Snipe, Not Sniper
Snipe, Not Sniper
Summary: Rhea puts some more dents in the Range wall, despite Gars' noble efforts.
Date: 19 ACH
Related Logs: None
Players:
Rhea..Gars..

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Small Arms Range Genesis - Deck 14

19 ACH 6735 Souls


The shooting range can hold up to a dozen personnel that are working on their firearms skills. Each booth has a scorecard. Buttons in the booth sends the target down a runner and brings the target back. A locker holds some weaponry and is code locked for Officers and marine NCO's only. Ear and eye gear hang within the booths for protection.

----< Condition Three - Duty Area >----—-
Contents: Gars Rhea Wireless 432

Exits: [O] Corridor
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Rhea is putting in some time on the range. She's only just arrived, loaded up her service pistol with some training ammo, and taken a place in one of the lanes. She's putting on her eye and ear protection now. Safety first and all that.

The door swings open as Corporal Gars, Marine, enters the room. He locks the door down behind him and then heads on over to retrieve a weapon from the lockers. Picking one of the assault-rifles, he also picks up two fully loaded mags of training-rounds. As he heads on over to one of the lanes, he sticks earplugs in his ears, but doesnt seem to bother to use any safety-goggles.

Rhea looks up as another enters the range. Offering Gars a nod of acknowledgement along with a polite "Corporal." Then she gets back to business. Protection on, she picks up her gun and removes the safety. Taking a moment to aim. She seems to know the basics. Military training sort of requires it, though she's not entirely comfortable with the weapon.

"Sir" Gars says to Rhea and then takes up position by the firerange. There is a minor pause before he brings the weapon to bare and fires off a double-tap down the lane and towards his target.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).

[Intercom] Attention all hands. This is Major Pietr Gaelan, Military Police transport the prisoner to the Hangar Bay. This is last call for all attending parties.

Rhea doesn't fire right away. She observes Gars first, in a studious sort of way. As if wanting to see how it's done properly. She changes her stance a little, readjusts her grip. Concentrating on form. It's not natural for her. Finally, she stops dithering and fires off a round.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

Gars keeps both eyes open as he looks down the length of the weapon, ignoring the ironsights alltogether as he keeps the rifle leveled with his eyes and the target down the range. Another double-tap, the two shots fired in the space of a single second.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of BeyondSuperb (7).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).

Rhea hits the target, at least. Hardly a fatal blow, if she were being attacked by the paper, but she manages a bare level of competence. She observes Gars some more. More interested in his work than her own shooting. His is more interesting to watch. They widen a little. Impressive. Then, back to her own much-less-impressive practice. Pew, pew.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of BeyondTerrible* (-2). *BOTCH*
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

The sound of a bullet hitting hull rather than target causes Gars to look up from his weapon, glancing slightly down towards Rhea and her lane; and her target. The quirked eyebrow can only be interpreted as saying; Did you get lost?

Rhea should pay more attention to her own shooting, clearly. Her first shot goes wild, pinging off the ceiling. Rubber bullets, fortunately, don't pierce the hull. She winces. That was ugly. An abashed shrug is offered to Gars. "Don't worry, Corporal. I assure you, I'll wound nothing but my pride here." She doesn't sound particularly embarrassed. She's out of her element, but she's making an effort. Another shot is fired, that one hitting the target more competently.

"Very well, Major" Gars says. "Just make sure where that gun is aiming" he adds and then takes aim once more with his rifle down the range towards the target, delivering another two shots in quick succession.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).

Rhea smirks faintly. "Hard to damage anyone but myself, the way this place is designed. And I remember *just* enough from Basic to avoid that," she says dryly. Two more shots are fired. She endeavors not to wound the hull.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Mediocre (2).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Poor (1).

No metal is injured. Her target isn't particularly hurt, either, though one shot does go through its edge, just outside the rings.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

Two shots are rapidly fired. Gars grunts somewhat as he spots the target react to the hits, dust puffing from the impact. Lowering his aim, he looks over at Rhea and studies her for only a moment. "Pardon for asking, major; but are you here to spend some free time, or to improve your shooting skills? No offense."

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Mediocre (2).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

Rhea spends the remaining of the original eight in her clip in rapid succession. Bang! Bang! Bang! Only one shot ranks above 'barely competent,' but she nods a little as she surveys her target. Shrugging. Could have been worse. She sets her gun down but doesn't remove her safety equipment. She looks ready to reload. She smiles faintly at Gars. "Do I look like a hobbyist, Corporal? This is practice. Such as it is."

