Posted by Civilian Jezem (Upstanding Citizen) in Side Sim: Shooting The Breeze (Tag Thyr)

Posted by Civilian Thyr Th’arialat (Resident) in Side Sim: Shooting The Breeze (Tag Thyr)

Posted by Civilian Jezem (Upstanding Citizen) in Side Sim: Shooting The Breeze (Tag Thyr)
Posted by… suppressed (50) by the Post Ghost! 👻
A grinning Jezem knocked shoulders with Thyr. A difficult thing to make casual when the Andorian stood a head taller than the orion but Jezem succeeded with grace. “Since you’ve been so good I thought I would reward you. I’m sure your shrink friend would call it something soft like ‘positive reinforcement’ or ‘positive emotional experience for holistic health’. Or as equally contrived and over-thought.”

Shivan made a face. “Not my friend, and gross. Never say those words again.” He gently shouldered Jezem back, “So what are we doing?” He asked, and then he saw the name of the building they stood in front of.

The two men stood outside the entrance to an outdoor shooting range. The area around the building displayed simple landscaping that provided color beside the otherwise drab grey exterior of the building and several shady trees provided relief from the sun. The interior was open plan and there were many displays of various guns across species, cultures and time periods. Jezem lead the way in, stopping by the front desk to claim their reserved space. An employee guided them through the building and to the outside and took them down to the far right where they had two semi-secluded ranges to themselves.

Jezem strutted over to a rank of various ranged weapons and motioned towards them all with an elegant flourish of his hands. His actions and body languages very much playing into the stereotype of an orion gambling-hall girl showing off the fun games to be played, “What shall we shoot first?”

Jezem

Shivan grinned and picked up a 22nd century Andorian plasma gun. “These are awesome. Not as accurate as today’s weapons, but a real relic. It’s not a phaser, those came out a few years after this.” He gestured to a second one on the table, “Give it a try.”

~ Thyr

“I’ll take your word for it,” Jezem lifted the gun into his hands, noting the weight and balance. “I will never understand the appeal of these things,” He said and took aim at the humanoid shaped target at the end of the range. “So. . . impersonal.” He fired one round and missed the target, his shot going high and veering off into the left. Jezem pouted at the gun, “How did anyone manage with these things?”

Jezem

“Follow through with your trigger press. And compensate for where it’s going. Aim a little lower than your target.” Shivan said. “Personally I prefer knives, but guns have their usages.” He fired at the target and hit not a bullseye but in the inner ring. Then he turned and smirked at Jezem.

~ Thyr

Oh, like it’s just that easy. “At least we can agree on one thing,” A pause, “And food. So, two things?” Daggers and food. The basis of a beautiful. . . whatever it is the two of them had. Nothing as saccharine or soft as friendship but somewhere beyond their professional status of the past. “You look ugly when you smirk,” Jezem scowled at the andorian. He lifted the gun again, took a breath and fired his second shot. This time the bullet grazed the edge of the target. Guns are the worst. “Give me a throwing dagger and I’d hit the heart every time.” Jezem muttered under his breath.

Jezem

“You insult me when you’re losing.” Shivan taunted, grinning. He fired two more shots. Another one in the inner ring and one just outside the inner ring. “I’m going to set up a place to test my weapons from my shop, if you’re interested in helping me test them.” That meant playing with knives for fun. As long as they were legal knives.

~ Thyr

“And I insult you when you’re losing, what of it?” Jezem widened his stance and fired another round. His third shot hit the target in the shoulder. A good shot to debilitate and injure without risk of outright death. “Hells, I insult you for the fun of it and because your ego is as fragile as thin ice.” He rolled his eyes, like he wouldn’t pass up the chance to show up Shivan at something he was actually good at.

Jezem

“It is not!” Shivan growled. No! He had to stay calm… Or his shooting would get erratic and Jezem would make a fool of him. Every one of his shots was a shot to the target’s central mass. Two more shots hit the target in its cardboard chest. “We could try some newer weapons… Maybe you’d shoot less like a child with a Nerf gun.” He’d learned what ‘nerf guns’ when he’d gone to the Academy. Children’s toys on Earth. Strange things, really.

~ Thyr

Deciding he was done shooting the outdated gun with terrible aim, Jezem set it down to examine the other options laid out for them. He hadn’t a clue what any of them were called, could only vaguely identify their origin and general worth by noting the size, and material. “What in the heavens is a- No, actually, I don’t want to know.” It sounded like an insult so Jezem will take it as such. “Pick something, I can’t be bothered too.” No matter where they came from or what they did a gun was a gun and Jezem didn’t care enough to know any more.

