The Space Merchants of Arachne

by Wendie Nordgren

  We had to call for Thunderdrop and Cass and wait for them to come down from the wooden rafters of the warehouse. Simon let me drive to the Alaric estate. I sipped my fancy coffee on the way there. I parked and got out. Thunderdrop jumped to my shoulder. Simon handed the jewelry box to me, and he carried in the dress box. Ethan met us in the foyer.

  "Lord Alaric, may we please see Lady Auria Alaric?" I asked and then laughed. He smiled at me and led us into the sitting room where we found Eliot and Auria holding hands on the couch and staring into each other’s eyes. Sydney and Gram smiled at us over their tea cups. Eliot rose from his seat to give me a hug.

  "I did not mean to drive you from the house, Teagan," he whispered.

  "I intend to make you suffer once Yukihyo gets home," I whispered back. He pulled back with wide eyes and gave me a shocked laugh. I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek.

  "Dear cousin, Teagan and I have gifts for your beautiful bride," Simon announced.

  Auria blushed. She stood, and we hugged her. Then, Simon handed the big box to her. Auria untied the box with excitement and gasped with pleasure when she pulled the dress from inside. Auria held it up against herself and looked up at us.

  "Oh, it's beautiful and my favorite color! Thank you so much!"

  "I hope we got your size right," I said.

  "It looks to be the right size to me," Gram said. Eliot was happy that Auria was happy. He took the dress from her and placed it back in the box.

  "We made you the dress to go with your real present," Simon told her. Eliot sat on the couch and pulled his bride down to sit beside him. I handed the box to Auria.

  "The beautiful dress is more than enough," she said.

  Simon shook his head and said, "Not for the lady who has brought such joy to our dear cousin."

  Auria blushed and opened the box. Her eyes grew round. Eliot even seemed pleased with our selection. Auria's hand trembled, and I sighed with relief. I knew that meant she liked it. Eliot took the necklace and clasped it around Auria's neck. Then, he fastened the bracelet to her wrist.

  "These must have cost a fortune," Auria said.

  I silently agreed. Simon just told her how happy we were that she had agreed to marry Eliot.

  "I hope the two of you will stay. I can have little sandwiches and cakes prepared in moments," Sydney said. Simon and I exchanged a look and laughed.

  "What about pastries instead?" I asked. Simon trotted out to the transport and returned much to Auria's delight with the large box from her families' bakery, and my coffee. It was still warm enough, so I drank it.

  "Ethan, Eliot, may I show you a video I made?" Simon asked.

  They went to the living room. Auria, Gram, Sydney, and I chatted happily while they were gone and had pastries. Auria looked at her bracelet often and thanked me again. When the men returned, Sydney asked us to stay for lunch.

  "Simon promised to take me out to see my spiders again before the rains come," I said. Sydney understood and allowed us to go. Simon drove us back to his house for the low transport and the rollers.

  "Auria loved everything," I said with a huge smile.

  "Yes, she did. Eliot did as well. I don't want to be around when he sees her in that dress tonight." We both laughed, and Thunderdrop and Cass chirped.

  Simon and I made it out to the area where I had left the color shapes. Spiders chased balls and stopped when they saw us. Thunderdrop chirped and crawled from one shoulder to the other, never leaving me. My steps slowed as I approached the first toy. I lifted my hand and touched the most beautiful web I had ever seen. I had to pull to get my hand away from it or else remain caught. The massive web spread through the trees as far as I could see. Layer, upon layer dazzled my eyes as I looked up.

  My voice was thick with emotion when I said, "Simon, it's amazing. It's breathtaking." Spiders came out or dropped from the web. Cass chirped at them. "So, this is where you live when the rains come? It's beautiful."

  Thunderdrop "chittered" at me.

  Slowly, I dropped down to my knees. Then, I laid back on the forest floor, so I could gaze up at the patterns the spiders had created. I felt a few of them playing in my hair. I lifted up and saw Simon as he hunched over and recorded the webs as he walked through the forest. Simon grew small as he walked through the trees. I laid back down. Simon had said I was safe here, and Thunderdrop and Cass had stayed with me. After some time, Simon returned. I sat up, and he turned the vid-screen to me. I waved at him and smiled. Simon sat beside me.

