6th Cylus, 719
She couldn't say that she missed teaching, exactly. Certainly, this flying visit to Scalvoris was busy, and Faith wouldn't have minded had there been no classes scheduled. But there were, and she'd agreed when she took the job she currently had. So, she didn't grumble and she just got on. Besides this was an interesting class and she was glad that she had been asked to teach it. No lecture hall for her this trial, instead she made her way to the large classroom where the tables were laid out. Eight of them in total and, on each one, a body under a sheet. Currently, the corpses were covered over and that was how it was going to remain. Faith had the keys to the classroom - they certainly weren't going to be leaving this room unlocked. There were sixteen students waiting outside, as she had expected and the young woman sighed slightly as she realised that, of course, everyone was taller than her. At least the corpses were laying down and so she could see them, she considered to herself but did not say.
"Alright, we're starting out all around the large table, please." There was a buzz of excitement from the students, they were keen to get going, wanting to get their hands on the flesh, to see the bodies. Faith knew that, by the end of this, two of them would have passed out and another two would have changed subjects. Still, right now it was all keen eyes and the slightly-nervous jostling of each other. "Take a seat please, everyone. Round the table, there are stools, yes. Thank you." She no longer felt nervous when she taught, and she had to admit to a particular buzz of her own energy. Not, of course, for the reason that the students were feeling it. No, this was the feeling of being in front of a class.
As always, Faith had a box of things on her desk and she brought it over to the large desk which sixteen eager students sat at. "I need to be clear about what we're going to do to-trial," she said and she pulled out a small soft toy. A fluffy little thing which had obviously been well loved. "My daughter, she loves that. She can't sleep without it, it's why it's so chewed." Faith saw the frowns of confusion, but she had them, she knew. They were intrigued as to what she was doing. Next, she brought out a shell. It was a pretty, sparkling conch-shell and she placed it next to the small stuffed rabbit. "I picked that up on the beach on a date with the other professor Augustin." There were a few awwwww noises, which caused Faith to grin. "We went stargazing, pirates attacked. It's a thing." Next, a pair of knitted gloves. "I made these. It's something I enjoy to do, to make things for people. People I love, people who need my help. I enjoy baking and cooking, making and looking after people, I really do. Then, there's these." Of all things, she pulled out a pair of boots, welly-boots with bright daisy designs painted on them. "A birthday gift, from my husband. He actually bought me a pony, but these were for me going to the field."
Putting them down, Faith spoke and her voice was low, deep and filled with emotion. "Look at those things. They are memories, filled with emotions. They tell you about me, my family, my life. They tell you a lot about who I am. About what I am. Really look at them." Then, she brought out a tray and placed it down in front of her, before pushing it to the middle. "They, they are what I am. So now, let me tell you what I am not."
Over the tray she lifted a small box, then tipped it. From it poured slabs of meat. Bits of steak, offal, blood and cartilage all mingled together in a slapping, squelching mess.
"I'm not that," she said and looked at them. "I'm not. Nor are you and nor are they," now, she gestured to the covered over corpses in the room. "There will be a zero tolerance policy on this. Those are people. Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters. They loved and they laughed and they cried and you will treat them with all respect or I will make sure you wish you had." Of course, the fact that her eyes glowed slightly red as she said that added weight to the idea that they really weren't going to mess around. "Any questions?"
It appeared there were none.
