Under

Sol

The wheels squeaked, the cart shuddered, and the adventure continued. Her journey had not ended as she feared. Sol awakened, her eyes flickering on as she grasped at the familiar hope she held onto last cycle. She gazed out into the dark, spotting the dotted lights along the mosslands.

“Gideon,” she said aloud.

She remembered everything up to her rescue. The strange person who appeared in her cart was helpful, giving her advice, sympathy, and continued hope that she wasn’t alone. Her savior continued his trek, pulling the cart along the uneven stoney path. There she spotted the large glowing mass along the horizon.

Her hope succeeded. She was not only found, but she was able to remember. And not only that, someone dreamed of her. And she dreamed as well. Did she dream before and forget? That Gideon implied it was not common to dream as such. He implied a lot of things. Gideon also implied he was just above her.

Was there even an ‘up there’?

The cart hit a bump, rocking her back and forth, blurring her vision. She stabilized, listening the Proturan grunt with effort as his skittering limbs gripped the mossy, stoney ground.

“Hello! Can you hear me?” Sol cried out to her spidery savior.

It waved a limb back at her, aware she was awake.

She began formulating her plan. First, work out a good speaking language with her host. Although that depended on if she wouldn’t be melted down for scrap. That would be sad. She had so much to see and learn. Once she could speak with the spider, she would determine if there was a possibility of repair. At the very least an extra nacelle.

Power: seventy-six percent

Energy longevity would be the number one priority. If he was only a collector, she could see if others could repair her. She inspected what she could of the cart, seeing a mess of ore, tools, and a holstered device. Her fix may lie in the contents of the cart.

Would they just repair me or would they need something for it? This is all new… Regardless, I would be glad to help in any way I can!

She spotted a strange structure, it was covered in a curtain of silk as it traveled on, far into the darkness. She spotted more glowing violet mushrooms dotting the road. Another rickety bump almost sent her wobbling face first into the cart. She stabilized back to a gentle rocking.

The next step would be repair myself and walk.

She felt these were both the correct first steps, possibly an innate knowledge of oneself.

After that though... What then? Explore with my spidery host? Leave and travel this strange under world?

She wouldn’t give it much thought for the time being. When she achieved her other desires, then she would work out those details.

One step at a time.

The cart halted to a large portion of raised scrap metal covered in spider silk. The Proturan unhooked himself, quickly scurrying to a strange device, and began tapping hurriedly, muttering to himself. He skittered in a circle, glancing in all directions. He looked alert, weary, and not a little exhausted.

The structure began to pull inward, revealing it was some sort of entrance. A crack resounded off in the distance.

What an odd noise.

The walled structure erupted, disturbing the spider silk as it trembled and tangled. The Proturan shrieked, his face contorting in anger. He rushed to the cart, a constant stream of chittering words poured from his mandibles as he scrounged the cart. He grabbed a short-barrelled weapon, cradling it close as another crack rang out, snapping against the cart, sending sparks flying as the entire structure rang.

“Oh dear. What is happening?”

The Proturan bellowed a challenge as he peeked out from the cart, sending a volley of shimmering golden glowing spheres of hot death off into the night, the weapon roared out with a strobing-shriek. Someone bellowed out in pain. More voices shouted back.

The spider shouted angrily, firing another volley. He rushed to the cart, forgoing the straps as he pulled on the dowels with a strained grunt as two of his extremities continued to hold the weapon, firing blindly behind himself, filling the dark sky with golden energy. Sol lost balance, falling face-first into the cart.

Oh dear. This is probably for the best.

The land was quiet apart from the raging shooting spider as he pulled the cart past the gate, striking a switch on the other side to close it. He spun, peaking to the side of the cart, awaiting return fire. None came. The aggressors bellowing faded out into the dark.

The spider let out a shrieking noise, possibly quite cross at being accosted. The gate closed with a click and he waited. In the dark, there was only silence. The spider spat on the ground before holstering the weapon back in the cart, unintelligible utterings poured out from him. Sol felt several arms grasp her, standing her upright against the back of the cart. She spotted his smiling face, his eight eyes scrunched half-closed.

He barked a chittered as he went back to the cart, strapping himself in. he continued his trek, muttering to himself as she saw the source of all of the light. Dozens upon dozens of glowing mushrooms dotted the land, all cascading towards a large white spherical structure upon the peak of the hill; their destination. She spotted smaller shacks shoring up the sides of silk sphere. The gentle noise of creatures reached her audio receptors.

Does he live here all by himself? Or is it just us and those antagonists? What are those noises?

She would have to wait on the answers. she was safe, or so she hoped. It was all dependent upon her spidery savior's intent.

I would very much like to not be scrapped. That would be sad.

Or if the spider could never understand her.

I can learn to understand him. It should go both ways.

She felt excitement brewing in her systems as the white sphere began to slowly come into focus. The winding Rocky road cut into the mosslands. Around a sharp bend and she spotted a creature scooting across the road.

What is that?

