"Hey, I just wanna talk," Cam says, still advancing. "Can you find someone who can talk to me?"

The metal head hesitates, then bends down to write a few words in the sand with its non-gel-encased arm.

Are they by any chance in a language Cam can read or no such luck.

It's his summoner's language, or at least an attempt at it. It reads STAT YOUR BUISNESS.

"I would like to talk to your people and try to find a resolution to your conflict with the other people."

The metal head stares at him for a few seconds with its unblinking eyes, then writes STAY and scurries off up a cliff.

...Cam will wait for a bit, then, reading his supply of books. History of Eco Studies?

The field begins with the sages, whose approach was different from modern approaches to the subject in mixing practice and theory and being extremely interdisciplinary. The interdisciplinary approach led people to seek their advice on a variety of other topics, and gave them an interesting position in society.

- And he doesn't have time to get particularly far, because several metal heads show up, three of which look almost identical to the first. The others have only four limbs and are red.

"Hello! Can any of you talk to me?"

Not out loud, apparently. One of the red ones, though clumsier at actually forming the letters, is at least fully literate, and will try to write to him.

Hey, my real name is classified but you can call me Billy. What brings you here?

"Hi, Billy! I'm trying to figure out why you guys are having this war and see if it can end."

Who sent you?

"I sent myself and do not know if my native guides wish to be named."

Where are you from?

"Washington."

Are you from this planet?

"Nope! Are you?"

I hatched here. I can't say I like it.

"How'd your ancestors get here?"

Through a rift. How did you get here?

"That's classified. Rift was - intentional? Natural phenomenon?"

I wasn't there at the time. I'm really surprised you're not trying to kill me for my body parts.

"I don't want your body parts. You don't have history about it?"

I'm not a historian. It might have been made by the Precursors.

"Okay. Is the war about people wanting your body parts?"