"Shep…what's your first name?" I asked as he told me
"Nathan and I've been a starship brat my entire life." He replied as I nodded at that then I pulled out a knife and cut my hand making sure to drench it in blood then I handed it to him
"I have a feeling you want Chakwas to do that DNA test; here…I'll meet you in orbit of Therum" I replied as he nodded and I watched the Normandy head out
I was just watching and getting an overlay of the progress going on and seeing it then I linked it up to my Omni Tool and when that was done I went over to the Flyer as I went onboard and made my way to the cockpit. I was looking over the interior and I couldn't believe that it's practically as I remember it! The replicator in the wall, Aft Starboard Hull Zone 2, The EPS manifold across from that area; a type two phaser next to the station by the window… there were four stations: Helm, Weapons, Operations and Engineering… I couldn't believe it that the shipyard was able to recreate the Tetraburnium alloy hull, retractable nacelles, parametallic hull plating, Unimatrix shielding and the Borg Inspired weapons array of Pulse phasers and photonic missiles. And then it hit me
"Computer." I replied as I heard the tone
"What is the Hull reinforced with? Kellanite or Duranium?" I asked
"Duranium." I heard as I nodded at that then I wondered
"You have the pop out impulse engine thrusters?"
"yes."
I realized that the max capacity was between 4 to six people…and then I just sat down in the Pilot's chair and just looked at it all. I was overwhelmed; One moment I'm in 2012; unplugging my Norelco after finishing a shower and the next thing I know: I'm here in 2183: Everyone I ever knew, met, befriended and cared about was dead, buried and already ashes and hopefully the grave sites were not overrun to the point they couldn't be identified. I lowered my head as I just let out a ragged sigh. And then I just let the tears fall… I could see the faces of those I knew; and it hurt big time that they're long gone… then I sighed at that as I then accessed the restricted file and saw the locations of the grave sites come up even showing the COD's and the Cause of Death: All of it were Natural causes and that they were all survived by kids, kids, and more kids. I wanted to go to Earth to properly mourn and grieve for them but I knew it had to wait…Nazara needed to be stopped and so did Saren. I also knew that if I kept them in my thoughts that they weren't really gone or dead; and that I knew they could hear my thoughts. They felt the years pass but for me it was just like the tick of a clock. I was alone when I arrived on the Citadel…and yeah it was scary and I kept that secret. No one needed to know that I was scared when I first got there. I then spent two hours just crying over it.
I knew I needed to move on but it was tough…
"Computer…how long would it take the Normandy to get to Therum using the Relays?"
"Thirty six standard hours."
I just chuckled dryly at that; In the game they'd make it be so much faster but the game was also Sandbox styled. And yet it's not.
I stayed there watching the ships being built as I called up the FTL list and I saw it.
Coaxial drive,
Slipstream drive,
Hyperspace Jump engines,
Quantum space jump engines
Hyperlight Jump engines…
I knew that Coaxial Drive would be fast as fuck, so would Slipstream Velocity. Hyperspace Jump engines would be faster than the relays but I wasn't sure how much. Quantumspace would be twice as fast as hyperspace maybe even four to five times faster in using the relays. Hyperlight Jump is just Location "A" to Destination "B" in the time it takes a guy to pull their fly down and pull out their cock to take a piss once engaged.
I then sighed as I turned around "Activate Auto navigation…seal the airlocks, release docking clamps and take us out." I replied as I saw we were heading out… I wasn't in the mood to pilot as I then leaned back
"Destination: Citadel, Hyperlight Jump engines." I replied as I just felt it powering up and I've never experienced it before so this should be fun…
"Pilot has Jump command." Replied the Flyer's AIE
And then I sighed at that
"Jump." I whispered
Outside the Flyer
The ship was moving away as then it just vanished in a glow of light and then reappeared 200 meters from the Ascension as he sighed at that
"Open a secured channel to Knight Industries; Com band Epsilon 2." I replied as I looked up and the screen changed showing a guy; dirty blonde hair, blue eyes and a growing beard
"Joe…man it's intense! We've already started upgrading the security systems throughout the building and we've even begun using the yards and the hidden construction bays to build the Flyers and Ruanbout type shuttles." I heard as I nodded at that and I could see he was just grinning his ass off and yet just totally thrilled about the gear
"I can't believe it that none of it is based off of Prothean technology!"
"Believe it…how's everything going?" I asked as he just looked at me
"We should have everything ready by the time the Normandy comes back." He replied as I nodded at that; I knew we needed to upgrade the Normandy...but I'll take what I can get done in the quickest amount of time: meaning Weapons, propulsion, shields, Transporter systems and the Armory. I knew that compared to the other weapons out there; Knight Industries was definitely cutting edge.
