The Archon Arc

Flight to Meridian

Lexi hurried back to the med bay when her omni tool beeped. There was a spike in Ryder's vitals. "I got to go, Ryder's awake," she said rising from the chair.

She found Ryder pulling the leads that were monitoring her brain waves off her temple. There was much grunting as she attempted to sit up. Lexi started to open her mouth to voice her concerns but she decided against it. It's just useless to tell Ryder to sit the coming engagement out. Instead Lexi turned to her medical supplies and filled a syringe. Ryder eyed the needle with suspicion. "Painkillers," she explained.

Ryder offered her left arm to Lexi. With a quick stab and plunge of the syringe, Lexi could see Ryder relaxing. She is just a bundle of raw nerves and pain. I can't imagine how she actually interfaced with the Remnant tech without SAM.

"Ahhh...,"Ryder flashed her a quick smile. "That's the good stuff."

Jaal hovered over Ryder's shoulder. There were obvious questions that he wanted to ask but he kept his mouth shut. Lexi thought it was best to get them out of the way. "You know I'd recommend you days if not weeks of bed rest," she started.

Ryder's face scrunched at her words. "But I won't."

"Put it simply, your brain is having a hard time interfacing with the Remnant. It's not made to do that. Without SAM to be a pain buffer, so to speak, you will experience pain every time you do so. I don't even know if you're suffering from brain damage by doing so," she continued. "We just don't have the equipment for it."

Jaal's eyes widened in distress. His hand landed on Ryder's shoulder protectively. Ryder absently reached over, placing her hand over his and ran her thumb over his knuckles. Lexi saw a faint blue glow of a biotic charge over her thumb. "What about painkillers?" Ryder asked.

"Those are only for your physical pain. Your broken rib, your headache and the soreness in your chest. That's it." Lexi explained. "Remnant tech is something else. There are no pain receptors in the brain, you shouldn't even be able to feel pain but you do. There is no painkiller for the brain."

Ryder frowned before she squared her shoulder. Lexi saw the Pathfinder taking over. "And the painkillers don't last long because your biotic metabolism burns through them fast. It's not safe to take too much too soon."

"What about stims?" Ryder suggested.

Lexi leaned against the counter behind her. "It will only heighten your reaction time. You can move faster, react fast, basically increased combat effectiveness. It does dull the pain receptors but the same logic applies they are not made for the brain. The brain has never needed it."

Ryder huffed a breath and shook her head. "Increased combat effectiveness, I'll take it, given what's ahead."

"Given your physical condition as your doctor I'll have to advise against it," Lexi said at the same time handing Ryder two epipen injectors. "One of each."

Ryder moved to take them but Lexi held on to them. "Ryder, don't use them if you can possibly help it. The come down will hurt you more than what just you went through."

Ryder's eyes met hers. Lexi could only see the determination, the drive and the need to see their mission through. "We need every advantage we can get."

----

Ryder left the med bay. Her body was no longer fighting her every step of the way. The painkillers are magic! Though she knew she could use with a proper sleep. It seems falling unconscious doesn't count as sleep. Her omni tool beeped, informing her of an incoming connection. It was Cora. She turned to Jaal, "You got your own prep to do."