The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 31

The drugs were fading from her system, leaving behind a pain that was even more overpowering. Sleep had failed to come, leaving her mind in tatters. Her throat was parched, her stomach cramped up tight with hunger. The cuts and bruises left her body weak. She was filthy.

The voices she heard confused her. It sounded like the Pathfinder, but it couldn't be. He was dead. Why did she think that? Why was she so sure he was dead? Her mind was scattered, thoughts fragmented with pain.

A woman's face flashed across her thoughts, pretty, but scarred across her face. Olivia couldn't remember her name. They'd been looking for her. That woman was her friend, Olivia thought. They would use Meridian together...whoever she was. The others would betray her. No one had saved her. They had left her to die.

"The map must be around here somewhere." It sounded like Scott, she was sure of that.

"Scott..." She croaked.

"Did you hear that?" Drack said. "I thought I heard a voice."

"Scott...please." She tried again. He stepped into her line of sight, crying out in horror.

"Liv?" She heard him say. He ran to her, dropping to his knees. "Oh god, what have they done to you?" He lifted her head gently, putting it on his knees. He ran his scanner over her. "SAM?"

"Miss Taylor's body shows signs of extensive torture. She requires urgent medical assistance." SAM intoned.

"I thought you had died." Her voice cracked.

"No, no." Scott shook his head, "SAM only stopped my heart for moments." She stared back at him in total confusion. "Why are you here?" He asked her, holding her carefully. "And not in a cell?"

"They found me running around." She laughed, her eyes sliding away. The laugh turned into an awful sounding cough. "They questioned me. I told him about Firefly." Olivia whispered, "But not about you. I didn't want them to know about SAM, not if you were still alive somewhere."

"I'm so sorry." Scott murmured.

"My head hurts." She sounded oddly disbelieving. "Everything hurts." Her eyes closed, her face going slack. Scott tapped her cheeks lightly with his fingers and she came around again with a start.

"We need to get the map and get out of here." Jaal said, staring down at her, "I don't think she will last very long if we don't."

"I agree." Scott said, still holding Olivia in his arms. She seemed confused, distraught and incredibly fragile, drifting in and out of consciousness. He touched her face. She stunk of blood, and filth. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't let himself. "We need to get into that room."

"No!" Liv insisted suddenly. "No you don't have to." Her voice shook. "You mustn't."

"What's wrong?" Scott asked anxiously.

"I thought you were dead." She sobbed.

"I know." Scott said gently, a note of urgency creeping into his tone, "But I'm not. Why shouldn't we go in there, Liv?"

"I've already seen it." She whispered, her eyes focusing again momentarily. "The Archon...he made me look, made me try."

"What did you see?" Scott asked, trying to keep his voice level, "Did you see Meridian?"

"He put a camera in my brain. He was trying to see what I saw." Her voice rambled on. "But I saw the location, I know it. You don't need to look." She insisted.

"Where is it kid?" Drack asked.

"I know. I know, I know." Her eyes slid away. Scott exchanged glances with the others. In Olivia's current state, they had no way of knowing if what she was saying was the truth or just some hallucination brought on by the torture.

"Did the Archon see what you saw?" Scott asked carefully.

"His device didn't work." She refocused on his face, "Firefly neutralised it." She started shaking, "He tried to make me tell him what I saw." Broken laughs escaped her mouth. "But I couldn't. Even if I wanted to, it wouldn't let me, she wouldn't. Why did she do this to me?"

"Who?"

"I...I don't know." Her voice trailed off, a confused frown on her face. "Nunok and Lyora are here. Nunok ran. I feel angry with them. I feel like I want them to hurt. Why is that?" Her voice was small, helpless. Scott took a deep breath, feeling lost. She had cracked. The torture must have put so much strain on her mind that she was barely sane.

"Dr Calon is safe." He reassured her, "I've seen him. And your sister and Vee are both safe too. Dr Gaari we'll need to look for."

"Drack," Her voice cracked, "Your scouts are here."

"I know, kid." He said, his voice soothing. "Ryder, we need to make a decision." Alarms started to blare, as if on cue.

"Are you positive you know how to get to Meridian?" He looked into her eyes. She held his gaze, nodding firmly. "Then we go now. We get as many prisoners out as possible and then onto the Ark. Drack, can you take Olivia straight there? Jaal and I will follow when we're done."

"No." She said dazedly, sitting up. "I know my way around. I know where they're keeping the others. I can get you to them."