It was a horrible thought, one that Jin had been trying not to think ever since Miles-san had announced the imminent arrival of the authorities.

"I think they are unlikely to question minors when abundant adult witnesses are ready-to-hand.  You are next-of-kin; they'll have to request your permission to interrogate your children, which I suggest you deny for now on the grounds that the pair are too traumatized by the recent fright of their thwarted kidnapping."

Mina made a faint indignant noise at this.  Jin wasn't so sure.

"The lawyer will support you," Miles-san went on.  "If it becomes an issue, which I doubt it will in this immediate aftermath, tell the police to come see them later at the consulate if needed—which, by then, I suspect it won't be, and in any case we'll be on home ground there."

Vorlynkin nodded reassurance at her.  She shook her head in doubt, but Jin thought some of the strain eased around her eyes.

Jin glanced up to find Armsman Roic eyeing him closely.  Jin shrugged uncomfortably and turned his head away.

"Madame Sato," came Roic's slow, deep voice, "can Jin and Mina come out in the corridor with me for a moment?  I'd like to show them something."

Jin looked back, about to decline, but Mina was already hopping up and down in agreement, readily prevailing over their mother who seemed to want to say something to the consul anyway, so Jin ended up letting himself be shepherded out with his sister.  Roic closed the door firmly behind them.

To Jin's surprise, Roic went down on one knee, which made him, well, not much shorter than Jin and still taller than Mina.

"I thought," said Roic, "that you might like to try firing my stunner."  He drew the weapon that had hurt so shockingly out of the holster under his jacket, and Jin flinched.

"Ooh, ooh!" said Mina.  "Wow, can we?"

Which made it impossible for Jin to say No.  He nodded warily.

"You must never point a weapon at a person unless you intend to fire," Roic began a short tutorial.  "No matter if you think it's uncharged, or the safety lock is on, or what.  Make it an absolute habit, and it will never be a question."  He pointed out the various features of the device, including a sensor in the grip that was keyed to his own palm, and which he turned off with a code.  Then he let Jin take it, making sure it was pointed up the empty corridor.

The grip was still warm from Roic's hand, like a chair you'd sat down in too soon after someone else got out of it.  The stunner was lighter than Jin expected, but solid enough.  The power pack in the grip gave it the most of its heft.  It didn't feel like a toy.