The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 32

Pulling Olivia upright, Scott shouted to Hayjer through coms to activate the EMP. There was a bang and a crackling sound as everything in the room switched off, plunging them into darkness. In the dark they heard a strange roar. "What was that?" Jaal asked tentatively.

Glass shattered as the Krogan-Kett monster escaped its tank. It leapt down into the room with them, eyes devoid of any sense of who he once was. "Krogan! Stand down!" Drack yelled in desperation.

"I don't think he understands." Jaal replied as the monster opened fire on them.

Scott dropped to the floor behind another tank, taking Olivia with him. Without armour she was an easy target. A single hit could kill her right now. He covered her body with his own as the blasts passed over their heads striking another tank. It shattered, dropping the Salarian within it limply to the floor. "Stay down!" He said to her, leaping up and helping the others to fight.

"Ryder, we detonated the EMP!" Hayjer said over the coms. "Raeka is still trying to free captives."

"Pathfinder, there is little time to waste. You must leave this ship now." SAM told them, a note of urgency in his voice as the monster fell. Olivia was trying to pull herself up, but failing. Jaal reached her first, yanking her onto her feet. She gasped once with pain.

"Stay with me, Liv, okay?" Scott said to her, hurrying to her side.

"I'll be fine. We need to find the others. Nunok...he tried to escape...I don't know." She trailed off. "I got separated from them."

"Dr Calon is safe." Scott reassured her, "He and the other salarians made it to the Ark; it's how we knew you were here somewhere. We need to find Dr Gaari however, and the rest of Drack's scouts."

"Pathfinder, I detect an Asari life sign on board as well as several Krogan not too far from your location."

"Do we have time to get there before the Kett restore power?" Scott asked.

"You must act quickly." SAM answered.

"Ryder, it's Raeka. I'm pinned down. Don't think I'm going to make it." The woman's voice was strained, yet resigned through the coms. "I'm near holding cells where they're keeping several of my people, still alive. Hayjer, I ordered him back to the Ark."

"You should have gone with him!" Scott said angrily.

"I couldn't leave my people. And now, I think it's over." Her voice didn't shake. "From one Pathfinder to another, farewell. Raeka out."

"Damn it!" Scott cursed. There wasn't time to save everyone. If they didn't get off the ship before the Kett restored power, they were all dead. It was Raeka or the Krogan and Dr Gaari. "We need to get the Krogan. We can't let them be exalted." He decided, the decision weighing heavily.

Olivia could not run, that much was clear as she directed them. Drack scooped her up as her legs failed and ran, holding her in his arms like a child. Lyora was being kept in the cell next to two Krogan called Nurg and Crinak. She seemed mercifully unharmed, save for an array of bruises. They'd found another of the scouts, named Birtak on the way. He'd escaped his cell when the power went down.

"Olivia!" Lyora cried out, running to her friend's side. "Goddess, what have they done?" She was unconscious in Drack's arms, her head slumped. She felt for a pulse. "She won't be alive for long unless she gets help soon."

"I know." Scott replied. "Tempest, we're going topside. Prep for extraction." He shouted into coms.

"Understood." Came Kallo's brisk reply. Everyone started running for the extraction point.

"Raeka. Raeka are you still there?" Scott called out, standing alone. There was only a deafening silence. "I'm sorry." He sighed, before running after the others.

The Tempest arced overhead, and they climbed up and out onto the surface, racing for the ship as it landed. "Let's move!" Scott yelled, "Move!"

"Ryder! Let's go!" Kallo yelled as they reached the ramp, firing back at the Kett as the ship pulled away. As they lifted up, they watched the Salarian Ark gliding past, free from its tethers and the threat of the guns. As it disappeared safely into space, Scott finally retreated into the safety of his ship.

They whisked Olivia straight down to the med bay, where Lexi's face cringed at the sight of her before putting her professional face on. She and Lyora bustled around. "We need to try and stabilize her." Lexi muttered. "I am so sick of patching her up."

"Likewise." Lyora sighed. "The old gunshot wound to her leg is damaged, and the one to her side."

"There are just too many injuries." Lexi ran a scanner over her. "Lots of them small, but there's some internal bleeding I think that will need fixing."

Scott stood anxiously in the background. Slowly he walked away. The pain of losing another Pathfinder, Raeka, was hot and tight in his chest. He couldn't let himself cry for her, not yet. He had to be strong for now, until everyone was safe.

They had docked on the Ark, now that they were out of Kett space. Scott walked down to meet Captain Hayjer. "A team is on its way." He announced. "They'll escort the Ark to the Nexus. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you Captain Hayjer."

"It's not a day I was certain would ever come."

"Now that is has, what will you do?"

"Technically, I'm next in line to be our Pathfinder." He sighed, "Though I never started the training. Raeka will be difficult to replace."

Scott felt a sad smile creep across his face, "Speaking from experience Captain, just take it one day at a time. You can do it."

"I hope to justify your confidence. What matters most is that the salarian people are no longer at the mercy of the Kett. For this, we are eternally grateful."

Drack strode into the room, "Just make sure my scouts get safely to the Nexus."

"Of course. Be well, Ryder." Hayjer turned and left.

He and Drack spoke at length, the old Krogan speaking enthusiastically about the survival of his scouts and the fact that they dealt a blow to the Archon. "And we got Meridian's location!" Drack finished.

"If Olivia can tell us." Scott said doubtfully.