glowing eyes

Shepard, keeping the tuning of the "string", went down to the engineering bay. Engineer Adams met him at his main console. He was already aware that Captain Shepard had received special powers from the commander of the ship, so he was not surprised when Shepard asked him to show him the updated characteristics of the main systems of the Normandy. A half-hour discussion took place between them, at the end of which Engineer Adams made many changes to the system settings. Several of the ship's most important parameters have been optimized, while others have been significantly improved. After finishing a brief business chat with other engineers and technicians of the ship, Shepard climbed the ramp to the doors leading to the main parts of the frigate and headed up the stairs to the deck of the combat information center. The policeman standing at the entrance to the deck apparently believed that Corporal Jenkins had exaggerated the power of XO Shepard's influence in his short story and therefore did not bother to come to attention in front of the ship's senior officer who suddenly appeared. Sheppard pretended not to notice the violation of the statutory requirements, but, taking exactly one step back, he abruptly turned to the offending sergeant. “Item one hundred forty-six of the Regulations of the Garrison and Guard Service of the Alliance of Systems, Sergeant. Should I remind you?” There was nothing but indifference in the captain's voice, which was clearly followed by cold rage. Not at all, sir! In a second, the sergeant dropped the look of a senior employee resting at his post and straightened up. “I'm sorry, sir! Ready to be punished, sir!” He clearly sensed the fury of the first mate. “Weren't you a good entrepreneur before you joined the army?” the captain continued to ask, slightly moderating the dissatisfaction bubbling up in him. “He ran his own general store in his hometown, sir”, The policeman was genuinely surprised that the senior officer of the ship, a paratrooper, was aware of such details of his personal biography. “I had more than a dozen different suppliers," he clarified. “As the executive officer, acting on Captain Anderson's orders, I am relieving you of your duties as garrison and guard officer and transferring you to the position of Quartermaster of the ship. Now your workplace will be in the hold. There is a warehouse and everything you need to successfully work with suppliers and with goods. The problem with your separate housing will also be solved.” Shepardwas about to turn around and head for the next policeman, but he was stopped by an indecisive question from the sales sergeant.: “Sir, eh…” "Sergeant," the XO said in a calm voice. “I don't need you in the brig, which isn't on the ship. And not with a broom in hand," Shepard clarified. “You have been given a specific task: to take up a position and properly perform the duties of the ship's quartermaster. You have an hour to receive the property and determine what needs to be repaired, replaced or purchased in the near future. Collect all relevant data from the ship's crew members. Please provide me with a copy of the list. I probably won't be sitting in my cabin–you'll find me on the ship yourself. Either in person or by communication. Do it. “Yes, sir," the sergeant rushed to the stairs like a bullet, and soon his footsteps were already rumbling on the flagstones of the other deck. *** “Master Sergeant Whitman, sir”,– a burly policeman approached Shepard, who was turning from the door. “I am the commander of the police force unit on the frigate. I wish you good health," he gave the customary greeting. “Hello, Master Sergeant.” Shepard mirrored the greeting. “I assume you are unhappy that I have arbitrarily removed your subordinate from his post? “I would be displeased, sir," the interlocutor did not deny. “You're right, the Alliance supplier has been imagining too much about himself lately. You see, he buys the goods with his own money. I wonder where he got it from, a rear Alliance rat dressed in a paramilitary Alliance specialist uniform.” Shepard clearly felt the unspoken clarification "due to a misunderstanding of clothes", “your money in such quantities. The master sergeant's hands clenched into fists that were not much inferior to Captain Shepard's fists. “They took him on a "test" flight, for two weeks, but I feel like this is not a test flight... it stinks. Excuse me, sir," the master sergeant straightened up. He's just robbing my guys. And he doesn't consider yours to be people at all.… “He says they're holed up on a frigate, the flyers. Do we fly high and imagine a lot about ourselves?” – Shepard remarked emotionlessly. “You're a real XO, sir. To know such…” “This, Master Sergeant, is not a small matter. For me, anyway,” There was a tinge of metal in Shepard's voice. “I'm glad to hear it, sir. Let me consult with you.” The Master Sergeant took out his command reader. I saw you put my sergeant in charge of trading and supply on the frigate. Support. I believe him, I have repeatedly visited his town, where he was born and grew up. They trust him there, he has never cheated on anyone, always gives discounts and sells exceptionally high-quality goods, surviving on only two percent of the profit. Captain, I understand that maybe I'm meddling in something else. But I don't want you, XO, to think of my people as ballast. Whitman clicked the lid of the device, opened the screen. Here, take a look. A list of my suggestions. My guys are professionals. “I see it, Master Sergeant. And I really appreciate it. It's good that you came to me right now. Shepard said after reviewing the master sergeant's suggestions.” “You know, Captain, to be honest, I feel uneasy.I've been in the army for twenty-five years. I've seen everything. And here... it's like a grave.”, The Master Sergeant swallowed, nipping the next words in the bud. And very close... this grave. I don't want this rookie Jenkins to... become an invalid or... something even worse... to happen to him.