A/N: If you were wondering how we suddenly have cows again, I have a theory about the cattle car incident, folks.

How much sense does it make that they would have all the cattle that are left in the world housed in one car? Or even in cars that are close together?

I think they were a little smarter about this, and while likely the incident with the cattle car and the broken window likely wiped out 10% of the cattle population, I by no means feel it was all of them.

And as that I have never actually seen that episode, I do not know if they ever even alluded to that incident wiping out the last of the cattle.

Hephaestus

Part XIV - Leadership 102

Heading for a sub-train access point, Hes did his best to avoid anything that might delay him from reaching his destination. But despite his best efforts, it still him the better side of an hour to reach the Night Car. He swore he couldn't walk down a single corridor that three people in it at the time didn't have some problem they had already decided that he was the only person on the train who could solve it.

Walking in, Hes immediately noted the woman behind the bar, who was equally already taking note of the new arrival.

Seating himself at the bar, Hes Immediately placed the order he had been looking forward to for the past hour.

"Would like finest glass of liquor on this train."

Maintaining her visual appraisal of the newcomer, Audrey grabbed a bottle off the shelf behind her along with a tumbler. Placing the glass on the counter, she began filling it with a smooth amber liquid.

"So you're the newest leader of the train." She stated in a less than enthusiastic tone.

"Aye. Hes is the leader of the train now." He confirmed with a pleased smile as he reached for the glass.

For once that title was going to get him something he was going to enjoy.

But a hand slapped itself over the glass as soon as he wrapped his fingers around it.

"Fifty work credits." Audrey informed him.

Hes looked up at the steel gaze fixed on him from under heavily lashed, dark eyes.

"Perhaps did not hear correctly." Hes answered her, keeping his smile in place as well as his hand. "Hes is the leader of the train now."

"And perhaps you didn't hear correctly." Audrey answered him with her smile fading into a solid line on her face. "Fifty work credits."

Hes gave a deep sigh. All he wanted was a chance to sit quietly for a short time and enjoy a good glass of liquor for a change. And all that seemed to stand between him and that hope was a currently very unpleasant looking barmaid.

"Hes is not looking to anger pretty barmaid..." he started.

Audrey's eyes narrowed a little more. "And two things will guarantee that doesn't happen." She replied.

"Which would be?"

"One, that Hes understands I am not a 'barmaid'. And two, he produces fifty work credits for that drink."

"But Hes is leader of train now. Drink is free."

Audrey gave him an assessing look. "No one drinks for free on this train, mister." She informed him. "Least of all in MY establishment."

Hes met her look with one of his own. "Is new law." He stated empirically, giving the glass a sharp tug. "Leader of train drinks for free."

Audrey's hand remained firmly on the glass. "That 'law' has not been voted on by the council, of which I am a member. And right now," she stated, leaning a little more over the bar so she was eye level with the man as she lowered her tone, "I can assure you how I'll be voting."

"But Hes is leader of train now."

"And our last leader didn't drink for free either." Audrey stated, giving the glass a sharp yank that dislodged it finally from Hes' grip. "So neither do you until the council votes on this new 'law'."

The man kept his tone just as level as the Night Car manager's. "Hes is the leader of the train." He repeated in a firmer tone.

Audrey didn't back down on inch. "And in a tyrannical rule, someone might actually care. But Snowpiercer is a democracy, sir. No 'one' makes the laws here. They can be suggested, placed before the council, and then the council votes on them." She added, giving the man her best hospitable smile. "But feel free to bring it up for a vote at the next meeting. Which is tomorrow night. And as 'leader', your attendance is mandatory."

Hes watched as Audrey uncapped the bottle, ready to pour the liquor back in with the rest of the contents.

He quickly decided on a different approach.

"Know, things could go well for you if you let Hes have that drink." He stated in a much friendlier, if not down right suggestive manner.

Audrey stopped and slowly turned back to him.

A quick smile came to the man's lips as he felt his new plan working.

But with the same charming smile, Audrey leaned down once again to eye level with the man.

"And things will go even better for you if you produce fifty work credits." She replied.

Just as Audrey turned to once again return the contents of the glass to the bottle, another man quickly stepped up to take a seat next to the metallurgist at the bar.

"Now that looks like a fine glass of your best liquor, Ms. Audrey." Layton quickly spoke up even as he sat down in the counter. "How about that one for my friend, and another one for me."