Jezem

Shivan exchanged their weapons, making sure the ones he was putting down were left safely. He instead picked up a much newer weapon. A hand phaser used frequently by Orions. He handed one to Jezem. “This is a type of hand phaser you should be familiar with… They’re common enough in the… place we share a past with. Legal to own and carry, with permit. It’ll be easier to aim than an older weapon, so you shouldn’t have any problem with it.” He’d laugh his little blue head off if Jezem couldn’t shoot this.

~ Thyr

This was something Jezem was somewhat familiar with. “Yes, yes, laugh it up. Why don’t you call the local news and tell them about the sad orion man who can’t shoot.” Being somewhat more familiar with this gun, having used it before in the past Jezem fired off several rounds at once. This time the bullets were closer to the center but the shots were all over the place and not in a tight group.

Jezem waited until Shivan was about to fire before saying, “Sad that guns are the only way you’ll ever unload onto a target,” in a voice dripping with innuendo.

Jezem

Shivan gave Jezem a look. “You are well aware that’s not true. And I don’t waste money paying for it, either.” He fired the weapon at the target. Five shots, one in each leg and three in the chest. The chest shots were well grouped. “Beat that.”

~ Thyr

“Shame, because if you weren’t so cheap someone experienced could reveal to you just how lacking you are in that department. Honestly, I hope that’s not your actual attitude towards sex work.” Joking was fine and all but Jezem couldn’t quite tell if Shivan was simply continuing the banter or if the comment came from a more personal place. Many things could change over the course of a few years.

Shivan shook his head, “There’s nothing wrong with sex work. I was trying to prevent a cheap shot about how I’d have to pay someone to get any.” He grinned at Jezem, “Now who says I’m not experienced?”

“The migrant flock returns to feel the heat on their wings,” Jezem said in the say way a human would have said ‘A broken clock is right once a day’. Either the message was received. No more cheap shots. Time to play for real.

That said, it was now time to either show up or pay up. The payment being his dignity and bragging rights. Jezem took his time establishing his stance and lining up each shot. The end result wasn’t as impressive as Shivan’s though it was better than his last attempt. Jezem scowled, but held off any further comments. Wars were not won by battle alone.

Jezem

Shivan chuckled at Jezem’s results. “I’m going to have to teach you.” He took great pride in being able to teach Jezem something for once. “Knowing us, could save your life one day to shoot better than that.” At the word ‘that’ he gestured towards Jezem’s target.

~ Thyr

“Is that how you pick up lovers? Offer to correct their posture and help them aim?” Jezem said in an overly sweet voice, “The day I have to rely on a gun is the day you become religious because only divine intervention will save us.” He hit a button and their targets vanished into the ground below and fresh sheets took their place. Jezem took aim again, “My shooting is fine.” One round fired. Hit right where shoulder met neck. Not where he aimed but lethal none the less.

Jezem

Shivan made a face. “I don’t want to think of you and picking up lovers in the same thought. Who is it you pray to? The Sisters?” He shrugged, “They don’t seem that bad if I had to pick something divine to pray to.” He looked at Jezem, “within six meters you’ll win with a knife. Outside six meters, the gun always wins.” He had to laugh, “Now shoot that same spot again.”

~ Thyr

Jezem laughed loudly and freely, pleased to have made Shivan uncomfortable. “Yes, the Sisters, and I’m not sure they’ll listen to you. They are slave gods and you were never a slave. I’m sure there are one or two of the other Thousand Gods that might take your prayers. Or your could try praying to that Mother Goddess.” The Thousand Gods were barely remembered these days and if anyone had ever heard of Orion religion then they typically knew of the Mother Goddess.

Shivan shrugged. “Guess I’ll worry about it if I ever find a reason to pray.” He said it like it was extraordinarily unlikely.

He lined his shot with the target, and fired. The shot went high and grazed the where the ear would be placed on the target. Jezem swore viciously under his breath.

Jezem

Shivan wanted to laugh. He held himself back though the gleeful look in his eye would give away his amusement. “You sure you don’t want my help?”

~ Thyr

Jezem scowled at the gun as though it was the root of all his problems. At max range he could throw two knives and hit the same exact spot. He could make a slash with a dagger and cut precise points on a moving body. How in the name of the Sisters does none of that experience and training transfer to shooting one stupid little gun!? “I don’t need your help and I’ll prove it.”

He hit the button to bring fresh targets to the range. “How about a little competition? See who can match the most shots the other takes. I’ll even let you go first.” Jezem said, as though he were letting Shivan have the first advantage.

