Trilogy Discussion Group - Appeasing Your Crew

This is a Mass Effect 2 "what if" scenario. It would take place between the Collector Vessel and the Reaper IFF mission.

Shepard explains the general plan regarding the Omega-4 Relay to the crew. In turn, each member of the Suicide Squad approaches Shepard with a request. You must decide
in which order to perform each of the loyalty missions. In this "what if" scenario, the order in which you perform them can affect the loyalty of the crew. Decide in which order Shepard will do this, and why Shepard chose this order.

Do not meta-game or use advance knowledge of what will happen in the mission. Keep in mind that, at the time of Shepard must make this decision, Shepard only knows the following:

The Cerberus Executive Officer wants assistance relocating her sister to a new home, fearing that she will be kidnapped by the same domineering father that she herself once escaped from.

The Cerberus Weapons Operative wants assistance investigating the sudden distress call from ship his father was an officer on that was lost ten years ago.

The Salarian Biologist wants assistance locating his former student/colleague. Both worked on modifying the genophage, and the student was last seen on Tuchanka. He fears the Krogan have discovered his student's involvement.

The Krogan Berserker wants to go to Tuchanka and discover if something is physically wrong with him. He is getting restless and potentially violent sitting in the cargo hold.

The Experimental Biotic wants to go to an abandoned Cerberus facility and destroy it with a bomb. This was the site of the experiments conducted on her, and the source of much of the mental trauma that plagues her.

The Turian Weapons specialist, whom you have worked with in the past, wants to go to the Citadel to track down a member of his former team. His plan is to kill his former teammate for betraying the team to Omega's mercenary groups.

The Quarian Engineer, whom you have worked with in the past, wants to return to the Migrant Fleet to face charges of treason. She does not know why she is being charged, but failure to return could result in her exile.

The Drell Assassin wants to go to the Citadel to find his son. His son has taken a job as a hitman, and he would like to prevent his son from becoming a killer.

The Asari Justicar wants to go to Omega to track down a killer she has been pursuing for 400 years. This is the first time she knows the actual location of the killer, and does not want the trail to go cold.

The Master Thief wants to go to Bekenstein and recover her partner's greybox, which was stolen by a mercenary tycoon who may use the information inside it to compromise the Alliance.

The Veteran Mercenary has been contracted by Eldfell-Ashland to liberate one of their refineries that has been taken over by the Blue Suns mercenary group.

Here are the ground rules:

• Treat this, as best you can, as the first time you've played Mass Effect 2. You don't know what will happen on each mission, nor do you know what additional weapons or research projects you may acquire as a result of playing them.
  
• You have not acquired Legion yet. The premise is that all of these missions will be completed between the Collector Vessel and the Reaper IFF, so you have not encountered Legion.
  
• Prior to the Collector Vessel, no one had approached you with these requests. The scenario is that Shepard is approached after the Collector Vessel mission with each of these "last requests" once the possibility of actually going through the Omega-4 relay
  has become realized.

:)

 

Trilogy Discussion Group: Alternate Squadmates

Think of it like this. While playing an Xbox game you have someone standing behind you saying "You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're
going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose.
You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to
lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going
to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're
going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose. You're going to lose.
You're going to lose. You're going to lose.

-

Well lets just say that at some point, no matter how strong your will is, you're going to tell that person to Foxtrot Oscar.

-

Now imagine that with the stress of the battlefield and that voice coming from a Reaper.

 

Trilogy Discussion Group: Alternate Squadmates

One thing that's become apparent to me is that many people have different explanations on the concept of "indoctrination" as it is portrayed throughout this series, BioWare should shoulder some responsibility here for not fully explaining the process themselves.
For example, your views here appear to me to be based off more of the technological aspect of it, or if I'm reading you correctly, that "machinery" is solely responsible for making "indoctrination" happen. Without the organic's psychological "signal" behaving
as a "receptor" to the "device" that's transmitting, "indoctrination" wouldn't be possible from how I see it. If Shiala isn't "receptive" to The Reaper "broadcasts" and is mentally strong enough to withstand it, The Reaper machines would be useless on her,
she's now more aware of the "indoctrination" processes and would surely recognize any further attempts by The Reapers to control her having gone through what she did on Feros.



Someone like Matriarch Benezia wasn't strong enough to withstand it, she appeared to me to be aware of the mental power required to counter it and knew full well that she was powerless to stop it, she even says something like "it's too late for me" while
Shepard attempts to inspire her to fight it. If you're telling yourself (and others) that you "can't" (fight it) then you're all ready lost, Shiala BELIEVES that she can resist, which is the first big step to countering its effects, but obviously one needs
to do more than just "believe". Leviathan enquires on "I need to know why they (Reapers) fear you" to Shepard during their exchange, or that "you are different" and this is what I'm referring to, the question is, is Shiala "different" as well? I say "yes",
and it would take more than just a "personal device constructed for her", because the "indoctrination" process is more than just a machine grinding its gears, without "receptors" in place it would be like a TV which may be turned on but receiving no signal...

