"Affirmative," Elphelt turned towards Tal once more. Normally, she'd be moved by the lovestruck peace in his eyes, a mark of her spell on him, but in her battle against War's influences, it was obvious she had retreated into another personality entirely, to find some refuge from the rage. She managed to steady her pistol just enough to fire off two shots, aimed at Tal's head.

... They were concussive rounds. He'd live, though have a hell of a headache when he woke up. But there was something still inherently fatal in the way she simply just shot him, as if in an execution. Had that not been one of the VALIS system guns...