Steve Cortez

Lieutenant Steve Cortez  is an Alliance pilot aboard the Normandy SR-2 in 2186, where he pilots the UT-47A Kodiak that transports Commander Shepard and squad to mission locations.

History
Cortez is the only child in his family and lost both of his parents years ago. He had a husband named Robert who was stationed at Ferris Fields in 2185, but the Collectors abducted the whole colony and Robert did not escape. While the Collectors were attacking, Robert called Steve, who was working on construction at a remote station not far from the colony, warning him to escape before the Collectors hit his station too. Steve begged Robert to escape with him, but Robert knew it was too late and asked Steve not to come after him, but to let him go and move on. Steve grieves heavily for his husband's death, and kept a recording of their last call. He has been in the Alliance since around 2176, first serving in the First Fleet on-board the SSV Hawking piloting F-61 Tridents. According to him, he has a knack for procurements, but his skill set made him a more valuable person to command a flight deck.

Five months prior to the Reapers' invasion of Earth, Cortez was assigned to the Normandy SR-2 retrofit team, responsible for overseeing cargo bay modifications. His immediate task was to shift the Normandy's armory from its previous location behind the CIC to the shuttle bay.

Besides being a Kodiak pilot aboard the Normandy SR-2, he is also responsible for maintaining the Normandy's armory, a duty he shares with Lt. James Vega. Cortez and Vega are friends, having served together before on Fehl Prime.