8 years earlier

"I can't tell you how helpful you being here for the last two years have been." The turian shook the hand of the fully armored human. The human had to wear his recon head and armor because of the strong sunlight and radiation of the turian home world, Palavan.

Casey knew that few humans have stepped foot on Palavan, but was able to secure passage and work out deals with the engineering corps. For the first few months, he was nothing more than a worker for the turian hierarchy, until Casey made contact with a high end engineer. The turian had an idea to make the first stealth starship engine, but he did not have the funds or supplies for his research.

Casey found him and supported his research as they both worked together. The turian and human worked together for almost a year until they had a prototype personal stealth ship that successfully hid thermal emissions from radar. Together they also started work on a system that could integrate the tactical cloak technology on starships, though that project was more difficult. Once the prototype personal stealth fighter was complete, the turian was being contacted by numerous organizations to build stealth ships, most notably the Alliance. Casey was glad the technology worked, but asked not to be credited as a co-creator or having helped fund the project.

"Well with the Alliance knocking on your door now, you'll be busy filling in that new frigate order" replied Casey shaking the turian's hand back.

"Yea it's going to be tough, an order like that, being more than five times bigger than the prototype" shakily said the turian putting his hand over his frills.

"Speaking of, you're sure it's okay if I take the fighter?"

"Absolutely, I have all the data I need from it and as far as I know, you paid for it" smiled the turian.

"Thanks again and I know you'll be fine. Good luck." With that Casey nodded his head and picked up his duffle bag and climbed the ladder of the fighter behind him. He activated all systems and slowly rose off the ground; he looked down to the turian and gave him a salute. With systems hot, he took off into the horizon.

He had spent nearly two years on the turian home world and learned a lot about their culture and more importantly technology. After Casey was discharged from the Alliance, he wanted to see the galaxy. Palavan was his first choice because he would need transportation and knew he could learn more about engineering and turian discipline.

"Are you sure leaving your name off the stealth engine system was the right decision?" chimed the well-mannered A.I. from Casey's ear. Before Casey left for the stars, he built a device that would wirelessly transmit Alfred from Kane Manor to wherever Casey was.

"It's better that way. I'll make improvements to this fighter though. The stealth tech will be useful to the Alliance, just glad I helped."

"I see, where to next sir?"

"Kahje, Hanar home world and adopted home to the drell."

Unlike on Palavan, Casey did not have any contacts on Kahje and barely knew anything about it. He knew as much as anybody, how Kahje was 90% water and its inhabitants were the aquatic hanar. Nearly 200 hundred years prior, the hanar transported thousands of drell from their doomed overpopulated planet. Now over 375,000 drell lived on Kahje and help out the hanar in any way they can, grateful of what the hanar did to help them. This includes combat, which hanar are not effective at outside of water. And this is why Casey wanted to visit, to compare what he has learned already with drell combat.

He flew his new fighter over one of cities, built over the planet sized ocean, and requested landing. A drell came over the comm saying he had permission to land. Casey landed his fighter and unloaded his gear. He made his way to the port and registered under a false name, to conceal his identity.

Casey knew that finding people who would be willing to show him drell combat wouldn't be easy and so he spent months learning about how drell and hanar cultures had melded together. He studied how drell were honored to serve the hanar through the Compact, an agreement made between both parties.

Some time passed and Casey had to find a job to keep himself busy. He found a fishing job and helped drell and hanar in their biggest economic job. It helped him to blend in and get to know many of the locals. Casey learned of a combat training facility, with help from his new contacts, they were able to get him in the facility.

Inside the building reminded Casey of an Alliance training facility, with packs of people doing exercises and different drills. One of Casey's friends, a young drell named Harot, was able to get an audience with a high ranking drell trainer.

"Wait here" said Harot to Casey. The drell walked over to a large drell, much larger than any drell Casey had seen before. The large drell started to laugh when Harot pointed to Casey from across the training floor. Both the drell started their way towards Casey.

"Harot tells me you wish to test your skills against the drell," the large drell looked Casey from head to toe "but you are far too old to start learning our ways. And you're a human"

"Ke'art, he has been trained in the Alliance and is an N6 discharge. He only wishes to learn our ways" chimed Harot.

Ke'art, the large overbearing drell, smiled "Let's see what the humans have taught you." Then without a second hesitation, Ke'art lunged at Casey throwing a quick punch.

Instinctively Casey shoved aside the punch and rolled left and took a readied stance. He quickly glanced around and noticed the fight had drawn the facility's attention. A crowd of drell had circled around the two combatants.

Ke'art walked around the edge of the circle, "Tell you what human, if you can best me without those gadgets all over your belt, we'll consider your application" chuckled the drell. He once again ran towards Casey.

Casey swung at nothing but air when the drell slid between his legs and appeared behind him. Casey launched his elbow backwards, again hitting nothing, as Ke'art blocked that attack with one hand and rammed his other in Casey's ribcage. Casey grunted in pain, but continued with a roll forward. Ke'art followed right behind him with a leaping kick to Casey's chest just as he was getting up. Casey fell on his back and looked up at the drell standing over him.

"You've been fighting humans for too long. You throw your attacks where you know he is, not where he is going" mocked Ke'art.

Casey did not bother with a response and flipped himself to his feet. He threw his fist at the drell, Ke'art nimbly dodged, but Casey expected this and bent his elbow sideways into the drell's face. Casey twirled around and knocked his other elbow into the exact same place, staggering the drell. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Casey jumped and landed a roundhouse kick to the side of Ke'art's head, causing him to fall. Casey took another readied stance as he took two steps back.

Ke'art wiped the dark blood from his mouth as he smiled and got to his feet. "You hold back your attacks, you never let yourself go. Are you afraid that you'll hurt me?"

"I have trained with the best fighters on Earth, learned to help others and use my skills for good" replied Casey.

"So you believe your Body is good? But do you think your actions make your Soul good?"

Casey had learned about drell religion, how they believe the Soul and Body are different and that only when they work together are they Whole. Casey took a relaxed stance and stood up, "My actions will protect people from injustice."

"To fight any opponent one must let go of his rage and inflict maximum damage. So I ask again, do you think your Soul is good?" asked the drell, now standing eye to eye to Casey.

Casey looked down and then lunged at the drell, catching him off guard. He lifted his knee to the drell's gut and dropped his elbow in the back of the drell's head. He then grabbed the shoulders of the shoving him backwards. Casey then jumped up and planted both of his feet into the drell's chest, causing them to both fly back. Ke'art fell on the ground as Casey landed on his hands, flipping himself to his feet.

The crowd was in an uproar, but became silent when Casey stopped his assault and stood up once again. Ke'art took longer to get to his feet, clearly in pain.

"No," Casey said in a gruff voice, "my soul is not good"

The drell stood now holding his chest and smiled. He nodded to Harot and then turned into the crowd. Harot walked up behind the heavy breathing Casey, "Well I guess you're in" he said as he put a hand on Casey's shoulder. Casey turned to him and nodded.

The following months Casey trained relentlessly with drell special forces. Most drell were biotics and so Casey learned numerous defenses against biotics and how to disable them. Drell were also famous for infiltrating areas completely unseen. Casey was even able to teach the drell a few of his own techniques he had learned to remain undetected by the enemy. In time, Casey had learned all he could from both the drell and hanar. He thanked Harot and Ke'art for his training and so he left to continue his journey through the galaxy.