Mac smiled at Dr. Travers. "Of course. In fact I will inform you promptly of any advance that I do with Lucille. I thank you for telling me that you would also be scared if this had happened to you, now I feel a little less ashamed." The neurologist looked sideways at Lucille, who was still breathing on her knees, in the middle of a placid dream. "It's true that Lucille seems to have a predisposition to try to comfort whoever she notes that is sad, and this has been her way of doing it with me. I don't feel ashamed for having felt fear in such an... anomalous situation as this, but I'm afraid to have made Lucille feel bad about having tried." She gently caressed the vixen's head. "I guess we both have to start knowing each other well before making assumptions about each other."
While Mac listened carefully, Dr. Travers informed her about the possibilities that existed to be able to accommodate Lucille in her cabin, with the adaptations she should perform in the furniture so that the fox was comfortable, and she also thanked Isa to give her own personal opinion about living with an animal like Lucille. Wilson even took some notes of what they said on her portable communication device, to review them later and make a list of tasks classified by importance. Mac loved the lists, because she was very peaceful to see in a single glance all the work she had to do, to program it, especially when she was stressed. Having everything in writing helped her keep calm before an avalanche of unexpected novelties.
Mac raised an eyebrow when Isabella mentioned the possibility that Lucille could become a therapy animal. To be honest, she hadn't even raised something like that, but it was true that little fox could be a good candidate for it, since it was clear that she felt a certain tendency to approach suffering people to try to help them. The neurologist didn't know much about that psychological technique, but had caught her attention from the moment she had met Saito and Niki. Isabella always said that a trained therapy animal, as was the little kitten, greatly facilitated the approach to a patient in some serious cases, and Mac had proposed herself to learn something about animal therapy during her studies, taking advantage of her tutor was an expert in it. Now, suddenly, she had within her reach the possibility not only of learning something about it, but even of being able to work with Lucille in it.
"I think it's a great idea, Isa." She nodded, while making a gesture of approval. "I hadn't thought about it, but after what I've seen, and what Dr. Travers has said about Lucille, I believe she could have qualities to be a good therapy partner. As you say, I suppose this may do my stay longer, but for my part I will be very happy to receive special classes about animal therapy. It's something I didn't know until I met you, and I'm interested in it. I hope that Lucille is willing to try too."
Wilson noticed as little by little, in the company of Travers and Isa, and having Lucille at her side, her fears disappeared, and were being replaced by a much more common feeling in her, the curiosity and the desire to know. The three stayed for a while enjoying that pleasant clear, and the foxes company, chatting a little more. Dr. Travers was an affable and friendly man, and showed interest that they told him the story of the Gaian lynx of Faith Haven. Mac was delighted to narrate it from beginning to end, without omitting the surprise that she had caused her to find the exotic animal there, and when Travers said he would like to make a trip on vacation to Pygar, the neurologist offered him to stay at her own home.
"Of course, it will be an honor for me if you stay in my home." She put her hand to the heart, expressing sincerity. "I will take you to Lola's clothing store to meet Cesar the lynx, I can introduce you to my colleagues and show you the medical center, and I can also even serve you touristic guide." She briefly looked at Saito and winked an eye, sketching a half smile. "It seems that Isa liked her brief tour of the colony, although we have lived intense moments." The face of the neurologist overshadowed a little, remembering the encounter with the Pontifical Guards. "However... I must warn you that the situation is currently a bit unstable. There is a risk of war in the area with the Corsairs, and everyone is very tense. Maybe you would do well in waiting for a while, for things to come back to normal. I hope that doesn't take time to happen, with the help of Deux."
When the conversation ended, Isa got up and Mac did the same, waking Lucille with the movement. The vixen yawned and stretched after Wilson left her on the ground. The neurologist bent down to caress her for the last time, and went to Isabella. "I think, for the moment, it will be better for Lucille to stay here, until I settled properly in the cabin and can adapt it. I must buy some things for her and order to change the entrance door, I don't want her to be uncomfortable. I guess there is some animal store in the atrium where I can find what I need, right?" She looked towards the fox, who watched her carefully. "Don't worry, Lucille. In a couple of days you can come to live with me, I promise you. And I will come to see you at the biodome as soon as I return from Curacao."
After saying goodbye to Travers, the two women and Niki began their journey back out of the biodome. As they were walking, Mac felt a little sad remembering how Lucille had looked at her when she moved away from her, but she was sure that the vixen had understood that she wasn't abandoning her. She simply felt incapable of taking her from a natural paradise like that to live in a cabin, without at least having what she needed.
The group soon arrived at the Atrium, which as usual was packed with people, and Isa headed the way through it and down a main corridor to access the residential area of the Healing Heart. The spaces in the residential area were built in the same style as the rest of the ship, with modern, soft shapes and light colors that reflected the light to give an almost natural lighting sensation. Saito led Mac through several wide hallways flanked by doors with small digital screens with the apartment number and the names and surnames of those who would undoubtedly be its inhabitants. Every ten apartment doors, the hallways crossed at intersections where there were two elevators, and some sofas with coffee tables, like casual waiting rooms. Isabella stopped in front of a door that had the number 356 assigned to it. Below the number, 'Dr. Mackenzie Wilson' was written on the screen. On the right side of the frame was what looked like a card scanner.
Dr. Saito turned to Mac. "Well here we are this is your own Little Domicile for the next Months. Just hold that ID of yours onto the Scanner inside of that Digital Sign. The Door Should open right after. There is also a Camera inside of that nameplate so you can always see who is standing outside before you let them in."
