"Ms. Corben... Maria. It's true that we have only officially worked together for a short time. However, if you factor in the fact that we attended University at the same time, we've actually known each other for years. I feel I've gotten to know you pretty well during that time, so I'm sure that you're going to want to go right back to work after you leave here. As your counselor, I'd advise against that. You've been through a traumatic experience and you need time to relax and relieve the stress you've suffered from this ordeal. As your friend, you don't have to face this alone. I can fill in for you for as long as you need to take. You have deserved to take a holiday long before this, so seize this as an opportunity to take care of yourself for a change."

At first, I felt myself getting upset at Doctor Coleman when she told me that I should take a break. I need to be strong. I need to continue on despite the harassment against me. But, as I look at my hands, I realize I have not stopped shaking since it happened. I can't get the image of so many people coming towards me, wanting to do me harm. It boggles my mind that so many people would hurt me simply for being a child of a splicer. I simply adopted a genetic trait that I had no control over. Begrudgingly, I have to admit that I am in no condition to help anyone if I can't attend to myself first. Elizabeth Coleman is more than capable of dealing with the mental health of the people on this part of the ship. After all, she managed to convince me to help myself.

I was planning to go back to my living quarters to relax, but at the last second, I decide to head down to Main Street instead. It's been a long time since I've allowed myself some time to just window shop. This area was designed to be a replication of the main streets that were once common in the smaller towns on Earth. It was originally designed to give the original crew a comfortable sense of feeling like they were at home. Now, centuries later, it serves as a living memorial to the planet that we left behind. But, most importantly, it's just fun to go down there and browse. There are so many little shops that offer pretty much anything you could imagine.

When I get there I am greeted by the fresh smells coming from the hydroponic garden. I'll definitely have to pick up some fruits and vegetables while I'm down here. There is so much you can do with fresh tomatoes. I love trying out recipes from the archives. The Earth was such a large place, with so many different cultures. It would take forever to try every recipe we had stored in the ship computer's storage system. However, it's definitely fun trying to do it.

Many of the recipes call for meat, though. No animals were brought on-board when the ship left the Earth's orbit, as our ancestors felt that they would make the ship unsustainable. They were almost certainly correct, but I can't help but wonder what actual meat was like. We have substitutes, which are quite tasty. Of course, with no reference to go by, I have no way of knowing how close they are to the real thing. Earth was so abundant in meat that they served it quickly in places called "fast-food restaurants". I wondered just how fast these restaurants really were, and what a beef burger with cheese would actually taste like. We have substitutes made from seasoned vegetables and fungi, but I can't imagine that plants actually taste much like animal meat, no matter how they are seasoned.

I laugh inwardly as I catch myself drifting off into some odd thoughts. I always do that when I come down here. Elizabeth was right. I needed a break. This is the best way to get my mind off of things. I walk into the grocer and grab some tomatoes, oregano, onions, garlic, salt, flour, and yeast. I also go into the cooler and grab some cheese, or at least our approximation of it. I have always wanted to try a pizza, and I had been pleased to find a recipe that was relatively easy to follow on the computer in the library during my last journey into the Earth archives. I pay the clerk with my work earnings, and he bags my purchases. It always amuses me that we keep up this tradition of traveling to the town center to shop when our orders could just as easily be ordered from the town computer and then printed out or they could be purchased from one of these stores and sent up to our homes. However, I know that tradition was important to help keep us grounded.

I walk down the sidewalk and see many shops with handmade items. The people who don't work under our presidents usually work down here on Main Street, and they often make such wonderful things. I really admire the craftsmanship that goes into the items that are for sale here. That's one of the reasons why I went into training as a mental health officer. Well, actually, the main reason was that I genuinely liked to help people. The second reason was that I'm not good at crafting anything. In school, my clay pots always came out looking like the pictures in the database of the ashtrays that were once common on Earth. I would not make any money-making things like that. Since the original crew didn't include any plants that could be rolled up and smoked, an ashtray would be completely useless to anyone aboard this ship.

