>>5987999The body of the rifle is attached to the barrel sheath at the business end, turning the free-floating tube into a stiff structural component that toughens up the whole rifle.
However, you also reinforce the carbon-fiber furniture with hardened steel ribs, stiffening up the whole body even further. It increases the weight a bit, but it'll feel much more solid overall.
The final result, once you've accounted for the wiring and extra bulk of reinforcing components, ends up looking strikingly similar to a SCAR-H with it's barrel chopped off.
There are vent ports running down the length of the rifle that give it a somewhat distinct look, but otherwise it's outwardly pretty normal.
...
"What's he doing, exactly?" Sanig grumbles from behind you.
"I'm not sure. He's been sitting there for half an hour, but i can barely see any changes on the screen." Kyla tells him.
<span class="mu-i">["The Captain is performing internal optimizations."]</span> SHODAN explains. <span class="mu-i">["The screen you're watching only displays a view of the model being worked on, not what the captain is actually seeing in his mind."]</span>
"Wait, so he's changing stuff on the inside of the rifle? Without taking the model apart first? How?" Kyla wonders.
<span class="mu-i">["Captain Rockefeller appears to be uniquely gifted in the field of neural computation. That is all i can say."]</span>
Sanig huffs.
"I don't see what's so impressive about that. I can do it, too." He declares proudly.
"If it's nothing to be impressed over, then why are you bragging about it?" Kyla grins.
"You keep quiet, toadstool." He grumbles.
<span class="mu-i">["I must admit, some of the changes he's made have seemed strange or even outright illogical. However, after performing stress simulations they seem to be effective. I have only needed to make minor adjustments so far."]</span>
"...Is he just designing based on instinct or what?" Kyla wonders.
"Probably. The kid never thinks too deeply on things, from what i can tell. A lot of what he does, he claims at least, is "done by feel". I wasn't sure what that really meant until i watched him designing the carrier like this."
"Are all humans like this, i wonder?"
"...Nah, definitely not. I've been looking through a lot of human data since we landed on this shithole, and... well, i think they're all retarded." Sanig declares with a hint of sadness, or perhaps pity.
"I heard that, fucker." You grunt. "...And you're not wrong. But we prefer to be called 'special', thanks."
"You're awake? I thought you were in a meditative state or something." Kyla wonders.
"He should be, working the fab like that. The fact that he's not is pretty damned 'special'." Sanig replies.
<span class="mu-i">["Please note, although the Captain's visual cortex is heavily occupied, all other brain function remains at or near a normal state. Only the signals from his eyes are being overridden."]</span> SHODAN explains.
Kyla waves her hand in front of your face, which you're only vaguely aware of since you're focused on designing this fucking gun.
