9989/S.B.D.

S.B.D.
Date of Scene:	05 February 2022
Location:	Gun Range: Triskelion
Synopsis:	SCAR friends gather around to see how the new 'issue' rifles (totally not pirated) work.
Cast of Characters:	Michael Erickson, Achilles, Jessica Drew

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Michael Erickson has posed:
    Plink. Plink. Plink. The sound of metal sounds down the aisle, over the roar of firearms - not because lead impacts are a rare thing, but because it /isn't/ followed by anything like the sharp report of gunfire. Like some smith in his forge, tapping plate steel into shape with a hammer, the fairly rapid report of metal rings down the largely empty range.

    There's Michael, there. With a rifle.

    It's a dangerous-looking thing, the weapon he uses; with expert aim he holds the gun to his shoulder, a solid cheek weld against its stock - it could be an advanced assault rifle, not something out of science fiction but something that could have been made in a modern, design-conscious gun shop. Somewhat futuristic, perhaps, but it could be at first glance like any other mundane rifle out there. But then there are, of course, the differences that come out after one looks at it: no ejection port, for example. No visible magazine. No muzzle flash as he fires, and - most importantly - very little sound. It's only when one creeps up on the booth that one can hear a soft sound like a spring uncoiling with every shot, and a faint, distinctly electrical crackle. THe's putting rounds downrange that pierce through a metal target, as quickly as he can pull the trigger.

Achilles has posed:
    "And just how did they manage to get that kind of power throughput without a supersonic whipcrack of the bullet ripping through the air, and also without the super loud impact at the end? Special material for the ammunition?" asks Angelo as he steps closer. He waited until a break in the firing to speak though, of course.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Insidious. Sneaky. An assassin's weapon. Unseen death. Those are the words that cross Jessica's mind on seeing the gun in action and hearing the innocuous plink that heralds death.

"I want to see what the target looks like. And." Jess weights the word. Like Angelo she waits for a break in firing to loose her questions. "I want to understand how the thing works. How accurate is it? Is this the sharpshooter's gun of the future?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Plink. Plink. Michael pauses as the others enter; he lifts his chin in a nod to them, toggling a lever set against the weapon's frame and causing a small green indicator next to it to wink out. "Evening, you two," he says, pulling a long, thin black casette out of the weapon's spine and setting it aside along with the rifle itself upon the booth's counter. "It's quite accurate, especially at these ranges, on the current power setting - it uses a series of electromagnetic coils through which a charge passes, hurling a prepared ferromagnetic projectile. And to answer your question, Angelo, it's set on covert, which makes the flechettes travel at subsonic ranges. Only about half normal range before ballistic falloff, but extremely useful." He looks between the two other agents. "How are you two today?"

Achilles has posed:
    "Well, that makes sense then." offers Angelo as he leans on a nearby wall. Apparently holding it up with his shoulder. "Evenin' Jess." he says as he lifts a hand to tip an imaginary hat. "Did I do that right?" he asks with a smirk.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Evening," Jess returns with a smile. "On, I'm fine, I don't know about Tampambulos," she adds with a soft snort and a shrug.

"So they let you loose with it. I thought the techies would have it for weeks. Yep. Assassin's are going to love these things. Though no one mile shots, I take it?"

She goes to the table where Michael laid the gun and runs a finger over the magazine. "Flechettes? How much damage do they do?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "The equivalent is to a .308 battle rifle at full charge," Michael explains, turning to lean against the wall of the booth. Looking between the two of them. "And more like a 5.56 in subsonic mode. Semi-automatic, but given it fires almost as fast as one can pull the trigger that's not really a problem."

    Michael takes up the long cassette and withdraws from one end a metallic dart, finned and aerodynamic, about the length and diameter of a roofing nail. Black metal glitters, as if it were a thing alive. "A casette contains fifty rounds," he explains. "So it's not overwhelming, insane firepower, but it's got a high capacity, it's quiet even at full power by comparison, and can fire in a variety of environments with very little recoil at all - which will be important in space."

Achilles has posed:
    "Gotta ask. Why do you bounce back and forth between metric and caliber?" asks Angelo, a smirk on his face. "Isn't a three oh eight the same as a seven six two NATO?" He inclines his head, "Sorry. Just amused by the irony of it all."

    Then he glances at the dart and nods, "That could do a good amount of damage indeed. So this is basically a super high tech crossbow." he adds.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jessica shakes her head at Angelo, making a count-on-him eye roll. "I googled flechettes. A lot of people don't consider them aerodynamic or very deadly especially at sub-sonic speeds. What keeps these from spreading and going all sorts of weird directions? A crossbow like thing might do more damage."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Because I'm not picky and I assume people in the squad to know what I'm talking about," Michael advises Angelo without blinking. Then he continues, slotting the flechette back in its magazine. "Coilguns are ancient technology in the Empire, but they're commonly used due to the relative availability of materials needed. This model utilizes flechettes, but Imperial forces have encountered models that fire discs, bearing-type projectiles, all sorts of designs. ICERs utilize rail technology but their slugs are more like traditional ballistic slugs. Coilguns are flexible in that they can fire a variety of ferrous projectiles, should we have them properly designed. Explosive flechettes. Or tipped with dendrotoxin like ICER rounds."

