The Manly Art of Sniping

Posted on Sat Oct 1st, 2016 @ 6:14am by

Mission: Bad Moon Rising
Location: Tactical Offices - USS Hammersley
Timeline: MD1 - 1000Hrs

Lt Commander Plataea Yamaguchi was busy unpacking in her office, she had only the one duffel with her as she was a woman who could pack light and still toss everything into a bag five minutes before she was due to turn over her living space to the quartermaster as she almost always preferred a spartan lifestyle.

She was a dedicated Engineer and it was something she took most seriously, she smiled as she plucked a PADD out of her pack which she then connected to the computer terminal at her desk which was adorned with only two pictures, one of her and her husband and one of her, her husband and all of her children, three of whom were adults and off with their own husbands and wives. Plataea was a grandmother and she was happy with how her life had turned out. Not bad for an outcasted woman with no family to speak off. Her husbands family, who in their collected outrage at how Plataea had been treated, had taken her in and given her a family and a future as one of them.

Yamaguchi tapped the display before her, the replicator suddenly lit up as a soft humming sound could be heard. She suddenly grinned. "Hello girl." as she reached over and picked up the rifle which was really heavy but then it had to be considering it was a TR-166 Anti Armor/Heavy which she cradled in her arms. "Now its off to the range." as she placed the weapon on the table before she replicated four magazines of bullets, about sixteen in each magazine.

Yamaguchi collected her items before she went out the door and down the hallway towards her destination, rifle in hand.

A few minutes later. Yamaguchi entered the range, a smile on her lips as she looked around. While she did so she couldn't help but hear a set of steady footfalls as a Marine Chief Warrant Officer Four with a small, gold bursting bomb on the left side of his collar which indicated that he was an Infantry Weapons Officer, a master of his craft. "Can I help you Lieutenant Commander?"

"Morning Chief Warrant.. I'm a little shy on my various qualifications... I brought my own weapon..."

"A TR116... Starfleet doesn't use those.."

"Its either that or I use an old style ballistic rifle. In my case that the Barrett .50 Cal. Same with my Barret M82 Its a few hundred years old but it still works and doesn't deal with a lot of the gunk on the modern battlefield." Yamaguchi clarified for the marine before her.

The Marine smiled before he chuckled. "Had I known you were coming Lieutenant Commander. I would have prepared for you." The Marine added.

"I understand." Yamaguchi responded, her smile losing none of its luster. "I like to keep my skills sharp. I refuse to be protected by others... I specialize in various fields... of mayhem on the battlefield." she then added a grin for added effect. "So nothing on the range is open for me then?"

"You caught me at a bad time. Sorry Commander." The Marine was disappointed, his mien showed this too.

"Alright, well let me sign these into your armory so people don't have panic attacks when they see me walking around with a sniper rifle that can cut ten men in half with a single round."

"I've heard of the M82 but.. stories only." The marine was forced to admit.

"Its made before Earths third world war and I resurrected it... Also the TR116H I have with me is my own design. I'm still trying to get it approved.. But considering its based off of a none starfleet weapon.. Its proving to be... problematic." she sighed. That one word said a lot and nothing at the same time.

"Commander... you ever shot the Barrett XM500 or the XR650?" a second marine inquired.

"I have actually. There is something about the M82 I prefer... I don't know if its the intimidation factor or what but I prefer big heavy weapons." Yamaguchi explained to the two marines. "Besides.. the last Marines didn't like me as they saw my weapons skills as a threat to their manliness."
she sighed as she shook her head. "I am really hoping things here will be different."

Gunner shook his head. "Were you assigned to a headquarters unit or something?"

"Starbase 400." Yamaguchi responded.

"Ahh.. well thats explains so much..." Gunner responded as the second marine added. "Gunner. the upgrades to the range are finished, we can open her up now."

Gunner smiled. "Twenty minutes early. Very nice. Looks like your trip down here was not a total loss Commander... You still want to drill things with bullets?"

Yamaguchi's smile widened considerably but she held her silence. "Love to... After you." Yamaguchi fell into line as she followed the two marines in silence over to the range.