What did you do today in ME?

Mark Shepard:

Rannoch: Tali was in awe of being on the home of her ancestors. She claimed a spot as the location of her future home. I gave her a rock since quarians carried their homes with them. I admit that, as much as the admirals annoy me, there's not much I wouldn't do for Tali. She stuck by me all these years, even when I was with Cerberus and she had some serious problems with them. That's true loyalty and friendship.

Found a couple more Geth Spitfire's. Really helps when taking on the geth prime. Then I pulled out the targeting laser that could be synced up to the Normandy's weapons systems so that we can destroy the Reaper base that's controlling the geth on Rannoch. With both the quarians and the geth on our side we'd have a serious technological bump, not to mention the fleets they both brought to the table. One we fired on the base we found out that it wasn't just a structure sending out the signal. It was an actual Reaper.

We fled in a hovercraft.r. I told the quarians to fire at the Reaper. They hit it's firing chamber and it went down but it wasn't out. Legion suggested fleeing but I knew that the geth would remain under Reaper control and the quarians would be done for. I asked EDI to sync up the entire quarian fleet to my targeting laser. Everyone was on board because we knew we were going to kill another Reaper. This is way better than killing thresher maws.

I took two shots and so far that wasn't enough. I hit the firing chamber but these things were tough. Still, it was staggered but kept creeping closer. I wasn't sure I'd have the time to get it in sight before it fired on me. No choice, though. I was either going to kill this thing or die trying. Third shot still didn't kill it and it was right on top of me. This was it. One last strike. It either worked or it was the end. I swear I was just a few feet from that red eye but that final blast took it out.

I was able to talk to Reaper. It said it was killing us to save us. I sort of knew from Leviathan about the harvesting but I never understood. Still don't. What I do remember is the line I spoke to Sovereign when it confronted me on Virmire. It was really hokey but rings very true today: "You're just a machine, and machines can be broken." Proven true.

The problem came after when Legion wanted to upload the Reaper code to the geth, granting them true independent intelligence. That wasn't the issue. The quarian fleet attacking them was the issue since upgraded geth could destroy them. I figured I could have them upload the code and convince the quarians not to strike. Tali told them to stop but they didn't listen. I took the line and gave the order myself, with Tali saying he was speaking under my authority. I told them that the geth were about to awaken and would destroy but only if they were attacked. Finally, Gerrel backed down.

Legion couldn't actually disseminate the Reaper could on his own. He had to give all he had and put himself out there into all of the geth. This destroyed him but did the trick. Raan had crashed on the planet and came stumbling to us saying the quarians had no place to go. That's when a geth prime ran up and said that the quarians were welcome to resettle on Rannoch alongside the geth. Finally, peace had happened. It only took 300 years. Both sides agreed to assist with building the Crucible.

I talked with Tali. She said she was coming with me. Then, for the first time since she had been given a suit as a child, she removed her mask. I had to admit that Tali was beautiful. I wonder if she even knew. If I weren't with Kaidan I'd be seriously tempted to be with her. I remember Kelly Chambers telling me she thought Tali was interested. Ah, well, that's how it goes. I don't regret a thing.

Normandy: Counilor Irissa contacted me on the QEC. She was glad to hear we had two new fleets. She also said she had some important information for me and to meet her at Udina's old office. Then I talked to Hackett. He told me, after saving the salarian councilor, she decided to send the entire fleet to help despite my role in curing the genophage. She appreciated it and that my prior actions made her a councilor in the first place. He also said he chose me because people followed me - against Sovereign, on the suicide mission and even now. I got people to do things for me that seemed unlikely at best. I guess that made sense.

War Assets: 7014 x 99% = 3507.

Tali told me the geth were doing amazing things on Rannoch. They built houses, set up power systems and even entered into the suits of quarian volunteers to rewrite the environmental functions to jump start their immune systems. There was no doubt the geth wanted anything but to help the quarians. This was consistent with the video logs I'd seen from the early days. Until they came under direct fire, they only wanted to assist their creators.