It was a large, fat, scooting insect that stood five feet tall, mostly due to its girth, and eight feet in length. Its spotted bright green hide stood out in the dark, even along with the moss. Its six stubby legs gripped the stoney ground as it meandered in a wave-like motion, pausing only to gaze at them. The spider beckoned at the creature, gently shooing the caterpillar off. His chittering voice was soft and calm, belying the angry Proturan from the earlier confrontation.

"Hello!" Sol greeted from afar. The caterpillar paused, standing upon its two sets of stubby hind legs to look back at her. It tracked the cart, bobbing its head back and forth.

What a fascinating creature.

They traveled onward, the mood lightened as their destination began to take up the majority of the horizon. The spider seemed more at ease, more relaxed at the prospects of reaching his journey's end. It dawned on her at what she was seeing from afar. It was a spherical home, made up of layers of scrap metal and spider silk.

Did it build that all by itself?

The spider moved with new intense purpose as Sol felt the cart rush forward.

Power: forty-nine percent

Good. By halting broken functions and reducing power consumption, I can delay shutdown.

She had little time to think as the squeaky cart arrived to the smaller scrap shed sprouting off next to the silk sphere. The spider halted at the entrance, hurriedly unhooking himself with a chittering rush as he opened the shed's sliding door. Sol spotted all sorts of strange devices and tools. She took a mental image for later. Anything could be useful.

The spider gently gripped her, lowering her down to the mossy ground before pullingbhis cart into the shed. He rushed out, pulling the sliding door shut with a bang.

Ah, he is excited to inspect his new find; me!

He lifted her up, her vision tilting to the side as he hefted her above himself again. He skittered along slowly, with half of his extremities being needed to carry her.

He traveled along the scrap cobbled path, up to the porch of the abode. He placed her down off to the side of the secure entrance wherein the Proturan host worked a small console. Slight noises rang out before he eventually pulled the thick door open with a grunt. The hinges silently obeyed, revealing the well-maintained entrance. He gathered her up once again, skittering through the home. Each of the spider's steps received a creak or groan in reply from the floorboards. Her host had a taste for decorations. Items of all sorts decorated the walls, from fittings to fixtures, to precious metals or gear of unknown nature. He took a hard right before she could fully appreciate the furnishments, skittering down a curved hall. The noisey crepitation was replaced with the light tapping of chitin along a metal surface. They entered a full encased alloy room of strange coiling green metal sporting tools along the wall, interlaced between the intertwined hull. He placed her down in the center of the room, where twining of metal conjoined to a flattened circular knot. The metal strands were like thick ridged metallic roots without a tree.

What is he doing? What will he do?

This was it. The moment of truth. Scrap or save. She stared into the spider's eyes as a metal tendril along the wall unraveled to a single branch of coiled alloy, revealing a small console attached. He clasped his front extremities together, rubbing them eagerly as a third worked the small screen. Two of his eyes focused on the device; six on her. Either way, she was thankful for her release. If this was it, she hoped her remnants would be of use to someone.

"Excuse me," she announced.

The spider paused, all eight eyes snapping to her, blinking intently.

"Thank you."

She spider's mandibles splayed into a smile as one final tap sent the branch of metal recoiling around itself around the wall. The room lit up, glowing a light green from dotted LEDs throughout. The spider stood back, his head bobbing back and forth in anticipation.

Gideon. I hope you are doing better than I am. Thank you.

She stilled her being, bracing for the fate that awaited her.

A wall of green light scanned over her horizontally and vertically. A chittering voice rang out, relaying unknown information. The spider gasped, his eyes growing wide. He gave a small short clap, smiling at the news. Thrumming rang out in the room, she felt the air electrify around her. And then she began to ascend.

"Oh! Oh dear!"

She reached the center of the room, halting still as she floated in place. The spider moved in one of his limbs gently grasped her before winding up and gently spinning her on her axis. She spun, her vision working to correct. A gentle digit poked against the silk, letting her own momentum tear into it; the unwrapping of a present. Before she knew it, a firm limb halted her, the silk discarded to the side. The spider maneuvered Sol around her axis, inspecting her thoroughly. He let out a chittering coo, his eyes betraying wonder as he gazed at her chassis. He gave a small excited clap before glancing away. He skittered to the tools coiled along the wall, pulling a thin pointed file from the set.

He will start by prying my eyes out.

The spider moved in close, file in hand as he brushed it along a chitinous digit. She felt a fear form in her systems. The fear that was seeded upon her exhumation. She couldn't forget, she couldn't go back into the dark.

Never again.

"Please, I don't want to be scrapped!" She cried out, spooking the spider who flinched at the sudden noise. His smile dropped, his curious eyes blinking in a wave at her.

"Please. I desire to live," she channeled her distress into her voice; anything to make the Proturan understand she was alive and well. She was not junk.

He skittered in closer, the file palmed in two hands. With a third he gave her a reassuring pat. With a Fourth limb, he picked at something embedded in her chassis. A click, a snap, and the object broke free. He showed her the loose stone chip, making sure she saw it. He gave her a warm smile, from his mandibles to his eyes.

Oh. Oh! This is!

