A/N: Obsessive use of the song "Back Against the Wall" by Cage the Elephant, because I love that song, it's my ringtone, and I was listening to it while writing this. So. Basically, it fits the story. You'll see. I think.

I started this with no idea where it was going. We'll see what happens.

I suck at game dialogue because fuck that time-consuming crap - just let me write. So the dialogue isn't perfect; it's from memory, and I haven't even completed game yet, so take it with a grain of salt. I try to stay away from game dialogue as much as I can.

This is in no way connected to the 'Compatibility' story I wrote. So. They're not connected at all. Totally different story, I just like the name Scott and tend to stick with default name/appearance, so...

I like snarky Ryder. I also feel like after everything, he'd be out of his element, and need some time to adjust, which the game does not give. So. Here's this. I guess. Enjoy?

There is slash. I like slash. You don't? Why are you reading this? You know where the 'back' button is.

It's eventual slash. Might take a while. Hope that's okay.

I have a vague number of chapters. We'll see how that pans out.

It's only really rated T for now, because of the language, but that will probably change later on. You've been warned.

Enjoy.

Back Against the Wall

Chapter One: Hanging by a Thread, Feeling Like a Fool

Dad's dead.

The thought still hasn't quite sunk in yet; he's not sure if it ever truly will. It all feels so incredibly surreal – being here, in Andromeda, 600 years in the future, surrounded by a terrifying array of dark energy, not-so-golden worlds, his sister in a coma… and his father, dead.

Oh, and himself as the Pathfinder now.

It's a lot to take in, in ten hours. Ten hours ago he was freshly thawed from cryo, sipping a cup of coffee and excited to see Sara when she woke, and start their new lives in a new galaxy. Then everything immediately went to hell; Habitat 7 was not a golden world, it was not viable. Alec Ryder was a stubborn man who wouldn't listen to the captain of the Ark Hyperion, and decided to lead a team down to the surface anyway, despite their initial scans revealing that it was not habitable, despite their broken sensors.

As if that's not enough: Alec Ryder died, sacrificing himself for his son, and he pushed that AI right into his son's head like that was the fucking plan all along, and it wasn't. It was never the plan. Cora is supposed to take over as Pathfinder, in the event something happens to Alec Ryder. Cora, not Scott. Cora has trained for this; Scott is a glorified bodyguard with little to no leadership training, or AI compatibility comparisons, or – anything. He is not qualified, and yet…

And yet.

Alec Ryder transferred SAM into Scott with his dying breaths, instead of allowing SAM to transfer to Cora as he – it – naturally would have. And now Scott has an AI in his brain, sharing his thoughts, speaking to him privately and making him jump out of his skin, and he's not sure what to do or think about this, because it's all insane.

He didn't ask for any of this. His father is dead. His sister's in a coma. Habitat 7 isn't home.

Everything is a mess, and despite him literally being thrown into this position not even a fucking day ago, everyone is asking him what they should do next. Everyone is calling him Pathfinder, like he knows the answers. They're on their way to the Nexus now; hopefully the other arks have already arrived and they can sort out this mess quickly, and with help. When they get to the Nexus, Captain Dunn expects him to take charge as Pathfinder, and help them find a home, and that is not his job. That has never been his job. That was his father's job. That's Cora's job.

Now it's mine, he thinks, and it still doesn't feel real.

You are in shock, SAM says through their private channel. The words echo through his head and he blinks back the shock at the sudden words, and reels in the instinct to spin around for the source, because it's in his head. It's all in his head. SAM is in his head. I am not all-knowing, if that is what worries you. I cannot see all of your thoughts or memories. Only what you allow me to see. I will not intrude where you do not wish me to be, Pathfinder.

I'm not the Pathfinder. He's not the Pathfinder. He can't be the Pathfinder. That's too much pressure, because that's just – it's too much. He's not ready. He's not prepared. Why did his dad think this was a good idea? He hasn't trained for this. He has no idea what he's doing.

