VALLORY REACHED THE back inside corner of the building, her arm feeling like it was going to pop out of its socket. Yes, do this earlier and grab one of those utility carts the show provided in the utility rooms. She used her exhibitor badge to get through the gate into the utility room.
Signs warned people away from everything on the right. Another warning sign marked a portion of the floor that would drop down into the station as a freight elevator. To the left lay the big door to the incinerator.
She pushed the bag into the opening and started the sequence as soon as the door closed. No organic contamination allowed to linger in this place. The biologist side of her approved, even while she worried about a different biological contamination.
She had an alien animal roaming around, and if she knew Penny, the little annoying creature wouldn't settle for exploring the busy local area.
No, she would head out to do some intense exploring of quiet remote areas.
A click and a brief beeping alarm signaled the freight elevator in use. Vallory stepped away from the floor now flashing in alternating red and white. The floor receded, then slid to the side somewhere under the building. A new 'floor' appeared to take up the space, several new canvas bags on it labeled as various sorts of cage lining.
"So, station, anticipating our need? Do you know where Penny is?" Vallory said to the floor. No one answered, but she didn't expect one. This was her problem, with her own little trouble-maker. Nothing to do but start the hunt.
Pulling out a pocket computer from the purse hanging angled across her torso, she found the guess correct. The tracking signal coming from Penny's collar indicated a good distance from the pet show.
Vallory hurried out of the building, using the signal to determine a direction. It led her right out of the grounds and down a level into the metal halls of the station, and still she wasn't close. Down another level and she came to an industrial area,with high ceilings and businesses and warehouses lining each side of the roads. At least, the wide space between felt like a road. There were even sidewalks running along both sides. How odd to be in a place where all the 'buildings' went all the way up to the tall ceilings.
No one on the busy sidewalks paid her any attention as she continued to follow the signal. She stopped at a dead-end side road where a large space allowed freight containers to turn around.
Vallory scowled at part of the wall. No freight containers there now, and no doors or passages to allow her to continue the race. Even if she could find a way to the other side, if she continued to delve further into the station she could also end up getting good and lost.
She put that out of her mind. She would deal with it when the time came. Right now, she needed to find Penny.
With regret, she pushed away from the wall to head away. She would need to find a different way to follow the signal. Maybe descend another level of the ring and then try to follow the signal again. Or, maybe she could find a corridor in the right direction by going onwards to the next ring section?
A small bot skimmed the ground past her, towing a miniature trailer with a pile of matte-white and shiny metal parts in the back of it. Such cute little things, with the bigger round shell and then a smaller front rounded shape out of which sprung the eyestalks. Half the size of Damien's, with a shiny half-oval red shell. Put some dots on it, and it could look like a ladybug.
No human in sight, and it appeared to be heading straight for the wall she'd been leaning against. "There's a wall there."
The bot gave her a high whistle, one of its short eyestalks glancing back at her as it continued forward at full speed.
Just before it hit the wall, a seam appeared in the surface. A door swung inwards revealing a long corridor with spaced lights. More than wide and tall enough for a human, and maybe even big enough for the cart Damien's bot was always towing around.
The computer beeped, telling her the signal was growing stronger.
The wall must have been interfering with the signal. Penny might not be all that far away after all. Before she could rethink the wisdom, Vallory stepped forward. She slipped into the corridor just before the door closed.
The small bot whistled again as it sped down the corridor with its small trailer. Vallory hurried after it, keeping it in view while also watching the indicated direction on the computer.
The corridor turned, and then split into two directions. She paused. The bot continued to the left, still speeding along. Obviously it knew where it was going and what job it needed to do.
Only, the signal said she should turn to the right. A very clear signal, but she hated to leave the bot. It didn't speak, but she'd felt better having it within shouting distance. With a heavy sigh, she forced herself to turn to the right.
"Penny, don't do this again," Vallory said at the corridor and to anyone who was listening. It would be too much to hope Penny was listening, much less obey.