Another interview with Allers. It was time to explain how the geth were now allies and not "dangerous robots who stick humans on spikes". I think it was a good idea that she came on board. She can tell people what's happened and she's allowed me to put it in the best possible light. This means good news rather than something to fear.

The reapers attacked Earth

I destroyed the reapers.

Now. If someone can help me get the rubble off my chest, I would be grateful

Not much to report today, no log. I just got up to the point where I started Priority Surkesh though I did also visit and talk with everyne on the Citadel. I always thought it was funny that there really should have been a second renegade interrupt when dealing with the Dalatrass. When you are walking away and she still decides to start mouthing off to Shepard either way. "A thug does not have any friends" Yeah, nor does a little bitch.

Feeling much better today so I'm getting ready to boot up ME2 and import Susan. I'm waffling on whether to keep her as Engineer or switch over to Sentinel (I will be Eng. in ME3 for sure). I really like Tech Armor, but I also really like Combat Drone. Decisions, decisions! Hmm....maybe I can be Eng with TA as a bonus power?

I really don't understand why she died anyway.  Rather then put herself and those things in a field with the grenades, why not shove the grenades at those things and encase them all together. They die, she lives, Aria is a better ruler with her liberal girlfriend by her side (for balance).

What platform are you on? If you are on PC, you can probably edit your game save and give yourself Tech Armor as a bonus power.


Neural Shock is good on the Engineer. Gives you a good crowd-control option early game.


As for Energy Drain, if you want to use Incinerate, then you have to put three points (rank 2) into Overload first, which starts to makes Energy Drain redundant. If you are not maxing Overload but still want Incinerate and Energy Drain, then you have to skimp on something else. You could skimp on Cryo Blast since you really need (rank 4 evo) Full Cryo Blast to get the most out of it.

Mark Shepard:

Omega (continued): Once Aria and I got past the barriers we ran into a turian female. Don't think I'd ever seen one before. This one was named Nyreen and she seemed to know Aria, and the secrets of Omega, very well. Yet, there was clearly some antagonism. Still, Nyreen helped us fight our way to a base camp.

We wanted to figure out how to shut down the force fields but were going to need allies. The Talons were the best candidates since they had formed a resistance against Cerberus. While we were figuring that out Nyreen disappeared. That meant Aria and I were heading out on our own. We fought our way to the Talon base only to discover Nyreen had taken over the Talons after Cerberus commandeered Omega. That explained why we had found crates full of red sand not being used. Nyreen wouldn't stand for it.

Found a hydra missile launcher. Came in handy. Helped defend the Talon base from Cerberus. Nyreen then agreed to join with us, if only to make sure that civilians were protected.

Back at Aria's base, I ran into Harrot, an elcor who had once blackmailed a quarian on Omega. He wanted help finding something that would put him in Aria's good graces once she took back control. I agreed, but only with future discounts in mind.

Something else unleashed on Omega were something called adjutants. They were biotic monsters, clearly created by the Reapers. I don't know what they were based on. All I knew was we had to pass through their territory in order to shut down the force fields. There were no lights and the area was littered with mutilated Cerberus troops. Past there, we faced Cerberus again. As we got closer to our target no one was attacking us. Nyreen pointed out that it probably meant we were in more danger.

We got to the reactor and it was a trap. Force fields went up around it and us, fields which the mechs could pass through with no difficulty. Aria was more resourceful than anyone ever imagined. She used her biotics to open a hole in the field. It allowed me to get out and find my way to the reactor controls. The problem was that just shutting it down would kill the life support. Aria wanted me to do that but I wasn't that ruthless. I managed to reroute the power away from the fields while maintaining life support. Aria and Nyreen survived though Aria wasn't happy about the delay.

General Petrovsky was the man behind it all. He was the one the Illusive Man had put in control. He tried to dissuade Aria from fighting back. Apparently, he wasn't interested in killing her, me, Nyreen or anyone on the ship. He only wanted the resources of Omega. Still, he had killed and we later discovered that he was also experimenting on the adjutants to bring them under his control. A lot of people died. He was no better than the Illusive Man. For all that he tried to say Aria was a monster, she at least tried to help her people.

