#$^~...... ......~^$#
####$^*~^. .^~*^$####
##^*^..... .....^*^##
#$$^~~.... ....~~^$$#
##^^**~... ...~**^^##
####$^*~^. ######################################## .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. # autonomous railmakers will notice # .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. # wildlife in their path and stop, # .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. ######################################## .^~*^$####
#^~~^^.... 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, .....^~^^#
#$$$^*^^^. forcing it to pause, further separating .^^^*^$$$#
##$^^~^^.. it from its two friends. ..^^~^^$##
###$$^*~^. .^~*^$$###
#$**~..... .....~**$#
####$^*~^. ######################################## .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. # another thing about the machines: # .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. # there's flesh inside them. ########### .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. ############################## not meat, .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. but something like a liver, that will .^~*^$####
#$^*^^.... keep the railmakers internal chemistry ....^^*^$#
####$^*~^. well away from their various exhausts. .^~*^$####
#$*~^..... .....^~*$#
####$^*~^. a liver that, as long as you manage to .^~*^$####
####$^*~^. keep it alive, can clean the creek .^~*^$####
##$*~..... water enough for it to be drinkable. .....~*$##
##$^*^^... ...^^*^$##
####$^*~^. which is why i'm here. .^~*^$####
#$$*^..... .....^*$$#
#$***^.... ....^***$#
####$^*~^. .^~*^$####
#$*~^..... .....^~*$#
##$^~~^... ...^~~^$##