second beam setting pulses out a beam encompassing a thirty degree arch, left to right, to a range of three miles on full power. The final setting is the dead man's setting. Once triggered it becomes a grenade that will vaporize everything out in the open inside 100 feet, after thirty seconds, giving the triggerman marginal time to get away. It has a power setting of one to five. In a pinch, the beamer, can be used to drill a small hole or tunnel. On setting one they will go through a foot of hardened steel from three miles like a hot knife through butter. The lower settings use less energy so they can go longer before needing to be charged. At this time when carried in the field an infantryman usually carries three batteries at a pound each. The beamer has no moving parts other than the power selector and the function switch. The beamer requires no field level maintenance. The optional scope has settings for infrared, thermal, and night vision and is digitally enhanced to work up to three miles. Since we have already sent video out to all of you, I have setup a firing range for you to sample the Beamer. Setting three has been disabled for safety concerns. You will notice there is no kick to the weapon and the beam fired from the weapon is set to be visible to the naked eye. Future models will have the ability to mask the beam so only those using the scope or spectrum glasses will see it.”
The covers over the tables were removed as two dozen Gray Panthers entered from a side room and each took station next to a Beamer. “Ladies and gentlemen the range is open and hot, please do not handle a Beamer without the assistance of a Gray Panther,” Abby requested as his audience made their way to the weapons.
Hours later the back wall of the range was half collapsed from the amount of use it had received. The Gray Panther small arm instructors were the main source of interest as the Army and Marine visitors queried the small arms instructors on everything from the weapons to life in the Gray Panthers. Collecting all the intelligence they could, Abby could not help but laugh out loud with the questions coming from their guests, asking if everyone was from the same mandatory religion? Was there any discrimination? How was rank and position established? Were there any minorities? How did the Gray Panthers feel about the US being a Republic again? Why were so many Gray Panthers so old?
Gray Panther Industries, Arizona
6 August 2128
Wolfgang Bauer listened to Grub, the alien artificial intelligence from the Flem Space Ship Grub. The Flem, perhaps the most technologically advanced race in the galaxy, renowned for their advanced scientific achievements in creating artificial intelligence, space-drives, mining, construction, and energy creation. The race of underground dwellers, previously had subterranean cities spanning thousands of miles. Although appearing very formidable at six foot tall and covered in light tan colored fur, with huge fangs, the race was almost incapable of performing any act of violence, even in self-defense. The Flem race had evacuated their own planet and escaped in a fleet of 500 ships through a wormhole. Their pursuers were destroyed when another Flem ship destroyed itself. The force of the explosion caused the unmanned ship Grub to be knocked outside of the wormhole. The ship rematerialized inside the Vulture Mountains of Arizona.
Wolfgang Bauer, CEO of Gray Panther Industries, was having Grub check on the communications and all the intelligence available in order to negotiate with the Korean and Japanese dry docks that were performing a work slow-down to blackmail the Gray Panthers into paying more for their work.
“Mr. Bauer, it appears the companies we are doing business with in Korea have numerous financial transgressions that their government would be most unhappy with if they found out about. I am unable to find any information we can use for the company in Japan. I have found that various