So here is the thing, when you are a self-deprecating genius: you sometimes forget the breadth of your influence. I realized this personally one morning while talking to our chief test pilot (and my best friend) about some odd characteristics in the last simulator test when I saw the Zmail alert on my phone. When I checked my notifications, I saw that it was from the Zootropolis Police Department.

"I just got an e-mail form the ZPD" I said in surprise: slightly cutting off my friend.

"Really, what for?" he replied.

"I don't know yet, I haven't read it," I said in slight exasperation, "but the subject line does say Consultancy Requested."

"Be sure it's not a scam" My Friend replied half-jokingly.

"Ha Ha" I said "I'll be careful, but I seriously doubt that a scammer would disguise themselves as an official department of a major metropolitan area such as Zootropolis, and there do not seem to be any hyper-linked URLs in the body of the document."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"There aren't any inviting sentences in the opening, only an official request." I answered.

"Well, whoever it is, you had better check it out," my friend said with a note of finality. "I'm going to check on the progress of the Lynx. Let me know what the ZPD needs you for."

"Will do," I said absent mindedly as we parted ways.

As I made my way back to my office, I became wrapped up in a slew of thoughts that ran from my slight annoyance of everyone else calling the X-60 Silver Tornado the 'Lynx' when there was already the experimental space plane called the Lynx and the fact that I had originally penned the design in high-school and called it the Silver Tornado with a self-granted trade mark (all I did was write TM in the upper right corner of the page). Further, My thoughts carried on to other designs and ideas that I had been planning to prototype for a while, to my crazy machinations in the game the Kerbal Space Program, and back to the current test done by a partner company the Western Launch Confederation for the Amun-Ra medium orbital launcher. I eventually brought my thoughts about to concentrate on what the ZPD needed to consult me about. I am an Aerospace Engineer with a degree of the same discipline from Purrdue University (among other credentials and awards) with a specialization in Experimental Air and Space craft design, and am currently concentrating on focused energy weapons for space craft defense.

"Wait" I thought to myself, pausing briefly in my tracks "I'm currently specializing in advanced directed energy weapons!"

I immediately picked up the pase to my office, realizing that something terrible has either happened to or been caused by an advanced directed energy weapon.

Even though I had only been focusing on them for about a year, I'm a quick study and have already given private seminars to share-holders, high managers, and certain politicians (usually against my wishes and better judgment) about some of the technicalities and advantages of such devices. I must have therefore wound up in some government database as some kind of 'expert'.

As I sat down at my cluttered but organized desk, I carefully notated and stacked all the spread-out documents to one side or the other, put the newly fabricated wind tunnel models back into my special cushioned box, and pulled my keyboard toward me.

I immediately minimized all open files, opened Chromate and opened the E-mail from the ZPD.

Zootropolis Police Department

Precinct 1

16 Vita Aqua Place

Zootropolis Florida

16th July 2025

Dear Mr. Miles Prower,

It has come to our attention that your expertise in advanced weaponry is quite extensive. We would like to invite you to act in the capacity of primary active consultant for a current ongoing case.

I would like to meet with you at precinct 1 in my office on Monday July 21st to inform you of the details of the case, after which you are invited for 1 week paid consultancy with the possibility of an extended contract option available for negotiation on the 25th of the month.

My detectives look forward to working with you, and thankyou in advance.

Sincerely,

Misuli Bogo

Chief of Police

ZPD

After I finished the letter several times, I sat back to comprehend what I had just read.

The ZPD wants to higher me as a professional consultant to one or many of the detectives at the first precinct.

This did not necessarily ease me, since it still meant that I could be consulting on a murder case which could have been perpetrated by a weapon based off my design, or worse of my design directly.

After bringing myself back to earth, I called up my boss to inform him of what the ZPD had sent.

He answered the phone in his usual calm voice, "Hey, Miles. How is the Lynx coming?"

"Good but slow," I replied "Were currently waiting on the machining of the primary bulkhead."

"Really, What's the holdup?"

"Remember a month ago that the production engineers said that it would take 5 weeks to machine the bulkhead?"

"Yes, Why?"

"Because, due to a couple freak accidents and a faulty bit, it will take at least another three weeks."

"Oh, so where does that leave production?"

"Essentially halted, we can continue to run aerodynamic simulations and virtual stress test, but otherwise: zippo."

"Ok, So I assume that there is some other reason you called other than to tell me what the last progress report did?"

"Yes there is, the chief of the Zootropolis Police Department sent me a personal E-Mail wishing to higher me as a consultant to one or some of his detectives."

"The ZPD, really." He said with a pregnant pause. " And when does he want to meet and for how long does he wish to tap your well?"

