"Whatcha doin', Ma'am?" 

Alice looked across the table to empty space.  She put down her fork, and closed the lid of her laptop, revealing a grinning young otter, just barely tall enough to peer at her over the table's edge. 

She smiled at him.  "I'm making a new kind of medicine." 

"Ewww.  I don't like medicine." 

"Well, this medicine will maybe someday help a lot of people." she explained with patience. 

Seeming to take this at face value, the little kid solemnly dragged a chair from around the table and sat in it next to her.  "Can I watch?" he asked, brightly. 

"Of course."  She opened the laptop, and turned it to where they could both see the screen. 

"What's that blobby thing?" 

"That's an Enzyme.  It's kind of like a key.  In real life it's so small you can't see it, but it's a really important part of the medicine." 

"Oh."  Rale looked uncertain.  "If it's so small, what good is it?" 

"It unlocks a nasty disease that a lot of people have.  I'm trying to get it to work." said Alice, her lunch forgotten. 

"If it doesn't work will they die?" 

"Yes. Some of them are as little as you."  She fought against the tears welling up inside her. 

"Why won't it work?" 

"It won't work fast enough." 

"Oh." 

"Rale!  I've been looking all over for you!  Where have you been?  Your lunch is ready." Called out a strong voice that Alice recognized as Brad, the handsome Wolf that had met her on the dock. 

"Oh, Brad!  I'm not hungry!" 

"Com'ere, ya little runt!  Mom'l have both our hides if your lunch gets cold!" 

"Awwww!" 

"I'm sorry if he bothered you, Dr. Katsen," said the retreating Brad, little brother in tow. 

"He was no bother, really," said Alice, but they had gone. 

She had turned back to her work, and her lunch, when the sounds of  laughter on the shifting breeze distracted her.  She made out, some distance away, a group of ladies splashing naked in the lagoon.  They seemed to be enjoying themselves,  playing a game of Marco Polo.  She recognized Sylvia Slipsunder, and a few of the women she'd met on the flight, but she didn't recognize the one wearing the blindfold, trying to grab the bathers around her.  Even from this distance, she could tell that the Vixen was beautiful. 

"She's Gloria Rumpp."  Came a voice from a little behind her.  She spun around, startled, to find Thomas sitting close by, halfway through with his lunch.  There was no-one else on the porch of the great house when she arrived, and she had not heard anyone approach, either. 

He went on.  "Her real name is Edith.  I think it's her goal to sleep with everyone on the island over the age of Fifteen before she leaves next week." 

"You've got to be kidding." 

"Nope.  That sort of thing is pretty common around here, too." 

"Do you think she's going to make it?" 

"Are you crazy?  I've already told her no twice."  Thomas smirked. 

Alice decided that she liked this Squirrel more than she had thought.  "She's very pretty,"  She commented. 

"Yeah, well, looks aren't anything.  Neither is sexual prowess.  She has plenty of both, but she seems a bit shallow to me." 

Alice did not miss the unspoken complement.
 
 

That afternoon, Thomas was helping Brad re-roof one of the unoccupied guest cabins.  It was hard work, and he was thankful of the cool sea breeze.  He looked over the edge to Lucas, who was sitting on a pile of shingles, looking out at the lagoon. 

"Hey, Luke."  The lad didn't look up.  "Luke!" 

Luke looked up.  "What?" 

"Pass me up some of those shingles.  We've run out up here.  And pay more attention to us, instead of the naked ladies swimming, will ya?" 

"Yeah."  Luke shouldered a pile of shingles and carefully climbed the ladder so Thomas could grab them. 

Thomas tossed the shingles over to where Brad was lining up the last of the last batch on the tarpaper.  "Your brother is certainly hard working this afternoon." 

Brad looked up and wiped the sweat from is forehead.  "Well, there really isn't much for him to do.  This roof is barely big enough for the two of us.  Besides, we need him down there." 

"I guess you're right."  Thomas grabbed his tackhammer from his belt and began pounding nails into the shingles Brad had put down for him. 

"Who is that girl he's watching, anyway?"  Asked Brad, deciding to take a short break and let Thomas catch up. 

Thomas glanced at the lagoon.  He saw Alice swimming with an easy breaststroke across the lagoon.  As she reached the dock, she turned and kicked off with a fluid grace that suprised him.  It also suprised him that the bashful black cat had shed her clothes for the swim, leaving them in a neat pile next to her towel on the dock.  Well, everyone here does that sooner or later, he mused.  The Resort had only one washing machine, and it was seldom used, considering the number of people living on the island. 

"Tom?  Hello, Therion calling Tom..." 

"Huh?  Oh.  Umm, That's Dr.  Katsen.  You met her when she arrived, didn't you?" 

"Yeah, but I didn't catch her name.  She's pretty, swimming like that. 

"Yeah."  Thomas ended his reverie, and went back to pounding nails, lost in thought.
 

