Shooting Range 3

Armory

UNCS Light of the Stars

1000

Inside was a massive hangar, able to easily fit a three-story house with more to spare. Overhead lights hung from the ceiling, sections of removable walls were set and secured into recesses in the ground, making a course for CQB. Tight halls and rooms were plentiful, with the farthest range barely breaking thirty yards.

Metal stairs led to a platform overhead allowing a better view for anyone running the course. Climbing up, Marcus looked out and saw the sprawling sections of rooms and halls. It was like the stage in Call of duty. Where the SAS troopers prepared a mockup of a ship they were going to hit later.

Marcus wore a nostalgic smile as he remembered running the course so many times that every grenade thrown, every wall bang was muscle memory. It was fun, probably what pushed him into 2-gun competitions with its timers, courses and rankings. Hours of practice shaved off precious seconds, even milliseconds, but was still sometimes enough to dictate whether he could come home first, second, or third.

Down the stairs, Marcus found the button to start the course. He passed it as he instead went to the small range attached, fitted with targets set up to try and get a feel of the shooting mechanics first.

Attention!

Would you like to turn on the Combat assistance program? [Y/N]

Curious, he turned it on and pulled out his pistol before lining it up towards the silhouette target ahead. A transparent cone overlayed his sights, getting smaller as he kept his pistol up to which he felt the game nudging it to the target for him, just like Aim Assist. He pulled the trigger as it shrunk to be double the size of the target and missed what would have been an easy shot at ten yards.

He expected his ears to ring from the report, having just realized that he didn't put in any ear protection, but was surprised that didn’t hurt that much. It was loud, but not to the point where he would be hearing ringing for the rest of the day and asking whoever to speak loudly as he reached his 50's. It was probably a consideration from the game designers as getting a simulation of progressive hearing loss would be far from being fun.

Attention!

Are you sure you like to turn off combat assistance?

Turning off Combat assistance is not advised. This gameplay mode is only for hardcore players.

Confirmed. Marcus unloaded the pistol before tucking the gun back on his waistband. He then went through the same drill, drawing the gun and lining up the sights towards the target before pulling the trigger. The game didn't try and override his aim which is a lot better, losing control of his limbs, no matter how subtle, was one of the first thing Marcus wanted to forget. Picking the magazine and slotting it down the well, Marcus racked the slide and engaged the safety. He then laid it down on the table and took a step back.

On his own cue, Marcus picked up the pistol, lined up the shot and fired.

It felt right, like getting back on a bike. His thumb found the safety easily, the same with his support hand which wrapped around his other tight, keeping it stable. His finger felt the resistance on the trigger before breaking and he didn't flinch. Checking the target, the bullet landed center mass, right at the A-zone where the heart and lungs would be if it were a real human.

Unfortunately, his aim was slower than it used to be. Years without shooting had caused his skills to atrophy. Still, it was something he could improve back to normal through practice. Slowly, he laid his weapon on the table then went through the grinding process of repetition.

Attention!

Familiarity with M1911 has increased to 5!

Through practice, you developed the chance to earn the combat skills; Handguns?

Slots Available, 0/6 Would you like to take the skill?

[Y/N]

Handguns

Increases the base damage, base critical chance, and increased familiarity rate.

Type: Common, Passive

From what Marcus knew of the game, damage is calculated based on the speed and mass of the bullet impacting the target.

In case of armor, the bullet's penetration values would then be compared to the armor rating of the target. If the penetration value is higher than the armor rating, the bullet would simply punch through, but if it is lower, then the armor would soak up the damage at the price of some durability. Shot enough times, the armor could still be destroyed giving both utility in wearing armor while driving up the demand for armor piercing munitions.

As for the skill, accepting it for the price of one slot would be a no-brainer if it was a rifle skill. But since it covered handguns, a sidearm, Marcus had doubts whether it was worth the points.

“Accept.” He muttered. In the end, he had to take it. He had undergone through enough courses and competitions to know that handguns can come clutch in certain situations. Just like Ghost said: 'switching to your pistol is faster than reloading'.

Attention!

