The Iowa Sisters #2 The Red North

Chapter 16

SOUTHAMPTON ENGLAND AUGUST 1953 "QUEEN MARY"

It was nearly noon and still there was no sign of the tugs. "Where are they." I grumbled. My captain shrugged. "They're probably busy elsewhere, they do have a lot of ships to handle after all." He said.

I grunted. "Come on, we can back out just fine without them." He ordered. Sighing, I untied from the dock and tried to do just that. Without the tugs, it was harder than I'd ever anticipated.

I was forced to conduct the tight, dangerous maneuvers that the tugs usually did for me and with a rudder as big as mine, it was very difficult and tiring.

It took me a full hour to get turned around and by that time I was already exhausted. "Be glad you don't have to do this all the time." My captain said, patting my side. I grunted. "I wouldn't have to if those tugs had been here like they were supposed to be." I muttered.

He laughed. "Come on, let's go to Cherbourg, maybe we'll have better luck there." He said. Still grumbling, I left Southampton and continued on to Cherbourg.

When I got there, I found a huge line of ships waiting in a line at the harbor entrance. Nomadic was going back and forth between them all, doing her best to keep up with the traffic but it was still slow going.

I was already in a sour mood but this was going too far. I gritted my teeth together. "You know, the tugs at Southampton is one thing but this is quite another." I hissed. "I know, too much to be a coincidence." My captain replied.

Dropping anchor I peered around the ship in front of me to get a better look and maybe move up a spot or two. (Yes I admitted it Nomadic now shut up!!!) But then Queen Elizabeth blocked my way.

"Oh no you don't, you have to wait your turn in line like everybody else." She hissed. I groaned. "Fine." I huffed. I knew better than to argue with her, it was always a losing battle.

"What's going on here anyway?" I asked. "The dredgers broke down in the middle of the channel and caused quite a bit of backlog. They've only been moved clear about an hour ago. Understandably, it's a traffic jam here. Some ships have waited nearly a full day to get their passengers onboard and even then getting out of the harbor is a tricky affair what with all the incoming liners." She replied.

"You don't say." I muttered. She shrugged. "It is what it is Mary." She said. I nodded and fixed my gaze on Nomadic. The little tender was running back and forth constantly between the shore and the ships.

She could only serve one ship at a time and it usually took an hour before they were ready to go but Nomadic was doing it in half that time. She never slackened at her pace, it was full throttle all the time. Knowing that White Star ships were not renowned for that sort of thing I couldn't help but feel at least slightly impressed. (Not a word Nomadic!)

The little tender was the only service ship here and with all these ships to play stewardess to, it was a daunting task. But Nomadic threw herself bow first into it like she was born to.

Watching her race back and forth between shore and ship I felt my respect surge upward. I had thought nothing of the little tender or her work, thinking it beneath me but the incident with the tugs and now this made me realize just how important their jobs were.

Without them, the whole operation would fail. I bowed my head in embarrassment, feeling very ashamed of myself. What right did I have to snap at Nomadic like I did? If anything, she should be snapping at me. I was shocked that she was even polite to me after the way I treated her.

"You know, this wouldn't have to take so long if someone helped her." Queen Elizabeth said thoughtfully. "Yes, she does seem to need some help doesn't she?" I muttered.