Mass Effect 3: Cerberus

OK nearly at the end now  - a bit ridiculous I know with the game long completed and all of Halo 4 still to update, but up-to date relevant content has never been my thing anyway. In this post I'll cover two major battles Shepard fought against Cerberus before turning his attention to the Reapers in the final battle for Earth.

Horizon

After detouring to rout Cerberus from Omega, Shepard brings the full Normandy crew to bear on Cerberus - to retrieve the data stolen on Thessia and to pay them back for their crimes against the galaxy. The Normandy crew discover that Sanctuary, a facility supposedly able to provide refugees safety from the Reaper onslaught, is actually a key Cerberus base, located on the planet of Horizon, where Shepard had his first major battle with the Collectors.

On arrival at the seemingly abandoned facility the crew find Cerberus and Reaper forces locked in a deadly battle - about time they fought each other Shepard remarks.







After examining the facility, and playing the messages of hope recorded by civilians entering the Santuary, hoping the staff can secure their future against the Reapers, they venture in to find the dark secrets that Cerberus have been hiding. Activating a console Shepard sees a message from Miranda warning him that Sanctuary isn't what it appears to be and to turn back, but Shepard presses on, especially after seeing on the recordings that Kei Leng is in pursuit of her.

Journeying into the base, Shepard discovers Cerberus's true purpose, they are experimenting on people and turning them into husks for their own purposes!








Determined to put an end to this sick experiment they press on after Miranda, determined to get to her before Kai Leng does, but as they near the headquarters they hear the sounds of a battle inside.

Henry Lawson (voiced by Alan Dale) has gained his way back into Cerberus's favour with his ability to create husks and understand Reaper technology. 






Henry is holding his genetically modified daughter Oriana as a hostage, while Miranda is nowhere to be seen. Shepard convinces Henry to let Oriana go and give up the project, at which point a wounded Miranda kills him, ending his tyranny over their lives forever. Miranda leaves to take care of Oriana but tells Shepard she planted a tracker on Kai Leng during their encounter.

The Final Push

EDI and Traynor use the tracker to locate the Illusive Man's headquarters. Shepard readies the fleets to attack Cerberus, but Hackett warns him that once the data is ready there will be no choice but to press on directly to Earth. Shepard spends a few more days rallying as much support as he can so that the galaxy is ready for the final conflict.

Cronos Station

 Orbiting a red giant, well off the charts of civilization, Cronos Station is where the Illusive Man controls asll Cerberus operations from. Only the most trusted Cerberus officials serve here. 














At the start of the mission EDI volunteers to go and proves her worth instantly by detecting a Cerberus code to vent the air from the hangar bay they land in. They battle to override the controls and then stumble on a solution to get them through the sheilded doors, taking over the automated controls, they launch a fighter directly into the station itself, causing chaos and clearing a path for them.

Journeying through the base Shepard encounters more information about EDI, that she started life as a rogue VI that Shepard battled against in his casmpaign against Saren and that she had proven her loyalty to Shepard on several occasions without his knowing, including preventing an attempt by Cerberus to remotely take over the Normandy.

Cerberus had kept and transported the remains of the Human-Reaper constructed by the Collectors and were using it for their own experiments on the station.







On reaching the Prothean VI Shepard finally discovers what the Catalyst which powers the Crucible is - only it's not an answer he likes - the Catalyst is in fact the Citadel itself!!! They are interrupted at this point by Kai Leng who engages Shepard in a ferocious battle, before finally meeting his end at Shepard's omni-blade.

Shepard speaks again to the VI, assuring him that there is still hope - but the VI reveals that the Reapers have become aware of the Catalyst's nature, due to the Illusive Man, acting under long-term indoctrination, revealing it to them in his bid to take control of the Reapers. Worst of all the Reapers have moved it somewhere where their presense is strongest

To Earth.


And now for the last time I'll update the War Assets

The following are War Assets gained by ending the Cerberus plot on Horizon

Alliance 6th Fleet - After being ordered to avoid engagements with the Reapers and preserve it's strength, this fleet is eager to join the fight.

Miranda Lawson - A key Cerberus operative, she has given the Alliance intel on several under-cover Cerberus operations


The following are War Assets gained by travelling the Galaxy

Shadow Broker Support Team - Through her connections as Shadow Broker Liara is able to lay her hands on any supplies or resources the Alliance need.

Shadow Broker Starship Tech - Technology from the former base of the Shadow Broker has gone toward the Crucible construction

Void Devils Fighter Wing - A team of highly trained Vorcha committed to destroying Reapers after the occupation of their homeworld

Vorcha Labour Team - A rare team of skilled engineers among the Vorcha, they are useful to the Crucible due to their natural resistance to radiation.

Governor Grothan Pazness - A former Batarian extremist, he now urges Batarians to embrace the support of other species and join in the fight for the future.

Volus Dreadnought Kwunnu - The only dreadnought-classs ship built by the Volus is commited to fight the Reapers

Turian SpecOps team - a highly trained team of turians renowned for action on several worlds

The following War Asset was gaine on Cronos Station

Reaper Brain - The mind of the destroyed Reaper creation is now used as a massive computer on the Crucible as well as providing data on the Reapers


One more post to go!!