Handguns

Lvl. 1

Increases the base damage by 2%, critical damage by 1%, and familiarity increase by 5%

Type: Common, Passive

Satisfied with the steady rate, Marcus continued his drills, draw, dry firing, speed reload, tactical reloads, and others that he could think of. Although he was hampered by the lack of a dump pouch, Marcus did his best by simply dropping the ‘empty’ mag into his cargo pockets and continuing on.

Attention!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 30!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 60!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 80!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 90!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 100!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 105!

Familiarity with m1911 has changed to Advanced! +5 critical damage

Handgun Critical damage increased to 156%

Marcus checked the time, and found that he had been going for about an hour now. Still, it was worth practicing reloads and drills for farming Familiarity at the least, as it netted him higher critical damage. As to when he might be able to use it, he would have to see. But with the speed of Familiarity gain slowing down, drills and dry firing could only go too far, he needed to start mixing things up.

He also still needed to finish the course and see the quest entails. Marcus hoped for a gun, or even a discount.

He unboxed the bullets and started loading the individual rounds to the magazines. He loaded the M1911 7+1 and walked towards the start of the course when he received a message.

Arthur: Hey. Just logged in the game. where are you?

Marcus: at the ship you told me.

Arthur: give me 20 minutes

Marcus walked the course, noting the blind spots and corners. It was just like in competitions, the only difference was instead of all IPSC silhouettes, some of the targets all had faces on them along with the snarling faces of beastly creatures ready to pounce. Back at the start, he closed his eyes, visualized the kill house’s setup and took a deep breath.

Gripping the pistol, he reached over to the button and pressed. A buzzer sounded a second later, followed by mechanical clanks as targets stood up from their lowered position.

A target popped out in front of him, a human target peeking around the corner. Marcus raised his pistol and fired.

The pistol buckled following the loud pop. A beep cut through the gunfire echoing by the walls as the target went down for a headshot. Marcus sprinted forward to the next corner, his pistol held up, muzzle pointed safely to the ceiling. Coming to the corner, he slowed down to a stop.

He leaned to the side, peeking around, pistol raised, and spotted a target. With a slight shift, his aim pointed center mass shooting and quickly following it up as he had done many times before and the target tilted back.

Keeping note of his current rounds left, he ran forward to the next shooting position just as a silhouette popped out around the corner ahead, surprising him.

With a time penalty of two seconds for every second he is exposed to a target, along with 5 seconds for every missed shot, his legs fell under him in a controlled slide. He raised his pistol at the same time and fired two shots downing the target. In real life, he wouldn't have slid as it would have risked personal injury. But in-game, he could take the chance. The move did nothing but only scuff his pants and cover it with a fresh coat of dust.

Attention!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 115!

Handguns increased to Level 2!

Marcus ignored the screen. Pushing himself off the floor, he sprinted forward and continued through the course. More targets, and more shots. Beeps as the targets went down. Having seen it, targets popping around corners and cover no longer surprised him. Downing the last target, Marcus took the last sprint and reached the end of the course with him noting five misses total. He also lost time having to reload the pistol three times, the M1911 already showing the downsides of it having low capacity.

Congratulations!

Your time is 2:55.58s. Would you like to submit it to the leaderboards?

[Y/N]

Attention!

You are experiencing cigarette cravings. Fulfill your addiction else suffer growing debuffs.

Current Debuff: Tremor

Marcus looked down at his hands to find a slight quiver. It wouldn’t be enough to affect his aim but did raise the concern of finding cigarettes. He then looked over to the screen and confirmed yes.

CQC Leaderboards Name: Record Time: ... 18. Laurierex 2:54.01s 19. IHasLegs 2:54.23s 20. Hartdegen 2:55.58s 21. Captain Cold-blooded 2:57.12s ...

Marcus chuckled. He wasn’t expecting to be so close to the top of the leaderboards on the first try. He was sure that it was more to the current quality of players than his own personal skill. He was a middling shooter at best, only joining in on nearby 2 gun competitions whenever he had free time and was always placing in the middle of the pack.

