(Joker picked up Garrus in the shuttle, and he's getting treated for his injuries)
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, Jacob, and Galahad are currently walking towards the quarantine zone on Omega)
Galahad: I've run a search for the reports on Archangel. The mercs think he's dead
Thorne: Good
Shepard: This way. Follow me
Miranda: I assume we're looking for the doctor now?
Shepard: That's right. He should be the last one on Omega
Miranda: Lets find him quickly then. I want to get out of her as soon as possible
Jacob: You and me both
(A turian guard is standing in front of a kinetic barrier covering the door to the quarantine zone)
Guard: Complaining is pointless, human. There's a plague. Nobody gets in or out
Lady: You can't just turn me away! I live in there!
Guard: I told you to get lost, lady! The plague has the whole zone quarantined! Nobody gets in!
Lady: I'm human, you ass! Humans can't get the plague! Now let me get my stuff out before looters get it
Guard: This thing affects every other race out there! We're not taking chances. Nobody gets in until the plague has run it's course
Miranda: You. We need to get in there
Guard: You're in the wrong place sweetie. The stripper's den is in the afterlife
(Miranda draws her pistol)
Miranda: Show me yours, tough guy. I bet mine's bigger
(Shepard puts his hand on Miranda's pistol and lowers it)
Shepard: We're looking for a salarian named Mordin Solus. Have you seen him?
Guard: The doctor? Crazy bastard opened a clinic in the district a few months ago. The blue suns weren't too happy when he moved in. I hear Mordin's trying to deal with the plague. I wish him luck, but the area's still locked down. Our orders are to wait until either the plague or the gangs kill everyone, then go in and clean up the- OOF!
(Thorne pistol whips the turian guard and knocks him out cold. Then he puts the guard's body in a sleeping position)
Thorne: Looks like somebody's napping on the job. Lets get in there
(Shepard is a little bit concerned with Thorne's reliance on forceful methods, but he shakes it off)
(Everyone goes into the quarantine zone, but the checkpoint guards all open fire, and the lady with the squad gets riddled by bullets)
Guard: Hold the checkpoint!
Guard: Open fire!
(Shepard and Thorne each take out a guard with their assault rifles, and the checkpoint is empty)
(They go down some stairs and head into the quarantine zone, but they encounter some blue suns mercenaries)
Merc: Stragglers!
(The mercs open fire, only for that whole group to be shot dead within 20 seconds)
Miranda: Ugh. It smells like burning corpses down here
Jacob: No. Really?
(Jacob gestures to a pile of burning corpses)
(The squad heads down the street and they find a batarian plague victim)
Batarian: Humans. Should have guessed. Bad enough you infect us with this plague. Now you lack the decency to even wait until I die before you come to steal my possessions?
Shepard: We're looking for Mordin Solus
Batarian: Of course. Humans looking for the human sympathizer. I hope those wretched vorcha burn Mordin and his clinic to the ground. I hope you- (Coughing)
(The batarian starts coughing)
Shepard: Hey. Stay with me. I don't think this will cure you, but it'll help a bit
(Shepard gives the batarian a dose of medi-gel)
Batarian: You... you helped me. Why?
Shepard: It's what I do. My name is Shepard. I don't know if I can find a cure for this plague, but I'm going to try
Batarian: Your words sound... Sincere. Maybe it's the fever. But what have I got to lose? What do you wish to know?
Shepard: First off, what do you know about the plague?
Batarian: Mystery drips from this place like the blood from my sores. This plague is too potent to be a naturally occurring virus. Airborne transmission across numerous species? Near-perfect mortality rate? It had to be created in a lab. It's killing everyone except for humans, and vorcha are immune to disease. Many blame humans for creating it. And a few blame the vorcha
Shepard: Interesting... When I find Mordin, I'll tell him about you. If he has a cure, I'll make sure someone gets it to you
(The batarian coughs)
Batarian: Thank you. My time is running short, but at least you have given me a flicker of hope to brighten the darkness during my final hours. I don't want to die. Whatever Mordin is, I will risk it, if he can reach me
Shepard: What makes Mordin dangerous?
