She turned and started walking down the corridor with her bot close behind. Tish trotted to catch up, prompting, "And?"
Rachel shrugged without looking back. "People either understand the station or they don't. It's not something that can be taught. How do you feel?"
She rubbed her hands on her pants. "Like I need to wash my hands."
"No, in general."
Tish frowned. What did she mean by that? She didn't feel anything. "Fine. Getting a bit hungry, despite the odors a few minutes ago."
"No pressure? Discomfort? Headache? In your head or in your body anywhere?"
Tish missed a step. "No, nothing like that. Should I?"
Rachel stopped at a juncture in the corridors to turn partially towards her. "I was hoping not. We need more people."
Tish grabbed her arm before she could continue walking. "Please explain. I've had too few explanations since I arrived."
Rachel smiled at her. "We don't have many people working in Maintenance because most don't last."
"Well, Arthur wasn't exactly welcoming," Tish said. And she'd wanted him to be. She'd felt like he'd warmed up to her later, but the way they'd parted after the day was over didn't give her a good feeling.
But Rachel was shaking her head. "No, not the boss. He's great, even though under a bit of strain. It's the station itself. It can, uh, affect people sometimes. As if the station doesn't like them. The boss doesn't run people off. It's the station."
Tish blinked. Not the sort of thing she'd wanted to hear. "And you say the movie isn't real?"
"No, of course not. It just gives people a feeling, a 'sense' if you will, that they are not welcome. And they leave. It's as simple as that." She looked behind Tish and grinned. "It appears you have made new friends. Yep, you'll fit in."
Tish glanced around her to find three bots in a row, all staring up at her with their eyestalks. Just hovering and watching. "What are they doing?"
"They like you. It happens that way. A bot or two will decide they belong to you personally."
The bots continued to stare at her, giving Tish the oddest sensations. They weren't just curious. They were staring up at her because… it was her.
"Or is that the other way around?" Tish asked with a hesitant laugh.
Rachel let out a loud infectious laugh. She punched Tish in the arm. "Good one!"
An alarm beeped from both of their wrists. Arthur's voice shouted, "Hull breach near Sector 3122 Maintenance Shaft 2. Self-repair systems have failed. I need all maintenance personnel here now."
Tish tensed. "That doesn't sound good."
Rachel didn't smile at all. "It's not. Follow me, I know a fast way. I hope you don't get motion sick."
CHAPTER NINE
TISH DIDN'T HAVE time to ask the other woman what she meant. With her tool cart in tow, Rachel took off in a run and Tish had a hard time keeping up. The bots had no trouble at all, gliding as fast as Rachel ran, their whistles, beeps, and squeals reinforcing the atmosphere of stress.
The things couldn't even talk, and yet they got their point across. When she had time, she was going to have to think about that part.
Rachel disappeared around a corner. When Tish caught up with her she was folding herself into a smaller maintenance pod than the one she'd ridden in before. Rachel's bot settled into a compartment in the back.
Tish slipped into the front facing seat next to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the three bots that had been following her heading for the back of the pod.
Rachel touched the small control panel. "Sector 3122 Maintenance Shaft 2, and don't spare the speed. Oh, and put on the seat restraint, Tish."
The door closed next to Tish while she struggled with the shoulder harnesses. "Do you think the computer is going to understand that?"
Rachel didn't have a chance to respond. The moment the door closed the pod shot forward, dropping down into an opening appearing in the floor. The one headlight at the front of the pod illuminated a small tube, just the right size for the pod. They zigzagged back and forth and up and down while the pod picked up speed every moment.
Tish reached out to brace herself against the door to keep from getting slammed around so much. She was going to have bruised shoulders where the harness bit into her.
Rachel's shoulder bumped into hers. "Better than a carnival!"
"It wasn't like this yesterday," Tish said, trying to keep her head from hitting the door window.
"No, just in emergencies."
The answer helped a little. Good, she didn't have to worry about how much she ate before arriving for work on a typical work-day.
The pod spiraled downwards so fast it left her stomach near the location of her throat. The descent stopped abruptly and instead forward motion took its place. A sharp ramp appeared ahead of them. The next moment they were in another maintenance corridor and coming to a quick halt.
Tish let out a long breath, allowing herself to relax against the seat.
"No time for rest. We have a problem to fix." Rachel unhooked her harness and nudged her out of the pod.
Tish stepped out and away on shaky legs. The corridors leading away from the miniature transport platform had the appearance of the others. All pipes, boxes, odd nodules and conduits running back and forth, weaving in among each other and appearing and disappearing into the walls, ceilings and floors.
It looked just like where they'd left. "You're sure we're here?"
"Don't worry, we're here," Rachel said pointing up at a range of symbols on a plaque towards the ceiling.
More geometric shapes, but in a different configuration than the valve box. "You can read that?"
"No, I can feel it." She waved at the bots detaching themselves from the pod. "Come on, bots. We have work to do."
The same three lined up behind Tish as she followed Rachel into the maze of corridors. Some of it looked exactly like where they'd been before, while other areas took on a bizarre shimmering effect, making her doubt where the hard surfaces were. With it came a buzzing at the back of her head.
