Per Aspera ★ October catch-all ★ Open

[earthborn]

Who: Shepard and various + Open
When: October
Where: Around Cadens and Shepard's Horizon
What: Shooting Range practice & lessons, social mingle, and some planned threads
Warnings: guns, cursing, likely discussion of violence


I. Range at the Horizon
The Normandy loomed over the shooting range, all two-hundred sixteen meters of sleek faster-than-light spacecraft. It was parked, ignominiously, on the dirt itself in very much the way that the real Normandy would only have been if it were trapped in dry-dock for repairs.

Today's occasion is nothing so necessary.

Instead, on the ground-space aft of the cargo hold there's been set up a shooting range. It looks a little makeshift, but it's serviceable enough. The Horizon's ubiquitous wish-fulfillment makes set-up and tidying simple enough, for a start.

Off to the left, there stand a few weapons racks, featuring a variety of firearms ranging from the types of firearms that might be familiar to any member of the Cadens military to a row of oddly-shaped rectangular devices representing weaponry native to Shepard's own home-universe, each gun neatly folded-down and in its place.

There are half-a-dozen shooting lanes with targets of varying distance and sophistication, ranging from holographic figures posed in attitudes of threat, paper cut-outs with zones of deadliness printed on them, vaguely humanoid outlines in plywood, aluminum, and sand-backed paper. There's even a line of bottles perched on a metal crate off to one side: the labels are printed in an alien script, and not all of them are completely empty. The lanes themselves are nothing more glamorous than strips of soil and grass, with an odd mix of gravel, beachsand, and whatever else had come in from the bordering Domains. Shepard had chosen this spot specifically for its position at the crux of several, unclaimed, and unlikely to be contested; all the better for a meeting-place.

In any case, Shepard is on-hand to assist. There's even a sign:

PRACTICE RANGE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
help yourself if you know what you're doing
assistance available upon request



II. Rager at the Horizon
The cargo bay of the Normandy stands open, the wide bay door slid down to form a sturdy ramp, and up in the belly of the ship itself, amongst the crates and spare machinery is... a wet bar? Well, it's a table surface, and there are a variety of options, which may or may not be familiar. Serrice Ice Brandy, Batarian Fire-whiskey... Ryncol? Maybe you just want to stick with a nice beer, or seltzer-water, or maybe someone here should reconsider the combination of guns and alcohol.

Or maybe you should just go home, if you're going to be a coward about it.

In any case, Shepard is there, standing behind the bar, sitting around in the shade having a drink, or just messing around with the equipment. Step on up, and have a go, why don't you? It's hardly a wild party, but it's not as if anyone has anything better to do.



III. October Event
[ TBA ]

Comments

For Claude: Around Cadens

[earthborn]

It's a routine sort of a thing; red tape, paperwork, triplicate copies and style-guide vocabulary. Shepard's no stranger to it, though it's been a long time since she had to actually care. It's grunt-work, or an easy afternoon, or a statement of mistrust or— it doesn't matter.

What matters is what she has to do: go around like a kid and take census on a few people. Easy enough. That's what brings her here, knocking on doors. Specifically, the door to Claude's residence at Mag's Inn, in Cadens. Which is what she's doing.

"Claude von Riegan? My name is Shepard. I just wanna talk."

For Sam: Around Cadens

[earthborn]

It's a routine sort of a thing; red tape, paperwork, triplicate copies and style-guide vocabulary. Shepard's no stranger to it, though it's been a long time since she had to actually care. It's grunt-work, or an easy afternoon, or a statement of mistrust or— it doesn't matter.

What matters is what she has to do: go around like a kid and take census on a few people. Easy enough. That's what brings her here, knocking on the door to Sam's residence in Cadens. She figured Captain Wilson for a good place to start, at least. They had seemed to have an understanding.

"Captain Wilson? It's Commander Shepard. You got a minute to talk?"

[godshattering]

Claude's in the middle of organizing his research notes from his latest library trip and labeling what plants he'd retrieved from his last roaming around the desert. As such he's sitting in the midst of papers and books scattered around when there's a knock on the door, a noise that catches him off-guard. With a slight frown to himself Claude takes a second to organize things considering he wasn't expecting any visitors. Opening the door doesn't offer him any further clues, though that his name is known, followed by something like an introduction, and an... offer?

"That's a rather ominous way to open a conversation, isn't it?" This is said cheerfully, any and all concern over what this talk consists of hidden well away behind leaning in the doorway casually as he studies Shepard. "But alright, I'm listening. What are we talking about?"

