Of Men and Spiders

Cleo looked awkwardly at the odd little...ish spider speaking to her from the floor. She then made a decision. "Listen, just talking in the middle of the room like this just feels...weird. How about we have a seat and continue from there?"

When the spider didn't respond, Cleo walked over to her table and sat in the chair. As the spider walked up, she wondered if she'd have to pick it up. As she imagined the feel and weight of the spider in her hands, an uncomfortable shiver ran from her hand down her spine. She resisted the urge to visibly shake and had just decided to ignore her discomfort and make the offer when it easily hopped from the floor to the top of the table without any issue.

Cleo blinked in surprise. "Okay, you can jump. Good to know. Do you have any other surprises like that hidden away?"

The spider seemed to contemplate her a moment before answering. "Yes, many."

When it became apparent that this Charlotte wasn't about to elaborate, Cleo cleared her throat and started over. "Uh, yes, sorry. I guess I just wanted to get to know you and the other Charlottes a little better."

The spider seemed indifferent as it asked, "What would you like to know?"

That was a good question. There were many things Cleo wanted to know, but where to start? Well, she did wonder just how much danger she was in, so maybe a good place to start would be related to that. But how do you tacitly ask an alien spider monster if you're on its menu? Not that tact had ever been Cleo's strong point, but she felt that an attempt might be wise in this instance. "Well, for instance, what is it you eat? You do eat, right?"

The Charlotte on the table stopped and thought a moment. "My primary source of nutrients is an organically grown slurry of microplants and animals similar to what you humans call plankton. It is rich in nutrients and easily cultivated with minimal stellar radiation. Although that diet can be augmented by many other forms of biomatter, both plant and animal in nature."

That was...somehow both informative and very lacking in what Cleo really wanted to know. She decided tact might not be her best approach, and maybe she should be more direct. "Have you ever eaten a human then?"

The spider seemed even more alien than usual as it replied. "Yes, on several occasions. I consumed the biomass of the pirates who tried to harm Scott and Alice on the planet we met on, then again with some of the pirates on the ship from which we acquired yourself."

So the spider in her room now had eaten some of the people Cleo had lived and worked with? Not that she'd been best friends with anyone, but she still couldn't help but imagine a few of their faces. It made her a little sick to her stomach. As an instinctive reaction, she turned to her old coping mechanism, humor. "Ah, so when it comes to humans, you have an all-pirate diet!"

Again, this Charlotte seemed to lack any emotion as it responded, making Cleo's attempt at dark humor seem to fall flat. "So far, yes."

Cleo was a little irritated and decided to be straightforward again. "Then why'd you spare me?"

The spider seemed to contemplate its answer for a while. "Initially, it was just because you posed no active threat to Scott, Alice, or myself. Then, as you've developed relationships with Scott and Alice, I've come to prefer not harming you. Although should you prove a sufficient danger to either of them, I will act in their best interest, regardless of their feelings on the matter, to remove that danger."

Well, that was as clear a threat as any Cleo had ever received, though she supposed it wasn't entirely unwarranted. However, that did bring up other questions. "Why are you so attached to Scott and Alice? Is it just because of Alice's body?"

For once, Cleo caught the hint of emotion as the spider responded, though exactly what emotion was showing through was more challenging to pin down. "Alice's body is the result of my attachment, not the cause. She was badly injured, to the point of losing herself, and that was the only way I was able to stabilize her enough to ensure her survival."

Well, that answered a few questions, assuming Cleo could trust the talking spider. But with Scott repeating a similar story, it seemed plausible, if not likely. "But that still doesn't answer my question. Why are you so attached to and protective of those two? What did they do to earn your loyalty?"

