Sabre's glass was empty once again, but this time she rested the palm of her hand atop its rim
as I was about to offer to refill it to emphasize her words.
"Thankyou, Buck! But no ... Aunt Chilada is expecting my arrival ...
And she expects all her guests to arrive with good appetites!
May I continue?"
"By all means! Please do!"
"Well, now that I have discussed what is to be avoided
I expect that it would be best to lend instruction in a proper technique to employ ...
Don't you?"
"Aside from using all due caution in stalking your prey ..."
"It is necessary to take the Sentry down in such a way as to prevent her
from voicing anything in the way of an alarm!"
"This is best achieved by clapping a hand over her mouth in the effort to stifle any outcry she may try to make ..."
"This is of course almost entirely dependent upon achieving that all-important element of surprize!"
"Now when choosing the area into which your blade is to gain entrance ..."
"The assassin must -
I repeat -
She must remember at all times that she has not come to this place merely to indulge herself in bloodshed ..."
"But rather to neutralize this particular individual as expeditiously as possible!"
"And so the knife should be thrust hard, fast and deep ..."
"From the rear to gain entrance somewhere between the ribs of the unwary Sentry ..."
"While at the same time keeping the palm of one's hand clamped firmly over her mouth!"
"The assassin must always bear in mind that Stealth is her only true asset in dealing with the Sentry ..."
"And too, Stealth is likely to provide her only true avenue of escape!"
"The assassin must be quite certain that her prey is dead on her feet
before she dares release her allowing her to fall ..."
"For again - any sound that her victim might utter is apt to be the undoing of the Sentry in her own right!"
"While the assassin controls her victim as she crumples to the ground,
she may at this point withdraw her blade from the original wound
in order to slash the dying woman's throat if she deems it necessary ..."
"This last of course is only an option and is a step that is not usually required ..."
"But after all ...
Shouldn't the assassin be allowed a touch of vindictive pleasure for the trouble she is put through to attain it?"
"When the Sentry goes down at last she may fall face-first to the ground ...
And so now I would be remiss were I not to give one last word of caution ..."
"The Sentry may be a Splendid Speciman who is entirely worthy of Pariah's Five Point Process ...
But again ...
The assassin has no time to indulge herself in any such frivolous activities!"
I must have regarded my guest with a questioning expression on my face for she when on to elaborate ...
"You see, Buck!
Many Gleaners learn to revel in their work and what Pariah calls the Five Point Process
refers to how and where a blade is thrust into a dead or dying warriors body!"
"In this instance the Sentry would be rolled over upon her back
and the assassin's knife thrust first into her gut somewhere below the navel ...
Then into the navel itself ...
Then into or around the nipple of each breast ...
And as a final measure ...
Driven upward beneath her breast-bone ..."
"None of which is the least bit necessary ...
And of course as I said ...
The assassin has no time to indulge herself in such activities for she must hasten away ..."
"And so it is best to leave the Sentry to her death laying
in whatever attitude her body may have happened to take ..."
"And so you see, now that the Sentry has been successfully neutralized,
the assassin and her compatriots are now at liberty
to set themselves about whatever it is that they are of a mind to do!"
"Well, Buck!
I thank you for the liquid refreshment as well as for the opportunity
to practice my lecture to the Ladies who will gather
for their monthly meeting at Aunt Chilada's Eatery this evening!"
I offered to drive Sabre to Chilada's establishment which is some distance away
but she said that she would walk as she wanted the exercise.
I saw my guest to the door but as she was about to take her leave,
I could not resist inquiring about something that was preying upon my mind ...
"Uh - Sabre?
About the Five Point Process ...
Do you often practice it yourself?"
"That is the Gleaner's method, Buck - or at least so she says it is!
For my part, I am of the belief that the blood of my victims
serves to enrich the soil as effectively regardless of the attitude they may take when they strike the ground!
Have yourself a most pleasant evening, my friend!"
I find that perhaps the most unnerving thing in my conversations with any one of my Amazon friends
is to know whether she is kidding me or not!