"Repair or containment fields," Rachel said, pointing to one of the shimmering surfaces. She lifted her identification band. "Boss, we're on the west side of the problem area. Where do you want us?"
"Everywhere," Arthur Getty responded. "I'm at the main power relay and I'm close to reactivating. It looks like there's another problem with the relay on the south side. There might be a computer relay down, as well, on the northeast."
Tish looked up at another plaque. Why didn't someone add new plaques in Galactic Standard to help out people like her? And directions of a compass?
"The relay repairs won't do any good if the computer relay is shot," Rachel said.
"And don't I know it!" Frustration came through the words loud and clear. "The breach is threatening an evacuation of several sectors. We need to lock it down fast."
Rachel gave Tish a pained expression even as she answered, "We'll head for the other power relay. I think my bot and I know how to take care of that one."
Too many places to be and not enough of them. It made her wish she were past the training phase and could actively help.
Tish stared down a juncture of a corridor and pointed, suddenly sure. "Computer relay is that way and up two flights?"
Rachel dropped her band and stared at her. "Yes, it is. Think you can get there?"
"Sector 3122 Maintenance Shaft 2, computer relay on the northeast side," Tish repeated, finding the words rolling off her tongue. She glanced down at the three bots looking up at her. "These guys can lead me if I get lost. I won't guarantee knowing how to get back, though."
"Fix the thing and I'll gladly hunt you down."
"Deal."
But the moment Rachel was out of sight the feeling of certainty deserted her. Alone on a spaceship that didn't even have useful signage? Fixing a system she'd never seen before? Feelings about her location just appearing within her head? Was she nuts?
When her footsteps faltered, one of
the bots took the lead, whistling encouragement. Tish stepped it up, climbing two sets of metal ladders to higher levels, the bots levitating up behind her.
Okay, she could do this. She could find it.
But looking at the tangle of blackened conduits, singed metal pieces, and sparking wires hanging out of the small cul-de-sac of the problem area corrected her thinking. Finding the place wasn't the problem. Fixing it would be, and the area looked fried. Smelled fried, too, and not in an appetizing way.
But the bots knew no such hesitation. They charged forward, arms, tools, and probes appearing from all points in their bodies. Tish moved forward to help move and hold various parts while the bots started the work of repairing the area. Her feet tangled with the tools and arms, almost causing her to fall into the mess.
One wanted aluminum. She fumbled through the pouches on her belt, trying to remember Rachel's recital of what was in each, until she found it. But then she lost track of which bot has asked for it. They were moving around too fast. The bot asked again, and Tish realized it had moved up near the ceiling.
Another asked for silicon as it raced by her feet, nearly upending her in its speed. The other water.
Water?
And then Tish lost track of everything any of them wanted. All three bots were stark white, with no color or pattern to help her tell the difference. And they were so fast. Moving from one area to the next in the blink of an eye.
Tish stepped back. "Okay, wait. This isn't working."
All three bots stopped what they were doing and turned eyestalks towards her even while several arms continued to work.
Too bad Tish didn't have any paint so she could color-code them. But then, when the hatches and holes opened up when they were in a repair tizzy, she might loose that visual reminder as well. Or if they were ever cleaned? How well would paint stick to their outer shells?
She had to do something.
She grinned suddenly, her hands flying to her hair. "I know what to do."
In a few twists she had the holographic hair ties out of her ponytail. She reached for the closest bot and wrapped one near the top of one of its eyestalk. Three ties for three robots, and none left for her hair which fell uncontrollably down along her face and shoulders.
"There. Now I can tell you apart." She pointed to each of them in turn, choosing the names carefully. "Crimson, Violet and Aqua. Now, who wanted the silicon?"
Aqua responded. Finding the water was more difficult than the metals until she realized there were small tubes of various fluids in one of the pouches almost to her back.
A crackle on the far end preceded a great cloud of smoke. Tish coughed while the ventilation system worked to clear the air. The circling holographic colors of the hair bands became invaluable in seeing where the bots were and giving her warning before stepping on one.
She felt a tug on her sleeve. Crimson looked up at her, one of its arms tapping on her left wrist.
"What do you need?" Tish asked, her right hand on her utility belt. It continued to tap on her wrist, even when she moved it.
Right on top of her mobile computer.
Tish shook her head and pulled pellets of various metals out of the belt pouches. "My computer isn't available. Here, try these."
But Crimson would not be distracted. It followed her as she backed away, refusing everything she pulled out of her belt. Aqua turned as she passed, the eyestalks bobbing up and down, then joined Crimson.
Tish stopped backing up. Two sets of eyestalks stared up at her while the tapping continued. "Fine, you made your point!"
She slid the computer off her wrist in one fast movement, sliding the memory stick out of it before it dropped away into the waiting hands. She hoped she'd been wrong on what they'd wanted.
But no. With the device free from her wrist they grabbed it and proceeded to tear it apart between their fast-working hands.
Tish slid the memory stick down the front of her blouse before one of them could get an idea that they needed that, too. Aqua and Crimson whistled at each other. They backed away and raced into the smoke in different directions, each with pieces of her former computer.