She shivered as she was forced to take another turn. Her suppressed fear of getting lost burst forth with renewed strength. She didn't know how she would get out of the area, and she hadn't seen any of the helpful computer panels that were spaced along the regular halls, larger corridors, or streets of Redpoint One.
"Penny, where are you?" Vallory called out. Maybe she should have gone back for Damien to help her with this. He would know the station and how to find his way around, as well as the secret doors that led to the public areas of the station.
The computer stayed locked on Penny. That was a good thing. What a relief that the collar stayed on them when they decided to make one of their escapes. If it didn't, she would be up a creek without a paddle. The previous biologist who worked with them had tried to insert a tracking device under the skin. That didn't go well, and the daubpups had avoided his presence ever since. Hence her taking over the study, and later, their care.
Another shiver ran through her. Did the temperature just drop? She rubbed an arm with her free hand as she made another turn. "Come out, Penny. It's time to go back."
Another shiver, but this time not due to temperature. She paused among the pipes, conduits, boxes, and other shapes running along all sides of the corridor. Only the floor remained flat. Everything else was filled with, well, stuff.
The place didn't feel right. Not like at first when she first followed the small bot into the corridors. She tried to remind herself that of course the back rooms and utility corridors of the station would look like this. Raw, industrial, and yes, alien. She'd expected that. Redpoint One, after all, had been built by a long-lost alien species. Xenobiologists didn't even know what they looked like, only that they must have been around the same size as humans to judge from the size of the rooms, corridors, and access-ways.
She shivered again, goosebumps appearing up and down her arms. A cold sweat chilled the back of her neck.
The station. Something felt wrong in this area. It had to be this area. She'd been fine when going through the other parts, just worried about getting lost.
Not here.
The shadows grew darker. The air temperature dropped. A soft ping echoed down from somewhere further down the corridor. She caught her breath at the sound of a metal clang.
"Penny?" She hated how her voice cracked. She cleared her throat.
Realizing she was holding her breath, she forced herself to let it out. It didn't help the tension in her lungs, or the rest of her body.
A light blinked out.
Vallory stared up at it, eyes wide. Why did it go out? There weren't all that many along the length of the corridor to begin with.
A hum split the air, causing her to jump, the soft noise loud to ears so attuned to her surroundings.
A hum? Where was that coming from? It sounded like behind her.
She turned, seeing something move in the shadows. A large movement. Something that went all the way from floor to ceiling. It felt wrong. It shouldn't be moving. She didn't know why, but she knew nothing should be moving.
She forced herself to take a step towards it, to try to see what it could be. Then another.
Vallory gulped. A door? A door was closing?
The chill on her skin turned to freezing as a fresh sweat broke out. Suddenly, the distance between her and the slowly closing door seemed a light-year away.
Not that far. She repeated that words to herself as she broke into a run. She could get to the other side before it closed if she ran fast enough. She was in pretty good shape. She could run fast for a sprint. Just for a short distance.
Penny could take care of herself. All the daubpups could. Nothing she'd seen so far could keep them contained if they didn't want to be. Penny could get out even if the door closed.
Which meant she needed to worry about herself. Needed to get to the other side of the door. Her feet pounded against the metal floor of the corridor.
So close.
A flash of copper.
Vallory skidded to a halt instinctively. She whirled around just in time to see Penny coming out of a pipe and wall, solidifying into her solid form to perch on top of a front pipe.
Penny cocked her head at her and squeaked before giving a pleased hum.
"Now's not the time. We have to get out of here." Vallory shoved the computer into her purse as she rushed forward. Penny allowed herself to be picked up and cradled in both of her arms.
That was, until Vallory turned back towards the closing door.
Penny let out an angry yowl, sounding like a wild alley cat. Her soft paws prickled with tiny claws that dug into Vallory's skin. Then she tried to climb over Vallory's shoulder.
