Chapter 11
Ashley's senses were overwhelmed as she was bombarded by light and sound. She concentrated on holding on to the kit in her hand as the sensation of falling stole her breath. Her gasp of surprise was matched by a pained grunt as a soft cushion broke her fall. The chief rolled and bounced her feet, concern flooding her eyes as she saw the asari she had landed on wince in pain.
"Liara, are you OK?" the marine exclaimed as she knelt by the asari's side.
"I was up to a minute ago," the doctor said weakly, unsuccessfully trying to rise.
"I must have blacked out, where are the others?" Liara's question hung in the air.
"Don't move, let me look around," the chief ordered as she pulled two light rods from the kit. Ashley ignited both and handed one to the prone asari.
"Wait," the doctor grimaced as she disregarded the chief's instructions and stood up on wobbly legs.
"I don't need anyone else landing on me," she commented as she slowly moved toward the side of the cave.
"I'm really sorry about that, Doc," the marine apologized, helping the asari move to another position.
"Boy, are you solid," the scientist teased.
"Anything broken?" Ashley ignored the asari's quip as she evaluated her friend's condition.
"I do not think so, well, maybe a cracked rib or two, I can not take a deep breath," the doctor closed her eyes as she spoke.
T'Soni winced as she probed her left side. Apprehension was replaced by disappointment as she brought out the contents of her hip pocket. The screen on her communicator was a spider web of cracks.
"Oh, Liara, I am really sorry," the chief repeated, taking the comm from the distraught asari.
"I thought she may be able to find us through this. Not anymore," the scientist said dejectedly.
Examining the device, the marine looked up hopefully.
"Well, all's not lost. It looks like it's still transmitting."
Settling the injured asari on a flat outcropping of rock, Ashley carefully wrapped the damaged communicator in a cloth and tucked it into the bag. She put the kit where the doctor could easily reach it and handed her a pistol.
"There should be plenty of medi gel in the kit. Stay here and let me see where that whelp of ours has gotten off to," the marine couldn't hide her look of concern as the asari flinched at every move.
"Ashley, " the asari's quiet voice was loud in the emptiness that surrounded them.
"Where do you think we are?"
The gunnery chief turned slowly and trained a beam of light across the chamber they found themselves in. The natural cavern was roughly the same size as the interior of the pyramid, but lacked the engravings and column. The light's circuit illuminated multiple large tunnels leading off the main area.
Retracing their steps, the marine examined the ground near the area they landed. She systematically expanded the circumference of her search and came across the inert form of one of the salarians. As she rolled him over, the lifeless eyes and the unnatural roll of Orran's neck told the story of his demise. Damn, she thought, wrong salarian. She cursed again and continued her search, her steps quickening as she fought to control the panic that threatened to surface.
Finally, she let out a sigh of relief as she found a set of small footprints leading toward one of the openings. That emotion was quickly replaced by one of anger as she saw the second set of footprints join the first. Pravin was going to pay dearly for his actions and this time there was no vid cam to witness her methods.
Careful not to disrupt any of the prints, the chief picked up a rock and scraped arrows at eye level on the right side of the opening and on the right wall of the tunnel. Then, thinking of a story she had read, she repeated the markings inconspicuously just about the ground. Returning to the asari, she described what she had found.
"Poor Orran," the asari commented.
"He should never have followed Pravin," she added.
"We all make our own choices, he choose poorly," the chief's tone ended that thread of conversation.
Ashley glanced at the undisturbed kit at the doctor's side.
"You really should treat that side, I'll get the gel for you," the chief's gentle command normally would have ended the conversation, but the asari wouldn't hear of it.
"Come now, Ash, be practical," T'Soni pleaded.
"We have no other supplies and have no idea how long we will have to survive out of that bag. I think we need to conserve our usage, especially if it is not life threatening," the scientist's quiet logic had the chief shaking her head.
"Well, can you walk?" the marine asked.
"I think so, it just may take me a minute to get started," the asari smiled weakly as she got to her feet.
"I'd let you rest here, but I don't know how far ahead of us they are," the chief apologized.
"Do not worry, I will be fine," Liara gritted her teeth and started off toward the tunnel the chief had marked.
Marveling at her companion's determination, the chief slung the kit over her shoulder and followed.
Before long, they heard voices ahead of them as the tunnel opened up into another chamber. Ashley's grip on the asari's arm prevented her from rushing into the cavern. After quickly marking the tunnel entrance, the marine doused their light rods and the pair quietly crept along the wall. Liara ran her fingers reverently over the velvety growth on the cave's walls. The tiny plants gave off a glow that softly illuminated the chamber.
Toward the center of the cavern, they could make out an underground lake softly lapping at a small shore. It was here that Pravin was arguing with the young girl.
Moving closer, their words were clear as their voices echoed.
"You're so thirsty, you taste it," Rayn's voice held only annoyance.
"I'm not going anywhere near it," she said definitively stepping away from the water.
"Now, child, don't be so.." the salarian's words were cut short as the sound of a loud roar echoed through the chamber.
Ashley turned toward the tunnel they had just vacated, sure that the sound had come from that direction. She looked at the asari and saw the look of confusion that must have mirrored her own. The chief shrugged her shoulders and turned back to see the salarian manhandling the girl toward another tunnel opening, the look on his face that of sheer terror.
"But I don't want to keep running," the girl whined plaintively.
"You would rather be dinner for that creature?" Pravin asked.
"You're more afraid of the chief and the commander," the youngster accused.
"Cause when they catch you, you'll probably prefer to be that monster's dinner," Rayn's smirk continued as she ducked the salarian's backhand, but she ceased to struggle as they exited the chamber through another tunnel.
Ashley silently cheered on the girl, impressed with Rayn's composure given the circumstances. With any other twelve year old, she would have believed that they were not aware of the danger they were in. But with this special youngster, she knew that it was bravado borne out of the confidence in her own ability to reason her way out of any situation. She couldn't wait to get the girl back at their side; she was only one clear shot away from that goal. Helping the slumping asari back to her feet, they silently continued to follow, pausing only to mark their route through the unforgiving maze of tunnels.
A/N: Sorry for the cheap Indiana Jones quote – been playing Lego Indy (hey, it's not only for kids!) and just couldn't resist!