[earthborn]

"Sorry about that," Shepard replies on a rueful smile. She knows she can be... Well, 'kind of a bitch' is probably too strong for current circumstances. Brusque might be better. In any case, she offers Claude a handshake by way of greeting, "I'm Shepard. I'm a summoned who's been working with the Cadens people to get this situation a little more organized. Mind answering a few questions? Most it's just public knowledge."

She indicates the clipboard with a little waggle. The paper thereupon is indeed quite sparse, and populated by the obvious questions.

"Just confirming your place of residence, businesses you own, stuff like that. Basics. Government paperwork, you know?"

[godshattering]

"With the Cadens people, hm?" It's less a question than confirmation since Shepard provides the additional details needed for filling in the blanks a second later with the paperwork in her hands after they trade a handshake. That's interesting in its own right and has him raising an eyebrow seconds later. "I think you're the first one of us I've met that's working with the government, though I'm sure you're not the only one. Not like they made it seem like there was much a choice for anything else upon arriving. Well, for the military side of things, at any rate."

Statements not meant to provoke, considering he's not trying to make her job any more difficult than it needs to be and will keep up that easygoing attitude to underscore pleasantry despite his curiosity. Other Summoned might do that as it depends on who Shepard will have to chat with, and - from a place of solidarity, despite his misgivings about the Free Cities - it wasn't that long ago Claude was filling out forms tracking information himself. Granted, it was for his own war efforts and not someone else's, but still. No need to be hostile about it without a good enough reason first.

"Sadly, I can't claim any of the businesses around Cadens as my own, but you have successfully found where I live so I suppose I can start with verifying that part of their records. What else are they wanting to double check?"

I

[lightkeeping]

Aloy is, maybe, a little bit of a snoop, not that she can really consider it snooping when the spaceship is just sitting there, being large and imposing. She's understandably wary of spacecraft, though by now she's more than accustomed to fellow Summoned arriving from all kinds of places and various levels of technology, so she approaches it regardless. Despite what it reminds her of, there's still a part of her undeniably attracted to advanced technology, a curiosity she can't quite ignore.

The firing range clearly set up for a purpose at the base of it is also intriguing. Don't mind if she does.

If the Horizon is good for one thing, it's allowing her full access to her usual arsenal. Aloy foregoes the offered weapons (interesting, yes, but maybe a little too high-tech for her comfort level), and defaults to what she knows, letting arrows fly with an accuracy and ease that suggests a high level of experience.

[earthborn]

"You got income? A job somewhere?" Shepard asks, noting his responses in rapid, nigh-unreadable shorthand. It's fine, she knows what she wrote, at least, "I mean, clearly you're not starving in the streets, here..."

Mag's Inn might not be the most posh residence in the world. but it's safe and warm and it keeps body and soul together. Even so, as charitable as the titular Mag is, no establishment can operate forever on pure charity; there's nothing obviously wrong with Claude's ability to work.

...But still, this is going well. Not all the Summoned will be so forthcoming, but at least this once, it's easy. Miracles really do happen.

[earthborn]

Aloy's probably been shooting for a while by the time Shepard comes down the gangway. She isn't dressed in her usual armor; instead, Shepard's wearing a set of Alliance BDUs, mottled blue camo and black reinforcements. She watches her for a minute or two, and then steps down onto the dirt.

"Hey, I wondered if I'd see you again," Shepard says, at distance enough to hopefully not startle Aloy, "How's things in Solvunn? Still bored out of your mind?"

[lightkeeping]

She's vaguely aware of someone in her periphery, but when they don't outright interrupt her, she sees no reason to stop. Aloy empties her quiver, but despite knowing full well she can instantaneously fill it again in order to continue, she hangs up her bow momentarily, nodding in greeting.

"Less bored than usual." But not in a good way--Thorne's attack on the Free Cities and the retaliation in kind has thrown everything into a state of flux. Unfortunately, conflict is what she knows, and in some ways she'll take it over sitting idle, doing farm work. Whether or not the war will come to Solvunn itself has yet to be seen.

"Is all this yours?"

[earthborn]

"Yep. This is Normandy," And she's proud of that, too, "You couldn't do much terraforming from in there, but it's got its advantages."

Shepard glances around. It's pretty small, as Domains seem to go; Normandy was a large enough ship, larger than some people's safe-places, and it certainly looked impressive, perched over them like a great silver bird, but... Well, it was no mountainside, or italian beach idyll, or any of the other half-dozen sprawling constructions she'd seen.