Audrey slowly turned back to the two men, then with a deep sigh handed Hes back his glass and poured a second one for Layton.

Hes turned a suspicious look to the train's former leader as Layton answered it with a pleasant smile.

"Why are buying Hes a drink?" Hes asked.

Layton's smile remained in place. "Because I never got to toast you on your new appointment. So when I saw you sitting here I thought this was the perfect opportunity." Layton answered him, lifting his own glass to the man. "So congratulations."

Hes stared back at him, the suspicion growing deeper as Layton took a drink from his own glass.

"Congratulations?" Hes asked. "To one who took your place?"

Layton gave the man an even wider smile. "Absolutely!" Layton replied, taking another drink from his glass.

The look remained. "Why?"

Layton's smile didn't fade in the least as he gestured to the man with his glass. "Do you know what I did today, Hes?"

The man studied Layton for a moment, then shook his head.

"I slept." Layton replied. "And not just for a quick nap, or a couple of hours. I slept for ten glorious hours." The smile remained happily in place. "I can't remember the last time I did that."

"Sleeping?" Hes asked, taking a slow draw off his glass.

Layton nodded as he took a sip from his own drink. "You don't get to do a lot of that in this job. Someone is always coming to you about something. One in the afternoon. One in the morning. Makes no difference to some."

"Already do that." Hes grumbled into his drink.

Layton turned to him. "Problems?"

Hes paused as he carefully fingered the glass in front of him, trying to figure out what Layton was actually there for.

"Hardly can walk through one car that someone is not stopping me for something. One complains about problems with feed for sheep..."

"Feed for the sheep?" Layton cut him off quickly. "Is that Malloray Thomson?"

Hes turned to him. "Aye." Came the less than enthusiastic reply.

"Never a slow one to exploit a new leader." Layton stated with a small laugh.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning Mallaroy tried the same thing with me when I took over the train. But after I had a talk with Ms. Cavill about it, she explained to me why the cattle get the majority of the feed and the sheep get just what they need."

Hes watched the man for a few moments.

"Which would be?" He finally prompted when Layton didn't continue.

Layton turned back to him, a more serious expression in place now.

"On the train you have to look at things in matter of importance, Hes. To be fair, the sheep can provide us with things the cattle can't. But while the sheep can also provide us with meat, people prefer beef. And for a little extra feed, one cow can feed seven times as many people as one sheep. Plus, we have more cows than sheep. So the cattle handlers get more feed."

Hes thought for a moment as he took another sip off his drink, then finally gave a small nod. "This makes sense." He stated, but then turned back to Layton with a suspicious look in his eyes. "What does not make sense is you."

Layton gave him a surprised look in return. "Me? Why don't I make sense?"

"Why helping?" He asked. "Should be happier to see Hes fail."

Layton finished his drink with a shake of his head. "Now that is where you couldn't be more wrong, Hes." He replied. "The last thing I'm interested in here is seeing you fail."

"Nice words." The man answered him with the same level tone. "But have not answered question. Why?"

Layton turned to his empty glass for a moment, then back to the man next to him. "Because back when I started leading the train I wasn't very good at the job either, Hes. But someone believed in me. And even though she didn't like the situation, she accepted it. Because more than anything she loved this train and she wanted every living thing on it to survive. She understood how important that was."

"Pretty little engineer."

Layton nodded. "Melanie hated loosing control of the train to me, but she loved the train more. So she helped me. She answered my questions, she guided me, and she was in my corner. I won't offer less to you."

"Then prove words."

"How?"

"Listen to Hes. Have been leader for one day. But have been in forge for weeks. Have walked around train, talked to others. Way things are being done is not always good. Especially with way parts are being distributed."

"In what way?"

"Have talk today with very angry little lady. She says, 'Need pipe.'."

"That would be Angela Makers. And she is feisty."

"Has reason." Hes replied. "She says to get part she must come to leader, who then authorizes part, then order goes through who knows how many others before order gets to forge. Why so many are needed?"

Layton considered the question. "Well, for a lot of reasons."

"Give Hes one."

"Because the metal for that pipe has to come from somewhere else."

"Comes from scavenged train car. Pretty little engineer explain this already."