Pathfinder – Scott, calm down. Breathe.

It's impossible to have a panic attack because SAM literally won't let him have one, but it gets close anyway. SAM doesn't want to overstep his – its – boundaries, but he – it – can't let Scott break down, either. For a moment he can't breathe – his lungs are tight, steel coils encircling them, and there's not enough air in this room. The next second, his lungs expand as he breathes in, and deflate as he exhales, once, twice, three times – and he can breathe again.

Alec would not have chosen you for this job if he did not think you qualified, SAM tells him. And you are not alone; I am here to assist you. The Pathfinder and the SAMs were always designed to work together, symbiotically. You need not do this alone.

The words – are comforting, in a way. He can breathe. He focuses on that, and SAM's voice, though semi-robotic it is, and finds his tense muscles finally starting to relax. He's alone in the Pathfinder's quarters – his quarters now, he supposes – and is surrounded by his father's things, which is what prompted the surge of emotion in the first place. All he wants to do is sleep, and he's surrounded by reminders that everything has gone wrong, and he isn't enough. He won't be enough. He's not what they need; he's not what anyone needs.

I wish Sara was here.

But Sara's unconscious, and no one knows when she'll wake up. It could be in a few days, a few months – years. The thought threatens to drag him into a dark void filled with steel coils aching to wrap around his lungs, but he narrowly avoids slipping into it. He's not sure if he saved himself by pushing the thoughts away and focusing only on the bed, or if SAM is still trying to help. Maybe it doesn't matter.

He lays on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, and tries not to think about how alone he is.

I am here, SAM assures him.

I know. How… How is that? For you? Transferring, I mean?

SAM is an AI, after all; he – it – has his own thoughts and feelings, so how has this experience been for him? Not traumatic, Scott guesses; he doesn't think his father would have designed SAM to become emotionally compromised. Those were human flaws, after all.

It is what it is. I was designed to transfer when it was time, and your father's time came sooner than expected. As I learned with him, I will now learn with you.

Scott snorts. So, he kept you at a distance too, huh? Even when you shared a head.

Alec Ryder was a complicated man. A dedicated, focused, brilliant man – a scientist, an explorer, a Pathfinder. An N7. Those were his more noticeable achievements. The ones he worked hard for, and seemed to cherish.

And then there were his other titles.

Father.

Husband.

Alec Ryder was a complicated man. He threw himself whole-heartedly into his research and work, but when he looked up from the screens, his kids were already grown and his wife was sick. By the time he paid attention, it was too late.

A part of Scott – a very tiny part – will probably never forgive him for that. Will never forgive it because he can't forget. He can't forget all the nights he sat in the living room, waiting for his father to finally come home so he could tell his dad everything about his day, or just hang out with him for once. He'd stay up as late as he could, then fall asleep on the couch and wake up in his bed the next morning, having been carried there. Or, his father would come home, and Scott would jump up and excitedly tell him about his classes at school, or a movie he wanted to see, or anything, and Alec Ryder would say 'that's nice, son' and push past him without even slowing down.

Eventually, Scott stopped trying. He stopped trying to get his father to notice him. He stopped trying to get his approval. He just stopped trying.

Your father was a complicated man, SAM says, interrupting his thoughts.

Scott closes his eyes with a ragged laugh. "Yeah. He definitely was."

xXx

He sleeps, but it is not pleasant.

He dreams.

His father's dying in front of him. He can't breathe. Why does he have his helmet…

The mountains are floating.

He wakes gasping for breath every half hour, covered in a cold sweat, and tears burning his eyes.

He turns onto his stomach, buries his face in his pillow, and cries.

He cries for the loss of Habitat 7. He cries for the loss of his father. He cries for the loss of his sister. He cries for the loss of all that time they drifted, asleep.

Sara's in a coma; what if she doesn't wake up?

His father is dead, and he's never coming back. He's gone just like their mom.

They came to this galaxy for a fresh start, to reunite and reconnect and regroup – and now they'll never get the chance.

