The Lt. Was about reach the door when Shepard called him. "Wait," she started "Since you're here... what kind of blade did you have?" The Lt. turned to her slightly confused "From our encounter on the ship?" he asked, Shepard nodded in acknowledgement. With a smirk on his face he reached into his bag and pulled out a grooved handle. He tossed it to Shepard. Catching it, she inspected the item. "How does it work?" He walked to her and grabbed the handle, took a few steps back and activated it.
Shepard stated at the two blue prongs that emitted from the handle. "What is it?" She asked curiously "It's a plasma stream held in a magnetic field Forming a blade. It was made by those aliens I told you about." He outstretched his arm for Shepard to grab. When she held the blade, she saw it was just a little short from being half her size. It was weightless but she could feel a slight pull towards her metallic table.
"You know," she started "...you do owe me new blades right." She said referring to her broken Omni-blades. "Hey I was acting in self-defense. I was the one being attacked." He replied. "Well you can always let me have this one." She joked "Not a Chance" the Lt replied, returning her humorous tone.
Shepard turned off the blade and tossed it back to the Lt. He put it back in his bag. "Also" she started "I do want a rematch." The Lt. Was slightly confused "A rematch?" He asked "Yeah, when we fought, you had home field advantage. I don't like losing." She answered. The Lieutenant chuckled at this "Alright, just give me a time and a place. But I don't think the outcome will be any different." He smirked and walked out the cabin.
Shepard sat down at her office and turned on her computer. "EDI" Shepard called "Run an analysis on the Lieutenant's fighting pattern from our engagement, then push the data to my Omni-tool." "Yes Shepard." The AI responded. "I really don't like losing" she said to herself as she started making a new pair of Omni-blades.
As the Lt came out of the elevator he ran into the scarred, old man he saw before. "So, you're the tin man that thrashed around Shepard and her team." He had a rough, seemingly Australian accent. He looked the Lt up and down. "You are a big one." He continued. "Names Zaeed, and I must say I'm impressed. If you're ever looking for work, if we survive this bloody mission, I could always use someone of your caliber." "Thanks" the Lt. Simply replied. Zaeed let out a puff of air in acknowledgement and walked into the elevator.
The Lt. Walked into his quarters and put his bag down. He stared at his armor laying on a table and remembered all the operations that he had to go through to wear it, the tests and augmentations he had to endure, all of the three's that fell to the covenant, how almost everyone idolizes the SPARTANS, but will never know how horrible it was to be one. He sat down on a couch and stared out into space.
For about an hour and a half went by before his thoughts were broken. "Lieutenant," EDI called through an intercom "Would you please report to the medical bay." The Lt. Came out of his thoughts. "For what reason, Im not injured." "All personnel must be examined to know if they are fit for combative duty." "Hmm…Aright im on my way"
He got up and started towards the medical bay. When he entered he saw Miranda leaning on a wall in the back of the room. He was greeted by an elderly woman in a long lab coat. "Hello Lieutenant," she started "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am doctor Chakwas." She stared at him, seemingly to marvel in his immense size. "I can see how you managed to best the commanders team now." She said with a slight smile.
"Shall we get started then?" She asked rhetorically. Miranda pushed herself off the wall she was leaning on and started typing on some kind of computer. A machine at the very back started moving into a new position. Chakwas motioned for the Lt. To move towards the machine. There was a pile of white clothes sitting next to it, neatly folded. "If you could please change into those before we get started please" she asked. The Lt looked at her then to Miranda. "We'll give some privacy if you'd like" she said as she and Miranda walked out.
The Lt unfolded one of the items. They were pants. He held them out to see the size. Setting them down again he began removing his black suit. Proceeding to put on the pants he realized how uncomfortable and scratchy cotton clothing was. He was so used to the synthetic fibers of His suit. He finished putting on the shirt and the two women walked back in.
The clothing barely fit him. The pants rose about four inches above his feet and the shirt looked almost like it had no sleeves. Both pieces looked like they were about to tear in half if he flexed. Doctor chakwas looked at him with a smile. "I do apologize for the tight fit, we don't really have options your size." "It's alright." He simply replied. "Well, if you could stand next to the scanner so we can get started."
The Lt. Moved to the area the doctor pointed to. "If you could please stand as still as possible" Chakwas began "Normally we'd have you lay down but I don't think you'd fit." She finished with a light chuckle. The machine emitted an orange grid of beams over the Let's head and started moving down. Doctor Chakwas looked at a monitor on the wall. "Well your vitals seem to be normal, at least compared to average humans." She stated "You do seem to have extensive genetic augmentations, some of which I've never seen before."
The scanner moved up and down his body twice and stopped at his head. The machine turned off and moved back into its starting position. "Well Lieutenant you are in perfect health and ready for combat." The doctor said. The Lt relaxed and moved towards his black suit.
Leaving the medical bay, the Lt. Returned to his room. He looked around and wondered what exactly he would be using as a bed. It wasn't that he needed it, but he thought it would be nice to have one or something close to it. He figured that the best option would be the couch, clearly that would be to small though.
With this in mind he took off the single large cushion and set it in a corner. Following this he grabbed the cushions from the two chairs in the room and put one as a pillow and the other as extension for his feet.
"Lieutenant, would you like a cover for your improvised bed?" EDI asked on the intercom. "I take that you don't have a backup mattress for my size?" He asked back "That would be a correct assumption." She answered plainly. "Should I call for cover for your improvised bed?" She repeated "Yes, that would be appreciated.' He answered blankly.
About 5 minutes later there was a knock on the door. The Lt. Walked over and opened the door to a young-looking crewman. As usual he stared at the Lt.'s chest and slowly looked up in amazement at the size of him. The kid was about three and a half feet shorter than the Lt.
"I take it that these are the covers for my bed?" The Lt asked him. "Y-y-yes sir-r-r" he stuttered in fear or marvel, the Lt. Couldn't tell. The Lt. Grabbed the sheets and gave a nod as he closed the door. He placed them on his self-made cot and laid on it. He relaxed slightly and went in to a shallow sleep, keeping his guard up and ready for any unwanted guests.
Shepard looked up from her work bench. She was exhausted but finally finished her pair of omni blades. She looked over to her data pad and saw that there was a notification from Normandy-A.I.-priority_3. Shepard opened it to see multiple videos from the encounter she had with the Lt. On his ship. They were all from the helmet cams of each team members and one that was a thermal scan that EDI had done during the engagement. Shepard started watching them.
After about 30 minutes of intense cross referencing and with the Help of EDI, she started finding holes in his defenses and ways to counter him. She wasn't going to beat him with strength or force, she would have to be faster. She ordered five adrenaline boosters. She would need them to be able to keep up with him for a long period time.
She remembered how he threw Grunt across, with this in mind she started thinking how she could stop that if he caught her off guard. "EDI, contact Sergeant Roland at the alliance." "The N7 Paladin?" EDI asked "Yes, tell him I need a favor."
Shepard continued for three more hours on her detailed analysis of h the Lt. Before finally going to sleep.