He gave her another reassuring pat and then began his work. He ran the file along her alloy hull, the fine point working the grooves. He chittered a soft tune as he worked; grit, dust, and flakes falling free like chains. She felt a new elation building, a joy at being set free. It wasn't an execution, but a restoration.

Power: twenty-six percent

Her power was low, but it didn't matter; she was actually safe. She felt the tool work, piercing into the grit and dust she had become so accustomed to. He skittered back to the wall, filling his limbs with tools. He worked quickly and deftly, expunging the debris that had adhered to her for what felt like an eternity.

A limb poured a bottle to a rag and began buffing against her. She felt something she had no word for until now.

Clean.

A glorious and wonderful feeling.

He gave her a final buffing with the rag, grasping a hand mirror off the wall, showing Sol her appearance.

Pristine and ornate phthalo blue metal filled her view. She gazed into her two soft oval eyes. She spotted no mouth or other appendages. The filigree design and particular glinting alloy dominated her skull shaped head. She saw the main issue, just at her neck. Loose glowing wires dangled free, implying there was more to her than what was currently present.

The spider lowered the mirror, placing all of the tools amidst the coiling of metal, the wall shaping to accommodate.

A branch of metal coiled out again and the Proturan tapped a few commands, quickly skittered to her. The LEDs went dark as the thrumming died down, leaving her in the spider's collected embrace. He gently carried her, heading back towards the main entrance. He passed another room before taking a right. This room appeared to be filled with comfort and amenities. Soft sitting furniture lined against the walls, with one particular piece standing out. It was a bowl shaped chair. Perfect for a spider. He placed her down onto a couch, forcing her head to balance as she slowly sank down into the welcoming fabric. She halted up to the middle of her face, a captive audience. Her host quickly retreated, the creaking and groaning of the floor rang out as she could track him traveling up higher in the structure.

There are multiple areas higher up… this is… this is wonderful. If Gideon is correct and he is just above, then I will still be functional once he finds me. Or us, now; my host is friendly enough if someone does not aggress.

The creaking floor announced the spider's return.

Curious. It is as if the floor was by design; I know where he is anytime he moves.

Her host returned, carrying a large stack of carefully balanced books, a bottle, a steel mug, a sack, and a very long ornate metal pipe.

He placed the bottle and mug along a table near the egg-shaped chair before he settle back into it, his abdomen cushioned as he laid the sack atop his tummy.

He kept the book tower balanced in one extremity as he began opening up the sack, working on the metal pipe and stuffing the bowl with a strange shredded fiber. He used a small stopper, tamping it all down before lighting the four-foot pipe. He maneuvered stem, clamping down on the lip, quickly drawing from it. Smoke began to waft from the chamber, filling the room. The spider's eyes closed as he relaxed, placing the heel of the pipe down to the ground. He let out a quiet chittering sigh; a contented host. The pipe was long enough that he need only lean in to pull from it. His other limbs worked, restocking the sack and uncorking the bottle, filling his mug with a foamy drink, all the while the book tower stood unwavering in his one hand. He took a long sip, his mandibles clicking together, an almost human gesture of smacking his lips. He deposited the drink, sack, and bottle to the table, all the while he couched the pipe and worked his limbs, distributing eight books to eight extremities; positioned in view of eight eyes.

Smoke billowed from the pipe's bowl, wafting into the adjoining rooms. He made a gesture with one of his hands, as if asking her to speak.

"Oh. Yes. My name is Sol. Are trying to figure out what language I speak? This is good. Very good! I will help out anyway I can!"

She heard the pages of eight books turning furiously as the spider read through them, his dexterous fingers working to both grasp the book and turn the pages simultaneously.

"I have been trapped underground, but I do not remember how long it has been. I also dreamed of a strange person who is a McDonough. Do you know what a McDonough is?"

The spider closed all of his eyes but two, staring at her.

Seven books dropped to the floor with a tumbling clatter; only one remained. He snapped it shut, placing it atop his tummy as he folded his hands.

He balled a fist, putting it to his mandibles as he cleared his throat.

"Name?"

His voice came out guttural, creaky, and rusty. If Sol had anything to say about it, it sounded damaged. If there was one thing she was an expert on, it was damaged. But that was alright because he could speak. And get to know one another.

"Oh! My name is Sol."

The spider nodded, folding his hands as drew from the pipe, billowing more smoke into the room.

"Of course. Glossolalia. Had to- had to. Be that."

She was confused by his words. They were broken and clumsy.

"Be what?"

The spider barked a chuckle as he drew from his pipe.

"Language. Yours."

He cleared his throat, doing nothing to ease the rustiness from it.

"Dynamic speaking- of words. Very difficult learning. And remember."

"So that is what I am speaking! It never occurred to me… Is it difficult to learn?"

Her host nodded, grabbing the mug and sipping from it.

"Hardest. Oldest."

The spider leaned forward, hand upon the pipe’s stem.

"Sol. Very good meeting. Name L'yophin."

She felt elation blossom. They could speak and understand one another. She knew him now. He was no enemy, but a friend.

L'yophin...

The spider had a name.