| Bust a Cap |
| Summary: | Wade seeks Vandenberg for training in firearms, and then he does something stupid. YAY. |
| Date: | 07 Jan 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Shooting Range |
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| This nearly soundproof room has ten shooting booths in a straight line that face the target field. The ranges move out to thirty yards, each booth using its own track to take targets out to the desired distance vial a simple dial at the booth. Behind the firing line is a long bench that runs the width of the room where crewmembers can load magazines and compare targets. At one end is a huge stack of paper targets that has either Cylons or a few different types of human targets on them. A large sign hangs from the ceiling that details out the rules such as wearing eye and ear protection and watching where weapons are pointed at all times. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #315 |
Condition Two keeps torturing everyone on the BSG-132. Everyone is working around the clock and pulling extra extra hours to help expedite things and potentially move back to Condition 3. Wade at the moment, has almost an hour before he has to go into Alert Viper mode, so he'll have to be closer to the lauch bays. The man is wearing his flight suit at the moment, patch signaling that he is a Viper pilot and that his Squadron is VF-154 'Black Knights'. He is at the moment, using said hour to track someone down, a Marine. What better place to find the Marine than the shooting range, right? Well, maybe. But, since he is actually looking for some help on that end, he is looking for someone in particular, hoping to find her here.
Vandenberg is actually here, which isn't often. Most of the time she's pounding out patrols or huffing around the Security Hub or offices. She has her sidearm lain out and disassembled on the back table of the empty range. There is cleaning supplies and dirty rags tossed haphazardly around the gun but its parts lay shined and crisp on a gray cloth. A rifle, a GMAR, is leaning against the table as well. She's currently in her duty browns, complete with MP brassard.
Tracking, tracking, tracking. Target found. Engage. Yes, Drips walks towards her. The man clears his throat as if to call for attention and then offers a salute "Lieutenant Vandenberg?" Well, the reality is that he has only seen her what, once? During that HALO jump exercise, and that was a lot of fun. After he salutes, he moves his hands behind his back and waits for acknoledgement from the LT.
Vandenberg looks up up up towards the pilot and nods. "At ease, Lieutenant." She smirks a touch and looks back towards the sidearm, running a alcohol soaked rag down the disassembled barrel. "Not very often I get Viper sticks hunting me down unless its your Captain Vakos." That smile doesn't fade - not a smidge. "What can I do for you?" The rag is removed and she slips the barrel into the slide, beginning to reassemble it.
Wade nods and offers a soft smile to the LT, he chuckles just a little and tilts his head to the side "Hunting you down? No, that is not the case, not right now at least…I lack my facial war paint." He points to his face. Now he nods, smile not going away "Wade Duncan, Drips. With the Black Knights" just in case she doesn't remember of course. "Well, I was hoping I could maybe ask for your help? A few things have caught my attention, things that it would be wise to gain improvement and you could help me a lot with one in particular"
"Bah. Doesn't take warpaint. Though there's easier ways. I'm a sucker for a good Virgan whiskey. Usually brings me a-runnin." Natalie grins, putting the spring back in before glancing back to Wade. "Think I've seen you about, yeah. One of the few brave chaps who wanted to jump out of Raptors with my Marines and I." Though the request for help gets a lofted brow and she dips her head, looking back to the sidearm as she puts it all back together. "I'd be happy to help one of Vakos' people. Tell me what you need and we'll see if I can't help or point you in the right direction of someone who can." She runs the slide on the gun and begins wiping it down as her eyes turn back up to him expectantly.
"Virgan whiskey" repeats Wade, nodding to that "I already made a mental note, so if I ever find some, it'll have your name on it" He clears his throat and chuckles again "Are you kidding? I'm not going to pass up the opportunity of jumping from a very high altitude and reach terminal velocity on the way down, free-falling. That is simply brilliant" Bright smile on his features, certainly the man has a need for speed. He arches both eyebrows and says "Oh? Good, good." Another smile forms up there and he explains "Well, you see. To be straight forward about it, I suck at shooting a gun. Well I can do my job in the cockpit, I have to also consider danger situations away from it and, well…I could use some training with firearms."
