EliteCommander

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek gave a nod to Onyx. "Okay, one moment." He said as he walked over to the nearby training dummy. He propped his rifle up against the dummy, then removed his robe and draped it over the top of it. He then untied his machete's sheath from around his waist and set it down at the base of the dummy.

As he walked back to Onyx, it was immediately noticeable that he was in much better health than before. He actually looked to be well fed, and his scars were much fainter than before. The major ones were still prominent, but others had faded as as the scales regrew over them, and most of the ones that had been light to begin with were gone entirely. It was a testament to the Karisskan's strong regenerative capabilities, as many other races would have had those marks for life. His strength had not returned entirely, but he looked good enough to fight. Tarentek was not the strongest among his people, but just looking at him, it was easy to tell he was a trained fighter.

"Alright, is there anything I should know beforehand? Obviously we don't want to seriously injure each other, but are there any other specific rules that sparring matches follow among your people?" He asked.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek cocked his head to the side, looking at Onyx with genuine confusion. "What are you talking about? I don't under-ohhh, I think I get it. I think I remember hearing similar things from some visitors to Amman. From what I remember, mammals like you have you...reproductive parts on the outside of your bodies, so you always make sure to cover them with clothes. The same isn't true for us. I don't know if you saw before, but all of those parts are completely inside my body, so we don't really have a reason to cover them. Our scales do that for us. Visitors sometimes found it odd, but once they learned that, it usually wasn't an issue. Our clothing is entirely practical in purpose. For instance, my robe is meant to protect me from sand and wind. It's just...not that great to fight in, given how bulky and loose it is. Our combat armor is usually thick leather and layered cloth, which conforms much more closely to our bodies. I would have been wearing it in Amman, but the attack came by surprise." He explained. It was becoming difficult to keep track of how many differences there were between his people and the Elissics.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"That...might be a good idea, actually. I am feeling better than before, but I definitely won't be fighting at my best. It might even things out for you not to fly." Tarentek answered as the pair started to walk towards the sparring area. "We tend to be physically stronger than a lot of the races we come across, so we use that to our advantage. I don't think I can even pretend to be as agile as you, though. Personally, I'm a marksman by trade, but all soldiers, especially scouts, receive their hand-to-hand training. We have to be trained to be able to survive in harsh conditions, and without normal equipment."

Once they reached the sparring area, Tarentek glanced around the open area. "Is there anywhere I can put my robe?" He asked, completely casually.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei maintained a neutral demeanor through Harriet's explanation. She did not want to intrude upon Harriet's attempts to build her defense, so she decided it would be best to remain an observer as much as possible. Only once Harriet spoke to her directly did she become involved. "Harriet, you are going to have access to everything I know. I will have all of my notes pertaining to the investigation translated for you to review as you please. I will take whatever time is needed to clarify and answer your questions on them, and the investigation as a whole. I will not have an upper hand because you will have access to all evidence I have gathered. Just the same, nothing should be withheld from me. I want there to be no surprises during this trial, does that sound fair? My interest is not in finding someone to blame, it is to find the truth. If you can find evidence that exonerates you, there will be no need to even put you through a trial to begin with."

There was much Meesei could say if she wanted to explain the situation, and why Harriet was a suspect, to Harriet's alphas, but she elected to allow her to give that explanation herself. Meesei did not want to be seen as trying to influence the alphas away from Harriet, so she would only speak up if she saw that Harriet was misleading them on the facts of the case.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"You had a few hits, at least. I think you'll do well with more practice. Though, at the very least, your threats with that thing will have a lot more bite in the future. Just remember to pick up some ammo for it before you go out next time." Tarentek suggested. Pausing a moment, he removed his earplugs and put them away before continuing.

"It has been a while since I've had target practice, but unfortunately I don't have the ammo to spare. However, I...think I might be able to handle a good sparring match. I'm still not fully recovered, but I'm doing better than before, and I'd like the exercise. As long as it isn't too intense, I should be fine. I'll admit, I've never sparred against someone who could fly before, so that should be interesting. You ever gone hand-to-hand with someone like me before?" He asked curiously.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek removed one of his earplugs after Onyx finished shooting to hear her more clearly. "I think your accuracy is exactly where I'd expect it to be. You're just starting out, so you're not going to be great at first. Make sure when you're aiming that your sights are completely aligned, else your aim will be thrown off. Otherwise, you seem to be following proper form, though I can't tell on your breath control. In any case, there is only so much that explanations can do. Beyond that, only practice and experience can really help you improve. I'd keep trying as often as you're allowed. I know bullets can be hard to come by, but 9mm is a common ammo type, at least. I know I'm kind of low for my rifle. I have a magazine and a half left, and 7.62x51mm will be harder for to come by."

