Michelle growled as she sank her teeth into a thick, sugary pastry, squeezing the cream inside into her maw. She wrung out the treat with her paws, likening it to Rafferty's neck. She was angry, she knew, and so she growled and snarled and hissed as she ate, but she was bloody hungry as well. She gulped down the remnants and grabbed another pastry.

Daggett and Ames sat with her at the commons table, chewing on their own pastries and leaning ever so slightly away from the slaughter. Daggett sniffed, twitching his whiskers. "Any reason you're disembowelling those defenseless pastries?" the Otter asked delicately.

Michelle looked up at him, a sudden misgiving tugging at her. She knew why she was angry, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him why. How could she speak ill of Rafferty to those who had known and worked with him longer? She licked at the jam and cream that had matted her muzzle and shrugged. "Just hungry, I guess." At least that was true.

Her sensitive nose twitched as it picked up traces of meat. She peered into the second box and drooled as she recognized the coating on these pastries. Beef tallow. She clutched one and stuffed it whole into her mouth.

Ames chortled. "Need a coffee to go with that?"

Michelle's eyes locked onto the boxes of warm Caffe TuGeaux cups, her nose now picking up the rich aroma of their contents. Dog-chocolate mochas. She picked up a cup and slugged back everything that was inside, slurping it down to the dregs, then dropped the cup, and went for another, and then another. Huskies had massive metabolisms, and so ate and drank a lot to sustain themselves. As a two-hundred-pound Siberian Husky, Michelle was naturally no exception. Though Symba Prime was not a cold world, she was still driven to build up fat and survive, and her energy levels required a huge intake.

She looked back to Daggett and Ames, who were still eyeing her askance. Michelle felt self-conscious; she had no doubt that her wiry appearance was at stark odds with the appetite she had displayed.

Ames seemed keen to move on. "So, what happened to you last night, love? When you didn't come onto the dance floor, we came looking for ya, and you were gone!"

Michelle snuffled. "Don't know. Just tired, I guess."

"Well, you slept soundly," Daggett smiled. "You didn't even wake up when we got Lina back here and she started singing!"

"On that note..." Ames looked over at the still-sleeping Badger; Michelle had been gratified to see that Lina had remained unconscious through the exchange with Rafferty. "Is she not up yet?"

Daggett snorted. "Yeah. She's our team leader after all. We need her to, y'know, lead us."

Michelle glanced at the sofa as Lina's stomach gurgled loudly. The Badger let out a muzzy, queasy-sounding moan, clutching her belly and letting out a loud, protracted belch. She obviously didn't like the taste of what came up; she smacked noisily and stuck out her tongue, letting out another soft whimper as she began to snore again.

Ames sighed. "She ate a whole lot and drank even more. I don't think she's gonna be up for a while."

Daggett snorted. "Yep. The Badger with the Bottomless Stomach. She could be a carnival attraction." He eyed Michelle. "You shoulda seen it, Pow. A whole platter of chicken legs went into her."

Michelle wrinkled her muzzle. "Smells like they came right out again."

Ames laughed and reached for a coffee – the only one left in that box after Michelle's rampage – and sipped at it. "Oh, this is lovely," the Fox moaned. "Locally grown. World away from the instant crap." She wiped her muzzle with a paw, eyes flicking to Michelle and Daggett. "Y'know, I talked to one of Lina's former OSA buddies, Denise something or other. Apparently, Lina's got a reputation as a bit of a lush." She slurped on her coffee. "After last night, I can see why." Her nose suddenly twitched, and she looked to Daggett. "You smell that?"

Daggett's own muzzle worked. "Yeah," he muttered, grimacing. He glanced at Michelle. "Pow, you smell it? Ugh, it's like mouldy cheese."

Michelle rolled her eyes and reached for yet another pastry. "Yup. It's my socks."

Ames recoiled. "Ick."

Daggett laughed. "Relax, Pow. When it comes to feet, we've smelled worse."

Ames smirked. "Yeah. Remember that Wolf girl we went out with last time? What was her name again?"

"Cecilia," Daggett chortled. "Nice girl, but we all ran for cover when she took her boots off."

Conversation was once more interrupted by a loud snore from Lina's direction. Daggett sighed and got to his feet, walking over to the bucket that lay near the couch and flipping the handle up. He lifted the bucket and dangled it in front of Lina's nose, glancing back at Michelle. "If this doesn't work," he grunted, "we might have to use your socks, Pow."

Michelle grizzled.

Lina started to snore again, breathing deeply through her nose, and her eyes snapped open. Coughing and spluttering, she sat bolt upright and blinked madly. "What... what the actual crap was that?" she gasped, swinging her legs out and putting her feet on the deck. "Eek! Cold!" she squawked, looking down at the deck and wiggling her four bare toes. "One slipper. Where's my other one?" She regarded the others dazedly. "Did I leave it at the Tail Shaker?"