    He loos to Jessica. "Many of them aren't. These, however, are quite well-designed, a combination of design and material. Tannhauser's projectiles beat the aerodynamics difficulty."

Achilles has posed:
    "Also, flechette does not necessarily mean a bunch of darts. It just means dart. It could be one single dart which... is what I think this is." Angelo states, gesturing to the ammunition on display. "Do it will fly like a single aerodynamic and well aimed projectile. Like a dart." he adds.

    "May I?" he asks as he gestures to the weapon, and then downrange.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Well, good to know about how versatile it it. Does it use a rifled barrel or a smooth barrel? I'm thinking in terms of calibrating for hitting the target. I guess it behaves like any ballistic weapon in atmosphere. In space, it's got to be wild. More impact, no wind or gravity to compensate for drop."

"Can I fire it?" Jess keeps her hands at her sides, observing firing range etiquette and safety though her fingers ripple in anticipation.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "They tend to be very effective in space," Michael agrees with a nod to Jessica. "But like all ballistic ammunition one must be careful where you're shooting - they just keep going out there, after all." A wink. "Like you say, no wind or gravity. And yes, it's just a smooth-bore barrel wrapped in a sequence of coils at its base."

    Then he picks up the rifle and slots its casette once more. "Who wants to give it a shot first?"

Achilles has posed:
    "From what I have read... and I've been doing a lot of reading of late, what with us heading into space in the not-so-distant future.. was that it's a common misconception that space doesn't have gravity. I imagine that micro-gravity could affect trajectories on low mass items going at extreme speed. But I am sure we'll be able to compensate for that." explains Angelo.

    But he gestures to Jess, "Ladies first." even as his own phone vibrates.

    He steps back and pulls it out, looking at the screen. "Well, looks like I am off to Gotham. Picking up another spike of... well, ARMOR type situations. I'll check in with a contact there. You kids have fun playing now and Michael, "Have her home by Midnight.. one at the latest please." he adds with a smirk before heading out.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Michael pauses as Anglo departs - and shrugs, holding the rifle out and demonstrating its features rather quickly. The power switch, which toggles between low-and high-power modes. The battery and ammunition gauges and releases, how the casette slots in through the port in the back. Then he hands the weapon over to Jessica gesturing down the range.

    When she fires it, there is /some/ recoil, but it is nearly negligable. Like firing an air rifle, perhaps, or less. No familiar rumble of mechanism, no bolt cycling. Just a slight tremble as dart after dart drops into the electromagnetic field flooding the barrel, and the rush of current as it is sped down the barrel and out into the distant target. Disturbingly easy to fire. Anyone could use these.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jessica nods at her colleague. "Hah, I get to have all the fun while you pal around with Batman, right?"

Already stationed next to the gun, she glances at Mike to confirm her picking up the gun. She hefts it to get a feel for its feel. It is pleasingly balanced which she didn't expect, aesthetics and "hand" often sacrificed to fire power with many weapons. She assumes a balanced stance and raises the gun, fitting her cheek against the stock.

    Plink Plink Plink

"Wow, it feels like firing a toy gun. I want to see how accurate those last rounds were." Enthusiastically, "Don't you?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "It's a devious weapon," Michael agrees, chuckling. "We'll have to crush these people. Their weapons are going out to terrorist groups, freedom fighters...anyone who can afford them, before long." A nod to the target down range, then, and he reaches out to touch the control that brings the metal plate up for review. It's entirely perforated, of course, with some of the flechettes still lodged in the metal. "Not bad," he says, nodding at the pattern she laid down, very concise if not entirely exactly as she shot them - it's not /entirely/ fire and forget. But for the first time using the rifle, it's very, very good. "Not bad at all, Halan. Partisans would have loved you on some of the worlds I was stationed at."

Jessica Drew has posed:
While Jess examines the target spread, she uncharacteristically chatters, "I can't wait to be working in space. You know I googled the movies that represent what it is like to be in space the most realistically and they gave "Gravity" a 2 out of ten. They give "Interstellar" the highest rating. Have you seen either of them? Now, I have to see Interstellar. Before I make my own movie in space."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I haven't seen anything like that, no," he says with a chuckle, grinning faintly now that her enthusiasm is really going now. "I haven't watched many films since I came here, and never on my own. Music, mostly." Michael leans against the booth wall again, watching her face. "This will be interesting for me, too, really. I look forward to training you all in the use of Imperial espionage and surveillance equipment, too."