@function ballistic-exponent($base, $exponent) {
  $result: $base;

  @if $exponent > 1 {
    @for $i from 2 through $exponent {
      $result: $result * $base;
    }
  }

  @if $exponent < 1 {
    @for $i from 0 through -$exponent {
      $result: $result / $base;
    }
  }

  @return $result;
}