Jasleh

Cycle 5 (concurrent with Log JV0002 for Jarexx)
Coords: (9, R9)

Captain's Log 0005

Captain Renni Star commanding.

We finally found a spot where a big old bastard of a tree fell down and left enough of a hole for us to set down in - barely. I won't be surprised if we scratched some paint, I'll put it that way.

And I was right in thinking we'd been spotted. Of course, it'd be hard not to notice us zipping by overhead searching for a landing spot. Not long after we finally got landing gear on... well, not the ground, we're sitting on the trunk of the dead tree, but close enough. Anyway, soon after our engines shut off, we found ourselves surrounded by distressingly spiderlike aliens. Now I know I'm probably giving the opposite impression, but I swear I'm not usually bothered by creepy crawlies. Ones that are seven feet tall though? That's more than a little intimidating.

Tavi was the first off the ship, in full diplomat mode. He seemed perfectly calm and composed. I followed in case it came to a fight, although as we were very badly outnumbered I doubt I would have made much difference. Without the interface of cameras and screens, the spider resemblance was a little less strong, but only a little. Their bodies are longer, and lack the segmentation of a spider or insect, and they seem to have 10 legs, not 8. Plus 4 additional limbs that don't seem to be used for walking.

When we went out, they were all facing us reared up on their back 8 legs in what could only be a threat posture. I was wondering if these were just animals, not the native sapients,  and we'd landed in their nest, but Tavi just stood there, listening carefully. They were making these sounds that seemed part wind-chime, part wood flute. Quite beautiful, really. If they weren't sapient, they'd be worth a fortune in the pet trade and have a place in every rich bastard's menagerie.

However, after listening quietly for several minutes while I tried to not make any move that might look threatening, Tavi made some similar sounds back at them. I really can't emphasize enough how good he is at vocal mimicry, I have no idea how he could make those sounds.

And it's funny, you wouldn't think I'd be able to pick up emotions in alien music, but I swear their sounds instantly went from hostile to confused. Tavi chimed back and forth with them for a while, somehow putting together a working theory of their language on the fly. I wonder if that's a Tklik skill? Maybe something some of them learn to do with their empathic ability? Anyway, finally he turns to me and says we have permission to explore and visit the nearest settlement. And sure enough, all the spider-things looked a hell of a lot calmer. Supposed we just scared the shit out of them coming out of the sky like we did.

So, I signaled to the other two to come out of the ship and we made a group trip to their city, escorted by several dozen giant spiders. I need to find something better to call them in the official report, but their name for themselves is in that chiming language that I can't hope to replicate. And, like most such names, probably translates to "The People" or something. Tavi's not far enough along on his language analysis to clarify that, even if he can manage enough to get a general point across.

The city was... quite something to see. The scale of the trees of this planet is something I just don't have the words to convey, and the city is built onto and around them. Suspended platforms and paths, woven houses... and a distinct lack of anything like a stair or ladder. The spider-creatures can just scuttle up the trees like it's nothing. We all had to be carried up. Except for Dew, who uncoiled in a way I didn't know it was capable of and slithered up the trees like a high-speed vine. Its body is a lot more expansive then I realized, and has a great many branchings to it. The spiders seemed as fascinated as I was.

I checked out the markets while Tavi got into discussions with the local leaders. I learned we can buy some food here if we can work out a trade arrangement. Some of the items on display, food and otherwise, look quite fascinating. I've floated the idea of getting a few little things for selling, but Aggie nixed that idea as it would technically be smuggling. I said that was part of what made it so potentially lucrative, but she was having none of my nonsense. So, no cargo for me, alas.

Tavi learned a great deal about the locals, should be enough to satisfy the eggheads back on Unity - at least for a preliminary report, which is all they're paying for. It turns out the sounds they make come from special organs in their legs, and also the front two legs are capable of delivering a powerful electric shock. Which, it seems, is very important for dealing with the local wildlife. We have been advised to never venture outside the city or our ship without a local guide, and I am inclined to take the warning seriously. Whatever is out there, I sort of doubt my jackknife will make much of a dent on it.

Honestly, the spider people seem very nice, and now that I'm getting used to their appearance they aren't unsettling me as much anymore. Really they're almost cute. The way their legs move though still reaches down into some primal part of my brain and does its best to flip a fear switch.

 

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