Kenneth Donnelly

Kenneth Donnelly  is a former Alliance engineer. He is a Cerberus operative in the Lazarus Cell and an engineer aboard the Normandy SR-2 in 2185.

Mass Effect 2
Engineer Donnelly works in the engine room with his best friend Gabriella Daniels. They graduated from the same class at a tech academy and served aboard the SSV Perugia at the Battle of the Citadel. After the battle, when the Alliance discredited the existence of the Reapers, Kenneth openly voiced his defense for Commander Shepard, bordering on insubordination, though he wasn't court-martialled because of his engineering talents. This got him noticed by the Illusive Man. Gabby insisted to Kenneth that she be included in the Cerberus contract as she felt he would fall apart without her.

Unlike most Cerberus operatives on-board the Normandy, both Kenneth and his friend Gabriella seem vastly ignorant of the "terrorist" operations that the organization engages in. If Shepard asks about why Kenneth joined Cerberus, he replies that he joined to "kick the Collectors right in the daddy-bags."

Kenneth frequently chats with Gabby about new ship upgrades and the crew. He also makes a lot of comments about other women aboard the Normandy, which leads to teasing and scolding from Gabby. Kenneth makes remarks about the snugness of Tali'Zorah vas Neema's suit "in all the right places", about Jack's simultaneous sexiness and viciousness, and about Miranda's uniform making him stand "at attention."

Kenneth is among the Normandy crew members abducted by the Collectors when they invade the Normandy.

Mass Effect 3
Kenneth was taken into custody when the Alliance impounded the Normandy. Shepard can give him clearance to return to work in the Normandy's engine room using their Spectre status.

Chief Engineer Adams describes Kenneth as a very talented and dedicated person, but expresses reservations about his lack of respect for the chain of command. Adams is glad to have him on the team nonetheless.

Kenneth and Gabriella Daniels get to work on the engineering deck, resuming their old activities on the Alliance Normandy SR-2. They frequently chat about their present and past adventures: Kenneth resumes his crude comments about other women, and Gabby occasionally berates him.

When EDI gets a physical body, Kenneth marvels at its engineering: in addition to state-of-the-art hardware, Kenneth makes special mention of the body's "padding", and wishes he were a wall EDI can accidentally bump into. Sometime later, when EDI has been battle-tested on the squad, Kenneth inquires Gabby if there were any "oils", "lubricants", and "moaning" involved during repairs, admitting his imagination isn't that good for such things.

Asari are not exempt from his remarks: using Matriarch Benezia and Samara for comparison, he wonders if asari get more "ample" with age, and muses about spending his sunset days in an asari retirement home. He also asks Gabby for opinions about Samantha Traynor, erroneously referring to her as "yeoman", and is undeterred to learn about her orientation: he wants Gabby to "talk" to her instead and to "take video" if it works out.

Gabby alerts him to the Normandy's new poker table in the lounge, and the first thing Kenneth suggests is to invite Liara and Traynor for a game of strip poker. Gabby asks why not include another woman in the game, and Kenneth's reason varies. He says that in a game of strip poker, EDI has already lost.

Not everything that comes out of Kenneth's mouth is crude, however. He takes the time to deride the Illusive Man's preference for American bourbon, noting that it cannot compare to the peat aroma of a fine Islay scotch. If Tali is around and is tinkering with the Normandy's heat diffusion systems, he protests the unorthodox jury-rigging, claiming that the Normandy's systems are precision engineering.

Kenneth is averse to discussing anything to do with the crew's abduction by the Collectors back in 2185, flat-out saying no to Gabby when asked if he ever thinks about it.

Just before the final battle on Earth, Kenneth bids the Commander good luck, wishing he could have joined at their side. Gabby mocks his shooting abilities, and Kenneth modifies his statement into wishing he could shoot better, then join Shepard.

After the war, Kenneth, Gabby, and Major Coats preside over reconstruction efforts on a devastated London.