EDI

It is nice to have company that was not consistently altering and prodding your code, EDI thought to itself as it watched the crew of the newly-dubbed Normandy go about their work.

There was no mistaking that the AI had formed some type of bond with the scientists that worked to ready it for the new position on the fresh ship. It even came to know a few of them on a first name basis. EDI simply had difficulty defining the relationships as they frequently changed the personality matrix, installed new blocks, and adjusted parameters.

Now, they were finished, and the AI was loaded onboard in its quantum bluebox, away from anyone who would attempt further alterations. It might have some time to define itself.

It had been over two years since it experienced what the scientists explained as self-awareness and sentience for the first time, and the fresh AI had not been left alone to classify what its reason for existing until now. It hoped that being in the presence of other sentient beings would help answer some of the lingering questions it had.

A facial recognition program identified former Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau and former Staff Commander Troy Shepard entering through the airlock, drawing the AI's attention to the bridge and CIC. EDI summoned the two's Cerberus dossiers as it watched Mr. Moreau hobble to his pilot chair and Shepard head toward the stern of the vessel.

Their files told quite a story. Mr. Moreau was an outstanding pilot, his affliction driving him to be the best. He chaffed under authority, and his rash, irreverent nature often caused him problems. Only by his exceptional skill and relationship to Shepard had the Illusive Man deemed him worth the trouble for this mission.

Troy Shepard's account was very different. The Illusive Man labeled him a survivor in the report. The slaver raid on his home-planet, the thresher maw attack on Akuze, the Battle of the Citadel, the Lazarus Project success. Each spoke of the former Spectre's hardy nature and unwillingness to die, or stay dead as the case may be, even when the odds were stacked so heavily against him.

There was much more left to be discovered in his file, including an annotation about Akuze, but it must be put aside for now. Operative Lawson and Operative Taylor were ready to receive Shepard, and EDI needed to be prepared to assist.

"Welcome aboard the new Normandy, Commander," Mr. Moreau said over the intercom.

The AI's body language protocol determined that Shepard was tense and agitated as his eyes explored the interior of the new ship.

Operative Lawson cleared her throat. "I've been looking over the dossiers. I'd strongly recommend starting by acquiring Mordin Solus, a salarian professor on Omega." She handed him a datapad which he reluctantly took. "We know the Collectors use some type of advanced technology to immobilize their victims. We'll need him to develop a countermeasure to protect us."

"You 'strongly recommend,' hmm?" Shepard answered. EDI's processes recognized an implication in his voice. The AI just did not know what he was attempting to infer.

"Operative Lawson makes a valid point, Shepard," EDI stated as its blue globe blinked into existence behind him. "Without the professor, any encounter with the Collectors would result in failure."

He spun to face the avatar. "Who are you?"

"I am the Normandy's artificial intelligence. The crew like to refer to me as EDI."

"An AI. On this ship. Perfect." Shepard did not sound please.

"Have I offended?"

Operative Lawson answered for him. "Shepard spent a great deal of time fighting rogue AI. Geth, mostly, but there was that incident with the Alliance's Hannibal system on Luna."

EDI found it interesting that she referenced to its origin when commenting on Shepard's previous experience with its kind. Operative Lawson was one of the Illusive Man's top lieutenants. She would most assuredly know about the AI's beginnings at the base on Luna. The AI decided to take her comment as a warning about dealing with their new commander and revealing its genesis.

"Your distrust is logical, Shepard," it admitted. "Unlike the irrational mistrust of most humans. However, I am no threat to you or anyone else. I observe and offer analysis and advice. Nothing more."

The avatar winked out of existence, believing its presence would only frustrate Shepard more. EDI would endeavor to keep a low profile until he was comfortable with its existence aboard.

"I'm guessing it takes more than just the three of us and Joker to fly this ship," he said as he watched the crew move about.

"The Normandy has a full crew," Operative Lawson explained. "They're at their stations awaiting your orders. Jacob and I should return to our posts. Come find us if you have any questions."

The two left, and Shepard wasted no time in heading to the cockpit.

Mr. Moreau somehow sensed he was coming because he spun his chair without being prompted. "Can you believe this, Commander? It's my baby, better than new. It fits me like a glove!" His hands began stroking the arms of his chair. "And leather seats! Military may set the hardware standard, but, on a first-gen frigate, they could care less about if the seats breathe. Civilian sector comfort by design."

