"I know we're supposed to be all inspired and stuff but all I can think about right now is how terrified I am." said [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/8d/6c/db/8d6cdb797dfdff4cf3dd8468e25c5ffb.jpg]Clara[/url] as she put a hand to her stomach as though that would ease the nauseous feeling in her gut.
"We're all kind of terrified." Amara replied, trying to comfort her friend.
"You don't [i]look [/i]terrified." countered Clara with an accusatory but playful expression.
Amara took Clara's hand in her own and squeezed softly as she gave her a gentle smile and said "Well that's because I'm dead inside."
There was a brief silence before Clara made a slight snorting sound then laughed quietly which made Amara do the same.

Amara knew that the stupid joke would cheer her friend up. Clara had managed to get some of her family aboard the Vitae in stasis but there were still so many people being left behind. So many people that were doomed to die. Clara had always been so emotional. She was a stark contrast to the often stoic Amara. People often commented on how different the friends were. Some people had recently remarked on how unemotional Amara was about the fact that they were about to leave the Sol system and everyone they cared about behind. It wasn't really that she didn't care. She cared a great deal. She just didn't show it. But Amara rarely let what other people said about her get her down. In fact she often embraced it and used it, like she had just done with Clara. Sure, she had brought a box of chocolates to help cheer Clara up too but self-deprecating humor worked too. It would probably last longer than the chocolate too. Lord knows how long the Vitae's supply of chocolate would last anyway. With that thought, she popped another chocolate in her mouth and playfully shoved one at Clara's face too.

The Admiral's pre-launch speech had just ended and everyone was scurrying around to their assigned stations or heading to their cabins. Amara and Clara were currently on a rooftop of a building in the hub, waiting to spring into action if they got a call. Any new ship launch inevitably brought problems. Be it malfunctioning machines causing injuries or just people adjusting to life on a ship. People always underestimated the effect moving from planetary gravity to artificial gravity could have on the human body. The medical staff, which included Amara and Clara, were on standby in case they were needed. Since most of the civilian population lived around the hub, it made sense to be here where they could keep a personal eye on people. Amara peered over the edge to watch the people below as Clara said "You know as terrified as I am right now, I can only imagine what must be going through your old man's head."

Amara felt a slight lump in her throat form as she thought about that but refused to turn and look at her friend in case she gave away her emotions. "He'll be fine." she said, still looking down at the people. "He's a big boy." Despite her words, Amara knew that she wanted nothing more than to be with her dad right now. But she knew that would be entirely for her own benefit. He didn't need her and she was needed elsewhere.

Something caught Amara's eye then. Or rather, [i]someone[/i]. She vaguely heard Clara say something but wasn't paying enough attention to realise what it was. She gave a slight "Mmmmhmmm" by way of response as she pulled the goggles up from around her neck and placed them over her eyes. She zoomed in on chief TreVayne as he passed below, rushing to his station. She watched him go by until he was out of her sight, at which point she heard Clara say "You know he's married, right?"
"I wasn't--" Amara began as she looked up at Clara but stopped when she realised she had forgotten to take her goggles off and she could see the pores on her friends face. After pulling them back down around her neck, she began again "I was just checking to make sure he was okay." She looked away and then quickly looked back as she added. "He's fine."
"If you say so." replied Clara with a smirk.
Amara started to turn a slight shade of red and she had to look away again. She put her goggles back on and once again looked down at the people below as she told Clara "Shut up."
Clara only smiled.

"Are you two ladies finished braiding each others hair?" A third voice spoke up through their earpieces. Both women recognised the voice as [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/1d/36/85/1d3685041f54a87a1b63aa15663d9a40.jpg]Deacon Maron[/url], whose voice was low and grumbling thanks to his horrible smoking habit. Deacon was essentially a controller for the medics of the ark. While the A.I NO4H had eyes everywhere, the controllers had access to nearly as many. When NO4H became aware of a possible injury that needed emergency treatment, he would alert a controller, who would in turn alert a medic. Apparently one of the higher-ups in the chain of command didn't entirely trust an artificial intelligence to make a call on whether or not humans needed medical attention. That was why people like Deacon existed.

Amara rolled her eyes at Deacon's comment and as she removed her goggles once again, she scanned around to find the camera he was watching them through. Once she spotted it, she remarked directly at it in a sarcastic tone "Yes, Deacon. We're about to move on to the pillow fight."
Deacon sat forward in his chair and smirked at Amara's comment as he watched her on his monitor. "Oh, well don't let me stop you." he commented.
Amara's only response to that was to hoist her middle finger up and direct it at the camera. Clara leaned over her shoulder and did the same thing. Deacon may have been a pig at times but he was still one of Amara's closest friends. And that was just a horrifying indication of the state of her social circle. "I assume you have a job for us." she said with a sigh.
"Out of respect for you both and also because your old man scares me, I'm going to overlook an obvious joke and just say yes." remarked Deacon. "Sending you the coordinates now."
The data pads on both Amara and Clara's wrists lit up with information on the patient and their location. "We're on it." Amara replied before turning and heading towards the ladder which would take them back down from their rooftop perch.
"Hey, can I drive the bus?" asked Clara.
Amara replied "Not after what happened last time."

[hr]
Amara and Clara dealt with their first patient quickly, the motion sick guard had been puking his guts up but a couple of pills and some re hydration fixed the main problem. He would have a rough time aboard the Vitae if he was throwing up whenever it moved but hopefully he would get over it and not need constant medication. Clara felt bad for the guy but Amara only felt bad for the maintenance crew that had to clean up after him.

With a little bit of time to spare afterwards, they sat in their ambulance and watched the footage of the Earth being left behind on Clara's datapad. Not a word was spoken throughout it but Clara sobbed gently, eventually resting her head on Amara's shoulder for comfort. Amara herself had no emotional attachment to this planet but she loved Mars. She loved its people. And they would soon be gone. Just like Earth. It was really only then that the enormity of the situation hit her and she fought to hold back her own tears. Both women sat in silence as they watched the planet pull away from them.

[hr]
Their next stop was to a bar nearby where some woman had apparently attacked a couple. Amara was almost thankful that she had as it gave both herself and Clara a reason to stop watching the footage of Earth. To stop thinking about things they really didn't want to think about. Upon arriving at the scene, Amara was surprised to see that the attacker was someone she actually recognised. While she and Doctor Larson had never actually met, she was aware of the other woman through reputation. It was surprising to see someone of her standing assaulting someone. Apparently the stress of the day was getting to everyone.

Amara and Clara treated the couples wounds as best they could but Amara insisted on taking the man to the nearest med bay for further tests. After hearing that his head had been rammed into the bar, she couldn't entirely rule out the possibility if a concussion and felt it was better to play it safe. So all four squeezed into the ambulance and were soon on their way to the med bay. And apparently just in time. As all hell broke loose then.

Alarms sounded throughout the entire ship. Lights flashed and people screamed. Everyone was already on edge before this and the now many of them had just been tipped over that edge. Panic started to set in for many. Amara, after a brief moment, collected herself and tapped her earpiece. "Deacon" What's happening?" she demanded, knowing that he was in the loop.
"Only bad things, princess!" came back the response as Deacon yelled over the sound of the alarms. Deacon then opened the channel to everyone that needed to hear him as he said "All medical staff get to your stations and standby! There's a whole world of hurt about to head our way!"
[hr]