"It's on the floor, right by you," Michelle supplied helpfully.

Lina smiled faintly. "Heyyy, Pow.  You tootled off real quick last night." She cast a hesitant look at Ames and Daggett, the smile fading and giving way to an expression of utter embarrassment. "Ohhh... Did you two say sorry to that waitress I snogged?"

Daggett nodded. "Yes, Team Leader. And the one with whom you disappeared into that broom cupboard for twenty minutes."

"And the two you flashed," Ames put in. "We couldn't find your bra, though. Do you have a spare to paw?"

"Oh, no," Lina moaned. She smacked, scrunching up her muzzle. "Ooh, my mouth is so dry. And it tastes funny." She looked down at the bucket next to her. "Oh, no."

"You know the rule, Team Leader," Ames said brightly. "You spew in it, you empty it."

"I hate that rule," Lina whimpered.

***

After more than a few cups of coffee, Lina seemed well enough to lead the team once again, and after telling everyone to get dressed – herself included, seeing as her current outfit would hardly be suitable for her professional duties – she somewhat unsteadily led the walk to the sub.

Michelle stepped into the small craft, a pang of uncertainty welling up in her stomach. She was going to have to see him sooner or later. Maybe it'll be okay if I just hang back, she thought. Stay inconspicuous.

"You know, you handled that suit pretty well yesterday, Pow," Daggett said from beside her as they strode into the crew bay. "How about you stick close to me? Could use you nearby if something goes wrong."

Michelle giggled.

"Why don't you just kiss him, Pow?"

Michelle's fur spiked as she recognized that voice. It was full of anger, and it belonged to Brendan Rafferty. She looked up, seeing him standing a few paces away.

The barb got everyone's attention. Michelle spun toward Ames as the Fox gasped. "Last night," she said. "That's why you..." She glanced at Rafferty. "That's why you were so downbeat." Her eyes twinkled. "I knew there was something up with you." She returned to Michelle. "You kissed him?"

Michelle's gaze flicked from Lina to Daggett to Ames to Rafferty, back again, and in varying patterns. Their expressions were of shock and dismay, and her throat burned with fury. She raised her massive paw and brought it around – into Rafferty's muzzle.

The Squirrel cried out and staggered back. Michelle had only slapped him lightly, but coming from a Husky it had the strength to knock him back. He grabbed at his cheek and spluttered. "You androgynous cow!" he yelled.

Michelle raised her paw again, but the little nut-muncher was fast, and stronger than she had expected him to be. He charged into her midriff and tried to shove her to the deck.

"Don't you push me!" Michelle roared, grabbing him and shoving him back.

Rafferty snarled and aimed a punch at her snout, but Lina was suddenly squeezing in between them and pushing them apart. Her striped head swivelled to him, then to her. "What is wrong with you two?" the Badger cried.

"She's insane!" Rafferty yelled, pointing a clawed finger at Michelle.

Michelle growled steadily, baring her teeth and puffing herself up. Unable to contain her fury, she let loose with a string of angry barks that rang through the sub. Nearby, Ames cried out and covered her ears.

"Stop it! Both of you, stop it. Back off!" Lina shouted.

Michelle grudgingly stepped back; Rafferty did the same. Lina ran a paw over her face. "I don't know what's happening here, but it stops now. Rafferty, go warm up the sub. I trust Flink is done with his repairs?"

Rafferty nodded. "He is. I'll go get her started." He left without so much as glancing back at Michelle.

Fine by me, she thought.

She found herself the target of Lina's attention. "Pow, come with me," Lina said quietly. "Everyone else, stay here." She beckoned Michelle to a small supply locker at the rear of the sub.

Michelle followed her inside; Lina closed the door and started talking. "From what I just heard there, formal spoken warning," she said simply. "I'm also going to have to tell Management about this, and I'll also have to prompt a review of your actions. That will, of course, include footage from the bar."

Michelle whined.

"I've never seen anyone get a warning or a review on their first trip out," Lina went on, her voice severe. "Honey, that makes neither of us look good. Doesn't reflect well on the team, either."

"But getting steaming pissed does?" Michelle asked her pointedly, the adrenaline still pumping through her fuelling her words.

She fully expected Lina to throttle back, but the Badger remained calm, offering a slanted smile. "Girl, from what we're gonna make off this job, I'm gonna be pissed for a looooong time. You should try it sometime. Might lighten you up."

Michelle said nothing. There was nothing to say.

Lina sighed. "Look, until I figure this out, I gotta keep you two apart. As if I didn't have a headache already." She rubbed her head and let out a limp belch. "You ride in the back with the others. I'll be up front with him. Now come along."

Make that two headaches, Michelle thought miserably as she followed Lina back out.

Big slobbery Dog.

Rafferty's remark still rang in her ears, and it still hurt.