I've written a poll on my profile, asking readers thoughts on whether I should continue writing this and retcon some aspects or restart. I had one reviewer suggest I just continue, which is fine. I thought I'd see what others think though.
So here's the plan. I'm retconning a few things.
Eve, the ship VI is now an AI.
They have "SAM" interfaces, but they are not working, explaining why they haven't used them to this point.
The engine on the Prodigal Son are 'warp' engines, powered by Helium-3 harvested from suns. They open mini wormholes for quick travel. They have longer range than most Mass Effect ships, so can visit planets undiscovered by the wider galaxy. This is based on Remnant technology.
Integrating these into earlier chapters if/when I rewrite will potentially change the flow of story a bit, giving me more options.
Jack grunted and swung, his racquet barely reaching the small blue ball. Slamming against the wall in the small racquetball court they had installed on the Prodigal Son. Neri's long reach snagged the returning ball with ease and sent it hurtling back, on the opposite side of the court from Jack.
Jack grunted and dove across the court, his racquet not quite connecting. He collapsed in a heap on the floor.
"Hah!" Neri laughed. "I told you; you can't beat a Turian at this!"
Grumbling, Jack regained his feet. "Hey, I got the last point!"
"I let you, felt sorry for the puny Human!" Neri joked.
Jack was about to serve again when Eve's voice stopped him. "Jack, Nerianus, there is a situation outside the ship. Noverian officials wish to board."
"Tell them no." Neri said. "We're on our way."
They quickly stowed their gear and headed to the cockpit. "What's happening?" Jack asked. Neri opened a channel, her image projected as a hologram outside the ship. "What can we do for you gentlemen?"
Two Humans, a Turian and a Drell, all armed, stood outside the ship. One of the humans stepped forward. "Your name?"
"Neri." Neri replied, her arms folded. "What's up?"
The human cleared his throat. "This ship has been impounded, as per Section 11, amendment 27, paragraph…"
"Get on with it!" Jack encouraged, his head poking into frame of the holo image.
"What do you mean, 'impounded'?" Neri demanded.
"Oh, and I'm Jack. Hi!"
The Human sighed. "The ship is to be confiscated, and the crew arrested on charges of sedition, murder and," he leafed through his document. "Damage to public property."
Neri laughed. "Sorry, you must have the wrong ship. We were cooped up here playing racquetball. I was kicking the Human's butt too."
Jack scoffed. "Don't believe her, I was about to annihilate her!"
The Human sighed again. "Please, come on out so that we can escort you to your cells. You are due a trial date in just 4 months."
"Yeah, no, sorry. Not gonna happen. What do you mean our ship is impounded?"
"You are locked down; you can attempt to leave if you wish. It'll be futile." The Drell responded this time. "Now step out of the ship, or we will have to deploy more damaging means to extract you."
Jack leaned into view again. "What are these charges? Who did we 'allegedly' murder?"
"Several members of the Church, plus one security officer. One Targus Valern." The lead Human supplied.
Jack's eyes widened and he glanced at Neri. "Impossible, we've been in here all day."
"And we didn't kill anyone, never mind Targus!" Neri added.
"So, you admit you know the victim." The second human was taking notes.
"NO!," Neri raised her voice, "I mean, yes. He is, or was, our friend. There is some mistake."
"Listen," Jack said," We need to discuss a few things. We'll get back to you shortly." He ended the holocall and sat back. "What do you think? Matt and the others didn't kill Targus, did they?"
"I don't see why they would. He had been nothing but helpful." Neri responded.
"Eve, what are our options here?" Jack asked.
Eve's display popped up. "Surrendering the ship would put our mission in grave jeopardy," Eve began, unnecessarily. Jack chuckled. "You can stay here. The ship is impervious to small weapons. They can't do anything to it, as far as we know. We'll need to wait for the others to get back."
"And if they can damage it?" Jack asked.
"We'll decide then what to do." Neri responded.
"We need those SAM interfaces back up. Eve, are you any closer to a solution?"
"I've narrowed it down to two possibilities." Eve replied. "Come to Engineering and go over them once you are able."
"Why don't you go do that, I'll try to keep them busy." Neri offered.
"Right. To work." Jack stood and headed to their engineering room.
"What!" Matt exclaimed. "You have all these vehicles, this warehouse, and a gunship too? How much does the Shadow Broker pay you? Do you have your own army too?"
Targus chuckled. "No, no. Not that much. No gunship landing pad on the roof, unfortunately. "He glanced out a shaded window, "We're going to 'borrow' one."
Dahlie laughed, clearly enjoying the prospect. "So, you know someone who has a spare gunship laying about?"
"More or less." Targus replied. "They may not like us 'borrowing' it though."
"Well," Thraak added, "Better make sure they don't know then, hmm?"
"Exactly."
"And once we get to the ship, how will we free it?" Matt asked.
"Leave that to me." Ked piped up.
"No, I'll have to stay and free it." Targus said. "It has to be done outside the ship."
"You'll be killed." Matt objected, "We'll find some other way."
"I'm not so easy to kill." Targus reassured them, "It's the only way."
Matt didn't like the prospect of leaving Targus behind in their escape, but the Turian was insistent. All they could do is act and see what plays out.
They crowded into the hovercraft and slipped out an exit on the other side of the safehouse. Sticking to back alleys as much as possible, they managed to make it to a small military outpost across town. The hovercraft stopped out of sight, and they piled out.
"Come on. Up on the roof of this building." Targus said and led them up steps along the side of the building. "Now, wait here, out of sight. Don't draw attention to yourselves. I'll be back shortly."
"Should one of us join you?" Matt asked.
"No. I move quieter on my own." With that, Targus descended the stairs.