Batarian: Some blue suns tried to press him for protection money, but he killed them. Stunned them with some kind of toxin, and he gunned them down. He's not just a doctor. Doctors don't execute people and display their bodies as a warning. Mordin's clinic is on the far end of the district, taking in refugees. Offering to help those infected with the plague. But they're in danger from the war going on between the vorcha and the blue suns
Shepard: I should go
Batarian: Goodbye... Shepard
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, Jacob, and Galahad start running towards the far end of the district, but then they see a group of vorcha in a gunfight with a group of blue suns)
Shepard: Get em!
(The squad moves in, making it a 3-way gunfight. They move in to try and take out both the vorcha and the blue suns)
(As the two other parties kill each other off, the squad moves in)
(Shepard and Thorne use their assault rifles to take out the blue suns)
(Galahad blows the vorcha away with his heavy machine gun)
(Miranda and Jacob provide support as needed with their biotic abilities and pistols)
(As the squad gets closer and closer to Mordin's clinic, they see more and more vorcha using varrens as attack hounds)
(Jacob uses his biotics to throw an explosive container, killing a couple of vorcha)
(The varrens charge forward, but Galahad's heavy machine gun keeps them at bay)
(Shepard, Thorne, and Miranda handle most of the gunplay, taking out the rest of the vorchas in that group)
(Some human looters open fire, but it was a very dumb move since they only had pistols. And it cost them their lives)
(Eventually, the squad makes it to Mordin's clinic. They find some human guards along with military grade LOKI mechs defending it)
(Some vorcha are trying to attack, but the mechs are able to hold them off)
(They walk inside and find a salarian named Professor Mordin Solus)
Shepard: Are you Professor Mordin Solus?
Mordin: Greetings, human. Curious. Don't recognize you from area. Too well armed to be refugees. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect. Here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clean them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom, not a cause. The plague? Investigating possible use as bio-weapon? No. Too many guns, not enough data equipment. Soldiers, not scientists. Yes, yes! Hired guns, maybe? Looking for someone? Yes! But who? Someone important. Valuable. Someone with secrets. Someone like me
Shepard: Relax, Mordin. I'm Commander Shepard, and I came here to find you. I'm on a critical mission, and I need your help
Mordin: Mission? What mission? No. Too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?
Shepard: It's a covert and privately funded group called cerberus
Mordin: Related to plague? Doesn't affect humans. Human-centric interest. Few human groups would know me. Only makes sense cerberus wound send you. Unexpected. I thought cerberus only worked with humans
Galahad: This mission reaches far beyond just human interests, Professor. We all have to work together to bring down the collectors
Mordin: Hmm. Collectors? Interesting. Plague hitting these slums is biologically engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology to design it. Our goals may be similar
Thorne: If the collectors really created this plague, what if they're using the vorcha to spread it since they're immune to disease? And they made it harmless to humans since they want to abduct them?
Mordin: Ah, yes, yes! Solid theory. But must stop plague here first. Already have the cure. Need to distribute it at environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. Need to kill them
(But then, the sound of something shutting down sounds throughout the clinic)
Miranda: That sounds ominous
(Mordin checks his omni-tool)
Mordin: Vorcha have shut down environmental systems. Not good. Trying to kill everyone. Need to get power back on before district suffocates. Here, take plague cure. Also, bonus in good faith. Medi-gel packs. May come in handy against vorcha. One more thing. Daniel. One of my assistants. Went into vorcha territory. Looking for victims. Hasn't come back. May be in trouble
Shepard: If I find him, I'll do what I can to help
Mordin: Thank you. Told him no to go. But he's smart. Bright future, I hope. Cannot go with you. Must look after patients
Shepard: Squad, move out!
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, Jacob, and Galahad all leave the clinic to head for the environmental control center, but they encounter a large group of vorcha)
(Shepard tosses a grenade and blows up a couple of vorcha)
(Galahad summons a combat drone, which flies towards the vorcha and kamikazes, blowing itself up and a couple of vorcha)
(Thorne, Miranda, and Jacob use their pistols to take out the last of the vorcha in that group)
(The squad runs down a street and hears screaming behind a door)
Galahad: Stand back
(Galahad uses his helmet laser to drill a huge hole in the metal door, and he gives it a kick, breaking it wide open)
(They find Daniel cornered by batarians)
Daniel: Please! I'm telling you the truth! I work for Mordin at the clinic! I came here to help you!
Batarian: We know you humans are spreading the plague virus. We saw the vials in your bag
Daniel: No! Those vials contain the cure! Please, you have to believe me!
