It was easier said than done, to build an entire nations defense industry from scratch without prior experience. The mouths of the Condottieri dropped when he spoke of such.

The lesson with Solomon switching sides and causing such a fiasco with the Royal Army and Guards taught Ajay that Kyrat couldn't always depend on foreign suppliers for arms. Especially one of Kyrat's two armies size, even if Pagan was wealthy enough to fund both from his drug, mining and rare species hunting events trades. It wasn't a permanent solution to the ongoing war with the Golden Path or external threats. When he shared this with Pagan at dinner the man, chuckled loudly. But he was truly looking forward to Ajay proving him wrong again like he always had. Arjun was supportive of the idea and was willing to lend manpower to assist. He also placed an order from Ajay for rifle ammunition in the coming month believing he would make it by then.

There was an impending crisis in the Armies logistic that Ajay had been aware of since learning of Solomon's defection. The chief of supply and logistics gave him an estimate that after a month their entire Armies munitions would run dry. If everything went smoothly as Ajay planned, he would at least be able to produce ammo for the Royal Army to solve one of their most pressing issues. He learnt that the Royal Guards had been hogging the munitions that were spoils from the airport raid instead of sharing it with the army since they were the ones there to claim it even if it was actually Ajay's. So Ajay sent a letter to Sugun, the Chief of the Royal Guards. His guards were to release half of his entire munitions to the Army or he would come over in person to replace him with a more competent commander regardless of whether he only answered to Pagan. He hoped that idiot wouldn't do anything stupid. The Royal Guards barely left the North while the Army was constantly warring with the Golden Path yet they were better equipped, he wondered what they were doing all day instead of lending a hand.

So Ajay wanted to build an Arsenal, naturally the people to consult were Samar and Longinus, both were gun fanatics. One was a skilled armorer and gunsmith while the other had a handy list of connections.

Their advice: He needed a place of which to build a warehouse sized building that would act as his factory, he also needed to secure raw materials to make his weapons, there were also the issues of manpower, security and what gun would he make for a first attempt. But most importantly, he needed the machinery to make the components of the weapons and the bullet cartridges. That was on the way onto being sorted out, Ajay had Longinus source for an Ammunition Manufacturing equipment and a rifling machine. Two of the most complex pieces of machinery that weren't found anywhere in Kyrat so he couldn't cut corners with. Longinus went on a 'mission' to procure his machine tools from a source in Former Yugoslavia from the blackmarket.

He sent Samson and his team to escort Longinus on his trip in case he bumped into any disturbances and authorized them to use lethal force if necessary. That was almost a week ago and their purchased equipment were expected to arrive soon at their recently purchased warehouse in the Valley of Death region that was now Ajay's territories. Ajay still made sure the previous owner he bought it from was adequately compensated, not that he would dare to say no to a vice-lord.

The warehouse was located in a rather unusual place in the Centre of the Valley of death between two hills. When Ajay went to inspect the place he found several metal lathes inside, just his luck as it turned out the warehouse used to be a metal works so it had all the appropriate tools and drill bits to form metals into parts with.

Upon purchasing the warehouse, he had Bipin contract some locals to clean up the place and repair damages to the building structure. He borrowed the amazing building abilities of Sara's 3rd Company to build a fencing 5 acres around the warehouse with the appropriate security layouts. 3rd Company were only happy to lend their support to Ajay after the experience they shared with him.

They built a fence surrounding the circumference of the 5-acre compound with a decent guard post, watch towers, a shelter for the raw materials and a two-story admin building made to look like a wood cabin. They never ceased to amaze him. The cost for their service was a favor from Saraswati which he didn't really mind when it came to her and what she'd use the favors for.

Bipin also posted out advertisements for job applicants around the towns and villages in Ajay's domain, didn't matter if they were male or female but the age limit was sixteen. He wouldn't violate basic protocol by recruiting child labor.

"I thought the AK was supposed to be the easiest to manufacture?"

Ajay was in Samar's armory going through some of the rifles that belonged to the Royal Army inventory and several samples brought over by Longinus. This was of course to look for a candidate weapon to use as the first basis model for producing arms.

