Freedom Arms, Monday

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

Monday morning, Ron spent some time upstairs in the apartment enjoying large helpings of breakfast food. After consuming this food, he took a moment to discard the newspaper someone had once again left on his doorstep, fixed several lamps around the house, then descended down the stairs to open up the shop.

This involved turning the sign on the door to 'open' (a practice that was necessary but he detested, because on one hand, it provided the motor oil for the engine of capitalism, but on the other hand, it meant people could come in and bother him) and then sitting down behind his desk with a woodworking project. He believed he could make an eagle out of this block of wood by the end of the day. It would be a fair and honest day's labor, unlike tomorrow, when he would have to go to town hall and refuse to represent local government.

But for today, he was relatively content. Whether he would remain that way was entirely dependent on lunch.

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Comments

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

Not that Aeryn had had to shoot anything since she'd been here (which to be honest, was a little disappointing), but she wasn't very comfortable with only the weaponry she had that could run out of charge, so she wandered into the shop.

She acknowledged the man behind the desk by seeing that he was there, and began looking around at what they had.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

Ron offered her the faintest of nods in return as a courtesy. One had to appreciate customers who understood that their role in this exchange was to find and purchase an item wished without causing any fuss.

Then he went back to his whittling.

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

She looked for a few moments, finally asking, "Pulse rifles. Do you have anything like that?"

Just in case he even knew what those were. A girl had to try.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"I have rifles that shoot bullets," Ron told her.

Which should convey all the relevant information she was looking for, in his estimation.

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

Aeryn made a face. Stupid Earth.

"I need something like this," she said, unholstering her pistol to show him.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"Ma'am, I buy my stock from American retailers," Ron said, looking at the pistol in question. "I don't believe we make that." Beat. "Yet. However, if you are looking for a pistol, I still have several models in the back."

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"The bullet kind?" Aeryn was not impressed, but if she had to settle, she had to settle.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"Yes."

Ron's mustache wasn't impressed either, but he was getting up out of his chair.

Ron. Though Ron's mustache was attached to his face and couldn't really fight him on it.

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"I suppose it's worth a look," she sighed.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"I can assure you that my firearms are of top notch quality," Ron said, opening up the back room and walking in. He rummaged around. A few moments later, he came back with several pistols, which he placed down on the counter.

"I own several of these myself. No criminal has ever gotten past my doorstep."

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"Reassuring." Aeryn picked one up to test its weight and get a feel for it. She definitely knew how to use guns even if this particular type was new. "It's not exactly what I'm used to..."

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"You are welcome to make use of our shooting range if you have any doubts," Ron said.

Somewhere under that mustache, you could sort of read that he was pleased that she knew how to handle a firearm properly. Some people on this island...

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"If this is what I can get for now, this is what I'll deal with," she decided, because she was still telling herself that this was all temporary. "I haven't quite secured the means to pay for this yet..."

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

... So much for that sale.

"You have no money," Ron summarized. "Ma'am, I hope you are aware that in this country, you do need money in order to purchase anything."

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"Barter isn't an option?" she asked, completely seriously.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

Ron considered that for a moment.

"I'm listening," he said finally.

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"I have ship parts to trade."

Poor Aeryn, still getting the hang of this planet. And their lack of ships. And decent weaponry.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"What kind of parts?" Ron asked. "And what kind of ship? Is it made of wood or steel?" As far as Fandom's more normal citizens went, he was at least not the absolute worst one to try this on?

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"Who would fly anything made of wood? That's definitely not spaceworthy," Aeryn said.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"You have a space ship," is what Ron took from that. "Hmm."

It was a hmm that made his mustache all bristly.

"I do not have any experience with that." A pause. "Have you considered finding gainful employment?"

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"Are you offering it?" She had to admit, being around weapons might be kind of nice. Even if they were primitive.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"I was not," Ron said, in the interest of honesty. "However, now that you mention it, I could use another employee. The shop would benefit from being opened more frequently."

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

Slowly, Aeryn nodded. "I could do that."

Couldn't be too difficult, right?

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"For some reason, the economy of this island runs on the concept of one day shift per week per employee," Ron replied, "And while I think this is somewhat ridiculous, it does allow for every citizen of the island to earn some form of wage and put this back into the local economy."

... Yes, Ron. "Which day would you like to take such a shift on?"

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

Aeryn didn't know the days of the week. So there was that.

"Is a shift available two days from now?" That'd be Wednesday, Aeryn.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"Yes," said Ron.

Who needed the days of the week?

[imnotgoodatnice.livejournal.com]

"I'll take that."

Who indeed.

[nomeatvirgin.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," Ron said, reaching into a drawer of his desk. "These will be your keys. When you are working your shift, don't bother me. Sell guns."

And that was the end of training, Aeryn.