Chapter Text
Joyce stomped up the bus steps, ignoring the excited voices of her classmates as they climbed onto the bus behind her. It wasn't that she didn't want to go but this wasn't the museum she'd voted for for their history class end of year Junior class trip.
Her sister Darlene lived and breathed flying. Joyce wouldn't be surprised if she didn't join the Air Force. At this point Joyce felt like she could give a tour of the Wright Brothers museum, the Air Force museum, or the Aviation Hall of Fame with her eyes closed, she'd spent so many weekends dragged there by her father and Darlene. Why couldn't they go to an art museum instead? Or even something else? A historical park even.
Grumbling, she slid into a seat near the back, slumping back, and staring out of the bus window.
"Joyce!" Betty, her bubbly best friend, said, sitting down next to her. "Why so glum?"
"Stupid museum," Joyce said, turning to glare at her. "Stupid Wright Brothers."
"What's wrong with the museum?" Betty asked, staring at her. "No classes today, and we get lunch. And maybe there will be some cute pilots."
"The Wright Brothers, Betty! They're only cute if you like fossils, or pimply boys. There are enough of those on the bus," Joyce said. "There's a new exhibit this week at the Institute."
"Don't be such a grump," Betty said. "I don't think you'd like your precious art museum with this lot running around." She waved at the rest of the bus. "What are you doing this summer?"
"Same thing as always," Joyce said, sighing. "Working in the shop. Shelving books. Reading."
"You need to find something fun to do," Betty said. "Want to work at the drive-in? My Dad might have an opening. Sally wants to go visit Grandma this summer."
"My Mom would never agree to that," Joyce said. "Too many grubby boys hanging out."
"Movies and senior boys," Betty said, smirking. "It'll be grand."
Joyce just shook her head, and turned back to the window, watching the traffic as the bus lumbered towards the museum.
Joyce wandered aimlessly around the museum exhibits. She'd escaped the planned tour by ducking into the restroom near the entrance while they waited to be divided up into groups. She didn't think anyone would notice, with all of the chaos caused by thirty noisy teens.
She was leaning against a wall in a small alcove, pretending to read some exciting description of a visit to the Wright brother's bicycle shop, when she heard a small whining noise approaching. She looked around for the source as it got closer but couldn't see anything.
"Miss?" A mechanical voice said. "Assistance is required."
Joyce jumped when something cold poked her in her leg. Looking down, she was surprised to see a boxy looking thing, possibly a robot dog, with an antenna and the letters K9 on its side, in front of her, blocking her escape. "Where did you come from?" She squeaked.
"Assistance is required, Miss," the robot dog repeated, backup up into the empty hallway.
"Me?" Joyce said, staring at it. "You need my help?"
"Yes, Miss," the dog said. "Mistress is experiencing difficulties and requires assistance."
"Your Mistress is having problems and you need my help?" Joyce said, trying to understand what was happening.
"Yes, Miss," the dog said. "Please follow." Turning, the robot dog led the way down a hallway Joyce had never been down before, in all of her visits to this museum.
"Who's your mistress?" Joyce asked, hurrying to catch up to the quickly moving creature.
"Mistress Romana, Miss," the dog said. "This way please."
The dog led her to a darkened storage room, before stopping in front of a large box with glowing windows. A door opened inward, and Joyce cautiously followed the dog inside. A short passageway led towards a shining light.
"Mistress, I have acquired assistance," the dog said, as they entered a large room. It looked like something out of some Disney movie, Joyce thought, staring around. There was a large column in the middle of the room, with crystal pipes growing up to the ceiling and all sorts of switched on panels surrounding it, reminding Joyce of something she'd seen in an old airplane.
There was a faint moan from the other side of the room, but no response.
"Please assist, Miss," the dog said. Joyce imagined she could hear some concern in the dog's robotic words.
Hurrying around the column, Joyce stopped when she saw a large pile of clothes. A blonde head of hair poked out of one end and bare feet from the other. Taking a deep breath, Joyce approach the person lying there. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Unknown," the dog said. "Mistress collapsed unexpectedly."
"What do I do?" Joyce asked. "Does she need to go to the hospital?"
"The infirmary would be preferred, Miss," the dog said.
"Should I move her?" Joyce asked. "They say you shouldn't move someone if they are injured."
"Transport to the infirmary is approaching," the dog said. Hearing a noise, Joyce looked up to see a floating stretcher coming through a door she hadn't noticed before.
"So, we need to get her on that and it will take her to this infirmary?" Joyce said.
"Yes, Miss," the dog said.
Nodding, Joyce moved over to guide the stretcher to the woman. "How do we get her on it?" she asked. As soon as she said it, the stretcher settled down on the floor next to the woman.
Joyce carefully maneuvered the stretcher next to the woman and tried to pick her up. She struggled for a minute before managing to get her head and shoulders onto the stretcher and then the rest of her one careful inch at a time. Once she was completely on the stretcher, Joyce tried to make her comfortable. "She's beautiful," Joyce murmured, looking down at her fragile looking face. Shaking her head at the thought, she looked at the stretcher for some clue for getting it to move. "Dog?"
"Yes, Miss?" the dog said.
"She's on the stretcher, the transport. How do I start this thing moving?" Joyce said.
As soon as she finished saying it the stretcher rose up into the air and started moving towards the door. Joyce jumped to her feet and followed it. It moved at a quick pace down a long hall, before entering a room.
"This is the infirmary?" Joyce said, looking at the large white room. There were counters and a cradle looking thing in the center of the room. The stretcher gently settled down onto the cradle. A red light moved across the stretcher and its occupant.
"Yes, Miss," the dog said.
"Now what do I do?" Joyce asked.
"You have assisted," the dog said. "You may leave."
"Is she going to be okay?" Joyce said, watching as the stretcher was covered with a glowing white light.
"Yes, Miss," the dog said. "Please follow."
Joyce reluctantly followed the robot dog out of the box, back down the hall, and into the museum before leaving her there. Just in time to catch the bus back to school.
"Where did you escape to?" Betty asked, sitting down next to her for the trip back. "I didn't see you anywhere."
"I was around," Joyce said, quickly discarding the idea of telling her friend about the strange encounter. She'd probably think she was making it up. Joyce isn't sure she believed it herself. A strange robotic dog asking for her help and that strange box in that back storeroom. And that blonde woman. It was all unbelievable.