Theodore & The 7 Layers of Space, Book 1: Brick & Bird

Chapter 27: THE INSECT TRANSIT UNDERGROUND (ITU)

Before The Calamity of Gup, there were many intriguing innovations and amenities spread throughout the sprawling paradise of its world. A crowning jewel among them was the astonishing accomplishment of the Insect Transit Underground, or ITU, as it was commonly known.

The ITU was imagined in order to facilitate travel between Gup's many cultural hubs. What they coaxed from their unique mixture of science and nature was an efficient transit system that merged seamlessly with a delicate ecosystem.

Put simply, the ITU was a vast array of inter-twining tunnels and bridges navigated by giant, mostly hollow bugs. These bugs, most of which resembled enormous iridescent caterpillars and crickets, evolved to (almost) perfectly facilitate smaller lifeforms climbing in and out of them at designated 'stations,' or various predictable waypoints that the big bugs would pause at for reliable and consistent intervals to feed and sleep.

In its heyday, it was a miracle to behold, a synchronized army of scurrying bugs carrying a population of people to and fro. Now, it was a dusty mess, due in no small part to the fact that the race of small and clever spiders who often acted as symbiotic mechanics had seemingly disappeared.

***

Fleeing from Spelunk and the Under-dwellers, Theodore slid down a long and winding metallic chute through darkness. Someone from Earth or Pow might recognize the chute as a slide, but to Theodore, the experience was entirely new. His sudden urge to yell out "Wooo hoooooooooo!" despite the harrowing uncertainty he both fled and faced stands as a testament to the universally joyous quality of slides in all forms.

He landed with a painful THUD on top of a squealing Terrycloth Green, covered in dust and strands of webbing. Isobel had already righted herself and was spinning her chair about to examine their surroundings. The Buddy Bot re-attached a dislodged arm and re-engaged his lighting device.

"And welcome to the ITU!" Terrycloth Green proclaimed, raising his stubby arms into the air in triumph. "That was an old waste duct that is still fun to use as a slide!"

"Waste duct? That's gross. But it was kind of fun," Isobel had to admit.

"Kind of?" Terrycloth Green scoffed as he ran ahead in delight.

They'd landed on a long confined platform that sat covered in a blanket of dust that lay piled like thin grey snowfall. Polished earthen walls extended above and around them, forming a long dark chamber.

They walked a bit, and Each movement kicked up a vast cloud and they all coughed at once. To the right of the platform was a gap, which presumably lead to some sort of tunnel and track, though it was too dark to make out, even with the Buddy Bot's shining light.

"Geez, how long has it been since this place has been used?" Isobel gagged.

"Since the Calamity, which was what..?" Terrycloth Green shrugged.

"Two hundred and fifty-seven years ago," The Buddy Bot stated, "If we're using Earth-cycles as a standard measure."

"Why does everyone use Earth cycles to measure everything? Earth Earth Earth, that place is all about itself," Terrycloth Green observed. "Though they have some great trains, too. And video games. And snacks. And dogs." He looked off wistfully, "...and yeah, 257 years sounds about right," he said idly as he skittered down the platform, "Trains!"

"The insects were some of the first creatures the early advanced scientists of Gup experimented with. While they were autonomous, they'd co-evolved to subsist on the very fuel that would eventually lead to the Calamity of Gup."

"Which fuel was that?" Theodore asked.

"It is known by many names, but for our purposes: Grid Bits," The Buddy Bot explained.