Petronio did as he was told, his nose wrinkling at the strange chemical smell as he pulled them over his forehead. The blue-tinted lenses made the outline of the gun suddenly as sharp as day. He studied the man’s mottled uniform, browns and greens leaking into each other, his face a smeared makeup experiment gone wrong. As camouflage, though, it worked. And the gun itself was a miracle. Without the goggles, it simply melted into the background. No wonder the sniper had managed to take him down.

“You know I’d happily shoot you again, you arrogant piece of squit, if our high and mighty lady hadn’t ordered me to look after you.”

Fine. He was here to learn. Petronio pointed to a hollow tube in the side of the g-gun. “And this?”

“The chamber. Check it’s empty before engaging the magazine.”

Petronio was confused. He wasn’t about to get married.

The soldier took a shiny block and shoved it under the rifle until there was a click. “Pull the charging handle, take the safety lever off, and you’re ready.”

Petronio didn’t like feeling the fool. Give him a stiletto and he could confidently hit a man in the chest from thirty yards. But this? “Why doesn’t it shatter?”

“Oh man. This ain’t your normal old-school window glass! Them scientists went right down to the molecular level and made this stuff superstrong. That’s why our shining cities tower over your tiny trees. This material is the future. And when you put it in a weapon, the only thing it’s gonna shatter is anyone who gets in the way!”

Petronio was impressed, greedy to try it for himself.

“Now, shock suppression is built in,” the man continued, “but this baby is still gonna buck you like a horse, with a good kick to the shoulder. Look through the sights and aim for that far branch there — and the juicy acorn hanging down. Man, it feels bad shootin’ at trees. In Maw, even a splinter is worth more than gold.”

For a second, Petronio tried to imagine it.

“No trees?”

“Nah, man. But we got skyscrapers like you wouldn’t believe. Still, even with all those millions of people, it gets lonesome in the city sometimes. That’s why I joined the army. It’s good to be part of a crew. Anyhow, you’re takin’ your mind off the ball. Get to it, boy.”