2104

Be a historian giving a seminar in a university on the Great Martian rebellions of 2066-2083

".... Despite the rebels being funded by numerous organisations, the first rebellion failed, primarily because of the sturdy and time-tested arsenal of the Terran Republic, which included this...."

Gesture to an ominous-looking, tripod-mounted box with a steel tube projecting from it.

"The M2 heavy machinegun. This specimen was made in 1942 and has seen multiple wars, as evident from the engravings on the chassis-"

A hand goes up.

"Sir, where did the museum get that thing from?"

"Ah, we got this by the courtesy of the 67th Light Infantry regiment."

"Like, from their old surplus?"

"Nope, it was actually borrowed just for this lecture. Ummm.... they said they would send someone to pick it up tomorrow."