Be sure to read parts 1 through 5 first.
Emma and Sam would have to find out more about the Matawans. The next day Sam began calling friends he knew off world. Emma emailed a friend from Oxford England.
Harold,
We met a mysterious race of large spiders.
They call themselves the Matawan. Have you heard of them?
They were friendly, but Sam ate a small scanning device and saw some of the Matawans snooping his insides.
So few people on Earth know as much as you do about alien history. I hope you can tell us more about them.
Sincerely, Emma V.
Sam called Emma over to his room. On his computer screen was a Tumel Trader. Emma didn't like any of the Tumel Traders she had met so far. Harold considered them no better than pirates. Sam preferred to call them smugglers; and he loved their stories.
This trader was named Jaryk. Sam often got Holo-games from him in exchange for items you could only get on Earth. Some aliens could not get enough peanut butter, chocolate or coffee.
Tumel Traders were not allowed to land on Earth, but Sam was happy to meet them in orbit. He regularly brought Emma jewelry, clothes or music, so she tolerated his side business.
Jaryk saw Emma enter the room.
"Greetings Earther. I hear you met the Arachnids of Deep Nest. They have been out of the light for many years and now they call themselves, Matawan. They are crafty. You are wise to be suspicious of them.
Emma sat down to listen, "How dangerous are they?"
Jaryk narrowed his eyes at Sam.
"Alright Jaryk." said Sam. " I'll bring two, seven pounders of peanut butter and five pounds of coffee."
Jaryk waved his hand, "No Sam. This is not my usual stories. Ten pounds of coffee, the peanut butter, and... a kitten."
Sam smirked, "What do you want a cat for?"
"You do not decide my destiny Sam. That is my offer." Jaryk turned his face to the side, as though ready to walk away.
Sam stroked his chin. "Well, thats not so easy Jaryk." Sam winked at Emma. "You see cats are from Egypt, very loved by their pharaohs and all. How about one peanut butter, five pounds of coffee, the cat..."
"A kitten!" Jaryk interrupts.
"...a kitten and 2 pounds of M&M's for the story and..." Sam pretended to think. "...a radar for my armor?"
" Raauurrghhg! It is illegal for me to trade military goods." Jaryk growled.
"It's not illegal for me." Sam smiled.
Jaryk laughed. " You are good Earther. I think you are lying about the cats and pharaohs, but if you make it peanut M&M's, I'll bring you the radar tomorrow, and tell you what I know about Deep Nest."
"Deal." Sam said, and switched off the screen.
Emma took Sam by the shoulders. "Sam, what is he going to do with a cat?"
"Well if he wanted to eat it, he wouldn't want a kitten." Sam shook his shoulders free.
"We can't give him a kitten." Emma pleaded.
"The Tumel Traders aren't supposed to land on Earth, but some of them did. Now mice have spread all over their ships. They don't want to come back down, but the mice are eating up their stuff. I bet Jaryk wants to get rid of his mice. My friend Sharat called last week wanting to know how to get rid of his mice."
"What did you say?" asked Emma.
"I traded him a five pound block of cheddar and a cage, to get a new power supply for my suit." Sam replied.
Emma wondered, "A cage? Is he going to keep them?"
"I said that mice were good luck. Now he'll want cheese and crackers to trade." Sam chuckled.
"Sam, I don't think I like you telling fibs." Emma chastised.
"That's how they trade. They didn't trust me when I was honest. They were offended. Sharat says if you don't try to cheat them, it's an insult; like you think they are lazy or dumb." Sam thought this was fair. "We all know that the other person might lie."
"Well don't get in any trouble." Emma offered.
Sam gave a double thumbs up. "No way, they love me."
Stay tuned for more.
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