Sunday 30 August 2015

Trouble Coming In

When the alarm gong rang Pine-needle immediately ran to the tower. The lookout pointed out into the bay. Pine-needle saw the danger immediately. In the water half way from the mainland to Searbay island he could see the bobbing head of a elk. He could even hear its heavy breath roaring through the beasts nostrils as it struggled through the water. He estimated it would reach the island in less than a thousand breaths.

He checked the tower controls and threw the switch that extended the threat flag from the tower's roof  in the direction of the danger. Every member of the Core within sight would see the flag and know which way to head. With the signal sent he ran to Core headquarters to get suited.

He could see other Paws suited up and already heading towards the danger as he rushed into the ready area to don his suit. Fortunately he'd finished maintenance on his mecha the day before and it was open and ready for instant use. He jumped into it and the body work clam-shelled shut around him.

When he reached the beach he could see that a plan was already being actioned. Squinting against the sun's glare off the water he could just make out a mecha suited mouse climbing around on the Elks antlers. His confusion at the sight lasted only a breath, when he spotted the trailing rope snaking across the water back to the beach and over to the...catapult.

An entire Paw of suited mice was working to prep the catapault to fire again. He followed the machine's aim. Out in the water was a tiny sharp upraised rocky spire. He grasped the intent and ran to the catapult. If the other end of the rope could be tied to the rock, it would be enough to divert the elk, not enough to hold, but enough to drag its head around.

Pine-needle grabbed the end of the rope and seeing everyone else was busy he tied the end around his armoured middle and climbed into the catapult pocket, ready to be launched out across the water...




Saturday 29 August 2015

Technology on Searbay

With the development of the Mecha, mousekind has reached a peak of technology. However their grasp and usage of technology is very different to that of human kind. When describing the technology of mousedom you can't use easy to use human terms. describing their technology level as "1980s" would be wrong on so many counts as to be highly misleading.
Although the scientists of Searbay have captured and harnessed electricity they uses to which they have put it are varied and do not parallel those of humans. For instance, they have not invented wireless or television, or any form of the distance communication. they've had no need, no drive to do so. With the vast population living within the boundaries of Carlyle there has simply been no need.

They also have never invented the internal combustion engine. The majority of cargo and mouse transportation is still by mouse drawn cart. Although some of the more modern carts do have electrical motors these are generally only used as needed by older mice who struggle to draw their carts.

Electrical powered foundries exist and powered tools and pumps. All of these uses however are relatively new skills and professions. There is no overriding commercial wish to replace traditional mouse work and roles with machines. Such things have been proposed but is always answered with:

"But what would the mouse do when he has no role?"

Although goods are bartered, the mouse mentality is not of the capitalist brand. Always they think of what they need, or the community needs, rather then what they want on a whim.

All in all, the invention of means to harness electricity has been a boon to the lives of all mice but its implementation has been small compared to that of humans.