Ask Field Trip

[Rowan Allaird]

To say that he was nervous was an understatement. He had studied extensively about AMS, but he had never been anywhere near it. The reports on Holo and the pictures he saw were horrific. However, it was a mandatory part of his curriculum to do a visit at an AMS quarantine site to learn first hand how it was handled.

He was a part of a small cohort of students from all around the galaxy that were selected to tour a quarantine facility. The planet had curbed its infected rate, but the danger still remained. Rowan was in a speeder transport with the other students as they arrived at the facility, the tall walls with spikes on them greeting them.

Droids manned the outer perimeters and everyone had their faces plastered against the windows to see how a facility like this was set up. The droids were there just as much to protect as to shoot anyone that became infected on the inside.

Rowan stepped out of the transport after they arrived, blinking through his glasses as he carried his backpack over one shoulder and a rolling luggage in his hand. He and the other students would be staying here for a week and observing the care of those that had been bitten, had their limbs amputated and were eventually released to go home. There was a quarantine period where some victims became infected and others were just fine.

There was a doctor waiting with a datapad up front for all the students. Rowan walked to the front with the others, both curious and nervous about the next few days.

 

[Zathria]

Zathria had spent a great deal of time trying to decide whether or not to return to school to supplement her education. She knew she wasn't likely to attend medical school properly, but more information and leaving doors open were both options she had decided were good ones.

Since returning to school, she had done her best to conceal her identity as a Jedi. Although she carried her lightsaber with her, she didn't want the drama that often came along with being a Jedi. She was here to be a regular person. A regular student. One didn't have to walk around declaring "I'm a Jedi" to help people anyway.

She'd signed up for the week-long externship at the quarantine facility, and had mixed feelings about having actually gotten it. She'd done a small amount of work around AMS, but it had been limited. She'd seen enough to know that she - and the rest of the students - were in for a rough week.

Even having been around it, she couldn't keep herself from looking out the window with everyone else at the facility. This was a world that had suffered extensively under AMS. The quarantine zones and walls signaled just how bad things had gotten. It wasn't a nice medical facility or sterile environment, but looked like it had been a warzone.

She slung her backpack and duffel bag over her shoulder, accustomed to traveling light, and headed out along with everyone else. They were led forward to the entry point for the zone. The doctor who greeted them - a third year medical resident - looked like he hadn't slept in the last 24 hours, and if Zathria had to guess, he hadn't.

Welcome to Honor Gateway Quarantine Facility, he said, looking up at the students gathered. We have a busy week ahead of us. There's a lot to see at the facility, and although you won't be allowed to provide direct patient care, we can still get you chances for observation and some non-patient contact roles, he said.

This way, he said, waving them inside.

Zathria followed along, falling in at the front of the group beside an Arkanian as they came to the first gate. She pressed her way through a large, cage-like turnstile that emptied the students into the first courtyard.

She glanced up to see droids patrolling all around the top ramparts. No doubt this area functioned as a killzone if there was another outbreak. A second gate was ahead but the droids held up their hands to indicate another line where each student would have their temperature taken before entry.

 

[Rowan Allaird]

It wasn’t often that Rowan spotted other white haired individuals that weren’t ancient fossils. He did a double take when he spotted the woman next to him, noting the dark skin in contrast to the vibrant alabaster hair. He realized his gaze lingered a bit too long when he saw the group beginning to move. Cursing internally, he decided to fall into step with the woman, hoping it would lead him to where they needed to go.

Eventually they were led to the residential area to set their things down. He was sharing a room with a Rodian that only grunted when he introduced himself. The Arkanian decided to stay silent as he set his things down and looked down at his datapad for the agenda for today. It was nothing more than a simple mixer in the cafeteria, an orientation lecture and then bed.

He stepped out of his room and spotted that same white haired woman from before across the hall. Rowan fixed up his hair a bit before walking over to introduce himself.

“Hey!” He called at her as he walked over, “My roommate is a bit of a grump, so thought I’d come introduce myself,” He flashed a friendly smile, “I’m Rowan.”