Daubpups weren't really big, but still the size of a medium-sized dog. Enough to make that climbing uncomfortable.
"We need to leave, Penny. Stop it!"
Which Penny ignored, of course. She planted all legs on Vallory's shoulder, pushing her head to the side with the big body there. Vallory trying to catch her didn't work. Penny launched herself right back to the pipe behind them.
Vallory whirled back, shaking her hair back away from her face. "Fine, stay here. Come to me on the other side when you are ready…"
The words trailed off. Her steps backwards also faltered.
All because of the sight of a new moving shape. A small one on the same pipe as Penny, nuzzling Penny's front chest. One with a stripe of Penny's copper fur, but then also stripes of gold and a deep emerald green.
What little air remained in Vallory's lungs expelled.
Another daubpup. One only as big as Penny's head. It could be only one thing...
A small baby daubpup.
She held her breath as she stared. So beautiful. So cute.
But, here and now? Why?
A sharp clang echoed down the corridor.
With horror she looked back at the door. How could she forget about it closing?
The door stood still, half closed over the entrance of the corridor. Good, still time to get through and out of this crazy part of the station.
Vallory turned back to the daubpups, lifting Penny from the pipe. "We can't wait. Come on, bring your baby."
Penny cooed at the new little daubpup, who looked up at Vallory with large nervous eyes. Big round eyes with the same copper flecks among the brown that Penny's had. Vallory didn't want to scare it, but they really needed to get out of the corridor. She held out an arm to it.
"Time to go, little one," Vallory said in the softest voice she could manage.
A small soft paw reached out to rest on her arm. Then another. Yes, the baby was getting braver, especially with several pounds of it's mother cradled to Vallory's chest.
A clang, one that set all three of them jumping, preceded the door starting to close. The baby squeaked in protest as Vallory picked it up and set it on the back of Penny.
"Sorry, time to run!" And that she did. Not easy to run fast with her arms full, but at least they were all together.
The solid bulk of the door grew, blocking off the width of the corridor. Barely enough to get by now, if she could reach it in time.
With a shriek of metal, and other undefined noises, the door slammed shot with one violent jerk.
Vallory came to a stop only a few steps away.
It had been moving so slowly before, and only now it decided to close fast? Did the station want to trap her in this area for some reason?
"Anyone there?" Vallory asked, her voice breaking. Silly. If she really wanted to know, she should yell.
As she drew breath into her lungs to let out a suitable yell, the other lights in the corridor turned off in unison. In the pitch black that surrounded her, she lost the air in her lungs. No lights no matter how she turned. The lights in the side corridors must have turned off, as well. Nowhere was there even a glimmer. No side glow. Nothing.
She hugged Penny closer, focusing on the feel of the soft fur brushing against her skin.
She felt a paw at the base of her throat. A tiny paw, soon followed by another higher up. Vallory smiled despite herself. The baby. It was using her to climb. Just like the adults, they loved to climb. All daubpups loved to climb. The instinct must start from birth.
"Okay, we have a problem," Vallory whispered, trying to control her shivers. Hard to, considering how heavy the darkness weighed, pushing in from all directions. So heavy, so cold.
What direction should she go? She briefly considered setting Penny on a shoulder so she could use her hands to feel her way along the wall. Maybe find another way out, such as a door.
She dismissed that idea. Penny was much too big to properly perch on her shoulder. Besides, the baby was now there, snuggling her neck with its tail trying to curl around the back of her neck. A baby that was humming to itself with happy little squeaks interrupting the humming.
"At least one of us is happy."
Penny gave a shake and let out a small yip. Still staying there, though. That was a good sign. Maybe Penny was done getting into trouble today.
Vallory inched to the side, trying to find the wall with her elbow. It shouldn't be too far…
And froze again.
A new light source glowed among the inky blackness, blue and soft. The color shifted, turning to a deep red. All of it coming from the bundle in her arms.
