Part 2:Sam and Emma, Defenders of Earth

     The spiders were staring at Sam and Emma, mandibles clicking. Finally Sam lowered his gun and said, "I aint afraid of spiders. Besides they're wearing ties."

     Emma tried to  look past all those glassy black eyes. Sam was right. The one in front had a country tie like Colonel Sanders. They all had something around their necks. The one on the right of the lead spider was smaller than the others and had rose colored hairs on the joints of her legs. Emma supposed this was a 'her', because she had a beautiful pink and tan scarf. The spider to the left had a patch of orange ruffles from his neck to the back of his abdomen.

      The lead spider raised a front leg and squeezed the silver clasp of his bolo tie. A blue light appeared on the front and in perfect English, she heard, "Hello and welcome to Rula Vala III. I am Ambassador Sheee-Sheee." The Ambassador said his name in two hisses; "Sheee-Sheee".

     The Ambassador waved three of his legs toward the girl spider on his right, "This is my daughter 'click-click-tock'.

     Sam imitated her name by tapping his little gauntlet against the breast plate of his armor. The girl made a giggly kind of wheezing noise. Sam raised the face plate on his helmet and smiled.

     The spider with orange ruffles handed the Ambassador a grape sized crystal. When the Ambassador held it in front of Sam and Emma, they could see a small lizard frozen inside the green rock.

     "This is a dragon seed. Mind where you plant him and you mustn't water it to much; they are desert creatures."

     Sam reached first and gaped at the gift, "Wow!".

     Emma felt very self conscious about her small clay swan. She considered not giving it to the Matawans. She knew that it would be bad manners not to give a gift in return, so she held the swan out to the Ambassador.

     Emma could not contain a fearful grimace, as two huge spider legs with bristles, reached down and took the small figurine.

     Ambassador Sheee-Sheee turned it left and right and asked if it was a statue of an Earth creature.

     Emma, embarrassed, said, "Yes, it is a swan. I made it this afternoon."

     The Ambassador and his daughter gasped. "You made this yourself, just for us? Thank you so much, Emma of Earth. We are humbled that you would give of yourself in this way." Click-click-tock began prancing on all eight legs. Her father handed the swan to her and she began tracing the smooth curves of it's wings.

     Sam reached into his back pack to pull out a great big bag of cotton candy. He tore off a fistful and held it in front of the Ambassador.

     "I didn't make this, but its my favorite carnival candy to eat.

     The Ambassador leaned forward and delicately took the little cloud of sugar between his great mandibles.

     "This is delicious, Sam of Earth. It is as sweet as nectar, but looks like our webs. Thank you."

     "Your welcome. I can make loads more." and Sam handed some to click-click-tock.

     Sam and Emma followed the Ambassador below ground.

Stay tuned for more.