"With the current machinery at our disposal it will be difficult. The Kalashnikov's parts have every tight tolerance not so much of building the rifle. But when compared to weapons like the P416 or AR-derivatives its way cheaper and cost effective to build, of course faster as well."

"Damn, I was under the impression the AK could be built from a simple workshop."

"If you've been in the gun trade for decades or maybe came from Khyber Pass then I think that wouldn't be a problem! For an untrained work force to build AKs in an instant is nothing but fantasies." Chuckled Samar.

"…."

"If you're asking if we can make AKs we can, but again with the current tooling and machines we wouldn't be able to roll out large amounts. Perhaps twenty a month, fifty if we boost up out working speed. Maybe if we had CNC machines at our disposal to run some of the more complex milling by itself then the numbers could increase to five hundred, depending on production management." Unfortunately, that wasn't Ajay's strong area, but he knew someone how was.

"If that were the case then I would've solely focus on ammo production instead! It isn't the Army and Guards that need weapons, I intend to equip the villages and towns as well."

"You gonna send them out to fight the Golden Path?!"

"No! I'm not. I'm making precautions so that in the event the Army and much less the Guards can't defend the people, they can at least fend for themselves." Samar sighed in relief, nearly thinking Ajay was becoming tyrannical."

"What about this one?" Bipin happened to return from his task and helped out Ajay in selecting a basis rifle.

"Ah! The AR-18, stamp steel alternative to the AR-15. Supposedly conceived to cater to poor third world countries without the adequate manufacture capabilities to produce the more complex AR-15 or M16 as they're called."

"Oh? So its simpler to make than an AR?" Ajay asked.

"It is, in fact it's even simpler to design than the AK since the operating mechanism is only a few metal rods where the AK uses a long piston which is the part that takes the longest to build out of the entire rifle." Samar stated the facts.

"What are the qualities to a simple and quick design to make, Samar?" It was getting more complicated by the minute, was the AK easy to make or not.

"Stamped sheet metal receivers, wood furniture that could be done by mere carpenters and other components that take the least amount of time to mill from a solid block of steel." Samar gave him the criteria.

"Does this AR-18 fall under that category?" Samar nodded.

"Okay, we'll keep it on hold." Ajay told them that rifle was to be placed on their list. Bipin handed the rifle to Samar to pack.

Meanwhile Ajay and Bipin went browsing through the many variety of weapons that were laid out for them, while Samar gave them the specifications of the rifles and what was the possibilities in mass producing.

Somehow Ajay's eyes landed on a rifle that looked like the previous rifle they talked about but was nearer looking and looked like a cross between the AR-18 and AR-15 in a cruder form yet more elegant than the AR-18. Ajay held up the rifle for Samar to appraise the weapon.

"That's a descendant of the AR-18, Leader Dynamics T2 Mk 5 it was designed by an Australian for his national army. It was built in the same manner as the AR-18 with the exception of the triangular bolt head which is easier to build than the AR-18's multi-lug bolt."

"So you're saying it's even simpler than the AR-18?"

"Yes."

Ajay examined the rifle once more, although the rifle had seen better days it was rather simple in design.

"The handguards and stock are plastic." This plastic, he didn't have the means at hand to produce it.

"If you want they could be replaced with wood furniture." Samar suggested. Now Ajay saw the rifle in a different perspective.

"We'll use this as a basis for the new production rifle-…" Ajay declared his pick.

"But we'll need to do some amendments to the design to suit our needs, could you help?" Ajay asked the royal armorer.

"Need you ask? I'm here to assist you, sir!"

Fortunately, Samar was a competent gunsmith and worked overnight with Ajay to form blueprints from the measurements and redesign the gun to meet their production means. Ajay did a brief research on the weapon through the internet on his smartphone.

It was as Samar said, it was simple to make from the most simpler manufacturing infrastructure. There were a few versions of the gun in military, civilian in semi-automatic and a straight-pull variant. Some of the more appealing features were that it shares the same 5.56mm NATO ammo and magazines as the P416 that was the Guards mainstay weapon and in limited service with the Army special groups. There were some parts that were borrowed over in the T2 Mk 5 from the AR-15, like the trigger assembly which was identical. Perhaps they could redesign the gun to share commodity with existing weapons in their inventory, Ajay gave his feedback.

