4: The General.
General Thomas Malcom watched, from the windows within the control room of the large Cerberus vessel, as the Normandy passed through the massive mass relay in a desperate attempt to escape. Thomas held no love for cowards, especially human cowards. He felt that the great Commander Shepard was a disappointment, an exaggeration, and could not even begin to understand why the Illusive Man invested so much to bring this dead man back to life.
His second in command, Kelsey Hampton walked in to inform him of the Normandy's escape.
"I am aware, Ms. Hampton." The General stopped her.
He didn't need to say anything else. He wasn't much of a talkative man, and this is why his crew feared him. As quiet as he was, he was ruthless and one of the most loyal of Cerberus operatives. He had a very deep hatred for all alien species.
He took out the locket he kept underneath his shirt and opened it. A picture of a woman smiling with a baby girl in her arms, stared back at him with loving eyes. The inside of the gold locket was also engraved, "I will always love you, Thomas." It was a birthday present from his wife, from what felt like a lifetime ago. General Thomas Malcom used to be a part of the Alliance, but after they did nothing when the Eclipse Gang invaded and killed everyone in his colony; including his wife and daughter, he left and joined with Cerberus. The Illusive Man allowed him to keep his title of "General" and is the only man to ever call the General by his name. Anyone else who even muttered his name, was never heard from again.
"Your personal feelings will not affect your mission, I hope?"
The General turned and closed the locket before placing it back under his shirt. He stood straight in the presence of the hologram version of the Illusive Man. The small pain he felt from his memories were gone, and here stood the fearless man whom everyone in Cerberus both respected and feared.
"No, sir." The General replied in his deep voice.
"Good. It would be a shame if you disappointed me."
The Illusive Man promised to help the General permanently destroy the Eclipse gang, as long as he remained loyal and looked out for human interests. So far, the General did not disappoint and the Illusive Man kept his word as he helped find Eclipse bases to which the General destroyed himself. He preferred to work alone, but the Illusive Man insisted on giving him a ship and a crew to command. He knew that if he ever disappointed him, than his revenge against the Eclipse gang would be at an end.
After being briefed about this particular mission, the General was a bit skeptical. He did not see the point of wasting time on an old relay. But when he heard that Commander Adam Shepard would be involved, he could not pass up the change to meet the legend in the flesh. The General was in the Citadel, fighting for his life, when sovereign (the first reaper) invaded, and heard of the heroics of the Normandy and its crew. He was always fascinated with the Commander. Until now.
The General turned back to the window and the Illusive Man stood next to him as they both stared at the relay.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" The Illusive Man asked.
The General did not reply. That didn't stop the Illusive Man from continuing. "Older than the Protheans themselves. Such a secretive, and an interesting, device."
"If I may ask, how did you come across this information on the relay?" The General asked.
"I am not one to give away my sources. Not even the Shadow Broker, herself, knew of this."
The Illusive Man turned and walked around the Command Center. He watched as his workers worked and conversed, his presence known but would not be acknowledged. He did not want to be a distraction from their work. And he was satisfied.
"You know the mission?" He asked the General.
The General nodded. He was to go through the relay and, if possible, report what he finds.
"Then go now. Follow Shepard through the relay. And if he interferes, kill him."
"Why invest so much on bringing this man back to life, if you want him dead?"
"I do not want him dead. He served his purpose, but he turned on me. I rather have him dead than a potential threat to my organization and I." The Illusive Man explained. "Get this mission done. I have important news for you when you return."
"Sir."
The Illusive Man faded after nodding towards the General. He looked back at the relay and then felt the outline of the locket underneath shirt. He called for Kelsey Hampton and she showed up not long after being summoned.
"We are going through the relay. Tell the pilot." The General ordered.
"Right away, sir." Hampton said and left at once.
A few minutes later the ship began to move towards the relay. As his ship neared it, the relay activated once again and the green energy pulsated as the rings revolved around each other.
"Shields up at maximum." He ordered.
A green energy beam shot out of the relay an engulfed the ship, just as it had for the Normandy. The beam pulled the ship in and shot it through the relay . . .