Mackenzie gave a resigned smile when Isa insisted that she should pick up something to read in her free time, and not just for studying, before leaving the library. The neurologist knew that from the outside many people had often told her that she focused too much on her work, and that sometimes it was okay for her to relax. She told herself this sometimes, but she always ended up convincing herself that she had too many responsibilities to fall into the weakness of relaxation. However, this time she accepted what Saito told her. After all, she was her teacher, and she would totally supervise her studies. If she thought it was appropriate for Mac to have moments of some rest, it couldn't be detrimental to her goals, right?
As Saito walked out of the library with Niki to make room for her, Wilson walked over to a book search computer terminal and checked what they had. There were millions of copies, of all kinds, and at first she felt overwhelmed. Then she thought that she had always liked epic fantasy and science fiction, and since the library seemed to have some copies of Old Earth volumes, she decided to look for something in that style but ancient.
The search software apparently had a system through which readers could leave their reviews of the books they had read, so Mac ran several searches by genre and era, and cross-referenced them with the best reviews. She finally chose a kind of epic fantasy trilogy called "The Lord of the Rings" by a certain J.R.R. Tolkien, and three other books that made up something called "The Three Body Trilogy", by a man named Cixin Liu, the latter seemed to be science fiction. Mac smiled, thinking it would be fun to now read what the humans of Old Earth considered science fiction.
Once outside the library, Isabella led the way again, this time to the Citizen Office. It was time for Mac to get her security ID, so she could access the areas set up for residents. Mac gave her details to the office clerks so they could add them to the card, and then set the bank account that the NCC had opened for her for the expenses during the study period as the default for use as a credit card. Once in her hands, Mac hung it around her neck with a ribbon that came with the card, and sighed happily. From that moment on, bureaucratically speaking, she was a medical resident at Healing Heart. She had moved one step closer to her goals.
Now that Mac had access to virtually the entire ship, Isabella suggested a quick visit to the medical wing, so the new resident could learn how to use her ID to get through the door checks, and in the process get a look at one of their next workplaces. Once Wilson used her new card on the modern glass door that gave access, and Isa greeted the nurses at the entrance control, both doctors walked through the corridors, while the psychologist showed her student the various areas. Mac was quite impressed with those facilities. Although they didn't differ, in essence, from what any modern hospital could offer, the medical equipment displayed there was of the latest generation. Both women took a quick tour of the general trauma room, observing how the doctors and medical staff worked, and there Saito explained to Mac the composition of the rest of the places in the medical wing.
Mac nodded as Isa talked, watching the doctors come and go. "They're impressive facilities. I would like to have some of the machines you've here for Faith Haven, although we would certainly need to send more doctors to the Academy so they could learn how to use them." She smiled when Saito told her about the Emergency Room. "Very smart for a hospital ship to have direct access to the ER from the main hangar. From what you said in Faith Haven, MFE hospital ships have even intervened in armed conflicts, picking up wounded pilots from the battlefield. This makes it mandatory to have a system through which, as soon as they land, they can be quickly taken to the emergency room without wasting time rolling between hallways and elevators. In these situations, every second counts."
Mac was very excited when they continued the visit through the medical wing and reached the Women's Refuge. It was one of the parts of the ship that she most wanted to see, because it seemed to her like a project that was as necessary as it was unfortunately uncommon. Saito had spoken to her about how the deceased Dr. Wilke had created that place out of nothing in order to give a way out of freedom for the large number of women who suffer domestic violence at the hands of those who should give them love and respect. Wilson knew that the practice of Psychology was very important to treat the minds of these women, wounded by hatred and abuse. Many of them would undoubtedly be traumatized and would need to undergo therapy to have a chance to return to normal life. It was difficult for Mac to find a more fair and Deux-blessed project than that one, and she hoped to be able to participate in it during her studies with Isabella.