 

So I'm clear on this, I can fulfill ALL of the requests? and you just want them listed in order of priority?...

 

[quote user="Arkham99"]

So I'm clear on this, I can fulfill ALL of the requests? and you just want them listed in order of priority?...

[/quote]

Yes. You can do them all. The game is just about what order you do them and why. I have a list of consequences in mind which I'll share later.

 

Well, here goes then:



1) Tali gets first priority, for one she's proven herself very valuable all ready, and because I've known her longer than most of the others garners her more clout in the "pecking order", so to speak.

2) As with Tali, Garrus outranks any other members new to the team.

3) Jack's needs must be met ASAP, for something tells me that she'll exercise her "if I wanted it, I'd take it" approach and hijack The Normandy if I don't make her a priority.

4) Samara's skills are dependant on her mental focus, hence the hours spent meditating, and I can't afford to have her distracted from the task at hand.

5) Much the same as Samara, I can't have Grunt "imbalanced" if the mission is to be a success.

6) Mordin's research is invaluable and I need him focused.

7) While Kasumi's role still remains unclear, I quite enjoy her presence and my interactions with her thus far have helped ease the tension.

8) Better to have an Assassin onboard and need him, than to not have one and need him I suppose, so let's help Thane out, he is dying after all.

9) Not that my crew has any shortage of experience, but few have gone through what Zaeed's been through so why not?

10) Jacob wasn't invited onboard by me, but in case something happens to Garrus he could probably come in handy.

11) Miranda also wasn't invited onboard by me, and I really could care less if we find time for her personal issues or not, to be honest.



Well, there it is, very curious to see the "consequences" of my choices here. I like the prospect of doing things in a different order affecting the outcome instead of just the choice itself, should be interesting...

 

OK, I'll give it a shot... and some of these decisions even surprise me considering how I feel about some of these individuals at that point in the game, but the rule does say 'without any knowledge gained from previous playthroughs'. Oh and another thing
that's a quirk... perhaps... of mine. I tend to treat the issues that are presented, with a little bit of time sensitivity (even if the game doesn't) and therefore I prioritize accordingly.

1. First would have to be Miranda's sister. Not that I'm all that fond of Miranda at this point in the game. In fact I wouldn't even be sure how much to trust her... but it's not about her, it's about her sister, whom I can only presume to be an innocent victim
of circumstance.

2. Next would have to be Thane's son... yeah I know it surprises me even, but to follow my own code, it isn't about the father whom I barely know, it's about the child.

3. This is actually one of the toughest one's for me... Tali or Mordin's student. Treason isn't to be treated lightly at all and I need Tali to be sharp, but there is also a potential imminent threat to Mordin's student. The final nod goes to Tali here. She's
been there for me previously and (to make myself feel better I tell myself) Mordin seems like he could handle being 'unfocused' <read as unstable> a bit better than Tali. lol

4. Mordin goes here, of course, since there is an imminent threat to his student.

5. Next comes Grunt. This wasn't an easy one either as it was between him and Garrus, but here there is a potential health issue and Grunt is my tank.

6. Garrus. His issue is ONLY down the list this far for 2 reasons. The first is that his issue doesn't really feel as time sensitive as the others and 2nd, he's been a good enough friend that I feel he will both understand and respect my decisions on these
matters.

7. Now for Samara. True that her fugitive is dangerous, but who isn't on Omega? For the few denizens of the place who really aren't 'Omega material' and would rather not be there, well I'll just have to resolve to say 'it isn't like people haven't heard about
that place before they decided to go there'.

8. This slot belongs to Kasumi. Her issue doesn't feel quite as time sensitive to me. If this "KG" she talks about is half as good as she is, then who ever has gotten their hands on his grey box isn't going to just break it open easily (I hope). I feel I have
some time to play with on this one.

10. Now for Jack. She's down here for a reason. She's angry (even if she has her reasons) and she doesn't give any regard to where or how she directs it, she's unstable and she's done the one thing my Shepard will not tolerate... she's already threatened me
once with the whole 'you know how much damage I could do on a frigate'? Ummm... yeah... if Sovereign's threats didn't waver me, neither will the ranting of a half crazed boosted biotic.

11. Finally there's Zaeed. How did he get down here? I don't know really. Sure he's cold and pretty callous, but sometimes that's what a military type individual has to be to get the job done. Well, for one... this mission seems to me that it has more 'it can
wait' written on it than the rest. Add to this the fact that his mission is a contract... which doesn't have much of a feel of imminence to it at all. No offence Zaeed.

 

OMG, I forgot Jacob! LOL well... just me but he is a bit forgettable. he was to occupy the last slot anyway. It was a little bit of a toss up between him and Zaeed, but in the end, even Jacob himself said he doubted there was much to it. What was it he said
"I doubt we'll find much more than dust and old bones"...?