Okay, the thing had needed replacement for a while, but now she had nothing. She didn't even know if there were any shops around where she could buy a new one once she saved up for it. Or get a wrist computer shipped to Redpoint One? How long would that take?
Tish sighed. Not good. What would she lose the next time?
A fit of coughing doubled her over as more smoke poured out of a crack between components on the wall. She backed away, her heel coming against something hard. Her arm went out as she tipped back, searching for anything to stop her fall.
Her forearm scraped against something hard and jagged, bruising her skin through the sleeve as she slid down it. She landed hard on the floor, her shoulder against the metal. The slightly cleaner air near the floor allowed her to breath again.
She heard a nearby squeal, but her eyes were watering too much to see which one of the bots it might be. She pushed herself to her hands and knees and crawled away from the source of gushing smoke.
A moving orbit of red appeared before the body of Crimson emerged from the smoke. It clicked at her, holding out a three-fingered metal hand.
Tish shook her head, gasping out, "What do you need?"
Crimson whistled urgently. Tish coughed while fumbling for a bead of titanium. But Crimson ignored it, whistling again.
"I don't understand. What do you want?" Tish stopped in a spasm of coughing.
She felt miserable. Her eyes stung and watered, her lungs ached to take in a deep breath of clean air. And she'd been doing so well figuring out what each of the bots needed for their repairs.
Crimson reached out and tugged on her sleeve, its whistle starting out low and rising in pitch. Tish moved forward towards the tug. Maybe Crimson could point to which pouch it needed.
But the more she moved forward, the more it backed away. Always whistling, and when she hesitated, reaching out to tug at her again.
Whatever. If the thing wanted her to follow, then she would follow.
Crimson picked up speed, calling her to follow. Tish did the best she could between the coughing fits. She didn't think it was her imagination that the smoke was growing denser. She had to stay right on top of Crimson to keep it in sight.
Her hands detected a rib in the surface of the floor. Past it, the floor took on a different texture. Crimson stopped and beeped at her, the arm gesturing towards her waist.
That request was plain and clear. Tish took off the belt and handed it over, but complained, "I thought I was supposed to dole it all out."
Crimson made a series of noises as it left her that sounded a bit too much like laughing.
Tish tried to follow, but hit her head on a solid metal wall in her way where one had not been before. She cradled her hurting head while another coughing attack seized her, squeezing her stinging eyes shut.
She reached out with her hands and crawled along the floor, trying to find a way around the wall. Where did Crimson go? She couldn't hear the bot at all. She cracked opened her stinging eyes, hoping to see the red hair tie.
To find the air cleaner.
Not only cleaner, but she could see the dusty light of the overhead lighting. Colored spots glowed on a wall across from her.
And it was getting better. With every moment the air cleared. Eventually she saw the wisps of moving smoke getting sucked up into the ceiling, revealing a small long white room with a heavy door with a small round portal sitting on opposite side.
She stood up, shaking a little on still-weak legs. A small portal in the door she stood next to showed nothing but dark smoke. Air she did not want to go back into.
She stumbled to the other side of the room to peer out the other portal. Perhaps it would lead to another part of the station.
Instead, it showed a view of the outside of the station. Of a starfield with a slow-moving spacecraft in the distance.
She turned her attention back to the small space. No cabinets to harbor spacesuits. The controls didn't look familiar. Did she dare play with them and lose her ability to breathe?
She lifted her identification band. Time to call for help.
But, it was no longer there.
Tish let her head rest against the glass of the portal looking into the station. She must have taken it off when she took off her personal computer.
Great. Now how did she get out of here?
CHAPTER TEN
ONE PART FIXED, and another broke.
Arthur knew he should just roll with it. Repair what was needed and move on to the next problem. But, today he viewed it as a personal affront. The station might be old, but the self-repair systems kept it in good shape.
Except for lately.
It bothered him. Why now? Had Redpoint One suddenly reached the end of its life-cycle?
A bot bleeped at him, a hand extended up to him. Arthur rummaged in his belt and dropped several capsules of graphite into the waiting hand. The bot left him, squeeing to itself contentedly.
Arthur turned back to tightening the harness holding a power conduit firmly in place. He leaned back and closed the hatch, slipping a tool back into a loop on his belt.
A resounding crack had him ducking to the floor, covering his head with his arms. He heard the worried whistle and shrill calls of bots from all sides. He glanced back as one of them raced past him.
Sparks flew from secondary power relay. Bots converged, some reaching out with hands and tools, while others sprayed out a fire-retardant mist.
He picked himself off the ground, frowning at the new problem. The bots would have to tackle that one. He didn't want to mess around with the central power structure. The one time he'd tried had been a total failure.
A bot whistled up at him. He looked down to find two eyestalks staring back up at him so close to his face that he jerked back.
"And what can I do for you?" Arthur asked.
The bot whistled again and backed away. It turned and raced a short distance down the corridor. It stopped to look back at him.
Coffee Cup Dreams (A Redpoint One Romance) Page 7