Today, the Alliance News Network continues our series of interviews previewing the documentary series Normandy: Eye of the Storm, which for the first time will tell the full story of the ship that saved that saved the galaxy. Please enjoy today's interview with Major James Vega.
Who are you, and what is your connection to the SSV Normandy and its captain?
Major James Vega, Systems Alliance. I lucked out and served on the Normandy when I was a lieutenant.
What was your first meeting with the Commander like?
Freakin' weird, man. Admiral Anderson told me to escort the Commander Shepard to a hearing, which was a bit out of my wheelhouse but hey, if an Admiral tells you to do something, you do it. I shook his hand, told him my name, and then the Admiral shows up anyway and they start walking and talking about the Reapers. Ashley (Williams) was there too. I just followed them. I'm guessing Anderson wanted me to join the Normandy crew and this was his way of introducing us, but I never got the chance to ask him.
Shepard gets to the hearing, the Reapers invade, Ash and I run to get to the Normandy, we collect Shepard, Anderson stays behind. And off we go. Strangest hour of my life.
Oh yeah, then I went and complained to Shepard about us leaving Earth while the Reapers were invading. Probably wasn't the best way to introduce myself to my new captain. Glad he didn't hold it against me.
Within the next day I also picked a fight with him - fists and all - and deliberately crashed our shuttle at high speed. My mind wasn't, uh, in the best place, you know? But he sorted me out. That's what he does.
Have you got a favourite memory from that time?
Man, I think the whole of that year is just one long memory in my head. I mean, it was just crazy, you know? There's a reason I gave the Commander the nickname 'Loco'. You'd go from one mission to the next to the next without any down time, because the Reapers weren't stopping for anything.
So I'd probably have to say my favourite memory was the week or so we did get off while the Normandy underwent some repairs. We ended up having a little party at Anderson's apartment in the Citadel, which he'd given to Shepard. Got to meet some of the old Normandy crew, made me feel a bit more like I really belonged on the team. It was a great night, and I even made eggs for everyone in the morning. It made me realise I was part of something bigger than myself
It's...special, knowing that. The Normandy's special. And so's the guy that brought us all together. Even if he is a bit or, well, a lot crazy, he's the galaxy-saving kind of crazy.
Tell us something about the Commander that most people wouldn't know.
Ha! Well, during that time off we were having on the Citadel, I mentioned to him one day what my pull-up record was, and he decided to break that record there and then. For fun, I guess. Or maybe just because the record was there to be broken, 'cos I don't think he knows how to have fun in the same way us normal people do. That's why he's Loco.
How did your time on the Normandy change you?
It made a man out of me. On that ship I learned what it meant to own your mistakes, to fight another day, to live for others and work for what you believe in.
I was already a pretty good soldier, if I do say so myself. But being on the Normandy made me a better person.
Any truth to the rumours that you're soon to be the next Spectre to have served on the Normandy?
Woah, hold the brakes there, amigo! Do you know something I don't? Because I haven't heard anything about that.
They'd be big shoes to fill anyhow. Shepard, Ashley, Garrus Vakarian, all legends in their own right. Think I might prefer sticking around the Alliance. I dunno, I'd have to think about it. Just asking yourself "What would Shepard do?" doesn't really work if you want to be normal, and I do kinda like being the normal one out of the crew. Relatively speaking.
How would you like history to remember you?
You know, I've never really thought about that before. How does James Vega want to be remembered? I suppose…being a guy who helped saved the galaxy alongside the guy who did save the galaxy would be fine by me.
Oh, and for my incredible physique. Can't say no to these muscles, can you?
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