And everyone is counting on him.

I'm going to fail you all.

SAM stays quiet.

Scott tries to get back to sleep.

xXx

So that was… crying.

Scott looks skyward, counts to three, then sighs and looks back down at his coffee. "Yes, SAM."

I have been there when your father cried, but I did not pick up the same feelings as I did with you. I am confused. Perhaps you could clarify?

He sighs again. Sure, SAM.

You were angry, as well as sad.

I was upset, yeah. And frustrated.

Your father… 'was upset' differently. You had feelings of inadequacy. Of failure.

Oh, boy. Yeah, SAM. Thanks. I got it. He really doesn't need to relive last night.

… You are not inadequate. Your father never would have given you his legacy if you were. The Pathfinder legacy was always meant to go to a Ryder.

It's too much, and he's not emotionally prepared for any of this. He's always been emotional, to the point Sara jokes he's the girl instead of her, but he can't help himself: He feels things deeply, and when things are too much, he has a tendency to explode. It's why he likes combat. It's why he got out of combat. He liked fighting too much, and worried about what it was making him. So he joined the peacekeeping line, protecting Sara and her group at her dig sites for a time. Much less shooting that way, and all in the need to protect his sister, so he never missed. He never hesitated.

At the moment, though, his sister is in a coma, and there's no protecting her from that.

Then why train Cora, he asks SAM, if he never meant for it to go to her? Why all the secrecy? A thought occurs to him, a knot churning heavily in his stomach. He might be sick. It was never meant for me, was it. He wanted Sara to have it, but… he got stuck with me.

Sara was always closer to their father than he was. She was too forgiving. Too forgiving of long nights waiting for their father to come home, of waiting for him to look up from his research to notice they existed. She always forgive him, for everything, and left Scott floundering in his indecision and reluctance.

I was always meant to go to a Ryder, SAM repeats unhelpfully.

Scott sighs, finishing his coffee. "Yeah. Thanks, SAM."

He rinses out his empty cup in the sink, and then leaves the kitchen area. It's early, and everyone must still be asleep because they haven't asked for his location yet, and he wonders if he's ever going to get used to that, to people wanting to know where he is all the time, to people tracking his every movement, to people needing him.

A fleeting part of his mind wonders: has anyone ever needed me like I need them…

He doesn't give it time to develop, because that's a nasty road to go down, and right now the thousands of people aboard this ship need him level-headed and ready for action, not halfway to an emotional meltdown.

So he returns to his father's – his – quarters, showers and dresses, and then heads out to meet Captain Dunn bright and early, with a smile on his face and confidence in his steps.

xXx

The Nexus looks beautiful in space. It reminds him of the Citadel back home – a large space station filled with its own bustling city, complete with apartments, plants, buildings and lights. It's not nearly as big as the Citadel, designed to house only a mere fraction of the numbers typically seen on the Citadel, but it is inspiring in its own right. Scott's always been a fan of architect, especially for space stations.

He is supposed to enter the Nexus alone, since he's the Pathfinder, but in the end he brings Liam and Cora with him just to be safe, since they are still only getting automatic responses to their hails, instead of actual people like it should be. The platform they step off the ship onto is dark and quiet; this area looks almost untouched. Unused, dark, dormant – all things it shouldn't be.

The hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something's not right.

They continue forward, down a set of steps. A lone figure works on a panel across the room; Scott calls out to them, and they startle, immediately standing to face them.

"You're a… Pathfinder?" the startled salarian says after a brief moment of introductions. "You mean – one finally arrived?"

"What do you mean finally arrived?" Scott asks, confused. "Aren't the other arks here?"

They were thrown off course because of the dark energy in space – the gnarled mess of purples, blacks, and blues they hit which left his sister's revival process interrupted, and now she is in a coma, and Alec Ryder is dead. The Nexus seems safe from the dark energy for the time being, at least. But perhaps, while the Ark Hyperion was delayed due to the energy, the other arks were as well.

