Fatal Exception
an excerpt

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you – the SpidR!”

It was perhaps the most bizarre piece of technology Phinnaeus had ever seen. The SpidR looked, as one might imagine, like a spider. About two feet tall, it resembled a 17-inch computer monitor with eight powerful-looking robotic legs jutting out of the sides.

“SpidR stands for Storm Personal Interconnected Device. SpidR – stand up!”

Slowly the SpidR stood up, eliciting gasps from the crowd of about a hundred and fifty. A few of the more squeamish attendants started inching toward the doors.

Just then, Elliot Storm burst through the double-doors and took the stage, dressed to the nines and already carrying a wireless microphone.

“Sorry I'm late – did you all get a chance to meet Reggie?”

The crowd did an excellent job of concealing their collective confusion from the president of the company.

“Oh, that's what I nicknamed the SpidR prototype. They're really a lot like the family dog – only with a connection to the entire planet. SpidR, come here!”

The SpidR climbed off the table with eerie fluidity and grace, and crossed the floor. Phinnaeus figured that it had to weigh at least a hundred pounds, but the only noise it made was the tick-tick-tick of its pointed steel legs on the tile floor as it stepped.