Both Havarl and Voeld provided them with a valuable intel about the last Arks. They just needed some time to encrypt the information. Sara was sitting in the kitchen, sipping coffee. The last two weeks were filled with work. She did not have time for anything… After they activated the vault on Havarl, new science team was allowed to enter the planet. Addison agreed with Sara that they could not touch the Angara's homeland. Not only because of diplomatic connections, but a simple respect was in place. Angara helped them in the fight against Kett and Jaal was a valuable member of the team.
Suvi interrupted her thoughts. She walked in for her daily dose of caffeine. Everything was normal and back on track. Even better. The last drama seemed to help the relations and strengthen the bounds they had between each other. Sara felt relaxed again and could talk with everyone. Not that there was much time for long conversations, it was just… everything just felt right. And that calmed her. Sara's smile and laugh returned in a couple of following days and her old humour dominated every mission.
"Thinking of invincibility of bugs?" Asked Suvi and smiled at Sara. She laughed.
"Nice one… From your own experience? Like licking some rocks?" Sara smirked and Suvi started to prepare her coffee.
"Something like that….. sooo, what is bothering you?"
"Ah... just work. Nothing serious. Things have developed quite fast. Don't you think?" She asked Suvi and sipped her coffee.
"Definitely…" Suvi poured hot water into the machine and then leaned on the table focusing her attention back to Sara.
"I was fascinated by the reincarnation of the Angaran who helped you open the vault…" Said Suvi and Sara needed to smile. Suvi's fascination with spiritualism and God made Sara share her beliefs sometimes.
"Yes, it was quite unique. He was completely structed by that experience…."
"Isn't it amazing Sara? The possibility to see beyond death? To remember past experiences?" Said Suvi and Sara nodded. Yes, it was amazing… For humans, maybe, with their short life span. She could not imagine memories a reincarnated Krogan would have. Thousands of years of a one life would surely take the whole Geth' memory capacity…
Sara, Peebee is asking for your assistance at the control room.
"Ok... be right there, SAM…" Said Sara and rose up. "Sorry Suvi… we should continue this conversation later." Suvi just waved her hand.
"Don't apologise, Sara. See you upstairs."
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Peebee was standing behind Kallo looking at the controls.
"I've told you. I'm not going to change the coordinates until Ryder approves it." Said Kallo annoyed and disturbed by Peebee's presence.
"Yeaah yeaah. She's gonna be here in a minute" She was so excited that she already asked Kallo to change the ship's direction.
"What's going on here?" Peebee heard Sara's voice and ran towards her immediately, it was so fast that Sara backed up few steps away.
"Ryder…. I need to know: if I had something really important to do, could I count on you to help? To come along?" Said she staring at Sara with those big excited eyes.
"Anytime, Peebee. You know that already. What's up?" Sara noticed annoyed glare from Kallo and smirked. It was a long time she had seen Peebee so excited.
"Well... yes… sooomething cool. Thanks to my newly Remnant-augmented scanner, I'm onto something truly big." She walked to her escape pod and activated an audio of a signal she recently recorded.
"Hear that? Best I can tell, it's coming from a piece of raw Remnant programming tech. A building block in an unused state. My eyes bulge thinking what we might be able to learn from it – or do with it!" This got Ryder's attention. Maybe it could be the key to control the Remnants.
"That's amazing Peebee! I know you lived for a moment like this." She smiled and Peebee returned the gesture. It was true. She had come to Andromeda to find something new, to explore mysteries others could not…. It was Ryder who reminded her in the Angarian museum that she was capable of this.
"Yes… It's that kind of mystery I live for. I have to go get it, Ryder… There's no time to waste, right?" Peebee chuckled nervously. Ryder could still decide to ban it. The place was quite far away from their current position.
"Okay, then…"
"Really? Well, you mean really? That's it? No preamble, no further interrogations, just "okay"? You're in?" Peebee was grateful. Sara was back in her typical position of being there for everyone. She missed this Sara.
"Really… I'm in… There's no way I can say no to you, Peebee."
"Did you hear that Kallo?" She shouted towards the deck victoriously.
"Yes…." His voice was deeply irritated, but he changed the direction of the Tempest.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Sara promised herself that she would kick Peebee into that sexy butt for this crazy landing. Volcano? Really?
The worse part was only going to come. Kalinda was on their track all the time. She had secretly hidden a transmitter into Poc. Not only they needed to fight the remnants, Kalinda's men were right on their track. Peebee was apologetical most of the time. She desired to shoot Kalinda's ass and Ryder shared that desire.
They had reached the point where the enemy's squad blocked the way.
"No, no, no…! Kalinda's barred the way!" Heard Sara Peebee through the comm. A group of Saboteurs started to shoot at them and only Drack's fast reaction pulled Sara from a direct bullet flying towards her heart.
She had enough of this unstable planet and enough of fighting their own people. All of these aliens were originally a part of Nexus. Nothing would ever change that even in a distant galaxy, even when they were forced to kill each other. Every fight, therefore, was personal for her.
Sara was filled with anger. She had charged the jet to its maximum capacity and blow herself towards the nearest rock to hide behind. "Engineer profile, SAM" Said she and breathed in when she felt electric impulses filling her body with a newly transformed energy.
"DRACK! Knock them down… Peebee! The rest in Singularity!" Both redirected their attack according to Sara's commands… She counted….