Still, he had one more run with what time and ammo he had left. He packed the magazines once more and walked the course, again and again, burning the locations of the targets in his mind.

Attention!

Familiarity with m1911 has increased to 150!

-1% chance of the weapon dropping on death!

One percent could almost be just a hit in the dark, but still a welcome addition nonetheless. Since it's one less percent on losing something he'd rather keep.

Marcus acknowledged the notification. Noting the time, he focused his mind on his task ahead. Slowly, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to relax, continuing running the course in his mind and put every ounce of focus he had on the task at hand. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes with a determined look.

Reaching over, he pressed the button for the second time. A loud buzzer, followed immediately by the mechanical clanking of the targets resetting. The same target popped up and he raised his weapon sending two taps to its chest then sprinted forward. Memories of his childhood started floating to the forefront. Marcus had learned how to respect the gun back when he was eight, by ten, he had bagged his first deer and by sixteen, had built his own rifle from an 80% receiver and parts ordered from the internet. He grew up with guns and loved it, this game was just the perfect fit.

His brother, Olsen, would have enjoyed this game more than he ever could. Sad that he won’t. It sucked to be just him now, what relatives he had were too distant to be even considered one. But that doesn't matter. His father didn't raise a weak man, so he would have to keep on trucking. He would have to make himself something. In this game, he could.

Congratulations!

Your time is 2:20.22s. Would you like to submit your score to the leaderboards?

[Y/N]

Marcus was breathing hard. He looked at his hands to find the pistol smoking, its slide locked back. He seemed to have blanked out, sinking into some place where everything just fell perfectly. Everything just felt right, he was dialed in, and he doubted he could get a better chance if he tried for another run right now. "The Zone." Marcus muttered to himself and picked yes.

CQC Leaderboards Name: Record Time: 1. TheKing 2:18.55s 2. Lazyeye 2:19.15s 3. Hartdegen 2:20.22s 4. Demented 2:21.11s ...

Marcus could only grin as the notification showed him getting to the third place. The difference between him and the first was only a split fewer than three seconds. Given a better pistol, he could swear he would have a good run for the first place. The low capacity of his gun was what caused multiple reloads and cost him precious seconds. With a smile, he pressed the slide release and blew at the muzzle of the gun, promising that he would come back and aim for the first spot.

Attention!

Due to your position on the leaderboards, you are awarded:

+10 Fame

Additional +1 Fame will be awarded for every day you keep your place in the rankings until the course resets.

'That man better be impressed.' Marcus thought to himself as he headed for the exit.

“Give me that!” The Armorer yelled just as Marcus went past the armory door. He looked over just as The armorer reached over the counter and yanked a pistol off from a player’s hand.

“You're better off throwing rocks at targets than shooting at it at this point. Get back on the line. Next!”

A look of surprise plastered along the newbies face as the armorer turned away “Wha? What did I do?” He asked the armorer who ignored him, then looked over to the man next in line, who only shrugged. Seeing no help coming, he went back to the end of the queue to the snickering from the others standing in line.

“Hey kid. Come here.” The armorer called. The call attracted the attention of not only him but all other people in the armory. 'Fuck.' Marcus thought, feeling the gazes of everyone on him.

“I’ll be at the end of the line,” Marcus answered, moving to the back only to be interrupted by another call.

“Fuck that. Just come here.” He waved over then looked to the man at the head of the line. “If you don't mind, we got a priority customer here. You're not, so you gotta wait.” He said to the man at the head of the line with false sincerity. The man looked at Marcus with annoyance, only to back off.

“Sorry about that,” Marcus muttered to the man as he took his spot. “So what you call me for? You do know that I ran the risk of pissing everyone in the line just for what you did.”

“Don't mind them." He said, then louder, "They can go elsewhere if they want. If they ever think to touch you, then they can find themselves some other place to find their guns and ammo, maybe dig them out of the ground or out of their own heads.” The Armorer grinned. “I saw what you did. And I’m going as far as to say that I’m impressed. Name's Stoner. I already know who you are and as promised, here.” He said, reaching under his counter and pulling out a pair of assault rifles, “Pick the one you like. And keep the pistol. I got too many of these taking store space anyway. These fucks who can't even hit the broad side of a ship think that it's too basic for their own tastes. But looking at you, I’m sure you’ll find the proper use for it.”

