The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 65

The casualties came flooding in while they moved through the pipes. The walking wounded were helped by those less so, and others were carried on stretchers. The other personnel came running, screaming for medical attention. It was loud and raucous, the moans of pain, the screaming. Olivia could almost smell the blood and singed flesh.

"What the hell happened?" She heard Kendra's voice and shushed the others. "Where's Olivia Taylor? Where's the Pathfinder?"

"Dead." Evans said flatly. He was covered in blood. "The nest was worse than we could have ever imagined. We lost good people down there, Dr Croasdale. It was a bloodbath, and the fire...the fire took everything. Swanson saw the Firefly go down and her sister and Ryder disappeared into the flames trying to save her."

"You saw their bodies?" Kendra's voice was cold and tight.

"Bodies were everywhere and in no fit state to identify." Evans answered. "They died. And we could use you in the infirmary."

Kendra sighed and left.

"We're too slow." Olivia told the others with a sigh. "Sara's in a cell off the infirmary, which is now full of people. We need someone to go in there."

"Like who?" Scott asked.

"Kendra trusts Amira." Olivia said softly.

"But you can't." Scott argued. "She's obsessed with Kendra. She'll turn you in. We can't trust her!"

"If we don't move quickly, they'll discover the cryo pods are empty." Nina said softly. "And she'll know we survived and we're roaming around. She's smart. It won't take her too long to figure out that we're up here."

"I find Amira with backup." Olivia said. "You guys keep an eye on Kendra at the infirmary. If all goes well, I shouldn't be long. If not I'll have to knock Amira out and we'll need a new plan."

"I'll come with you." Lyora said. "Me and Vee will keep watch."

They found Amira was alone in her room. In the next chamber, Olivia climbed out of the vent, while her two protectors went ahead, still in the pipe. The door slid open, and she strode into the room where Amira stood. The other woman jumped in surprise, whirling around.

"Olivia!" She looked astonished, and then nervous, "You're alive! They said that...they said you'd been killed!"

"Clearly not." Olivia answered.

"What happened? How did you get away?" Amira rushed towards her.

"Long story." Olivia folded her arms. "I'm leaving, Amira."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm leaving this place, and I'm taking my friends, like I always planned. But I need to get Sara out of the infirmary."

"Are you mad?" Amira snapped. "Why? We've been nothing but good to you here and you want to abandon us."

"You are delusional, Amira." Olivia cut in. "You trust Kendra. She's a manipulator. She locked my friends in cryogenic sleep."

"You attacked us! You barged into this place with guns and shot people. We defended ourselves. She was kind not to kill your friends in the first place."

"She tortured me. She lobotomised my friend." Olivia argued. "You've seen what she did to Sara. She did a similar thing to me and then handed me over to the Kett to be tortured. She has no loyalty, no sentiment. Sooner or later, she will turn on you too."

"She must have had a reason." Amira was shaking her head.

"You've seen Sara." Olivia said again. "How could that be right? How could that possibly be right?" Amira was silent. "All I need from you is Sara. Just take her into an empty room and leave her there."

"Alright."

"I'll be watching you." Olivia warned. "I swear if you try anything, I will kill you." Would she? She wasn't sure any more. The lines between right and wrong had become ever more blurry in the fires of that nest. All those men and women she had led in there, knowing many would be slaughtered, so that she and her sister and Scott could escape. Would she kill Amira for crossing her?

After the woman left the room, Lyora and Vee pulled her back up into the pipe.

"Are you alright?" Lyora asked softly.

"No. But we're leaving regardless."

Amira headed straight for the infirmary, without diversion. It was brimming with the injured, and medics bustling around. She crossed through the room without pause, opening Sara's cell, speaking to her in a low voice. She kept looking around her nervously.

She and Sara walked stiffly through the room.

Olivia was waiting with Lyora and Vee. "Thank you." Liv said. "I mean it."

"How did they..?" Amira looked startled at the presence of the others. "How?"

"Doesn't matter." Lyora responded, slamming her off the wall with a biotic blast, knocking her out.