Natalie just chuckles, nodding as he talks. She eventually looks back to the gun as he finishes and reaches for the magazine, sliding it up and in. "Some people don't have the guts to admit they need help shooting. Some kind of social stigma with guys I think." She chuckles and glances to him. "Sure thing. Nothing to explain, either. You want me to teach you combat shooting or target shooting? The former is more threat focused; shooting under stress and such. The latter is about accuracy and hitting precisely where you aim. Got a preference? Rifles or pistols?" She's entirely calm and relaxed about it. "And," she gestures to him with a flitted hand. "Relax. At ease. Pretend we're off duty. Serious lesson but there's no reason you can't enjoy it, right?" Natalie grins, running the gun and loading it, its placed back in the holster.
Wade nods at her last and smiles just a little, leaving his helmet over the table they are close to. "Well, wouldn't know about that, the way I see it, it's much easier to ask for help with something you don't know, than to pretend that you do and suck horribly at it…and in this case, potentially endangering others" Smiles are easy for him, so they show often and they are not forced. "Honest, I would like to learn combat shooting and target shooting and I'm good with Rifles and Pistols. However, I think it would be good to start maybe with the Five-Seven?" He pats his regulation gun, the one that everyone gets. "I have the training you get in basic, and that's it…but I would like to know a little more."
"Some people aren't quite as astute as you with the importantce of learning things, Mister Duncan." Natalie chuckles and turns, heading to the locker. "Combat shooting takes a lot of rounds to be really good with, but the principles are very easy to pick up right away. Target shooting can take years of mastering the basics. We'll start with combat." She opens the locker and takes out two sets of glasses and earmuffs. A few boxes of 5.7 rounds are also removed. Its all brought up to one of the firing lanes - targets hanging there as usual. "Okay, its gonna feel a little weird, but you just have to trust yourself that this will work." She slips on the glasses and ears, motioning for him to do the same. "When we are done, you're not going to remember ever once seeing your gun. If you do, tell me so I can swat ya." The Lieutenant winks at him, gesturing for the man to step up to the firing line.
Wade listens, paying full attention to what's being said. "Ok, combat shooting it is." Now, the man just follows the woman with his gaze as she moves to get all the required items and steps forward taking the glasses and earmuffs. To her last words, he just tilts his head and sloooowly nods "If I remember ever once seeing my gun" He presses his lips together and then chuckles a little "Ok, we'll see how that goes" Now, he arches one eyebrow and asks "Oh, swatting if I do things wrong?" He smiles at that and puts on the glasses and the earmuffs looking at the targets now. He takes his gun from the holster, looks that the safe is on and places it on top of the table.
Wade listens, paying full attention to what's being said. "Ok, combat shooting it is." Now, the man just follows the woman with his gaze as she moves to get all the required items and steps forward taking the glasses and earmuffs. To her last words, he just tilts his head and sloooowly nods "If I remember ever once seeing my gun" He presses his lips together and then chuckles a little "Ok, we'll see how that goes" Now, he arches one eyebrow and asks "Oh, swatting if I do things wrong?" He smiles at that and puts on the glasses and the earmuffs looking at the targets now. He takes his gun from the holster, looks that the safe is on and makes his way towards the firing line, eyes on the different targets there. This should be interesting.
"Oh ha ha," Vandenberg demures, rolling her eyes playfully. "Swatting on the back of the head. Not the rump. Remember, female Marine. We're sassy and full of spite." She takes her own gun out of the holster. "Alright, first thing is stance. Forget that one leg back nonsense. In a gunfight? You'll never have time to get into it. Bad terrain, shit on the ground, SNAFU. So put her feet shoulder width apart andstick the gun out in front of you in both hands. Square your shoulders to the target like so and hunch forward so you lock your wrists." She does just that. No doubt, the posture is extremely aggressive. The kind of stance that Wade would probably know at the very least from watching reality shows about SWAT teams and such. "I want you to lower the gun from in front of your face, now. Still parrallel to the ground, mind you, but just about even with your chin and look at the target. Look at the target and exactly where you want to hit. Whenever you're ready, fire just one round off."
