Bang! Bang! Bangbangbangbangbang!
Automatic gunfire erupts inside the enclosed space and echoes off the barren walls of the long room. Switching rapidly to the final target, Val presses the buttstock of the carbine tightly into her shoulder as she holds down the trigger. She doesn't let up until the hail of gunfire ceases and the trigger clicks, indicating that all of her ammunition has been expended.
Val lets out a deep breath as she lowers the carbine and lets it settle against her chest, supported by the single-point sling secured tightly around her upper body. "M4, how'd I do?"
M4A1, who has been standing behind Val, nods in approval. "Your file didn't lie. You really are a top shooter. If I didn't know any better, I could almost assume you are a tactical doll outfitted with a fire control core and a weapon imprint."
Val shrugs.
"I guess that would be a completely understandable assumption. Sports shooting is a really niche hobby, and even more so if you knew how many hours I spent a day working on those skills."
M4A1 follows Val down past the firing line as she walks in the direction of the targets.
"Val, can I ask you a question?"
Val looks over at M4A1. "Sure thing."
"Did you ever think you were going to use those shooting skills in this line of work?"
The former chemist shrugs as she walks along. "I thought about it sometimes, but it wasn't really on the front of my mind, you know? It was more of a hobby for me. I did carry a handgun back in the day, and not always legally, but even then, the thought of using a weapon in any conflict just wasn't something I spent a lot of time thinking on."
"Oh."
M4A1's eyes widen as she takes a look at the holes in the target.
"Look at that grouping. Almost right on top of each other. I've known dolls who are nowhere near this accurate. Are you sure you're human and not some kind of cybernetically enhanced, oh, I don't know, person?"
Val chuckles.
"Nope. Just someone who spent too much time on her hobbies and didn't pay enough attention to her schoolwork. That's all."
M4A1 shakes her head in disbelief.
"Do not take this personally, but I find it hard to believe that someone like you could shoot so well."
"None taken."
Val rips the target off of the stand and moves on to the next one.
"It's definitely not something you'd expect from an academic like me. Well? Did I pass the evaluation? Am I ready for combat, Commander?"
The assault rifle T-doll looks Val square in the eyes. "I think we all know the answer to that one."