Tail chasing and fish catching

Helix, we cau… we found some fish at the beach. Let's get them cooking.

I can get the grill.

Good. No more time wasted moving rocks for you.

I'll get your lifting and carrying skills put to good use.

Too bad Sam never gets to see his portrait. I guess then Helix's whole job would have been dragging rocks. ^_^_^ (Жирафик Рафик)

Dumpsters. The original fast food

That grill surface is one big slab of diamond. Back home, I could buy a kingdom with it. Here? It's so cheap that people throw them away.

It's organics like wood that are expensive here. On my planet, the garbage dumps are full of wood and old tree bits.

If interstellar travel wasn't so expensive, we could make a good living selling garbage from one planet to another.

Society of Chemical Abundance, or this planet is very rich. Recently, however, telescopes have found a large exoplanet with diamond density (Robot Spike)
As described earlier (cf. Freefall 0553), diamonds are derived as waste from carbon dioxide. But of the most abundant life on the planet -so far only parasites, lichen and algae.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

After food, the most important thing for a cook out is a great location.

Like this one! A nice fragrant breeze and easy access to rejected side dishes and corrupted condiments.

At times, it's good to be the only scavenger on the planet. Back home, I'd have to steal a reservation to get a spot like this.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

No.

Oh, come on. At least stand downwind of the dumpster before you make a decision.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

This is a dumpster. You're a canine. Don't tell me there's no attraction.

As tempting as a nice roll might be, we're part of human civilization.

Civilization. What kind of civilization tells you to turn down a perfectly good garbage Kabob?

You need to stop listening to your head and start listening to your feelings.

Agreed. Logically, I know the grill heat will kill any germs. Emotionally, I'm using these fish to make sushi.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

Sam, don't eat the garbage.

Oh, so you're here to instruct me on how I should eat?

Yes. I think so. Humans haven't had much luck bringing you into their society. Perhaps that's why I've been assigned to you.

Great. I've been thrown to the wolves for etiquette lessons.

Wet nap?

Dumpsters. The original fast food

I'm a great scavenger. Why should I change?

Because you want to.

Rich and famous is quite a change from our current situation.

But I get to keep my winning ways, right?

Do your winning ways have you on the path to riches and fame?

Hey! I'm trying to make an argument against change here. Stop undercutting me with logic.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

Unless you want more sushi, I'll take these back to the ship to eat.

What's up with that? You always want to eat together.

Aversion conditioning from when I was a puppy. I can't eat near a garbage bin.

It's impossible to enjoy a meal when you keep expecting to be hit with a rolled up newspaper.

Dumpsters. The original fast food

Helix, do you think we need to change?

We are all caught up in the red queen's race. We must run as fast as we can

*Paraphrased from Lewis Carroll

That's why our method is so brilliant! We stay in last place and we don't have to run at all.

just to stay in our place.*

Dumpsters. The original fast food

Someday we may have to change. But not tonight.

Tonight a city waits for us. With glories and wonders that most people will never see!

Because they're behind locked doors.

Helix, if you only go where you're told you can go, you miss half of what life has to offer.