####$**~,, ,,~**$####
##$$**~~,, ,,~~**$$##
##$**,,,,, ,,,,,**$##
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
#$$$*~~,,, ######################################## ,,,~~*$$$#
#$***,,,,, # autonomous railmakers will notice # ,,,,,***$#
####$**~,, # wildlife in their path and stop, # ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ######################################## ,,~**$####
#*~,,,,,,, sound a horn, nudge the animal a ,,,,,,,~*#
####$**~,, little, but ultimately wait it out. ,,~**$####
####$**~,, although they will log video, no call ,,~**$####
####$**~,, will be made for any outside ,,~**$####
##$***,,,, assistance. this is very good. ,,,,***$##
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, the railmakers are siemens-manufactured ,,~**$####
####$**~,, brick-like things. fields of gray and ,,~**$####
####$**~,, teal, floodlights, thrumming and ,,~**$####
##$$**,,,, hissing. trilling to each other, like ,,,,**$$##
####$**~,, language. and here, three of them, ,,~**$####
##*~~,,,,, slowly making their way through the ,,,,,~~*##
#$$*~,,,,, dense forest. ,,,,,~*$$#
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
###$*~~~,, i'm coming up on them from behind and ,,~~~*$###
####$**~,, to the left, hidden behind the thick ,,~**$####
####$**~,, foliage. their light finds the gaps ,,~**$####
##$***,,,, between the leaves, casting rays ,,,,***$##
####$**~,, through the wet air, playing over my ,,~**$####
####$**~,, face and arms, and my weapon. i quickly ,,~**$####
####$**~,, overtake them, crouch in the ditch made ,,~**$####
#$*~,,,,,, by the preprocessor, and watch. one of ,,,,,,~*$#
#$***~,,,, them is already a bit behind the ,,,,~***$#
####$**~,, others. it will be my target. ,,~**$####
#$****,,,, ,,,,****$#
###*~,,,,, just as the light of the leading two is ,,,,,~*###
####$**~,, dimming, i deploy the rabbits, throwing ,,~**$####
#$**~,,,,, them in the path of my prey. the ,,,,,~**$#
##$**~~~,, creatures are yet alive, but maimed so ,,~~~**$##
##$*~,,,,, as to be unable to move - they will ,,,,,~*$##
##$$*~~,,, stay in the path of the railmaker, ,,,~~*$$##
####$**~,, forcing it to pause, further separating ,,~**$####
##$***~~,, it from its two friends. ,,~~***$##
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
##$*~,,,,, ,,,,,~*$##
####$**~,, ######################################## ,,~**$####
####$**~,, # another thing about the machines: # ,,~**$####
####$**~,, # there's flesh inside them. ########### ,,~**$####
##$****~,, ############################## not meat, ,,~****$##
#$**,,,,,, but something like a liver, that will ,,,,,,**$#
####$**~,, keep the railmakers internal chemistry ,,~**$####
####$**~,, well away from their various exhausts. ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
###$*,,,,, a liver that, as long as you manage to ,,,,,*$###
#$*~,,,,,, keep it alive, can clean the creek ,,,,,,~*$#
##**,,,,,, water enough for it to be drinkable. ,,,,,,**##
##*****~,, ,,~*****##
#$*~,,,,,, which is why i'm here. ,,,,,,~*$#
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####
####$**~,, ,,~**$####