Strength in the Face of Fear

Chapter 1- Nightmare

A/N- After reading all those female!Ryder/Jaal stories, I wanted to try one myself. Takes place before Khi Tasira but after much of the story has been done and all Remnant vaults fixed.

A few notes before the story-

I am completely deaf and have to use a cochlear implant to hear that also fluctuates in quality, which means I can't read my dialogue out loud like most hearing people can due to the fluctuations likely could make bad dialogue sound good and good dialogue sound bad. So reading out loud in my head is my only option. This also goes hand-in-hand with struggles with self-confidence in dialogue.

I also, due to being flamed and bashed into oblivion years ago for not doing so, use description. Description is good but can slow down the pacing if done wrong and can end up slowing the flow of the story.

Regarding pacing, need constructive criticism for it since sometimes I am not sure.

I also worry (and sometimes overthink) too much on trying to keep canon characters in character due to past negative experiences on .

Going in hand with the above, also making sure things make sense.

This story covers areas I haven't done before, or have not done in a long time, meaning that the last time I did so could have been in the 2012 era stories and earlier ones.

In all, constructive criticism is appreciated, want to know how I did and problem areas so I can improve.

Now, let's let the hor- oh, I mean fun, begin!

Elaaden.

Hellish. Hot. Endless desert. Fixing the Remnant vault fixed the lethal heat, but temperatures still remained in the triple digits. Tidally locked, one side constantly baked under the sun, with the other half froze in an eternal night.

Inhabited by the Angara for centuries before the Kett threat drove them off.

Exiles settled on the planet after being booted off the Nexus following the Uprising, doing what they could to survive the lethal heat.

The Krogan moved in after the betrayal on the Nexus and established a colony, New Tuchanka.

After Sakura Ryder helped to solve a potential conflict and gave the Remnant drive core to Nakmor Morda, the Initiative were allowed to establish an outpost nearby.

First rumors of a Kett base. Now a damn trap! Sakura Ryder, the Human Pathfinder, fired her blue and black Remnant Sweeper assault rifle at a group of Kett Chosen floating around in the blue swirl of her Singularity biotic power. She then detonated the singularity. The sphere of black at the center exploded, forcing the blue swirl into a similarly colored explosion.

The Kett Chosen, bipedal with black skin, white bones covering their bodies for armor, sometimes with green metallic armor for additional protection; blown away were mangled almost beyond recognition. They may be ugly, evil bastards, but Sakura couldn't help but wonder if they might have been Angara once. Turned by the cruel process of Exaltation.

Sakura's brown skin and shoulder-length black hair were covered in sweat, blue eyes were focused downrange at the enemy. She wore full body armor, minus her helmet, in blue and white Andromeda Initiative colors. The armor's design resembled Angaran designs, being slightly more curved and having thinker armor for more protection.

The mission had gone well, up until this point. They were tracking down rumors of the Kett setting up a major base, preparing a major attack. They were currently an hour and twenty minutes from the Initiative outpost and Krogan colony. In an area known to the Angara as "Helredeen" basically translating to "heat death". The temperatures were so high that one could only spend a limited amount of time outside of a vehicle or shade.

Even with the vault fixed, some areas remained dangerously hot and will require time to cool, decades even.

They investigated several crashed Kett drop ships and starfighters, knowing of the "civil war" within the Kett in the Heleus cluster. Some of the datapads and audio logs she found sounded downright treasonous.

It turned out to be a trap instead. And now the Kett had forced them into cover, cut off from the Nomad. Sakura knew the Kett were trying to let the heat do their dirty work.

There was three Kett vehicles present, one flipped over, one with doors opened, and one riddled with plasma scorch marks.

Kett technology, whether it be their vehicles, bases, or ships, gave Sakura the creeps. Their stuff was highly biomimetic, looked like bio-technology but wasn't. Green and bulbous. And the interiors were usually washed in a green or blue light.