“Yeah, In the trash.” A voice answered from the back of the line.

Stoner looked over the head of the ones in line and zeroed in on the one who spoke up. “Oh, look at that. There seemed to have been a mistake. Your gun seems to have more problems than you let on, so it had been moved at the back of the queue. You can get your shit tomorrow.”

“Ah, damn!” the same voice answered, followed by him leaving the line and out towards the door.

“You shouldn't have said that.” Someone else said to the man leaving.

Marcus turned back to Stoner. “Take your time.” He said. On the counter laid an M16, the A2 version judging by the handguard, and an AKM.

“Can I check?” Marcus asked gesturing to the pair, feeling the gazes of the ones in line behind him on the back of his head.

“Go ahead. Fondle and fiddle with them as much as you like, but you can only take one.” Stoner said with a smug grin.

Marcus nodded. He picked up the pair of guns and carried them off to the side. He laid them on the benches lining the walls and as per habit, he made sure that both rifles were clear.

Attention!

AKM

A select-fire, gas piston system operated rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm. Developed after the second world war in an effort of the Soviet Union’s effort to equip its massive army with medium-ranged combat rifles. An estimated two hundred million were built since including other variants of the same base rifle. The AK had been present in virtually every conflict and is considered to be the Soviet Union’s greatest export during its height and its fall.

Caliber: 7.62x39mm

Mods: Bio-lock (Uncalibrated)

Familiarity: 0

Requirement: Strength 4

He popped the top cover off the AK, followed by the recoil spring then the bolt carrier group. The parts look clean and well maintained and he looked at the barrel to see the rifling in pristine condition. He put the parts back and racked the action multiple times, smoother than he remembered them to be.

Attention!

Familiarity increased to 20

Attention!

AR-15 (M16A2)

A select-fire, gas impingement system operating system chambered in 5,56x45mm. Adopted into the military service and given the designation M16 by the United States Military. It had been made the Military’s standard rifle since and had undergone numerous iterations and configurations due to the modularity built into its design. Hundreds of millions were built and in circulation, most of it in civilian hands.

Caliber: 5.56x45mm

Mods: Bio-lock (Uncalibrated)

Familiarity: 0

Requirement: Strength 4

Marcus field stripped the AR just like in the AK. He pressed the takedown pins, letting the upper swing forward, and looked down at the trigger group. He then pulled at the charging handle, taking out the Bolt carrier group, and let it stand on the bench by the bolt face. Pressing down on the bolt carrier group, the bolt face cammed into position and Marcus could only chuckle at the amount of detail. It seemed like whoever made this game had the same love for guns as he did, probably more. Looking down the barrel, it was also in pristine condition.

Putting the rifle back together, Marcus sighed. In front of him was the topic of debate among enthusiasts for decades. AR or AK.

Attention!

Familiarity increased to 20

Both had a bio-lock mod reducing the drop chance of the weapon on death by 50%, making the choice much harder. Marcus was more partial to the AR, but the long 18-inch barrel and fixed stock made it cumbersome within buildings and rooms. More importantly, he couldn't see himself taking shots past the intermediate range. The maximum distance he could expect around the city was around 300 meters, which is well within the capabilities of the AKM.

The second issue is the ammo. Considering that the game models real life as much as it could, the damage is done by the energy imparted into the target. The light grainage of the 5.56 bullets caused it to rely entirely on its speed for its stopping power. The flat bullet trajectory was just a bonus, or maybe was the other way around.

On the other hand, the 7.62 relies on its heavier bullet for its lethality in exchange for a slower projectile and more pronounced bullet arc but has the capacity of barrier destruction.

Marcus sighed. He really liked the AR but not the particular setup. He could try pulling the barrel and replacing it with a shorter one for CQB but doing that would cost him money. Still, it made choosing easier. Picking both rifles up, he walked over to the counter and laid the M16 on the counter. “I’ll take the AKM, but if you're willing, can I go for a folding stock?”