Layton nodded. "And we have to closely monitor what is being used off that car. Each panel used. Each part that is taken. Each piece of metal has to be logged and accounted for."

Hes waved off his explanation. "Tell me something," He asked. "How much metal needed to make six foot pipe?"

Layton thought for a moment. "I think half a panel."

Hes quickly shook his head. "Depends. What is pipe used for? Hydraulics? Then eighteen pounds of metal is needed. And steel, not lead. Copper even better.

Metal is needed for screws, or bolts? Maybe needed for new panel, just new shape. Need steel for this." The man paused as he took a drink from his glass, then shook his head at the taste before turning back to Layton. "Have seen car that is being scavenged. Walked thorough it one night. Can tell you nearly to ounce how much car weighs. Know now every different metal on it. Are not scavenging it efficiently. When order comes, workers go in and take small part. Also they are not skilled at this. Many times have to have several go and get part, to make sure right metal is taken. Why? Car should be scavenged all at once. Parts moved to next car to be used. Sections marked off for certain metals. Everything categorized properly. This way no need to look for right metals or wonder how much is left. Go to other car and just look. Also, some metals are no good. Already too worn. Should be tossed from train to get rid of useless weight. And too much other materials going to waste. Just left sitting. Could also be recycled into other things. Plastics. Molding. All reusable."

Layton gave him a questioning look. "Wait! You can do that?"

Hes shrugged. "Not favorite materials. But can work with them. Softer than metals. Needs more care and less heat. But can be done."

"But I never saw you work with anything but metal in the Tail."

"Tail did not have plastic things. Only metal."

Layton gave the man a small smile before he turned to Ms. Audrey, who was coming back over to check on them.

"Ms. Audrey," he said with a smile, "another round of drinks. And something more palatable than whatever that was." He added, pointing to his empty glass.

Audrey gave him a decidedly unfriendly stare as she reached beneath the counter and produced two beers, leaving them with a frosted "Enjoy, gentlemen."

Hes watched her leave before turning to Layton. "Is not very friendly, that one."

Layton turned back to him. "You'd best get friendly with her, Hes. Audrey sits on the council and leads most of Third's governors. Without her on your side anything you suggest to the council has a very small chance of passing."

"Why so many to lead?" Hes asked. "Have one leader. This should be all that is needed."

Layton shook his head as he took a drink from his beer. "That's the last thing this train needs, Hes."

"Why? Is more efficient."

"Because that was the way things were done before. One leader. One voice. The people had no say. It was the reason we lived in the Tail like rats. No one heard us."

"But if the leader cares about all on train, no need for anyone more."

"The people don't trust that way anymore, Hes. They want assurances that when something is wrong, they will have a voice in making it right. In whatever way is chosen. Not just be told what is going to be done.

That's why we have the governors of the different sections. So everyone can be heard."

Hes shrugged at the explanation. "Just seems...like too many leaders."

Layton gave a slight laugh at the comment. "And I felt that way sometimes." He stated. "But I also remembered that I wasn't the train's leader to just boss everyone around. My job was to keep order. To make sure the rules handed down by the council were fair and were followed by everyone on the train."

Hes turned back to his drink as he thought over Layton's words. "So if leading train is not really leading train, and only job seems to be to be person everyone complains to," He asked, turning back to Layton, "why do job?"

Layton smiled back at the man. "I asked Ms. Cavill that very question one day. If all her job had been were days of endless stress and arguments and half the people on the train always hating you, why do it for seven long years."

"And what was pretty little engineer's answer?"

Layton gave the man a more serious look. "She said 'Because someone had to.'."

Hes thought over the answer. "Does not seem like good enough reason."

"Then find another one...fast." Layton advised him. "Because you are now the one everyone is looking to to make the hard decisions. The unpopular choices."

Hes gave a deep sigh as he took another drink of his beer. "Then what to do about sheep people wanting more feed?"

Layton gave the man a friendly slap on the back. "I'll meet you in the forge tomorrow morning and we'll go down to meet with Malloray together."

"What good will this do? Says wants more feed for sheep. Seems very determined."

"He always is." Layton said, getting up from his chair. "And tomorrow you'll start to learn the fine art of negotiations as leader of the train."

Layton genuinely starts to help him, even going with him to help teach him to negotiate with people as leader, where sneaking deals only gets him problems. In the end it is Hes who tells Layton he wants to go back to the forge.