Commander Serala: Target Practice and Schmoozing
Serala
((Weapons Range, Security Center, Deck Five, USS Astraeus))
It wasn’t going to be long before Serala’s reflexes were dulled slightly and her weapons skills would take a temporary hit. So she decided to be proactive on her qualifications. Technically, they weren’t quite due yet, but if she got them renewed now, she’d have at least a year before she had to retest. Plenty of time, she hoped, to have the baby and recover. Of course, that was based on her term with Bean, so she wasn’t quite sure of the accuracy of her timing. Still, it was better than nothing.
She’d gone to the Security office to speak to Commander Thoran about her situation but had learned from Chief Davis that he was in the weapons range with the Esa Kiax and Captain Delano. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who needed some target practice. With that information in hand, she made her way to the weapons range and pulled out a phaser to do her testing with. Hopefully, Thoran could squeeze it in with whatever he was doing with the Captain and Esa.
She entered the weapons range to see the three of them talking and made her way over. Thoran was the first to notice her and she greeted him with a smile and a nod.
Thoran: Commander? How can I help you?
Serala: I know I am a bit early, but I wanted to get my requalifications done and out of the way. I don’t want to be caught mid-operation somewhere and have that run out. Best to take advantage of the time while I have it.
oO What was that you were saying the other day about Romulan deceptiveness? Hypocrite. Oo
Thoran: ::thoughtful:: I see. Well, Commander Kiax is working on her requalifications as well and the Captain is joining us for a bit of practice. I can set you up with a separate target and monitor your progress between.
Serala: Sure, that works for me. Esa is doing her requals as well, you said?
Thoran: ::chuckles:: It seems her qualification for assault rifles lapsed and a glitch led to a misunderstanding. Thankfully, it was easily remedied.
Serala nodded. It was exactly the scenario she was pretending she wanted to avoid. Of course, it was partially true, but it wasn’t really her main motivation, either.
Serala: I understand. Well, let’s get me set up, shall we, Commander?
Thoran nodded at her and made his way over to Kiax and the Captain, grabbing an assault rifle as he went.
Kiax: Response
Mei’konda: Mmh, yes. My haands do not fit the newer styles very well. My claws usually get caught on the hand guaard, but I like to practiice, now and then.
Thoran: ::grins:: Better safe than sorry. Though from what I hear, sir, you have a mean right hook.
Kiax: Hah, remind me to stay in your good books, then.
Mei’konda: Let’s just saay I prefer not to use my claws if I don’t have to.
Thoran: ::motions to Serala:: Commander Serala arrived just a moment ago for her requalification, but Commander Goodwell isn’t available to proctor her requalification. Any objections to me setting up a separate target for her? My attention will be slightly split, but it’s more efficient than rescheduling her entirely.
Kiax: Not in the slightest. Welcome to the party.
Mei’konda: Indeed. Convenient that our quaalifications expire near to the same time, isn’t it? Perhaps we can make a several-times-yearly event of it.
Serala: I think that would be a splendid idea, Captain.
oO And bluff is called. You’re just going to have to let the cat out of the bag sooner rather than later, Serala. Oo
Serala followed the other two to the range and took up her position. Seeing the Captain adjust his lane, Serala decided to set her own as well. She chose a firing range that would resemble an obstacle course style shooting range, where she was forced to choose between targets and friendlies, making split second decisions on each one.
Kiax: So, Captain… You say you prefer the Dolphin to the new pistol-grips, but do you favour the hand phaser over a phaser rifle? Or is it not the kind of thing that you’ve ever really thought about?
Mei’konda: I’ve haad occasional use for the rifles, but most of the combaat I’ve been involved in has been close quaarters, and not very drawn out…
Serala’s course began, so she was forced to listen to their conversation as a side note and concentrate on her targets. The first three targets were fairly simple to identify and eliminate. Cardassian military, Romulan - oh, the irony there - and a Klingon. Serala quickly took aim on each and eliminated them with precisely placed phaser blasts.
