Chapter 112: 111. Enough

"The left-hand lift motor is shot," Sarah explained. "Literally. And we don't have anything on board that's even remotely compatible. Without that the loader's only got the right-hand actuator, and that's not enough to pick up a full container."

Rebecca had a sip of her whiskey then asked, "So we can move the last two containers right up to the door, but we can't get them off the ship? Is that what you're saying?"

Our cute engineer nodded, "Not without scavenging a replacement motor from someplace."

"I'm sure Cam's got twenty of the damn things squirrelled away in his garage," Ella grumped. "Just go help yourself. Assuming you can find one in all the trash and chaos of that rat's nest he calls a home."

The five of us were in the Demeter's mess for our little meeting, after Rebecca decided she'd had enough of the mayor's office. And our captain poured everyone a double measure of whiskey, except Jenny of course. The android was seated with the rest of us, while her primary self continued to work with Cam down in the Re/Gen pod. It would be another six hours or so before the local mechanic was back with us.

Sarah shook her head as she responded to Mrs. Wheeler, "Sorry ma'am, but I wouldn't appreciate another mechanic digging through my engine room uninvited. So I'll always extend that same courtesy to my fellow engineers. And if they do have a replacement motor someplace, they'll be able to do the swap themself once they're all healed up."

Ella scowled and took a swig of her drink, then turned her attention back to Rebecca. "So it's true then is it Becky? You stuffed my mechanic into that contraption? What are we gonna get back in return, another soft delicate girl? And what in hell am I gonna tell folks happened to him?"

Both Sarah and I cringed slightly while Rebecca took a deep breath then sighed softly.

She apparently decided to ignore the older woman and turned her attention to Sarah instead. "Worst case scenario and the loader can't be fixed, what else can we do?"

"Unload the containers manually," the cute blonde replied with a shrug. "According to the manifest one of them's loaded with sacks of flour, the other one's full of seed. I can move the containers up to the airlock, there's enough room in the main hold to swing them around so the container doors face the ramp. Then it's just manpower to carry the contents out one sack at a time."

She added, "It's not an ideal situation but I'm sure the people here would help, considering it's to keep them all alive until the drought's over."

"Do you know how long that'd take missy?!" Ella scoffed. "Those sacks weigh thirty kilos apiece, and there's gotta be a few hundred of 'em in each container!"

This time instead of ignoring her, Rebecca finally snapped at the older woman. "The other option is we take off with the main airlock open then nose the ship forward and tip them out as we leave! Frankly I've had more than enough of your bullshit. If you don't have anything positive to contribute Mrs. Wheeler then get the hell off my ship! I assume you still know the way out?"

I cringed again as the mayor scowled at our captain. Then instead of some sort of angry come-back, the older woman's expression broke into a wry smile.

She actually chuckled, "I was wondering how long it'd take before you pushed back. I guess you ain't all soft after all, girlie. Back when you was the man I used to know, you wouldn't put up with any shit whatsoever. Let alone two solid days of it. I guess that's just one of a hundred things what's changed about you though, ain't it Becky?"

That surprised me, and for a moment I wondered if it was some kind of game the two of them used to play back when they were together. Like insulting each other or trying to push each other's buttons. I could definitely picture it, my older brothers were like that with each other back when they were in their teens. And it wasn't hard to imagine a couple tough marines acting that way too, each trying to get a rise out of the other.

The captain didn't smile back though. Instead she sighed as she got to her feet, while her eyes remained fixed on her former lover. And in a firm voice she stated, "I told you to get off my ship. I will pick you up and throw you off myself if I have to. Last chance to leave with whatever dignity you still have intact."

Ella's smile faded and the frown returned. She knocked back the last of her whiskey then got up out of her chair as she grumped, "Fine. I guess you really have changed."

"I grew up," Rebecca replied calmly. "Now let's go."

Mrs. Wheeler sighed but didn't argue the point. As the two of them started aft towards the lift the older woman commented, "If Cam's gonna turn out like the rest of you people you may as well keep him. Folks around here weren't too friendly towards him at the best of times. They ain't gonna be very understanding if some pretty young thing turns up and tries to tell people she's him."

"Noted," was all the boss said before the two of them descended on the lift.

After waiting a couple minutes to be sure Rebecca and the mayor were well out of earshot Sarah grimaced, "Well that was an ordeal."

"Indeed," Jenny agreed.

"Unfortunately we'll probably have to deal with her again tomorrow," I sighed. "We still need to unload those last two containers, one way or another. And we won't have Jace around to help keep his mom busy."