"You're the first one I've seen," the salarian tells him, brushing the dirt from the front of his clothes. He's staring at Scott in awe, blinking slowly. "We thought none of you were coming. You're fourteen months off schedule; we lost hope."

Scott doesn't know what to say. "We got lost," he jokes somewhat nervously, shrugging helplessly as he rubs at the back of his neck. Liam groans behind him, but says nothing helpful. The salarian stares at him for a brief moment, before he turns to walk away.

"Follow me," he says. "Director Tann will want to see you."

xXx

Director Tann is another salarian with blue-ish skin instead of purple. He talks fast and succinctly most of the time, except for when he decides to enunciate clearly and speak to Scott as though he is a child. He has a strong personality, and Scott immediately knows they are going to be clashing quite a bit. If Tann is upset that he's here instead of his father, he doesn't dwell on it long; he moves right past that topic and into murkier waters.

The other arks are missing. Salarian, turkian, asari – all missing. No one knows where they are, if they even made it to Andromeda.

Jien Garson, the figurehead of the Initiative, died tragically during the 'Scourge Event'. The Scourge is the name they have given to the gnarled mass of dark energy weaving through Andromeda. Jien Garson's whole team died, leaving Tann in charge in their wake. Many seem to disagree with Tann and his policies; others just try to stay out of his way. He rules the Nexus with select few others: Addison, who already seems to hate Scott for reasons he can't really fathom right now; Kesh, a krogan who is pretty blunt about absolutely everything, and Scott likes her honesty more than he likes the dark scowls from Addison or the insincere niceties of Tann; and Tiran Kandros, the turian in charge of security and defense.

They brought krogans from the Milky Way, but apparently there was an uprising during the arks' absences, and the krogan left afterward. Many others, of all races, were exiled for their mutiny. The numbers left aboard the Nexus are few and failing: they cannot keep this up. They need a solution. They need a miracle.

Scott informs them of what he saw his father do on Habitat 7, just prior to his death. In that one, small moment of victory, Alec Ryder did the impossible: he altered the atmosphere, and weather, of the planet. The storms and random lightning stopped; the sky cleared. And then the console from which he fixed the weather – exploded. He and Scott were sent flying.

Only Scott came back alive.

Many tell him they're sorry for his loss: Alec Ryder was a great man, and he will be missed. Now they are stuck with Scott as the Pathfinder, and though none of them say it outright, he knows they are all judging him: how can he ever compare to the famous – or infamous, depending who you ask – Alec Ryder?

Scott has little desire to continue speaking with everyone; his mind is already spinning with the implications of all he's heard. Right now, he's the only Pathfinder they have, and they have just charged him with finding a home for everyone, not just the humans. Everyone. If he can't find a habitable world soon – everyone is going to starve. They don't have enough supplies to keep going like this. They need a Pathfinder now more than ever, and he's all they have, with his father gone and the other arks missing.

A part of him wants to tell SAM to disconnect – find another Pathfinder.

That same part of him knows that SAM's in too deep for him to just pull out now; they said as much when he first woke. If they try to remove SAM, it could very likely kill him. At the very least, brain damage, they told him; it's too risky to remove SAM without irreversibly damaging him, or killing him.

Another part whispers that's okay: they need a Pathfinder more than they need Scott Ryder, and he is no Pathfinder. He's never been a Pathfinder. He's never wanted to be Pathfinder.

Nevertheless, you are the Pathfinder, Scott. Obsessing over this detail can only lead to further discontent.

It's a struggle not to flinch every time SAM speaks in his mind. Or, their mind, he supposes. I don't know how to be Pathfinder, he tells SAM, privately, all too aware of the eyes watching his every move.

I will help you. You are not alone.

He's grateful for the assistance, grateful for the help – but SAM is an AI and while he is sentient and capable of his own thought-processes, Scott's pretty sure he can't feel. He doesn't understand what Scott is feeling, what he's going through – so he can't properly help. The offer speaks volumes, but it's an empty promise.

