Incipience

Chapter 18 pt 3

After I'm dressed out, I head over to the shooting range. Xiomoazi is there making small talk with Wima when I get there. Xiomoazi pauses her conversation with the sergeant to sync my data with her device. While she busies herself with that, I assemble a blaster for myself as the others are doing. I'm halfway done when Xiomoazi breaks the silence.

"Vorem tells me you have been partnered with an old classmate of his for a project, N'vir, if I am not mistaken. How is that?"

I pause in my inspection of my blaster to meet her eyes with a dramatic huff, "Absolutely craptastic."

Xiomoazi blinks. "I am lost. Please explain that term."

I have to admit, I do get a kick out of confusing the Inovarians with human slang. It's only right, given how often they confuse me.

"Craptastic is a sarcastic combination of the word 'crappy,' meaning something is extremely unpleasant, and 'fantastic,' which I'm sure you already know."

"I see, so your time with N'vir has been comically unpleasant."

"Pretty much."

She nods in agreement."Fitting."

I slide my now assembled blaster into my thigh holster and turn my attention to the scientist.

"What's you guys' history with him anyway? I keep forgetting to ask why you two dislike him so much aside from the obvious. N'vir's annoying, yeah, but I don't know if he's that irritating to switch out y'alls' usual politically correct and pleasant demeanor whenever he's around or mentioned."

"You think the two of us are pleasant?"

I give her a dry look that fades the smile she just gave me. "So anyway, back on topic. What's the story?"

Xiomoazi lets out a hum of contemplation. "I believe that you ought to discuss with Vorem his reasons for his dislike for our peer, but I can tell you, though, that my animosities towards the man stem from his unprofessional attitude. He rarely if ever can have an objective conversation about a project—or anything, really. His attitude carries over to most things, after all. Every conversation I have had with him since we were children has been an argument and it is frankly annoying. I have never, in all of my interstellar travels, met any being so crass and I have been to five planets."

The cackle I let out is far from cute or delicate, but I'm too taken off guard by Xiomoazi's bluntness to care. I didn't actually think I'd get her honest opinion when I asked, but I'm glad I did.

"Tell me how you really feel, Zi!"

Xiomoazi laughs along with me. "Perhaps I will give you some tips on how to deal with N'vir later, but for now, you should begin your firing practice."

I make her promise to do so before picking a shooting lane. Unlike my time on the ship, the targets here don't scream whenever you shoot them, so hitting these marks feels more like a game than war preparation. The first time I shot on the ship, I was convinced that Rombag was out to traumatize us, but I saw the rationale behind his decision after our fight with the Quinzentenians. It still grated my ears to hear both sides of the fight scream in pain whenever they were shot, but it wasn't as world-stopping as it might've been had I not been partially desensitized during training.

I can't help but shudder at the memory. I really shot those people without hesitation. I know that I didn't kill anyone, but the sound of their cries made me feel like I did. I remember telling myself that they started the fight and I was just finishing, which is true even if it doesn't help with the nausea I experienced after seeing all the blood once everything was said and done.