Jezem

“So I just have to shoot where you shoot?” Shivan laughed. “Easy. Unless you shoot off the side of the target again. I couldn’t make myself aim that poorly. Five shots per round.” He said, then he took his five shots at the target. One in each leg, one in each shoulder, and one through the chest.

~ Thyr

“Shut up and take your shots,” Jezem stepped aside to give Shivan space to shoot. Obviously he can’t win this fair and square, and perhaps Shivan knew that. Though, even if the Andorian expected any underhanded tricks he was so much of a hothead that with the right words Jezem could make him blind with rage regardless.

Jezem took aim and fired his five rounds. He manged to hit each leg and shoulder but the shots weren’t close to Shivan’s either too far to one side or up or down. His chest shot went through the top of the stomach. Sourly, Jezem noted that his aim was somewhat improving but no where near where he needed it to be. “Shut up and let me make my shots.” Another hit to the button, and new targets came out.

He took aim and fired his five rounds. One through the right cheek, another through the left side of the neck, the third below the right pectoral, the fourth the right hip, and his last shot hit the left knee. What did it matter that he could fire with pin-point accuracy? If this target were a person they’d be dead and it’s all pointless anyways. Like before Jezem waited until right as Shivan prepared to shoot to make his comments. “You must be so pleased with yourself” He began, “Must be nice to finally have something you can feel good about when everything else you touch turns to a pile of crap. Your reputation, your criminal career, your Starfleet stint. Now if only you were capable of keeping your cool then maybe you could have become something.”

Jezem

Shivan set the weapon down. If he didn’t, he’d just shoot Jezem. Instead, he punched him hard in the shoulder. “Never, ever bring that up again!” He said angrily. Then he picked up the gun and aimed for the target. Jezem’s shooting sucked. He started with the right cheek… His was a nose shot. Then the neck, that one was pretty close, then the right pectoral, Shivan’s was a little too high. The right hip he missed, he was getting too frustrated. The left knee he hit, but it was more of a left thigh shot.

~ Thyr

“S’loh!” Jezem hissed the insult while reaching to clutch at his shoulder. Ghuy, this bastard hits like he’s made from steel. Despite the pain radiating through his shoulder Jezem smirked. “Fine, I won’t bring it up again.” Though he couldn’t pass up on one last parting shot, “I’ll leave that to your new counselor friend of yours.” Shivan was well wound up now. Best not get him too worked up. Jezem would rather not get kicked out of a nice establishment such as this.

“He doesn’t know. Nor will he.” Shivan insisted.

New targets appeared on the range, “Another round or have you had enough?” Jezem asked, and sounded far too pleased with himself.

Jezem

“Let’s be done. You’ll just cheat again anyway,” Shivan sighed. “And don’t think I don’t know that’s what you’re doing!”

~ Thyr

“Me? Cheat? Never, and I’m shocked you would dare to accuse me of such,” Jezem said with as much mock sarcasm as he could. By the metric of their shots they could call their little competition a draw but by Jezem’s measure it was a victory for him. “Anyways, we still have some time before our reservation is up.” Jezem flexed his fingers before moving back to take a seat on a metal bench, “Go pull something fun off the rack and shoot up a target. I’ll watch.”

Jezem

Shivan picked up a large weapon, set the target’s distance further out, then aimed and fired. Then again. Then a third. Then he pulled the target in to check where he hit. They weren’t perfect shots, but that was to be expected considering the distance he’d put it at. For the rest of the time on their reservation, Shivan practiced with weapons he hadn’t used in a while, or at distances that tested his skill.

~ Thyr

Jezem let Shivan have his fun without making snide commentary. The orion lounging in a perfectly artful way that wouldn’t look out of place at a photo shoot. Now and then he’d tap at a haptic screen emitted from a gold band on his wrist before waving it away. As their session came to an end Jezem finally hopped up and patted Shivan’s shoulder, “Time’s up. You hungry there’s a decent restaurant not far from here.”

Jezem

Shivan put away the weapon he was using safely and they checked out of the range. “I could eat.” He said, and then he eyed Jezem, “How much does this restaurant cost?”

~ Thyr

Jezem shot Shivan a look, “Cost? Don’t worry about that, I’m buying.” Sisters, give a man a job and all of a sudden he wants to start paying for things. Jezem didn’t understand the drive other species had to pay for things that are being offered for free. How any species with such instincts could make it to warp capability was baffling.