Alice had waited until Gloria and Company had finished their game and headed into the house, giggling and joking, before going down to the lagoon for a quick dip.  She stood on the dock, and looked around to see if anyone was nearby.  Brad and Thomas were doing something on the roof of a nearby cabin, but didn't seem to be paying attention to her, so she quickly peeled off the clothes she had worn.  She slid off the dock into the cool lagoon, and kicked off into an easy breaststroke.  As she settled into the rhythm, she told herself that she didn't care who saw her naked, but a small part of herself remained unconvinced.  She let her thoughts wander as she enjoyed the cool water, so clear and blue.  Maybe those guys at the lab were right.  Maybe I did need the break.  I bet they wish they were here instead of me.  Tropical paradise.  And Thomas.  I wonder what he thinks of me.  He's so confident in himself.  I wish I had that.  I'll bet he could do anything he decides to do.  The guys at the lab all seem timid or arrogant, but not him.  She purred, and let her mind drift off on it's own, letting the peace of the lagoon flow over her.
 

Alice saw Thomas again at breakfast the next day.  He was sitting at the other end of the informal dining room that served the island when the weather turned sour.  He seemed to be engaging Sylvia in a discussion of the resort, if their gestures were any way to judge.  She enjoyed her fruit salad and watched them in silence.  They seemed to reach an agreement, and Thomas rose, said good-bye and thanks, and strode from the room.
 

That afternoon, Alice was sitting again on the porch of the plantation house, with a cup of tea on the stand beside her.  She was half reading a novel, half looking out into the steady gentle rain that had come in from the west that morning.  She put down the book as Sylvia came up to her. 

"Oh, I see you're a fan of Mr. Foxley too.  I'm not intruding, am I?"  said Miss Slipsunder. 

"Not at all.  He's one of my favorites.  I picked up his latest in the airport bookstore." 

"I think his mysteries are just wonderful.  Are you having a good time here?" 

"Absolutely.  I love the island.  It's so idyllic." 

"I'm sorry about the rain.  It should clear up by tonight.  It seldom gets any worse than this, and it never stays more than a day.  We get thunderstorms later in the year, but in the early summer, it's quite pleasant." 

"That's what they said when they were trying to get me to take a vacation back at the office.  My boss came here for his honeymoon about three years ago." 

"Oh, really?  I'm glad he convinced you.  What was his name?" 

"Dr. David Tanner." 

"Oh, yes!  I remember them.  His wife was so beautiful.  How are they doing?" 

"They had a faun last year.  They are doing fine, when David can get away from the lab." 

"That's wonderful!  I hope they are as happy now as they were then.  He said something about some new project he was heading up.  Something about a virus.  I don't pretend to have understood what he was talking about, it mostly cleared my head by a good margin." 

"That's the project I've been working on.  We think that we're that close to a breakthrough."  She held up a thumb and forefinger, separated by a quarter inch. 

"I'm glad to here it.  I can't help but noticing that our Mr. Rodenthal has taken quite an interest in you.  He's a great help around here.  I don't know how we would get along without him." 

"He seems to be very capable." 

"He is.  He must think very highly of you, he doesn't follow many people around.  Well, I should stop bothering you and go find out what Rale is into." 

"It was no bother.  Thank you for the chat," Said Alice, but Sylvia had already wandered off, and didn't hear. 

I wonder what she means by Thomas following me around, she thought.  Is it that obvious?  She picked up the book again, but couldn't get back to reading it.  Instead she stared out into the rain, watching the patterns it formed on the walk's puddles. 

She was still lost in her thoughts when Thomas walked by on his way to the dock.  He was dressed in the uniform of the Freeland Scouts, his khaki shirt festooned with colorful patches.  She thought, well, it's now or never, and bolstered up her courage. 

"Thomas!"  She called out.  He turned to see who had called him, and seeing Alice, he smiled and came up the short stairs after pausing to wipe the island mud from his feet. 

"I was on my way to a Scout meeting," he explained. 

"I was just wondering what you'd be doing later tonight,"  said Alice, taking the opportunity to examine his rain spotted uniform more closely.  His shirt was a motley collection indeed.  On his right pocket flap was a patch with a conch shell embroidered on it with some words in some forign language.  Just above that was "Freeland Scouts" written in red.  Just above that was a red strip with "Undernish" in white letters.  Above his left pocket were a couple of  embroidered paw prints in different colors.  One shoulder bore the Flag of the Freelands.  His other shoulder had a patch with a map of the Happenstance Islands on it.  Below that was a red and white number One, and below that a patch that bore a Scout emblem and the words "Assistant Scoutmaster".  All the patches looked crisp and new, except for one.  This patch was positioned above his right pocket, wrinkled and stained with age, and she could barely make out the words "12733 Nat'l Jamboree" under a picture of a howling wolf.  It had clearly seen action on several different shirts in the nineteen years since then. 

He broke her study of his shirt.  "Oh.  I'm afraid that I won't be back until late tonight.  The Troop meets in Fairport." 

Alice looked crestfallen for a moment.  Then she brightened again, asking, "What about tomorrow night?" 

"I was planning to,"  he paused, looking into her eyes, "Invite you to dinner." 

Alice caught her breath and almost yipped with suprise.  "Oh, Thomas!  I'd be delighted!" 

"How about Seven o'clock, at the Hootch?" 

"I wouldn't miss it.  May I walk you out to your boat?" 

"Of course."  He took her hand, and they strolled, ignoring the rain, to the dock. 

She was so excited that night that she forgot to get the results of experiment EV-R32 from Amy.