than any other material. Well, any material other than good steel. Through whatever process they use, the item retains its sharpness almost indefinitely and is durable enough to withstand all but the hardest hits with steel or other ceramics, at the perfect angle. It’s really quite remarkable.”
The doctor’s eyes glazed over as he muttered to himself, “sintering, yes…that must be it…and sharpening with diamond. Hmmm, if I could just get one to tell me…I could…” He noticed Sam and shook with surprise. “Oh, sorry. Sometimes I get caught up in my thoughts. In any case, it’s a fascinating, fascinating subject.”
Sam thought so, too. “I would like to talk more about it sometime. For now, though, I should probably try to get these whiskers off. They’re itching fiercely.”
“Yes, yes, quite.” The doctor seemed to zone out again momentarily. “Ah, oh. I just had an idea. Please wait here, Sam. I will be back momentarily.” With that, he hopped up and hurried toward the main building.
Sam shrugged and looked back into his little mirror, preparing to scrape the stubble from his face. No sooner had he put the blade to his cheek—better to start with that than the throat—than Dr. Walt returned, carrying something.
“Here you go, my boy,” he said with a smile. “This will serve you much better for shaving.” He handed Sam a knife.
It was made of a tan-colored, smooth material, its hilt wrapped tightly in leather. Turning it in his hand, he watched as it caught the sun’s light and bounced it back, reflecting brilliantly. He tested its edge with a finger, barely touching it, and he felt a sting as he watched the skin peel away smoothly in a perfect, straight cut. “Ow!”
“Be careful with that, Sam. It is very sharp. What’s more, if you only use it to shave, you will probably never have to get it sharpened. Ceramic knives hold an edge for decades with careful use.”
“Wow. Dr. Walt, thank you for letting me use this. I’ll bring it back to you as soon as I’ve finished shaving.”
“No need, no need. It’s yours. I have one already. I got it in a good trade with one of the Gawzay crafters for a few trinkets I made just for him.”
“That is very generous. Thank you, Dr. Walt. I think this will make shaving easier. I’ll just need to get used to shaving this way without injuring myself.”
“It is my pleasure, Sam. Well, I will let you get your shaving done now. Enjoy.”
After the doctor left, Sam tentatively used the ceramic knife on his cheek. The hair fell away easily. Carefully continuing, he soon was clean shaven and feeling better about his appearance. The knife, being so sharp, shaved close without causing too much irritation to the skin. It was just another wonder in this new world he found himself in.
Shaving complete, Sam turned his attention to his training. He was absorbed in learning as much Kasmali as he could. For some reason, he seemed to pick it up quickly, almost as if he knew the language on an intuitive level. Once he knew enough to put together simple sentences and to understand the gist of what someone was saying, he shifted his focus from the language to his other training. He still worked hard at all he was learning, but he tried especially hard at his physical combat training.
Are you ok with staying here? Don’t you have family at home?, he sent to Skitter during a break from training. Besides learning Kasmali, it seems that communication with the hapaki was vastly improved. They communicated fluidly now, easily. Though his mind interpreted most of the sendings as words, occasionally he would receive them as pictures, feelings, and thoughts, without translation. He felt more and more connected to the little hapaki.
I will stay. I will learn much to tell my community. There is no history of any Citizen ever venturing this far from home. Oh, maybe I should say “hapaki. ” He chuckled at that again. It was one of his favorite inside
The doctor’s eyes glazed over as he muttered to himself, “sintering, yes…that must be it…and sharpening with diamond. Hmmm, if I could just get one to tell me…I could…” He noticed Sam and shook with surprise. “Oh, sorry. Sometimes I get caught up in my thoughts. In any case, it’s a fascinating, fascinating subject.”
Sam thought so, too. “I would like to talk more about it sometime. For now, though, I should probably try to get these whiskers off. They’re itching fiercely.”
“Yes, yes, quite.” The doctor seemed to zone out again momentarily. “Ah, oh. I just had an idea. Please wait here, Sam. I will be back momentarily.” With that, he hopped up and hurried toward the main building.
Sam shrugged and looked back into his little mirror, preparing to scrape the stubble from his face. No sooner had he put the blade to his cheek—better to start with that than the throat—than Dr. Walt returned, carrying something.
“Here you go, my boy,” he said with a smile. “This will serve you much better for shaving.” He handed Sam a knife.
It was made of a tan-colored, smooth material, its hilt wrapped tightly in leather. Turning it in his hand, he watched as it caught the sun’s light and bounced it back, reflecting brilliantly. He tested its edge with a finger, barely touching it, and he felt a sting as he watched the skin peel away smoothly in a perfect, straight cut. “Ow!”
“Be careful with that, Sam. It is very sharp. What’s more, if you only use it to shave, you will probably never have to get it sharpened. Ceramic knives hold an edge for decades with careful use.”
“Wow. Dr. Walt, thank you for letting me use this. I’ll bring it back to you as soon as I’ve finished shaving.”
“No need, no need. It’s yours. I have one already. I got it in a good trade with one of the Gawzay crafters for a few trinkets I made just for him.”
“That is very generous. Thank you, Dr. Walt. I think this will make shaving easier. I’ll just need to get used to shaving this way without injuring myself.”
“It is my pleasure, Sam. Well, I will let you get your shaving done now. Enjoy.”
After the doctor left, Sam tentatively used the ceramic knife on his cheek. The hair fell away easily. Carefully continuing, he soon was clean shaven and feeling better about his appearance. The knife, being so sharp, shaved close without causing too much irritation to the skin. It was just another wonder in this new world he found himself in.
Shaving complete, Sam turned his attention to his training. He was absorbed in learning as much Kasmali as he could. For some reason, he seemed to pick it up quickly, almost as if he knew the language on an intuitive level. Once he knew enough to put together simple sentences and to understand the gist of what someone was saying, he shifted his focus from the language to his other training. He still worked hard at all he was learning, but he tried especially hard at his physical combat training.
Are you ok with staying here? Don’t you have family at home?, he sent to Skitter during a break from training. Besides learning Kasmali, it seems that communication with the hapaki was vastly improved. They communicated fluidly now, easily. Though his mind interpreted most of the sendings as words, occasionally he would receive them as pictures, feelings, and thoughts, without translation. He felt more and more connected to the little hapaki.
I will stay. I will learn much to tell my community. There is no history of any Citizen ever venturing this far from home. Oh, maybe I should say “hapaki. ” He chuckled at that again. It was one of his favorite inside
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