####*=^~.. ..~^=*####
###===^~.. ..~^===###
####*=^~.. ..~^=*####
####*=^~.. ..~^=*####
####*=^~.. ..~^=*####
####*=^~.. ######################################## ..~^=*####
#*^~...... # 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. ......^=##
##***=^~.. ..~^=***##
#####*=~.. ..~=*#####
####*=^~.. ..~^=*####
#*^~...... ......~^*#
####*=^~.. ..~^=*####