I continue to walk down Main Street until I see the shop that sold electronics. I walk inside to see what kind of augmented reality programs are available that I can use to relax later tonight. I then notice a table that displays many different breeds of robot dogs and cats. My mind starts to drift off towards Earth again, wondering what it would be like to have an actual animal as a pet and companion. I spent a lot of time in my youth reading the newspapers from the Earth archives and I remember reading an article that claimed that having a pet to cuddle greatly reduced your stress levels. I could definitely use a cuddly pet right about now.

I begin to think that there might be something to that study since I was feeling more relaxed just thinking about it. I turn to the racks of robot animals and spot two small pets I haven't seen before. They are called a rabbit and a guinea pig. The rabbit looks super cuddly, while the guinea pig looks like a small loaf of bread with fur. I find myself laughing at the absurdity of the latter, and I can't help but want to pick it up. When I do so, I'm surprised at how nice its little plump body and spiky brown and white fur feel. It is both cuddly and adorable.

Petting the little robot animal definitely makes me feel better. I now have a smile on my face for the first time since this morning, so I begin to think that the day might just turn itself around. However, my thoughts soon came crashing down to reality. A spine-chilling scream comes from the end of Main Street, near the fountain in the middle of Market Square.

I know I should just let security handle it since I was here to relax. However, I can't do it, as it is just not in my nature to leave the helping of people to others. If someone is in need of assistance, I am always the first one there to help as best I can. Once I get there, though, I'm sure the attacker wishes that I had ignored my instincts. The mother of one of the men who tried to attack me, Carla Jackson, is kneeling on top of my own mother, pounding her so hard that mom's blood is dripping from her fists.

One security officer is trying to pull Carla off my mother, while two others are just standing there watching. At this point, I think Carla says something, but I am not sure, since it feels as if the blood in my body has risen straight up into my head. Before I know it, all sense of reality flows out the window, and I jump at Carla. I am now on top of her, doing exactly what she had done to my mother, only trying my hardest to do it twice as hard.

I feel like I have just began to beat her when I feel two arms circle around me. I struggle at first, then look up, to see a security officer and Pim Anong, the President of Operations herself. The president gives me one of her patented smiles, crooked and awkward, but obviously full of sincere intent. "Don't worry Maria, the medical team is here. Your mother will be OK. I will personally make sure she gets the best care possible."

At that, Carla just laughs, and I become enraged, even more than before. Luckily, the security personnel had both of us in restraints at that point. "That abomination got what she deserved. The real question is: what about me? Did you see what that freak did to me? Did you hear that inhuman hiss it let out when it pounced at me? We're not safe with freaks like that on board."

I can't listen to any more of the acid coming out of her mouth. "What about my mother? She didn't do anything to you, but you beat her anyway. You're conscious and talking. My mother isn't so lucky."

The witch just laughed again. "All of you freaks should be put down. It's only a matter of time before your animal instincts kick in and you reveal yourselves to be the monsters you really are."

I stare coldly at her, completely surprised at not just her lack of compassion, but at her complete lack of reality. "The only monster I see here is you."

The president put her arm around my shoulder and addressed the security officer. "I'll take her down to the holding cell myself." The guard looked surprised, but answered "Yes, President."

When we got to the elevator, the president turned toward me with a sad look on her face. "I'm sorry that I have to detain you at all, as I know without a doubt that I would have done exactly what you did in your position. You'll only be there overnight, but I'm afraid we're going to have to ask that you be placed off duty for a while. Not because of your actions today, but for all of the stress you've been under because of this nonsense. Doctor Coleman will take over your duties, and I'm afraid you'll be under her care for a while."

I just nod. All of my energy has been completely drained from my body. I look over at the president and sigh. "Did I really hiss at her?" The president looks surprised at the question, then frowns. "I'm afraid you did."

I furrow my brows in thought. "Maybe we really are part animal. No one knows the full side effects of gene splicing. Maybe we can't be trusted to keep our emotions in check when we're in the middle of a dangerous situation."

The president surprised me and actually pulled me into a hug. "You have more human compassion than most of the people on this ship. You just did what anyone would do to protect their mother, myself included."

I actually smile, in spite of everything that has just happened. In all the time I have known her, I have never seen the president allow herself to show her human side while she was on duty.