… He's from Eden.…” “I understand," Shepard said after a moment. “I see your guys don't just want to prop up the walls. Good.Master Sergeant, send copies of diplomas and certificates with your ID to the appropriate omny-tools of all members of the crew of our ship. I think that at such a moment, as a deep intelligence ship, we should not contact even through computers and request clarification on the central database of the Alliance's MSF. It's troublesome," the XO noted. “And those five, the youngest, who still have no professions or specialties other than army ones, send them to the hangar where Corporal Jenkins is currently working. The Ministry of Education and Science ordered Lieutenant Alenko to conduct a cycle of airborne assault training with them. - Shepard did not delay, opened his omny-tool, typed in a message, and closed the lid of the device. As we can. But the landing party must be made combat-ready, Master Sergeant. “I agree, sir," the master Sergeant nodded. "May I say, sir?" “Permission granted.” Shepard nodded back at the other man. “Captain, my men and I... would like to express our... common opinion to you.… You just gave us the opportunity to become something more than army cops. And we won't forget it. We will do everything to ensure that our enemies are dead as soon as possible," the master sergeant raised his hand in a military salute, clearly turned around "on the spot" and walked away, heading for the hold. *** “Captain, sir!” A young man in a paramilitary uniform was hurrying towards him, almost dragging a burly military police sergeant who was holding him down with one hand. “Captain, they"–the visitor glanced warily at the escort-"confiscated all my goods and said they would now sell them at cost price. Captain, this is… This is a robbery! And they… They're military police... supposed to protect the law!” he stopped two meters away from Shepard, apparently seriously afraid to approach him. Shepard gave him a hard look, once again beastly: “Emphasis. Lying down. Ac-cept! One hundred and twenty push-ups. To per-form.” Shepard's lips spat out, and his face turned back into the mask of an Indian god. Upon hearing the commands, the young man silently collapsed to the floor and began to do push-ups. On the eightieth ascent, he could no longer straighten his stiff arms and sprawled helplessly on the plates of the deck's metal floor, unable to move. “You. Quartermaster of the Rear Service of the Alliance of Earth Systems,” The XO muttered. – “They used labor. Civilians. Movers. For loading and unloading operations. With your product. By doing this. Regularly. Constantly. Purposefully. Forgetting The Oath Of The Civil Service Of The Alliance MSF. You. Robbed. Soldier. The Alliance. Which. And so. They get it. Far from the most. Big. Salary. And those. Nevertheless. They continue to serve. And - do it honestly. Your duty. You. They arranged it on board. A combat frigate of the Alliance of Systems. Debt lawlessness. For two. The past. Weeks. So that's it,” Shepard's fists slowly clenched. The police sergeant, standing behind the prone supply man, assessed their size and weight with obvious respect. “All the debts. None of my people. Those who are currently on board. The frigate. To return. To You. Will not be. No. Debts. In front of you. They don't. Stand up! Attention!” The supply man jumped up as if thrown by a catapult and, stretching out as far as possible, froze. “By the authority of the senior assistant commander of the frigate. Given to me based on Captain Anderson's orders," Shepard growled. “I'm suspending you. From performing functions and duties. The frigate's supplier. Your product and all assets. They will be assigned to a new supplier. All your debts. They will be saved. For you. From now on, you. Transfer to the category. The frigate's maintenance staff. For a position. Different. A worker. If I. Just once. I'll hear it. Or I'll feel it. What are you. You're not doing well. Their responsibilities. You will be thrown out. Into the airlock. Live. Will be. In the inventory room. Your capsule. Goes into use. The new supplier of the frigate. All aro-und. Run to the inventory room. March!” Shepard spat out the last command, not even paying attention to the commendable speed with which the former supplier disappeared down the stairs. Thank you for your help, Sergeant," the captain, instantly calming down, exchanged military greetings with the supply escort. “Return to your duties. The Master Sergeant will tell you the rest.” “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” The sergeant turned sharply and left. So. One policeman was transferred to the position of a supply officer. The Master Sergeant is right – such a specialist will be useful and valuable to us. I received five policemen, young men, as reinforcements for the frigate's landing party. It's not enough, but considering the starting conditions, it's already good. We are an intelligence, not an assault frigate.This means that six of the group of forehead policemen can be safely excluded. Shepard thought as he walked along the deck of the Combat Information Center and occasionally glanced at the