Replacing his earplug back into his ear, Tarentek motioned to the target. "Anyway, why don't you try again? Try to keep a count of how many rounds you have left. That pistol will hold fifteen rounds. Sixteen, if you already have one in the chamber when you reload. After you run out that magazine, if you still want to continue, we'll see if you can reload it."

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

It had not taken long for Tarentek to locate a target to shoot. He did notice that he got a few looks as he was waiting, but no one approached him before Onyx returned. He looked over what she had gathered, then nodded to her. "Ah, I see. Tie that over your ears, I guess? It should block enough sound. You'll still hear it, but it shouldn't hurt you. The ammo looks right, so I'll show you what you need to know, then let you try it yourself.

There were no tables nearby Tarentek could use, so he took the pistol and sat down on the ground, motioning for Onyx to take a seat beside him. "First, I'll show you how to load it. This is the magazine release." He said, pointing to a small button on the grip before pressing it to remove the magazine. He then started to take rounds from the box and load them into the magazine. "Loading the magazine is easy, just push them in one at a time. However, with a loaded gun, you have to be careful. Really, it's good to be careful with any gun, at any time. Make sure not to point it at anything you don't want to shoot, and keep your finger off of the trigger until you are ready to fire. I've seen too many accidents from people not being safe.

Once Tarentek had filled the magazine, he reloaded it back into the handgun. Since it was empty, you have to pull back the slide to load a bullet into the chamber. Once that is done, and the safety is off, it will be ready to fire." He explained, pointing out the safety to her as he mentioned it.

"Now, as for how to actually shoot, I will demonstrate. Grab it with your dominant hand as high on the grip as you can, then place your other hand over it as so. When you aim at the target, make sure not to lock your elbows, then look down the sights. You want the rear sights to be in line with the front sight. When you're firing, either hold your breath very briefly when you pull the trigger, or fire between breaths. It will help keep you steady. The latter is more effective, but the former can be easier for beginners." Tarentek explained, demonstrating each part of the technique in sequence. Before firing, however, he paused a moment and reached into the pouch on his waist. He had been wearing it when Amman was attacked, and while it had no useful supplies, there was one thing he always kept with him. From the pouch, he produced two small, tightly wrapped pieces of cotton fabric which he used as earplugs.

"Okay, cover your ears." He warned before switching off the safety and taking aim with the technique he described. With a few pulls of the trigger, he put three rounds downrange, showing that the pistol did indeed work. The range to the target was not too long, so Tarentek hit accurately, with a tight spread. He was a marksman in his squad, after all, so hitting a stationary target was nothing too difficult.

"Alright, your turn. Take a few shots and get used to the recoil. You might not be too accurate at first, but you'll get used to it." He said, flipping on the safety, than handing it back to her.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Anything that will block out sound will work. Some kind of earplug, or just something to go over them. It is hard to get an appreciation for how loud these things are without firing one for yourself. The reason I am as persistent as I am about it is that you can lose your hearing if you're unlucky, or worse. Some people get this constant ringing in their ear; I've experienced it before myself. And for races that don't regenerate like mine, I've heard it can even be permanent. Just see if you can find something in the storeroom along with the ammo, or I'll have to prove to you that I'm serious about just using my hands." Tarentek explained with a smile.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek nodded. "I'll appreciate any knowledge you can give me of course, but...I don't know if I'm up for flying today. Perhaps...tomorrow? You can help me with controlling my fear in flight, then I can help you in the water. For now, I will just appreciate the exercise. After your lessons of course."

It was not long before the pair reached the training area, which, of course, had others training as well. He did not know where the storeroom was, but at least this time he could pick out a spot on their shooting range for them to use. "I'll go pick us out a spot while you get the ammo. Remember, get the rounds labeled 9mm; it's what your pistol is chambered for. It's a smaller bullet that isn't as powerful, but it also doesn't kick as much as bigger rounds, so it should be easier to start with. Did you remember to get something for hearing protection? I'm not exaggerating when I say these things are loud. I'll hold my hands over your ears if I have to."

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Oh, I see. I understand. If you're right about their mission...well, I can't say I blame anyone for not volunteering. What they're being asked to do is quite a lot, but it is a duty someone has to fulfill. Depending on what happens, I may find myself in their position eventually. I am a scout, after all, and a soldier. I don't intend to avoid our enemy forever." Tarentek explained, his tone just as serious as Onyx's.

Tarentek was glad when Onyx changed the subject. The threat they faced was not a reality they could avoid, but they could at least distract themselves from it, and in the process, perhaps prepare for it as well. "Certainly, now is a good time for training. I can teach you how to use that pistol, as long as my fix actually worked. Just get some 9mm ammo, and I'll teach you everything you need to know. I might even be able to do something more than that; I'm feeling better than before, and could definitely use some exercise. Sparring can be a good way to train, if there is anyone who would actually be willing to spar with me."