The growling, uneven movement of the Mako masked the vibrations of the coming eruption. Where there was flat land suddenly rose a pillar of alien flesh, roaring anger to the heavens and the minuscule humans at its doorstep.
A thresher maw.
The warm air in the vehicle wasn't enough to keep the chill from running down the commander's spine. He jerked the controls, throwing the Mako to the right. The main gun of the turret fired at Kaidan's direction, but the commander couldn't hear it. There was a roaring in his ears and he was having trouble seeing.
"It's gone underground!" the biotic shouted. Shepard slowed the frantic escape and found his hands to be shaking. Kaidan and Garrus exchanged glances.
"We should-" The flanged turian voice was cut off by another unearthly screeching roar.
The thresher maw was again in front of them, however Shepard was slower to react this time. They stalled before the beast, flank exposed to its gaping, screaming mouth. It struck before Gabe could gather himself enough to hit the controls. The sound of alien slamming into metal was deafening to the men inside the Mako.
It was also enough to jerk Shepard back into action. He hit the controls hard and they limped forward at top speed, turning at the last moment to mount a rise. Once again the thresher maw retreated into the ground, satisfied that the intruder had been dealt with.
Silence filled the vehicle, disrupted only by the fizzle of sparks signifying the extent of damage done. Gabe's own helmet was filled with his heavy breathing. But he didn't hear it, nor did he hear the sparks. Everything felt deadened to him. Everything except the wild pounding of his heart. Raw fear gripped him so tightly that he could not move.
"Commander?" Kaidan ventured. It went unheard. A look exchanged between human and turian in which both decided to give the marine a moment. They both released the belts holding them in place and moved about the Mako to begin repairs. If they wanted to get any closer to the distress beacon, they needed to set the vehicle to rights.
Gabe trembled in his armor, sweat gone cold against too hot skin. He wanted to climb out. He wanted to rip off his armor. He wanted to grab his rifle and fire at anything and everything. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. He wanted to fall to his knees and cry.
He wanted to reach the men at the heart of the distress beacon.
Fists slammed into the control panel. "Are we good to go?" he shouted into the comm. The men of his squad were startled by his sudden action, but both gave the affirmative.
They were as ready as they were going to be.