Still. It was home.

"Yeah, it's going around. Compared to my usual workload, it isn't much, but... I've been keeping busy. Set this up to help a few people learn to deal with the technology angle," She considers Aloy for a moment, and then scoffs, conceding a point that has not yet been made. The kid might look like she fell out of a bush and into a scrapheap, but Shepard's not stupid enough to forget what little she does know about Aloy, "—Though I think that's not a problem you have."

[godshattering]

There's a faintly raised eyebrow when it comes to employment. It's a routine question, more or less, but there's also the sense that maybe he shouldn't reveal exactly who or what he's been doing without knowing where that information is going. Though none of it is under the table in ways that would get anyone in trouble, it's information he's considering obfuscating. Shepard solves part of that for him by pointing out that he's clearly not destitute, and at that Claude has to laugh.

"True, Mag is rather generous, and as soon as I was on my feet I went out looking for ways to pay rent here instead to help her out with all she does for us. For the most part, I pick up jobs from different merchants here and there who need some assistance. Balancing books, organizing inventories, that sort of thing."

If he's not going to be pressed for more detail, Claude will leave it at that cagey answer. And because fair's fair, in his mind, if he's going to be questioned, and since he feels relatively certain on what assumptions he's made based on their interaction so far: "Are you military yourself then? And not just now that we're here, that is."

[earthborn]

"Joined the Alliance Navy when I turned eighteen," Shepard admits, because of all the things he could ask, that answer definitely isn't a secret, "I grew up pretty poor, and you would not believe the benefits package the Alliance offers if you qualify for the command track. The medical insurance alone..."

She gestures with her pen, a cutting, sideways motion as if to demonstrate how easy to decision had been. Shepard had needed help, and in exchange for service, the Military could support her. Simple as that. Of course, in reality nothing about life was ever really simple, but she didn't owe anyone her life's story at a first meeting.

"Anywhere particular you've been working for? I'm interviewing a few people today, and I could pass on recommendations," Which wasn't a lie, of course. Shepard was good at people, liked talking her way both into and out of trouble, and had no difficulty with dishonesty; but she'd been transparent enough about her intentions. This wasn't about charity, even if good came of it: this was about information. And, why not? It could be both things at the same time, "Lots of people stick around eating out of the barracks mess because they can't find their feet down here. Hell, I'm one of 'em; never could adjust to civilian life."

And that, after all, is the real and unvarnished truth.

[godshattering]

He listens with undisguised interest as Shepard explains a few pieces of her history and how it plays into where they are now. It makes sense with that added context; as one also intent on not sharing an entire backstory the first time in meeting someone (or even meeting them several times over) it's enough to satisfy his curiosity over the circumstances for now. And when it comes down to it, getting others out of the barracks just as he'd immediately pried his friends from home out of there is a priority. They all have their reasons for what they do, but Claude would rather someone not stay where they don't want to solely because no other way out presents itself.

"Sure, there's a few willing to take on Summoned for day jobs. In my experience most of it will start with hauling heavy things around, just as a warning for whoever's interested, but several have clerk and courier positions to offer as well. Tell them to start with these merchants." As he rattles off a short list of names all passed to him by Mag and between the other merchants, Claude counts them off on the fingers of one hand to make sure he mentions them all. The list seems complete by the end, except - "Oh, and Belmont. Don't forget him since if he can't take someone that day he'll know someone else they can help."

A pause, in case she needs some time to jot the names down in the efficient way Claude's noted the rest has been written down so far. And, of course, to add yet another conversation topic in there. "Also, I asked about your experience because you remind me a lot of the military commanders I met while serving as one myself. At home that is, since I have no interest in here. But because of that, I do understand why others would."

[earthborn]

"No, I get it. Back home, you have a stake, you were born there, you owe them your loyalty. Right now, Free Cities is what owes you a living; I mean, they brought you here."

But Shepard, for one, had never been averse to working with her kidnappers, if it meant that she could get on with business more quickly. Pride and justice and moral qualms were other people's problems; professionally, her only interest was in the end result.

But she does have a smile for his nostalgia, even as she finishes writing down his list. And Belmont too.

"Only good things, I hope. Haven't had time to screw up yet," She sticks out her hand again, the precursor to a dismissal, "Thanks for cooperating. Maybe I'll see you around. Got a shooting range set up on the Horizon, these days. Doesn't hurt to keep in practice."