Jezem

Wouldn’t it be rude to assume someone else was paying? Shivan normally wouldn’t care about that, but he really didn’t want to be so irritating Jezem cut him off and ditched him. He still felt like at some point Jezem was going to ask for something in exchange for all this help and money. He nodded to Jezem, “Then let’s go.”

~ Thyr

Jezem lead the way to the restaurant, taking a direct path. The restaurant was a Japanese restaurant, one of the more tolerable styles of human food in Jezem’s opinion. The venue was ocean themed and displayed many traditionally inspired artworks and decorations. The two of them were given a small table beside open windows. The menu and ordering system was built into the table itself. “Each dish is small because you’re supposed to order multiple things all at once.” Jezem explained. He seemed familiar with the menu as he began ordering a variety of dishes right away.

Jezem

Shivan ordered a variety of dishes he was interested in trying. “So. When are you going to start seeing your shrink?” He asked, teasing Jezem, as Jezem usually called Séan “Shivan’s shrink friend”.

~ Thyr

“Tomorrow, and I just can’t wait to talk about all my feelings and secrets.” Jezem chirped in a mockingly cheerful tone, “How do your little chats go? I’ve never done this whole counseling thing. Except when I had to do that psych assessment before the stupid Federation doctors did my surgery. Fed the guy a bunch of bullshit he wanted to hear and signed off. ‘Jezem is a stable and lovely individual, or something like that.”

Jezem

Shivan was surprised to hear Jezem talk about that. He never spoke about that stuff. But he quickly got over it. “I can’t believe they make you do a psych assessment for that.” He shrugged to respond to the question. “I don’t know. I’ve only talked to him… Three times now? He… Just makes me feel confused. I don’t like going.”

~ Thyr

Jezem shrugged, “They told me it was standard practice. I didn’t care. I was getting my surgery one way or another.” Jezem leveled Shivan with his ‘I’m the captain so listen to me’ look but it tempered into something softer. . . something actually bordering on concern. “Keep going, at least give it a chance. Talk about your anger issues. Or don’t, but this could be something good for you. Hells, I can admit that I need a counselor to talk about my many issues with.”

Jezem

Shivan shrugged, averting his gaze from Jezem’s… almost concerned look. Concern was something people who cared did. “I don’t know. I don’t think he’ll turn me in even if I started ignoring him. He already said, ethically he can’t because I’d get killed by an assassin sent by our old friends.”

~ Thyr

Jezem hummed. Their food arrived and he said nothing until everything was set and place and their server out of ear-shot. “He won’t. I’m certain of it. You may be a terrible judge of character but I’m almost never wrong.” Once he has a little chat with Eryn to ensure consequences if the good shrink ever did. . . “Also, I sent a little present to your shop. Along with some of the new furniture. You’ll have to put it together but that shouldn’t be too hard for you.” The present being a medical kit for the shop with extra bandages and hypos to help the healing process.

Jezem

“I judge character fine,” Shivan complained. Then he shrugged. “I’ll keep going for now but I don’t know. I don’t see the point.” He picked a plate and sampled the food on it. “Whatever this is, it’s good.” He looked at Jezem, a bit surprised. Jezem doing something nice? Maybe the present was going to be something awful. “Thanks.” It was a sincere but disbelieving ‘thanks’.

~ Thyr

“Sure you do,” Jezem ate, eating bites of food from his various plates. He ordered a mix of things but several items looked spicy. Sharp eyes studied Shivan. The idiot didn’t seem to believe him. Can’t a guy do something nice? Jezem fought against making snide comments. Or maybe he should. Shivan seemed most comfortable when Jezem acted cruel. Well, if he want’s cruel Jezem so badly then who was he to deny his friend? “You know, you may be hot shit with guns but you’d be hopeless with something subtle like poisons.”

Jezem

“I know how to use a poison, Jezem,” Shivan said. “It’s not my preferred method… Too impersonal.” He looked at Jezem as he sampled the foods on their table. “But it has its uses.” He took a drink of the drink he’d ordered.

~ Thyr

“You’re so dense. Children can poison their parents and you could poison a enemy but that’s not what I’m talking about.” Jezem took a bite of something covered in a spicy, sticky sauce, “Guns can’t help you when you need a low profile. To slip through a crowd of people, in and out before anyone notices and all of a sudden the host of the party is dying on the floor. There are many times where guns aren’t an option and one needs to rely on their own cunning and skill to go unnoticed.

“You know, something that takes actual smarts to perform.” He smirked, “I would have thought you’d develop and appreciation for poisons given all your first hand experience.”