  "Teagan, touch your hair."

  I did and felt braids. I pulled one over my shoulder and found the end secured with spider silk. I laughed.

  "Silly spiders! What did you do?"

  Simon turned the screen to a large spider who pulled her claw down the triangular color shape and to a small one who stepped on top of a square one and watched his eight claws leave marks that soon vanished.

  "Well, I'm glad they've made their homes for the rainy season."

  "Teagan, come with me."

  I took Simon's hand and followed him out from under the massive webs. When we finally cleared it, Simon stood up straight and stretched his back. He pointed high up into the trees to large layered webs with entrance holes underneath them.

  "Those are their rainy season webs. You harvested one of mine. Remember how high up it was?"

  "Yes, it was really high up like that."

  "Teagan, that massive web they made is a silk gift to you. They put it down low so you would be able to reach it. It's worth a fortune."

  Thunderdrop chirped from my shoulder.

  "Let's go sit back down. I'll call my men to come collect it for you."

  "We're going to tear it down? That's like destroying a piece of art."

  Simon shook his head. "Not to them. They made it for you for that purpose. If you don't take their gift, it would be like not accepting that large rat the spider dropped at your feet."

  "Oh," I said.

  "You need to sit here while my men harvest your web for you to show your appreciation."

  We walked back under the extensive low web. Simon made a few calls. Half an hour or so later, Ethan and Sherman showed up on rollers. Spiders paused and looked at them, then continued chasing balls. Only three of the balls were in sight. The others could have been anywhere in the forest. Ethan and Sherman dismounted their rollers, bent over, and walked over to sit with us.

  "Teagan, you sure know how to make friends," Sherman said.

  Two spiders dropped down in front of us and left heavy cocoons in front of me. Cass and Thunderdrop chirped at them.

  "Thank you very much," I told them.

  "Pull the cocoons toward yourself," Ethan said.

  I reached out and pulled them closer. The spiders blinked at me slowly and disappeared back into the trees. Simon's men began to show up. They couldn't get their carts under the massive web and had to bend over and walk inside. They didn't need to extend their harvesting poles either. They filled the claws on their harvesters, and took them to remove them. It took several hours. Simon, Sherman, and Ethan had joined the work crew after the first hour. I sat with Thunderdrop and Cass who watched as I played with three hand sized baby spiders. The air had grown cooler as the men worked.

  "Thunderdrop, can you tell them thank you for the beautiful gifts, the food, and for braiding my hair?"

  He chirped at me and then made a long series of odd noises with his mouth parts. In the trees clicks and taps echoed down to us.

  By the time men had cleared out all of the webs, it had begun to grow dark. They were all sweaty and looked tired, even Ethan. I picked up the shrouded dead rats and followed Simon to our rollers. He opened the storage box for me, so I could place them inside. We all followed the carts. The workers had turned the lights on, so it would be easier for us to see. We made it back to the path where a second low transport waited. Sherman and Ethan drove their rollers up its ramp. I got off of mine and waited for Simon to load it. He took the rats out of the storage
bin and placed them in my hands with a grin. Ethan opened my door and helped me inside while Simon drove the roller onto the back.

  "You and Simon made Auria very happy today. She was feeling a little out of place this morning. The pastries put an end to those feelings. It was right of you to treat Mrs. Jones as family," Ethan said.

  "Well, she is. Isn't she? The whole family thing is still new to me though. Sometimes I think I understand it, and then I get confused again." Ethan took my hand.

  "Yesterday, you began to think of me as the father you wished for." I blushed. "I liked that very much. I hope you will come home soon." I raised my eyebrows.

  "I'm just giving the happy couple a little privacy. I mean, really. How can you stand it?" He became very serious.

  "My wife is not on Malta."

  I gaped at him as he shut my door. Simon got into his seat and started the transport. Ethan walked back to get in with Sherman. At Simon's house I went up to my room and ran myself a bath. I felt sore from sitting on the forest floor all day. Thunderdrop sat on the sink and watched me as I soaked. I had put my hair up in a towel, not knowing what to do with it. After I got out, I didn't care about dressing for dinner. I put on pajamas and tied a robe around myself. All Stewart could do was send me back to my room. I was relieved to find that Simon had not dressed for dinner either. He had dressed much as I had.