Empty promises are for the hopeless.

He's not ready to give up yet.

xXx

They give him a ship, and send him off to the Pythos system, specifically the planet Eos and their failed attempts at establishing an outpost, not once, but twice. His new, shiny ship, the Tempest, reminds him of the ships back home, but with a few upgrades. His quarters – the Pathfinder's quarters – are directly under the control room and pilot deck; he'll be ready in a moment's notice if need be. The kitchen is small, but he doubts many people will be eating at the small table offered by the room; they will most likely take their meals to go. The engineering area is large for a ship this size – the Tempest is smaller than a lot of ships back home, built for exploration and small units rather than a massive crew. It's quick, stealthy, and quiet – just how Scott likes them.

On their way to Eos, Scott spends the majority of time going through his vast amount of emails. Word is beginning to spread that there is a Pathfinder finally here, and many are reaching out to him. Many send condolences about his father. He's not sure how to feel about that; how many of them actually knew Alec Ryder? Because he's not sure if he really knew the man at all, especially at the end. What was going through his dying mind to make his son the Pathfinder instead of Cora?

Speaking of Cora, she's bitter that Scott's the new Pathfinder instead of her, and rightfully so. She trained so hard for that position – she was ready for that position, and Alec handed it over to Scott without any prior training or compatibility tests. She said he must have had a reason for doing what he did, though; she won't argue with Alec's choice, even if she's confused and hurt by it. She looked up to Alec Ryder, more than Scott ever did – and in the end, he turned her away just like everyone else.

According to SAM, the AI was always meant to transfer to a Ryder, not Cora. Scott keeps this information to himself. There's no need to hurt Cora more than he already has.

His thoughts, as always, travel toward his sister. He has no idea how to tell her their father is dead, when she wakes. He tries to come up with words, but ultimately fails because anything he could say feels wrong. Sara was closer to Alec than him.

It should be Sara here, as the Pathfinder, and Scott in the coma. Their roles should be switched, and yet here he stands.

He pushes the indecision and doubts away.

When he steps out of his quarters for the first time since they left the Nexus, there's a smile firmly in place.

xXx

He has no idea where Liam got the couch. He's not going to ask.

He helps Liam maneuver the couch into his little hidey-hole. It's a ragged looking thing, patched together with mismatching patterns, but it is comfortable.

Liam is all for the Initiative; he came her because he truly believed in it. He left behind family and friends, but he truly believes it's all for the best. It's hard for him, accepting that they're dead.

"It just doesn't feel real, you know?" he says almost sadly, looking away as they sit together on the tattered old couch.

Scott nods. "I feel the same. We're 600 years in the future; everyone we knew is dead. It's… tough, but we knew that going in. We knew that before they put us under. We knew what we'd be waking up to."

"Yeah, we knew," Liam agrees with a sigh. "Still doesn't make it any easier."

"It doesn't."

"Look at me complaining, though – you've got it worse than me."

"How's that?" Scott asks, frowning.

"Well, your dad just died, your sister's in a coma, and you weren't trained for this whole Pathfinder thing, were you?"

Scott swallows. Is it that obvious? "No, I wasn't."

"How are you?"

Scott pauses, not because he doesn't know what to say, but because that's the first time anyone has asked him that since he woke from cryo and his father died. How are you. Such a simple question, and yet not a soul asked. Lexi inquired about his physical health, but not one person asked about his mental or emotional health.

How am I? I'm fucked up every way you can imagine, I'm scared out of my mind, and ultimately I don't think I can do this. That's what he wants to say. It's how he feels.

What he actually says is, "I'm fine."

"Just… fine?" Liam asks skeptically, and honestly, Scott could kiss him right then for seeing through the bullshit. "After all that – you're just fine?"

"I'm… okay," Scott says, and then scowls. "Okay, I'm not fine, but – I need to be fine. Everyone needs me to be fine. So I'm fine."

