A brass bullet casing stands upright on scorched wood against a deep red glow.

Original artwork, not a still

Time Enough for Love · 1973

Robert Heinlein

Get a shot off fast. This upsets him long enough to let you make your second shot perfect.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Speed comes first here: fire quickly to rattle the opponent. That brief disruption buys time to place the second shot with care. It's a tactical view of shooting where the first shot is a distraction and the second is the real one.

Context reviewed

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