Jaal Ama Darav, Sakura's Angara teammate, stood to her left.

Angara were humanoid with several differences. A growth similar to a cobra's hood, folds of flesh on the sides of their heads which extended to their chests. Their hands had the bone structure for five fingers though the final three fingers were densely webbed into a single digit. Their lower legs are bowed backwards significantly compared to Humans or Asari.

Jaal himself wore black armor and a blue poncho-type garment over the armor, the Angara name for it was rofjinn. He also had a scar on his left neck flap, and another on his right cheek from Akksul, who had shot him.

Remarkably similar, Sakura had noted, to the Milky Way races despite being in a different galaxy.

Jaal fired his sniper rifle, a modified Kett sniper rifle with the typical green colors of Kett weapons, at a Kett Anointed's head. The Kett soldier's head exploded and the lifeless body toppled backward.

Peebee, Sakura's Asari team member to her right. Asari looked very similar to Human females, some differences being their skin tones and semi-flexible cartilage-based scalp-crests. Peebee herself had a black facial marking across her eyes, and wore a purple shirt and brown pants. Lightweight armor was located under her shirt.

The Asari threw a biotic Pull at a group of Kett soldiers. The spinning blue orb struck the one at the center of the group, and all were lifted off the ground.

Sakura quickly threw a biotic Pull at the floating Kett, leading to a biotic explosion which flung them into the distance.

"We need to get out of here, there's too many!" Peebee emptied her pistol clip into a Wraith that had de-cloaked and attempted to bite her. "Those assholes think they're so sneaky!" She was grossed out by how the quadruple armored dog-like beasts would sometimes keep going even after their brains were blown out. This one thankfully dropped after five shots and a Lance at its head.

Sakura Ryder saw Jaal activate his invisibility cloak out of the corner of her eye, she knew he was moving to strike one of the Kett from behind.

Two Kett Anointed appeared from behind the rocks, to the far right side of their cover, weapons aimed at Sakura.

Kett Anointed were similar to but larger and stronger than Chosen. Deadly at medium to close range. And their melee attacks hit so hard, Sakura refused to get close. Unless she knew she knew her Asari sword would strike true.

Shit! Sakura turned and put her arm in front of her, and projected a biotic aegis shield. Defending against their gunfire and returning the projectiles to them. One of them fell in a hail of plasma.

The other lost his shield, and was promptly pulled by Peebee before a biotic Throw struck him, triggering a biotic explosion that launched him into the rocks in the distance.

Sakura spoke through her comm link. "Jaal! We need to-" She heard a cry of pain then silence. "Jaal!" Her mind became overrun with worry, her heart racing and fear coiling in her stomach. She looked across the battlefield.

Peebee spotted blue mist, the cloaking field of the Kett Destined, which was spreading to the Kett vehicle with opened doors. "There! Follow me!" Peebee enshrouded her body in biotics, and ran faster than Sakura had ever seen her run.

Sakura kept pace, flaring up her own biotics as well. Her chest felt tight with fear. She saw the mist had extended to the vehicle with open doors. "Jaal! Please respond!"

She heard voices over the comm link, voices she knew was Kett. Her biotics flared up even more. "Get away from him, monsters!" She jumped straight at the blue mist, and landed in it. "Jaal!" She got no answer. "Peebee, stay back!" She used her sheer biotic energy output to blast away the blue mist. "Where are you?!"

Peebee looked around frantically, voice laden with worry. "Don't see him anywhere!"

She heard the Kett vehicle's door slam shut, and turned her attention to it. A wisp of the blue mist escaped and the vehicle started to accelerate. "No!" She threw the strongest biotic Lance she could muster at the tires, to no avail.

Peebee ran past her. "Get the Nomad!" She rushed on forward, biotics flaring intensely.

Sakura ran back to the Nomad, a six wheeled all-terrain exploration-focused land vehicle. It was painted in blue and white, the colors of the Andromeda Initiative.

