Mac continued to observe the atrium in all its immensity while Isa explained to her about the scanning machines at the control, and their necessity not only for medical reasons, but also for pure security.
"Oh yes, it's true." The neurologist smiled. "I remember that yesterday you told us about the Women Refuge that you've on board, and how it was one of Doctor Wilke's ideas. It's a great project, very necessary in the times of wild individualism in which we live. Almost no one cares about protecting the weakest..." Wilson's face saddened as if a shadow had crossed it. "It's a shame that it was this project that led to her death, but I think that precisely that makes it clear how important it's that the Refuge continues to function." She looked back toward the atrium and took a step forward to approach the glass railing. "I'm really looking forward to working with..."
Mac felt something forcefully pull her backpack and she had to stagger back a couple of steps to avoid falling. She couldn't even stop to think what was happening when 3 wheelchairs sped past where she had been seconds before. Mac turned at Isabella in bewilderment and then looked again at the wheelchairs, feeling a wave of anger rising from her stomach. "What the hell...?!"
The three wheelchairs were moving away towards one of the ramps that connected the floor they were on with the lower floor of the park. They were being chased by some members of the security personnel who were triying to stop them, but their occupants just kept running while shouting with joy and laughing. At that moment Mac realized that the racers were children. The kids reached the ramp and launched themselves down it, gaining more and more speed until they reached the floor below. Upon reaching the bottom one of the chairs lost control and ended up skidding until it fell into the pond. Fortunately the children who were in it soon surfaced and began swimming towards shore.
While the security guards were taking the kids out of the water below, Mac looked at Isabella again, shocked. "Is this normal here?" She pointed towards the park. "They could have hurt themselves a lot..."
Wilson seemed to calm down quite a bit when Isabella explained that it was just a child's thing, and that it happened quite often. She noticed that although the guards seemed annoyed, no one was making a big deal out of it, and even some of the Healing Heart crew and patients who had gathered around to see what was happening were laughing heartily at the mischief made by the children.
Mac had always been very mature, even when she was little, and she didn't remember having a childhood in which she interacted a lot with other people her age, apart from her brother Andrew. She also had no memory of being naughty. Later, as an adult, she had mainly focused on her studies, on her training, and finally the practice of medicine absorbed her completely. So Mac had had only a few brief romantic partners throughout her life, almost always people related to work, and she had never thought about having children, since she didn't see it as compatible with her personal goals. The only close relationship Mac had with children was with her nephews, with whom she had complete trust and she adored. She had had some child patients, of course, and she was normally friendly and nice with them, but she never had much of a connection. It wasn't that she didn't like children, it was more that she felt slightly uncomfortable with them because she didn't know what exactly to do, or how to address them.
Wilson felt a little guilty for reacting angrily to that innocent prank. "Oh, well, I'm glad they're okay. I was just afraid that someone might get hurt, they were going too fast." She gave a slight smile. "Well, at least this is one of the best places in Sirius to get hurt."
The neurologist leaned on the glass railing, and watched as the security staff took the chair out of the water, and how the curious people began to disperse, once the fun was over. No one seemed too angry, not even the security people. Mac had to admit that it seemed like the atmosphere at the Healing Heart was relaxed and friendly, a scene like that wouldn't have been resolved so nonchalantly at Faith Haven Medical Center. She believed that maintaining a professional work environment was important, but she found the fact that the residents of the hospital ship seemed so relaxed and got along so well to be a very positive thing. It was clear that she had a lot to observe in the way they worked at the MFE. There were probably things she could use to update the medical protocols at Faith Haven.
The two women continued their walk through the atrium, and Isa showed her the different stores and businesses that were located there. Apparently the Atrium was the leisure area of the Healing Heart, where people gathered to live their lives outside of the medical function carried out on the ship. There were establishments of all kinds, from simple bars to party halls, which greatly amazed Wilson. It was clear that the Healing Heart was much more than a medical ship, it was a real city. After all, from what Isabella had told, there were more people living in this Nephilim than all of Faith Haven, and it could contain several times its population.
Wilson was grateful when Saito guided her to one of the nearby cafes, promising that there served the best strawberry cake that could be found on board. They had breakfasted on some of the cheesecake that Muriel had baked for them before leaving, but after the stress of the trip she felt that she was hungry again. Furthermore, she had slept very little that night, nervous about what would happen the next day, so she would gladly have a coffee.
Mac scanned the cafe with her gaze. It was pleasantly decorated, mainly with varnished wooden elements, although some panels and furniture were painted turquoise. There were some small tables placed near a long overstuffed sofa next to the counter, and high tables with stools scattered throughout the rest of the place. There was also a small bar counter attached to one of the walls with more high stools so people could have their drinks and pastries there. Finally, the main counter also housed several glass displays, within which were several appetizing-looking cakes and tarts. Several windows on both the ceiling and some walls showed the starry void of Omicron Theta's space.
The person in charge of serving the counter and tables seemed to also be the owner of the establishment, a woman named Belle who approached them with a big smile. In her hands she carried a cup of caramel macchiato that she handed to Isa without her even asking. It was clear that psychologist was a regular at the cafe, and Belle was very aware about what the doctor usually consumed.
Wilson smiled back at Belle, waited for Isa to introduce her, and then added. "Nice to meet you Belle, thanks for the welcome. I just landed here and I'm still trying to stop being amazed by everything I see, I've never seen a place as splendid as this ship." Mac looked at Isabella affectionately. "I've been a doctor in Neurology for years, but I've always been very interested in Psychology. Isa has given me the opportunity to become a real psychologist, learning directly from her. Thanks to these studies I will be able to help the people of my settlement in Pygar to take better care of their mental health." She sighed with happiness. "This is like a dream come true for me."
Mac walked over to some of the displays on the counter, browsing through the cakes and pastries. Then she turned to Belle. "I'm told you make an extraordinary strawberry cake here. I would like to have a medium portion, Deux knows that I'm starving. As for coffee, I've also heard very good things about your caramel machiatto, but I need something not so sweet right now. I would like to have a cappuccino if possible, please."
Mac approached Saito again while Belle went to prepare what she had ordered. "I actually expected the Healing Heart to be a big and modern hospital ship, you know? But this is much more than a place where medicine is practiced." She made a gesture with her hand that encompassed the cafe and the entire atrium. "This is quite a settlement. There are people here who are not dedicated to medicine, who live here permanently, on the ship. It's their home... From what I'm seeing, the Healing Heart is a whole ecosystem in itself, self-sufficient and autonomous." Wilson shook her head while smiling. "I knew what I would see here would surprise me, but I believed it would be technological and medical advances that would. However, right now I can say that what seems most striking to me is the social element that you have built here."