Wade mock hits his forehead with his right hand and shakes his head "Of course, how bad of me to think that" He smiles and chuckles at that, now adopting a more serious expression as he listens carefully "Gotta love when something starts with, forget everything you've learned" He nods and clears his throat, smiling right after that. "Ok, let's see." He adopts the stance that she is talking about, both hearing and then copying what she does. He follows instructions to the letter and then eyes the target in front of him, a Centurion. The man takes aim now and it's going for its eye, well, right at the middle part. After a couple seconds, Wade fires that round and the result, well, it's lower than the desired point of contact, and to the right. He still hit the thing but, not where he wanted. "Ah…well…close enough?"
Vandenberg doesn't say anything until the pilot fires. But at least she's smiling. "In this case, close enough is good." She reholsters her own gun but motions for him to not move. "Okay. What I want you to do is just baaarely adjust the gun every so slightly up and to the left. Just a smidge, mind you. Then fire off another round while you are looking at exactly what you want to hit - never the sights. Forget the sights because they are not there." She grins. "After you fire off that round, adjust once again. Keep the gun low in front of your chin and never take your eyes off what you want to hit. Don't overthink it. Fire, adjust. Fire, adjust. ..Fire away whenever you are ready." She sounds like she's explaining something crazy easy, which it really is. It can't possibly be that easy can it?
The Viper pilot puts the safe one his gun and lowers it for a moment to listen to what she says. "Barely adjust…" repeats the man now "Fire, adjust, fire, adjust" repeats right after. He nods in acceptance and looks at the target again. Gun goes up but following indications, safety off after that. He slows his breathing and fires the first round, and it hits pretty close to the first point of contact but a little further from the desired one. Another shot! This one gets a little closer as he starts to adjust things. Another one! Yes, even closer this time, he is getting there. BLAM! One more! Oh…he overdid it. Adjust, adjust… BLAM! Bullseye, or, a liiiittle to the right but that's alright. BLAM! Yeah, now he got it. When he does, he puts the safety on and narrows his eyes, smiling right after that "Wow…that's something"
Vandenberg just watches, the smile on her face growing. When he stops, she slaps him on the back lightly. "See? Easy peasy. I love showin people that. The look on their face is always priceless." The woman removes her ear muffs and brings the target forward to them. "See, the concept is so crazy simple, you don't even realize what you're doing. When you throw a rock, are you looking at your hand? Hell no. You look at what you want to hit and trust your body to compensate correctly. Its the same principle. I once heard a Viper jockey say that its similar to ignoring your gunsights in a Viper and aiming by gut instinct and tracers. Dunno if that's true, but chew on that how you will."
Wade smiles as she explains and lowers his gun to the small table in front of himself. "That does make sense and yeah, same thing happens with the Vipers. Granted you can follow your indicators but it also depends on instinct and coordination. And it has worked well for me so, hey, I can't complain" He nods to his own words, still smiling and then asks "So I take it's the same principle when you are moving around, dodging for cover and the like? Basically keep your eye in the target and trust your body to do the right thing. Of course, with more practice it creates muscle and reflex memory, and that helps. Which…can potentially help with other types of guns" He chuckles now and shakes his head "Do stop me if you believe I'm talking out of my ass"
Vandenberg just looks up at him with a smile until he finishes. She shakes her head and holds up a hand in surrender. "Nope! You nailed it! Lost me at the Viper stuff, but its the same idea. Its all muscle memory. You can't go out and kill anything right now, but its a good start. And the great thing is? This works at long range. My first time learning this my instructor had us try shooting the top of a fifty gallon drum at sixty yards. Took a second, but it was just bing bing bing after that. You come down here a few days a week and practice this? If you can shoot 200 rounds a week, you'll be a pro in a few months. I had the luxury of 2000 in a weekend so my experience is a liiiittle different." She grins, leaning against the divider. "The best part is, its self paced. You get faster on your own because you begin to trust yourself. Now, there's just one hang-up.."
