Not the sharpest shot

Posted on Thu Aug 8th, 2024 @ 9:49am by Lieutenant Avira zh'Kenarh M.D. & Commander William Gerhard

Mission: Remnant
Location: Armoury, Atlantis
1492 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

For as long as Avira had been assigned to the Atlantis she had frequented the shooting range, where she was allowed to store her Andorian Imperial Guard issued rifle and keep herself sharp. Every once in a while she'd get competitive, trying her hand against whomever just happened to be there. Most of the MACOs outperformed her, she was pretty much on par with most of the Armoury personnel. What she excelled at, compared to both groups, however was the steadies of her hands. Had she not gone into the field medic specialisation she'd probably gone down a marksman track. It tended to compensate in her scores for the relative slowness of her shots.

"Come on, set it up, we have time for a round don't we, Major?" She looked at the Armoury Chief expectantly, making sure her scope was aligned properly. The practice round she had done right before throwing the gauntlet down was slightly worse than she had come to expect of herself.

William looked down the range at the target and noted the location of the mark before he looked back at Avira and gave her a slight grin. In their time aboard the ship together, William and Avira had engaged in a few friendly shooting competitions, and they were a fairly even match. He recognized the challenge when she made it, and he indicated the target as he watched her check her scope. “Are you sure you want to risk it, seeing as how that last shot was a little low and to the right,” he asked poking a little jest.

Even though it was made in jest, the comment stung. At this point Avira was sure something was off about her fine motor skills and checking it against William who she kind of matched in skill would be a good comparison to how she fared last month, for example. "Just set up the range." She tersely responded.

William smiled gain as he gave a slight nod and pushed off from the bulkhead towards the range control systems and input the appropriate commanders. Avira’s previous target was replaced and a fresh one appeared in the adjacent lane. He then turned around and made his way over to the nearest weapons locker and input his command code. The sharp click of the locks disengaging punctuated the silence of the area as he reached in and removed a pulse rife. He grabbed a range power pack and inserted it into the rifle. He secured the weapons locker, and checking the charge, he made his way back over to the firing line. He activated the scope and checked the sights before he looked back over at Avira with an upraised eyebrow.

Avira shouldered her rifle and looked down the scope, waiting for the signal to start firing. Her hands seemed to be steady now, which was a comfort. The big question was if it they'd hold up over the course of the challenge. Multiple different targets would jump around and it was exactly those small sudden movements that would be a huge indicator of anything wrong in her nervous system. There was an ongoing dread about that, as it would be the harbinger of worse things to come, and between Darru, the Raelians and the unfinished scans from the future ship Avira had been no closer to developing a cure.

William pressed the button to activate the range program before he readied his own rifle at the firing line. After a moment there was an audible beep before the his target appeared in his scope. He squeezed off the first round as he heard Avira also begin to engage her target. After each shot the target reset and changed position. After a few more shots, the program shifted from a stationary target to one that was moving. After a while, the sound of shots reverberating off the bulkheads, there was another audible beep as the targets disappeared and William safetied his weapon and lowered it looking over at Avira who was doing the same.

"You had some good hits on that round," William said before he he input a few other commands to display the shooting results on an adjacent viewscreen.

that round, it was a sentiment that rang in the Doctor's head. At least it was currently intermittent. Avira was starting to get slightly paranoid that maybe it was all in her head. Maybe it was the tiredness. But then as she tried to safety her weapon her thumb twitched and it took her three tries to actually properly put it away. "One more?" She asked through a somewhat clenched jaw.

William took a moment to study Avira as he noted her strained response. She was normally competitive, but there was something about the frustration that seemed to be on her features that made this situation feel different. "Is there something going on," he asked gently. He wasn't trying to be nosey, but he felt that the question wasn't too overly invasive. For all he knew, it could be something work related.

Avira's antennae twitched, she then looked over to the Chief Armoury, "Let's do another round." She cracked her knuckles before getting back into the position to go another round of shooting at moving targets. This just had to be from the fatigue caused by the creature that had tried to consume them, it would blow over. Fade away with time. She'd be fine. She'd have to be.

William let that hang between them for a moment having noticed her antennae twitch. He nodded and input the commands into the computer before resuming his position at the firing line. The sound of shots echoing off the bulkheads as they each sighted and fired their weapons at the moving targets seemed to magnify with the slight rift between them. When the program was completed, and having placed his weapon on safe, he stepped back over to the computer and brought up the rounds. He could see her eyes frantically scanning the results. William kept his own surprise from his face as he reviewed the results, which were worse than the previous round. He let the silence hang between them for a few beats more before clearing his throat.

"At great personal risk to myself, are you sure there's not something going on," he asked again. William was by no means a therapist, but there was always an unspoken brotherhood amongst those who carried weapons for a living. Having been in the Andorian Imperial Guard, William knew that code ran deeper.

Avira safetied her weapon and removed the power cell. "I am sure, Major. Perhaps I've been too focused on medical, I should've spend more time on the range." In Earth Starfleet it wasn't part of her core duties though, which made it much more difficult to free up time to actually do it. "Speaking of which, I'll have to get back to sickbay."

William nodded at her response. He knew that there was more than what she was letting on, but if she didn't want to share it with him it was her business. "Of course, well you know that if you ever need a spotter I'm available," he said. The comment held another meaning, that he was there for her as a colleague and friend if she ever felt the need to confide in him. Whatever she decided though, the door was open for her. It would be up to her whether she would ever take him up on his offer.

While the doctor appreciated the sentiment being expressed she also knew the ripple-effect her declining health could have on the crew and morale. It wasn't that she placed herself above the rest of the crew, it was just that when an entire crew relied on very few people to stay healthy and in one piece a threat to those people usually didn't do wonders for they peace of mind. "I will let you know." She slung the rifle over her shoulder to start and make her way to the locker that they had set up for her in the armoury.

William gave her a slight smile and nod as he watched her exit the shooting range and make her way over to her designated locker. William turned back to the computer console and input the commands to power down the shooting range. With power levels being rationed, he'd agreed to keep the range powered off to do his part to conserve energy. William knew that there was something going on that Avira didn't want to share. Whether she'd tell him or not would be up to her. A year ago William might have been miffed that she was keeping something with him, but his own personal developments over the past year had taught him that everyone kept personal secrets close to the vest. Whatever it was, she would work through it in her own time.

 

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