Lilly continued through the day, quietly wondering about Cliff. He was... such a jerk. The worst she had ever met in her 'second childhood'. To be honest, there was something else about him... something familiar. She didn't know why but it seemed important.
She stared at his face for a while, wondering just where she had seen it.
What you looking at you dumb animal!" said Cliff finally seeing her.
Lilly gasped. "Nothing..."
"That's what I thought. Stay with your freaky friend. Everyone knows you must be lesbians."
Lilly could almost feel the power of her magic just 'begging' to teach this idiot a lesson. However she restrained herself. Just because they both had four breasts, people tended to 'think' things. "We're friends..." she said calmly.
Cliff dismissed her and went back to work.
The squirrel girl looked at the human one more time, then at his book on the desk. It had his full name on it, and something... something sparked in her mind. "Cliff Wilford..." That was familiar. Something on a newspaper maybe?
...the Willford family... and like lightning, it became clear. A memory burned inside Lilly's mind revealed itself, opening a forbidden door where a single face shone... It looked very similar to the young teenager in front of her now. It could easily have been his father, or an older brother? One of many... many she knew.
... Because it was one of those, that died...
... and she knew who did it.
"So... I'm fired?" Douglas said calmly.
His manager, Sylvia, was a changed. A very curious looking anthropomorphic tabby cat. She had large eyes, that shimmered in the dark. She wasn't 'completely' a cat, more like your very stereotypical cat girl. She had the ears, and her fore-arms were Very cat like, as were her legs- particularly the digigrade toes. "Douglas, I've offered you another job. That is what I am legally obligated to give you under these circumstances."
Douglas had been in the job for a while. He was pretty good at it, and spent a good three years knowing how to get things done. It was essentially logistics management. He would work out how to get a large number of deliveries made in the shortest possible time. "But it's not fair!"
Sylvia sighed. "Douglas... look, this new role wouldn't normally pay as much, but I've arranged to keep your salary the same too. It isn't fair, I know, but we're in a very competitive market right now. With the computer's all screwed up, we're relying more heavily on the artificial changed. Other companies are doing the same, and you're... human..." Sylvia couldn't even look him in the eye as she said this. "You make mistakes."
"...Just a few," said Douglas annoyed. "I have to work out how a hundred trucks move across ten different states! How long they can fuel up, the cheapest gas station and what they need to pick up where-"
"Yes and you have done a great job. You are 95% reliable in getting things done..."
"... just not 100% like the changed beings can be?" It was a bitter thing to admit. He was just human... just a man... just a normal, ordinary man in what has become an extraordinary world.
Sylvia sighed again. "I don't have any choice here. Without computers to work on, your reliability is slipping. You just can't physically remember everything that goes on... and our competitors have a huge advantage with using android-changed. They've cut the costs down by as much as 30%! We're loosing business... and I need someone more...." She trailed away.
Douglas looked up at Sylvia. "More... capable?"
"I'm sorry Doug," said Sylvia. "The new job is a good one. You just catalogue the inventories and do a few inspections of the trucks... and you maintain your pay and pension. It's the best offer I can make to you under these circumstances."
Douglas had one last look of defiance. "... To be honest boss, I feel discriminated." He said with careful weight and evenness. "You're taking me away from my job because I'm just human! With human... failings. who's to say your android replacement won't mess up worse then me. You could be making a mistake. I know this business! I've been at it for years. You can't just get someone new without experience! You'll be loosing out on that insight. My insight! My experience!"
Sylvia was unmoved "Your concerns are noted... but she's shown to be very good at this. I believe you can shine in your new role too... okay? If things don't work out I'll try to find you some other job. I don't even have to do that legally. I'm sorry, but things are changing... I have to let you go from this role."
Douglas sighed. He had made a fight for it every step of the way. But it looked like the game was up. There was nothing more he could do. He was just going to be some clerk somewhere, while the changed now ran the shots. "... let me... get my things."
Michelle went to Jen excitedly. "Big sister! Guess what! I got a new job!"
