Duty over for the day, Gus had scheduled a holodeck session. He’d left the door unlocked in case anyone else wanted to use the same range for ranged weapons practice. Since he was the first to arrive, he took the opportunity to make some noise. The all metal semiautomatic 10mm barking in his hands, making the steel plates ring and topple as he moved between the fighting positions. With safety protocols on, ear and eye protection wasn’t really needed but Gus wore them anyway. It was a bad habit to teach yourself was his thought. Since it was the holodeck, Gus asked for a dozen more loaded magazines and prepared to run the course again, though he asked the computer to change the plate postions for the next run, which he ran in quick fashion.  

Collins had heard about the training session, so he headed to the holodeck and entered. His ears rang from the sound of the ammo hitting the metal plates.

Setting Michael enter the range, Gus set the guns on the table, muzzles downrange. When the range went cold, he took out the bright orange hearing plugs. “Lieutenant, are you considering cross training today?” The pair hadn’t really spoken much after the debriefing. 

“Considering what happened last mission, I thought doing some more training is not the worse idea.” replied Collins. He went over to the table and looked at the weapons. “Impressive array of weapons you have here.”Gus tilted his head in a nod as thank you to Michael. 

“I find it somewhat ironic that taming a two-kilo pistol accurately under limited duress relieves stress.” He said, then added, “the mission could have gone far worse. We were lucky, Sir. As a Vulcan, I do not believe in luck of course.” Gus said with a slight tilt of one eyebrow suggesting doubt existed.

Picking up a nearby compound bow, Gus told the computer to change the targets. There were 10 inch steel plates, the inner four inches had an insert, colored red. “Many ways exist to silently kill an enemy at distance. Bows, crossbows, blowdarts, silenced, and airguns The trick is you have to be very accurate. Stringing the first broadhead, it pierced near the center, making no noise. The second Gus deliberately hit the outer circle, the noise was similar to a bell, with the broadhead punching through steel target. “Miss THAT target, the enemy is still alive and capable of raising the alarm.” 

Collins nodded. “I understand that. May I try the bow?”“Of course.” Viat offered. “He had the computer add the forearm protector for Collins. ”This is a normal 70-pound draw weight compound bowd. About the upper limit of might pass for a general issue weight.” 

Collins picked up an arrow, laid it near the bowstring, used two fingers to start pulling the bow back, aimed at a target, took a breath and held it, then he released the arrow and let it fly.The arrow nicked just inside where the red inner target started. It wasn’t loud, but it might have attracted attention in a normal, quiet corridor. “There are patterns for 5 round arrow magazines, though perhaps a crossbow or air rifle might be a better option. Especially since archery isn’t normally practiced” Gus offered. Changing gears, he also added, “Lieutenant, you once asked me why I was different from other Vulcans. Their inability to show and properly communicate feelings and emotions does not make them logical. Emotion is not the opposite of logic. Not all Vulcans choose to stunt emotional literacy. Though it is not something the logical ones amongst my people agree with and sometimes looked upon in a negative connotation. “

“That certainly makes you different, but does it make you better?” Collins put down the bow and picked up a sniper rifle. He held it up, looked at it from different angles, brought it up, and adjusted the scope. “Nice feel.”“Built integral supressor. Runs in compressed air. Fires a 325grain .429 inch pellet at 1050 feet per second. Quite deadly, quite quiet. 5 round rotary magazine.” Gus offered

Collins brought the rifle up, sighted one of the targets, and fired all 5 rounds quickly. The group at 25 meters could nearly be covered with a closed fist. “I think we have a winner, but let’s run it up the chain, and offer to present a demonstration to our Romulan allies.” Viat offered to Collins. 

“Hopefully the powers that be will be impressed by my skills.” Collins put the rifle down.