Tail chasing and fish catching
[!0.987]2006-03-22

Eventually humans will go back to my planet. Then the mystery of my disappearance will be solved.

[x1.5][!2]ICE

They'll ask about previous contacts and hear about Sam Starfall, the legendary sqid spaceship captain.

So, what deeds makes someone a legend to your people?

Mostly things that would get me arrested here.

Tail chasing and fish catching

Did you just say “arrested”?

Crud! Talked too much! Distract her. Think fast.

Uhm, yeah. Different culture, different values. For instance, if we were in my home town and the king found out about you, he would never allow another person to keep you as a slave.

I am NOT a slave!

I never just derail a train of thought. I make wrecks that catch the cars on fire.

Tail chasing and fish catching

Florence. You have an owner.

That's because if I call him my brother, people think I was raised by wolves instead of humans.

So you can own property in your name? Travel freely? Vote?

Well, no.

See, that's wrong. You're accepting responsibility without the rights. You should be like me and get to exercise the rights without responsibility.

Tail chasing and fish catching

On Monday, we'll go to the local E. U. office and ask them to free all the Bowman's Wolves.

If they could, they would free us in a second. It's not that simple.

They made and sold us. We're products. Lawyers want Ecosystems Unlimited to be held accountable if we turn out to be defective products.

Ho! I get it! Big company! Deep pockets! Florence, bite me! I'll split the winnings from my product liability lawsuit with you 60/40!

Tail chasing and fish catching

Bite me! Even a nibble! 70/30 split!

I'm not going to bite you.

Come on! After I sue Ecosystems Unlimited for gobs of money, you could live well on your 20 percent.

More than likely, you'd end up suing my owner. He's not rich.

Bah! Forget it, then! You know, if your society really believed in equality, all trivial injuries would be worth millions no matter who I sued!

Tail chasing and fish catching

If they want to free you, Ecosystems Unlimited must be the good guys.

Not really. They know we don't have enough genetic diversity to survive.

If we're freed, the company can wash their hands of us and block the creation of any new Bowman's Wolves on ethical grounds.

“Freeing” us would allow E.U. to drive us into extinction and look good while doing it.

If we ever need a public relations firm, we're going to hire theirs.

Tail chasing and fish catching

Ecosystems Unlimited

[!0.82]Making your world a nice place to live

These are the bad guys?

Again, not really. They're a large corporation. They want what is best for the company.

Currently, they see us as a detriment. But we haven't been in the work force that long. Once we start making money for them, we hope they'll see us more as assets and want more of us around.

Given her situation, not a bad strategy. Lose control of a product? Bad. Product might be dangerous? Bad. Product is safe and making a profit? Come home, all is forgiven!

Tail chasing and fish catching

We must be taking the scenic route.

I like walking. And running. It's something I missed being on a space station.

You can't be thinking dogsled.

Of course not. There's no snow and mushing is work. I was thinking rickshaw.

Tail chasing and fish catching

Shortcut?

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Tail chasing and fish catching

That's what Helix does for entertainment? Picks up heavy things, moves them, then puts them down?

Yeah. Word of advice. Don't let him get bored near a weight loss clinic.