Alex could barely see the Hospital on Gran Canaria. He walked with his hand above his head, shielding his eyes against the bright sun. The thing that really struck people entering Omega-52 was the light, especially those who entered the system by way of the Dublin jump hole, as Alex had. He still remembered the luminous glow that had greeted him when he had finished the journey through the jump hole. 'The light of God,' as a family friend had once called it.
The bright sun was only slightly tempered by Canaria's fresh atmosphere. The Zoners who had first come to the place had taken steps to employ their trademark renewable when powering the planet's colonization. The sweet air rolled over the walkway, flowing smoothly through Alex's hair in sharp contrast to the metallic air back on the Freeport. Taking a second to look out at the hills, Alex noticed that the fields around him were not unlike Cambridge. One could get used to a planet like this.
He had moved planet side via Port Jackson; it was much easier to pass customs in the Port with Bretonian citizenship. After that, he'd taken a shuttle to the Medical Center. The Center itself was impressive, reminiscent of the University's west ward. He had heard good things about this place, about the doctors who worked here, and about the medical equipment, which was supposed to be second to none. Alex was counting on the diagnostics ward being able to nail down this... illness that had been plaguing him.
'Name, please,' asked the nurse at the reception desk.
Alex thought she was a pretty woman, but was far to preoccupied with his task at hand to try to strike up a conversation with her. He had a mission, of sorts; get in, get diagnosed, and then make a decision on whether or not he was going to follow Richard's advice. 'Come to Rhienland...' Richard's words still hung in Alex's mind. It was far too much to think about right now.
'Umm.. Alex Hastings. I filled out my forms in advance.' Alex handed the woman his supplementary data. Medical records from Dunsbarrow, Cryer drug receipts from the Research Center, and assorted other forms. Alex had looked over the papers on his way to the planet; mostly, they were a whole lot of nothing. He needed answers about the problems he'd been having; the blackouts, the violent mania that has momentarily afflicted him a few months ago, the hallucinations... And if answers weren't available, even hints would be better than the complete lack of knowledge he had right now.
'Thank you very much,' said the nurse. 'Please take a seat. Your doctor will be with you in a moment.'
