Starhoppers

05 - There's No Place Unlike Home

My hand hovered momentarily before Dr. Palmer's door for a few brief moments before I mustered the strength to bring my fist crashing against it. The living quarters behind me was much quieter than it had been just a short ten minutes prior.

It was a nice change of pace.

The door to Dr. Palmer's office slid finally open. The woman stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowed curiously as she stared back at me. "Hello, Zachary. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Dr. Palmer," I said, scratching at the back of my neck. "I'm just feeling a bit sick, that's all. The others are telling me it's-"

"Of course," Dr. Palmer cut me off, gesturing for me to follow as she stepped back into her office. "Come along."

I cleared my throat anxiously as I followed the woman inside. An examination table sat against the back wall of the room, with tall shelves lining either side of it. The layout of the office reminded me of hospital rooms back home; the similarities surprised me, though I was uncertain why. Dr. Palmer took a seat in the chair beside her desk as I approached the examination table.

"I've been waiting for you to show up. Fitlit sickness is more common on a starship than the hiccups," Dr. Palmer said, rummaging around in her desk as I took a seat atop the examination table. "A few pills should ease your upset stomach in no time."

"That sounds great," I said, watching as the woman pulled out a bottle of pills from within the drawer of her desk. "But are you sure it's Fitlit sickness? Couldn't it be... anything else?"

"If you're truly only experiencing nausea, I'd be willing to bet my future as a medical practitioner on that diagnosis," she said, glancing curiously at me. "Would you like a full check-up anyway? I can assure you I leave no stones unturned."

I could tell that she wasn't exaggerating. "I... I trust you."

"Two should be enough, I'd imagine," she nodded, briefly examining the label on the side of the bottle before standing. "If a few minutes pass and you don't feel enough of a difference, I'll give you a third. Anything more... then I may need to give you that examination, after all."

She quickly unscrewed the lid and dropped two pills into my palm. "Thank you, Doctor," I said.

Dr. Palmer waved me away as she walked back to her chair, setting the bottle down and leaning against the desk. "Call me Lillian. Or Lily. 'Doctor' makes me feel like an outsider."

I hummed softly in agreement, rolling the pills around in my palm for a moment before speaking. "Do you have any water, or...?"

A faint smile crossed Lillian's lips as she gestured to her right. "There's a sink against the wall."

"Right," I said quietly, pushing myself back to my feet and approaching the counter. "Thanks."

Lillian watched as I placed the pills in my mouth, turning the faucet on and cupping my hands beneath the stream. "So, what brings you onto a crew like this, Zach?"

I drank the water from my palms, gulping the pills down as I shook off my hands. "The money, mostly. What about you?"

"I ask myself that question every day," she smiled, gesturing for me to return to the examination table. "A permanent position on a Starhopper crew pays almost nothing compared to most positions back home... but I enjoy the simplicity of the job. I only have a handful of regular patients... not to mention I'm constantly on vacation, when you think about it. As much of a vacation as a doctor can afford, at least."

"Makes sense to me," I nodded, hopping up onto the table. "When did you join the crew?"

"I've been here since the beginning," she said. "Since Isaac made his first payment on the Tourist. We've been acquaintances for a few decades, now."