Wade remains in silence while she talks, smiling at some key points and offering silent nods "200 rounds per week?" finally asks the man "I can certainly try that, I definitely want to get better at this of course. I do spend a lot of time in the simulators and on CAP and also…I'm trying to do some Deck work, to help out, you know. Besides, I like working on Vipers" And Instructor training and, oh my…lots of stuff. "2000 rounds on a single weekend? That should certainly make a difference, agreed." Now, he arches one eyebrow and tilts his head "Just one hang-up….what would that be?"
"Yeah. The 2000 cost be 340 cubits plus the cost of the class. But it was sooooo worth it." She rolls her head as she says it. "But yeah, the hang-up. Okay, after a few weeks you'll be able to run to the bottom of a magazine in about two seconds with all your rounds hitting the target. The problem is that they aren't going to be hitting exactly on your bullseye. Just all around. You might get hesitant to be that fast because you want to be accurate, right?" She moves her head as if this is a totally rational thing. "Here's the thing, and this is especially applicable to humanoid Cylons: You get people who can put three rounds in a cubit in half a second. Great. Happy for them. But at the core of it, you are trying to kill. Be lethal. Those three rounds are only shutting down one organ in the body. It only takes one round to shut it down. When you pepper the whole body with rounds, you are killing them much faster. And at the end of the day, he who dies first is still dead. You still have a chance to walk away. Do not be afraid to fire very fast. The goal is to riddle them with bullets as fast as you can."
Wade whistles "340 cubits…" Now he nods and smiles at the fact that it was worth it. Good! Because it was also expensive! Now, he listens to her as she explains this piece of information and before saying anything, he clears his throat. "So, don't worry about hit locations, worry about being lethal. Got it" Now, he smiles with some amusement and he asks "Two to the chest, one to the head?" Professional hit-man yo! Not really, but one can dream. "Shoot fast, be lethal, live to fight another day" Another nod from him. "Ok, I will do more shooting with the Five-Seven and then I can also try….errrr…" He taps one finger over his lip "What's the name of the regulation rifle? I'm sorry, I'm not the most knowledgeable in that area."
Vandenberg waves it off with a laugh. "Don't bother with the two to the chest thing. Its good, but that's in the realm of the Corps. People that are paid to be shooters and do a lot of it. This is dirty, nasty gunfighting at the very core of it. Learn this stuff and in a few weeks, come back and find me. There's a bunch of drills I can show you that will up your accuracy more and teach you to shoot from different positions. In the meantime, your goal is to get faster and become as comfortable with the gun in your hand as you are sitting in a cockpit. Its just an extension of your arm. Another tool in the box. Have fun. Maybe bring another pilot down here and make competitions out of it. Like I said, its all muscle memory. Square to target, gun level at your chin, target to fire, adjust the gun. Square, chin, fire, adjust." She beams a grin up at him - all twelve inches higher. "And yeah, this works with the GMARs. Its a little different, but the principles are the same. more about head positioning. Used a bb gun to learn. That guy taught my friend to shoot a spinning cubit out of the air. Swear to Gods, damndest thing I've ever seen."
To silent mode Wade goes again, listening to her, smiling while doing so. "Ok so, I'll take a few weeks to practice and then hunt you down again, to kinda go to the next level and keep with the training." He nods to his own words "Awesome, awesome" And then, her last words earn a double eyebrow arch "Really, that is frakking awesome…" Yeah, he liked that idea. Immediately, the man narrows his eyes with a mischievous smile and pats one of the pockets of his suit. Score! He retrieves a Cubit from there and shows it to Vandenberg now "Like this" He takes the gun and in the other, he holds the cubit. And! He throws the Cubit into the air and aims at it with the fun, finally firing when he things he has it. But no, finally firing would be incorrect, because the trigger doesn't go back. "Stup—-" Lame, pretty lame…the cubit falls to the ground and now he looks at the gun. The safe is on. "Yeah…that doesn't count"
Vandenberg nods along until he reaches for the cubit. Her eyebrows loft when he pulls out the cubit, though when he goes to toss it and shoot it she clamps her hands over her ears and ducks away. "Cease fire!" she yells, just as the cubit dinks to the floor. Even if he didn't shoot, she slowly rises up and looks up at him. "Been talking to some people recently. Learning to confront my inner bitch and be calm. If I hadn't, I'd have probably thrown you a fist for that." She points to the earmuffs around her neck. "And you don't try that in here. Ever. Is that very well and absolutely understood, Mister Duncan?" A hard chiding from the teacher to the student.