"Very funny sir" I said tentatively "He wants to meet this coming Monday to bring me up to speed for an initial Week long consultation gig, with options to extend that Friday."

"I See. Funny coincidence." He said. My interest peaked.

"What coincidence Sir."

"A colleague of mine at Delta Boeing just asked me to send someone down to the cape to help oversee the test launch that Sunday and some further development of the Ra launch vehicle. Would you like to fill that role, you have the necessary qualifications?"

"Yes sir, I would sir, for how long?"

"You said that the machining would take another three weeks at least yes?"

"That is correct sir."

"And your weapon systems are complete for the time being?"

"Yes sir, they're just waiting for the completed frame to be installed."

"Then you, Miles, have just earned yourself three weeks in Florida for the purposes of ZPD consultancy and as Martin representative for the WLC test launch."

"Thank you for this opportunity Sir." I said, only barely registered Mr. Lupin's usual kindly goodbye, and hung up.

I could just about flip.

Not only do I get a paid trip to Florida, but I also get to be at launch control at Cape Kennedy for a craft which I helped create.

It was uncontrollable, I let out a howl of excitement.

Immediately, I got a text from .

That's a new record, you officially made it 10 seconds before howling.

This had happened three previous times, at my promotion, At the 50th Red Flag's opening Ceremony when a B-36 buzzed the crowd, and when I got to see the launch of Skylab II. Each when I was told of the event, and at the event itself.

But I was in my office.

How could you hear me? I texted back.

Everyone heard you.

Oh and you didn't quite hang up.

At this moment I was glad that I had a private office.

Another text, By the way, since this is technically a business trip, I will make arrangements for you to stay at the Castle hotel in downtown Zootropolis.

I replied, Ok, Thanks. What about transportation?

Well, one of us could go through the rigmarole of booking a last minute airline flight, or you and Sonic could just take the YF-54 and have Sonic fly it back.

The second option I replied instantly.

Great have a good week. He concluded.

Again, Thank you very much sir.

Before I could even perceive myself, I was racing down the halls and around the corners to the production hangars to talk to Sonic.

As I entered the main construction hangar, I looked around briefly and saw a flash of blue sayan spines walk around the corner.

"Sonic", I shouted "great news!"

"You too?" he replied.

"What's your good news?" I asked in an excited but quieter voice.

"Remus wants me take the X-Tornado to the cape to be the left booster control for the upcoming test launch."

"So that's why he suggested sonic and I take the X-Tornado, he was going there already." I thought to myself.

"Really, He told me that he wants me to represent him at the launch, but that's not the best news."

Sonic looked at me as though to say "Get on with it, what is this 'best' news?"

"The best news," I continued, "is that the ZPD wants to higher me as a part-time consultant, and is more than willing to accommodate."

"Really," Sonic said as we began to walk, both our voices back to normal "Is he also having you stay at the Cape resort?"

"Actually, he is said that he would make arrangements at the Castle hotel in down town Zootropolis, but I wish that I was staying closer to the cape."

"Yeah, I wish I was staying closer to Zootropolis, such an interesting city." Sonic said wistfully as we walked around the hangar.

"So do you know who is going to be on right booster control?" I asked somewhat awkwardly to break the silence.

"No" he answered, "but I bet that it will be someone from Delta Boeing."

"And now for something completely different" I said with a slight British accent, "What exactly needs to be done to get the X-Tornado flight ready again?"

"The usual, Fuel, Inspection, Tests, the like, but won't it be a blast to fly again." He said with a note of excitement.

"Yeah," I said with a similar tone in my voice. "Will she be ready by Friday?"

"Of course." Sonic said casually, "and if she's not, we could always run."

I laughed at the remark, and we parted ways again to make the necessary arrangements.

The next two days passed in a blur of excitement for Sonic and I. We both had received confirmation emails for our accommodations in Florida, got both our offices and work affairs in order for multiple weeks away, filed the proper flight plan with the FAB and NASDA, and had contacted our proprietors to inform them of our long absences. Oh, and pack, we cannot forget about packing.

Everything happened in such a rush that before I knew it, I found myself on the tarmac and Walker's Air Force Base, preforming a final walk around of the X-Tornado.

As I came around the right engine, I looked over and saw Sonic's rather pink girlfriend making a fuss over every little thing in her usual manner right before a long trip. Suddenly, I felt my stomach drop, and a wave of sorrow came over me. Not because I did not have a girlfriend, but because of how I had lost my one and only, but that is a story for another time.

As, I climbed into the second seat in the first cockpit, and began the startup procedure, I was sure to start the left engine first so that Sonic and Amy could have one last second together.

"Clear Prop!" I shouted as I started up the left engine.

Amy gave Sonic a brief peck and ran back to our friends and colleagues at the edge of the ramp.

