Spider-Bots Rising

Chapter 1: The Raid

The metallic clicks were coming from every direction. The sharp sound of clenching pincers pierced the air. Hundreds of robotic legs scuttled across the ground.

The Dreamseeker crouched low in the mouth of a miraj storage unit, listening. By now she was used to hiding between the inert jaws of these great ferocious monsters– she knew they wouldn't snap shut on her unless she tried to steal the miraj within. The blue tongue squelched beneath the weight of her boots. She wiped fog from her helmet visor. Then, slowly, she peered around the side of a large curved fang and looked out.

Spider-bots were crawling over every surface of the dwell. Each one an eight-legged machine, the size of a large dog. Each one identical to the others. Their dark chrome bodies glinted in the moonlight. Their glowing red sensors stared blankly, scanning as they moved. How many were there? Twenty-five? Fifty?

They scaled walls and miraj trees. They skittered across swirling revery pools. The Dreamseeker watched one spider-bot climb onto a car-sized rubber duck. The bot gripped the plastic yellow head in its four legs and squeezed until it popped. The spider-bot moved on quickly and the low hiss of air was lost in the din.

This was the biggest raid on a single dwell the Dreamseeker had ever seen. Usually spider-bots only performed raids in groups of three or four. It wasn't normal to see them swarm in such numbers. Even stranger was the fact that this was becoming common. Reports of these swarms were coming in from all over the Dreamscape. Spider-bots were showing up at dwells in record numbers. And they were taking what they wanted.

That's the other weird thing, the Dreamseeker thought. They only seem interested in stealing imaginanium. Why?

Everyone knows spider-bots are thieves. It's in their nature. Their most basic coding, down to the zeroes and ones. Usually that means they take anything they can get their pincers around. Imaginanium, yes, but also miraj, candy, gold, ticket stubs, jellyfish heads– anything! Now they only seem interested in imaginanium.

As the Dreamseeker watched, the spider-bots surrounded a row of tall imaginanium tanks. Then they set to work.

Using quick and exact motions, the bots connected the tanks to a hose. Then they linked that hose to the smaller tanks built into their own metal bodies.

With a loud CLANK, the bots opened the valves. The imaginanium began to drain. Each bot filled its tank with the sparkling golden liquid. Then it stepped neatly to the side, and the next bot began.

Soon, almost all the spider-bots had filled their tanks. The Dreamseeker had seen enough. She had seen for herself that the stories were true. She stood up slowly, ready to make her quiet escape.

A sudden flash of red light stopped her in her tracks. Every spider-bot head had spun in her direction. Hundreds of red sensors glowed with cold, focused energy. A shiver ran up the back of the Dreamseeker's neck.

But the bots remained perfectly still. It was as though they were waiting for something– but what?

Then all at once the swarm was flooding towards her. It was a giant mass of pointed metal and flashing lights. The clatter of their sharp legs grew louder and louder as they came closer. The Dreamseeker tensed inside her scape-suit. She bent her knees and lifted her chin, ready for the fight.

But then, just as quickly, the spider-bots were running past her! They streamed by on either side, blurs of silver, gold, and red. She twisted to watch them over her shoulder. The imaginanium sloshed and glittered in their tanks as they went. In a moment the last one was disappearing into a distant cloud bank. Then all was still. The dwell was empty and silent once more.

Someone called them back, thought the Dreamseeker. Or something. But what was it? Or who? And what in Dreams' name is going on around here?

Lost in thought, she began walking back towards The Center. Tiny white clouds puffed up from each heavy step. The wide dark sky stretched overhead.