Fun Fact about Australia: In May and June 1835, the area which is now central and northern Melbourne was explored by John Batman. who negotiated a purchase of 2400 sq km with Wurundjeri elders. Two years later, the settlement was named Batmania.

Such a pity they changed the name to Melbourne eh?

Chapter 20

Growing Tension

Living in an underground complex was nobody's idea of a perfect life and even though Calla was glad that she would not be trapped down there much longer, she was still quite happy to take advantage of the shower facilities in Doctor Spencer's quarters. Warm fresh water was very different to the cool salty equivalent and her shower had an odd little musical accompaniment as Sarah Spencer's cat Jeffery rolled around on the bathroom floor; the jingling of his collar bell joyfully filling the air. After she was finished dressing, she opened the door that led into the bedroom and heard Blues voice from the room beyond.

"I hope you don't mind it's just basic stuff" he was saying to Sarah "I going to go and help Willow's team get the entry tunnel re-opened so Calla can get back to her family."

As the young girl eavesdropped from behind the slightly ajar door, she began to feel a little guilty for the way she had been acting towards Blue. He had done so much for her and she had treated him quite poorly.

"The sooner she leaves, the better I'll like it" he continued.

"That's not very nice Blue" Sarah scolded.

"Yeah well... neither is she" he stated bluntly before leaving.

As soon as the door was shut, Calla came into the room with Jeffery the Jingle Cat following at her heels.

"Who does that little jerk think he is" she hissed.

"Oh you heard him?"

"I heard him alright, and I'll be glad to get out of here too and then I'll never have to see his ugly face again."

"Please forgive him Calla" Sarah begged "You have to admit it my dear, you have been a little terse with Blue. He's just confused because he's never met someone so young before; he just doesn't know how to behave around you."

"I'm not a kid you know; I'm almost fourteen."

"I'm thirty five and until today, I was the youngest person in Blues life; and I'm two years older than his mother."

"I thought you were his mother" Calla stated with surprise.

"No she died not long after Blue was born."

"Yeah we had a lady back in New Zealand who never recovered after giving birth; it's so sad" Calla sighed.

"It wasn't..." Sarah was going to say more, but the memory of the fiery explosion that took her friends life flashed through her mind.

"Yes it is sad" Sarah agreed.

Calla looked down at the tray of food on the table and her mouth began to water. It was an odd combination of fresh bread, a pasta Bolognese and salad with a fried egg on the side. Blue had called it basic but she could not remember the last time she had eaten anything half as good.

Blue spent the next several hours helping Willow Pascals team of engineers with a few of the surface vehicles needed when the exit was opened. The smaller electric machines only needed to have batteries fitted after they had been given thorough clean and systems check, but the larger ones with diesel engines needed to have a quite substantial amount of restoration work done. One of the most important tasks was having their tanks and fuel lines completely drained, so the fifteen year old fuel could be re-refined and tested before the motors were turned over.

"It's a bit different from setting up and testing an Electric Ion Drive, eh Amos?" Professor Adisa commented to one of the frustrated mechanics.

"I did NOT... expect to get stuck inside the 'OWW' engine bay of a twenty year old truck at THIS stage of my life!" Amos Hooke declared annoyingly.

"I'm sorry but we may need these vehicles if the ship is indeed intact."

"And if it's not, you WILL pay for this Linton."

"Of that my friend, I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever."

"Pass me that 'OWW ME FINGER', that 12mm box spanner and a rag."

"Say please" Linton grinned.

"JUST GIVE ME THE SPANNER OR BUG OFF!"

"Sorry Amos" the professor decided that teasing a mechanical engineer with a sore finger and bad temper was not the best idea he had come up with during his long and distinguished career.

After another few minutes of grunting, swearing and wriggling, Amos Hooke finally emerged from underneath the three and a half tonne four wheel drive with the vehicle's starter motor in hand. At the same time Blue arrived back from delivering a two hundred litre drum of diesel fuel to the chemical lab.

"Just in time lad" Amos handed over the small electric motor "give this a clean and a bench test. By the time you're done, I should have the coolant, sump oil and brake fluids ready for the lab too."

"Okay Mr. Hooke" he took the starter from Amos and almost dropped it; the small machine was heavier than it looked.

"Before you crawl back down there Amos, has Blue said anything to you about... well... anything really" Professor Adisa enquired.

"No he hasn't. I think he is looking forward to going outside for the first time, but he seems more annoyed than excited."

"Yes he does" Linton Adisa mumbled as he followed after the troubled boy.

"So I'll get back to work then, shall I? Amos Hooke asked no one in particular "Okay, yes why not."

"You seem ill at ease" the professor surprised Blue in the middle of a daydream.

"Oh hello sir; what makes you say that?"

"A few reasons Blue, including the fact that you are about to hook that twelve volt starter motor up to a twenty four volt truck battery" he smiled "Doctor Spencer called and told me what you said about Calla."

Blue was very annoyed, but not with Sarah. Living in a closed community meant nobody could keep any bad feelings bottled up for very long. He was aware deep down inside how his words would come back to haunt him as soon as he'd said them. At least he knew it was not gossip, but a genuine attempt to help him with his anger.

"I'm sorry sir, I tried to be nice to her but she doesn't make it easy" Blue lifted his head "You see this dry blood under my chin? She did that with a screwdriver after she fell on me and ever since then, she's been rude and dismissive."

"And is that a good enough reason to be just as rude to her Blue?"

"Don't tell me Doctor Spencer told Calla what I said?"

"No, the young lady heard you herself; don't forget she was very scared, so we certainly haven't seen her at her best."

"Yeah... well... she'll be gone soon so it won't matter."

"Do you really believe that Blue?"

"Well... no."

"Do you really want her to leave, thinking that you hate her?"

"ALRIGHT, I'll apologise" the young man relented.

"She seems to be quite prideful, so an apology may not be enough."

"Well she's not getting any more unless she apologises as well" Blue was adamant as he stormed off to get another battery.

Professor Adisa gave another one of his famous sighs as he shook his head; he knew once the ramp was opened, life would never go back to what Blue considered normal ever again.

Calla had to admit the food was good; in fact it was very good.

"So how come you didn't look at my arm instead of that other doctor? I don't think I would have been as nervous if it had been you."

"I'm not that kind of doctor" Sarah Spencer smiled "About ninety five percent of the people here have a doctorate in at least one field of study."

"So what are you then?"

"I'm a physicist but I also do a little engineering on the side."

"Oh... I have almost no idea what that means" Calla smirked.

The first four bars of Beethoven's Ode to Joy sounded out from the corner of the room, making Calla jump slightly.

"It's just someone calling me" Sarah Spencer explained as she arose and went over to her computer.

She pressed the F12 key and Blues face appeared on the screen.

"Oh hello there, and what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to speak to Calla; I assume she's still there."

"Yes she's here" Sarah admitted "but I'm not sure she'll want to..."

"It's alright" Calla interrupted "I'll speak to him."

The young girl rose from her seat and walked to the screen in a slow offish manor; when she finally arrived, Blue looked down at his feet as he talked.

"I err... wanted to apologise... for the way I spoke about you..." he began but did not get far.

"Yeah well, you should be" Calla burst out "I don't know what your problem is but you need to grow up."

"Well then" Blue huffed snidely "I'm glad we got that sorted. Someone will contact you when the surface tunnel is open and you'll be able to leave."

And with that said, the screen went blank.

"Okay then" Sarah crossed her arms and frowned "Now I'm on his side."

Calla did not say anything but she cursed her own short temper and wished she hadn't overreacted so quickly.

When the question is asked How much wood would a Woodchuck chuck, do they mean throw... or throw up?