This time, the Charlotte was quiet for much longer, as if deciding how to answer, or even if they'd answer. "My interest in Scott and Alice was academic at first. They seemed to be particularly clever animals at the time, and I hoped to learn from observing them. As I observed them, it became clear on multiple occasions that they required aid to survive, and I did not want to lose out on the time and energy I'd already invested into them, so I intervened on their behalf. Over time, that investment became the...attachment you spoke of, to the point I was willing to put myself at risk for their benefit. I still do not fully understand the nature of our relationship, but I am unwilling to allow them to come to harm if I can prevent it."

That left Cleo speechless. Did the spider just say it was willing to put itself at risk on their behalf but didn't understand the nature of their relationship? Did Scott somehow manipulate the spider into this...relationship? What did it think of the kids? Were they pets to it? That might make sense in a bizarre sort of way. She knew some people who would fight and even die on their pet's behalf. Hell, she'd seen it happen a time or two.

After a bit of processing, Cleo finally found her voice again. "So what, that's it? You're just the keeper for these two kids? Have you just been relegated to the role of some kind of babysitter?"

The spider seemed to consider her words. "The term babysitter is somewhat apt, but that is not all I am doing. I am still fulfilling my original objective of learning and growing. With Lacy, I am learning the finer points of human combat in space and as individuals. I am also learning how humans interact with one another and about their social structures. From Scott and Alice, my lessons are of a more sustained nature, allowing me to understand the viability of long-term interactions with humans and the benefits and costs of maintaining such relationships. I am learning how humans think and slowly understanding your motives and goals. From you, I am learning to read the subtleties of humans who interact with me without the trust Scott and Alice place in me. Your mannerisms are often used as a tool to hide your true feelings, and the truth of your thoughts only reveal themselves in the subtlest of motions and behaviors hidden behind the mannerisms you use as a mask."

Wait, did the spider just indicate it was learning to see through the front Cleo was trying to create? Was that some kind of bluff? Could it read her mind? She'd asked this Charlotte in to learn more about them, but it seemed to be learning more about her than she'd bargained for! She had to think of something, anything to say, but what could she say that wouldn't fall into this alien's trap? Not sure how to react, but not wanting to obviously dwell on what it had just said, Cleo rushed to change topics. "Um, yes... but... what about Alice? What will happen to her as she grows up?"

The Charlotte on the table seemed confused. "I'm unsure what you are trying to indicate."

Cleo shook her head. "Listen. Alice is sweet, and I like her, but in that body she's got now, she'll have a hard time ever interacting with humans. The only reason we get along as well as we do is because Scott made sure we got to know each other long before I saw her, but you won't be able to do that forever. As she meets people, she'll be met with fear and suspicion all her life. What will you do about that?"

The spider's answer proved it hadn't learned as much as Cleo had thought. "I suppose we'll just have to introduce other humans to her the same way we did with you."

Cleo furrowed her eyes. "You can't be serious! Have you learned nothing from Scott and Alice? Humans need to interact with other people regularly! You can't keep her locked up on a ship with only a few people to interact with! That might work for a little while, but in time, that'll drive her insane!"

The spider was quiet momentarily, and when it spoke again, it was surprisingly brief. "Please elaborate."

Cleo leaned back and covered her face. "You have got to be kidding me!" Then she leaned forward, almost surprised by how angry she was that Alice's needs were obviously being neglected. "Listen to me. Humans need to interact with other humans regularly. Isolating someone from other people is often considered cruel and unusual punishment. It's literally used as a form of torture, for heaven's sake! You need to find a way for Alice to meet and speak with people, or who knows what that'll do to the poor girl!"

The Charlotte on the table stopped for a moment again. Perhaps it was communicating with the other Charlottes when it did that? "I was not aware of this. I will consider it going forward..."

Seeing a good way to escape from the conversation before she somehow got herself into more trouble, Cleo jumped on the chance. "Good! See that you do!"

As she got up and walked away from the table, the spider she'd been speaking with seemed to get the hint. It hopped off the table, but rather than head over to the door, it walked over to the larger spider in the corner and crawled up on top of it, apparently intending to remain with Cleo for the foreseeable future.

Cleo shook her head. That's just great. What had she gotten herself into now?