Target Practice [OPEN]

[fieldpromoted]

Who: General Trudy and YOU!
Where: Sensoriums, Earth c22nd century, US Marine outdoor firing range at Quantico, VA
Summary: High-powered automatic rifles. Shooting things is good for the blood pressure.
Warnings: Language, knowing Trudy


It had been a long time since Trudy set foot on Earth, simulated or otherwise. She had mixed memories of the place - heavy pollution, heavy crime and not much for a young girl to do in her kind of neighborhood. Getting out was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

But of all the places on Earth, she did still have fond memories of officer training at Quantico. Granted she'd excelled in other areas than marksmanship - she'd passed her marksmanship test, but not by a very large margin.

That was what she was here to practice today. Commanding sortie exercises and PT for the troops took up most of her time, but in her off hours she wanted to make sure she was as capable with the GIA-issue weapons as she was with her conventional automatic rifle, if not more. She stood at the end of a very long outdoor firing range, her plasma rifle leaning up against the counter. She aimed at the target downfield, looked up and down the firing range to make sure nobody had strayed onto it, and squeezed off a short burst from the automatic rifle.

Trudy slung her rifle over her shoulder, grabbed a new paper target, and trudged out onto the range to check her handiwork. As soon as she got close enough, she made a face - she'd pulled to the right again. "I can fly an X-wing through a needle's eye and I can't hit a chest target on a goddamn piece of paper," she muttered to herself.

Comments

[first_of_steel]

"You'd be amazed how little piloting skills and grunt skills reinforce each other," observed Roger, who'd only arrived a little while ago. "At least, that's what I've heard. Never flew anything, myself."

[fieldpromoted]

"I'm getting spoiled by the targeting computer," Trudy said. "My own fault for not coming here more often, but I get busy."

She hung the new target and turned around to introduce herself to the newcomer. "Don't think we've met. I'm General Chacon - you can call me Trudy since you're not under my command."

[first_of_steel]

"Rust happens," Roger said. "It's a good idea to knock it off when you can."

He drew himself up straight at the introduction, reflexively saluting anyway. "High Elder Roger Maxson," he said. "I might not be under your command, but I've been in the service too long back home not to respond properly."

It wasn't as if his Brotherhood rank meant a damn thing here, he knew, but he'd worn it too long to leave it be now.

[fieldpromoted]

"At ease," Trudy laughed. "I know how that feels."

She looked him over, sizing him up. He saluted with precision, which only reinforced his statement of rank. "Infantry?" she guessed.

[governorkang]

It didn't take Kang long to figure out who this illusion belonged to after spotting a Marine flag and other familiar insignia. He snorted, unable to help giving said flag a wry smile; in his Fairplay memories, he'd been in the Army, and the rivalry between the two branches was legendary.

"You're a worse shot than I was, Trudy." He'd become a little more comfortable discussing parts of that fake life with others since getting the chance to speak with Fonrar.

[fieldpromoted]

"Shut up you," Trudy said. Of all people she could get criticism from, the guy who'd never even handled a gun before he got to Stacy was at the bottom of her list. "I'm not that bad, that's still a lethal shot."

If you wanted your target to bleed to death.

[governorkang]

"Barely," Kang grinned. "I'll chalk it up to not being used to that plasma rifle yet."

[fieldpromoted]

"Slugthrowers have a kick, these things don't. I think I'm overcorrecting."

She wouldn't admit that to anyone else, but she could talk frankly with Kang.

[zouichi]

"There are two snipers in Skull Squadron," said Zouichi. "Perhaps they would be able to offer some worthwhile advice."

He hadn't really been expecting to run into someone today, but funny how the Sensoriums always seemed to be full when you least expected it.

[fieldpromoted]

"Please. Snipers have egos the size of small countries," Trudy said, without turning around to see who had spoken. She didn't need to - she recognized her pilots by voice. "And you didn't hear me say that, Ensign."

[zouichi]

"Really? If Jalith has one, I haven't noticed." In fact, Jalith rarely said anything. Well, besides asking for and acknowledging orders. Perhaps it was some kind of quirk of his particular order.

Although perhaps it was best that way. He didn't particularly care to hear more of the Imperium's xenophobic dogma. Erhart had already provided more than enough for one lifetime.

Also, he wasn't even going to try to defend Michel.

[swordofdorn]

"Perhaps I can be of assistance...."

Offers the tremendous astartes, holding a cannon in his hands as large as Trudy's head.

[fieldpromoted]

When Trudy turned around and saw that, it took her a minute to actually find words. "Are you planning on hitting the targets or obliterating the range?"

[swordofdorn]

"I will do whatever is necessary, however, you are the one concerned about marksmanship at the moment, no?"

He shifts his grip slightly, holding the bolter at high port as he crosses to her, moving a bit stiffly.

[expendable_mind]

"S'not for everyone Commander, but really, ya ain't bad." a familiar voice came from nearby and as the very environment shifted the figure who the voice belonged to came into view as well.

"If everyone could do everything there wouldn't be a need for specialists. I'd pay to see someone who could fly better than you." he added with a grin.

[fieldpromoted]

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Ensign," Trudy said, grinning. "Good to see you out and about again, so to speak."

It was good to see him out of the brig, and it had been good to have him back on duty, too.

[expendable_mind]

"Ah, well, you know it's hard to keep me down. Hell, if a flurry of Ohm can't do it, a bit of depression and self-doubt won't be hard to deal with." he replied with a grin.

"But hey, if you ever want to practice some more, you know I'm around. Wasn't the top sniper of my team for no reason..." he paused.

"Okay, second best. Alice would have my head if I ever said I was better than her." he laughed.

[poetrysoldier]

Despite almost never using the Sensoriums herself, Ashley frequently found herself checking out the Sensoriums on her off hours (which wasn't often). "General. Been a while."

[fieldpromoted]

"Good to see you," Trudy said. With people in and out all the time, running into a friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance, was always a good surprise. "Have Stacy make you a weapon and join me, why don't you?"

Nothing like a little target practice in your off hours to pass the time.

[snarkingscribe]

A person clad mostly in power armor - save for her head - who had walked in just a bit before spoke up. "Well, it's an automatic weapon. Accuracy isn't really their forte, though there are exceptions."

[fieldpromoted]

"Yeah, yeah, but they can at least hit the broad side of a freighter," Trudy said. A little harsh on herself, since she was actually hitting the target, but she expected the best from her troops and no less from herself.

[snarkingscribe]

Veronica chuckles, then shrugs a little. "That's why I tend to prefer the more personal approach," she comments, holding up her power fist for a moment. "Sure it's not the weapon being badly sighted, though?" She moves around Trudy a bit as she says this, peering at the gun.

[shootingblancs]

If he'd been watching long, Michael hadn't said anything beforehand - it was a bad idea to interrupt someone on the firing range, after all.

"Not like he'd be any less dead, though," the sniper quipped dryly. "Just not as prettily."

[fieldpromoted]

"Dead is dead, and none of it's pretty," Trudy muttered, still examining the holes she'd put in the target. "Let's just say there's a reason I got put in a chopper instead of on the ground."

Some people made good commandos. Trudy could hold her own, but she was much more talented in a cockpit.

[shootingblancs]

He grinned, even though she couldn't see it with her attention where it was. "You could always take a firing course in a mobile suit or VF," he shook his head. "Best of both worlds, there."