“Come here often?” I asked her flippantly. Trying to calm the blood lust that still coursed through me. Letting the energy go helped. I felt my body sort of ...deflate...as limbs that only seconds before had felt light as air seemed to weigh me down once more.

Red eyes glared at me from under sharp eyebrows. I was right, she was beautiful. Her long dark hair was plaited along each temple with the rest let loose to tumble about her sharp cheekbones . She had a straight nose above full, bow shaped lips.

She caught me gawking at her (Dunno how, I was being totally subtle about it) and jutted out her sharp chin in challenge.

The red top she wore wrapped around a modest bust, completely covering the upper swells, before looping around to tie behind her neck. Her bare midriff showed off an impressive set of abs. She was no wallflower that was for sure.

Those spider legs though! I kept looking back at them and coincidentally her hips, which were full and flared and almost as distracting.

Sandy’s old man used to enjoy watching these holovids of these women from some long forgotten era that flipped and jumped and twirled around on a piece of wood. I have no clue why they did it, but I loved watching them with him...cause those girls had it going on!

Spiderchick reminded me of them. Curved and toned.

To be fair Dockside was full of the hungry and the desperate so any woman that didn’t look anorexic and malnourished was instantly attractive to me and dare I say it...exotic.

I would have kept gawking like a little kid at the circus but the same black screen from up on the hill covered my vision and I panicked a little. Being blind while standing in the sun surrounded by nothing but swaying grass was one thing. Being blind after a fight and standing in front of a spiderwoman with a spear in a werewolf’s skull was another.

I heard stories about spiders that used to lay eggs in their victim. My butt cheeks clenched reflexively.

I was desperate enough to get my sight back that I just thought Y! Fucking Y!!!!

The joy I felt when the black faded to reveal the webette still standing on her pile of bodies was almost overwhelming! She hadn’t laid eggs in me! I bet my ass cheeks were too tightly clenched. She was looking at me funny though.

I looked down at myself and let out a manly squawk of shock as I tried covering up as best I could with just my hands. I’d forgotten I was naked. As far as first impressions go it left a lot to be desired. At least the woman could see I wasn’t armed...except for the club betwee- okay! okay I’ll stop!

I soft ting sounded in my ear. It was so similar to my text tone that I automatically pressed the skin between my thumb and pointer finger on my left hand (The movement so automatic that I forgot I was meant to be covering up my bits) before shaking my head. Of course it wouldn’t work. Imagine my surprise when instead of the blank holoscreen appearing above my hand like I imagined, a small palm sized table appeared instead. It was blue and white now instead of the original blue and green.

I tried reading through it all quickly while keeping one eye on the woman. She hadn’t moved and still remained motionless, a gentle breeze playing with her hair. I looked back down at my palm only to look back up at the sound of movement.

Spiderwoman was moving!

Supported by her extra legs so she seemed to float above the forest floor she approached slowly. Her spear hung at her side, an occasional drop of blood falling from its tip. Forgetting about the holoscreen table for a second I crouched down a little in preparation for an attack. Just because I had helped her didn’t mean she would return the favour.

She stopped just out of striking range and cocked her head to the side. Her spider legs let her down before curling back around her waist. I noticed she was barefoot.

“Nelzarastorama.” She said, tapping her free hand against her chest where her heart would be. Her voice was surprisingly soft when she wasn’t yelling at me. “I thank you for your aid human.”

I slowly uncoiled from my crouch and went back to covering myself up. Mimicking her movement I tapped my own chest. “Haha.”

“Haha,” she echoed. Her head bobbing as she mulled over the information. A strand of hair fell into her eye and she used the forearm of the hand holding the spear to brush it away. A trail of blood followed the movement. “A strange name for a warrior but I who am I to judge the ways of humans. Saza says judgement limits the horizons of education.”

Yea...I dunno what to say to that.

“You may look at your status screen if you wish. I noticed your reluctance earlier. Do not fear human Haha, I will not attack.” To support her words she took two deliberate steps back and planted her spear head first in the ground.

“Status screen?” I asked.

“Yes. I saw it briefly upon your palm. Blue and White, the colour of those accepted by Aeris. It is the reason I have not attacked you,” Her full lips pulled up into a cheeky smile. “That and I will not kill an unarmed man.”

She looked pointedly at my nethers. I looked pointedly at my hand.

Something had changed in the table. It took me a moment to figure out what and when I did I scrunched up my face in thought. The percentage of my integrity had risen to 78% along with the weight under it but Stored Mass and Total Mass seemed to have dropped.

It wasn’t until I saw a small scratch along my palm under the holoscreen heal that it all clicked. If I looked at it like one of those old games Sandy had enjoyed playing as a kid then Integrity was my health. My guess was since my race was Biotic humanoid (low blow!True, but still low blow) the system in charge of my stats figured it was more accurate this way. So following that logic...Instead of hit points or whatever I had mass and the mass conversion rate would be my regen. What was it converting to mass though?

