Seriously, I don't understand. Why do so many people make Shepard so damn cringy? There is absolutely nothing funny or badass about it, it's just plain annoying kiddy shit. You gotta be like 14 to find anything remotely enjoyable in this.

That is in no way what the term "privateer" means.

Like a pirate, a privateer is an independent ship that is outfitted for battle, has a preference for easy targets, and is out to turn a profit by seizing ships, cargoes, and ransoms as the opportunity presents. The difference is that a privateer is authorized by a nation to attack ships from another nation, typically in time of war. The privateer's acts are thus legal and he can sail home, sell his prizes legally, and enjoy all the protections of being a law-abiding citizen and possibly a war hero. It also means better access to weapons and other material.

For the victim, being attacked by a privateer is pretty much identical to being attacked by pirates. They are heavily armed men coming to take your stuff and do not have a vested interest in you being alive when they are done. That they are supposedly bound by the rules and laws of a distant government is not likely to change much.

Faith is crazy, is it? Great way to get yourself blacklisted there.

This was clearly not written by someone who learned to kick ass as a Sentinel.

Pressly's title is literally Navigator Pressly.

The historical reality has been that, assuming the ship has a big enough crew, the guy at the wheel and the guy deciding which direction to go are not the same guy. The skills, technical knowledge, tactical ability, and access to information needs of the two roles are almost wholly different.

Heck, before the advent of GPS navigation, if you were in a car with two people there was a good bet someone who wasn't the driver had a map or list of directions to read off to the driver.

Ahh the genophage. They really screwed up that storyline. The krogan lost a war, so they must be pitied. They are victims of the big bad scientists that saved the lives of everyone the krogan didn't get around to murdering. Poor helpless krogan and their noble culture of honorless, amoral, ruthless murder.

...why the hell is anyone supposed to think the genophage was a MISTAKE?

Interesting story but the characterizations go off-kilter pretty frequently. Ashley's bitchiness just got cranked to eleven and her professionalism took a holiday. Tali stampeded over about a dozen cultural taboos.

There are always people who review these kinds of stories and always make criticisms if a main character like Shepard curses a lot. I on the other hand, think it actually adds to a character like Shepard.

Why, you may ask?

Because Shepard is a soldier. And a lot of civilians have this impression that military personnel are always these great statues of maturity. Yet they couldn't be any farther from the truth. In fact, infantry units and marines tend to be the most immature kind of people you can come across. They have crude and prideless sense of humors, and they curse so much a single marine could make a church full of nuns faint.

Not to say anything bad about the combat troops and jarheads. All respect to them. But I'm still gonna be honest about 'em lol

OMG THERE WAS A FIREFLY REFERENCE, YOU ARE MY FAVITOUTE WRITER, I SPOTTED IT ON MY FIRST READING. GOTTA LOVE THE JAYNE/KAL REFERENCES.

So, there is actually no need for a sexual content warning - because there is no sexual content, just a lot of vague allusions to upcoming events that never happen.

Don't know how to feel about that.

I feel the last chapters were rather dragged out and during the bulk of the story, many other things were just brushed over - the latter is understandable as many readers have played the game so it's not new to us but the former was a bit grueling what with the several chapter long slugfest getting from Ilio back to the Citadel.

The relationships felt... wonky. Juvenile, sort of, which seemed to be a bit of an issue; you never gave validation as to why Ashley would be wanting Shepard other than 'because body'. At first, with Liara, you started making it look like something was going on between Gaarus and her, then it was Kaidan and her, then we see from her perspective (briefly) that she's all about Shepard as well. That was confusing.

Also, I had a really hard time liking the protagonist; Shepard really came off as bit of immature, arrogant dickhead; he's cocksure and dropping curses left and right, like someone half his age and his approach to relationships left much to be desired.

Overall, I'd say this story is... definitely alright, but it certainly has its flaws.

Would I read it again? Maybe. I mean, it wasn't terrible and the action scenes were definitely not boring.

It just... I don't know, feels unpolished.

Well, I hate to be harsh, but the big info dump about the knives was really... jarring.

Removed me from the whole 'feels' bit you had going from the last chapter.

Also, Shepard is really acting like a teenager with the whole "Will you be my girlfriend?" line. This is a man who is, what, mid or late twenties?

He's well acquainted with getting together with a woman, even if it's only a casual dalliance, right?

Again, I'm sorry, but I'm just not feeling it with this scene.

And a simple rephrasing could've saved her ass:

"... it's so nice to see you happy, especially after what happened-"

Becomes:

"... it's so nice to see you happy, especially after (x amount of time since break up with Beth) ago."

That way, she doesn't out that she KNEW what happened, only that he was off for a day or so after the stop by Arcturus.

BUT... guess you have to have the little drama going on.

I thought for sure Beth was going to admit to cheating on him to.

Cheaters are generally quite quick to accuse their current partner, usually lacking evidence and throwing out circumstance steeped in suspicion.

Also, there was that scene in an earlier chapter where she either ends their video or finishes reading a message where someone comes to her door and she's quick to stop what she's doing to address it.

Really though, it's for the best that their relationship ended (which we all knew it was due to the pairing) but I just felt the cheating aspect would've sold it a bit more as a 'fuck you' to Shepard.

Anyway, onto the next chapter.

Achievement Unlocked - Hazmat Lap Dance 50 (G)

Just finished rereading this amazing work. I really hope you haven’t abandoned this work.