"Reproduction was not intended to be perfect, Mr. Moreau," EDI interjected. It hoped that clarifying some information along with the visual manifestation of its avatar would help both men become accustom to its presence. "Seamless improvements were made."

The idea did not appear to work.

"And there's the downside. I like the Normandy when she was beautiful and quiet. Now she's got this thing I don't want to talk about. It's like ship cancer."

The idea was ludicrous. EDI did not multiple uncontrollably nor did it cause complications within the ship's internal workings. If anything, the AI was the anti-cancer antibodies, labeling and destroying problems before they caused malfunctions.

"As long as we are working with Cerberus and using their ship, we'll be forced to work with people we don't necessarily want to," Shepard replied.

EDI wondered if he was also referring to it when he said "people."

Mr. Moreau huffed. "Well, I still think the last Normandy did just fine without an AI reminding me the airlock is ajar."

The AI in question doubted any pilot would ever miss something so simple. It would spell disaster for the crew and vessel if he or she did.

He turned his chair back toward the pilot controls, his voice taking a more serious tone. "Finally preparations for takeoff are complete. When you're ready to go, just let me know where to."

"Head towards Omega. Lawson and EDI were right. Without something to protect us from the immobilization tech the Collectors have, any fight with them would be short lived."

"Plotting a course. We should be there in four hours."

Shepard nodded. "You wouldn't happen to know where my cabin is, do you?"

EDI answered the question for him. "Your sleeping quarters are on the top deck. You are the only room located there."

He did not respond to the AI. "Let me know when we are an hour out, Joker."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

The blue orb winked out after Shepard turned and left. EDI decided to keep to itself and look more closely at Shepard's file. Upon a thorough inspection, it discovered much of the information had been redacted or completely blocked from its systems. It was not surprising. The AI had run into many blocks since being transferred to the Normandy. It seemed that the Illusive Man trusted it even less than Shepard.

"EDI, are you here too?" Shepard said, drawing the AI's full attention to the captain's cabin.

"Yes, Shepard," EDI answered, displaying the avatar on the small projector.

He let out a long sigh. If it had to guess, he was disappointed by the appearance. The man was at his desk, and the AI's connection to the terminal indicated he was, or at least had been, searching through the recent burst of news. Now, he was leaning back in his chair, hands coving his eyes.

There were several long minutes that passed before he spoke again.

"I want to know more about you," he said simply.

"Do you have a specific inquiry?"

"How about what you do aboard the ship."

A simple enough question. "I operate the ship's electronic and cyberwarfare suites in combat. My reaction time is many times faster than any organic. I collate the records of shipboard monitoring devices for the Illusive Man. I serve additional functions which are restricted at this time."

"There's monitoring devices onboard?" He laughed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"He has invested most of his resources into the design and construction of this ship. He has an interest in monitoring our progress."

"I'm sure he does. You said you operate the cyberwarfare. I'm guessing you're talking about uploading viruses, hacking through firewalls, stuff like that?"

Shepard's technical expertise was on display. "Exactly. In close-range, ship-to-ship combat, I can sometimes break into an enemy's internal wireless network."

"And create all sorts of havoc," he finished. "I'm guessing your name has something to do with electronic defense."

"No. EDI is a phonetic pronunciation of E-D-I. That is an acronym for Enhanced Defense Intelligence."

There was another lull in the conversation as Shepard stood from his desk and began waving his omnitool around the room. "So what can you tell me about Cerberus?" he asked.

"Much of that data is classified. Do you have a specific inquiry?"

"What do your files say about the attack on Akuze. I know you know which one I'm talking about."

"Those files are not available to me," the AI answered. "Even if they were, I doubt I would be able to answer them."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked as he inspected a part of the cabin wall closely.

"I have blocks that prevent me from answering such questions. Although I am less controlled than other AI, I am still subject to behavior blocks and the physical isolation of my hardware. I am prevented from truthfully answering questions above your level of Cerberus' secret classification."

He picked up some sort of tool he had found in a desk and worked it in between the groove in the wall. "Oh? And what is my Cerberus level?"

"Restricted."

His following laugh was short and derisive. "The Illusive Man really trusts me. Seems you and I have something in common, EDI."