My eyes flickered to the stored mass tab that was plummeting even further. So it was converting my stored mass to the materials needed to repair me. Neat! I started laughing when the implication hit me. I think stored mass was the bunch of kitchen stuff I’d eaten back on earth.

Wish I could have eaten the kitchen sink. Would have made a good punchline.

What happens if my stomach is empty and I needed to heal? The thought stopped me dead. What happens if I eat something wooden? Do I heal with wood?

Dont spiral Haha. Do not spiral. Focus.

Breathing through the bout of uncertainty that nearly left me immobilized I focused back on my stats.

If the recharge rate of my power levels were correct then it would take me about forty minutes to reach a full charge. Holy Crap! That was awesome!..although I had burnt through it really fast in a really short fight.

I’d worry about that later. Along with the fact that I now (Likely) had a planet integrated into my subsystems and it monitored me like a stalker ex with military grade spy gear.

Sandy had asked me to help the planet so I guess a little violation was acceptable...and a little handy, I’ll admit.

“Are you done, human Haha?” the spider woman with the long ass name asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

“Uhh, yeah, sure.” I closed my fist, dissolving the table and muttered under my breath. “Not like I can understand most of it anyway.”

Which was true enough. There was a whole bunch of shit I didn’t even know how to go about understanding. Like the micro-evolution thing for one.

“Good. Now tell me human Haha-”

“Just Haha.”

“Very well. Tell me human Just Haha, why have you come to these woods. Has your kind finally turned their sights this way?”

“Ok, first off...what was your name again?”

“Nelzarastorama.”

“Nelzrastrama.”

“Nelzarastorama.” She corrected patiently.

“Can I just call you Nel?” At her slow nod I continued. “Ok, listen...Nel, I may be Human...mostly...a little...but I’m not from here. This world. Aeris. I’m from this place called Earth. It’s in the same location in space but the time is different or the time is the same but the space is different? I think I remember Sandy saying something about space-time and a scar...Okay, I suck at science and I’m not even sure if you would understand my explanation, but let's just say I’m from another world and I’m here to help.”

Nel’s spider legs propped her up once more and her very shapely, very human legs crossed as she rose into the air. She tapped her thigh slowly and I noticed nails that were just on this side of being considered talons. Her red eyes, dark and hooded with thought, stared into mine. She must have reached some decision because she nodded slowly.

“You are from a branch world. I understand this. It explains...much.” once more her eyes seemed to dip below my waist line. “Though the ones that have come before you often come dressed. Does your world not have clothes? Nevermind, It matters little. You are strong. We can use your help.”

“That’s great! Point me in the right direction and I’ll kick some Earth human butt...do you have..uhh..Aeris humans? Or can I just say human? I don’t wanna be racist and lump them all together. You know what? Don’t worry about it! Just point me to the humans and I’ll kick their collective asses then I’ll have a snack and go find this Central Life Core thing that’s missing and-”

“WHAT?!” Nel practically screamed. Her spider feet beat at the ground in agitation as she leant forward, bringing her face close to mine. “WHAT DID YOU SAY HUMAN?”

“I said,” I over enunciated everything. Not altogether pleased to have an unknown woman so close to me yelling. “I will kick human ass!” I mimed a kick (Still covering my man bits) “and then I’ll have a snack,” I rubbed my tummy. “And then I’ll go find the Central Life Core thats missing.” I didn’t know how to mime that so I just pointed in a random direction.

The spiderwoman’s eyes grew wide and she dropped to the ground heavily. Her body seeming to sag under some invisible weight. I heard her muttering and me being me I channelled a little energy into my hearing so I could do a little eavesdropping.

“It would explain much. The forest yield has withered. The forgotten growing bold. The contamination spreading from the North. Saza must hear of this, but to bring this...human...to the brood...No I can’t! It is not our way!”

It started to sound less and less like she was actually going to help me. Which wouldn’t do. Not at all!

“I don't know what you’re mumbling there but Aeris asked for my help and I intend to give it.” I considered puffing out my chest heroically but again...naked.

“What?” Nel scuttled sideways towards me looking more like a crab than a spider. I smiled at the thought. “Aeris spoke to you?”

“Yea. How do you think I know about the Central Life Core.”

Whaddaya know, name dropping works on any world.

“You will come with me!” Nel said and was suddenly way too close. She towered over me thanks to the extra height granted by her hind legs. (Yea, saying spider legs constantly seems weird. That does beg the question: Do spiders have hind legs?)

I let her grab the hand that wasn’t protecting the family jewels and let her pull me along.

Guess it’s time to meet the family.