The android asked, "How is our customer doing?"

I replied, "He's resting in bed now, back at the mayor's house. I got all the bullet fragments out of his leg and mended the muscle damage as best I could with what I have in my medkit, but he'll be in bed for at least a week. He'll probably need crutches for another two weeks after that. He'll make a full recovery though, assuming he follows my instructions."

"That's good news at least," Sarah responded. "Too bad it wasn't enough to make his mom happy."

I made a bit of a face as I pointed out "I get the feeling nothing can make that woman happy. She seems to be permanently grumpy."

"It's her way of dealing with difficult emotions," Rebecca said as she rejoined us. She didn't come up with the lift this time, she used the starboard ladderway instead. "She's always been like that, even back when we were in the service together. If something got her upset she'd start mouthing off and pushing people around, looking for a fight. She tended to keep it up until someone kicked her ass or she got thrown in the brig for a three-day cool-down."

The captain poured herself another drink, and topped up my and Sarah's glasses as well before she took her seat. Then she added, "I'm not making excuses for the woman. Frankly I'm done putting up with her crap. Just wanted you all to know, she probably doesn't have anything personal against the three of you. She's obviously under a ton of pressure, worrying about her people with the drought. Now she's lost a few of them, and a few more have been hurt including Jace."

After a sip of whiskey she continued, "On top of all that she's dealing with the knowledge that the man she used to love, who she thought died three decades ago, is still alive but is happily living as an eighteen-year-old girl."

We were all quiet for a few moments, then Jenny asked "And what about you captain? You're also coming to terms with some similar upheavals. The fuel situation, concerns for your ship and crew, and being reunited with her after so long."

Rebecca had another sip of whiskey then shrugged. "I'm dealing with it a hell of a lot better than she is. On the other hand, I think once we finally get off this rock I'm going to need a few days to myself? So Amanda, Sarah, please don't take it the wrong way if I spend some time hiding in my cabin after we lift off. I'm sure I'll be more than happy to rejoin the two of you before long."

"Of course boss," our blonde girlfriend replied. "We understand. Amanda and I will give you as much space as you need. As long as you don't mind us checking in now and then, incase we start to think it's been a little too long?"

I nodded in agreement, "We're all here for you Rebecca, but we don't want to crowd you either."

She smiled, "Thanks. All three of you."

"Amanda," she added a moment later. "Could I impose on you to fix us some dinner? It's been a long day, and I'm sure we could all use a good meal."

"Of course," I replied as I got to my feet. "After we eat I was thinking I might turn in and sleep till midnight. Cam will be done about then, and I'll want to be there to see them when they wake."

Sarah suggested, "Maybe I should be there too? Us mechanics tend to talk the same language, so I might be able to help if they're feeling a little uneasy about the whole thing."

"I'll leave that with the pair of you then," Rebecca decided. "At least one of us will get a good night's sleep, and we'll see what tomorrow brings us."

You are reading story Daughters of Demeter at novel35.com

After another sip of her whiskey the boss added, "When you talk with Cam, let them know what the mayor said? About maybe not being welcome here anymore I mean. I'm not offering them a job, but we can give them a lift if they like."

"Will do," Sarah agreed.

The three of us had another nice meal. Thanks to all the food we had on board we'd be eating well for quite some time in fact. Then when we were finished eating Rebecca offered to do the washing up so me and Sarah could turn in right away.

We took her up on that, and we didn't even fool around too much once we were in bed. Mostly because as soon as we were laying down the exhaustion hit us hard. It was a long busy day after all, with a lot of stress and tension from start to finish.

Sarah and I both had a good sleep, but it was much too short. The alarm I set roused us, and we both dragged ourselves out of bed and pulled on some clothes. When we emerged from our cabin we found Jenny waiting in the mess.

"We have a few minutes to go," the android said with a sympathetic smile, "So if you two want coffee first there's time."

"Oh and the captain left this out for you to take to Cam," she added, as she gestured to a folded set of grey coveralls and a pair of slip-on shoes.

Sarah grinned, "I wonder where these things keep coming from. Do you think she has a hidden cache of them somewhere?"

I moved to the autochef and got myself a coffee as I replied, "My guess is either she or Gabe bought a whole case of them at some point?"

Sarah giggled softly as she got some coffee as well, then suggested "After we install a locker down there we should find the case and stuff it inside. At least that way they'll be handy."

"Good idea," I agreed.

We had about five minutes to enjoy some coffee before it was time to head down to the lower deck. Our half-full mugs went in the sink, then I grabbed the clothes as we left the mess. There was just under a minute left on the timer when Sarah and I arrived, so we didn't have much longer to wait.