Gars nods some and suddenly a hint of a smile can be seen at the corner of his lips. "Very well, major. Then may I suggest you try to not anticipate the recoil? Just shoot the weapon and deal with the kick as it comes… No need to worry about it. If you dont mind the advice, ma'am."

Rhea grins. "Advice would be most welcome, Corporal Gars. I have no illusions about my sniper abilities." She's not giving up though, and heads back to load up her clip again. "And you seem to know your business with a gun."

"Oh, I dont know" Gars says as he takes a look down the lane at the target. "Seems my aim is a bit off today" he ponders and sucks on his teeth for a moment. "Maybe I should just blame the weapon?" he then adds as he looks back over his shoulder at Rhea, the faint smile somewhat more visiable now.

Rhea chuckles. "Machines can be tricky," she says, retaking her spot in her lane once she's locked and loaded. "I'm quite sure the fault is in me and not my pistol, though. I know how to maintain my gear. I've been less spot-on about keeping up my target practice." Pew! Pew! She's off again.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of BeyondTerrible (-1).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).

Her new target is missed completely! And, then, her second shot hits it well inside the rings. Rhea frowns at the randomness of fate.

Gars actually flinches as the sound of a stray bullet echoes loud and clear. Quirking his eyebrow at Rhea, he then shrugs his shoulders. "Well, Major; If I was you, I would blame the gun." And then he takes aim himself, firing off two quick double-taps, all four shots fired in just over a single second.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Superb (6).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Superb (6).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).

Rhea winces at the stray bullet. Not her finest hour. But, again, she seems more speculative about the reasons for her terribleness than embarrassed by it. She adjusts her grip, eyeing Gars again. Nodding a little. Not bad there. "Any other advice you have would be most welcome, Corporal. I'm here to learn."

Gars puts his gun down and takes a look on over at Rhea. He ponders the idea for a while, and then heads on over to her station. "Fire off a couple of rounds" he says as he stands back to study her posture and behavior. "If you dont mind, ma'am."

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Poor (1).

Rhea doesn't mind at all. She does just that. One of her shots hits relatively cleanly, if unremarkably. The other is even cleaner, in its complete failure to hit the target.

Gars strokes his chin as the woman fires her weapon, and then crosses his arms over his chest. "Hold your breath as you fire. Keep both eyes open, look down the length of the barrel and line up the pistol with your target. Aim for dead center of the torso. Fire two more rounds and see what happens" he suggests.

Rhea tries that, following the corporal's orders as close to the letter as she can. Deep breath, eyes locked ahead on the target, focus down the barrel. Dead center. Bang! Bang!

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Poor (1).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

She's still no marksman. Another miss. Another competent, if unspectacular, ping.

Gars watches the shots being fired, and then whips his head to watch the hits. Looking back at Rhea, he takes a step closer as he gives further advice. "You know what… Try to aim lower. Straighten your main arm, and just let the gun rest in your second hand. Look down the barrel, and try to keep the gun level with your eyes. And aim low for the stomach."

Rhea does that. She also loosens up her rather overly-tight grip on the trigger. It doesn't seem to be helping her any. Pew! Pew! Go off the last two rounds in her clip.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Poor (1).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).

Misses and hits once more, for good measure.

"Hang on" Gars says and heads over to the lockers and retrievs a pistol and a magazine. As he moves on over to the lane next to Rhea's, he loads and cocks the weapon. "Watch me" he says as he lines up by the firerange. Holding the pistol out before him, he steadies it with his free hand and arm. "Right now, Im just looking down the slide of the weapon. Im ignoring the ironsights and I keep both eyes open. I just try to keep the weapon level with my eyes and my target. I breathe slow and deep. And when I fire, I hold my breath, and grip the gun tight, keep my arm straight and stiff. Control the recoil, dont wait for it" he says and then adjusts his grip and aim as he fires four rounds in quick succession.

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Great (5).

Rhea puts her gun down, safety on, but stays put to watch Gars. She crosses her arms along her chest. Studying his handling of the thing.

