[RVB] 5 – First Mission

"I'm...sorry, for your lost," Shepherd spoke with a soft voice, as if he knew the pain of losing a loved one.

"I-It's okay," Church replied, glitching before fully focusing on Shepherd.

"What do you want?" Church plainly asked.

"What can you offer me? What can you offer that will help convince me and the others that you should not be destroyed?" Shepherd asked, as if trying to provoke Church, but Church did not budge.

"I can offer far more than you could ever imagine. I was one of the most highly decorated AI for my involvement in the War. As the AI in charge of Captain's Folly, and many operations through the battle of Reach and Earth, I have the schematics, knowledge, and blueprints of things you couldn't even dream of," Church stated, his form flickering green.

"Not only would attempting to destroy me be a gross mistake, it would be plain stupid. Not to mention, if you did attempt to destroy me, there's nothing stopping me from taking over this ship and venting you and everyone on this ship out to space. And if that doesn't work, I can, at the very least, make sure that this ship will be crippled, and unable to call for help. If that does happen, you will all eventually starve out, die of dehydration, or drift off into the orbit of the nearest gravity well, where I can guarantee that most of you will die," Church stated, his form flowing green and black.

"Is that a threat?" Shepherd asked, surprisingly calm.

"No. It's a promise," I warned him.

"Noted," Shepherd stated, before activating his Omni-tool.

"Are you able to jump into my Omni-tool?" Shepherd asked.

Church's gaze moved from the man to the tool, as he somehow inspected it.

"It'll do," Church spoke before disappearing in a flash of a light before appearing over his omni-tool.

"Who gave you this Omni-tool?" Church asked, curious.

"Miranda," Shepherd stated with a frown, confused to why he mentioned this.

"Hmm...because it's filled with taps and even a tracker. Want me to remove them and give this thing an upgrade while I am at it?" Church offered.

"Go ahead," Shepherd stated, coldly, clearing displeased once again by the actions of Cerberus.

The Illusive man stated that many of the projects that Shepherd found and dealt with over the years were rogue programs and projects, but Shepherd did not believe him, and especially did not trust him or any of the Cerberus personnel on board.

Of everyone on board, Shepherd truly only trusted a few.

Joker, the pilot of the ship, and a friend that served alongside him on the first Normandy.

Dr. Chakwas, the doctor of the ship, and yet another friend that served alongside him on the first Normandy.

Everyone else, however, worked for Cerberus, meaning that Shepherd could not trust them. Not until he spends enough time with them to get a look at their character and personality, as well as see where their loyalties lie.

Jacob and Miranda Lawson could not be trusted, that much Shepherd knew.

Shepherd gazed down at the AI housed in his Omni-tool, perhaps in time, he'd have another ally he could trust, but for now, Shepherd felt the best way to find out, was to keep him close and watch.

If anything, Shepherd trusted the AI more than he did Lawson and Jacob, which goes to show just how much he distrusted Cerberus and the two Agents the Illusive Man assigned him.

Suddenly, Shepherd turned around, and began walking out of the room.

"Where are we going?" Church asked, curiosity clear in his tone.

"To get a good look," Shepherd answered to the AI.

"Good a look at what?" Church asked, confused.

"You'll see," Shepherd stated, cryptically, confusing the poor AI even more.

After the man said that, he opened the sliding doors with the Omni-tool, before walking past a lot of crew members working in some kind of map room.

Soon enough, he stepped into a cockpit, where a long pilot sat in a luxurious chair and piloted the ship through what looked to be holographic controls.

"Commander, Epsilon," EDI greeted from a nearby holoprojector, which Shepherd nodded to before focusing on the view before the pilot.

"Hey Shepherd, how are you feeling? On the account of being brought back from the dead and all," Joker asked, curious.

Curious, Church projected himself onto the console, next to the pilot, looking over the pilot with a curious glance.

This 'Joker' reminded him a lot about another friend from the war, one that proved to be one of the best in their little fucked up group of a family, Tucker.

Jumping from the surprise of Church appearing next to him, Joker cursed, "Damn it, Shepherd! Why did you bring it here?"

Church seemed to be offended, "I'll have you know I am a 'he' not an 'It,' jackass."

"I don't care what you call yourself, you're a damn AI!" Joker responded.

"Calm down," Shepherd ordered, getting the two's attention, "Joker, play nice. Church, you too."

"Aye, Aye, Captain," Joker reluctantly replied while Church just nodded, staring at Joker.

"Church?" Shepherd questioned.

"Sorry," Church apologized, before continuing, "He just reminds me of someone."

"Another old friend?" Shepherd asked.

"...Yeah," Church sighed.

"I'm sorry for your lost," Shepherd told the AI, once again appearing sorry for the AI.

"Don't be. Tucker is one of our best, he was still alive when...when I left," The AI solemnly spoke.

"...Okay...I don't know what's going on between you two, but commander, we're about to hit the Mass Relay.

"Mass Relay?" Church questioned, confused by the name, before a giant machine of a strange shape appeared before the ship.

It was massive, larger than any human ship Church had ever seen...but still smaller than a Covenant Super carrier.

As the Normandy got closer and closer to the machine, suddenly it began to glow as a bubble formed around the ship, suddenly, the ship accelerated to an impossible speed, as the light around the ship began to twist and lengthen.

"How?" Church asked.

EDI answered, "Mass Relays manipulate dark energy to propel starships at super luminal speeds."

"HOW?!" Church asked, his entire form flickering in green.

"It is not known, as Mass Relays are of Protheian origin," EDI continued.

"Why was this not included in the data you showed me?" Church questioned.

"Because you asked for the most recent history of our universe, if you would like, I can prepare another data packet for you?" EDI asked in a monotone voice.

"You really didn't give him the most basic and crucial information about our galaxy?" Shepherd asked EDI.

"I did not. As Epsilon requested the history of our universe," EDI explained before Joker replied, "You realize that stuff like the Citadel and Mass Relays are pretty important in history, right?"

"I will include all relevant and important documents and data in the next package," EDI calmly stated.

"See that you do," Shepherd gave his permission.

"...You omitted information, didn't you? To see how I reacted?" Church suddenly asked.

"I did," EDI replied, as monotone as ever.

"Why would you do that?" Joker asked, confused.

"To pertain if Epsilon was stating the truth," EDI answered.

Shepherd sighed, while Church looked exasperated.

"EDI. Please, inform me if you do something of this nature beforehand, crucial information while on a mission could prove fatal if not everyone is aware of it beforehand," Shepherd ordered the AI.

"As you command, Shepherd," EDI replied, not sorry for what it did, as it had not developed emotions yet.

...

Hours passed as they traveled beyond the speed of light, before they suddenly decelerated when they reached another Mass Relay.

In this time, Shepherd wordlessly sat in the cockpit, talking with Joker while Church scoured through all the data he previously did not have, due to EDI's 'test.'

When they decelerated completely, Joker changed the trajectory of this ship, and within an hour, a massive space station soon came under vision.

Station Omega.