Wade presses his lips together with a 'Crap' expression. "Good, glad you've been controlling your so called, inner bitch." he does a thumbs up but is still serious. He nods and clears his throat "Yes, understood…" Yeah, he probably won't do that again. He offers her an apologetic smile and a nod "On the bright side, you don't sound like a bitch? So whatever you are doing must be working properly. Assuming that other side exists of course." The smile grows a little more but still looks apologetic. He takes his earmuffs off and also his glasses. "And I'm /not/ that good at hand to hand either…."
"Ohhhhh its very much alive and well," she breathes. "Do not ever frak around on a firing range. Period. What I saw was done with a bb gun in a rock quarry. Not on a battlestar with live ammunition." The expression on her face says that yes, she does take this action very seriously. "That would've been a pity for you if I had taken a swing, then. My platoon sergeant has an inch and about sixty pounds of muscle on you and I've taken him down before." She huffs out a final, long breath. She visibly calms and flattens her hands by her side. "Okay. Alright. I'm going to trust you will never, nor allow anyone else to attempt something like that again. Say yes so I can keep teaching you down the road. You want training, you have to respect it. Its not about trick shots anymore. Its all life and death."
Wade takes a deep breath before saying anything. He moves his gun to the holster and puts the safety on. "Look, I am really sorry. I normally don't do something like that and I know that it's not something to be done." He clears his throat and it seems like he wants to kinda explain something but he shakes his head "No, no…there's no excuse. Trust me when I say that I do respect the training, and I respect what you do and you as a teacher….this…." He shakes his head as if kicking himself in the ass "It will never happen again under this conditions, you have my word there." Another nod "And, I will not allow anyone to attempt something like that, yes." He looks at her, apologetic eyes again "I am sorry."
Natalie watches him verbally kick himself for that and she nods. If he had known Vandenberg two weeks ago, this would have blown him away. She reaches up to rest her hand on his shoulder. "I know. I know because you came to me for training. You play by the rules and we'll have fun with it. Apology accepted." She finally manages a smile. Hey, maybe this actually works for her! Her hand slides off and back down to her side. "Anyway, stay here. Your punishment is fifty rounds before you are allowed to leave and sweep up all your brass. Drop it in the bucket. If you have any questions, you come find me or shoot a note. When you think you're ready to learn more, same deal. I gotta go get check in on our search teams. Next time we can talk about hand to hand more. Teach you how to kill a man in one point five seconds when he has a gun in your face." Its almost a dare for him to learn with the way she says it. She's probably done it by the look in her eye. "Check six, Lieutenant."
Wade smiles softly at Vandenberg and the he half chuckles at her punishment "Well deserved" says the man at this and takes his gun again. "And, Lieutenant…" adds the man, looking straight at her "…normally I don't really care what others think about me." He nods to his own words and continues "But in this particular case, considering the fact that I just did something…well…very dumb. Could I ask you not to let that form an opinion on my persona? If it is not much to ask of course" Yeah, he is ashamed of that one, really. "Well, El-Tee, I'll tell you what, not only will I learn how to do that, but I'll do it in one point four seconds" He smiles a little more now and winks at her.
Vandenberg turns back to him as she moves for the exit and considers the request. "I'll make you a deal: I won't let that effect my judgment of you if you promise to always listen to your Captain. Honor code only. You follow the orders of one helluva duty-bound woman and I'll consider you to be listening to me. It'll be like it never happened and you got to learn a lesson free of charge." She makes a soft grunt as if accepting his challenge at the end and turns back. She sets the glasses and ears back in the locker, swipes up the GMAR, and heads to the door with one last smile for Wade.
Wade arches both eyebrows at her words and then half snorts "Wonder what you two have been talking about." He shakes his head at this but with an amused smile. However, does this mean that Poppy has been complaining about the Knights? That is interesting. Still, he doesn't say anything else on that matter and just starts reloading his Five-Seven, time to do some more shooting.