.........: :.........
........:~ ~:........
.......:~: :~:.......
......:~:* *:~:......
.....:~:*$ $*:~:.....
....:~:*$& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &$*:~:....
...:~:*$&@ & 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. :.........
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