Unfortunately, I'm stumped, too. Usually I try to offer a suggestion when I ask an author about a science bit that's bothering me, but this one stumped me. A human is typically over 100 pounds of flesh -- where would it go? In the Brandon Fraser mummy movies, the beetles are in such massive numbers, each one could consume a small amount, and they'd still be able to pick the bones clean (ala piranha). I don't think the acid idea would work; where would they carry that much acid, and how does it get refilled.
If they completely desiccated the flesh, turning it into the powder suggestion, well, then you'd have a huge cloud of steam, no?
You gave no indication of a magical or otherworldly content, so I assume you're trying to keep the steampunk within the constraints of real world physics as much as you can. Otherwise we could just say they somehow move the consumed flesh out of this world.
I'm sorry, I just don't have a good suggestion. But you should take it as a compliment, because if I hadn't otherwise enjoyed the book so much, I wouldn't care.
Maybe -- and as a wannabe writer myself I understand this may not be desireable -- they need to be changed to where they don't consume the body, instead leaving a heavily chewed up corpse. Or you may just have to say you don't know, the builder didn't explain it to you?
If they completely desiccated the flesh, turning it into the powder suggestion, well, then you'd have a huge cloud of steam, no?
You gave no indication of a magical or otherworldly content, so I assume you're trying to keep the steampunk within the constraints of real world physics as much as you can. Otherwise we could just say they somehow move the consumed flesh out of this world.
I'm sorry, I just don't have a good suggestion. But you should take it as a compliment, because if I hadn't otherwise enjoyed the book so much, I wouldn't care.
Maybe -- and as a wannabe writer myself I understand this may not be desireable -- they need to be changed to where they don't consume the body, instead leaving a heavily chewed up corpse. Or you may just have to say you don't know, the builder didn't explain it to you?
Regardless, it was still a fun read!