Penny craned her head to look up at Vallory, her eyes glowing copper.
Vallory let out another breath. "Right. The notes mentioned sometimes glowing."
As in, observed only once during a moonless night by one of the first biologists to describe the daubpups. No wonder she didn't think of it.
Penny pushed at her arms, and with one quick movement, jumped to the ground. The baby continued to nuzzle Vallory's neck right under her ear, apparently in no hurry to follow Mom.
Penny shook herself, the glow following the movement of fur. With a pleased yip, she started trotting down the corridor.
Vallory followed, putting both hands out in front of her. Her eyes adjusted, allowing her to see the reflection of Penny's glow on the nearest pipes and conduits. Barely, but it was enough to keep from running into anything.
"Don't get too far ahead," Vallory whispered. Both Penny and the baby gave a short hum in response.
Penny's glow disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. A second later, Vallory's hand touched a wall.
"Penny, get back here. I can't go through walls," Vallory said out loud.
In the absence of Penny's glow, the baby's glow started to show. A soft pink, barely lighting the top of Vallory's shirt. Vallory lifted her hand to stroke its soft fur. "Mom should be back soon."
At least, she hoped so. How long would it take Penny to realize they weren't behind her?
Her. Now that was an interesting thought. She now had evidence of a gender for one of the daubpups. That was, if genders among the species could be described in a known manner.
As if in response, Penny reappeared, her deep red glow bright in the pitch black. Penny looked up at her, setting a paw on the wall.
"Penny, you know I can't go through a wall. Find a door," Vallory said.
Penny disappeared again. Vallory blew at the hair falling into her face. It really was hard to tell how intelligent they were. Sometimes it seemed they understood what she said to them. She really hoped this time was one of those.
"Please, Penny. I can't go through walls," Vallory said when Penny reappeared. To which, Penny gave a frustrated squeal. Not a good sound, and if she decided to head off with her baby, Vallory might be in a lot of trouble.
Penny headed back through the wall. With only her glowing tail still in sight, a new light appeared to the side and towards the bottom of the wall. A bright brilliant white light that made her eyes water.
It grew in size and intensity. She squinted at a form appearing in the middle of the light. A familiar oblong rounded shape with two lines standing straight up at one end. The shape whistled at her, the two lines bobbing.
A bot. One of the station bots.
"Damien?" Vallory asked, her voice cracking. Please, let it be him. Let him have found her. She edged along the wall towards the light, her eyes slowly adjusting.
The bot whistled at her urgently, backing back into the light. Vallory moved faster, dropping to her knees in front of the opening.
The red bot waited for her on the other side, along with its small hovering trailer. The same one she'd followed into the corridors in the first place. It came back for her!
With a lifted heart, she dropped to her hands and knees and started crawling through the hatch. The baby clung to her shoulder all through it, humming and squealing so much like her mother liked to do, that it made Vallory want to laugh.
She pulled her legs through the hatch, back into a bright corridor. Penny appeared out from the wall and bounded over to them. With a paw on Vallory's folded legs, she reached up to rub noses with the baby. Vallory scratched Penny along the back, eliciting more happy noises.
To the bot, she said, "Thank you for coming back to me. I don't know what happened in there. I didn't touch anything."
But, maybe Penny and her baby did as they walked back and forth through walls? Could they have triggered something?
The sound of a deep horn sounded through the corridor. So low that she felt it more than heard it. The small bot looked up at the ceiling at the same time as the rest of them. The sound faded away to be replaced by harsh slams and clangs. Including one directly next to them.
Vallory stared at the hatch she'd just climbed through. A solid piece of metal blocked the way. A bulkhead? Whatever it was, somehow she knew it wasn't going to open now. Not even for the bot. She also knew, as if from instinct, that the other side still lay in silent darkness.
This part of the station felt normal. They were safe here, she reminded herself.
And yet, she still shivered.