fandomhigh | Tactics 201, Thursday Period Two

"Before the break, I was asked 'what to do if there are no reinforcements coming'. This was mostly the subject of last term's class, but for completion's take, that will be the topic of today's class-- or rather, how to deal in a situation where you have only yourself, your own resources, and your abilities."

Kerrigan's foot was tapping against the floor of the Danger Shop, and her C-10 was pointing helpfully down. "Yourself. That's all you'll have today. No special powers. No special equipment. Nothing but you, your wits, and a big damn suit of armor."

The environment warped, bringing with it a sparse forest, mosses cluttering the ground and trees climbing up against rock walls that weaved in and out. "What do you do when you're on your own? Be smart. Be honest with yourself-- what your chances are, what you can do. You find your own advantages, be they strategical cleverness, sheer unpredictability, or mental stamina. Use them. Distract your opponent. Set traps.. Attack them straight up front. I don't care; just do something, something you're good at, and do it well."

She quirked a grin at the class. "This, kids, is where you get to shoot at each other. Remember that a hit to the head freezes you-- getting hit in a limb disables that particular extremity. Don't be idiots. Sometimes it's tactically useful to take someone out in one shot. Sometimes you have to risk facing every bit. It's all on you."

Before she turned around, she added, "And don't let the Zerglings bite."

[ ~~wait for the~~ ocd up ]

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Zuko still hated those damn guns, but it didn't seem like he had a choice for this exercise. So he started moving around and looking for someone to shoot at.

Sokka tossed a rock at Zuko's head.

"YOU! You and I need to talk! C'mon, we can do it while trying to kill each other, just like old times."

Zuko ducked and scowled at Sokka. "Like you stand a chance," he grumbled, somehow having a fairly good idea what this was about.

[Sorry I ditched on you again! My computer crashed, and then I was out at an important meeting.]

Sokka keyed his armor's comm to keep an open line to Zuko and took off up a rock-strewn hill. "Face to face, maybe not," Sokka admitted. "But how are you with guns?"

They'd get back to Katara in a moment.

He sucked with guns, but Sokka didn't need to know that. "Better than you," he snapped and seriously, if they were going to do this he wasn't going to be waiting for Sokka to get to him. He hurried off in the same direction as Sokka, making sure to keep some distance between their paths.

"Yeah, you know what? I doubt that."

Sokka swung behind a big enough rock and fired down at Zuko from behind it. If he could stop Zuko from following for a moment, get some distance between them, he'd have the advantage.

"So what are your intentions regarding my sister?" he asked conversationally, while letting loose a hail of bullets.

"WHAT?" Zuko shouted down the comm as he ducked behind another rock, gravel sliding down the hillside as he moved quickly. He hated this armour too. "There's no intentions! I already told you that I'm not going to kidnap her!"

With Zuko momentarily behind the rock, Sokka continued up the hillside as quickly as he could. "That's not what I meant, and you know it, Mr. Tonsil Hockey."

He fired a burst behind him as he ran.

Zuko had just stuck his head up from behind the rock to see if the coast was clear and ducked again, cursing as he narrowly escaped the bolts. Stupid weapons. Stupid armour.

"It just happened, okay?" he shouted back and then looked for another route up the hill. There were some trees to the left side and staying low he ran towards them.

Sokka reached the top of the hill, ducked behind a low bush, and then peered out from behind it. Where'd he go, where'd he GO?

"'Just happened', huh? Did you WANT it to happen? Is it going to happen again?"

"She ran away. I'm assuming that's a no," Zuko climbed the up the slope, trying to see if he could make out where Sokka was hiding.

"Never assume anything when girls are involved," Sokka told him. "Because they're all crazy in the head. That's premium advice, from someone who knows his stuff, so don't say I've never been nice to you."

Ahhh, THERE he was. Sokka fired off a steady stream of bullets in Zuko's direction, and held the trigger down as he aimed the stream closer to its target.

Like Zuko was going to wait to get hit. He rolled away and fired his gun for the first time towards Sokka. His aim wasn't all too great. "Why would you give me advice on kissing your sister? You hate me!"

"HA! You call that a shot?!?! You SUCK!!!"

Sokka stood up and sighted carefully down at Zuko, this time, and fired off a burst.

"Yeah, I hate you. But I love Katara, even when she's gone completely insane. So, it's like this: No sex until marriage, and if you EVER do anything to hurt her, EVER, I'll make you wear your own man-parts as a HAT."

The burst hit his shoulder this time and Zuko couldn't move his left arm. Cursing, he ducked for cover. "I'm not going to hurt her!" Zuko shouted, though he did think Sokka was crazy for giving him this speech.

First blood. Nice.

"Damn STRAIGHT, you're not!!!" Sokka crowed. "Personal bits. HAT." He fired uselessly at Zuko's cover, just because he could.

He looked down at the gun with new appreciation. Something so easy to use, leaving one of the most skilled firebenders in the world laid helpless before him... A lesser man would let the feeling of power go to his head.

Unfortunately, Sokka WAS a lesser man. He cackled madly.

On a power trip, he added, "AND don't you ever try to win Mel back."

"What?" Zuko shouted and seriously, he was getting sick of this gun thing. He changed his grim on it, holding it as a club and then burst from behind the rock to charge at Sokka.

Sokka yelped, and fought his urge to turn and run. Instead, he leveled his gun at Zuko's chest and fired wildly, hoping to put him out of commission before he got too close.

The ducking came too late and Zuko really, really hated this kind of fighting as he hit the ground. "Mel and I are over."

Sokka stalked over to Zuko, smirking, and stood over him triumphantly, aiming the gun down at his face. "Good," he said. "Just so we're clear. ...And remember: Personal bits. Hat. Don't tempt me."

And he skipped off, whistling.

No, Zuko had no idea what had just happened and he kicked angrily at the ground, flames scorching the grass. Stupid.

Tactics 201, Thursday Period Two

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