Samar had a natural gift for making arms, he may have been only tasked with keeping, cleaning and repairing the palace weapons but in other circumstances he could have been an arms designer. Like the project with the Yalung mask, Samar worked overnight but it didn't bother him. In fact, he yearned for activities and Ajay was giving him the exact stimulation he needed.

On the following morning, Longinus and the Condottieri had returned from their trip with the necessary equipment in several crates that were airlifted over. Ajay had to push them a little further into escorting the equipment to the new facility even though they had just returned and were likely tired.

"Were there any problems along the way?"

"Just a couple of punks not knowing their boundaries but the transaction went smoothly. Longinus bought it from a fellow arms dealer, he knew from his home country, the guy goes by the name 'Jackal'. He's American apparently, and gives off the same feeling as Willis." Ajay's eyebrows tightened upon hearing that he resembled their local CIA spooks mannerisms.

"Could he be trusted?" Ajay asked.

"We returned with the orders, that should be a sign that we can. Longinus seemed to trust him, he was somehow responsible for destabilizing his country but saving its people from genocide. Whatever happened, it appears he doesn't work for Langley any longer."

Ajay was satisfied with his answers and drove the truck, one of many in the convoy bearing the equipment back to the warehouse. When they reached he showed the Condottieri what he was up to while they were away and they were astonished he had done this much within a week's span of time. Longinus was also with them and was impressed at Ajay's attempt to build a 'church'.

He led them to the two-level cabin that was the facilities administration building, this was to be their temporary quarters until something better gets built. Ajay's attempt to build an arsenal was a very sensitive thing even if they were deep in the northern territories, he needed them to watch over the warehouse and all the irreplaceable equipment that was currently being unloaded and placed in the spaces of the warehouse.

"It's rather nice, we were expecting to share rooms in a house!" Stella admitted but was evidently happy she didn't have to share the room with the boys.

"Nice? This looks like the retreats in Austria!" Praised Emilio in his usual quirkiness.

The two-level cabin was more like a chalet retreat, he really had 3rd Company to thank in building. There was clean water flowing, a fireplace and four bedrooms in which to house the security force of the compound.

"All of you have a good rest, get up early tomorrow, I won't need you to do anything just yet but guarding the warehouse is paramount. Are we clear?"

"""Crystal!""" They responded happily like they were treated like guests instead of employees.

"Alright, good night." Ajay left them to enjoy their stay in their new comfortable cabin home.


Deep within the recesses of Yuma's ice fortress that was Durgesh Prison, Maya gave her usual report to her mentor. The fireplace gave the office a comforting warmth, yet Maya was uneasy when handing her report on Ajay.

Yuma suddenly bursts out laughing as she reads the report, Maya had rarely seen her laugh at things done by others.

"Ahahaha-…aha! (Sigh) I'll hand it to Ajay this once, he surely knew how to give Solomon the ridicule that he deserves!"

"The mercenaries now work under him though."

"….."

"I-I didn't mean to sound pessimistic mistress!"

"It's alright, dear. Although, what's this I hear about him establishing an arsenal?"

"Yes! It was a measure he's been attempting to reduce reliance on importing arms. But from my analysis, he sought to provide jobs for the Valley's remote villages and towns that have not been producing enough crops nor enough revenue streams to keep the place moving."

"So he's trying to revitalize the economy? If I recall correctly I picked you up from there as well, was he aware because you showed him the state of your home town?"

"Mistress…. I did it because he also wanted to give his condolences to Prayan's family."

"I'm not angry with you for what you did."

"Mistress...I-..

"Yes, Dear?" Yuma asked as she was now in a rather good mood.

"Perhaps we have been wrong about Ajay-(Bang)" Yuma interrupts her by slamming her table. Maya flinches terrified as Yuma gets out of her seat and walks towards where Maya was seated.

"Are you getting soft to that boy?" She said softly but in a threatening manner.

"I-…no."

"I've said it before, dear. Don't let men fool you with they're feigns of vulnerability. But at least this tells me that Ajay isn't as simple as a brute who uses his strength to get what he wants, as expected of that whore's son."

Maya could see her mentor was adamant on Ajay having ulterior motives even if she couldn't see it. There was nothing she could do to sway her mentor's ideas. She put persuading Yuma to cooperate aside for the time until she could find a solution.