Batarian: Maybe we should cut off your fingers. That should losen you-
Batarian: Look out!
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, Jacob, and Galahad all draw their guns)
(The batarians also draw their guns, and one holds Daniel at gunpoint)
Batarian: Don't move! One more step and we kill your friend!
Shepard: Nobody here needs to die. I know you're scared of the vorcha. Of the plague. But this man isn't to blame. If he were spreading the virus, why would he come into vorcha territory? They're immune
Batarian: He's right. It doesn't make any sense
Batarian: If we release this prisoner, can we go?
Shepard: You have my word
Batarian: Let him go
(Daniel runs away from the batarians and stands behind Shepard and his squad)
Batarian: You got what you wanted, human. Are we free to go now?
Shepard: We had a deal. Now get lost
Batarian: Human nobility? I didn't know such a thing existed
(The batarian run away)
Daniel: Thank you. I thought they were going to kill me. Did Mordin send you to find me?
Shepard: The Professor could use your help at the clinic right now. He's got too many patients and not enough volunteers
Daniel: Yeah, ok. I'll go right away. Thank you. I owe you... well... everything
Shepard: You can repay me by continuing to help these patients
Daniel: Got it
(Daniel heads back to the clinic)
(As Shepard and company head closer to the environmental control center, they encounter more blood pack mercs, including a krogan with a rocket launcher)
(The krogan fires a rocket, narrowly missing, Shepard. Everyone keeps moving when he reloads)
(Thorne uses his sniper rifle to provide cover fire while everyone else gets in closer to take out the blood pack mercs)
(Thorne snipes the blood pack's krogan warrior, making him fall and fire his rocket launcher accidentally, blowing up some vorcha)
(The rest of the squad wipes out the vorcha outside the ventilation control center, and everyone regroups inside of it)
Shepard: We're close. We just need to inject the cure into the system and get the fans working again
(Galahad hacks a door, and there's some vorcha in the control room)
Vorcha: You no come here! We shut down machines! Break fans! Everyone choke and die! Collectors make us strong!
Shepard: What do the collectors want?
Vorcha: Collectors want plague! You work for doctor, turn on machines, put cure in the air. We kill you first!
(The vorcha all open fire, making everyone duck for cover and return fire)
EDI: Shepard, I've scanned the room. The central control system is in an alcove in the center of the back wall. You can inject the cure and re-initialize the systems there
Shepard: Galahad, get to it!
Galahad: Cover me!
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, and Jacob hold off the vorcha while Galahad reboots the fans and injects the cure)
(Some more blood pack vorcha run in to try and reinforce, but Shepard blows them up with a shell from this grenade launcher)
Galahad: It's online! Everyone in the district will be inhaling the cure shortly
(Galahad uses his helmet laser to wipe out the rest of the vorcha in the control room)
(Back at the clinic)
Mordin: Environmental systems engaged. Airborne viral levels dropping. Patients condition improving. Vorcha retreating. Well done, Shepard. Thank you
Daniel: And thank you from me, as well. Those batarians would have killed me if you hadn't shown up. For a second there, I thought you were going to shoot them even after they let me go
Shepard: I'm not like that. I made a promise to spare them if they let you go. I honor my promises
Thorne: Usually I would just drop them and be done with it, but that's not how Shepard rolls, and he's in command
Mordin: Merciful of you. Risky. Agree with your friend. Would have killed them myself
Daniel: Professor? How can you say that? You're a doctor. You believe in helping people
Mordin: Lots of ways to help people. Sometimes heal patients. Sometimes execute dangerous people. Either way helps. Go check on the patients. Lots of work to do. Think about what I said
(Daniels walks away to help the patients)
Mordin: Good kid. Bit naive. He'll learn. Letting him take over the clinic. Should be able to handle it now that vorcha are gone
Shepard: We've cured the plague. Are you ready to help stop the collectors?
Mordin: Yes. Unexpected to be working with cerberus. Many surprises. Just need to finish up here at the clinic. Won't take long. Meet you at your ship. Looking forward to it
Shepard: We're heading out. See you on the Normandy
(Back on the Normandy)
(Shepard, Thorne, Miranda, Jacob, Galahad, and Mordin are now returning to the Normandy)
Jacob: Welcome to the Normandy. It's an honor to have you on board
Galahad: Very interesting... Would it be possible to let me tinker with it and install some upgrades in the future?
