The Archon Arc

Red and Blue

"Are you all right? Jaal!"

Ryder's voice was muffled and far away. A moan escaped from his lips as pain radiated from his leg. "Fuck! Jaal, stay with me."

Ryder glanced back at the spot where she noticed the sniper. Damn! Of course, the sniper didn't stick around. "SAM," Ryder shouted, her voice higher than usual with fear and panic colouring it. "Let Lexi know that Jaal has been shot."

"Understood Pathfinder," SAM replied.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I really should have wore the hard shell. At least I'll have some medigel on me. Her hands worked quick as she searched Jaal for medigel. "Jaal, look at me. No sleeping," she said as she tried to stem the blood flow that's already pooling on the ground.

The bullet must have nicked an artery. He could just bleed out here. She tore open the only pack of medigel with her teeth and poured it over the bleeding wound. She removed her belt and tied it around his thigh. Jaal groaned as the sting of the gel hit but his clenched fists relaxed somewhat. "Sara, darling one, I don't feel so good," Jaal whispered, his voice quivering with blood loss.

No. No. No! How much can blood an angara possibly lose? Damnit, I have no idea. "Come on, Jaal. On your feet, you've got to help me. I can't carry you by myself. It's not safe to be out in the open like this," Ryder urged.

Her stomach knotted tighter. She wasn't sure if was out of fear or if they weren't out of the woods just yet. Pulling Jaal's arm over her shoulder, she grunted as she pick him up. "Yes, walk. Back to the Tempest," Jaal mumbled.

Her heart clenched to see the pain that he was in. Ryder deployed a gentle biotic pull on Jaal to help ease his weight as they made their way as quickly as she could manage. Sweat beaded her forehead as her biotic amp at the base of her skull grew warm. A quick burst of biotic energy Ryder could pull it off, no problems but a sustained effort wasn't something she was trained for. Her heart pounded hard and quick in her chest as a crowd forming around them. Her eyes flicked from one person to the next, hoping there weren't any more assassins lurking around. Her muscles on her arms corded as she hefted Jaal higher to keep him from slipping. I wish I could just blast them all out of the way. She knew this wasn't the time to entertain idle murderous intent as enjoyable it might be.

Her stomach clenched tighter than it had before. Ryder turned as she heard a scuff of quick steps behind her. She reacted instinctively as she pushed Jaal clear of the assailant's extended omni blade. The blade buzzed as it sliced through the air Jaal was a moment before. It abruptly halted its forward motion before slashing side ways towards her unprotected side. Off balance, Ryder fell backwards to the ground. The blade scored her flesh and she screamed. Her concentration too frayed by the pain to summon any biotics. The arm that held the blade retracted before it plunged forward again. Ryder rolled hoping to get to her feet before the blade came down again. Pain lanced through her abdomen as the blade sank into her flesh. Fuck! Too slow! Use the pain. Use it! She felt the blade twisted in her guts as she Throw the assailant with everything she had.

The human flew and only halted when he slammed into a pre-fab wall. The wall dented with the weight of the Throw. It wasn't a pretty sight. Red, white and grey decorated the wall where the assailant slammed onto. His head had basically exploded on impact. Brain matter and blood splattered onto those unlucky enough to be standing nearby. It didn't take long for the screams to start and the crowd to disperse. "Pathfinder, your heart rate is accelerating at a dangerous rate. You should seek medical aid," SAM informed.

"No shit, SAM," said Ryder, sitting up with a pained gasp. "Where did you think I was going in the first place?"

SAM didn't answer immediately. Oh shit, I think I've stumped my AI. "I'm sorry, Pathfinder. I didn't mean to imply that you're..." SAM said.