  "Well, today was a busy day," I said.

  In a tired voice, Simon said, "Today was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. I'm buying my spiders some toys after the rains."

  Stewart brought us large plates of pasta and small bowls with cheese and olives. I struggled not to fall asleep at the table.

  "I'm too tired for dessert, Simon. I'll see you in the morning.” I trudged off to bed. I called Yukihyo after I got to my room.

  "My love, you look the proper Arachnean lady in your braids."

  "Thank you. The spiders did it for me while I was laying down on the forest floor admiring the huge web they made for me. Also, I have two fresh dead rats, if you are hungry."

  "I will pass on the rats, but thank you. I will be home to you in six nights." I closed my eyes.

  "Good. I miss falling asleep in your arms. I hope this is the last time we ever have to be apart. I don't like it."

  "You look exhausted. I will wait for you to call me in the morning. Go to sleep and know I dream of you."

  The next morning Simon had eaten and then gone to oversee the care of the silk. I had breakfast and another of Stewart's fancy coffees. Then, I went to my room and strapped on my blaster. I picked up the bag of tightly woven silk from my closet and headed outside. I walked around to the back of Simon's house.

  "Gary, are you out here?" Gary came out from behind one of the roof's wooden supports. Gary looked at my blaster. "Oh, good. Is anyone else with you?"

  "Lady Alaric...." I stopped him.

  "It's just us. Call me Teagan."

  "Lady Teagan, we can protect you more effectively, if we remain a surprise to the villains."

  "Look, I just want you to help me shoot something, and I don't want to get in trouble with Stewart. Are you coming or not?" I walked quickly into the trees and behind some flowering bushes. When I pulled the fabric out of the bag, Gary looked at me like I was crazy. I held it out to him.

  "I made this yesterday on a weaver. Then, I made a shirt for Yukihyo. The seamstress said it would be strong enough to protect him from a blast. I want to try it out." Gary took the fabric and pulled it.

  "It does seem strong. This is the same stuff your princess dress is made from?"

  Thunderdrop clung to my back.

  "Yes, Gary. Thunderdrop, if I hold the fabric for you, can you anchor the corners to the trees for me?"

  "Chirp." A few minutes later and he had suspended the fabric for me.

  "Now, we have a target, Gary."

  "So, you're going to shoot it with your blaster?"

  "Yes, I want to see if it tears through." Gary stood by me and pushed up on my elbow to correct my aim.

  "Okay, that should hit it in the center."

  I fired my blaster, and the material jerked back and forth violently on its tethers. I holstered my blaster. Gary reached it first.

  "Well, I'll be. It didn't even tear the threads. Let me try it with mine."

  I backed up to the spot where Gary wanted me to stand. Gary took aim and fired. He checked the fabric for damage. Then, he returned to his firing position and released five successive blasts at the fabric's center. We went over to it. Gary had to catch the cloth as it bounced wildly on the three strands that still held it to the trees. Gary's shots had damaged the fabric, creating several little tears that we could see through.

  "The blasts I let loose would have blown a hole through a man's chest. This stuff is probably as strong as our body armor, but it's so light. How about making me a shirt out of this fabric of yours princess?"

  "No problem. Thank you for helping me test it. Simon went without me though, and I don't have my transport, or I would make you one right now." Thunderdrop used his claws on his middle legs to sever his lines. I folded the fabric and put it in the bag. We walked back to the house. "I'll make you one the next time he lets me go with him to the warehouse." I got Gary's size along with his color preference. I snuck back inside and up to my room where I began reading chapter three of the Fighter Ship Training Course. The chapter taught how to complete a cockpit check, to establish helmet and intercom communications, to use the harness and teach a passenger to use it, and about how to magnetize the seat to the flight suit. The chapter continued with ship power systems, landing gear, and fuel levels. My vid-screen beeped making me jump. I tapped it.

  "Good morning. Would you like for me to come and get you? You can see what all of your cleaned silk looks like."

  "Yes."

  "I'm on my way."

  Thunderdrop and I waited for him in the foyer. Simon was not driving a transport. Instead, he sat in a two seater hover craft.