Dahlie shivered. "I hope he isn't long; I've had enough of the cold."
"A hot tropical planet would be nice, next time." Ked agreed.
Targus scoped out the base. Most were asleep. Two guards patrolled the perimeter. A couple of gunships sat waiting just inside. He watched their patrol pattern. He could take one out but preferred not to. What he could do was to disable nearby cameras, however, and any other alarm systems they may have active.
The guards crossed what would be his best entry point. As they moved away, he moved in. Security would be down briefly, with the help of a remote hack, giving him a few minutes to clear the base with the ship. He climbed the fence, avoiding the barbed wire on top, and dropped to the other side.
Spotlights illuminated the area, sweeping across the field. Once they were pointing away, he sped to the gunship. Kneeling under it he found what he needed, an access port, used for maintenance. Removing the panel, he plugged a device in. Soon the lights on the device switched from red to green. "Done," he said under his breath. Quickly he moved to the second gunship and used the same device, this time disabling it.
He climbed aboard through the now open hatch and fired the vehicle up. This, of course, gained some attention, and a hail of bullets that bounced harmlessly off the hull. He saluted the base and flew off the few blocks to where he had left the others.
Settling down on the buildings roof, he opened the hatch and waved them over. "Move!" his passengers obliged, piling in.
"Neri, they are up to something." Eve informed her.
Neri sighed and opened a channel again. "What now?"
"Come on out or we'll have to use drastic measures." The human from before said, sounding more annoyed.
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Neri replied, looking bored.
"A droid equipped with a laser drill" The human said, grinning. "It can slice through your hull most effectively."
"He may be right Neri." Eve warned. "Remnant tech is tough but not that tough. Still it will take them a while longer than they're imagining."
Neri sighed. "Any sign of the others yet?"
"Not yet. They've made no effort to contact us." Eve replied. "Maybe try to stall them."
Back on the holo, Neri said, "Hey, so what's your name?"
"Unimportant." The Human replied. "Surrender now."
"But who am I surrendering to?" Neri asked. "You know our names. Shouldn't we know yours?"
The human sighed. "Fine. I'm officer Bradley, this is Officer Jacobs, Officer Danet, and Officer Sylvanus. Satisfied?"
"Officer Sylvanus, hmm?" Neri smiled. "Are you bonded?"
"I- What?" the flustered Turian officer replied. "Yes, I…"
"Enough!" Bradley yelled. "Are you coming out or not?"
Neri's eyes widened as a large droid with a massive drill bit for an arm approached the hull.
The holo call terminated. "Eve, why?" Neri asked.
"Captain Shepard just contacted me." Eve informed her. "They are arriving shortly."
"Oh good," Neri said, relieved. She opened the holo again. "Hey so Braddy boy. Turns out our Captain will be here soon. Want to hold off on that drill thing until he arrives?"
Officer Bradley sighed. Again. "Very well."
"Gunship incoming" Eve added.
"Gunship?" Neri said in surprise.
"Gunship? Where?" Jack said, returning to the cockpit.
Officer Bradley was still standing outside, looking extraordinarily pleased with himself as the gunship approached. "Backup is arriving. You've lost. Now-"
The gunship opened fire, obliterating the droid and shooting the ground at the guards feet.
"Fine, we'll open the door!" Neri said, chuckling. Where did they get a gunship?
Eve opened the door and the others climbed out of the gunship and ran for the ship. The guards recovered and took a few futile shots at the crew.
Targus stepped out o f the gunship to say. "Bradley! Good to see you! Now, the charges against my friends here are a bit overblown. Lets just end this civilly. Let them go. You know it's the right thing to do."
Bradley stood, his eyes glowing green. "Can't do that Targus. I don't know how you're still alive, but…"
Targus pushed a button, and huge guns blasted the guard's position. "Run. Go. Get reinforcements if you must. Just don't stay here."
The guards listed this time. All except one who lay crumpled on the ground. Targus rushed to a terminal beside the ship and began hacking it.
The guards had returned, in greater numbers, carrying greater firepower,
Matt and Dahlie stood at the entrance to the ship and provided cover fire as Targus worked to release the ship.
Inside the ship was tense. Neri stared at Eve's display, waiting for word that they had been freed. Finally, as more troops began to show up, Eve said one word. "Go."
"Shields up!" Jack said.
"No, wait" Neri objected, as th ship began to move away from the docking clamps. "Get Targus in!"
"He said to leave him behind, Neri." Matt said as the hatch sealed shut.
"No!" Neri said forcefully. "We can't leave him behind!"
Matt sighed but agreed. "Open the hatch, Eve!"
The hatch slid open, and Matt leaned out, firing back at one of the guards targeting him. "Targus! Run for it! Come on."
"I said leave me!" Targus snarled, "Go."
"We're not leaving without it!" Dahlie shouted, before aiming a biotic pulse at the guards.
Targus glanced at the guards, cursed under his breath and leapt for the ship. Matt and Dahlie grabbed him and dragged him in as the hatch sealed again. Cheers erupted as the ship sped away from the port.
"We aren't out of it yet," Matt cautioned.
"Anti-aircraft guns are targeting us, Captain. Evasive maneuvers initiated."
The ship swayed noticeably as Eve helped avoid most of the blasts. One hit however, on the stern, damaging one thruster.
"They are launching fighters." Eve added calmly.
"We have to get out of here!" Jack said. "Jump to warp."
"Protocol states no warping withing a planets gravity well," Eve replied.
"Just do it!" Matt yelled.
"What is the destination?"
"Anywhere but here!" Neri said.
A wormhole opened up in front of the ship, soon enveloping them, as multiple streams of bullets streaked across their last position.