Foreword

In 2005, an enigmatic sheep tests out prototype ordnance.

The Prototype

In an empty shooting range, a sheep sniper presses a rifle hard up against his shoulder, taking aim.

Crack! Click-clack. Crack! Click-clack.

The marksmammal's right hoof was a blur, reciprocating the gun's bolt in a flash after each round fired, the other holding it steady so as not to disrupt his sight-picture. After a brief pause, the sniper set his sights on some metal swing targets.

Crack! Click-clack. Ping! Crack! Click-clack. Ping! Crack! Click-clack. Ping! Tink.

'Out.' he thought. Trotting back toward the lockers, the sheep noticed a timberwolf neatly placing a smallish case on a table.

The predator looked up and, seeing the sheep, he called out. "Riflemammal Doug Ramses?"

"Yeah, that's me." Came the extremely casual reply, sounding emotionless but not monotonous. Doug then pointed to the case, "Is that it?"

The wolf nodded emphatically. "Yup it sure is. The XM2005 APCG! Fresh out of the lab."

The sheep's expression was unchanged, he didn't react at all. Placing the rifle in a locker, Doug took the case and opened it, examining it's contents.

He reached in and pulled out a vaguely pistol shaped object, turning it over, getting a good look at it. He turned to look directly at the representative, expression unchanged.

"Whaddaya think? Pretty neat, eh?" Asked the cheerful Canid.

It was bad enough that he was a predator, this wolf was just too happy. "It's tiny. It's a pistol, I'm a rifle-mammal."

"Oh for God sakes" Said the wolf as he adroitly seized the case and handgun-thing from Doug. With distinct flamboyance, he retrieved two cyllindrical items from the case: a tube he promptly screwed on the end and a riflescope that affixed itself to the smooth top of the pistol.

Something of an expression of shock briefly spread across Doug's face. He snatched the pistol back and started fiddling with the optic, trying to pull it off.

"Hey! Take it easy! It's expensive!"

Doug stopped abrubtly, the scope sitting twisted on the hadgun's top surface. His look of amazement returned briefly as the optic aligned itself with the pistol's barrel.

"H-how does it do that?" He inquired, squinting at the seemingly animate rifle scope.

"Well," said the wolf, straightening his tie, "It's a frictionless, semi-contactless, catchless mounting system. It eliminates the need for rails and halves the process of sighting-in. It's potential applications are endless – but for now this is the only practical example."

"Hmph" Doug released the scope with a button, almost chuckling when the optic reunified itself with the gun as he let go.

"So. Want to fire it?"

"What else is there to do?"

"I'm going to take that as a yes." Said the wolf representative, lifting a crate onto the table and pulling out an irridescent can and a box of little capsules that looked like glass beads.

The predator raised the can. "Compressed air." In his other paw, he scooped up and pawful of the bead things. "Ammunition. Well, dummy ammunition."

Doug grabbed a pellet to inspect it. It wasn't hard, it wasn't soft – it was somewhere oddly between the two.

"You see, it's a fluid dispersal system, a way of delivering things like tranquilizers, irritants like pepper spray..." Explained the representative.

After looking decidedly thoughtful Doug remarked "I could also see terrorists using it to deliver chemical weapons."

"Well... Yeah but let's not be pessimistic."

Doug zoned out as the wolf continued ramble, harping on about the can of air, drivelling for what felt like hours about polymers, all while he 'set up' the gun. Oddly enough, when he was finished, he passed the firearm back to Doug without a word, gesturing towards the target range.

Despite it's small, slightly awkward size, the sniper quickly found a comfortable way of holding the prototype. Taking aim, Doug gave the item's trigger a solid pull. He Quickly and quietly emptied the gun's 3-round internal magazine, reloaded and repeated the process.

Doug stood up wordlessly and once again regarded the small 'firearm'. He turned to the expectant representative.

"What's the verdict?"

"Well, It's not up to me. I don't think you'll be getting a contract."

"Wh-what?" The exuberant wolf was dumbstruck.

"Personally, I'm very impressed. It's quiet, pinpoint and the rounds seem to travel at an immense speed – it puts any other air powered weapon I've used to shame." Doug paused briefly. "I can't leave anything out of my report, however."

"I... Don't understand." Said the predator, slowly taking the XM2005 from Doug and returning it to it's case in a way that was thusfar out-of-character.

"If this weapon and it's unique ammunition type were to get in the wrong trotters, anything could happen. Chemistry is a hobby of mine, there are dozens of chemical agents alone that could be abused through this."

"I get it. Thanks for your help."

End Notes

This was the first full short story I was actually happy with. It's also the first to be planned properly but that has nothing to do with it.

I really enjoyed working with Doug's sub-psychopathic demeanor, pairing that up with a flamboyant and excitable predator. An idea of polar opposites and the the way they both got sick of each other was fun.

As for the whole scope thing, it's one of the things that got me into the film. When I was conceptualizing the story this short contributes to, I was doing research on Doug's gun. I noticed that despite scenes depicting the weapon used with an optic there were zero mounting points of any kind.

At the same time I also wondered, 'where did he get it from?'. I noted the amount of scuffing and scratching all over it, suggesting how well used it is.