The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 34

           

She lay in the bed. It was quiet now. She hadn't been able to cope with the noise earlier. Harry and Lexi had been fussing over her, Lyora in the background, and she had just started screaming. They'd sedated her, she remembered vaguely. She felt much better for sleeping and eating, her injuries patched up well. And yet, everything was wrong.

            There were things she had forgotten. But they were all coming back as she lay there processing and pretending to be asleep. Kendra had taken her. Kendra was her friend. Kendra had told her the truth.

            Her friends had lied. They had never been friends. They had used her, so the implant could be fitted. So that she could be their Firefly.

            Her father had lied. He had cheated on her mother. He had betrayed her.

            Scott had known some of this. He had lied too.

            There was something else, something about Francis, her old boyfriend, but the details seemed blocked. They were unimportant, Kendra said.

            Kendra had given her the chance to get the map to Meridian. She should be grateful. She was the only one in the galaxy with the knowledge. She needed to get it to Kendra.

            That meant she needed to get off the Nexus or she needed to contact her.

            A means of contact floated into her brain. If she could work out the Meridian location herself, she could send it to Kendra without suspicion. She had to keep her cool. Kendra was her friend, her only friend.

            She'd seen some of her friends lurking outside the room, Nunok, Vee. She felt so angry towards them. She felt angry at everything.

            "Liv?" The door opened, her sister rushing in. She was moving awkwardly, Olivia noticed. In the back of her memories, she remembered Nina being shot. "They went word to us on Eos about what happened. Thank god you're alive." Her eyes swept up and down across Olivia's battered body. "You are far tougher than I ever gave you credit for." Her eyes were wary, and Olivia guessed her sister had been well-briefed on the torture she'd been through.

            "You were shot." Olivia nodded at her sister.

            "I'm healing." Nina replied. "You were tortured."

            "I'm fine."

            "Wrong answer." Nina's eyes flared. "You've been raving by all accounts, and it's not surprising. You're going to need a whole lot of therapy, little sis. And that's okay. You don't have to pretend to be fine."

            "Are mum and dad here?" Her voice sounded empty.

            "Mum had to stay, there was a crisis with the crops. She'll be here as soon as she can." Nina replied. "Dad's talking to Harry. He'll be in soon."

            "I don't want to see him." The words, bitter, angry, burst from her.

            "What? Why not?"

            "Olivia!" Her father, Dr Martin Taylor arrived, his cheeks flushed. He dropped into the other chair, taking her hand without reservations. "How are you doing, firefly?" He said softly.

            "Get out!" She hissed at him.

            "I think she's just confused, dad." Nina said tentatively.

            "I am not confused. Did you know he'd been having an affair before we left Earth? With Kendra Croasdale?"

            "What?" Nina laughed uncertainly. "That's absurd. The crazy woman who tried to kill you all? Why would Dad even know her? Why do you think that?"