glowing eyes

The pre-flight inspection of the ship, as Shepard realized, was not an empty formality for Anderson. The commander was interested in the little things, asked his colleagues a lot of questions, listened attentively to the answers, studied the instrument readings. It all looked like John had no doubt that if he hadn't been with Anderson, everything would have been exactly the same. The first person the commander of the ship went to was the acting navigator of the frigate, Charles Pressley. The somewhat surprised look Charles cast at the officer standing a step behind the commander, Anderson interpreted correctly, briefly noting aloud that "this officer is the new senior officer." Shepard was sure that as soon as they moved away from the navigator's console located in the combat information center, most often referred to simply as the CIC, this news would become known to all members of the crew of the ship as soon as possible, and in the future the commander of the ship would not need to voice clarifications. After examining the instrument readings of the frigate's navigation section on the console, Anderson nodded to Charles and walked away, heading for the pilot's cabin. When they had moved a good distance from the "necklace" of the CIC consoles, the commander said quietly: “He doesn't like aliens. Oh, he doesn't like it. Especially the Turians. And we have Spectrum on board right now. He's a Turian. Well, okay, so far Pressley does not allow "going beyond the limits", and this is encouraging. And he's a very good officer and man. A professional. I think you'll work with him, Shepard – he knows his job and has never been a careerist. The captain only nodded slightly, trying to put in his memory what he had heard and seen in the CIC. The door to the cockpit opened, allowing the new XO to hear a fragment of a conversation between the ship's pilot and a lieutenant technician, in which Shepard, who had familiarized himself with the contents of the small reader, easily recognized Kayden Alenko, a biotic officer. By the way, Anderson noted in the files of the small reader that Kayden flatly refused to change his biotic implant of the El-Two series to something more reliable and secure. The frigate was preparing for departure. It would seem that the pilot and co-pilot, whose role, to Shepard's surprise, this lieutenant technician was trying to play, should have had plenty of official worries. However, both officers–the captain easily remembered that Jeff Moro was a lieutenant in MSF–were clearly idling. Moro continued to chat with Alenko about all sorts of trifles, Kayden also liked to talk, but, as Shepard understood, he was very unhappy that Moro categorically refused to let him "steer" the frigate during the departure segment. As soon as he saw Lieutenant Alenko, Shepard immediately determined that he was also suffering from severe migraines caused by a dilapidated implant. An unsuccessful series, an unsuccessful model, and even not very suitable for trouble-free removal. On the handrail of the chair in which the lieutenant-technician was sitting, Shepard noticed a package of headache pills secured with a narrow rubber ring to a plastic box. Half of the top blister was already empty–the lieutenant was eating pills several at a time. While the heavy hermo door to the cockpit was opening in front of the commander and the XO, Moro managed to declare: “Spectr are not good. I don't like that he's on board. Call me paranoid.” “You're being paranoid," Alenko retorted. “The Council helped finance the project. They have the right to check what their investments have been used for.” “Yes?” Moro looked surprised. “Were the two captains MSF in the Special Forces squad assigned on board just for a walk? They say that the officer who arrived is also a graduate of the n–Seven Academy and has the highest qualification rank of special forces – "n-Seven". Just like our commander. Are you picking up on the situation, Kayden? It is undoubtedly heating up and becoming more complicated. I feel it in my gut.” “Are you discussing the new XO?” Anderson asked softly as he appeared in the cockpit. Shepard carefully maintained his distance, standing a step behind the commander of the ship and at the same time did not look at either Moro or Alenko. He was more interested in the interior of the compartment and the equipment of the pilot's cabin, the ship's control center. The captain had already realized that Anderson had not kept the AI on board, making do with the VI. However, the ship's commander himself was appointed to the post not so long ago and he clearly did not have time to make such significant changes to the frigate's equipment. “Captain Anderson, sir!” Alenko, turning around, was the first to jump to his feet, stretched out. Moro got up slowly, and Shepard clearly saw that it was difficult for the pilot to get up, so he climbed not only slowly, but also carefully.There was information in the small reader that Moro suffers from Vrolik syndrome, in other words, increased bone fragility, but he managed to be recognized as an active pilot and an officer of the MSF. There was also information about what kind of "test" flight this lieutenant had arranged for the frigate Normandy. If Shepard had been more impressionable, he would have been surprised, but now John was looking around, waiting for both officers - the pilot and the technician - to take an upright position. “Captain, sir," Moro responded in a formal manner, finally straightening up and steadying himself on his feet. – “I'm sorry.” “Report the situation in the cockpit.Excuse me from listening to reports of your voyeurism, Lieutenant Moro," Anderson ordered. The pilot, while Anderson was getting acquainted with the readings of numerous instruments and listings of equipment operation protocols displayed on several displays, spent exactly three minutes on the report. Alenko was silent and carefully examined Shepard, who was interested in the ship's gunner's console and the navigator's console, but the captain, reading the data from the displays and comparing them with the notched normative indicators, did not react in any way. “Good. Keep working," Anderson nodded. Both officers sat down in the pilot's seats with relief.Now they no longer risked exchanging phrases about the Spectr's or about the new senior assistant. “Come on, Shepard," the commander crossed the threshold of the cockpit. The heavy hermetic door clicked into place. Both at anchor and while drifting, this compartment remained securely isolated from the rest of the ship, as required by instructions written, as is well known, in blood. “What he, Moro, had done on the frigate's test