She jumped into the driver's seat, shut the door, and quickly accelerated.

Peebee's screams of rage and anger were heard over the comm link.

Sakura slowed down and opened the passenger door via a button near the steering wheel so Peebee could jump into the passenger seat.

The Asari quickly shut the door. "After those assholes!"

Sakura accelerated at full speed after the Kett. Using the Nomad's speed boost when possible.

Barely holding back tears, she turned the communications to the Initiative outpost while fighting to keep her voice steady. "This is Sakura Ryder, requesting urgent backup! The Kett, t-t-they took J-Jaal!" Her voice was starting to splinter. "S-send anyone you c-can, send anything that flies! T-Tell the Tempest to get ready for emergency extraction!"

"Shit!" She heard the person on the other end speaking to someone before turning her attention to her. "Bain Massani has aircraft ready, said he'll bring his team. ETA twenty minutes!"

Twenty minutes was too long, who knew what was happening to Jaal. "Tell them to hurry!"

She almost didn't hear the affirmative reply. Her mind was full of thoughts about what happens to those taken by the Kett. Enslaved, killed, or worst of all Exalted. The thought of becoming one of them and fighting those you loved terrified her.

And the thought of Jaal getting Exalted brought tears to her eyes. How would she tell his truemother Sahuna, or his family? How would she break the news?

No matter how fast she went, she couldn't catch up, and they were slowly but surely getting away. "I didn't sleep for six hundred years and travel two and a half million light years for this!"

Her mind was full of memories of times with Jaal. The missions, the times on Aya, visiting his family. If the Kett got away, she would only have these memories.

The Nomad closed in on the Kett base before coming to a stop.

Bain's pilot was heard over the communications, the voice female. "Getting close, ETA two minutes!"

Sakura opened the door. "We're out of time!" She quickly exited the Nomad and ran to the Kett base followed by Peebee. She noticed the curious lack of Kett outside, and ran into the entrance.

She headed to the sole door by the window and attempted to open it, finding it locked. Sam, unlock it, hurry!

SAM, the AI in her head and also connected to her omni-tool, didn't sound as calm as he usually did. "Working on it." A pause. "Its complicated, working as fast as possible."

Peebee looked into the window, voice shaky and full of fear. "Sakura..."

Sakura rushed to the window and looked through it.

Beyond, was a large room. With a Kett Ascendant, taller than their Chosen or Anointed comrades. The Kett turned its attention to her.

It's face became a sinister grin. "Afraid you're too late, Pathfinder."

Out of the shadows came two Kett Annotated side by side, they came to a halt in front of the Ascendant.

Sakura gasped in horror at who they were restraining.

Jaal, and he was struggling to get free. Kicking the Anointed in the legs to no avail. His bioelectrical field abilities seem to have greatly weakened, as they had no effect.

Sakura banged on the glass with her fist. "Let go of him!"

The Kett Ascendant took off its belt a pair of black Exaltation syringes.

"No!" Sakura unleashed biotic fury upon the window, Peebee doing likewise. She gathered up as much biotic energy she could, Peebee as well, before both unleashed their full biotic power upon the glass, yet it didn't break.

She was exhausted of biotic energy, tears flowed down Sakura's eyes. "No!" She banged on the window with her fist hard. "Please! No!"

The Kett Ascendant raised the needles. "To Exaltation." The needles were jammed into Jaal's chest.

Jaal screamed in agony. "Sakura!" Black lines started to spread from the penetration points.

Something inside of Sakura broke, she screamed out loud. Tears streamed from her eyes and she started to sob. "I am so sorry Jaal!" She felt weak kneed, as if all purpose had left. "I love you!"

The Kett ripped the syringes out, a sinister smile on its face.

The two Kett Anointed released Jaal from their grasp and took a step back.

Jaal fell to his knees, screaming in sheer agony, before falling to his side. Twitching and Convulsing while the black lines spreading throughout his body became a sheen of black all over. His voice seemed to change. His skin blistered and deformed, appearing bubbly.