Sonic hopped into the seat in front of me as I started the second engine, and we both put our helmets on.

"Com check?" I heard through the headset.

"Check." I replied.

"Canopy Closing" he announced as the front canopy closed around us.

"Seal Secure" I said checking the indicator lights. "Pressure at 15 lb/square inch."

"Walker ground this is 1992X requesting taxi to runway 15 via alpha and Charlie."

After I acknowledged ATC's taxi clearance, I handed control to sonic, who revved the two turbojets and began taxing to runway 15 while I handled the radios.

Soon we were at the foot of runway 15, a six mile long stretch of pavement for test aircraft to use.

After we got takeoff clearance, we pulled onto the runway and sonic gunned the engines.

As we rolled forward, I called out the airspeed.

"40 knots, 60, 80, 100, 120,150, 170, 200"

"rotate" as sonic said this the aircraft lifted off the runway and continued to accelerate.

" Positive rate, Gear up, Flaps up, Stabilizers Deployed." As I said this, Sonic pulled up the gear and the flaps and I deployed another set of wings stowed on the belly of the aircraft, thus giving the X-Tornado its namesake X.

As I briefly contacted the flight servicing center to activate our flight plan, Sonic opened the throttle to 120%, and pulled back into a 50 degree climb towards the edge of the atmosphere.

At 60,000 ft, the onboard computer took over as the SABRE engines switched to internal mode and gunned us into suborbital space.

At this point, Sonic announced "Autopilot engaged."

About 60 seconds later all engines shut off and we were en-route to Cape Kennedy by the most exciting means possible, Suborbital Space plane.

Our flight was a series of skips of the upper atmosphere that would get us to our destination quickly and efficiently in just over a half an hour. The on board computer would do most of the flying, but I would fly the final approach onto the Shuttle landing strip at the cape.

As we sped through the lower boundary of space, we both suddenly became weightless. Though this was not my first time experiencing weightlessness, I still thoroughly enjoyed it all the same.

This stint in weightlessness only lasted for about a minute, so we had to make the most of it.

We did everything you could think of and more. Even Sonic preforming a maneuver such that I could toss a pen from my left hand to my right hand and catch it with my left hand.

But sadly the joy could not last, and we hit the Atmosphere for our first skip and the weightless ness was gone.

It was at this point that Sonic noticed that my enthusiasm of such an exciting trip had diminished; I mean it was not like there was much to do. We were in class E 'airspace' and the computer was doing most of the flying, but being in space made me either extremely joyful or sad at alternating points.

"Hey," Sonic said, "How about some music before the class A airspace?"

"Sure, what do you have?" I asked.

"Just you listen." He said.

My mood instantly lifted when the words One more time came through my headset.

The rest of the journey was spent listening to the best hits of Daft Punk and before I knew it, It was time to land.

Landing procedures are similar to the retired space shuttle, with the notable exception that our engines are on, but kept at idle for the landing.

As we descended through 18000 ft, I pulled up the winds and Sonic maintained radio communication.

Soon after I entered on a right hand base for runway 33, dropped my landing gear, extended my flaps to full, and turned onto final approach.

From here, the landing procedure was almost identical to that of the space shuttle.

Here I could go through the rote radio conversation line by line, but that would remove some… a lot of the tension and excitement of the maneuver.

If you, dear reader would like to get a good idea of what it was like in the back seat of the first cockpit of the X-Tornado at those exact moments, I would suggest finding some old footage of the space shuttle landings, especially those with the crew dialogue, and watch it from downwind to final touchdown.

That said, as soon as we de-rotated, Martin service vehicles drove out onto the 15000ft landing strip for initial inspections.

As the entourage approached the X-Tornado on the runway, I noticed one particular mammal that stood out from the rest. Not due to size (he was about as tall as I was), but due to reputation. A Lynx in a smart suit whom I know to be chief production manager for Delta Boeing east coast by the name of Bob Fitch.

"Miles Prower, I presume" He said as he approached me on the tarmac.

"Mr. Fitch pleased to make your acquaintance in person." I replied with odd formality, probably because he greeted me like a Duke.

He did a verbal double take and then asked, "What do you 'in person'?"

"Umm…. Between you and me" I said and then motioned him to lean in a little, which he did.

"I have seen all of your Kerbal Space Program Youtube series." I said rather quickly.

"Really, you play too?" He asked straightening up.

"Of course." I said, "Almost everyone I know at Martin has played it at some point, though we don't really mention it due to its oversimplifications."

As we talked, about a baker's dozen technicians and engineer inspected and serviced the X-Tornado. Though they mainly stuck to their work, with the occasional gestural greeting as one of them passed, I noticed that they all also seemed to be sneaking glances at Sonic and myself.