"3….2….1…. Peebbe, now!" The wave of a blue energy raised two of the attackers above her. She straightened her arm towards flying soldiers and released a freezing wave towards them. The overheated armour started to crack after getting in contact with the cold stream. Very soon they would choke to death…. Basic physics….
"Drack, your turn… Now!" Sara just heard a shot and blast… Bodies were falling on the floor with their biotic armour... She hopped above the rock and got two Angaran daggers given to her by Jaal. She was so furious that it made her unstoppable. Sara threw the daggers and both ended deep in the two last attackers. Peebee and Drack caught with her right after.
"That was hot, Ryder…" Said Peebee and smiled behind her mask.
"Yeah, quite cool, kid." Drack praised her.
Sara walked towards two bodies and got the daggers from them. Few months ago, it felt disturbing to start to get used to killing. Now, it felt like a normal part of her existence. She was a pathfinder and a killer of unwanted elements. She was ready to kill Kalinda too. For endangering others because of some stupid greed. Because of getting into her way, and mainly because of hurting Peebee.
"Let's go get your toy, Peebee… I'm tired of the whole Kalinda business."
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
They had killed Krannit. They had killed others. A lot of blood was wasted in an abandoned Volcano. With each and every death member of the outlandish squat or a domesticated Adhi, Sara's rage intensified. This killing was worthless when the real enemy and threat for all of them was Archon.
The lava bridge nearly burned threw their shields. Life support was already low, but they finally reached Kalinda. She had her fingers close on the Remnant tech and still enough men on her side…
"Are you kidding me? How many guys does she have?!" Shouted Ryder.
"Kalinda's about to get the device!" Peebee could not wait any longer. Shooting or not she just ran after her, around the skippers focusing her energy on speed.
"You won't make it Kalinda!" Peebee shouted…. She did not even hear the response. Her attention focused on Kalinda's failed jump towards the small remnant Island swinging on lava. The reflexes unconsciously made her use the jet and she landed on the solid ground. The relic she was looking for so long was there waiting, and she reached it first. Peebee's hands grasped the ball, but the ground was unstable. It slipped and started to roll down.
Everything was suddenly too slow. Peebee turned and perceived the seriousness of the situation.
"Peebee, help! I'll give you everything I've got – all the relics, everything worth anything…" Kalinda was holding on the edge without strength to pull herself up. She was scarred and vulnerable. Peebee was frozen for a moment and noticed Sara running there to help with a gun in her hands.
"Please… I don't want to die…!"
"Aw…. crap…" Was the first Peebee could utter in this difficult situation.
"Aw crap… what?" Sara shouted. There was no time for anything. She had noticed rolling relic towards the lava. This was not good… Peebee looked distressed.
"I don't want her to die, Ryder!" This was the moment when Peebee's heart was crushed in-between a massive wave of feelings she was fighting with since Kalinda betrayed her. The depression, loneliness, anger… All of them mixed and shouting at her when Kalinda's life was in her hands.
"But the device…!" Sara was confused and angry. Peebee was willing to sacrifice her dream for Kalinda's life. She could understand it but she was not sure this was the right choice.
"It's not worth her life!" Peebee had decided. She organised her priorities and got running towards Kalinda to save her.
Sara raised her gun and pointed it at Kalinda. She bit her lip. She could feel all the grudge towards this woman, but if she pulled the trigger now, she was no better than her. Plus, it was not what Peebee wanted. Her crew was more important than a piece of relic. She decided to believe they would find a way even without it.
Peebee got to Kalinda in time and pulled her up towards her. At the same moment, the relic was consumed by lava.
They still needed to jump. Running next to each other they focused their strength on one jump only. Sara was ready. She immediately grabbed their hands and helped to balance them back on the solid ground. Peebee kept her hand in Ryder's longer and looked at her. There was a lot in that one connection. Their past, their present and future…. Peebee noticed the gun pointing at Kalinda and understood that Sara chose her feelings instead of a pure logic. She smiled at Sara with gratitude coming from the core of her soul. Thank you... Sara.
The sound of intensifying eruptions woke her up. Drack nearly kicked them to get out of there. Kalinda joined them on the way and she turned her head towards Peebee.
"Peebee, thank you... Listen, no hard…" She was silenced by Peebee's fist. Sara laughed after she heard a cracking sound.
"Ow! Fuck!" Kalinda covered her nose. Streams of blood coloured her lips. The group nearly did not understand Kalinda directing them towards her shuttles.
IIIIIIIIIIIII
Drack was the one who jumped into the piloting seat of the first shuttle. Kalinda occupied the other ship. Sara fell into the leather sofa seat and took her helmet off. The filters of the shuttle purified the air from the smoke and she could enjoy breathing again. Peebee was doing the same next to her.
"This was hell of a ride, Peebee. I still haven't decided whether I'm mad at you or not." She looked at Peebee and they both laughed.
"If not you, then it's up to Lexi." Said Peebee and looked at the metal ceiling.
"Well… Some burns, scratches, maybe a hole or two… nothing she's not used to already." Sara closed her eyes. This was tiring and her whole body was hurting. But her brain was calm. Kalinda would surely leave Peebee alone now.
"Not so sure, Ryder… Not so sure…" Peebee rested her head on the Sara's arm. Her thoughts felt too heavy. There was a lot going on in Peebee and Sara's presence had always a calming effect on her. Sara hugged her with one hand and they both embraced the rest before they reached the Tempest.