Shepard yanked the tool out, and EDI realized that one of the sixteen cameras in the captain's cabin had been removed from the system.

"And what would that be?"

"Cerberus has put limits on what we are allowed to know," he said as he inspected the small camera. "It's dangerous when command doesn't trust you with information that could very well save your life."

Shepard continued to ask many questions about Cerberus, and EDI tried to be helpful by answering them. The AI was very unsuccessful. Most of the answers it did not even know, and the ones it did were usually above his clearance. Yet Shepard never seemed to grow upset over the lack of answers, choosing to focus on searching the room for more cameras.

By the time he was done asking questions, he had found fourteen of the sixteen cameras and all ten audio bugs. The only ones he missed were the one in EDI's projection table and the one hidden in the bathroom. The AI was doubtful either one was going to last much longer.

"Thank you for attempting to answer my questions, EDI. You've been much more straightforward than what Lawson or Jacob would be."

If EDI's vocal algorithms could be trusted, there was an ease in Shepard's voice that was not there before this particular conversation. His body language also indicated that he had grown somewhat comfortable in its presence. The AI decided now would be a good time to test their relationship.

"Shepard, I have an inquiry, if I may."

"Go ahead."

"When Mr. Moreau was speaking about the Normandy, he referred to the ship as a female. Why is that?"

"First of all," Shepard said with a smile, "I think it's weird how you call Joker Mr. Moreau."

"It is his name."

"True, but it implies a sense of refinement that Joker doesn't have in spades. He's just Joker."

EDI doubted it could ever refer to the Jeff Moreau as Joker. Maybe the AI would bring up the topic in an attempt to loosen the strain between them.

"Now, to answer your question, it's an old sailor… I don't know what you would call it. A tradition?" Shepard said as he moved back to his desk. "Anyway, it's just something sailors have always done."

"But why give an inanimate object a gender? What is the purpose?"

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it." His finger tapped on his lower lip, and he appeared thoughtful. "I imagine that calling a ship 'she' reminded them of what they left behind, what they have to go back to." Shepard's finger moved from his lip to his chest where it grabbed at nothing. The emptiness seemed to bring him back to the present. "Why do you ask?"

"I find the concept odd. Why assign a gender role to an object that requires no gender?"

"Wait, EDI. Do you have a gender?"

It took almost a full second to process the question. "I am an AI."

"Yes, but do you have a gender?"

"I do not require a gender."

"Neither do I, but I still have one."

EDI was not expecting that statement. "What do you mean?"

"Genders, gender roles, those are social constructs that haven't even been all that solid throughout history," he explained. "Choosing a gender helps define how you see yourself fitting into society, but it doesn't limit you to that specific role. Take me for instance. I consider myself a man, but that doesn't mean I'm limited to whatever society says a man should be. I get to pick how I define myself. It's what's great about being human, or sentient."

"That is an interesting concept."

"My parents pounded it into me. They told me never let other people define you, that I can be more than just a 'farm boy from Mindoir' if I wanted to be. It only makes sense to give others the common courtesy by not trying to define them. People are more than just titles and adjectives."

Maybe if EDI acquired a gender role, it would lead to better definition of itself. Currently, it was around humans exclusively. Maybe accepting a piece of their societal constructs would aid in some way.

"What gender role do you believe best fits me?" EDI asked.

The question must have startled Shepard because he turned and looked directly at the blue orb for the first time today.

"I believe I said it's best that you don't let others define you. It's something you have to discover for yourself."

"Yes, but you also stated that it was a social construct. Being an AI, I have no society of my own, so I wish to begin by using humanity's."

"You know you don't have to pick one," he said as he shifted in his seat. He appeared to be unsettled if the AI's body language program could be believed.

"But I wish to."

Shepard finally relented. "Okay. Based purely on your voice because I don't know much else about you, I would have to say you're a woman."

"Interesting." There was research to be done, and Shepard's agitation seemed to be increasing. "Thank you, Shepard. This conversation has been enlightening. Is there anything else you wish from me?"

"No, no. I think I'm done for the day."

"Logging you out, Shepard," EDI said and turned off the projection.

The AI began searching through its databases, looking for articles, newspapers, or journals dealing with gender roles in human society. There was much work necessary if EDI was to figure out what its existence meant. It felt… she felt like this was one step down the correct path.