Mei’konda: Hrf. Not enough for the rifle’s better taargeting and larger battery to be a benefiit over the portability and ease of use of the hand phaser.
Serala could only see Esa’s shot out of her most peripheral vision, but it seemed she was doing well based on the Captain’s remarks.
Mei’konda: You’re quite a shot, Esa. Marksman traaining?
Kiax: Not exactly. I started with air rifle shooting as a kid, ended up dating someone who did clay pigeon shooting as a teenager, which was a twice-weekly thing we did for years. I kept it up even after we broke up, joined the Academy marksmanship team in my first year, before finding my feet in competition skeet. Brought home the silver medal at the 2392 Earth Olympics in London, just before going into my second year.
Mei’konda: And to thiink, Commanders Serala and Thoran haven’t been requesting you for every combat team they’ve haad to leave.
Serala: Her computer skills make her too valuable to waste on mere security duty. Besides, I like to feel useful.
Her next three targets were slightly more difficult to identify and she almost shot an innocent civilian who was being used as a body shield by a terrorist. Fortunately, she identified the man at the last second and eliminated her captor with a well placed shot to his head that, if he had been real, would have vaporized it.
Kiax: I don’t actually think I ever took the official certification for using this… I’m pretty sure they just gave it to me so that I could compete.
Serala had a break, so she looked over toward Esa.
Serala: It doesn’t mean you aren’t qualified, Esa. And we can train you in other areas if you’re seriously interested in that kind of duty.
Kiax: ::To Serala, humorously:: I mean, everyone knows you’re the best at hand-to-hand combat on the ship. Your sparring training sessions when you were Chief of Security on Atlantis were basically a spectator sport.
Serala smiled wickedly, but turned to blast her next three opponents. A second later, she turned back to the other two.
Serala: I take that as a compliment, Commander. It’s one of my favorite pastimes. Though, I don’t think I’ve ever sparred with the Captain before.
She glanced at him with a smirk and a look that almost said “Wanna shot?” She had heard about how good he was, and there were rumors about the time he’d worked out with Senior Chief Solana. And that was one Orion even she would have to give second thought to fighting.
Serala fired at her next three targets, successfully completing the obstacle course, then decided to go for the traditional target practice, choosing red as her target color.
Mei’konda: Let’s try this again. Computer, restaart qualification.
Computer: Acknowledged, Captain. Would you like to maintain the same difficulty?
Serala tried not to laugh when the Captain cleared his throat and the image of Maybomba coughing up a hairball came to her mind.
Mei’konda: No. Increase difficulty by one level.
Thoran: ::nods:: Nice shot, sir. I prefer the phaser rifles myself. ::to Serala:: What about you, Commander?
Serala: It depends on the situation. Close quarters, I actually prefer hand-to-hand or my sword, if I have it. Otherwise, handheld phasers. Heavy resistance would call for the CQC rifle, and more heavy combat not in close quarters, the Type III phaser rifle. I do prefer the handgrips, though. It just feels too easy to lose the ones like the Captain prefers.
Kiax: Response
Mei’konda: Response
Apparently, Commander Thoran had decided to join in on the fun as he set up his own lane. Serala increased her difficulty level to fifteen which would prove a challenge for her, but not impossible, and waited for the program to start.
Serala: I will say, though, that I am starting to learn the value of diplomacy, however. But if it comes down to it, it’s better to have the phasers than nothing. And it’s nice to have a weapon whose default setting is stun instead of disintegrate.
Kiax: Response
Mei’konda: Response
Her program began and she quickly targeted and hit three red dots in a row. The fourth one zipped by too quickly for her and she narrowly missed it.
Serala: Oh, like I said, I much prefer hand-to-hand. I started taking martial arts when I was young and have studied over three-dozen forms and mastered several of those. It’s great exercise and I enjoy the physicality of it.
Mei’konda / Thoran / Kiax: Responses
She hit several more targets, and missed only two this time. She let out a slight groan of annoyance, but otherwise kept her composure.
Mei’konda / Thoran / Kiax: Responses
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