 

[Zathria]

Zathria followed along as they led her to the bunk rooms. The rooms were small, but gave enough room for she and her roommate to set their things down. The other woman - a Theelin - was just a little bit too... out there for Zathria. In the time they'd gotten into the room the woman - who introduced herself as Maureen - had launched into a rant about her anti-meat campaign that she'd run at her university and how she'd gotten all meat products abolished from the campus's main cafeteria.

Zathria just kind of smiled and nodded along, quickly making a break for the door when the woman stopped to take a breath.

She got out to the hallway and led the door slide closed behind her before taking a deep breath. She saw the same student approach her that she'd walked by out front.

Oh no, not another one, she thought to herself, hoping that if she didn't make eye contact he wouldn't come talk to her.

It didn't work, but as he introduced himself, she realized he seemed a bit less "enthusiastic" than her roommate. She couldn't avoid the mixer, so he seemed like as good a person as any to talk to during it.

Hi! she said, giving a smile of her own and extending a hand. Just because she didn't like talking to people, didn't mean she didn't know how.

I'm Zathria, she said, having already forgotten his name as her mind tried to figure out the next thing to say. Yikes. Well, at least you'll have a peaceful room to return to, she said. That would not be the case for her. She wondered if she'd even be able to get to sleep tonight over Maureen's talking.

You heading over to the cafeteria? she asked, motioning with her thumb in the direction she'd noted the signs pointed to earlier. She started walking in that direction, breaking out into the evening air to cross the path to the cafeteria.

 

[Rowan Allaird]

Rowan could tell the woman was a bit flustered, and she almost looked as if she escaped a dreadful situation. The Arkanian had been around enough nervous freshmen to know how oppressive a social situation could get. He gave a polite smile when she asked about the cafeteria.

“I am, yeah,” He said before drawing out his datapad and scrolling through the agenda. Rowan walked with her, but purposely kept a lot of his attention on what he was reading so she didn’t feel as if she were on the spot and having to entertain him.

“You ever see any infected in person?” He asked after a while, pulling a picture on his datapad as he grimaced down at it. He couldn’t even imagine running into that in real life.

The cafeteria was a bit crowded already when he looked up. Rowan scanned across and pointed out at a table in the back, “Wanna grab us a spot over there?”

 

[Zathria]

Zathria walked across the open space. She was also glad for... uh, white-hair's attention being on his datapad, which gave her time to look around. For the first time didn't feel like she was being rushed to the next location, which gave her the chance to actually see what was around them. They were surrounded on both sides by walls, but the space in between left ample room for numerous buildings. The quarantine zone was almost its own city.

I have, yeah, she said. I work as a medic normally and take classes on the side, she said. It was... partially true. She was a certified paramedic, and she did do that, but she was also a Jedi and that was at the core of her "medic-ing." It was also where she had seen the infected up close. Too close. Covered in guts close.

Sure! she said as he pointed to a table in the back. Just... grab me whatever they have? she said, shrugging and throwing her hand up in an "I don't know" gesture.

She headed for the back table, plopping down in a seat as she pulled out her datapad and started scrolling through some messages that had popped up. One of her mission reports had been kicked back to her and she rolled her eyes and sighed. Evidently she hadn't been "detailed" enough about the number of people involved in the speeder crash she had assisted with. Because that really mattered, didn't it? Another eye roll.

At the food counter, the lunch-lady was a large Askajian who looked like she had seen one too many students come through. As Rowan tried to grab a second tray for Zathria, she scowled at him.

One tray per customer, cupcake, she said, in a tone that wasn't too friendly. She pointed and motioned for him to put the other tray back with a scowl.

 

[Rowan Allaird]

Rowan had a rather grumpy look on his face by the time he returned to the table. He set down a tray in front of Zathria that looked over the top loaded up with helpings of food. The amount of glaring he had to endure from both the lunch lady and the other students convinced him that he made a lot of enemies just then.

The Arkanian shook his head as he set the tray in between them, “They only allowed one tray per student. I barely got out of there alive,” He looked over his shoulder, “Lady looked like she was getting ready to suffocate me with all six of her…” He tilted his head to look back at Zathria and grinned sheepishly, “Hope you like mystery meat.”

