The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 10

Her knee was swelling from banging it as she'd fallen and her back and sides felt bruised and scraped. Olivia winced, her heart thudding with fear and adrenaline. Liam threw a frag grenade over the rocks at the incoming Kett which exploded in a whirlwind of noise and cries. He kept popping up with his shotgun and was keeping them at bay but they were covering ground.

He tossed Olivia a pistol. "You ever used one of these?"

"Of course not!" Olivia protested, her voice high and strained.

"It's got a decent size clip. Just point, shoot and I'll reload for you when you need to." Liam groaned, "Oh god this was a stupid idea. We need backup." He paused, fired off a shot, "Ryder, mate, are you busy?" Liam called into his omni-tool.

"Liam? Is that gunfire I hear in the background? Where are you?" She heard Scott's voice, confused.

"I may have taken Taylor out for a ride and we may have been ambushed by some Kett." Liam answered sheepishly.

"What?" He sounded astonished...and annoyed. "You took a civilian into Kett territory? What were you thinking?"

"Clearly I wasn't." Liam rolled his eyes, "Just help us out, would you, or we're going to be overrun." He tapped a few times, sending over the navpoint.

"We're nearby." Scott replied, "Keep her safe, Kosta."

Olivia popped up, putting up the gun and squeezing the trigger rapidly, the recoil knocking her shoddy aim off. Still it gave enough of a distraction for Liam to reload and join the fight once more. Shots whizzed past her face and she threw herself down again.

Suddenly the Nomad emerged from over the ridge, barrelling into the oncoming Kett. It braked sharply and Scott leaped out with his squad mates. He and the Turian opened fire almost immediately with deadly accuracy and the Asari merrily began throwing Kett soldiers with her biotics.

The fight was over quickly and Liam immediately jogged across the sand to his friends. "Thanks, Ryder! I thought we were dead for sure." He shouted out. Olivia hung back, her whole body trembling. She felt the need to sit. She had never held a gun, let alone been shot at. Her limbs were pumped with adrenaline and she felt like her lungs couldn't quite take in enough oxygen. Meanwhile it looked like heated words were occurring between Scott and Liam. Olivia pulled herself up.

"Taylor's on a quest." She heard Liam say, turning back. Olivia limped forward, her rapidly swelling knee hampering her progress.

"Did you get hit?" Scott asked her, staring alarmed at her leg.

"No, I fell off the bike when the Kett attacked." She smiled, "Thanks for the rescue."

He was still obviously annoyed, Olivia thought. Was it because he'd had to dash to the rescue, or was he annoyed because they'd been foolish enough to find trouble or was it something else? "We should get you back to Prodromos. It's not safe for civilians out here. Not yet."

"No, I'm so close to finding what happened to Pavara. I can't go back yet, even if I have to continue on my own." She told him stubbornly.

He gave her a long, piercing look. "Tell me." She explained the situation, in the way she had explained it to Liam. "Well you're not going on your own." Scott told her, "Let's look for your friend." He turned to his companions, "Vetra, Pee Bee, can you take the bikes back to Bradley? We'll carry on in the Nomad."

The Turian, Vetra, sighed but the Asari grinned, "Looks like fun!"

Scott offered her his hand to climb into the vehicle and she awkwardly managed, wincing at the pain in her leg. "Are you sure that you're alright?" He asked her.