Paramour'd Ashley in my PS3 half-renegade playthrough full well knowing I will do the exact same thing again on my PC playthrough when I get my laptop back with the full ME1 save completed.

Reaper on Rannoch started talking to me. I told it I'm in control of my species' cycle. Reaper told me I was a fool-- BLAM, I blasted it to bits with a little help from my friends and a hammer of dawn. Best interrupt in ME3.

I also saved both the quarians and the geth in renegade fashion and it was epic. "You are the reason you're fighting this war now! It was your people that drove the Geth to rebel, it was YOU who made them seek out the Reapers, are you going to push them to rebel you again? No? Then STAND DOWN."

So this is a bit late today but I was not feeling well earlier and then *ahem* got caught in an internet debate and had things to do. THough I did get a lot of them done...but we are here to talk about Mass Effect.

From the Personal Logs of the SSV Normandy:



Anyways do not know when I will log again because I am in that weird spot where I am not actually doing misions per se...I am doing all the Citadel stuff with the Spectres and then the mercenary orgs. And then off to do Omega. But maybe I will do one if I go off to retrieve those special items, hmm.

Miriam Shepard discovered the Reapers' origin...

Picked up Leviathan's trail in Sigurd's Cradle. Scanned several planets in the cluster; eventually found a positive signal coming from ocean world 2818 Despoina.

Took a shuttle to the surface with Ashley and EDI. Cortez narrowed Leviathan signal to a point 3km underwater. Prepared shuttle for submersion, but sudden EMP knocked systems offline. Shuttle crash-landed on hulk of shipwrecked MSV Monarch, apparently crippled by similar pulse. Found and destroyed several spherical artefacts like those that enthralled "Garneau" and Hadley. Discovered evidence that Monarch's crew became enthralled and turned on each other.

Reaper dropship suddenly emerged from FTL, dropped infantry and Brutes. Defended shuttle from assault while Cortez attempted to make repairs, unsuccessfully. Discovered Triton-class marine mechs aboard Monarch; borrowed one to repel remainder of Reaper landing party. Shuttle still a no-go, so Cortez prepared mech for submersion.

Descended to 3km in mech, followed probe signal, encountered huge arthropod-like life-forms, similar in appearance to Reapers, but organic. Received telepathic communication; entities assumed appearance of enthralled humans for duration of communication.

Learned that these were the remnants of original galactic civilization. They observed "lesser" races developing synthetic life that inevitably destroyed them. Created "Intelligence" AI of their own in an attempt to solve this problem; "Intelligence" determined solution was to exterminate civilizations before developing synthetics, but preserve them in a new form: Reapers. First Reaper, Harbinger, created from Leviathan race, hence physical resemblance. "Intelligence" still active somewhere, controlling Reapers, ensuring cycle never ends.

Artefacts are "windows" used by Leviathan race to observe galaxy and enthrall individuals when "necessary" to protect remaining Leviathans, prevent Reapers from finding them. Reaper indoctrination technology derived from Leviathan enthrallment, perfected over millennia.

By creating "Intelligence", Leviathan race fell victim to same fate observed in other races, and doomed galaxy to endless harvest. This whole situation is their fault, yet they hide instead of fight. Expressed outrage in no uncertain terms.

Used Triton thrusters to return to surface; found Cortez, EDI and Ashley repelling another Reaper landing party. Remaining Leviathan artefacts activated, enthralled Reaper troops, turned them against each other. Reaper dropship fell out of sky and into ocean. Seems that the remaining Leviathans have decided to fight this time.

EMP field deactivated; returned to Normandy. Radioed Ann Bryson en route; she has joined the Crucible team.

[During the fetch-and-carry part of the mission, I started off multiplayer-style, only walking with the batteries. After a couple of minutes, I realized that it's possible to run and Charge while carrying them, unlike in MP.

It's strange that the Leviathan missions are DLC rather than core content, given how important they are to the story. Perhaps they were intended to be core content but had to be delayed in order to release the game on schedule?]