"Listen Brian…Have security on alert for Batarians or any militia sized strike force…as I don't want the Batarians or the Shadow Broker to know what I'm doing as it's none of their concern." I stated as he nodded at that
And then I found Captain Anderson's bio signs as I beamed him onboard and he looked around totally floored
"I wanted to talk to you in an area that was more private than where Udina can listen in." I replied as he took a seat at the Ops station and I took the engineering station
"What I'm about to say has to stay with you and with my brother; you met him and gave him the Normandy." As his eyes went wide
"Chakwas already did a DNA and a ARA on me as Shepard was there and it was set for Green being truth and red being a lie; everything I told him was the truth. I also decided to help him out on this mission as it's going to be a bitch." I replied as he nodded at that
"I bought a company and renamed it Knight Industries. I'd also like to talk about doing military contracts with the Alliance as our tech is more advanced than anything out and our tech is not Prothean based." I replied as his eyes widened looking around at it all
"Exactly: all of Knight Industries tech is 227 years more advanced than anything in the galaxy. Weapons, shields, propulsion, FTL engines that don't use the Relays, Hull materials, Communication systems, computer systems the whole shebang. I know this would give the Alliance a fundamental and massive shift in power in this galaxy…the shipyards in the Nirvana system are building the ships there. There are multiple defense grids in that area; Cloaked mines no more than a meter across set for Batarian IFF signatures… early warning system and by now the AIE's are fully awakened on their ships and fully sentient enough to know how to act." I replied as he just looked at me floored and then I called up the ship classes as he was looking at it
"This is the Defiant class: similar to the Normandy: Five decks, cloaking device, but forward AND rear weapons, shields…" I then set it up to compare all Knight Industry ship classes to Alliance ship classes and he saw the differences on the matrix being displayed on screen
"My god…"
"All I'm asking for is a chance to prove myself as he knows that I'm needed here big time and soon the rest of his crew will know that." I replied as he was looking it all over then at me
"Joe Shepard… as of this date I hereby give you a commission in the Systems Alliance at the rank of Staff Sergeant…and clearance to captaincy any one of the ships you choose." Anderson replied as I shook his hand at that
And then the red alert tones sounded
"Sit rep." I replied as I heard
"Batarian IFF transponder detected two carrier ships Hensa class." I heard as I sighed at that and Anderson couldn't believe it as he saw it on the screens
"That's a Hensa class cruiser all right." He whispered
"I take it they're locking onto me?"
"Affirmative." As I nodded at that and I just relied on what I remember of battle and combat. Then I sighed
"Shields up, weapons hot…and General Broadcast." As I heard the tone
"Attention Batarian forces, this is Staff Sergeant Joe Sheppard Captain of the SSV Delta Flyer…you obviously know that you're in Citadel space…I'm also seeing your ships approaching me with weapons hot. I haven't done anything to warrant this reaction." I replied and then I saw the image of the Batarian Commanding officer as I knew it was being recorded
"YOU ARE PRODUCING TECHNOLOGY THAT IS MORE ADVANCED THAN WE ARE! THIS WE WILL NOT ALLOW TO CONTINUE!" he yelled out pissed as I looked at him
"Can you be specific? As I am not sure what you are talking about or accusing me of." I replied
"YOUR COMPANY KNIGHT INDUSTRIES! YOU ARE PRODUCING WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY THAT IS MORE ADVANCED THAN ANYTHING OUT THERE! WE WILL NOT LET THIS CONTINUE OR GO ON ANY LONGER!" and as I looked at him; I just had enough of his ass as I sighed at that
"Well…I'm sorry you feel that way but I'm not going to stop what I'm doing and if you don't like it file a protest with the Council…I'm sure they'll do the same thing that they did when we were settling in the Skyllian Verge…" and then the transmission ended just as my ship shook and I let it continue on
"Target the hostile weapons array…torpedoes full spread." I replied as they saw my ship fire multiple torpedoes and just hit both ships having them just floating on
I then saw how badly I damaged the two Batarian ships and I knew that they were bitching and moaning and in disbelief over ONE shuttlecraft managed to FUCK UP TWO Hesna class cruisers! Leaving them without weapons, their engines at 40% capacity and their hull integrity at 30%...they smartly decided to leave as fast as they could.
And after I was heading out; I saw the Normandy arriving as I couldn't believe it then realized
"Jeff…" I stated as I saw his image appear on my screen
"We were worried about you; the Commander had a hunch that you know more than you're letting on." He replied as I just looked at him
"Clear me for docking." I replied as I took the controls and headed in at a slow speed then we docked at bay 422.
Shepard was then informed about a lot of Knight Industry personnel heading towards his ship but when he had the crew look for me Garrus reported in saying I went to the Presidium to take a walk.