"Uh huh," Liam says slowly, eying him. "And was that supposed to make sense?"

"Probably not. Me and sense don't get along very well."

Liam chuckles faintly. "Right. Well – good luck with that, Pathfinder."

Scott's smile falters briefly. "Right. Yeah, I will. See you around, Liam. We should be arriving at Eos soon."

He leaves Liam there on his couch, and scurries back to his room. Sanctuary. Safety. The enormity of the situation threatens to consume him, and he can't breathe. SAM takes care of that; it only takes a few seconds before his lungs work properly again, and he's dragging in deep gulps of air like he's been starved of it.

"I can't do this," he mutters under his breath, rubbing at the grit in his eyes. That dark, hopeless feeling threatens to drown him. "I can't do this. Fuck. I'm a peacekeeper, a glorified guard, I'm not a fucking Pathfinder."

Scott, please calm down. You can do this. Your father would not have placed this upon you if he thought you weren't right for the job.

"You don't know that. He was dying. He was – emotionally compromised. And emotionally compromised people make mistakes."

Scott.

"It was a mistake."

SCOTT.

He swallowed, and felt the headache throbbing behind his eyes, but turned toward the blue orb in his room, even though he knew SAM was always with him, in his head. It was nice to have something physically to look at and ground himself with.

You are not a mistake. SAM's voice is so certain.

He exhales loudly. "Yeah," he says, nodding. "Yeah, okay. We got this, right?"

I am with you, SAM replies.

xXx

Eos is a radioactive desert world. It's hot, and too much time in the radiation leaves the body shutting down. They have to be careful as they travel through the desert, looking for the lost remnants of the old outposts, sites one and two. During their investigation, they meet a man named Clancy, who tells them about a strange signal. Initial readings reveal it is similar to the ones they found on Habitat 7, and Scott shoves the memories of that fateful day away.

They travel toward where the signal is originating from, using the Nomad, a scout rover, for travel. Scott's never driven one of these before, and they can be hard to control; he turns too sharply more than once, flinging his teammates against the side of the vehicle, and he crashes over rocks too many times to count, but they make it to their desired location in one piece.

"Who taught you how to drive?" Liam complains as they exit the vehicle.

"Hey," Scott says, tossing him a scowl, "no backseat driving."

"I'm with Liam," Cora says, rubbing her head. "I wacked my head on something."

"Yeah – my knee," Liam said, before smirking. "What was your head doing down there, hmm?"

"Oh, please," Cora says, rolling her eyes. "Can we get on with this already? This place gives me the creeps."

If Scott's being honest with himself, he doesn't like it any more than she does. There's something… strange, about this place. His hair stands on end. He's being watched, he can feel it.

SAM, he thinks.

Already scanning, Pathfinder, SAM responds.

Scott releases a breath, relieved SAM already knew what he was thinking. He steps toward the strange alien console which seems to be emanating the strange signal. He's not sure why he lifts his hand; he knows nothing about this console, nothing about how to interact with it. Maybe he's running on pure instinct, or maybe he remembers how his dad simply lifted his hand to interact with that thing back on Habitat 7. He's not sure. But he lifts his hand.

"Stop!" a voice shouts, and he flinches away from the console.

Pathfinder, behind you, SAM warns as he hears footfalls behind him. He has just enough time to turn around before he's crashed into and he's tackled to the ground.

His head connects with a painful thud, and for a second he sees stars, but registers the weight settled on his stomach. Someone is sitting on him. He blinks his vision back to focus and sees an asari sitting on top of him, smirking down at him, a dark streak across her hazel-green eyes.

"Alright," he says, quirking a brow. "This is new. Wanna get off now?"

"Mm, nah," the asari says, still smirking. "I like you like this."

"Back off," Liam says, gun trained on her. Cora also has her gun pointed at the asari, though she's standing a little further back.

Well, Scott thinks as the asari shifts her weight enough to glance over her shoulder at the two, at least they're trying to protect me.