Tears streamed down Sakura's eyes amid big heaving sobs. Her insides hurt from the crushing despair.

Jaal's skin was now black, bones grew to form a Kett's bony armor.

Sakura felt something grab her from behind, she heard Peebee struggling. She looked behind, and through her tears she saw the Kett Anointed holding her. She struggled. "Let go!"

She and Peebee were taken into the room through the door. And were held in place near the Kett who had Exalted Jaal.

Sakura saw a Kett standing where Jaal had once been. Jaal's armor was on the floor, torn to pieces. Another Kett had given Jaal's rifle to the new Kett.

Despite knowing how futile it was, Sakura opened her mouth. "Jaal! I know you're in there! Fight!"

The Ascendant laughed, a cold evil laugh. "The Angara you knew as Jaal is no more." Another Kett soldier gave the Kett Ascendant a fresh pair of syringes. "Now, you will join the others."

Sakura gathered words under her tears, which turned to fury. "You damn monsters! Taking the one I loved wasn't enough for you?!"

The Ascendant raised the needles. "To Exaltation."

The needles were stabbed into Sakura's chest.

Sakura bolted upright on the bed. "Jaal! No!" Her breathing was fast and heavy, cool sweat running down her forehead. Her eyes watered up. She closed them momentarily and wiped the tears before they could fall.

She was in her quarters near the front of the Pathfinder scout ship Tempest. The only lights on being from the terminal by the far wall, and the window, from which she could see they were still in FTL transit.

She got her breathing under control. Just an awful nightmare.

SAM was heard. "It is a possibility, which I hope never comes to pass."

Sakura sighed. "Me too, SAM. Me too."

She heard someone climbing down the ladder. The door opened. Kallo Jath stood at the entryway. He was a Salarian, a bipedal race who had tall, elongated bodies with large oval eyes and a pair of cranial horns on top of their head as well as three fingered hands.

Kallo was wearing his gray and white pilot uniform.

Unlike his usual, being a Salarian and talking fast, he was speaking slower. "Are you okay?"

A pause, Sakura sighed. "I-I had this horrible nightmare." She looked at the Salarian. "Remember the mission on Elaaden yesterday?"

Kallo was in thought. "Yes. Too close. Second time we had to fly through the Scourge."

Sakura's voice was slightly shaky. "Peebee was too late in the nightmare. The Kett, they took Jaal. And they-" She had to pause, almost unable to say it. "Exalted him."

Kallo's eyes widened slightly. "Terrifying. Seeing it happen to others is one thing but-" He shuddered. "Seeing it happen to the one you love, or your own people..." Kallo was in thought, about the Salarian ark and what horrors were found on-board the Archon's flagship.

Sakura got out of bed slowly. "Going to the medbay. To check on Peebee and Jaal." She faced the Salarian. "I hope I didn't wake up half the ship."

Kallo quickly nodded. "Understood. And no, you didn't. Most are awake." He paused shortly. "Best to tell Lexi. Nightmares like that will wear on you."

Sakura knew he was right. She'd get too little sleep. "Thank you for looking after me."

Kallo smiled. "Sometimes the heroes need others to watch after them, even their pilot."

Sakura headed to the door and down the hall to the medbay while Kallo returned to the cockpit.

Her mind was still on the nightmare, and the mission. It could have happened had Peebee not seen the blue mist in time.

It was too close. Way too close.

The nightmare was terrifying for me to write.

Exaltation is...simply nightmare fuel. Who is to say that, since one is alive when they get turned, that someone didn't get trapped in a corner of their mind, unable to do anything, while their now-Kett self does horrible things?!

Let's say in Mass Effect Andromeda 2, the wrong choices can get people taken by the Kett and Exalted, I will make sure that doesn't happen to any of the team, especially Jaal...if it did there would be many tears.