"You are quite a marvel Marcie…" Dr. Mosley chimed while going over her newly updated file. Many of the tests she had to go through had to be modified due to her disability but the doc was more than satisfied from the results of the test. Marcie gave a sheepish grin.
"What department will I be going to?" She asked, impatient about always doing tests and awaiting results. After all this time, she wanted to really start moving forward and be productive for once.
Marcie fidgeted in her chair as the doctor pondered over the information. "That's the thing. Your skills and abilities can be applied to many different departments. The system was extraordinarily gracious to you when it bestowed you with your skills. Most people tend to get two or three core skills at the very most on top of the typical benefits of awakening."
So this system is not only just for her after all. She felt like she had a lot to learn and felt somewhat at ease that she wasn't alone in this whole new metaphorical world she seemed to have stumbled into. So many questions came to mind now, but none the courage to ask them.
"Ideally, we would put you into a field team for resource extraction in contract dungeons, but until we can find a solution for your mobility issues, we will have you working in the labs. The science and medical teams work out of the labs when not in the field so you'll be able to work with them directly to solve your… health issue…" Mr. Mosley didn't really know how else to say 'parasite infection' without sounding insensitive. Marcie understood though.
Dr. Mosley brought Marcie over to the floor where the labs were. Her nose crinkled at the faintest lingering smell that was eerily similar to the foul smell she experienced when she was held hostage at the association.
Marcie's physical regression had not gone unnoticed. Dr. Mosley handed her a cloth. "Sorry, the lab is directly connected to our monster dismantle facility. It's part of processing the parts into usable materials. We do try our best to minimize the smell, though sometimes it is unavoidable…you'll get used to it in time."
They were that close to a monster dismantling facility? But the stench was so much more mute than the association. Marcie had to wonder if this was the norm, or the exception to standard guild practices. Nevertheless she was grateful for their attention to such things in the guild she chose to join.
"I suppose my extraction skills will be used here, won't they?" Marcie pondered out loud. A gruffled grunt turned their heads toward a short, stocky man who approached them. He wore a baggy rubber suit similar to a rain jacket and a black leather apron that clearly showed staining and wear and tear from constant use. His hair was curly and like fire, loosely tied back into a man bun in the back and his trimmed beard hid most of his nearing senior age.
"You'll be doin much more than extractions, lassy." His accent, while not very strong, held some flair from his highland origins. Though the man gave her a look over and seemed unsure about this little situation, he was quick to shake the thoughts from his mind. "Th'name's Mick, I'm the one who runs the dismantlin teams 'ere". Mick reached out to shake Marcie's hand, when she obliged, he flipped her hands around to inspect them. "Hmmm… I see. I think you'll be just fine in our department."
Getting her hands back, Marcie glanced at them. They were calloused and had become quite strong since they were her means of moving about. Sure, she wore gloves most of the time when travelling in her wheelchair, but that was mostly to keep her hands clean.
"While it would seem to make sense ta just have ya solo all the extractions, we dun want ta put our other guys out of work. So you'll be helpin out during the overflow periods an also with bigger extractions" While the three of them moved to dismantling areas for a tour, Mick handed her a tablet, on it was a dossier of creatures they have dismantled, the parts, and any reports that came with it.
"We are 'bout as expert as most get in extractions, Marcie, but with your special skill, you might be able to find more that we could be missin. Once our extractions are done, we'll be havin you look over the remains to see if there's anythin we missed." Mick led them into the processing area next. Here were rooms with many different types of chambers.
"Dependin in the material we get, we have ta store and process them in different ways. With monsters we don't know, we have biopsy samples of em done ta figure out the best way ta use the part." Marcie couldn't help but notice one chamber had multiple monster hides, stretched and being sprayed with something by machines.
"What do you do with all these parts?" She asked, though she could probably guess a bunch of it. She already knew there was a specialized market for monster parts. The group made it into the main lab area now where it shows people working in different areas in some very unique work stations.
"We tend ta divide up the materials. Some will go straight ta market once they've been processed and approved, some are sold straight ta manufactures fer makin hunters gear n such, and we make sure ta keep some of everythin for research an development purposes."
Marcie was quite astonished at the sheer level of research that goes into each and every creature that comes to the guild. Right from the very start when field teams enter dungeons, they are constantly recording information. The monster bodies are scanned and studied, if the teams are able to, they try to observe them in their natural habitat the way N-Geographic does with the wilds here on Earth.
The whole operation wasn't actually about fighting and hunting, it was about knowledge. At least, that is the goal of the Atlas Guild. Marcie has heard that most guilds focus on conquering and resource acquisitions. Marcie realized, perhaps for the second time since the dungeons first arrived, that these dungeons, unlike how the media portrays them, are just other worlds existing in their own way. Marcie thought back to the night with that giant Asprey-like bird. While the majority of that experience felt like everything was out to kill her and other humans, the reality was not so.
"So the creatures that come to be dismantled…" Dr. Mosley nodded.
"They are animals that the teams took out only as a last resort. We don't know if these animals are endangered in their worlds, parasites, invasive species, etc. We know so little about them that our Guild tries to maintain as little interactions with the local fauna as possible." Dr. Mosley brought Marcie over to an empty work station. It contained a computer in one spot, but the rest was largely empty.
"This will be your main station for now. We'll give you the access info for the computer later but the rest of the space, you utilize it how you need. If you need special equipment, you can put in a request." Mick gave Marcie a pat before heading back to his main area.
"For now, Marcie, aside from some assisting in material extractions, we'll be giving you sample materials. We want to see what your crafting abilities can do. We are also making the task of figuring out how to remove your passenger safely a top priority for the lab. I believe some of your coworkers might already have some ideas."