"Ajay requested me to take up management over the arsenal he was building." Maya reported dutifully to her mentor.

"Then answer it."

"…..Yes!" Maya took rather long to answer from what Yuma could see.

"Are you having convictions? I wouldn't be surprised. Let me tell you something Pagan once told me years before we came to Kyrat, when I told him that I loved him…" Yuma shared a very personal history.

"Women can tell you that they love you, men on the other hand only notice you when much distance passes between you and him. Men can only love you in hindsight."


Three days went by in the organization of the arsenal. Ajay had successfully established the facility into three divisions. Munition production, Weapon production and servicing divisions.

Munition production, focused on maintaining a steady stream of ammunition in the small arms department. The first ammo they were producing was the 5.56mm NATO rounds for the assault rifles. There were intentions to expand into pistol rounds, shotgun buckshot and high-powered rounds like the 7.62mm NATO and .50 BMG but for the time being they would make the ammo that worked in 75 percent of the guns operated by the Royal Army and Guards.

Weapon production seeks to build brand new weapons to distribute to the armed forces and civilian militia as Ajay intended. There first weapon was to be the Leader T2 Mk 5 copy remade for their specifications by Samar, the royal armorer. The AKs were simple to build but require more man hours to make with the equipment they had at hand presently, so the Leader T2 Mk 5 was chosen as the gun they would take baby steps from. Samar suggested they purchase the more advanced CNC machines which could mill steel on its own after inputting a computer image of a product. Ajay looked into acquiring one for the facility but it would take time.

The Servicing Depot was a division that focused on receiving old worn out weapons and refurbish them back to working condition. This way, the arms inventory of the Army and Guards stayed refresh all the time.

Samar had finished the redesigning of the former Leader T2 Mk 5 into what he calls the ARP-1 which stood for Assault rifle in the Reign of Pagan Min, Model 1. Ajay had no objections to the designation, in fact it made it easier to call. Samar had plans to improve the design when the facility could manage producing the weapon steadily in the form of modifications. So the current design was called ARP-1 mod. 0 and the next iteration would be called ARP-1 mod. 1 and so on. He also drafted out variants for different uses. A basic model, a carbine, paratrooper model with a folding buttstock, civilian semi-automatic in a rifle stock with no pistol grip which was easier to make than the basic model as well.

For the time being they'd stay with the basic model to see how first. Samar had gone to the liberty of making a prototype in his workshop, he used the rifling button machine that was recently brought over to rifle a barrel blank because that was the only part he couldn't do in his workshop. Now, the prototype was currently handed to Ajay to inspect.

"It only feels a little heavier but it's pretty solid, you did well!"

In his hands was the first prototype of the ARP-1 mod. 0. Looking exactly like the Leader T2 Mk 5 with the exception of an AR-type flash hider and wood handguards, pistol grip and stock. His stock was hollowed out and reinforced inside with a sheet-metal lining to add rigidity for storage space for a cleaning kit which was a nice option.

"These wooden furniture's can be outsourced to small wood craftsmen establishments or carpenters leaving the metal to us."

"Right. Let's go test this at the new proving grounds!" Ajay and Samar went over to a plot at the back of the corner that hand the weapons production division with a mound up in front and targets lined up for them.

Ajay loaded the AR magazine in without problems and cocked the rifle. He switched the selector to fully automatic fire and blazed away at the steel targets at seven hundred rounds a minute. Upon expending the magazine, he loaded a fresh one. He depressed the trigger and the gun worked flawlessly as the expenditure of the first magazine. Ajay repeated the process until he had used up ten magazines worth of ammunition with was three hundred rounds.

"Time for the torture test!" Samar nodded as he accepted Ajay's demand to push the rifle to its limit to see how it would perform under environmental pressure. He submerged it under a barrel of water, threw it in sand and mud. In the end the rifle functioned rather well with few malfunctions but was within acceptable margins.

"Fantastic! With this we can start making rifles soon!" Ajay was thoroughly impressed with the performance of the weapon, it went to show that if made with care these rifles could perform as well as the one Ajay held.

"I've already drafted up blueprints and measurements to follow in making the parts!"

