Shoot to Kill

[Vora Kaar]

Why was my body reacting much to the same capacity as a humans? My body shook out of nervousness, almost fear of what was going on. I still had no control over my body and its... abilities. I knew some of what I could do. Having a body that could fight on it's own and fight well. During the... accident, I had killed men easily without any problems. So why was it so difficult for me to simply fire a pistol at a target?

Holding the blaster pistol on the indoor range, I held it out and was attempting to fire it, but could not. Pressing myself in my mind. Almost talking to myself as though I had to go through a process.

"Safety off, Aim cross hairs on center mass. Hold steady with both hands. Squeeze palms to resist movement. Left elbow down, right elbow locked. I can do this. Just pull the trigger Aleph. Just slowly squeeze down with the index finger..."

I couldn't do it. I growled at myself and slammed the blaster down onto the table and forced myself to sit down on the bench behind me. The man down two lanes looked at me then looked at the target. Seeing I hadn't even fired a single shot. Going back to what he was doing, he didn't care all that much before he packed up his stuff and started to leave.

I was angry at myself. Zombies? Fought them with everything I had. Humans who were attacking me? killed them with ease. Police upon Courscant? Ended them faster than they could blink. Shooting at a stationary target, I was a coward. I didn't feel right. I felt as though the gun shouldn't be used and that I was using it wrong. But programming that was still in my head, told me otherwise. Looking over to the side, I saw that a few rifles were hanging up on the side. Maybe it was just because I was using a pistol?

Reaching over to grab one, A standard rifle used by the security forces here on Dohmus Prime, I took aim. Holding tight on the stock and folded my elbow under the stock to align it with my shoulder and form. Taking aim over the top of the ironsights, I was about to pull the trigger once more, but the sight of the target caught me. Growing once more, I let it hang at my side in my right hand and just stood there. Palming my face with a left hand.

"What is with me today?"

[member="Dayne Inck'ha"],

 

[Dayne Inck'ha]

[member="Aleph"]

"Hmm.."

Dayne had walked up to the shooting range as the other man left, giving him a quiet nod. Rifle on her back and pistols on her hip, the hitman had decided to dress down today, giving her a reprieve from the suit and a chance for it to air out before she cleaned it. And what better way to waste time than sharpening her skills?

Instead of continuing on, however, the woman leaned against the entryway, watching the other inhabitant. A female humanoid, approximately five feet and ten inches (perhaps even ten and two eights of an inch?), and potentially weighing one hundred and ninety...two? pounds. Clearly with some steam to blow, and clearly having difficulties pulling the trigger. Odd. Dayne wouldn't have pegged her as one to be hesitant, simply based on the little display given so far. But, Dayne had been wrong before about people.

Walking up in a graceful manner, the woman paused one foot and two inches behind and six inches to the right of the other, her dark eyes flitting from the target and back.

"Troubles? Hmph." A cold smirk danced across her face. "I remember having that issue." She rubbed a finger across her lower lip.

"Pretend that the target is alive. Pretend you can hear its heartbeat, and see its breath. That usually works for me."

 

[Vora Kaar]

The sound of footsteps coming behind me alerted me to a presence that was foreign, and different. Placing the rifle down on the rest, I turned to meet the newcomer. A young woman who I had not seen before. She carried pistols with her, and spoke about the tactic she used when she felt on edge. Imagine that the person is breathing and a living being. I shook my head. Keeping my eyes on her and in a very calm almost monotone voice, responded to her.

"That is not the purpose. I need to be able to use all that I can without question, and without fail. No matter what my mind may be stuck on."

I quickly reached for the pistol and held it in my right hand. Aiming easily down the scope and fired six rounds in rapid succession. Each hitting within a two inch group just at the center of the chest of the target. While I was envisioning one of the zombies I had dealt with back when they were released, I looked at it again under a new eye, and saw the target once more. I placed the pistol back on the rest.

"Practice, target, living being, barn door, or otherwise. I need to do that every time. However, I thank you for your insight."

Offering a hand to the woman, a standard greeting as far as I was aware, I intended to be kind to this woman. While it seemed she almost scoffed at me earlier for failing to perform the task. Turn a cheek as some would say.