Though it was not the constant double takes that bothered me, I get those all the time, but it was the repeated double takes. As though everyone standing around us simply couldn't believe what they were seeing, a two tailed Red Fox talking to a normal looking Lynx with a 4 foot tall blue Hedgehog descending ladder to join.

"So," Bob interjected noticing my annoyance "Are you both here for the launch? I know that Do-"

"Yes Sonic is here specifically for the test launch and all other proceedings," I said rather quickly "But I am actually here as both 's official representative and as an official consultant to the ZPD."

"Really… Interesting, do you know what you'll be working on with the ZPD?" Bob asked.

"I still really don't know much except that I will be working with the detectives at precinct 1."

"Do you think it's related to your current work with lasers?"

"I can't be sure at the moment, it wasn't in the email I got."

"They probably just want him to explain some odd things found in a raid." Sonic interjected.

"They must have a lot of odd evidence if they want to higher me for a week."

"A Week!" Bob said, "Sounds more like a case to me."

"Probably," I said. "The chief also mentioned extending the contract."

At this point, we collected out luggage and were ushered off the runway by the ground crew as the X-Tornado was hitched to a tug. As we walked back to the main facility, we continued to talk and speculate about why the ZPD needed my consultation. The speculation kept getting more and more ridiculous to the point that we had decided that they were going to higher as some kind of Maverick/James Bond kind of investigator, another such speculation involved the fledgling mars colonies, the dark web, and NASDA's concept warp ship designs. However, by the time we reached the transit van, we had decided that I might as well be some combination of Bruce Lee and MacGyver for all that I was apparently supposed to be doing in the coming weeks.

As we boarded the van, the conversation shifted to the upcoming launch.

"Scott, a friend of mine, and I have a bet going," Bob interjected, "He bets that one of the boosters won't be landing back at the cape."

"Wwww- IIIIIIIi," I stammered, but then Sonic cut over and said. "Tell Scott then that, I see his and double that the launch will go off perfectly."

"Ok then, dually noted." Said bob as he pulled out, to my surprise, an old palm palate and noted Sonic's bet.

"Don't forget," Said a voice from the row behind us, "It's also the first flying test of our new torodial aerospike nozzle, I put 50 down that one or more fails."

"And who are you?" I asked.

"Oh, I've so many names, but ye can call me Mac-Leod." Said a White Tiger in a fou-Scottish.

"Don't mind Noah." Said Bob leaning close, "a brilliant mind, but he is a bit strange. He considers himself the lord of the Tekken fighting games, and is, as well as considers himself the biggest fan of the Highlander movies."

"Oh, I see." I said having had a passing familiarity with all the intellectual properties bob just mentioned.

"Then in that case, I wager my Gen-con Dice that both my boosters will land perfectly on the shuttle landing strip in formation."

"Oh really," said Noah in an overly pompus voice, "what year of Gen-con art your dice from then?"

"2012," I replied, "and they are in perfect condition."

This overly nerdy boasting and betting match went on all the way to the front of the visitor's center, and ended in a 4 way stand-off between Noah, Bob, Sonic and myself each holding respectively an odd self-made science gun, a magic wand, an N-7 pistol, and a sonic screwdriver.

As we got off, and said goodbye to the annoyed driver, Noah pulled me aside and said, "Hey, Miles I'm hosting a weekly D&D game, are you interested? We just finished a campaign."

"Um… Let me get back to you on that." I replied.

"Ok, just to let you know it's at Paladin tech games Tuesdays at 7pm."

"Ok, I'll email you if I'm interested." I concluded.

We exchanged email addresses and then Sonic and I made our way towards waiting cabs, whilst others made their way either back to the main facility or to the parking lot.

As we approached the cabs, Sonic and I made plans to meet the next day in order to visit the visitor's museum and rocket garden and the parted to separate vehicles.

Once underway, I asked the driver how long till we reached my destination.

To which he replied "about 1 an hour."

This was not a long trip by any means, but I didn't feel like socializing with the stranger in the drivers seat so I got out my laptop and booted up plane maker. Though not a particularly new or fast, I still use it for initial modeling due to nostalgic value seeing as it was the first piece of 3d modeling software that I ever used.

As we drove along the state road towards Zootropolis, I busied myself with adding control surfaces to one of my more fantastic designs.

Though I liked using my Plane maker, nothing could compare to actually building with physical implements.

If I could, I would carry around a Lego brick and technic collection with me at all times so that I could model all of my ideas and concepts in physical form at all times, but alas that is an impossibility only ever seen on the most ridiculous examples of video advertisement, so I have contented myself to using 3d modeling programs while on the go.

As the van traveled west on the Florida state road towards Zootropolis, I quickly found the environment in the taxi unconducive to 3d modeling, so I fell back on the old standby of sketching.