Right on schedule the pod unsealed with a hiss, then the door rotated back to reveal the rejuvenated mechanic. And the first thought to cross my mind was that coveralls weren't going to work after all.

Cam's eyes opened and they sat right up then immediately looked down at themself with an excited grin on their face. They sounded almost giddy as they exclaimed in a very feminine-sounding high-pitched voice, "Wow! It's real! It's really real!"

"It really is," Sarah responded with a smile. "How are you feeling Cam? And are you ok with that name, or would you prefer something else?"

They nodded as they hopped out of the pod and started a long stream of chatter while all three of us continued to look them over.

"Yeah, I'm still Cam. Thanks for asking though! Um, I'm not a guy though obviously? I mean, I guess I never really was, despite evidence to the contrary. Evidence which no longer exists, so yay for that. And um, despite the new evidence I'm not sure how I feel about being a girl either? Jenny said I didn't have to pick, she even suggested pronouns that weren't he or she? So, they and them I guess? And is that clothes for me? Oh and do you have my locket? It's important. I don't need the glasses anymore though, which is kind of wild to be honest? And exciting. Actually I think a lot of this is wild and exciting!"

I could see they were shorter than they used to be. They were only a couple inches taller than myself now, right in between me and Sarah in terms of height. They were slim, their body had all the usual feminine curves including wide hips, a narrow waist, and a very aesthetically-pleasing chest.

Their hair was lighter than before, it was actually more of an amber blonde colour now. That matched the fur on their feline ears and their long fluffy feline tail, which was swishing around behind them non-stop. Their eyes were amber now too, just a few shades darker than their hair. And their pupils were vertical ovals rather than circular.

"I'll grab the locket," Sarah said as she moved to the shelf where we left the mechanic's things.

Meanwhile I offered them the slip-on shoes, "These will be a bit large on you but they'll do for now. The coveralls aren't going to work with your tail, though. And it'd be a bit big on you regardless."

Cam reached out and took the garment anyways as they shrugged, "Got anything sharp? We can poke a hole in the back and I'll thread my tail through."

"Oh!" they hesitated. "Unless y'all want them back again? I don't want to damage them if someone's going to be needing them later."

Sarah handed over the locket then gestured, "There's a utility knife in the workshop, we can use that."

Cam slipped the necklace over their head as another big grin appeared on their face, "Oh can I come see? I've never actually been on a ship before, all this is really exciting!"

They didn't even bother covering up as the three of us went aft to the workshop, and by the time we got there they'd already changed the subject again.

"How bad was my loader damaged?" they asked as they looked around, taking in everything with wide eyes. "Is it fixable? The mayor's probably going to yell my fuzzy ears off for getting hurt before I finished the job."

I finally put a hand on their shoulder and said, "Just calm down ok Cam? You've been through an awful lot, and I'm glad you're taking it well but it's midnight and nobody's going to be doing any yelling at you. Least of all the mayor."

"Why, what happened?" they asked. Then their eyes widened, "Oh no, is Mrs. Wheeler ok? The raiders didn't get her did they?"

"She's fine," I replied. "Or, well she wasn't hurt in the attack. She's the same crotchety old grump she was before."

While I was talking with Cam my girlfriend took the coveralls and estimated where to cut a slit for our guest's tail. Then she handed them back, and the cat-kin climbed into the clothes without batting an eye.

They made some faces as they fed their tail through the new hole, then smoothed their fur out again and commented "Gonna hafta work on that. Mental note, pulling my tail backwards through a little hole is super uncomfortable. Anyways what were you saying about the loader?"

"Left-hand actuator motor was shot and we don't have a replacement," Sarah replied. "There was some other damage too, but I've already patched everything else."

Cam made a dismissive gesture, "I bet there's twenty compatible motors back at my garage. It'll probably take longer to find one in the junk than it'll take to install it. I can go work on that now, have it ready to go by morning."

"Jenny?" I asked as I glanced up in the direction of the intercom speakers. "Are you with us?"

The AI's voice responded, "Yes Amanda. If you're planning on leaving the ship to accompany Cam, I believe Rebecca would want at least one of you to be properly armed."

"Right," I grimaced. "We'll be back later. If Rebecca asks, let her know where we've gone."

Sarah had her toolkit with her as we left the workshop, and when we went through the secondary hold I picked up my carbine and the spare magazines from the shelf where I'd left them after the fighting. We unsealed the ship and all three of us headed out into the darkness, while Jenny sealed things up again behind us.