Massive Disaster 4-17 Outline (Patreon)

Zedd's hands dancing across holographic controls, muscle memory from months of testing on solo flights when he was out in the Terminus

Control surfaces responding to biometric input, systems coming online in sequence

Interior lighting shifting from white to operational blue

ADAM's voice through ship speakers: "Grande systems nominal. All passengers secured?"

Zedd glancing back at passenger restraints: "Everyone locked in tight?"

Dev tugging at his harness: "Yeah, boss. These things could hold a krogan."

Zedd's fingers finding comm channel: "ADAM, tell Tommy and the recruits we'll be gone for a few hours. Standard patrol excuse."

ADAM: "Copy that, boss. Tommy's gonna ask where you went."

Zedd: "Tell him I'm showing off. He'll believe that."

Hangar ceiling retracting with mechanical precision, revealing darkening sky

Kinesis lifts engaging, ship rising smooth as silk

No vibration, no engine noise, just steady ascent

Nina pressed back in her seat, knuckles white on armrests: "This is really happening."

Caleb watching altitude readings: "Feels smoother than any ship I've been on."

Kira: "No inertial dampening lag. How?"

Zedd banking left over Providence skyline: "Trade secrets, Special Ops Barbie."

Ship climbing through cloud layers, city lights shrinking below

Gravity gradually decreasing as artificial systems compensate

Stars becoming visible through canopy as atmosphere thins

Adele stubbing out NicStic in secured disposal: "Merde. We're actually leaving the planet."

Dev's voice tight with excitement: "Boss, this is mental."

Orbital view revealing New Abraham's twin suns setting behind planetary curve

Zedd: "We're officially in space.” 

Zedd's hand hovering over thrust controls: "This is the sublight engine. It can go up to 0.005c. Straightest line you can fly, at least."

Ship begins smooth acceleration—stars shift slightly, no inertial sensation inside the cabin.

No sensation of movement inside cabin

Nina calculating in her head: "Zero-zero-five-c... that’s around one thousand five hundred kilometers per second, right?"

Zedd: "Give or take. Not bad for chemical-free propulsion."

Caleb leaning forward: "What do Alliance ships hit?"

Kira (deadpan): "Frigates cap out at 0.002c, maybe 0.0022c in a straight sprint."

Zedd: "Yeah, eezo drives are kinda shit for straight-line speed. This things not that much faster in combat though, nobody’s perfect."

Zedd's expression shifting to anticipatory grin

Hands moving to different control cluster, more complex interface

Zedd: "Course, this drive is basically nothing compared to what we're really here for."

Fingers tracing activation sequence across haptic controls

Nina sensing shift in his demeanor: "Zedd, what are you doing?"

Zedd: "Showing you why I'm not worried about alien ships."

V-Drive systems warming up, subsonic hum filling cabin

Space outside beginning to shimmer with energy distortion

Kira leaning forward, N7 training engaging: "How fast can this thing go compared to regular FTL drives?"

Zedd's smile widening, eyes meeting hers: "Not much faster than 24 LY per day."

Silence stretching across cabin

Nina calculating: "Twenty-four light years per day?"

Kira's voice cutting sharp: "That's about twice as fast as the fastest ship the Alliance has. Like... that's…that’s… that’s…."

Adele exhaling smoke: "Mon dieu, Zee. You broke my best friend’s brain"

Caleb nodding knowingly: "Yeah, he told us about this a while back."

Dev's casual acceptance: "Boss doesn't do anything small-scale."

Nina staring at Zedd: "You've had faster-than-light travel for months and didn't tell us?"

Kira's tactical mind reeling: "The strategic implications... every naval doctrine in Citadel space just became obsolete."

Zedd's dismissive confidence: "Come on, it's fucking me. Did you think I'd be happy with anything less?"

Kira's voice rising: "But that's fucking insane?"

Zedd's predatory grin: "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet."

Nina's growing alarm: "What?"

Zedd's hand finding specialized lever system, chrome and blue interface

Lever pulling down with mechanical click

Knob twisting clockwise, symbols illuminating in sequence

Final push engaging with solid thunk

Ship's lighting shifting to amber warning mode

Zedd's voice carrying anticipation: "ADAM: Shatterspace."

ADAM's acknowledgment: "Jumping to Shatterspace."

Everyone except Zedd starting to speak: "Shatters-"

Reality fracturing in front of ship's nose

Crack in space appearing like broken glass, edges crackling with impossible energy

Tear widening, revealing swirling void beyond normal spacetime

Ship systems screaming as physics bent around exotic drive activation

Ship lurching forward with violent suddenness

Everyone except Zedd screaming as ship shoots into dimensional tear like bullet into darkness

Normal space disappearing behind them as crack sealed shut