officers and sergeants of the crew, who were getting used to the fact that sergeants of the Alliance military police stood next to them at the consoles. The remaining six, including the master sergeant, can be used in the CIC and in the posts of specialists of the frigate. Which is also good.” Now there is not a single vacant workplace around the holographic image of the frigate, which occupies the central part of the "circle of consoles", more often referred to as the "necklace". Captain Anderson, standing on the bridge at the Star Chart, was pleased: the whole CIC was in front of him, all the people were at work, none of the frigates tried to shirk or not work at full strength. Stopping next to Presley, Shepard did not distract the navigator officer from his work. After waiting for him to finish entering data into the frigate's navigation subsystems, Shepard stood softly and silently to the left of the navigator. “Charles, let's go quietly and without ranks," he said softly. “What is your opinion about the procedure for approaching Eden Prime?” “Very well, Captain.” Pressley said softly, too. “To summarize everything that I could hear and understand, there is a ship waiting for us there that is much superior to the Normandy, at least in terms of firepower. This means that we can't just show up and even show up in the system without preparation. In front of the repeater on the other side of the entrance is the planet Xanadu, but, as calculations and simulations show, at the expected moment of the frigate's exit from the repeater, it appears on the same line between the repeater and the planet Eden Prime. In this case, our possible departure to the planet Nirvana under disguise requires additional justification for its necessity," the navigator noted. “The planet Zion is a really large planet, in the shadow of which we could reliably and permanently hide the ship – at the moment the frigate leaves the repeater it will be far away, in another segment of the planetary system.If we're going to take the risk, and I think we're going to have to take the risk anyway, then we'll have to go from Xanadu in disguise to Arcadia. Hiding in its shadow, using the glare due to the luminaries of the star system and the corresponding radiation, you can disguise yourself. The size of Arcadia will allow you to disable your disguise and drift while in the shadows, occasionally turning it on only if necessary. I think, Captain, as a navigation officer, there's hardly anything I can add here right now. I will be able to give all other recommendations only when we approach the repeater leading to the Utopia system and conduct an initial remote reconnaissance without entering the repeater. “The atmospheric layer of Arcadia contains nitrogen and helium, according to the Alliance Navigation Data Set. The surface temperature is extremely high. How long do you think the frigate will be able to survive in the shadow of the planet?” Shepard asked, turning on additional screens on the navigator's console and displaying the necessary data on them. Presley peered at the lines of text and tables with diagrams, calculated something on his omny-tool: ”A few days, Captain. Only a few days. I assume that we will have to leave the system for the repeater - in case of difficulties with Eden Prime - under disguise, the resource of which we will have to strictly dose. The Vault data indicates that we will not be able to discharge on Arcadia.” “And Nirvana?” – Shepard changed the information on the additional screens. Presley pointed with satisfaction at one of the frames on the right screen: "The Code says, Captain, that it has no scientific or commercial value. The fuel imported for the automatic station is almost exhausted, the atmosphere is residual, just xenon and krypton. We can expect for a short time that the presence of iron oxides in the surface of the planet will mask the frigate and reduce the level of our own disguise involved, but I wouldn't rely on that much," he pointed to the corresponding table on the left secondary screen and fell silent. “And Xanadu? How can she perform the function of disguise? Shepard changed the information on the additional screens. Pressley calculated something on his instrumentation: “The atmosphere of methane and argon can help us hide the ship in medium camouflage modes immediately after leaving the repeater area. It is only necessary to accurately calculate the moment of transition in order to immediately slip into the shadow of the planet under disguise. The surface is ice, potassium and calcium. It's a little complicated, but since the planet is little visited due to its low value… I think even with the other ships moving through the repeater, we're unlikely to be found. Only here the dosage of the disguise will have to be done jewelry-wise. I don't think we'll be able to stay at Xanadu for long–a few hours at the most.”  “You're right, Charles," Shepard replied. “Calculate the approach times to the repeater, the drift time at the repeater, and the passage through the repeater so that we can glide to Xanadu. And calculate the movement and maneuvers to all the planets considered. So that we can have as little light as possible on the views from Eden Prime. Make maximum allowances for the masking operation so that we don't have to fly openly to the repeater from anywhere in the system. The rest is later.” “Yes, Captain." Pressley nodded and went back to work. Yes, the new XO didn't say much, he didn't go into details, he made it clear the main thing: most likely, he would have to act according to circumstances.