agogelogs | ( open )

( there's a few seconds before angela does answer, gaze seeking out the equipment that he'd brought with him, giving herself an idea of where he's going to take this before it happens. she's seen some of his training before. angela has the idea, even if she doubts he'd put her through it all )

I know to turn the safety off.

( she knew the basics of being able to use a gun but those were also weapons from a very different time, and her small blaster was far different than anything from 1900s )

[The good news is that gun safety protocols are pretty much the same no matter what the era of the weapon. In fact, he's inclined to be even more cautious, given the primitive quality of some of these guns, at least form where he's standing.

It's better than muskets, but he's still not convinced of their structural integrity.]

Right.

[Those are the basics, however. Teaching Angela guns safety and getting her to shoot at a target with the understanding that it might one day be a human is another thing entirely.]

Don't point the gun at anything unless you intend to shoot it. Don't put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire.

( getting her to shoot at a target full stop was another thing. a still target was something that angela could do, though actually pulling the trigger regardless of what the target was-- she didn't want to know what that action was like, especially considering her belief that angela would never take it. she didn't want to -- she refused to )

I've never intended to.

( the gun wouldn't have been any part of her had it not been insisted on first by overwatch, and now here too. the commanders hadn't been entirely pleased but they'd accepted her refusal, altering her training. angela knew that they'd prefer she trained, as jack did )

I'm just giving you some safety rules.

[She's fired a gun before and she likely already knows this, but the tension between the two of them is already palpable. Perhaps some of that is Jack's own fault, but he knows enough about the first World War, and he's sure he doesn't need to tell Angela about it, either.

He lets out an audible exhale, trying to think of how to best navigate what's a clearly touchy situation.]

I want to do my best to make sure you never have to fire that thing, but I can't be with you all the time. I wish I could.

You won't be the only soldier there.

( she means the ones actually fighting the war rather than their fellow recruits. it wouldn't be entirely safe still but it did mean that there were others that could watch over her and not just jack )

We've been here before.

We have. You've done this before, Angela.

[Jack's voice is firm, but gentle. Reassuring. Reminding her that they've been through worse, and though it's terrible that they have to do it again, they can survive.]

Take a deep breath.

( there's a little frown but angela doesn't pull away, letting her expression fall neutral again after a few seconds. she could refuse but it would defeat the point -- angela had agreed to the training in the first place and she didn't want to push him awsy.

so she gives it a few seconds longer before taking that breath, checking the safety on the gun and taking aim at the target that had been set up.

finally, a few more seconds passing, she fires )

[She doesn't quite hit the bullseye, but there's a hole in the target easily enough. He wonders if that's part of it--that she knows she's perfectly capable of doing it, but she can't reconcile that fact with her staunch pacifism. With any luck, she won't have to point a gun at a fellow human, ever, but they both know it's not a guarantee.]

How was the kickback?

[He'd observed the way she fired the shot, of course, but it's helpful for her to describe how it felt, so that he can make the necessary adjustments.]

Stronger than I remembered.

( because, as jack had reminded her when she'd asked for self-defence help, angela had had previous training. she remembered it, as buried as most of it had gotten, and it was quickly coming back to her now )

It's an old gun.

[Over a hundred and fifty years old, from where they're standing. His own pulse rifle is designed to fire smoothly and minimize kickback, but it came out of decades of scientific advancement. Something like this has a definite learning curve attached, especially if you only know the basics of firing a gun.

He moves in behind her and nudges her feet apart, encouraging her to better center her weight.]

Just make sure to steady yourself.

I'm not certain that that would be on my mind.

( if it ever came down to it the moment seemed like it would be more of a panic than calm thought. she wouldn't be trying to think of her technique )

That's why we practice now.

[He nudges her elbow a little, letting it bend slightly so she doesn't hurt her arm by keeping it locked straight.]

Get it in your muscle memory so your body does it automatically.

( she lets him make the adjustments, knowing that it's pointless to say that she won't be in the thick of it because realistically they don't know that. war is messy and if angela needs to get out to someone she'll go and that's where the fight it.

it'll make her miss her wings more, the ease of quicker movement, of getting to people, but even if they'd been here it wouldn't have fit in with the period )

What else?

Hope you never have to put the practice to use.

[He'll hope that for her, at the very least.]

Learning to reload can't hurt either.

[It's a weak joke, a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood, even though he knows there's really no getting around it.]

( angela turns with a frown, about to say something until she realises that he is joking. it didn't fall well, and though she knows it's necessary knowledge--

but he is trying and that's what counts.

bringing her arms close again she turns to face him, handing the gun back over )

Okay. Show me.

[Jack nods, then falls silent as he starts to dismantle the rifle. He’ll do more than show her how to reload—cleaning and maintenance is valuable too. He’s almost methodical about it, hands well-practice and deft as he goes through each piece, putting the rifle back together.

It’s only when she understands it that he goes back and walks her through reloading, showing her how the ammo fits into the magazine, and how to cock the gun once it’s loaded.]

That’s something you’ll need to practice, too.

[It’s slow and inelegant, unlike anything they're used to dealing with.]

No, I won't.

( this time she is being stubborn. she'll let him teach her how to shoot, how to save herself or someone else, but gun care is one step she doesn't want to go through )

I'm not having a gun with me. Not long enough for this.

Angela.

[Jack's voice is stern this time. He knows that stubborn tone she's taking, and isn't so far removed from the man he used to be that he doesn't know how to combat it.]

You're not going to have a choice. I'm not gonna be there to take care of your gun for you.

My gun?

( there's a shake of her head )

What do you think I'll be doing to have one?

( her expectation is that if she ever used one on the field it would be off the soldier that she was trying to help )

It's just a precaution, Angela.

[They have no real idea what they're walking into. Even though Angela is a doctor, she's getting put through the training same as the rest of them. Jack tries to approach this carefully, a hand on her shoulder and his voice full of concern.]

I want you to be safe. Do this for me.

( a question comes to mind, one thst angela's asked before. how do you do this? but she knows the answer already-- necessity. he keeps them safe, and it doesn't mean that he enjoys it )

Not for you. For them.

( for the person that, if chance fell that way, she'd have to use this training. angela wants that to be clear. the training might ease jack's worries but she's not agreeing because he's asking her to, but that she trusts that everything he says could save someone's life )

For me, if it helps.

[He's not sure what might get Angela to cross her self-imposed line, but perhaps thinking of him when push comes to shove will help her.]

Being too stubborn is just going to get you killed. Trust me, I know.

( some might say that he was too stubborn to die, or that it hadn't been the stubbornness that had prompted the attack, but that's not a route that angela wants to go down. she doesn't want a fight )

I'm trying, Jack, but it's been a long time since I've been here.

( since she'd had to do anything that wasn't strictly in a medical capacity )

I don't have your training, but I'll do what I can.

I know. I understand.

[Though does he, really? He'd been built expressly to cause as much damage to enemy combatants as possible. He's been a soldier longer than he's been anything else. Pacifism was never a choice, for him--not like it was for Angela.

What he does understand is that this is cruel and unfair. Right now, however, they just need to survive. He leans in a little, out of practice when it comes to physical affection, but trying to be reassuring anyway.]

But you haven't let me down yet.

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