"You know who I'm named after right?" Stoner asked flatly.

"If you'd give me an M4, I'd take that in a heartbeat."

"Hard no. Although I can give you an underfolder."

"Then I'll take that please."

Stoner grunted, taking both rifles and putting it out of sight. He then laid a folded AKMS along with a couple of bakelite magazines and half a can of ammo, all still wrapped in brown paper and held together by a length of tied string. “Here’s some spare magazines and some ammo.”

Marcus looked over the AKMS, noticing that the underfolder stock left enough space on the siderail for it to be able to fold while having something attached on the mount. “You're a lifesaver. I do suppose that you have some side rails and optics on stock, do you?” Marcus asked. Getting a red dot on the gun would make using it a lot easier.

“Actually, I do.” He said, reaching under the counter and laying a pair of optics. Both resembled popular brands Marcus was familiar with. “For you, I’ll sell them as a set, for about 2 thousand Credits. Don't worry about interference, they’ll fit.”

Attention!

Siderail Mount

Allows the mounting of optics using the soviet style side mounts. Holds zero.

Attention!

Holographic Sight

Lightweight, robust sight. 1x magnification, Circle-Dot Reticle. Crystal clear glass allows minimal light reduction. Features include NVG and daylight mode.

“Ooof," Marcus muttered. The optics and mounting would cost him a fifth of all his in-game money, about two MRCs, or Mercs, worth. Still, it was not that bad. The sight will allow him faster target acquisition. In gunfights, the quickest on the target usually wins. With the item description this sparse, Marcus wondered whether the flavor text would change and the effects more pronounced if he changes his combat style into what he considered to be the game's 'baby mode'. "I don't know. I don't think I’m at a level to uh, afford it but I have to ask, can you do credit?" Marcus said, taking the ammo and magazines.

“I’m not a bank. I don't do credit.”

“Fuck it. Alright.” Marcus replied, pulling out his credit chit and laying it on the counter.

"Congratulations for a while I was thinking you're only here for freebies," Stoner replied, taking the chit and sliding it on the till. "Here's your tool, you can zero your rifle on the range." He said, giving the chit back along with a Hex key. “and if you have some ammo to burn, feel free to take a shot on the rifle course, I could do with something worthwhile to watch.” He said. “Also, I might have a job for you, given that you measure up of course. If you think you can do it, come back here tomorrow at six in the afternoon, giving you about 30 hours.”

Quest Alert!

The Guy for The Job

Reach level 10 and come back to Stoner before he decides to call someone else.

Reward: A proposition

Time left: 36:12:01s

Marcus perked up at the quest alert. He looked up at Stoner, who looked back at him with a knowing look and nodded. “You got it.” Marcus replied. He picked up the side-rail, holographic sight, and the hex key, pocketing all of them, he then turned around to find a man standing on the back with a green dot over his head.

The man flashed his eyebrows and smiled. Unlike everyone else in the room wearing combat camouflage, he wore bright blue jeans and a colorful Hawaiian shirt underneath a tan colored plate carrier filled with bulging pouches. in front of him hung an m249 Para to which he held with familiar ease while his other held a duffel bag. Judging by the smile, the swagger and by the familiar way he was looking at him, Marcus knew it was Arthur.

“He-hey! There he is!” Arthur called as he approached, the nametag on above his left breast pocket read: FirstChild. “I hope VR is treating you well. Since you're looking like you could use a meal, I'm guessing you took that Martian law shit right?”

“I did.” Marcus replied, “Actually glad that I did, since it kinda fits me like a glove actually.”

“Good to know. Now, Show me your shit.” Arthur said, gesturing to the bench. Marcus nodded and laid out his rifle to which Arthur scoffed.

“AKMS. Not the best. Did you miss out for the one with the dong? I know how much you love them.”

“Fuck you Arthur.”

“And here I thought you’re going to say you love me.” He muttered, laying a rifle bag on the bench. “That’s for you. Welcome to the game.”