"Aleph. I can only assume you are also a savant with your blasters?"

[member="Dayne Inck'ha"],

 

[Dayne Inck'ha]

[member="Aleph"]

She simply tilted her head back to regard this woman, leaving the hand hanging. Dayne Inck'ha did not do handshakes. "Aleph, huh?" She rolled the name around on her tongue, testing it out. An odd name for an odd woman, but the galaxy was full of those. "Call me Dayne. And, yeah, I suppose you could call me a...what'd you say? Savant?"

Dayne knew what she said. And she knew the fancy words this woman laid out like jewels on display. But she didn't know this woman, this Aleph, and so she decided to keep her cards close. Even if it meant downplaying her own intelligence.

Moving on, the hitman nodded her head towards the targets. "Moving back to the point, I wasn't insulting you. Every now an' then we all have hangups, no matter how long we been doin' the job. Yes, you gotta be able to shoot at anything, no matter what. But to get out of the hangup, you gotta start small and work your way back up." She smirked again. "Then you'll be like me, capable of shooting everything with anything, no hesitance at all."

 

[Vora Kaar]

The woman was right. From the very limited information I had, and it seemed, previous knowledge of the world, Nobody was perfect. Everyone made mistakes or got hung up on something. It was for this that I nodded my head and indicated with an open hand that she was right. I guess I was being too hard on Dayne for walking up and attempting to help. While she would be oblivious to all of the problems I was faced with, I guess you could say that we may have similar problems in the past or currently.

"Thank you. It is difficult to tell when someone is causing pain, or genuinely wanting to aid someone in this day and age. Either way, I see your point."

Sighing, while it was not needed for me, seemed to calm my nerves a bit. I guess you could say I was feeling more human ever day with these mannerisms that I kept forming a habit for. Good or bad, I was unsure, but it made me feel better about my situation. It seemed that the Dayne didn't take handshakes though. Letting my hand drop to my side for now. I then indicated the weapons she carried.

"Dee-ee Ten's right? I have the same ones. However, I am sure you modified yours to be better suited for you."

Having my internal weapon systems and algorithms allowed me to simply look at a weapon, and determine how it functions, operates, fires, and even how to use it effectively to some degree. So when I saw the weapons at her own side, I did see the similarities between them and my own blasters. While I currently used mine and found them off of the pirates I had fought, seeming like forever a time ago now, I still found them reliable when my systems told me these guns were heavily outdated in some form or another. Shaking my head, I returned to my rifle and started to clear it of the energy cell.

"Sorry. Shouldn't be prying."

[member="Dayne Inck'ha"],

 

[Dayne Inck'ha]

[member="Aleph"]

The corner of Dayne's mouth drew upwards. "No offense, but typically if someone is causing pain, you uh, you know." This girl - yes, she suspected the girl was about her same age but goddamn Dayne could not help to see her as but a young girl - was an odd one. The offered hand dropped, with no outward hint of perturbence. Interesting.

Or, perhaps not.

At the comment about her blasters, the woman held one up, looking at it a bit before shrugging. "I s'pose. Changed the aesthetics a bit, and the grip to fit my hand - but otherwise, it's practically like market. Makes it easier to get replacement parts for the damned things. No need to get fancy." The apology, however, made Dayne narrow her eyes. Quite frankly, she didn't give two chits about this gal. Sure, she wouldn't kill her - but she wouldn't lay down her life for her, either.

Something happened in her life though. While Dayne may not have been too eager to share, it didn't negate her curiosity for this one. "Never apologize for pryin', not if you wanna avoid death. Prying is how you learn gossip, and gossip's how you get dirt on people." The hitman slid over to the neighboring booth. She eyed up the paper target, setting it to exactly thirty-point-five yards away. "Just be careful," she murmured, raising both of her blaster pistols. Thank goodness the woman kept in shape. Weak arms meant it'd be harder to handle the recoil from both guns.

Onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightnineten. Dayne lowered her guns onto the counter. Tight grouping just to the left and right of the center mass. If the target were a Zabrak, said target would be dead twice-over.

"You don't always know what will happen when you dig."

Okay. Now she was just posturing.