“I know what you’re thinking, but the difference is easier to hear, not see,” the researcher cocked the bolt action open and closed, then dropped the trigger with a click.

“Don’t do that,” you advised.

“Well, I had to, to show this,” the researcher said in the arrogant defensiveness of a scientist, “Listen.” He did the same with the revolver, and though the mechanism turned the stout and heavy cylinder, when the click of a hammer or firing pin was expected, there was nothing. “This gun is perfectly intact. The trigger mechanism is completely functional. If you load an undergrounder munition into this gun, it will fire.” You were guided to the next table over- a similar model of gun was half disassembled, particularly, so that the top of the trigger mechanism was exposed, where a hump was normally over the rear of the cylinder, though that cylinder was removed. The researcher picked it up, and pulled on the trigger. A lever pushed a metallic strip to where a hammer would normally strike a firing pin. “Touch the copper part, Boss. Just be ready for a pinch.”

When you put your fingers to the copper, a snap of a shock jolted you to your wrist, more surprising than painful as you jumped. “Electricity?” You asked as you shook the tingling out of your hand.
“Yes. All of their munitions are fired electrically through using these batteries, usually in the grip. Their gunpowder is very stable, even if it’s not as strong as our smokeless. Whatever they use, it doesn’t ignite easily without this sort of spark going through it.” You were shown the piece next. The battery was surprisingly small, only the size of half a finger.

“It must not hold very much charge,” you observed, “How many shots can be made with it?”

“A lot.” The researcher said vaguely, “We suppose the amount of power it uses is so small that it can be fired hundreds of times. They could replace them only as often as they would normally go into maintenance. These sorts of batteries power their torches as well, and the ones for their head and shoulder lamps…they use the same sort of power source, and they can shine uninterrupted for an entire day and night.”

So, they were very effective power storage. Was that significant? “Are they any different than our own batteries?”

“Ours are larger, bulkier, and don’t store as much power for their mass,” the researcher said, “But…we’ve been hesitant to try and take them apart. The Harzwohlkan didn’t say anything about these batteries, besides that it was dangerous to try and disassemble them. They didn’t even say what the danger was in it.”
>Preliminary Subterranean Weapons have been Studied