New Thadus: Chapter Four

Mass Effect: New Thadus

Chapter Four

 Stranded

Widow

Raala dragged her feet through the hot sand. It had been nearly three days since they set out into the desert. She sipped on a tube of dextro-amino protein paste. It was all she had to eat along with the rations given to her before she left the fleet, there were some inside the burnt up abandoned escape pod. Somehow they had managed to survive the fire. At least she would have food for the next few days until rescue.

Water on the other hand, was getting low.

The krogan and the two synthetics seemed to be fine. The nutrients in a krogan’s hump could keep them alive for weeks without food or water. And naturally, the synthetics didn’t need any sustenance so that left more food and water for the others. The others struggled to ration their water and there was no end the desert in sight.

“How much longer are we going to wander around in this desert?!” Vurtak bellowed. “We’re getting nowhere fast! We don’t even know if there’s an end to all this sand!”

The asari, Naryxea, groaned, “I’m with the big lug. There’s no way I’m walking another step unless you can assure us that we can get out of this desert and off this planet.”

“Some reassurance of future food and water would be much appreciated,” Miru commented. She glanced at Widow. The human said nothing.

It was hard to tell how she felt because her mask remained emotionless. Even for Raala who was used to reading body language being raised a quarian but even she found it hard to tell what the human was thinking.

Vicia turned around, facing the others following her, “So what do you suggest? You want to just stay out here?”

Naryxea crossed her arms, “It’s better than being dragged all the way out here in the middle of nowhere. Come on, take the collar off. You’re just going to kill us all the longer we all follow you.”

The turian narrowed her eyes, “Nice try. You aren’t going anywhere.” She turned to the others, “Does anyone else have any bright ideas of what to do next? Or are you all just going to stand there and complain? If you don’t like the way I run things, feel free to venture out on your own.”

Naryxea sighed loudly but said nothing.

Vurtak took a step forward, “I knew the turian didn’t know what she was doing! It was just a matter of time before she admitted it herself!”

Urz, the varren, growled in response to his master’s raised voice.

“I get it!” Vicia approached him, “You don’t like me and I can’t say that I care to much for you, but whatever problem you have with me, shove it!”

Vurtak gripped his hammer with both hands. He carried it in a threatening way, like he was ready to raise it above his head and start swinging, “You turians are always up to no good. Walking around, thinking your better than everyone because you’re all military.”

“Go ahead,” Naryxea shrugged, a smug grin on her face, “Spray her blue blood on the sand. I wouldn’t shed any tears.”

Consensus stood head to head with the krogan. It placed itself between the two arguing, extending a three fingered hand out at the angered beast. With a battle cry, Vurtak swung his battle hammer. Not expecting the attack, Consensus was struck head on. Even though geth were build out of light and flexible metals, they could take direct fire with ease. Recovering quickly, it tucked its head close to its body and charged forward.

Using the hammer to defend himself, Vurtak braced for impact. Consensus slammed into the hammer, pushing the 800 pound krogan back. Vurtak pushed back on the hammer causing the geth to fall back. Acting quickly, Consensus punched the krogan in the face.

Angered, Naryxea stepped forward. She radiated a mystical blue energy as she activated her natural biotics. With a single arms extended, she lifted the geth up with her mind and threw it back.

The flying geth nearly knocked into Vicia before slamming into sand. Still couching from avoiding Consensus’ thrown body, Vicia activated her omni-tool. Naryxea grasped the collar around her neck. Her concentration broken, the blue aura around Naryxea was gone.

Vurtak readied himself to charge at the turian but stopped suddenly. With his wide-set eyes he managed to see Widow staring down her sights at him. The human sniper had leveled her rifle. Beside her, Miru also had a weapon on him. With one hand, the unshackled AI carried a submachine gun. Her other arm was level with her eyes, her hand in a fist. Compartments on her arms had opened reviling small dart-like missiles. Even if Vurtak was unsure of what they did, he wasn’t willing to take his chances. As close as they were, the two women weren’t going to miss.

“Are you done?” Vicia asked. The blades from her gauntlets were extended. She appeared ready for anything coming at her.

“Vicia?” Raala called.

The turian turned and glared at her, “What is it!?”

Raala stood a few steps away from the commotion. She pointed out into the desert. Everyone turned slowly to the direction that she pointed. In the distance, behind the sand dunes, was a stick like structure pointing at an angle sticking out of the sand. It looked like some kind of radio wire, a way to contact someone for help. Slowly, they turned to each other. After a few moments passed they all dashed for the strange structure.

Quickly, Raala ran up the sand dune. She and Vicia led the group as they struggled through the sand. As Raala crested the sand dune she tripped. Grabbing at anything nearby for support, she dragged Vicia down with her. They tumbled down the other side.

“Sorry,” Raala groaned as she brushed sand off of her person.

Vicia gave the quarian a smile, “No harm done. It’s just sand. Though I probably now have sand in places I didn’t know I had.”

Raala laughed, “I know what you mean. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m still filtering out my suit a week from now.”

The turian got to her feet. She bent down and helped Raala to her feet, “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”

Raala nodded. She turned her attention to the strange structure in front of her. To her disappointment, it wasn’t a way to contact home. Instead it was a tall mast-like structure of a crashed flying ship, like the ones she saw on her first day. It was in an ‘A’ shape. The metal frames mirrored a lonely skeleton including the mast and moving into the bowsprit.

It connected to the cabin entrance to a large ship. The deck of the ship was about fifty feet long while the lower decks were only about forty feet. Half of the ship was rammed into the sand. Tilted forward in the sand, the forward bow was completely covered. The hull of the ship consisted of white and grey and was intact for the most part. Thrusters on either sides were colored a dark grey. The starboard thruster was cracked and damaged. While it wasn’t what any of them were looking for, it was a sight for sore eyes after seeing nothing but sand for days.

Vurtak walked up beside them. Shortly after, Consensus approached. It was still covered in bits of sand from being thrown. The krogan glanced over at the geth and slapped him affectionately on the back. Consensus stumbled forward while the krogan laughed.

“Ha!” Vurtak bellowed, “We’ll let’s see what we can salvage, eh?”

Vicia glared at him, “We’ll spend the night, see what we can salvage. Who knows, we might be able to get this thing moving again.” She looked at Raala, “Can you see if this thing can fly? It would be better than walking for who knows how long.”

Raala glanced over the ship, “The majority of it looks intact. The right thruster looks damaged but we may be able to patch it back together. The biggest worry would be the engine and other electronics.”

“We can restore any external damage,” Consensus spoke. “We are accustomed with making such repairs.”

“I can assist Raala in restoring ship electronics,” Miru volunteered.

Raala glared at her, saying nothing.

Naryxea shrugged, “At least that’s better than sleeping out here again.”

Vicia gave the asari a side glance, “Naryxea, Widow, Vurtak and I will take turns taking shift. There are warring beings on this planet. I’d like to know if either one of those groups find out location. We don’t want either side to think that we are a threat.”

“You’re in charge again?” Vurak sneered.

Vivia didn’t pay him any attention and started to walk forward toward the ship. Slowly, the others followed behind her.

…Meanwhile…

Urz

Back at the burned out escape pod, a robed figure stood alongside it. A small boat like hover boat floated nearby. It hummed quietly as the engines were on. Another figure sat in the back of the vehicle. Also robbed, the second figure seemed to be talking to the first as they turned to the north. Suddenly, the first figure darted to the ship and jumped into the driver seat. The engines whirled before they started to fly off. Sand kicked up as the ship flew just over the ground into the desert.