He prodded tentatively at the single bowl of what looked like some sort of stew. He picked up a smaller bowl and shoveled some of it over for himself, leaving most of it for Zathria. He wasn’t sure how much of a neatfreak she was, but it was either this or waiting at the very end of the line all over again.

“So what’s it like?” He asked as he eyed her curiously, “Being around infected,” There was a sense of wonder in his eyes, “I mean… you don’t have to answer if you don’t want,” He said suddenly, awkwardly running his hand through his hair. What if she watched her mom get eaten or something? He was being an insensitive prat. Rowan quickly cleared his throat and focused back on his food.

“So yeah, wonder what this orientation lecture will be about..” He muttered pathetically.

 

[Zathria]

Zathria looked as he set the single bowl down in front of them. She was going to push up from her chair and get back in line before looking over to see that it was probably at least a fifteen minute wait. She sighed quietly.

But then, he was polite enough to share, so she couldn't complain.

Her... what? she asked. Having not seen the woman, she had no idea what he was referencing yet.

Thanks, she said, grabbing a spoon and looking down at the bowl. She scowled at the stew.

Maybe we should be thanking her that we couldn't get another full bowl of this, she said, taking a bite and immediately wanting to expel it from her mouth. She made a face as she swallowed and smacked her lips together a bit.

She was thankful for the question because it was an easy topic of conversation.

No, I don't mind, she reassured him. She knew that look immediately. It was the look that said "this is incredibly interesting, but I don't want to sound like a psychopath." She knew it too well.

It's... she frowned. She didn't really know how to describe it. I don't know. It's pretty scary to be honest. They're... well, once they get infected they're not people anymore. There's nothing there anymore, she said. She didn't know how to describe it, and she shuddered just a bit as she thought about being covered in the Wookiee's parts.

Normally you can cure someone with a disease, you know. But once this sets in, the only cure is... well, you know, she said. Killing them. She meant killing them.

Probably a whole lot of "do's" and "don'ts," she conjectured about the lecture. they'll take two hours to say what could be said in ten minutes, she said with a smirk. That was how these things usually went, wasn't it?

Another bite of stew was forced down and she ripped the piece of bread in half for the two of them. It took all her strength just to rip the thing in two, which didn't bode well for how rock-hard the bread was. She had to make a concerted effort just to bite and tear off the piece that she started to eat.

 

[Rowan Allaird]

Rowan gave a slightly alarmed look when he realized Zathria hadn’t seen what race the lunchlady was. Then again, it was probably a very prejudiced comment to make, so he casually busied himself with eating a dinner roll to excuse himself from answering. Of course, he almost chipped his tooth in the process.

He was fascinated as she answered about the infected, blinking at her with wide and curious eyes when she described it. He had read about it, of course, and he had studied every bit he could. Hearing it from someone that had seen it was vastly different. Her eyes looked as if they saw something far beyond him, and her voice took a tone that sent chills down his spine.

Rowan was still staring vacantly as she casually switched to the lecture topic and continued to prod at the food. He shook himself out his reverie and glanced down at the stew, fighting back the urge to vomit as he saw what looked like some slimy eyeballs. Seeing this right after Zathria described AMS infected made him lose his appetite entirely.

The Arkanian decided to only eat a few dinner rolls and a side salad for his meal. Fighting the rolls alone took up almost all of his energy and he was just about ready for bed.

“Do you know anyone else here?” He asked after a moment. Rowan recognized at least three or four other students here, but the rest were from universities around the galaxy.

 

[Zathria]

If this was going to be the food across the next week, it was going to be a long and hungry week. She ate up what little was left that wasn't stew and then pulled a granola bar out of her pocket, sliding a second across the table to white hair.

Nope. You? she asked, ripping open the bar and starting to eat it as she piled up the bowls and garbage onto a single tray for easy disposal.

She got up and cleared it away, heading for the exit. A glance down at her chrono told her that the orientation wasn't for nearly another hour, which left them time to look around the facilities.

What year are you in school? she asked. What're you wanting to do?

She headed outside and took a deep breath of the cool air. The sun was beginning to set in the distance and the air was bound to get cold eventually. By the schedule they had to be up early in the morning as well. Busy days ahead indeed.