As they approached the entrance, the neurologist immediately knew that the safety of the women residents at the Refuge was something that Healing Heart took very seriously. All the doors she had seen in the medical wing had security systems to prevent unauthorized access, but the door to the Refuge was heavily reinforced. The glass was tinted, so that the inside couldn't be seen from the outside, and very thick, shockproof. It was also guarded by a large, strong woman, who wore the uniform of the Healing Heart security teams. When the two women approached the entrance, she stopped them, looking seriously at Mac. Although it was obvious that she knew Isabella, the guard carefully examined Wilson's identification, checking the data against the ship's database, and Saito had to explain who her student was and why she was there. Finally the guard seemed to verify that everything was in order and let them through.
The Refuge was more like a group home than a medical facility. It was pleasant, and was decorated with the intention of conveying relaxation, confidence and security. There were various green areas, with windows on the roof similar to those she had seen in the atrium, which simulated sunlight in a way indistinguishable from reality. In them there were women chatting, walking or resting, lying on the grass or sitting on wooden benches. Many had their small children nearby, who played with each other. Laughter and shouts of happiness could be heard, but as Mac passed by some of those women she could see how a gleam of fear appeared in their eyes when they saw her. Some even called their children quietly to come to their side. After all, she was a stranger to them, and many hadn't yet been able to free themselves from the ghost of terror that they had suffered, and that still would accompany them for a long time.
Wilson looked at Isabella. "No wonder there are so many security measures here, considering the fear these women must feel." The neurologist discreetly looked around again at those people who were observing her with caution. "I mean, the Healing Heart is a very safe ship, and technically it's almost impossible for one of those abusers to even get past the hangar controls, but for these ladies I don't think that's enough. When one has reached that level of fear, I can imagine that always feels threatened." She shook her head, somewhat sadly. "It hasn't gone unnoticed how they look at me, even though I'm not a man. When you've suffered so much, it must be very difficult to trust again in a stranger."
The neurologist tried to keep a calm expression and smile peacefully while listening to Isabella, so that she wouldn't be seen as a threat. Mac realized that little by little the women were calming down as they watched her talk with Isabella, whom they knew perfectly well, and Wilson focused on listening to how her teacher explained the functioning of the Refuge, and the circumstances of those who lived there. Mac was truly sorry for those poor souls, mistreated by heartless animals. As Isabella said, even some of them would never even be able to recover and rebuild their lives. They would be condemned to always live in terror, afraid to go outside, fearing the monsters returned. However, the existence of the Refuge was a haven of peace within the hell they lived through, both for those who could recover and those who could not. Whatever happened, they were safe there. Mac had a moment of remembrance for Dr. Wilke, and thought that although she had never had the pleasure of meeting her, being there witnessing her work made feel like she knew her a little. She must have been an incredible person, and an impressive doctor, and being in the presence of Wilke's achievements inspired her to want even more to become a competent psychologist. Mac wished could one day helping as many people as she had.
Wilson nodded understandingly when Isabella informed her that, as a student, she wouldn't have free access to the Refuge without supervision from her teacher. "No problem, Isa, it's logical. I'm a student here, not a practicing doctor, and there are rules that must be followed." She smiled at Saito. "Furthermore, it's important for the safety of these people that access to this place is always done by specific and authorized personnel. I'm able to understand it, and I also agree with it." She looked around, at the women who had gone back to what they were doing before they arrived. "However, I'll be very grateful if I can come here with you more times and work with these women. I think I can learn a lot from what I see here. Domestic abuse happens everywhere, and I want to be able to identify it and treat the people affected. I would like to be able to offer that to the settlers of Faith Haven."
The two doctors spent some more time there, and Isabella even introduced Mac to some of the women who had a more favorable therapeutic evolution. She remained quite silent at all times, although she exchanged some smiles and banal words with them, just so that they could get used to her voice and her presence. After almost an hour, Isabella decided that they should continue with their initial tour, and they both left the Refuge.
As they left through the security door and walked through the hallways on their way out of the medical wing, Mac felt quite sad for those women and their children. It couldn't be said that she had had an easy life, really, considering what she had had to overcome during the invasion of Gran Canaria, the Exodus, and the initial moments of Pygar's colonization, but what the inhabitants of the Refuge had gone through seemed worse to her. Yes, she had been kicked out of her house by armed thugs, who had shot her friends, and probably murdered her parents, and she had had to go on the run in which she had seen many of her companions die horribly. But that had been a situation of war, of genocide, if you want, and although it was a poor consolation, it was something that she had been able to share with many other exiles. However, these poor women had gone through hell in their own homes, alone, some in silence, having to keep a happy face to the outside. Their house, which should be anyone's peaceful haven, had in many cases become their prison, or torture room. Sometimes Mac wondered how it was possible that Deux still felt love for humans after how they constantly treated each other.
