On Sun, 16 Nov 1997, Luigi Mattera wrote:

2. Not a nitpick, but a little friendly advice on "Dirty" Nabsy: A .357
Magnum shot from close range would probably shatter Cologne's shoulder
blade. She will not be able to use her right arm, and the bone fragments
will cause extreme pain and internal hemorraghing in the muscle tissue
around the wound, possibly even causing damage to her right lung. I'd
say that unless Cologne has any sorcery left up her sleeve, she is
effectively a non-combatant at this point.

  I don't think it was a close range shot.  If Nabiki is properly
trained in the use of a firearm, then she wouldn't have walked up to
Cologne.  Why bother getting close when you can kill from a distance,
especially considering how dangerous Cologne actually is?  Of course,
this depends on what your definition of "close" is for a .357.  The
story didn't really mention exactly how much of a distance there was
between Nabiki and Cologne. 

	All right.. for definition here, point-blank range usually is set
at 1 to 2 meters, within arms reach, or just over. Close range, from 2 to
10 meters. After that, you're getting into ranges where you need a certain
amount of practice and skill to hit a target with a pistol, a device which
was created for close combat. (as least as far as most military men are
concerned)

	Skilled shots can hit a target repeatedly at 50 meters, and most
pistols can still do damage as far as 200 meters, but hitting the target
at that range without exceptional skill and/or specialized targeting aids
(i.e. a laser pointer attached to the underside of the gun barrel) is
difficult at best, a matter of sheer luck at worst. 

	Hoped that helped set the scene.

	Ed Becerra

	"Dreamers may die, but the dream is eternal..."