the crates for the moment and just make sure none of the structure around and above you appears unstable. Look around the ground so that you can see if you can move forwards and backwards.” Cormic remained outside, but he lay down so that he could see Keller. “Be careful of the twine on the right side, it’s caught on your harness.”
Freeing up the twine, Keller declared that the ground was clear enough for him. He eventually switched his attention to the stacked crates which appeared to be wrapped in some sort of plas covering. One stack only had two crates, which came up to his shoulders. Cormic passed him a fish-knife and lever. “You might need these.”
Just touching the brittle plas covering created a cascade of dust as it fell away to the floor in both large and small pieces. This sent a low cloud of dust across the hard floor. Keller could see that underneath the brittle wrapping the crates were made of a thicker material that wasn’t natural. Cormic sneezed from the low cloud of dust and cursed.
Keller was aware that he needed to work quickly as the dusty atmosphere was uncomfortable for both of them. He moved his hands around the upper part of the box, he could see two metal pieces on each side of the square crate. He tugged at these from the top and then again from the bottom. He realised they were handles that needed to be pulled from below. On one side, one of them snapped and fell to the floor whilst the other pulled out from underneath and seemed to take pressure off the lid immediately. On the other side both pulled out. “The lid is loosening!” he said. “I’ll see if I can lift the lid.” He reached down for the lever.
The lid didn’t take much persuasion but he did use the lever to lift it slowly whilst peering in. He couldn’t tell what was inside, so he completely raised the lid, which was sturdy but light, and placed it carefully on the floor to avoid Cormic getting another face full of the light dust. With that, Cormic sneezed again as though to make the point. “What’s inside?” he said rubbing his nose with his free hand.
“Hmm. Stun guns – similar to those that the troopers carry. At least, I have seen some of them with these - the ones that stand at the far side of the Arpo where the Regents entrance is.” He lifted one of them. “These are different. They seem heavy.” He took the green and brown weapon out and moved back towards Cormic, laying it down carefully. Cormic studied it, placing his hand on it as though to determine its temperature.
“Yes, it’s metal, it’s not a stun gun,” Cormic said excitedly. “Is that crate full of these?” He added, looking up at Keller, who nodded. “This is really something, Keller!”
Keller had moved towards the open crate and counted the guns. “There are two stun guns on each level. I can see five levels with soft padding separating them.”
“Any good condition metal is valuable to the Regents. Amazing! They trade for so much of it that I wonder sometimes if they take it home and eat it.” Cormic mused. “Keller, this is a truly great find. Can you check the other crates, but just go careful.”
Keller had already started undoing another crate behind the one he had started on. This crate was on a stack of three, so he stood on the lid he had discarded to remove the brittle wrapping and locate the handles to open the lid. “Yes, this is the same,” he reported.
Eventually they determined by examination, that half the twenty or so left hand side crates contained the same items. Since they were all the same shape and size, Keller decided to pause and check the other items on the right-hand side of the room. These boxes were a different size albeit the same design and shape. “This one has green and brown bottles.” He continued to examine them for some time. “These have an attachment on the end. I think this attachment fits onto the gun.” He took the attachment over to Cormic, who again worked his way back
Freeing up the twine, Keller declared that the ground was clear enough for him. He eventually switched his attention to the stacked crates which appeared to be wrapped in some sort of plas covering. One stack only had two crates, which came up to his shoulders. Cormic passed him a fish-knife and lever. “You might need these.”
Just touching the brittle plas covering created a cascade of dust as it fell away to the floor in both large and small pieces. This sent a low cloud of dust across the hard floor. Keller could see that underneath the brittle wrapping the crates were made of a thicker material that wasn’t natural. Cormic sneezed from the low cloud of dust and cursed.
Keller was aware that he needed to work quickly as the dusty atmosphere was uncomfortable for both of them. He moved his hands around the upper part of the box, he could see two metal pieces on each side of the square crate. He tugged at these from the top and then again from the bottom. He realised they were handles that needed to be pulled from below. On one side, one of them snapped and fell to the floor whilst the other pulled out from underneath and seemed to take pressure off the lid immediately. On the other side both pulled out. “The lid is loosening!” he said. “I’ll see if I can lift the lid.” He reached down for the lever.
The lid didn’t take much persuasion but he did use the lever to lift it slowly whilst peering in. He couldn’t tell what was inside, so he completely raised the lid, which was sturdy but light, and placed it carefully on the floor to avoid Cormic getting another face full of the light dust. With that, Cormic sneezed again as though to make the point. “What’s inside?” he said rubbing his nose with his free hand.
“Hmm. Stun guns – similar to those that the troopers carry. At least, I have seen some of them with these - the ones that stand at the far side of the Arpo where the Regents entrance is.” He lifted one of them. “These are different. They seem heavy.” He took the green and brown weapon out and moved back towards Cormic, laying it down carefully. Cormic studied it, placing his hand on it as though to determine its temperature.
“Yes, it’s metal, it’s not a stun gun,” Cormic said excitedly. “Is that crate full of these?” He added, looking up at Keller, who nodded. “This is really something, Keller!”
Keller had moved towards the open crate and counted the guns. “There are two stun guns on each level. I can see five levels with soft padding separating them.”
“Any good condition metal is valuable to the Regents. Amazing! They trade for so much of it that I wonder sometimes if they take it home and eat it.” Cormic mused. “Keller, this is a truly great find. Can you check the other crates, but just go careful.”
Keller had already started undoing another crate behind the one he had started on. This crate was on a stack of three, so he stood on the lid he had discarded to remove the brittle wrapping and locate the handles to open the lid. “Yes, this is the same,” he reported.
Eventually they determined by examination, that half the twenty or so left hand side crates contained the same items. Since they were all the same shape and size, Keller decided to pause and check the other items on the right-hand side of the room. These boxes were a different size albeit the same design and shape. “This one has green and brown bottles.” He continued to examine them for some time. “These have an attachment on the end. I think this attachment fits onto the gun.” He took the attachment over to Cormic, who again worked his way back
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