5.
Scott Ryder clung to a precipice, his body dangling over the gapping maw of a raging volcano. Below him lava sputtered and churned, throwing waves of heat at his tired body. The only thing stopping him from plunging into the fiery pit were raw and bleeding fingertips digging into hot earth. He didn't dare let go of his precarious hold, even as sweat dripped down his brow tickling the sensitive skin and threatening to sting his eyes.
The sharp edges of the rock cut into his hand. He slipped, ignored the pain and found purchase again. A tiny voice, above and beyond the ledge's edge signalled help nearby. He looked up. But transfixed by the swirling oranges and blacks of a violent heat ravaged sky above, he couldn't see who belonged to the voice. But it kept calling. Female. Soft yet urgent.
Who? What do you want?
Delicate fingers swept across his forehead. Then they vanished.
Come back. Don't leave.
Pieces of his armour started to fall off one by one. First his boots, next his leg pieces. Right. Left. A moment's relief when his chest plate slid down his sweat soaked back exposing his scorched skin to air. His favourite armour tumbled downward into the lava where it bubbled and boiled down to its essential materials. Now bare chested, the craggy rocks dug deep into his torso.
Another moment passed and he was in his boxer-briefs, the hot surface of the volcano walls scratched his legs.
What?
He peered down to find wires attached to his chest. A beeping interrupted the soft voices coming from overhead, steady and annoying.
What is going on here? SAM?
No answer.
The waves of heat assaulting his body turned ice-cold. Taloned fingers walked up his spine like tiny needles piercing his nervous system. His body convulsed. His hand slipped, dropping him closer to the burning pit below. His entire weight supported with one hand, the rocky edge dug deeper into his palm. Blood oozed from the cuts making his fingers slippery and wet.
Down he fell.
SAM!
His eyes flew open. He closed them tight when white light burned his retinas. "What…" His voice sounded scratchy. He coughed. "What…"
"Hold still, Pathfinder."
Lexi? Where am I? What's happening?
"It's all right, Scott. You have a fever."
PeeBee! Ryder's lungs breathed easier. You're here.
"Open your eyes."
Ryder pried them open, hoping to see PeeBee's smiling face. But instead he saw the furrowing expression of Lexi. "How…"
Lexi pushed a finger against her puckered lips. "Shh. Try and relax."
"Fever? I'm cold." Ryder's voice sounded firmer to him. He spoke again. "Why am I cold?"
A hand touched his forehead, soothing and familiar. PeeBee. But the voice replying wasn't hers.
"We're using cold gel-packs to help get the fever down," said Lexi. "Your medigel interjector was damaged. Most likely by a krogan fist. They did quite a number on your armour while you were unconscious. It's quite the mess, but it saved you from taking on the damage. Unfortunately, you now have too much medigel in your system. And mixed with the minigen, your body doesn't know how to react."
"It's basically going haywire," added PeeBee.
Great. My favourite armour trashed. Ryder rolled his eyes. "Is that all?"
"Sarcasm," replied Lexi. "Good. It means you're still with us."
Mostly. Ryder thought back on the day's events, then realized he didn't much want to. He fast-forwarded through the cold coffee, getting blown up and stomped on by krogan. He grimaced when he remembered the long list of unanswered emails waiting for him. It reminded him SAM was gone. Another moment he'd rather forget.
But it did prompt him to remember they were heading to the Nexus. "PeeBee, did you get that report done for Tann?"
"That's what you ask me?" PeeBee's lips pressed into a crooked line. "What about… How have you been? Thanks for sitting with me? I hope I didn't scare the living crap out of you, again? You really do need to stop almost dying."
You do care. But seriously, I really need to know what's going on. "Sorry. Thanks." Ryder pulled a hand out from under a pile of gel-packs and reached for her. At least I'm not restrained anymore.
She took his hand and her crooked frown turned into a smile. Ryder smiled back and raised his brows as he asked, "So, did you get it finished or not?"
PeeBee dropped his hand in a huff. "Yes. It's done."
Her cold reception toward his work related concerns went ignored. There was something else Ryder needed to know. Something important. The fever exhausted him, which fought against the cold packs keeping him awake. His mind hazed over as he tried to search for what it was he couldn't remember.
"Pathfinder?"
If he could sleep for a few minutes he could concentrate. He closed his eyes, took deep breaths. Lexi sent out an email awhile back about meditation practices. What did they say again..?
"Pathfinder?"
Lexi? Ryder shook his head, opened his eyes. "Huh? What?"
Lexi stood leaning over the bed staring at him. "You disappeared on us for a moment. I'd thought you'd fallen asleep."
"Then your face went all screwy," said PeeBee.
"Oh," replied Ryder. "I was trying to remember something."