Following Isabella's instructions, Wilson used her new Healing Heart ID card, which she wore around her neck, and swiped it through the scanner, causing the door to unlock with a soft click, and even open a few inches. The neurologist, after noticing that Isabella was waiting for her to enter first, pushed the door open and entered.
Once she left her backpack and jacket hanging on the hanger at the entrance, and took off her boots, Wilson walked slowly through the apartment, taking it all in with pleasure. The place looked very new and clean, perfectly prepared for a single person to make it their home. It was a small apartment, equipped without excessive luxuries, but comfortable and cozy. It had a very promising living room, with a large, soft sofa, a large TV, and space with a small table for eating or studying. It also had a small kitchen, a bathroom with a bathtub and shower, and a bedroom with a double bed with a medium-sized window at the head, that looked directly out onto the outside of the ship.
Mac walked around the bed and looked out the window. "Oh, we're at the General Academy!" She looked at Isabella, surprised. "I haven't noticed the docking, or the movement, or anything at all. It must be because of the size of the boat, I imagine it has some very powerful inertial dampers, or something like that." The neurologist looked back at the space station. "We're not too far from Pygar yet. I think I'll do my videoconference with Pygar in a bit now, and check on my patients. I'll also order a Church freighter to leave immediately for the Academy with the religious material that Harlen requested. If the Healing Heart holds out here for a few more hours I think they'll arrive in time."
The neurologist returned to the living room while Saito explained to her where she could find ingredients to make food, and who to ask for help if something went wrong in the apartment. Mac nodded with a smile. "It's a splendid apartment, Isa, I couldn't and wouldn't want to ask for more. I love that it has a window into the space right in the bedroom, which is a big step up from my flat in Faith Haven. For the last few years I've wanted to be able to actually see the stars before going to sleep again, like I did in Gran Canaria, and not through a pre-recorded hologram. Now I'll be able to do that again." She looked around. "This takes me back a bit to my student days at New London University, although to be honest, this is a palace compared to the shared hovel I lived in there." Mac laughed, remembering those times. "Anyway, I need to think about how to adapt all this for Lucille as well, though I have a couple of ideas of where things might go." She twisted her face in annoyance. "Still, I'm afraid I'll have to put it off until tomorrow or the day after. I need to get settled in, take a shower, call Pygar, go to buy my lunch and dinner for today, and then I'd like to start reading 'Introduction to Human Psychology' before bed. And I should also buy a bikini, since I didn't bring any of it."
As she spoke, the neurologist soon realized that although her welcome tour of the ship was over, she still had a lot of things to do before she could get some rest. She hugged Isabella goodbye, and set about unpacking her luggage, which had already been placed by the Healing Heart staff inside one of the bedroom's built-in closets. She took a quick, invigorating shower and changed into a different pair of jeans and a clean shirt. She then took the opportunity to call to Pygar.
By connecting her portable Neural Net terminal to the TV wirelessly, she soon improvised a small video conference room and contacted Dr. Vasquez, who gave her a summary report of all her patients at the Medical Center. She also received Mac's instructions to continue treating Matt Brennan, the worker with mercury poisoning. After that call ended, she made another call to Greta Meyer, to whom shared her first impression of the Healing Heart, and told her about the meeting with Harlen.
Greta expressed her happiness at seeing her friend so excited about her new stage of studies aboard the medical ship, and seemed as surprised as Mac by the existence of the Chapel of All Faiths, and its extraordinary chaplain. "How curious, I've never seen anything like this before, that's what I call having an open mind." The Monsignora's face lit up on the television screen in one of her radiant smiles. "But we'd certainly be happy to send a few copies of the various Liturgy Manuals, Deux Machina Psalms, and some Sacred Gear symbols. Any interest in the Word of Deux is welcome. I'm going to ask to fill a few boxes and put them on a fast freighter." The clergywoman took a quick look at her wristwatch. "I think the pilot could reach the Academy in a couple of hours or three."
After finishing her call session, Mackenzie took a trip to the Atrium for the things she would need. Mac wasn't much of a cook, never had been, so she went with the easy option. She bought a dozen eggs to fry, some sweet potatoes to cut up and bake, and some ham for dinner. Then she bought a sandwich for lunch right now. On the way back to the apartment she stopped into a couple of clothing stores and bought four bikinis in various colors, as well as a couple of beach towels.
Back at home, she unpacked her bags, ate the sandwich, and put on some comfortable clothes. Then she went to the living room, ready to take a nice nap in the sofá to recover from the fatigue caused by the trip and the tour of the Healing Heart. Napping was a Hispanic custom, and she had acquired it from the Cretan believers who lived in Faith Haven. She could not always afford this luxury, due to lack of time, but whenever she could, she allowed herself to let her brain rest for an hour or two after lunch, to wake up more refreshed and active. She connected some soft ambient music from her portable device to the apartment's music system, leaving within reach the Psychology book that she planned to study when she woke up, until dinner time.
Before closing her eyes, Mac thought about all the amazing things she had seen that day, and how it had been a small introduction to what her life would entail during the next long months, at the Healing Heart. She felt happy to be there, and raised a silent prayer thanking for being able to enjoy that opportunity. She promised herself that she would take advantage of every moment she had to learn something, or experience something new. After all, one could only count on the present, since the future was always uncertain until the time came to reunite with Deux.
