The Wobble Sight

The Wobble Sight

copyright(c) 1997 by Anithmi Ent. All rights reserved.

(823 words)

The view of the dark creature through the sight filled the soldier with a terrifying sense of malevolence. From what could be seen of it in its heavy battle gear, it seemed to have an exoskeletal nature. What the soldier could be sure of, was that the creature was charging, that it, and the weapon it was carrying were BAD, and that it would kill everything in its sight in the most effective manner it could find. It seemed clear that it would continue in its mission until all of the natural inhabitants of this planet were gone, or it itself died. Through the sight the soldier watched the ruby laser red 'tip' of the wobble sight, oscillate around the alien creature.
Much time and expense had gone into the soldiers weapon, to make sure that the 'tip' was now circling around, rather than resting at the point of its discharge, and spiralling in to that center at a rate governed by a precision crystal oscillator. A bright pulse would signal when the 'wobbling' had subsided, and the 'tip' had centered.

No one knows for sure how the wobble sight and all its lore originated. The 'Wobbling' could have been the fabrication of an elder tribes person, to satisfy a gullible young curiosity. Or, it could have been, as many believe, a direction from God. What is known, is that early wobble sights were thin elastic reeds attached to the bows of early hunters, to help them target their prey. Thin they did not obscure the view, and elastic they could 'follow' the wind. An experienced hunter could make a custom wobble sight, that would accurately compensate a cross wind. A sudden movement of the bow, would cause the sight to wobble, and the hunter would pause, bow drawn, while Targeting stabilized, and contemplate the prey. For them this was a pleasant, almost hypnotic, pause, that was always associated with accuracy, and success.
This 'Wobbling' grew from a pleasant useful pause, to a most sacred ritual. Many on the planet, will not kill anything for any reason, but those who do, must pause, and consider the seriousness of what they are doing, until the 'tip' is still. This was difficult, when the hunters prey, was targeting them as well. But people finding each other in their wobble sights, only strengthened the universal reverence for the practice. Sometimes in the heat of battle a few would disobey this commandment, but they died quickly, they became the favored target of the enemy, and when the opposition was unsuccessful at eliminating this breaker of the law of God, they were often killed by those on their own side. The wobble sight grew from a flexible reed, to a steel spring, then with a scope, now to the laser sight, timed with a crystal oscillator. This precisely timed period of 'wobbling' is still based on a recreation of the reed the hunter was using, when he received the commandment.

Though the people of this planet, have sometimes gone so far as to kill each other, this was a rare exception to the general condition. The wobble sight was a product of their gentleness, but also a great influence towards the peaceful society they had become. It encouraged respect for life, and patients when it mattered the most.
But this sacred pause of respect and contemplation, has become deadly hell, for the soldiers, fighting against their utter annihilation, by these impatient, and uncontemplative invaders. Either Gods word did not reach the planet the creatures came from, or they did not listen.
When the aliens first came they inspired only curiosity, but the creatures paused only long enough to ascertain that they had arrived unharmed, before they disembarked, and began blowing up everything, and killing everyone, in their path. No motive was apparent, and no gestures towards them, of friendliness, nor hostility seemed to make any difference. They landed, they charged, they destroyed all and everything they got to.

The spiraling laser light is narrowing down on its target.

The creatures weapon, and its massive path of destruction, is panning towards the soldier.

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