"You've really haven't ceased to surprised me, I wanna reward you for your efforts but there isn't much I can do!"

"Don't mention it, Sir! It is a pleasure to be given a challenge such as this." Samar humbly replied.

"Say. Let's show this to the Condottierri, see what they think about it from a typical end user's point of view!" Ajay suggested as they went to the admin cabin building.

Outside the cabin was an entire line of people there to be interviewed by Bipin and Maya inside the admin reception. They sat side by side at a table taking down the interviewees particulars and accessing them for employment. The requirements set by Ajay were that they had to have their hands and feet of course, they also needed sharp eyes and have a positive working attitude. These were all that Ajay really needed, the skills they could teach them.

Majority of the applicants were women, it went to show how heavily the traditions of women being unable to take up the men's job of feeding the family went.

-Since when has tradition taken priority over feeding one's family. A bit contradictory if you ask me, aren't there women fighters in the Golden Path.-

Ajay's conditions were a loop hole to this tradition, there were few that dared to point this out to him, a vice-lord. His words were law in these parts, but he was sure they'd be stupid people who leave it up to their own interpretation of his conditions, there always were stupid people. If anything, women were better in paying attention to detail which was especially good when it came to his arsenal that required precisely made parts.

"How are things?" Ajay asked as he entered the administration cabin

"We've registered forty candidates so far, is that the new weapon?" Maya informed him before the rifle in his hands caught her eyes.

"Yep! Designation ARP-1 assault rifle, Kyrat's first domestically made assault rifle!" Ajay cheerfully announced. The applicants gazed at the weapon with wonder and a tinge of excitement, this was the product in which they were going to produce here.

"Just had it do a field test, if all of them can perform like this baby here we might be able to start supplying the Army to supplement their current arms!"

"Alright, now go to the back to show off to someone else and don't disturb me while I'm doing my job." Maya sends him away with a flick of her wrist.

"So cruel, aren't I the boss around here?" Ajay joked as he left for the back of the cabin where the Condottieri who were off their guard shift were lodging by the sofa by the fire.

"Boss!" Emilio got up from his seat as he announced Ajay's arrival to the rest.

"It's alright, at ease. I just wanted to check on you guys. I was also wondering if you could help us on something." The condottieri turned to each other puzzled.

"If it doesn't clash with our shift-…"

"No, it won't coincide with your guard duties it's just I want your opinion on this!" Ajay said as he presented the prototype.

"Wow! Is this the first one?" Emilio took it from Ajay's hands and felt the weapon before passing it to Luigi and Antorio for them to have a weigh.

"That's the first working prototype Samar built, I've had a rough test of its function and capabilities but I want a second opinion from you as well."

"That's a pretty good weight for a basic rifle." Antorio gave his take.

"Can if fire in adverse conditions?" Luigi asked.

"In sand, water and mud! Mean failure was four out of a thousand." Ajay told him.

"This gun is still a pre-production model, we expect to implement a few more details to make it more trooper friendly." Said Samar.

"What's the accuracy on this thing?" Emilio asked.

"Wanna go find out for yourself?" Ajay's suggestion put a smile to their faces.

They passed through the door that separated their living quarters from the administration office to find Maya and Bipin at odds with a large group of people by the door. Their intentions were anything but subtle.

"What's going on here?" Ajay asked them.

"Are you the manager of this place?" A representative who was over fifty-plus years old asked in a stern manner.


"That would be me." But Ajay had no reason to feel intimidated and replied with a customer support smile.

"Mind explaining why you are permitting these women into you companies' factory?"

"First off, this Arsenal's criteria to join does not enforce gender so they have no restrictions to join and have equal opportunity to work and be promoted." Ajay said nicely.

Some of the women hearing it brightened up when it came from the horse's mouth, to just work and provide for the family was enough but this workplace provided equal employment benefits to them as it did to men.

"This is against tradition! What your factory is doing is breaking the taboo that has been in existence for over hundreds of years!" The feeling he gave was akin to a village elder.

"I'll say again. This place doesn't enforce women working here."

"Then they should from now on!" The elder said like it was a warning.

"That won't be decided by you!" Maya said in a hostile tone.

"Silence, woman! To be so audacious to speak when an elder is speaking and a man at that! Boys! Take that broad outside and teach her a lesson!" The elder shouted at her.

