He would have to fight the boyAll the argument thus far had proved was that theyouth had no logical ob-jections, but was making them up as he went along tosupport his own stubborn streakThe only way to end the discussion would be toteach the kid a lesson. physically.
Having reached this conclusion, Hosato began to reassess the situation,specifically viewing the room as a battlefield, as he continued the discussion.
“Be reasonable, JamesI’ve been hired to do a job, like anyone else in thiscomplexThat job is to teach you how to fenceIt wasn’t my idea, it was your father’s, so instead of arguing, let’s get on with the job at hand.”
“But I don’t want to learn to fence!” the boy in-sisted, his gray eyes gloweringfrom beneath a sandy tousle of hair”Why not?”
The boy was tall, in his mid-teens, and broad for his ageHe’d have the advantageof reach, since Hosato barely came up to his shoulders in height, but whateveredge his youth gave him in speed should be offset by his awkwardness.
“It’s silly,” the boy grumbled”Why should I waste my time learning something I’llnever useSwords are obsolete. so are guns, for that matter, but at least a gunwould train me for using a blaster.”
