Barrels and Hammers [King]

"Yes-- Aye, Captain!" Adelene stiffed up once more and did an abrupt salute. The rules themselves seemed fine, she never comes to class late and she had no problem following instructions. But Mackenzie's voice was intimidating enough to ruffle her confidence.

What if she sleeps in? What if she causes something to explode? What if the Captain didn't like curious questions? Adelene's head started swirling with these questions. She was there standing still on her place but a part of her was slightly panicking.

She brought her hands behind her. "May I ask a question, sir?" Despite being intimidated, her eyes were still fixed on her new teacher. "What would be the punishment for breaking the rules?"
@"King"

"I understand." The lass just nodded. It's... a scary thing to think of, being kicked out of class just for being late. She has always been early to every class she's been in, but the anxiety and the paranoia of 'what ifs' and 'maybes' were unbearable. She didn't want to get kicked out of this class. She needed to know everything the captain can teach her. If she fails on that... let's just say she'll lose track of her purpose in living. It was probably a shallow reason for some people, but the academy and all its knowledge was all she had.

Adelene made a long and heavy exhale in attempt to lose that anxiety. She CAN survive this class, she told herself. She smiled at Mackenzie. "Anything I should do now, then, Captain?"
@"King"

Adelene fixed her eyes on the gun the moment Mackenzie showed it. There was a glint in them that showed she wanted to touch the gun, just like how she wanted to touch all the guns she sees, but she was holding herself back at the same time. She can't hold it.

"It looks... well-maintained, that's for sure," she answered, before looking at it even closer. But one glance at the mouth made her certain it wasn't very new. "It's been with you for quite some time now, hasn't it, Captain..? Although I'll be honest... I don't have ways to know its age more accurately without touching it." She finally broke her stare from the gun to look at Mackenzie's face, seeking confirmation.
@"King"

"Uh..." Adelene shot Mackenzie a doubtful look before turning her gaze to the gun which was now on a table. Her hands slowly moved to the object, carefully, not wanting to end up accidentally dropping it and earning her new teacher's hatred.

"Well..." At the touch, she was immediately able to read what the gun's insides were like. The fine gears, the well-kept springs, etc. She weighed it in her hand and looked inside the barrel of the gun. It felt new, generally speaking. "I'm not sure..." Her voice was a little unsure, and therefore nervous. Just a little. "It feels new, Captain. Looks new. Uh... Ten years old?"
@"King"

....

338 years..?

"Haaaaaaaah???" Adelene's jaw dropped, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and disbelief as she leaned forward in an interrogating manner. Her shock was displayed on her face quite violently. "338 years?? But it feels so new!"

Her disbelief almost resembled horror as her eyebrows wrinkled further along with the places around her nose and cheeks. She was still eyeing her instructor when he held out his hand, and she quickly handed the gun back before crossing her arms and pulling away.

The expression faded soon enough. But she was still surprised and she can't quite snap herself out of it. She opened her mouth a few times to say something, but she ended up closing it again afterwards. After a while, she was finally able to say something again.

"That's really amazing. I can't... I honestly can't believe it, Captain."
@"King"