[lightkeeping]

Aloy is fairly impressed--it's smaller than the Zenith base, certainly, but easier to imagine it making its way through the stars. All of that is still a lot to wrap her head around, but it helps that she's naturally curious. Maybe, once she works her way through some space-related trauma, she might want to see inside.

For now, the firing range is a good conversation piece. She hasn't yet felt a need to reach for the more futuristic weapons, but she can appreciate the general setup.

"No, but it's good to get some practice in." The weapons she has in the real world, in Solvunn, are still somewhat lacking. Instructing other Summoned isn't a bad idea, not with the looming political situation. "Any takers?"

[earthborn]

"There's been a little chatter, but you're the first to actually show up," Shepard admits, with some emphasis. If people are cowards, or neglectful, then at least it can't be said that she didn't do her due diligence. All the better for when, and if, she ended up having to look at them down the wrong end of a rifle, "Could be worse; you're at least interesting to talk with."

Badass gingers at the end of the world. Shepard could get to like Aloy.

"Y'know, it's a long walk, but you could come up by Free Cities for real, sometime. Work with the military proper, they got better equipment than anybody else on this dirtball. And, there's less bullshit," Ah, but she sees you eying up her tech, "Wanna give it a shot? I could bring out the big ones, seeing as you know what you're about."

She gestures with a jerk of her chin at the target, all studded with arrows in meaningful clusters.

[lightkeeping]

"Really?"

She can understand a lack of interest in learning to fight, but surely others must see the value in the practice of self-defense, especially given the way things seem to be going. Disappointing, maybe, that there have been no takers.

Shepard's suggestion is, somehow, more surprising. Aloy has no doubts that she could make the trip from Solvun to Cadens, treacherous as it may be. Trying to work a way around being stopped at the border would likely be the most difficult part, given her survival skills. Still, it wouldn't be the first time she managed to talk her way into a city where she ostensibly wasn't welcome.

"I'm not sure I'm cut out to work with an army." She knows by now that she functions better alone, or with a small team. Aloy doesn't necessarily like taking orders, and she likes the idea of aligning herself with the politics of this place even less. "But yeah, I can give that a try. What do you have?"

[earthborn]

"Maybe, or maybe you've never had a good commander," Shepard temporizes, tilting her head this way and that, to exemplify the options, "I'm angling to get the Free Cities military to let me employ specialists under my authority, but with their backing. It's a whole... loyalty process, it's honestly a pain in the ass, but if I get the commission, you wouldn't be working with any army. You'd be working with me."

Hands spread, options on the table; there you go, Aloy. An offer, and a real one. Shepard gives her a minute to think about it, cracking open a crate. It's theater, really, she knows she could simply conjure whatever she wants right into her hands, but Shepard prefers the illusion of reality. This is where the heavy weapons would be stored, in reality, after all.

"Just something to think about— oh here we go," She hefts it out, a bulky, angular piece of equipment, requiring both hands and plenty of muscle to wield, "Arc projector. Takes a couple seconds to charge though, so it's a little fiddly in-action, but it's perfect for taking down synthetics. Try it."

Here you go, Aloy. Have a crack at it.

"Just watch the arc distance. It's a little grabby, you'll see what I mean."

we can wrap here if you'd like! i'll start the next one asap

[godshattering]

"That's one way of putting it rather succinctly," he answers with another smile, considering that's the simplest way he knows how to explain his feelings towards the Free Cities. Or rather the resentment he's not quite let go of for being here even though it's been months, and more so now that things have gone from merely tense to something much, much worse.

Nothing Shepard deserves to have put on her so he keeps that to himself as she seems to wrap everything up, and when she offers her hand Claude takes it to shake with more friendliness than before. Even if their views on this differ - it's comforting to find someone else with some of the background they share.

"Not a problem. If you need anything else for that form, you know where to find me." A shooting range, though; that's something unfamiliar to him beyond range usually being associated with archery. Claude has the sense that's not what's being talked about here, and curiosity is a good way to draw him into something. And so as he releases their handshake he also follows that up with a nod. "I'll stop by to check it out sometime, certainly."

It could be an idle promise, except for when that message about the shooting range goes out: well, now he's absolutely intrigued.

I

[godshattering]

It doesn't long for him to wander into the Horizon after that open invitation, especially not after Shepard had mentioned it so offhand to him before. Quickly, it becomes very apparent that this is not the kind of range he knows.

At first it seems like there's no one around, but that's only because he's distracted by observing everything. The targets - those he does have the common sense to view from a distance, so as to not interrupt whatever anyone else is doing or, presumably, be shot - resemble nothing he's familiar with. Then again, that's certainly been the theme of most of what Claude's been introduced to in Cadens falls into that category, so he takes it in stride.