flights had taken the entire pyramid of the Alliance of Systems MSF Command and beyond to hiccup for several days.” Anderson said softly. – ”And Alenko… You're right, Shepard, he's suffering because of the implant. These constant headaches… I do not know how he overcomes this pain, which has become chronic, the pills obviously do not help much. He is trying to comply with the official framework and protocols, but ... this unscheduled flight "confused all the cards" for the crew of the frigate. The crew, by the way, as you have already seen, is not complete. Special mission. There are twelve policemen on board, and they, ahem, have taken the seats reserved for the ship's full-time crew specialists.The command of the MSF does not tire of assuring me that this is only for the duration of the mission. There are a lot of things I don't like about the job ahead," he resolutely headed for the elevator. *** After descending to the lower deck, the officers entered the engineering room. “Greg Adams, the ship's chief engineer” The man who was conjuring at the central console introduced himself to Shepard. “A god and a magician,”– Anderson added. “If he and Moro are on board, I'm calm.” “Thank you, Commander. The core of the ship is really big by standards, but thanks to Jeff, we are quite able to perform most tasks of a general and special nature, and sometimes even do more than is provided for by the rules and regulations.” Adams noted as Anderson pored over the instrument readings and Shepard surveyed the interior and contents of the engineering bay. “Are you ready for the transition?”Andersonasked after he finished reviewing the data displayed on the displays. “It's full, Commander," Adams replied firmly. “Great”,– the frigate commander turned to leave. After leaving the engineering room and waiting for the doors of the cargo elevator to close –there was no passenger elevator on the frigate–Anderson looked at Shepard and said: “Since its arrival on board, the Spectr Kraik has been almost constantly in the Communications Room or in the hold. Where he is much less likely to encounter members of the crew of the ship," said Anderson. “My colleagues don't like him and are very wary of him. I do not consider it necessary to introduce you to him, since your appointment is our crew and ship's internal business and, in principle, it does not concern him. So that…” At that moment, the doors of the freight elevator began to open. Shepard heard the loud voice of a young corporal standing next to a female medic. The captain easily recognized Richard Jenkins, a member of the ship's ordinary crew, as the speaker, and Karin Chakvas, the ship's doctor, Major of the Medical Service MSF of the Alliance of Systems, as the woman. The corporal was getting hot, trying to prove that he was fully prepared to show his best qualities on the battlefield, to which the ship's doctor bitterly commented that Jenkins' fervor had already forced her to "patch up" the corporal in the sick bay more than once. For some reason, there was no information in the files of both readers viewed by Shepard about when the corporal had managed to distinguish himself so much during his stay on board the frigate, but for now it didn't matter - he had to personally get to know both “frigates”. The corporal snapped to attention when he saw the officers approaching. “Dismissed, Jenkins," Anderson said. After waiting until the corporal had moved a good distance away, the ship's commander added softly, addressing Shepard: Actually, Lieutenant Alenko was supposed to take care of him and - very well - take care of him, but... as I already mentioned, because of the constant severe headaches, he has big problems with ensuring that all the duties assigned to him are fulfilled.” After making sure that the elevator doors had already closed behind Jenkins, Anderson continued. “Karin… This is Captain John Shepard, a graduate of the n-Seven Academy, appointed to the position of senior assistant. At the same time, as I was told at the division headquarters, he will have to perform the duties of the commander of the amphibious unit.” “Pleased to meet you," the medical major nodded affably at Shepard.“By tradition, you have to undergo a medical check-up. So, please come to my Medical Room.” She looked questioningly at Anderson, who nodded.: “Go ahead, Shepard. Departure is coming soon, you will start work after medical control. While there is time... there is.” The frigate commander turned towards the cockpit. “I'm waiting for you at the Star Chart in the CIC.” Shepard saluted the commander, standing at attention for a few seconds. In the medical bay, Chakvas asked Shepard to strip to the waist, quickly conducted a medical check-up and, after waiting for the captain to tidy himself up, offered to sit in a chair next to his desk. In conversation with the ship's doctor, Shepard learned a lot of new, valuable and useful things for himself. Formally, Karin Chakvas was above the commander of the ship in rank, but as a doctor, she belonged to a different department of the Alliance's MSF and also specialized in treating aliens, and, as Shepard saw during the conversation, she was well versed in the treatment of humans. She also told a lot of interesting things about Naylus Krajke – Spektr.  The Council of the Citadel, supplementing with his story the information already known to Shepard. Half an hour of conversation flew by completely unnoticed. “Go to your cabin for now, John. Everything is prepared for you there.” Chakwas said. – “This ship is small in size, so it's not really a cabin, but just an enclosure.Here, those who can use cabins according to the state, calmly and freely refer to them as "enclosures". Perhaps this is against all written rules, but we are working, and not just stupidly following the rules. The upcoming flight, as I understand it, is also very stressful and specific. You will need to review many of the documents again. And after the start… Practical, real work will begin. Nodding to the ship's doctor, Shepard left the medical bay. Of course, he didn't show it outwardly, but inwardly… It seemed to him that he had spoken not to the ship's doctor, not to the senior medical officer of the Alliance MSF, but to his mother. There was a reason Anderson immediately addressed her by name. Karin Chakvas was important to all Normans, so important that neither the obscure status of the frigate nor the special mission could devastatingly affect this importance. Glancing at his omny-tool watch, the captain noted that there was not much time left before the launch and entered histhe enclosure-cabin, immediately noticing a pile of readers and a laptop on his desktop.