PeeBee furrowed her brow. "Remember what?"
"Really?" asked Lexi. "He just said he can't…"
PeeBee pouted, crossed her arms over her chest. "I know what I just said." Ryder's heart skipped a beat. He loved that embarrassed look on her. Especially when she tried to cover it up by changing the topic. "When do we get to the Nexus anyways? Aren't we there yet?"
Nexus! Landing! "Gil's manifold. Has anyone told him I didn't get it yet?"
Lexi engaged her omni-tool, skimmed through several screens then turned it off. "Vetra did. Gil wasn't too happy about it, but Kallo took it worse. He said something about it going to be another rough landing."
Ryder chuckled. Which made his head hurt. Damn fever. Damn minigen. Damn Reyes. Damn this whole day! "Just tell him not to break the ship when we land."
"I'll let him know," replied Lexi. "We're docking soon. In the meantime you rest."
"Sounds good." Ryder turned to PeeBee. "Stay with me? At least until I fall asleep? Something good has to happen today."
PeeBee sat on the bed next him, wrapped an arm around his head and lay down beside him. "Only if it's a direct order, Pathfinder."
"It's a direct order."
~MEA~
Ryder felt strong enough to walk when they arrived at the Nexus. An escort of Lexi, Vetra and PeeBee accompanied him through the ship. Each one fussing over his health. Each more annoying than the other. Are you sure you can walk? Let me get the door for you. Do you feel warm? How's the headache?
He couldn't wait to get to SAM node and have peace and quiet.
As he now stood in the loading bay he knew that wasn't happening soon. Gil and Kallo were putting out the last embers of a fire, which had engulfed the door. "Rough landing, huh?" he asked.
"I told you it would be," stated Kallo.
"And I told you not to break the ship," replied Ryder.
"It's Gil's fault."
"My fault? How's this my fault? I said I needed that manifold!"
Ryder blew out a breath. "Enough! It's my fault. I didn't get the manifold. Turn your anger on me. Not on each other. Blame me."
Gil's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Well, it's not that bad…"
Kallo looked at the floor. "You're very busy, Pathfinder…"
"Just get this fixed."
An hour passed, in which Lexi forced him to sit for the entire duration, before the bay door opened. Metal screeched, gears clanked. And it all echoed inside Ryder's tired head.
On the Nexus, the boarding party separated. Vetra made a beeline to security to discuss Charybdis Point with Kandros. PeeBee begrudgingly went to see Tann with her report. And Lexi followed alongside Ryder toward SAM node.
The fever proved still strong enough to slow his walk but not hot enough to keep him bedridden. So Ryder moved sluggishly through the corridors of the Nexus, and in the tram he sat silent. As did Lexi. She felt his forehead and took his pulse every few minutes. Ryder knew better than to fight her. Instead, he passed the time watching the lights in the tunnel streak past the windows until they made him dizzy.
Reconnecting with SAM didn't take long. A few electrodes, a few deep breaths and SAM was talking in his head once again. Ryder's day started to take a turn for the better.
"Good to have you back, SAM."
"It is good to be back, Pathfinder."
"Anything I missed while you were gone?"
"Vetra wishes to see you in Operations. She sounds terse. I believe you should hurry."
And we're back to shitty day. "Thanks, SAM. Tell her I'm on my way."
The ride back to Operations was not so relaxed as the ride to SAM node. Several krogan stuffed themselves into the tram, loud and animated. Four drunk turians sprawled themselves on the back seats belting songs of military idealism the entire trip. And Ryder stood in the middle of it all pressed up against Lexi. Who kept remarking that his fever seemed to be getting worse.
Ryder suspected it wasn't the fever making his body hot. The krogan rubbing up against his back, the krogan jostling him from the left and the stinking smell of alien sweat were causing his blood pressure to rise. On top of that, Vetra needed his help.
When the tram stopped, Ryder forced his way through the crowd onto the platform. The moment he stepped into Operations, he heard Vetra's voice. Loud and obstinate. She and Kandros were in a heated discussion over in his office. Arms were flailing. Heads were shaking. Insults exchanged.
Ryder stepped into the mix with his arms crossed over his chest. "What's going on?"
The arguing turians stared at him. And they continued to stare until Ryder spoke again. "This is where one of you responds."
"You tell him," said Vetra.
"I'm not touching this with a ten foot pyjak," stated Kandros.
"Big baby," she replied. Her smile was placating when she turned to Ryder. "So about that little mission out at Charybdis Point…"
You're about to make this day worse, aren't you? Despite the heat rising in his face, his heart rate increasing, Ryder remained calm. "Go on."
"Um, they weren't Sloane's cronies. They were refugees."
Ryder's face remained placid. "You. Have. Got, to be kidding me."
…to be continued…