"See that?" Gars says and looks over at Rhea. "You aim with the weapon, not the ironsights. Line it up and squeeze the trigger. Control the recoil and dont wait for it to happen. Anticipate your weapon. Anticipate the aim, the kick, the noise. Now you try" he says and takes a step back as he flicks the safety back on.

Rhea reloads, then it's back to the firing lane. "Anticipate. Right," she says softly, assuming the position. She takes a long moment to get her grip in place, her body and arms aimed. Aim a little low, as Gars had advised. Three preliminary shots are fired. Pew! Pew! Pew!

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Mediocre (2).
<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of BeyondTerrible* (-2). *BOTCH*

Rhea starts off well. Then wings the target, but still, not bad. Then…another one winged off the ceiling.

Gars scratches his neck as he watches the results. "You're problem is recoil, ma'am" he finally says, as if pondering if he should really tell her. "First round was on target, then recoil sent you off target. Squeeze off one round at a time instead. Familiarize yourself with the weapon. When you feel you can handle the recoil, move on to double-taps. You're a snipe, right? So do what snipers do; One shot, one kill. I think that might be a good start, ma'am."

"A snipe I am, Corporal," Rhea replies, wincing at her latest ceiling ping. "Tell Major Gaelan I'll fix any dents I leave myself. One shot. Right." She focuses back on the target. "My husband took me to the range a couple of times when we first started dating. I think he assumed I was a more hard-core creature than I turned out to be. That, or he wanted to show off. Guns were never really my thing, though." Bang.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

Gars smiles and nods at the hit. "Not bad, Major" he says and turns to look at her. "Better to fire one bullet and get a hit, than firing three bullets and waste to rounds. Your husband would have been proud of that shot, ma'am."

"Ephraim was really into target shooting," Rhea says softly. Keeping her tone carefully neutral. Eyes straight ahead. "It used to make me laugh. He didn't look the part. Doesn't seem so funny now, though." Bang.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of BeyondTerrible (-1).

Gars scratches his neck once more as the next shot is fired. He knows what he would tell a Marine at this point… Not so sure what one tells an engineer who happens to be a major. "Concentration, ma'am" he finally says. "Keep the weapon straight and level with your eyes. Dont move the weapon, move the arm if you need to adjust your aim. If you take a look, major." Gars moves on over to his booth and takes aim with his pistol at the target down range. "I will place one shot in the head, one in the chest and one in the nuts; Watch how I use my arm to alter my aim."

<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Good (4).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Superb (6).
<Trait Roll> Gars rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Fair (3).

Rhea is definitely not concentrating on that one. She sighs. Closing her eyes. Something less than neutrality flickers across her expression. But she pushes it away. Silent. She watches Gars, then fires.

<Trait Roll> Rhea rolls Firearms and achieves a degree of Poor (1).

Miss!

Gars pulls out the clip from his pistol and makes sure the gun is empty before he places it on the table by the booth. "Well, ma'am" he then says. "Practise makes perfect, or so they say. Just keep at it and one day you will hit with an entire clip, dead center. No doubts. And then you can brag about it to your husband too."

Rhea closes her eyes for a moment when Gars mentions bragging to her husband. "Yeah…" she murmurs softly. In barely a whisper. She sighs, clearing her throat. Gun down. Safety on. Ear and eye protection off. "My head's not in this right now. I should save the training ammo for when I can concentrate. Thank you for your help, Corporal."

Noticing that something isnt alright, Gars simply says "Dont mention it, ma'am." He picks up the pistol and mag he had used and heads back to the locker and returns them both. Looking back at Rhea, he seems to give her response some thought. "Major" he then says as he heads on over to her, "I didn't mean to upset you in any way. If I did, Im sorry."

"No apologies necessary, Corporal. It's nothing to do with you. The universe is FUBAR. We've all got to deal with it as best we can." Rhea's tone is brisk. Easier to keep the emotion out that way. Whatever rubber rounds she has in her gun are returned to the locker.

Gars simply nods. "I hear that" he says. "In any case, major; if you feel the need to improve on your shooting, dont hesitate to ask. I'll be happy to oblige you with some tips and pointers when ever I have the time off."

"I may just take you up on that," Rhea says softly. "I've ordered my snipes to put in some time on the range. Refresh their skills. The rear echelon doesn't really exist anymore…thank you again, Corporal." With that, she strides off.

"Sir" Gars says as the Major heads on out, and in turn, the Corporal heads on over to pick up his rifle once more to continue his target-practise.

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