Mass Effect Andromeda: 100% Viability

Seperation - Currently Writing

"How much further?" Sara complained to the pitiable expressions now staring back at her from Drack and Vetra. They were all reaching the end of their tether, it seemed to Sara that she had won that race. It was dark and it was dirty in the tunnel they had dug and she wanted out.

Peebee glanced at her omni-tool screen and gave a non-committal murmur as POC floated past her and towards the opening to the surface with another load of dislodged rock and assorted geological detritus.

The sound of a bird trilling through the twilight they'd been living in for the past three days was little comfort. The alert system on Sara's omni-tool would go off long before any natural gases would kill the bird, though Peebee had insisted they use this method and Sara had to agree, having already learned the hard way that technology wasn't infallible.

For lack of anything better to do, Sara Ryder had inspected the little creature inside its cage multiple times throughout the lengthy dig. Calling it a 'bird' had been done so with a great amount of creative license. It looked more like a lizard with wings, both scaley and feathered and instead of a little beak it had a tiny mouth of minuscule but razor sharp teeth. The trader they'd purchased it from on Voeld hadn't told them where he got it from and the nagging reminder that this bird was likely the only living creature, other than themselves, on the entire planet became uncomfortable for Sara.

So far as she knew, Meridian only supported life, it didn't seed it. While it was likely there were microorganisms that were involving everyday thanks to that unnatural boost, it would be years before recognisable fauna roamed the planet. Or so the theory went. They still didn't really know enough about Meridian.

Sara shook her head pushing this thought away as well. The dust and dirt from the last three days had infested her hair long before it had occurred to her to cover it up. She was filthy and she was hot and her companions all stunk.

"I need some fresh air," she muttered in the same surly expression she'd had since Peebee had told her Scott had reprioritised their to-do list. She turned on them without another word and headed towards cooler, cleaner air.

She'd climbed out through the entrance of the tunnel and onto the billowing moors beyond. The greenery on the planet surrounding their landing site was very young but already in the three days, since they'd arrived, the shadow from their ship had changed the scenery somewhat. Plants that hadn't thrived in the sunlight were shooting up behind the ship while those on the sunny side continued their slow but consistent growth. It occurred to her that the shade caused by those faster-growing might set off a chain reaction, who knew what they might find if they came back to this exact spot in a years time.

"Who cares," she growled kicking an unoffending plant.

'You are in distress,' SAM's voice sounded via her implant and she almost jumped. This private channel had been opened up to her since arriving in Andromeda but she used it so infrequently it surprised her. Right now it surprised her that SAM seemed to be communicating with her, simply for the sake of talking.

"I'm fine," she grumbled betraying her claim.

'You are lying,' he responded simply.

"Did Scott teach you to speak to him like that?" she accused, "My father wouldn't have,"

'I have only one synthetic voice, but I can download a selection if you would prefer?' SAM responded dryly,

"Smartass," she hissed, though the anger was already leaving her. She knew she would need to get used to SAM if their plan was going to work, and she could already feel the influence of both her father and her twin on the A.I's personality.

'Would you like to talk about it?' it would be difficult had she not known SAM as much as she did, to hear his suggestion in this dry voice, and take it seriously. She did quickly feel that this was at the very least an earnest enquiry of concern.