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.

[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.

[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]

"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.

[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."

[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.

[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.

[first_of_steel]

"Originally the 15th MP Brigade, ma'am," said Roger. "We were a powered armor unit. It's mixed ordinary infantry and power suits in the Brotherhood."

[governorkang]

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

[swordofdorn]

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

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

[fieldpromoted]

Trudy raised an eyebrow at him. "Unless you're planning to enlist sometime soon, you can really drop the ma'am business. Makes me feel old."

Power armor was something she'd encountered with some of her men, particularly Erhart. "We had walkers, but they're a bit different than most of the power armor I've run into. The suit was a lot bigger than the man." She hung a new target and walked back toward the booth, getting ready to set up for another series of shots.

[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.

[first_of_steel]

"That's a real possibility, but I'll hold off for now," Roger agreed. "I can't say I've ever seen one of those myself. I've mostly just dealt with standard War Department-issue suits. Nothing to add more than a few inches in any given direction."

Then he fell silent, because it was bad form in anyone's book to interrupt someone who was readying for another round of shooting.

[governorkang]

"I haven't actually practiced with these before. Now is as good a time as any, I suppose." Kang grabbed another convenient rifle, waiting for her to join him off the range.

[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]

Trudy leaned out the front of the booth and looked both ways - out of habit, not that she expected anyone to come walking into her line of fire. It was standard protocol to make sure the range was clear before firing shots.

She raised her rifle and steadied herself, sighting down the barrel, took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger as she let it out. The automatic spit out a short burst of fire and then she lowered it again. "If you're looking to enlist at all, I'll warn you that we're not an infantry unit. We're air force," she said, continuing the discussion.

[fieldpromoted]

Trudy hung the new target and walked back toward the booth, rifle still slung over her shoulder. She snorted at the picture Kang made. "Those really aren't made for someone as big as you. It looks like you're holding a toy."

[fieldpromoted]

"He is an exception to the rule," she said. He was a good pilot, that's what mattered to her. "Maybe I'll ask."

She hung a new target. "Here for some target practice, or were you hoping one of these would be open?"

[zouichi]

He watched as she hung the target, but made no move to pick up a gun himself. "The latter. I don't tend to get very much out of this sort of target practice."

[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?"

[governorkang]

Kang glanced down at the weapon and shrugged, "As long as it does what it's supposed to. If the enemy's too busy laughing at how ridiculous I look with it, it makes my job easier, too."

[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.

[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.