"Oh- I wouldn't do that if I were you. Not even I would, with Yuma looking over her!" Ajay took a step in between Maya and the seeming minions to the elder that was here to sprout trouble.

He hoped the mention of the warden of Durgesh would ward them off her. But…

"Humph! I don't even know why I've wasted time talking to desk staff, if you don't bring your real manager here I'll-."

"You'll what." Ajay's mannerisms went 180 when the elder seemed to push his limits causing the elder to stumble back a step at the sudden change from a helpful young service provider to a tyrant.

-I didn't expect the 'stupid people' to come right now. Well whatever, I'll at least make an example of them!-

"How dare you talk back to an elder!" He screamed.

"(Sigh) Are all old goats around here like this?" He turned to the Maya and then to the women, neither gave him the desired response.

"You-…..You-…!" The elder heated up like a tomato.

"Maybe I should set a new condition, ages sixteen to fifty. What do you think, Maya?"

"Don't ask me. This is your place, you decide." She turned away disinterested.

"Ha! Treating me like the boss when it suits you!" Ajay laughed in resign.

Being left in the sidelines by a young upstart, the elder couldn't tolerate it no longer.

"Men! Give that boy a lesson!" Ten from his group moved in to hold down Ajay to beat him but the Condottieri stood in their path, facing unfamiliar opponents they backed off a step. Ajay placed a hand on their shoulder as he walked forward.

"You've cause quite a disturbance here, old goat. I'm gonna kindly ask you to leave the compound immediately or else…"

"Or else what!" The elder challenged.

"Or else I'll cut you down where you stand!" Ajay released a lethal aura at the group of troublemakers to discourage them.

They weren't stupid enough not to notice it and slowly stepped backwards.

"Hmph! All of you let a brat tell you what to do, you are all truly blind!" A large man walked through the crowd evidently on their side. Seeing him gave the elder the courage to fight back again.

"Khan! Teach this brat a lesson!" The elder pointed at him.

"Yes, elder!" The large man stepped forward.

"Might I ask who and where are you people from first?" Ajay asked.

"Nadī village, and I am elder Aadinath! We're here to remind this place's owner that there are traditions to abide to."

"Again with the traditions... Do you enjoy using the word tradition as a means to get your way around here?" Ajay was now frowning.

He didn't think that the traditions were so heavily enforced by society. All the women in the queue gave him the wrong impression, yet they were bending culture to do what was necessary. Valley of death was the hardest place to live in, there was poor crops all year around and the people in this region had difficulty making ends. His industry was a way to keep them fed and earn a living. Most families had only women so how were they able to feed the rest if they couldn't take up jobs that were available to men?

-They had so much time to bother over tradition when life was already so miserable.-

"No hard feelings, but you asked for it!" The large man swung his broad hands at Ajay. Ajay had seen the stroke from a mile, he bent out of the way of the incoming fist and lunged with his own fist presented out. The large man's punch missed Ajay's face by an inch while Ajay's hit his square in the jaw sending him flying at the host of men by the elder's side. They all heard a crack from the large man's jaw bone break but were too stunned to move.

"No hard feelings, but you asked for it." Ajay repeated back at him then turned to the elder.

"Elder Aadinath, I want you and your village to write me an explanation for today submitted to my secretary by tomorrow morning. If not, I'll come over to your village to personally find you." He made it clear that he was the genuine boss of the arsenal when the elder didn't take him seriously.

The elder shuddered at the hidden might of Ajay as he made his way out.

"W-Who should it be addressed to?" He asked as he hadn't even bothered to ask for Ajay's name.

"To me, Badala." Ajay's words hit him like lightning, he turned dead pale upon finding out who Ajay was.

"T-The N-N-Northern Demon?!" A man called out frightened.

The elder realized the weight of his crime, questioning and threatening to beat the lord of their lands. He was a dog challenging a tiger.

"Fo-Forgive me, my lord!" The elder went on his knees. His followers did the same.

"I don't want you sorries, I want my letter! I want an explanation on why you question my practices within my own territory, why am I not allowed to let whoever I want run my arsenal, and why an elder sees it fit to push 'tradition' onto me?" Ajay's tone was calm yet held authority.