  "Get in," he said.

  Cass sat blinking in Simon's lap. He chirped at Thunderdrop. We got in, and I pulled a harness over myself and fastened it. I put my head back against the high seat, and Simon propelled us down a path past his house and through dense forest to a neat single floor stone and wood building that had several harvesters parked in front of it. Inside, the men who had harvested my silk gift were cleaning the last of it. Tubs full of fluffy dry silk lined the walls. I reached in and touched some of it. It wasn't sticky anymore. A man lifted one of the tubs and loaded it into a machine. I watched as the fluffy batch of silk came out as tiny thread that spun onto a large spool like those I had seen in the weaver machine.

  "Here are the spools we have already made," Simon said as he pointed them out to me. "Do you want to go make anything?" I smiled up at him.

  "Yes, I do have something in mind." Simon packed the spools into a crate and loaded them into a different transport. Then, he drove us back to his warehouse and carried the crate inside.

  "We may have to wait. The ladies seem to be having a great deal of fun with the new weaver," he said.

  "Oh, I want to use the one in the back." I pointed. No one was using it. Simon carried the crate back to the weaver and taught me how to load the spools into it. I impressed him when I adjusted the settings without any help.

  "Are you sure this is how you want to set it?"

  "Yes," I answered and started the weaver. Simon looked skeptical as the bolt began to grow. I watched it until it finished. The fabric appeared the same as my test fabric. Thunderdrop and Cass watched from a rafter high above our heads. Once the weaver finished the bolt, I removed it and loaded it into the sewing machine. I entered in the pattern and the size. Once it finished I took it out, handed it to Simon, and made another one.

  "Simon, I know it isn't pretty and flowing, but I tested this fabric this morning with Gary. I fired my blaster at it and there was no damage. Gary unloaded several blasts at it with his assault blaster and a few tiny
holes appeared." I took the shirt from him and placed it in the dyer and set it to dark blue. I saw thoughts spinning in Simon's head as fast as the silk had spun onto the spool. "Can the machine make more than one at a time?"

  "Yes, let me show you."

  I made ten of the shirts with my bolt of silk. I made them all in large and medium sizes. Simon reloaded the weaver and created another bolt using my settings. I found small boxes and bags. I wrapped the boxes with the medium blue shirts with thin blue ribbon and tied wide blue ribbon around the ones with large shirts. I used the same method to differentiate between the five black shirts. I handed a small box with a large black ribbon to Simon

  "This one is for you. Please wear it any time you plan to do anything dangerous." I stacked all of the other boxes into two large bags.

  "I want to test this for myself."

  "Can we stop at the bakery first?"

  "Sure," he agreed grudgingly. Simon placed the bolt of silk and the bags into the back of the transport.

  He parked in front of the bakery. Mrs. Jones was thrilled to see us and showed us a picture Auria had sent her. In it she wore the dress and jewelry that Simon and I had given her. She was stunning. At her side Eliot stood proudly with her arm looped with his as they stood in front of the trees behind the Alaric manor. I teared up. "Oh, Simon. Look. It's their wedding picture." He handed me a silk square. After we ordered Simon excused himself. I found an empty corner table and waited for our order. Mr. Dade Sonners found me there.

  "Lady Alaric Montgomery Lee, what a pleasure to see you again so soon." Mr. Sonners bowed to me. I began to stand, but he motioned for me not to. He lowered himself down on one knee in front of me. "Allow me the great honor of taking you to dinner this evening."

  "Mr. Sonners, I can't do that. Thank you, but I have a husband and don't think it would be appropriate." Mr. Sonners was unfazed.

  "I have greater social standing on Arachne than Mr. Lee. Give me a chance to prove myself to you, my lady."

  "With all due respect, Mr. Sonners, my husband's name is Lord Yukihyo Alaric Montgomery Lee," my voice had grown cold. Mr. Sonners bowed his head to me and rose.

  "I meant no offense to you, dear lady. Please forgive me." Auria's brother appeared with a tray full of sweets and two coffees. Simon coughed gently. He loomed behind Mr. Sonners. Simon's eyes were glaciers. Mr. Sonners turned and almost bumped into Simon's chest.