Lost in her dark thoughts, Mackenzie did not realize that they were going out into the atrium again and that Isabella was guiding her to an area where they had not been, on the same floor where they had entered but on the exact other side. Only when they reached the entrance of the place did she return to reality and looked towards where Isabella was pointing. The large stained glass door left her shocked.
Wilson looked up, and read the sign. "All Faiths Chapel?" She turned at Saito, with a surprised smile. "I certainly had not seen this in my entire life." Mac looked again at the beautiful door and its bright colors. "I've seen temples of many beliefs, and I've even seen religions without a temple, but never a temple of all faiths." She scratched her chin. "I've to admit that it's an intriguing concept. Let's go in, I'd like to see the inside."
When they entered, Mackenzie automatically fell into respectful silence, just like she used to do when entered the Temple of Deux. The place was quite picturesque, since it was a kind of collage of sacred places from various religions, with some symbols of each of them. As a believer in the Faith of Deux, Wilson had studied the history of other religions, both those that came from Old Earth and some of the new ones that had already emerged on Sirius, so she was able to recognize some elements of many of them. Mac walked silently down the central hallway, observing the gloom of the place, which was illuminated by some dim lanterns and chandeliers with candles. The atmosphere smelled of incense and wax, but also of aromatic woods burning like sandalwood. There were some people sitting on the temple benches, but also kneeling or sitting on cushions, or on mats, in a kind of side chapels. Everyone seemed to be engaged in silent prayer, or spiritual meditation. It was like any other temple Mackenzie had ever seen, except that no one there seemed to be praying to the same god.
Wilson noticed that at the front of the temple, near a small austere altar, without any symbology, there was an elderly tall man who was observing them. He dressed like some kind of monk, with a dark robe, and smiled, waiting for them to approach. Finally he came out to meet them.
Mac waited for Isabella to make the required introductions, and then addressed the priest. "Pleased to meet you... sir... father...?" She blushed. "I really don't know how I should address you, I wouldn't want to disrespect you. You're some kind of priest... but this is a temple in which many religions are represented. How is that possible?"
The man, that his name was Harlen Snider, made a gesture with his hand indicating that they should sit on one of the benches, and explained his function there. He also showed great insight in acknowledging that already knew that Mac worshiped Deux, and she was pleased when Snider wanted to know more about her beliefs.
"Oh, mine is a very old religion, older than any other religion on Old Earth. Although at the same time very unknown. Currently, the remaining believers are united in a Church that is now based on Planet Pygar." Mac tried to summarize the basis of his beliefs in a few words. "We worship Deux Machina. He's a sidereal entity whose origin we don't know, but Who gave us humans the Gift of the Machine. He chose us among the other races that may exist in the galaxy and gave us the knowledge to evolve technologically, so that one day we could defend ourselves from the Great Threat." Wilson's face darkened. "That Great Threat, we ended up discovering, referred to the beings we now know as Nomads. Our religion entrusts us to do everything possible to unify Humanity in order to better defend ourselves from their attacks, and to fight them to defend our brothers. Deux promulgates love between human beings, and the cessation of conflicts between us, as the only path to victory against the Nomad." Mac was silent for a few seconds, thoughtful, and then tried to smile at Snider. "Said like this it seems very serious and dark, but in reality our Church puts the Faith into practice by carrying out authentic acts of philanthropy. We try to help all human beings who need it, and we welcome everyone who comes with a clean heart, regardless of whether he's a believer or not. As our Pontiff often says, Deux doesn't care if you believe in Him, He only wants you to fulfill His Sacred Mandate." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's one of the reasons I became a doctor. I believe that preserving the lives of other human brothers is one of the greatest acts of fulfilling what Deux desires."
