RUNNER.TXT - 10/18/98 ( Version 1.2 - 10/29/98 ) An exercise in thought - Part the First By SwampRat - Edited by George (cl) 1998 - Gay Furry Association First came awareness.. Heart beating, muscles moving. Then sensation.. Light, dark, warmth, movement. Sound.. Noises that made one move and yearn for something.. Cramped, needing to move, to be free of what holds one. More noises - Shell cracking, Peeps of others, a soft rumble.. Lungs wanting air, inhaling scents and tastes.. Then movement. Being handled, being touched with more rumbles. Fear then Bonding to Parent. Memory chains being forged with scent, and touch and sight.. A tickle that made one squirm, then movement again.. To a place where others were. Curiosity - Wonder.. Hands to touch other hands. Snouts to push against snouts. Sisters to bond with. Belonging to Pack. Belonging to Parent. More memory chains linked, beginning to make experiences - References to be compared to in later times. Then soft noises and absence of light.. Sleep allowing the mind to filter and sort the sensations. * * * * "You spoil those lizards too much." Gener sat quietly listening to an old conversation. Every time a new batch of eggs was passed around, the squabbling about how best to raise the hatchlings began. "They are My babies.. And I get an 80% survival rate doing it this way." Such was true... Dr. Reynolds may have unorthodox methods, but they got results. And results got Funding.. And Funding meant the scientists could argue and grumble and write their papers about this and that... "*Grumble* OK.. Just remember they Are wild creatures.. I fully expect someday you are going to get bitten.. And I don't mean those little love-nips either." Dr. Reynolds just smiled and returned to the lab, stretching out on a cot so he can be close to his hatchlings. They Were his babies.. He had never married, or even been romantically involved - Except with his work. If Nature weeded out the unfit in humans as rapidly as it did other species, he wouldn't be laying on this cot. Mr. Gener was thinking the same thing... Gener was called Genius not because of his IQ but because he could connect facts extremely rapidly - Hunches, that paid off very well. One such hunch was formed out of a favorite childhood movie - The science was a little off, but basically sound. An island would prevent contamination of the study groups, a single species was all that was needed, not a Parkful. He had the money, they had the brains - Well, most of them did. There was no shortage of applicants, even though the money was somewhat short at times. But it was not the 'Runners' as they were dubbed, that would bring the revinues.. Nor tourists - This was a scientific community, not a reptilian 'dog-and-pony' show.. The gold was in paper. Exclusive Publishing Rights to Treatises, Theises, and any other latin word for a bunch of scribbled notes turned to typed pages, bound together and sold to the journals that only people who could understand the gobbledygook purchased. A hunch - And he was going to ride it All the way to the Bank. * * * * Light came again, with an Need, an urge.. But not in the Nest! Scramble, run, move to another place where expulsion brought relief.. Then back to play and tussle and continue learning, continue storing experiences... They were not hungry as yet but thirst was another drive.. a water pan proved to be another problem to be solved. Don't splash it all over, Don't step in it, Scoop some up and lift head, or lap with tongue, or even use hands to shovel it in.. All ways were tried. Parent came back, putting a strange-looking hand in.. and splashed them. They squeaked and squalled indignantly.. Then splashed back. Water was not just to be drank, but could also be enjoyed! When they had tired themselves out, the shook off and walked back to the nest, wary as instinct told them to be. For the next few days it was Sleep, Expel, Play, Drink, Sleep. They rough-housed with each other but never too rough - Parent would lift the offender, shake them and make a sound that they could tell was anger. If they were Very bad, a thwack on the rear or the snout quickly got attention. So they learned discipline. And they learned pleasure.. Every evening Parent would come close and they would hug, Making a throaty purring sound. Touching as much as possible they noticed differences.. There was an extra digit on the hand, the face was short, and had stuff on it. They would run their fingers through it, patting their own cheeks and arms, hoping to feel the same thing. Then one day a new sensation came - Hunger. They peeped in unease, stomachs empty. Parent heard and came with something.. They jostled and pushed each other, But nothing came. The cried in distress, but nothing came. Only when they sat in a semi-circle, quietly, did they eat. And they were fed until their little tummies bulged comfortably.. And they learned... A new 'word' to use - Hungry. Patience while others ate, knowing one's turn would come. When to stop eating. They noticed something else - Parent made a certain sound when they peeped 'Hungry'. It also put it's fingers together in a certain way. They followed suit, learning holding one's hands in a certain way got food. This memory-chain was indexed with another - Different movements at different times. New indexes were built, linking sight with sensation - Water, Food, Sleep, Play, Tickle. Time was not a concept they understood even though internal clocks kept track of seasons, hormones keeping the growing bodies moving toward the final goal of Adult. There was 'Another Day' and 'New Day'. Another Day meant waking, eating, expelling waste and reinforcing old patterns. 'New Day' was when something was different - Toys to play with, More ground to explore, more ways to manipulate one's hands and fingers, becoming individuals while still staying a pack. Then came time to Move... * * * * "I would not have believed it.." The scientists watched as the reptiles explored their new surroundings, squeals and peeps of delight as they worked the area over. What Dr. Reynolds' colleagues were amazed at was the behavior.. When one of them found something extremely interesting it would whistle ( a feat thought impossible for reptiles to perform ) and wave and the others would scamper over to marvel at whatever was found.. When the exploring was finished they gathered together and chittered to each other, hands moving.. "What the hell are they doing now?" Reynolds shook his head in disbelief - Phd's, Doctorates in Behavioral This-n-That.. and Not One Baby Doctor among them.. No wonder they had such a rough time keeping their charges alive. " 'They' are discussing where to make the Nest - or Home if you Prefer." He had to laugh outright as they stared at him. "Gentlemen, what you are seeing is DSL - Sign language for the Disabled. It was created by a man who lost fingers in an accident, and found regular sign language was impossible. If you will watch you will see the a pair of fingers steepled with another pair flat under them. It Means Living Place - and translates to House, Home, whatever." "You are crazy.. They can't possibly - What the..?" One of the group smacked another across the muzzle, and got smacked in return. It was quiet for a moment, then they went back to moving their hands again. "What was all That about?" The doctor looked skyward for a moment.. "Come now Gentlemen - Don't tell me you have never seen an obscene gesture before - In layman's terms, 'The Finger'." Gener, who sat in the back of the room and observed the observers, started chuckling. "Not something You taught them I am sure.." Reynolds shook his head ruefully. "Once my Youthful Assistants found out the Runners are great mimics, they 'taught' them some bad habits I am afraid.." This started a whole gaggle of conversations.. Some joking about 'Corrupting Eve', except Eve was the snake this time. Others downright said it was a load of nonsense. "I am afraid I have to go - My charges want me." This stopped everything cold. "How do you know that?" A Behavioral Scientist asked, already seeing his name on dozens of books. Reynolds pointed to a lone Runner, who was sitting on front of the 'One-way' glass and hugging itself. "Curious wants me.. I call her that because she is the first one to stick her nose into something.. She is saying - as any child would - she wants a Hug." One of the learned minds snorted. "We can See that - So?" Mr. Gener was holding onto his cane with a death-grip trying very hard not to laugh out loud. "My sign-name is Hug.. She is not asking for someone to Hug her, she is asking for Me.' And Parent left to see what his charges needed while the room disintegrated into 'Discussions' and Gener went out to find someplace to explode. He had a High School education and could no longer contain his laughter at a room full of Phd's who had less sense than a month old lizard. End of Part 1