Freefall h0124
Freefall 1241

Tail chasing and fish catching


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


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.

Freefall 1242

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.

Freefall 1243

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.

Freefall 1244

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!

Freefall 1245

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!

Freefall 1246

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.

Freefall 1247

Tail chasing and fish catching


Ecosystems Unlimited

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!

Freefall 1248

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.

Freefall 1249

Tail chasing and fish catching



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

Freefall 1250

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.