Somewhat literally since he also hasn't stopped moving about the area to learn what he can like this is some scouting mission, but the weapons racks are what finally get him to stay in one spot. There's a couple he recognizes from the barracks months ago, ones the guards had on them he hadn't bothered to ask about in case they took that as the wrong kind of interest in the barracks' purpose, and Claude leans forward to study those first.

Footsteps approaching have him looking up as their owner approaches, and Claude offers Shepard a smile and yet another handshake if she'd like it. "You've made an offer I'm too curious to refuse, and it's learning something new. None of these exist where I'm from, so I'm starting from the beginning here."

[earthborn]

"Mister von Reigan," Shepard replies, accepting his handshake with professional courtesy. As always, her grip is tellingly firm and confident; two shakes, very proper, "I'm glad to see you took me up on it."

She's not surprised to hear that he's out of his depth; after all, she'd made the offer on the assumption that nearly everyone here was. Magic was all well and good, as were biotics, but mankind didn't abandon knives when he invented gunpowder, just added it to the arsenal. It's better to know what to do with all the potential options at hand than to leave anything on the table.

"Why don't you start by telling me what kind of experience you do have, and we'll go from there?"

[lightkeeping]

"I don't answer to commanders. Never have."

She's known to collaborate, on occasion, but Aloy is fairly infamous for not taking orders from anyone, unless their goals align. The thought of being part of a military outfit, even one lead by a fellow Summoned, doesn't quite sit right with her. Solvunn is boring, sure, but the longer she stays there, the more she feels that she needs to offer her protection.

The gun provides a good distraction, at least, to carrying on about the logistic difficulties of making her way to the Free Cities without being detained, and she hefts it in her grip before lining up the sight and getting a feel for the shape of it.

She chooses a target, aims, and--woah. Shepard isn't wrong about it. A weapon like this reminds her of something torn off a machine, and she's off by a little, not quite compensating for how unwieldy it is.

That's got a kick, huh?"

[earthborn]

"Less than it should, more than you'd think," Shepard replies, the cadence lending the phrase the clear taste of a joke gone so stale and shared by so many that it's gone from humor into lesson, "Best use is against big mechs. It's too slow to keep you going, but cutting down their shields makes finishing the job a lot easier."

She doesn't bother to argue with never have. Nobody's ever done anything, until the day they do; but it's true enough to say, that Shepard doesn't know Aloy. Still, if she had to guess, and at the moment she does, she'd say that the kid has never met anyone outside of childhood that she really, truly needed to rely on for guidance. She's smart, driven, and seems either competent or over-confident. But then, that second one tended to kill you, one way or another.

Either way, Solvunn was a long ways away; technically Aloy was none of Shepard's business, and not her problem.

"Not that it matters. You won't meet a lot of mechs on this planet, even if we had that kind of tech to put up against 'em," It's still fun to imagine, watching Aloy squaring up against the target, "Let me know when you get bored, and wanna try something a little more practical. Or just take your pick, you're a big girl."

[godshattering]

"In terms of what kinds of weapons these are? Absolutely none."

It feels important to underscore that, perhaps, though he at least has a slightly sheepish laugh to go with it for repeating himself mere moments later. "Where I'm from there are no kinds of automatic weapons, which I've learned other worlds either have or have some version of them. The ones I know are all manual: standard bows, swords, lances, that sort of thing for hands-on weaponry and magic for the rest. Rather basic in comparison, but I have been to a range before if that gives me any credibility at all for it being a different kind."

That's added with an easy smile since: his hopes are low with what information he's provided. "Though if it helps, I've been trained in various combat types since I was young since that's more or less a requirement where I grew up. Archery's my specialty, so I'm not unfamiliar with lining up shots, aiming... er, whatever else might be in there that overlaps, if anything."

range at the horizon!

[lackingtalent]

This place, he is sure, is the right one. The Normandy by itself is a good enough indicator- a curiosity he is drawn to- for upon this Horizon, alike all other Horizons that were not managed by himself or his loved ones- everything other than that spacecraft is so very small. Miniature worlds to him- a being attired in dim gloom, faceless- yet hardly a diminutive figure at just over 20 foot tall.

It could not be helped. For in other's Horizons, he had not the influence to change his form to something more fitting.

Shepard, more than likely, would be aware of his presence before he would be aware of hers- so should she wish to stumble upon him, he would be found, poring over the Normandy.