Humans are Weird - Boom Boom
Fsts’ks adjusted his safety helmet, it was a disturbing shade of yellow, something that was supposed to be universally visible to the seven sapient species, and made a quick survey of the surrounding area. The cool morning breezes were filtering through the young trees that surrounded a wide open area the humans had been using for some form of recreation the previous day. Something red had caught Fsts’ks attention fluttering out in the open area and he wished, not for the first time, that he had brought his hover transport. Up in the trees it was fairly easy to keep at human eye level and maintain safe interactions, however out here on the ground where a human didn’t expect to see one, well it could get dangerous with their giant flat paws slapping into the ground every time they lost their balance.
Fsts’ks lifted his distance magnifier and examined the fluttering red thing on the ground. It looked like a rather greasy piece of paper. Fsts’ks brushed the hairs on his chelicerae against his mandible, trying to identify the odd, bitter taste that lingered this close to the ground. He angled the magnifier around the filed and clicked disappointingly at the sheer number of the paper fragments revealed. He mused that for human hands, and eyes, those would be very small pieces and perhaps difficult to notice. He tucked his magnifier into his satchel and deliberately circled in place, looking for the distant movements that might indicated a human running across the open space. Deciding that particular danger wasn’t relevant today, and again wishing he had brought out his hover transport. Fsts’ks scampered across the clearing to the scrap of paper and tried not to think about the vast stretch of open sky above him. He reached the item snatched it up and shoved it into this satchel before turning with relief back to the relative protection of the young forest. Once in the shade he un-fluffed enough to pull out the scrap and examine it.
The paper was obviously the source of the bitter taste and now that he had it in his paws he was able to identify the chemical. Which caused him to fluff right back up. The paper absolutely reeked of simple chemical explosives. Fsts’ks reached up and smoothed down the fur under his safety helment.
“This requires more information,” he muttered to himself.
With a sigh he shoved the paper in his satchel and began the long trot to the nearest communication log. The log itself was poised next to a pool of water and was pleasantly cool, filled the surrounding air with delicious organic compounds, and various fungus had been grown to provide easy steps up to the communication surface. Fsts’ks mounted to the surface and stared in mild amusement at the roughly Trisk shaped bundle of sticks, dried leaves, and moss that slumped in a little alcove. He tapped the surface pointed with a back paw. There was a shimmer of silvery movement as the local Gathering infused the little simulacrum with its fibers and the puppet rose to a rather disturbing semblance of life.
“Can I assist you?” Notes the Passing Changes asked, the voice flickering though several sound profiles.
“What happened out in the large meadow yesterday?” Fsts’ks asked, holding out the red paper in explanation.
The simulacrum reached out and touched it, silvery hairs extended out of its paws.
“This is from the combat simulations the human children were running,” Notes the Passing Changes explained.
Fsts’ks ignored how the simulacrum’s chelicerae drooped while he processed that.
“The human children,” he said slowly, “they were running combat simulations with actual explosives?”
“There were a few adults supervising the exercise,” Notes the Passing Changes explained, “and they informed me that these are strictly recreational level explosives, safe for children to use.”
“Was this a planned event?” Fsts’ks asked. “I did not see it on the festivities schedule.”
“No,” Notes the Passing Changes said, the head of the simulacrum rotating in a way that made Fsts’ks flinch back. “The children actually came to to simply play with their solid print warrior toys. They were arranging them into formations when one of the smaller humans suggested using the recreational explosives as mortars. The adults took the roll of artillery support and the children called in air strikes on their toys. It was too dark to clean up the remains afterwards but they will be sending out a cleaning party later today.”
The simulacrum stood poised attentively at the end of that sentence, and Fsts’ks drew in a long breath.
“Thank you,” he said. “I think that is quite enough information for me to process at the moment.”
Fsts’ks lifted his distance magnifier and examined the fluttering red thing on the ground. It looked like a rather greasy piece of paper. Fsts’ks brushed the hairs on his chelicerae against his mandible, trying to identify the odd, bitter taste that lingered this close to the ground. He angled the magnifier around the filed and clicked disappointingly at the sheer number of the paper fragments revealed. He mused that for human hands, and eyes, those would be very small pieces and perhaps difficult to notice. He tucked his magnifier into his satchel and deliberately circled in place, looking for the distant movements that might indicated a human running across the open space. Deciding that particular danger wasn’t relevant today, and again wishing he had brought out his hover transport. Fsts’ks scampered across the clearing to the scrap of paper and tried not to think about the vast stretch of open sky above him. He reached the item snatched it up and shoved it into this satchel before turning with relief back to the relative protection of the young forest. Once in the shade he un-fluffed enough to pull out the scrap and examine it.
The paper was obviously the source of the bitter taste and now that he had it in his paws he was able to identify the chemical. Which caused him to fluff right back up. The paper absolutely reeked of simple chemical explosives. Fsts’ks reached up and smoothed down the fur under his safety helment.
“This requires more information,” he muttered to himself.
With a sigh he shoved the paper in his satchel and began the long trot to the nearest communication log. The log itself was poised next to a pool of water and was pleasantly cool, filled the surrounding air with delicious organic compounds, and various fungus had been grown to provide easy steps up to the communication surface. Fsts’ks mounted to the surface and stared in mild amusement at the roughly Trisk shaped bundle of sticks, dried leaves, and moss that slumped in a little alcove. He tapped the surface pointed with a back paw. There was a shimmer of silvery movement as the local Gathering infused the little simulacrum with its fibers and the puppet rose to a rather disturbing semblance of life.
“Can I assist you?” Notes the Passing Changes asked, the voice flickering though several sound profiles.
“What happened out in the large meadow yesterday?” Fsts’ks asked, holding out the red paper in explanation.
The simulacrum reached out and touched it, silvery hairs extended out of its paws.
“This is from the combat simulations the human children were running,” Notes the Passing Changes explained.
Fsts’ks ignored how the simulacrum’s chelicerae drooped while he processed that.
“The human children,” he said slowly, “they were running combat simulations with actual explosives?”
“There were a few adults supervising the exercise,” Notes the Passing Changes explained, “and they informed me that these are strictly recreational level explosives, safe for children to use.”
“Was this a planned event?” Fsts’ks asked. “I did not see it on the festivities schedule.”
“No,” Notes the Passing Changes said, the head of the simulacrum rotating in a way that made Fsts’ks flinch back. “The children actually came to to simply play with their solid print warrior toys. They were arranging them into formations when one of the smaller humans suggested using the recreational explosives as mortars. The adults took the roll of artillery support and the children called in air strikes on their toys. It was too dark to clean up the remains afterwards but they will be sending out a cleaning party later today.”
The simulacrum stood poised attentively at the end of that sentence, and Fsts’ks drew in a long breath.
“Thank you,” he said. “I think that is quite enough information for me to process at the moment.”
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