The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 55

Vee had crashed the van. She'd not had much choice, Olivia acknowledged, but still. They'd come through the Kett relatively unscathed except for the copious number of bullet holes in the side of the vehicle. Thank goodness for armour plating, she thought wryly.

But the mercenaries had had a good setup. After all, the Kett had laid siege to them and not managed to get through. For a moment, the mercenaries had clearly been confused as to who was killing their enemies but had then opened fire themselves.

Lyora's biotic shield had been taking the brunt of the attack but she couldn't hold forever. As a rocket had been launched at them, Vee had been forced to swerve sharply and the van had overturned and skidded straight into a wall.

"Everyone alright?" Lyora asked, groaning.

"Yeah." Olivia replied, hearing her sister and Vee reply with an affirmative. "How much trouble are we in?"

"They're probably surrounding us now." Vee replied. "So that's a lot."

"We need to hold out until Ryder gets here." Nina replied. "Okay, we exit. Lyora, throw up a shield if you can while we take out as many as we can."

"Pathfinder." Olivia used her suit's radio as they scrambled out into the hot sun and ringing gunfire.

"Liv?" She heard his voice. He sounded relieved. "What happened?"

"We've crashed. We're under heavy fire but we'll hold. You need to hurry up your entry."

"Roger that. Stay safe."

She saw humans in armour, closing in. Lyora threw up her shield and Nina and Vee started taking assailants down with their typical precision. Ly pushed her down behind the vehicle. "Keep your head down, Liv. You're the essential one to get us all through."

"It doesn't mean the rest of you are expendable."

They were still returning fire when the second van arrived from another direction, Liam leaning out, firing occasional distracting shots. The mercenaries turned, giving them a chance.

"Go!" Lyora shouted. Nina grabbed Liv's arm and they ran for the sandy hole that was the entrance to the ruins.

"They're on our six." Vee said calmly. "They'll be following us down." The ruin itself was quiet as they climbed down. Ladders had been installed recently, shiny and new amid the rubble and dust.

In the room with the control station, there was a single human technician who raised his hands as they approached. "Don't shoot! I'm unarmed."

"Where is Kendra?" Lyora snarled.

"She went through weeks and weeks ago. She keeps getting the girl to send people and things back and forth." He stammered.

"What girl?" Olivia asked, already knowing the answer.

"The Ryder girl."

"We're in the right place then." Nina said as Vee knocked the man out with a blow to the head.

Olivia was busy thinking. Sara shouldn't be able to travel at will back and forth without serious injury, which meant that Kendra had messed with her. Likely she had used similar brainwashing techniques to what she had used on Olivia.

"Someone's coming." Lyora who had been watching the door warned them. "If it's too bad, orders are orders and you take us through Liv."

"But what about Scott?" Olivia asked, "I'm not leaving him behind."

"You don't have to." Scott said, backing into the room. "Sorry we're late." He swiftly lowered his gun to kiss her before going back on alert.

"We need to go, kid." Drack drawled. "They're coming."

"It's all up to you, Firefly." Liam grinned.

Olivia steeled herself, grabbing Nina and Vee. "Hold onto me, okay. Don't let go until we're through." She placed her hand on the console, watching it ripple, a blue glow triggering, illuminating the room. There was a sharp pain, a tug in the back of her brain and a dizzying sensation as the light grew brighter than her eyes.

The console room was silent for a moment. Then Nina stumbled back retching, and Vee had a hand over her eyes. They were through. The room was bright, shiny and functional and surprisingly lacking in defences.

"Stay safe guys." Olivia grinned, though her head was pounding and hit the console again.

Another flash and she was back in the ruins, blinking into existence in the middle of a firefight. There was a boom and the ground trembled, dust and crumbling rubble tumbling down. She dodged the first lot.

"Who's next?" She asked.

"We need to blow the passageway." Drack was saying. "It'll stop them from following."

"Do it now." Scott ordered. "There's too many to keep picking off."

"Hey!" She shouted, "This hurts you know! Who's next?"

"Oh, sorry Liv!"Scott said. "Lyora, Liam, you're up."

She rolled her eyes as they jogged to her, her head thumping as she put her hand on the console again, taking them through. She barely stopped, beyond registering that Nina and Vee were there, looking startled as she appeared out of thin air with the others, who keeled over. Olivia didn't pause, slamming her hand back down again and travelling back.

She knew her nose was bleeding this time, the pain behind her eyes almost unbearable as she reached Scott and Drack.

This time they were waiting for her.

"Liv!" Scott exclaimed. She must look a sight, she thought to herself.

"You alright, kid?" Drack asked her, concerned.

"I'm still going." She struggled out, "So yes, I'm about as good as I can be."

"Can you get us there?" Scott looked worried.

"I can do this." Olivia said stubbornly. She was the Firefly. She was the only one who could. The others depended on her. She put her hand back on the console.