Gamers' Challenge by George Ivanoff Page B

crept across the professor’s face. ‘I have been working on other things.’
    ‘Oh yeah?’ A glimmer of interest entered Tark’s eyes. ‘Anythin’ I coulds use?’
    ‘Hmmm.’ The professor raised a bushy eyebrow.
    ‘Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. You would need, I presume, something that can fire more than one shot?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘Preferably rapid fire?’
    ‘Yeah,’ Tark said again, with greater enthusiasm. The professor held up a hand. ‘Now, I have not, asyet, had the opportunity to properly conduct all the necessary testing, but-’
    ‘Yeah?’ Tark raised his hands impatiently.
    The professor shuffled off to a locker at the other end of his workshop and came back carrying a large weapon that vaguely resembled an oversized double crossbow. Its centre was encased in a black cylinder with a series of holes at one end. At the business end, a long metal tube protruded.
    ‘A rapid fire crossbow,’ announced the professor.
    He handed it to Tark, who turned the weapon over, examining it from all sides, disappointment evident on his face.
    ‘Don’t ya has any guns?’ asked Tark. ‘Likes the one Hope wuz usin’? Or maybe one of them machineguns the guards on the Hill has?’
    ‘No guns, I’m afraid. No, no,’ lamented the professor.
    ‘I already told you,’ added Tee. ‘We only have what we can salvage.’
    ‘Yeah, yeah, I knows,’ grumbled Tark. ‘But it ain’t fair.’
    ‘You will have to make do with what is at hand,’ said the professor, patting the experimental crossbow that Tark was holding. ‘This is loaded with forty-two bolts and has a double action, twin-bow setup. Yes. As the first bow fires, its release of power not only launches a bolt, but also pulls back the second bow, ready for firing, whilst also slotting the next bolt in place.’
    Tark looked at the weapon with respect.
    ‘Pull the trigger and release, to fire one bolt.
    Keep the trigger pulled back for rapid fire. It has the capacity, in theory, to fire one bolt per second. I will be endeavouring to increase the speed for the next model. Yes.’
    ‘In theory?’ Tark’s enthusiasm wavered.
    ‘Yes, yes, yes, in theory. As I said, it requires further testing.’ The professor smiled. ‘Testing, testing, testing. That is what you shall be doing.’
    ‘l\nd how do you reload?’ asked Tee.
    ‘l\h.’ The professor’s forehead creased into a heavy frown. ‘That is the drawback. It must be returned here for reloading. Yes! Here!’
    ‘Forty-two is enough,’ Tark said.
    ‘Thanks, Prof,’ said Tee. ‘Come on, Tark, we need to get going.’
    The professor watched them leave. He removedhis glasses and rubbed at his worried eyes. ‘Dear, oh dear,’ he whispered to himself ‘Dear, dear, dear.’
    ***
    ‘You’re taking him with you again?’ Gal shook hishead incredulously.
    ‘It’s my decision,’ said Tee flatly.
    ‘Your decisions are becoming questionable,’ said
    Gal. ‘Tark’s too erratic and too new to all this.’
    ‘l\nd if you’re going to question every decision Imake, then I can’t risk taking you along.’
    Gal folded his arms and glared. ‘He can’t even speak properly.’
    ‘I can, if I so choose,’ Tark piped up, scowling at
    Gal. ‘I am not the moron you think me to be. I have spent a great deal of my gaming life in Suburbia as John Hayes, speaking the way supposedly normal people do. I can speak like you if I want to. But I is choosin’ ta speaks like me.’
    Gal stared at him in stunned silence.
    ‘Get a team together,’ said Tee, stifling a smirk.
    ‘We leave in five minutes.’ Gal huffed and left.
    ‘He hates me,’ said Tark, glaring at Gal’s back.
    ‘He’s not all that fond of me either,’ said Tee. ‘It’s a hangover from the game. Our characters were often opponents.’
    Tark remembered how he stole the sword o’lightfrom Princeling Galbrath.
    ‘Now,’ said Tee, his expression turning grave. ‘Are you okay to come along? I need to know I can trust you.’
    ‘Ya