,:-****%@# #@%****-:,
,:-**%@### ###@%**-:,
,,,,,,-*%@ @%*-,,,,,,
,:-**%@### ###@%**-:,
,,,,-*%%## ##%%*-,,,,
,,,,::*%@# @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ #@%*::,,,,
,:-**@#### @ 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. #@@*-:,,,,
,:-**%@### ###@%**-:,
,:-**%@### ###@%**-:,
,,,,,:**%# #%**:,,,,,
,:-******@ @******-:,
,:-**%@### ###@%**-:,