If this was a real attack he'd already be dead, but, hey, it's the thought that counts.

"You can get off now," Scott says.

The asari rolls off. "Don't like being bottom?"

"I am the best bottom," Scott throws back on impulse. "But you sitting on my rib isn't exactly comfortable."

The asari laughs.

"Who are you?" Scott asks, because names are kind of important.

"Peebee."

"… Peebee? That short for something?"

"My name is Peebee. Short and sweet."

"Just like you?" he asks, smirking.

She grins. "Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me. Easy, tiger."

"Achem," Liam says. "What are you doing here?"

xXx

Great, Scott thinks. More robots.

Peebee explained to him that there is Remnant technology – or, rem-tech as she's calling it – on a variety of planets, and she's been studying it. For some reason, the kett – the shoot-first aliens they met on Habitat 7 – are interesting in the technology, though she can't understand why just yet. She sounds excited about the whole subject; eager to learn more. Scott feels a pang of longing from his younger days.

You are only 22, SAM reminds him.

Give or take 600 years, he mentally replies. And I haven't been that into research in a long time.

He used to love research. Then they put him in charge of security at an Alliance post watching a mass effect relay. There was no time for research when he was fighting off pirates and scavengers. He never enjoyed security; he never enjoyed handling guns, but it was the only time his father smiled at him like that – like he was proud. Finally proud. And Scott stopped caring about that a long time ago – but Sara thought they were finally getting along, and he couldn't take that away from her. So he stayed. He died a little inside every day, but he stayed.

Peebee is all that enthusiasm he used to have, and it makes him miss the old days. The better days. Back when his mother was still alive. Fuck, he misses her. He misses her so much. What would she think of Alec Ryder's legacy now? What would she think of her son?

She'd tell you to keep going, he thinks. When your back's against the wall, you keep going.

Your mother was an amazing woman, SAM tells him.

He's oddly touched. Thank you, SAM.

He doesn't ask how SAM knows that. At that moment, it doesn't matter.

xXx

There's a vault on Eos.

Honestly, nothing should surprise him anymore, but somehow things still manage to do so. Even SAM's dry, flat robotic tone is starting to become familiar, and he's not sure how to feel about that.

There's a vault on Eos, and he doesn't entirely know what it does. He can theorize – they activated monoliths to get here, and the readings and signals are similar to what they saw on Habitat 7, so it only stands to reason that this vault has something to do with the climate, the atmosphere, and weather of this planet. Perhaps this is a whole new of terraforming – faster, more efficient, using old, forgotten technology. There's a reason they're called Remnant, after all.

Entering the vault is terrifying. He kicks a rock into the open shaft – it levitates. A gravity pool. Peebee is the first to jump in, and he jumps after her. He's not sure why. If she's falling, there's no saving her like this. Maybe he wants to protect her. Maybe he feels she's his responsibility.

Or maybe he's caught up in her genuine excitement, and he feels adrenaline course through his body for different reasons than he's used to these days – not because of fear or the threat of death, but because there's something to learn and he's excited about that.

He's always been a nerd at heart, according to Sara. He wishes she were here. She likes this stuff too, though she doesn't gush about it as openly as him. She's a secret nerd, not out about it like him.

The gravity well drags them down, slowly, gently. They land far below, where light trickles through only faintly. Gradually the area lights up; he's not sure if the lights are movement sensitive, or if SAM is somehow doing this. He doesn't really care right now. He's too busy looking around in awe, and then he realizes Peebee is missing.

She's on an upper platform, and says she's going to look around. She'll meet up with them soon.

"Hey – don't do anything reckless!" he calls after her, but she's already gone. He sighs, and turns back to Liam and Cora. They look decidedly less thrilled to be here.

"What is this, Ryder?" Liam asks, looking around in a slow circle, brown eyes wide as he takes everything in. Cora is looking around as well, with cool professionalism. She trained with asari huntresses, Scott remembers: of course this doesn't exactly phase her. She doesn't look happy to be here, but she's not outwardly showing her concern, either. He wonders, vaguely, when he started to be able to read her so well.

