Sword Pulp Episode One: A Ninja Sword for a Ninja Named George

A story in the style of Neuromancer that touts a futuristic ninja sword.

George gripped the shiny 5000-watt solar cell in his sweaty palm. Rubbing his thumb over the slightly raised lithographic circuit shaped like Barack Obama's head - he shifted his weight nervously from foot to foot. Solar cell currency was a relic - a leftover response to the global hyperinflation of all world fiat currencies early in the 3rd Millennium. They still celebrated the guy who came up with a way to give all currency some value despite the fallout from the Global Depression though, and George's eyes flicked to the iridescent image as it shimmered from red to gold - the cell changing as it charged in the dim light of the alleyway. He looked up.

His contact was here.

A tall lanky form meandered in between broken bits of glass, plastic and alleyway detritus. She was carrying a non-descript brown box, about a meter long and as wide as her hand. There were no marking to indicate what was inside. But he knew. His ninja sword had arrived.

"Iris here" stated the bored postal employee, her gaze flicking ever so briefly over his features before continuing on languidly over the rest of his basement apartment entryway. George placed his eye to the scanner and took a breath. The brilliant flash caught a stark image of the needed biometric and within seconds the exchange had been made and the postal worker was on her way.

Scanning the area in both directions, George ducked back into the scattered gloom of his apartment. His finger slipping under the box flap as he walked to the couch, George opened the package, and gained the attention of his roommate Jackson as he did so.

"What'chem there?" slurred Jackson as he jerked his chin in the general direction of the package before his eyes focused again upon his food.

In answer, George removed his ninja sword from the box and laid it reverently upon the coffee table. The hilt of the blade flashed bright as the hilt segments opened to reveal the ninja sword's true nature - sophisticated electronics and flickering diodes traversed each telescoping compartment.

"Kind of looks like you lopped off C3PO's arm and used it for your hilt" mused Jackson as he eyed George's prize casually. "What'cha going to do with that ninja sword?"

With a single, uninterrupted motion, George slid the ninja sword smoothly from the black sheath and crouched with the sword in a double-handed grip over his head. Just as quickly, the ninja sword was re-sheathed and again twinkling enigmatically on the coffee table.

"Well, actually this particular ninja sword is a gift...for you. Happy Birthday, Man." George smiled as he handed over the sword to his surprised companion, pommel first.

Jackson's eyebrows knit in puzzlement. "If the ninja sword is for me...then why did open it?" Jackson looked slightly incredulous as he took the ninja sword from George.

George turned slightly red and looked a little sheepish. "Oh, you know how I am about opening packages." He bit his knuckle. "I just can't help it."

Jackson smiled wryly at his friend's Peter Pan mentality. "It's okay, man. Thanks for the gift. I've always wanted my own ninja sword."

"I know," said George. Then smiling broadly, he reclined back on the tattered couch, and watched the light reflect off the segmented hilt of his best friend's ninja sword in the dwindling aura of the apartment's filtered light.

Get your own futuristic ninja sword, just like George at wildweapons.com!

Diodes not included.

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