Every remark made the elder shudder, it was the marks of wrong he had done against Ajay. Ajay had given him the formalities he deserved as an elder but the same could not be said for him giving it to Ajay. If he didn't give a satisfying response to Ajay by tomorrow he could face death or worse.

"You may go back and enjoy the rest of the day, please leave my arsenal the same way you entered." Ajay's response went back to the friendly assistant voice again making his presence twice as terrifying.

The elder and his followers turned to leave quickly.

"Don't forget your friend here!" Ajay happily reminded them about the large man.

They dare not dally and carried him on their shoulders and sprinted out of the compound.

The people in the lines were left in amazement.

"That's Badala?!"

"He's so young!"

"I thought they said he always wore that mask, so that's how he looks like!"

"He's pretty cute!"

"Oi! Shhh! He's looking this way!" A group of women gossiped about him and quietened down when he looked at them, their comments made him feel embarrassed and he started to scratch his head unconsciously. Was this Badala? The legendary figure that beat the Golden Path back at Ratu Gadhi and Meh Teh airport was the young man before them? It became clear to Ajay that the elder only recognized Badala, the vice-lord from his Yalung mask like everybody else. Evidently he wasn't wearing it right now and seemed like a young admin staff to the facility.

"(Sigh) First thing in the afternoon…..Now where were we?" Ajay sighed in resign and inquired what were they intending to do originally.

"Sorry, sir. It's time for our shift! Maybe another time." Emilio informed him as he and the rest passed by him equipped with their rifles.

"Well, I think that's about it for second opinion, Samar."


Author's notes:

To the dummies in guns, sorry for being too technical in this chapter. Just take it as Ajay went through a long grueling process to produce weapons in with the simplest manufacturing method possible. I promise I won't do this again.

Controversy on Kalashnikov AK-pattern rifles.

I know I've at least offended a few if not all AK fanboys in this chapter, but sometimes the truth hurts. Lol. Kidding! These are entirely my views on firearms production.

From my knowledge there are two production methods of the AK:

Milled receiver. A solid steel block cut into a shape.

Stamped sheet metal receiver. Metal sheet with cutouts bent into the desired shape.

But it's the operating system which is the most complex part to build. I.e. The Long-stroke gas piston with the bolt carrier and two lug bolt.

But these are all built in large state factories in Russia, even the countries that manufacture the AK need to have similarly advance production capabilities to produce such arms.

Ajay's warehouse/Arsenal only has the equipment equivalent to a large gunsmith's workshop.

On Leader Dynamics T2 Mk 5

For those of you who don't know what this rifle is or have never even heard of it see: forgotten weapons/rifles/australian-automatic-arms-sac/

That's if you're diligent enough.

The basic summary of the weapon is that it was conceived by Charles St. George, fellow aussie. Designed guns in the 80s and was looking to replace the FN FAL variant that the Australia army was using at the time. Although failed to appeal to the Army that adopted the more advanced Steyr AUG instead.

His design incorporated several production benefiting features. Largely comprised of sheet metal, simple operating system, triangular bolt design. Each part was easily replaceable or made at a local metal works.

His triangular bolt in fact was copied by Barrett in designing the M82 Barrett 50. Cal rifle which you all would be more familiar with. Coincidentally he worked for Barrett at the same time but wasn't part of the design team.

I imagine it more like the 'Sten gun' of assault rifles. In a long enduring war, production should be kept simple in manufacturing arms in large quantities.

What's an AR-15?

Brainchild of Eugene stoner. Military designations more commonly recognizable are M16 or M4 carbines. Utilizes several rifle design technologies like a straight-line recoil design, minimal moving components, ergonomic controls, Patented Direct Impingement system. All of these features made this rifle extremely accurate as it was controllable. Made from aluminum to reduce the weight to under three kilos unloaded makes the rifle very desirable to top line armies around the world.

AR-18

Eugene Stoner and Co. designed an alternative to their AR-15 design which was the AR-18. Built heavily off stamped sheet metal for simplicity of manufacture. Not many were built, but its operating system paved the way for many great firearms such as the L85 british bullpup, Heckler und Koch G36, Sterling SAR-87, Howa Type 89, SAR-80 and piston AR-15s.