Shepard: We'll talk about it
Mordin: Very exciting. Cerberus working with aliens. Unexpected. Illusive Man branching out, maybe? No so human-centric?
Shepard: Don't kid yourself professor. Humans still come first in The Illusive Man's eyes. Cerberus hasn't changed. But this mission is too big for them to handle alone
Jacob: The collectors are abducting human colonists out on the fringes of terminus space
Mordin: Hmm. Not simple abductions. Wouldn't need me for simple
Miranda: Not simple. Entire colonies disappearing without a trace. No distress signals are sent out. There are no signs of battle or resistance
Jacob: There's virtually no evidence that anything unusual happened at all. Except that every man, woman, and child is missing
Galahad: Maybe they use some kind of sedative to put the colonists to sleep for minimal resistence. Gas, maybe?
Mordin: No. Spreads too slow
Galahad: Airborne virus?
Mordin: Can't be. Even slower than gas
Galahad: Maybe they drug the water supply?
Mordin: No. The effects would not be instantaneous or happen to all at once. Intriguing. Fascinating. No distress calls? New technology. Marvelously advanced. But what?
Shepard: That's why we invited you here, Professor. We collected samples from one of the colonies. I'd like you to analyze them and figure out how the collectors did this
Mordin: Yes, of course. Analyze the samples. Going to need a lab
EDI: There is a fully equipped lab on the combat deck, Professor Solus. If you find anything lacking, please place a requisitions order, and cerberus will supply you
Mordin: Who's that? Pilot? No. Synthesized voice. Stimulated emotional inflections. Could it be...? No. Maybe. Have to ask. Is that an AI?
Shepard: Yes. This ship is equipped with an artificial intelligence called EDI
Mordin: An AI on board? Non-human crew members? Cerberus more desperate than I thought
Jacob: The collectors have taken thousands of colonists. We'll do whatever it takes to find them and stop them
Mordin: Yes, of course. Can't risk being captured like colonists. Need to identify, neutralize technology. Need samples. Which way to the lab?
Miranda: Please follow me, Professor
(Miranda leads Mordin to his lab)
Galahad: I already have an idea for an upgrade. More advanced scanners could be useful in a lot of different situations
Thorne: If you can do it without breaking anything or burning too many resources, then by all means
(Galahad walks away to work on the Normandy's scanners)
Shepard: Thorne. What's the situation with Garrus?
Thorne: The medical crew did what they could for Garrus, but he took a nasty hit. They corrected most of it with some surgical procedures and cybernetics
Jacob: Best we can tell, he'll have full functionality and be back to combat in no time, but it's going to leave a scar
(Garrus walks in)
Garrus: Shepard. Thorne. Jerome
Jacob: I swear, you guys are getting my name wrong on purpose. But Garrus, you are a tough son of a bitch. I didn't know you'd even be up yet
Garrus: Nobody would give me a mirror. How bad is it?
Shepard: It's... going to show
Thorne: Hell, Garrus, you were always ugly. Just slap on some face paint and no one will notice, eh?
(Garrus laughs, but then he grunts in pain)
Garrus: Don't make me laugh, dammit. My face is barely holding together as it is. Ah, it's probably for the best. Everyone was always ignoring you and hitting on me. Time for you to get a fair shot at it
(Jacob salutes and walks out of the room)
Garrus: Frankly, I'm worried about you two. Cerberus? Do you remember those sick experiments they were doing?
Thorne: I know. I'm not exactly cerberus' biggest fan. But they've got a lot of resources and wealth that we can encourage them to put to better use than human supremacy. The collectors are working outside of alliance space, so cerberus is our only viable option
Shepard: That's why I'm glad you two are here. If I'm walking into hell, I need people I can trust at my side
Garrus: You do realize this plan already has us walking into hell, right? Just like old times
(Shepard, Thorne, and Garrus do a 3-way brofist)
Shepard/Thorne/Garrus: Just like old times
Thorne: God, I missed this
Garrus: I'm fit for duty whenever you need me, Shepard. I'll settle in and see what I can do at the forward batteries
(Garrus leaves the room and goes to do some calibrations at the forward batteries)
Thorne: Before we go on our next recruitment run, I think we should get Zaeed's mission out of the way, just in case
Shepard: Works for me. Do you have any details?
Thorne: Nope. But we can find out
Shepard: Lets do it