A Natural Balance

Dowey Spur.

Gaius and Pierre-Louis look for a suitable campsite.

A clearing amongst the tall trees.

This will do, says Gaius. These look like the right sort of trees.

Mountain ash? asks Pierre-Louis.

I believe so, says Gaius. 

Now what? asks Pierre-Louis.

We wait, says Gaius. Or we do some reconnaissance.

Send the drone up? asks Pierre-Louis. Without Terence?

Straight up and down again, says Gaius. Not much can go wrong in this clearing.

I suppose not, says Pierre-Louis.

Gaius goes to the carriage and takes out the drone box.

Lifts out the drone and the control panel. 

What did Terence say about these knobs? asks Gaius.

Left knob is the up and down knob, says Pierre-Louis. 

Right, says Gaius, placing the drone on the ground. 

No, left, says Pierre-Louis.

Gaius gives him a thumbs up.

The drone rises quickly.

Stop! says Gaius.

Knob! shouts Pierre-Louis.

Gaius drags the knob down.

The drone returns to the ground.

That seems easy enough, says Gaius. I'll send it higher next time.

......

Shane Corr gets off his bike and wheels it along a boardwalk through swampy vegetation.

Are we there yet? asks Terence, balancing well on the cross bar.

See any grasshoppers? asks Easter Morning, balancing equally well.

No, says Terence. That's your job.

Easter Morning jumps down.

We're stopping here anyway, says Shane Corr. There's the first remnant.

He points to the remnants of an old tramway bridge.

That's a rubbish remnant, says Terence.

There's not much of it left, says Shane Corr. It just goes to show....

Goes to show what? asks Terence.

Nothing lasts, says Shane Corr.

Wah! says Terence. What about my palace?

Even a palace, says Shane Corr. 

I used to live on one, says Terence.

Rich little lad were you? says Shane Corr.

No, says Terence. I had a bad life.

Is that why you left? asks Shane Corr.

No I fell off, says Terence.

And had to make your own way, says Shane Corr.

Terence did not have to make his own way when he fell off the palace, but it sounds better than what really happened.

Yes, says Terence. And now I do science.

Shane Corr is impressed with this plucky young person. 

How would you like a go with my axe? asks Shane Corr.

I'm not allowed to, says Terence.

I would allow you, says Shane Corr. I would show how to chop down a tree safely.

Wthout hurting the tree, says Terence.

We don't consider that, says Shane Corr.

No thanks, says Terence. Let's see another remnant. A better one.

What if I show you the aerial cable? says Shane Corr.

Okay, says Terence. Wait! Where's Easter Morning?

Here I am! says Easter Morning, his mouth full of grasshopper.

So, one tree is saved.

And one grasshopper isn't.