I can filter data directly into your head, Pathfinder.

He nearly jumps at the voice, distracting him from looking around. Warn a guy! Fuck, you're gonna give me heart attack.

I can attempt resuscitation, if necessary.

Sarcasm, SAM. Not a literal heart attack. Anyway – what? You're giving me this information? But it feels like my own thoughts…

Our minds are connected. What you see, I see. What I learn, you learn. It is a symbiotic relationship – we improve each other.

The thought is – disturbing more than it is comforting, but he can't think about that right now. Having a near-panic attack – because SAM won't let him have an actual one – right now just isn't an option.

Thankfully – when it comes to high-stress situations, Scott has always been good at compartmentalizing. It's afterward, when he's safe and has time to sit down and think (dwell) that he breaks down. But he'll worry about that later.

He finds another console, and interfaces with SAM's help. It becomes more natural the more he does it. This console leads down a dark hallway, and across platforms they have to use their jump-jets to cross, but in the end they make it to yet another console. Which leads to another console…

It's a puzzle, Scott realizes.

It's all a giant puzzle.

They slowly put the pieces back together – rebuild whatever this is.

They're attacked by – something. Remnant, Peebee called them. Breachers, assemblers, etc. At first they just hover in place, or walk around on their strange robotic legs – but then when they get close enough, they immediately turn on Scott and his team. They have no choice but to fire back – Scott can't help but wonder if this will upset whatever balance there is in this place.

It doesn't.

They make it to another console. Peebee is nearby, talking on the comms; she's had to deal with her own share of baddies, and she sounds exhilarated.

This console seems to be the last one. Scott raises his hand. Interfaces.

At first, nothing happens.

Then all hell fucking breaks loose.

xXx

Scott's never run so hard in his life. His heart is pounding loudly in his chest and SAM is telling him to hurry while simultaneously giving him a countdown until he's swallowed by that dark cloud of what the fuck.

He runs. Liam and Cora are ahead of him, near the entrance. Peebee is – somewhere. He's not sure where she is and right now he can't look for her. He hears her on the comms; she's coming. She's hurrying. She's trying.

Will she make it?

She has to make it. They all have to make it out of here. If they don't – it's all his fault. He got them into this. He's the Pathfinder – he's supposed to get them out of this.

And if they die down here, who is SAM supposed to transfer to? Cora is down here with him. He realizes his mistake too late. If Cora is here with him, then who is SAM going to safely transfer to, should something happen to him? He can't bring Cora with him anymore, he tells himself. If they get out of this, that is.

The gravity well is nearby. He runs. He's not sure why he thinks this will help – he can feel the energy storm on his heels, chasing him, disintegrating everything in its path, and he can't outrun air. Even if he gets to the gravity well, what then? Will it suck them back up? Will it be too slow? It was slow coming down, he remembers. Slow and gentle. Not quick and evading.

Instinct prompts him to turn around. There's something…

Peebee is just behind him, struggling to catch up. There's a fear in her eyes he hates to see – she's looking at him for help, even if she seemed so confident before. She staggers, tripping over herself. He slows, helps her, drags her forward – throws him in front of himself because if he can't make it maybe they all can, and-

His hand slams down on the console, again out of instinct rather than rational thought.

The gust is upon them. Dark and purple and consuming.

And then – it's not.

It retreats, as suddenly as it started. It's gone. Just like that. They're safe.

They're all still breathing hard.

And then Peebee laughs.

xXx

The vault on Eos is turned on again – somehow – and is working. Already the air feels different, and initial readings reveal the radiation levels are decreasing. It will take time before they return to safe levels, but it proves these vaults can truly help these planets, and his father didn't die for nothing.

They can start an outpost here, again. Maybe this time it will succeed. This time, they have a chance.

This time, they have a Pathfinder.