching eye contact. “Congratulations, Abdul. You will be pleased to know that our Department of Defense has designated you a target of most extreme high value. And I've been target practicing."

The Beretta spoke, three shots in quick succession, and Hashmi gasped and collapsed, dropping the knife and grasping his groin.

The Major stepped forward and kicked the knife away. "Gee, Abdul, hasn't anyone ever told you not to bring a knife to a gunfight? Guess not. Say, now, I was aiming for center-body-mass . . . looks like my aim was a little low. Instead of giving you a quick death, it looks like I've just shot your junk off instead. Hmm . . . do you think Allah is still gonna want you in that condition?" She slowly brought the pistol's sights into alignment with Hashmi's forehead. "Why don't we find out?"

Hashmi's head bounced off the concrete as the final round shattered his skull.

**************

How's that?
I was raised by humans. What's your excuse?
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Lester Curtis
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Joined: January 11, 2010, 12:03:56 AM
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Re: Collateral Damage by E.S. Strout

Post by Lester Curtis »

gino_ss wrote:I like it, Lester. If this story was on a DVD it could be listed as an alternative ending.

gino
Glad you approve.
Seriously, though -- a veteran friend of mine used to say, "I'm not supposed to die for my country. I'm supposed to make the other guy die for his!"
I was raised by humans. What's your excuse?
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