Jezem

Shivan smacked an open hand into the table. “It’s not my fault you’re a psychopath! I know how to poison and I know how to do it undetected. I’ll poison you and then you’ll see!” He’d just have to be careful. Dosing wasn’t his strong suit. When he did need to poison, he usually just used enough to kill a race horse. This time he wouldn’t be trying to kill, so he’d have to actually do the work to dose correctly.

~ Thyr

“Who me?” Jezem affected a look of innocence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about but go on, I suppose.” He continued to eat as though Shivan hadn’t promised to poison him. Like he ever could. A good portion of his time with the Syndicate was spent around poisons and handling them. Learning all the various ways one could harm a body for death, torture and pain. Weapons were Shivan’s area of expertise but Jezem’s was subterfuge and poisons. Hardly a fair fight at all. “I’d like to see you try, but I’m more worried you’ll accidentally poison yourself in the attempt so perhaps you shouldn’t.”

Jezem

Shivan had spent far too long around Jezem to learn nothing about poisons. He already knew which ones he could use. He just needed to double check how much to use to make Jezem sick for… A week? Yeah, a week was good. Payback for that last time on Pavlajia.

Then he needed a method of administration… It would be difficult to get Jezem to eat the poison, considering Shivan was a terrible cook, and so never did. In exchange for dinner, Shivan had been trying to help with some of the prep. Perhaps he could sneak it in then… But he didn’t want Argam to get sick. That would both piss Jezem off and prove that he couldn’t do something correctly and discreetly. Contact, maybe. Or a pinprick?

Shivan was still angry, but he did have… somewhat better control than he had three years ago. “No, you’re right, I should stick to poisoning knives and stabbing. That’s my expertise. At least I can say definitively that I am better with guns and knives than you are.” He said, a hint of that angry growl to his voice. He finished a plate of some kind of rice ball.

~ Thyr

“Of course I’m right,” So the idiot really is going to make the effort to try? Long ago, back when they were crew mates Jezem did try to teach Shivan something about poisons but the Andorian had the gall to be bored. Of course Jezem poisoned him in the efforts of proving a point but all that did cause one of their little spats. Good luck, Jezem thought to himself, you’re already at a disadvantage by accepting this challenge. This will be interesting. “How’s your food?”

Jezem

“Good, I like it.” The andorian would eat just about anything. He picked something else and started eating it. He remembered some of what Jezem taught him. He really should’ve paid attention. But poisons were boring and there was so much to remember. He knew enough to do it though. He just had to learn a little patience.

~ Thyr

A small smile crept onto Jezem’s face. Shivan was filling out again, no longer looking half starved. It was cute too, seeing the cogs whirling around in that big empty head of his. Perhaps they’ll work on Shivan’s poker face next. “It’s good for human cuisine. The spicy dishes are actually spicy.”

Jezem

Shivan nodded again. “After your food, nothing tastes spicy. These twinge my tongue a little. Let me try that?” He pointed a chopstick at one of Jezem’s spicier dishes. He was feeling better, filling back out, and his injury was (slowly, he kept getting into fights) healing. Soon he’d be back to 100%. He was already feeling restless.

~ Thyr

Several orion spices and seasonings weren’t under heavy trade regulations or outright illegal for nothing. And not just because some orions found a niche market in selling knockoffs that may have sent hundreds of people to the emergency room because they were crafted with cheaper but more dangerously spicy peppers than the real thing. Though, that was really on the buyer for not checking that they were buying from a reputable source or not knowing the genuine article from a knockoff. Oh well. “Go ahead,” Jezem moved the plate closer and ate from another full of cold and bitter vegetables.

Jezem

Shivan tried the plate. It was good, and he took another bite before returning it. Soon, they were finishing up the food. Shivan stretched and leaned back in his seat. “I feel fuller than I have in a loong time.”

~ Thyr

“Much nicer than scrounging what you can, huh?” Jezem said with a smirk, “Or eating cheap food from a replimat.” He shuddered. Sisters the thought of replicated food made him sick.

Jezem

Shivan nodded. “Of course it is. But sometimes, an Andorian’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to eat. We don’t all have unlimited funds for nice delicious restaurants.” Shivan said.

~ Thyr

“Do a good job with your new business and maybe one day you’ll be paying for my food at a ‘nice delicious restaurant’. Are you planning on going back to your shop? Else I have new soaps for you to watch. This series just started so you can see this one from the beginning.” Jezem had a feeling which Shivan would choose.

Jezem

A new series? It was no contest. “Your couch is calling my name. Besides, none of your deliveries have shown up yet. I’d get notification if they had. So, nothing much to do at the shop right now.”

~ Thyr