Innerscape, Part 1, Induction

Ms Tahn

Charge Sister Emily Watson stood in the reception area, her motherly figure radiating an unflappable calm as she waited for Innerscape's newest patient to arrive.

Miira Tahn would not be their wealthiest patient, but for the moment at least, she would be their most famous. All the news services were full of her rags to riches story, helped no doubt by her recent gift to the National Trust.

...and the Bountiful scandal...

The rumblings about Bountiful had been growing for years, especially in the medical community. Yet even so, the news that Beaumont Agriceutical, the second largest multinational in the world, would actually be prosecuted under international law had sparked an uproar.

Suddenly every second news report was about Bountiful, and the terrible effect the food supplement had had on the Refugees, especially their children.

Emily's full lips tightened into a hard line as she imagined her own son falling prey to one auto-immune disease after another. The accident had been bad enough, but at least Jaimie had a chance to live a long life, even if it would not be a normal one. The children of the Refugees, however, had been doomed from the start.

Most were dead now, and only those rich enough to afford the best medical treatment still survived. But now, like Miira Tahn, they too were dying.

Well at least her last months will be pleasant, Emily thought, not without a twinge of disapproval.

She and her staff prided themselves on making the lives of their patients as pleasant as possible, but the Directors, were taking things much too far with this one. Miira Tahn might have boosted the company's share price by 25%, but that was no reason to dangle Kenneth in front of her like live bait...

The pink in Emily's cheeks became a shade deeper as the elevator dinged behind her. Charles McGragh was the first to step out, and strode towards her with a brusque nod.

Kenneth Wu, however, gave Emily a tight smile as he stepped up to join her by the front doors. He looked calm, but she could see a small muscle bunching and releasing in his jaw, as if he had to keep reminding himself not to grind his teeth.

The official reason given for Kenneth's inclusion in the welcoming committee was that he had been instrumental in convincing Ms Tahn to enter Innerscape, and the Board felt his presence would make her feel more at home.

Charlesdid not agree, and for once, neither did Emily. She had been there that day, when Miira Tahn had come to inspect the facility. She had also been there when Miira Tahn had first seen the containment modules in all their glory - the woman had been horrified.

Kenneth's black humour had ended up saving the day, but it could just as easily have backfired, sending Miira Tahn screaming for the nearest exit, never to return.

Unfortunately, what no one could deny was that Miira Tahn had likedKenneth that day, and what Very Important Patients liked, they got. 

The rustle of cloth against cloth seemed very loud in the awkward silence as Emily shifted her weight from one foot to the other.