One week after the industrial district explosion, Tali'Zorah finds herself lying on a cot in a room at Liara's mercenary base. Her helmet sits on the desk, and she still hasn't received her new mask. It's the longest she's gone without it. Tali had to undergo intensive antibiotic treatments in the past few days due to the aftermath of the explosion. She reflects on the events of the past few days—the close encounter with the explosion, the devastating effects of the black mist on innocent people, and the conflicting statements from the Federation and the Hierarchy. The Matriarchs remain skeptical and have initiated a deeper investigation. Lives have been lost, and the war has now reached their borders, leaving innocent civilians dead.
Shepard made a public address, vehemently denying any involvement and claiming that she would never resort to terrorist actions against an ally. Tali sees through the lies, knowing that Shepard has become the very thing they swore to protect against. The Salarian Union has announced their support for the Asari allies, further threatening to escalate the war.
Tali sits up and looks at her maskless helmet, realizing how close she came to death. She walks over to it, examining the marks left by the Federal round that struck her mask and helmet. She left the useless mask behind at the AO. Although she's now suffering from a nasty cold, her immune system has adapted well, thanks to the new treatment she started with Phoenix.
As Tali sits at the desk in her room, she reviews the reports that Liara has meticulously combed through. They have identified three ships that match the cargo of two of Shepard's resources. However, Liara believes these are just fronts for what Shepard is trying to hide. The exact nature of what she's concealing remains a mystery, but it's unlikely to be the vials, as they are already in the Federation.
The war continues to spread and intensify, threatening to drag the galaxy further into chaos, all initiated by her "old friend." Tali had once agreed to help President Jane Shepard seek retribution and had signed the war documents that plunged the galaxy back into war. Each passing day brings more loss of innocent lives and military casualties.
Shepard knew the consequences when she allowed the organization known as Phoenix to carry out black flag operations. Liara informed Tali that Phoenix is currently operating freely, as long as they don't cause too much trouble. They were the ones who provided Shepard with the means to capture the Coalition Capitol World before declaring the Coalition a Galactic Federation. No one can fathom how Shepard has transformed a free nation into an oppressive one. She promises freedom but only delivers it through absolute obedience and subjugation, a far cry from the ideals of Systems Alliance Commander Jane Shepard once stood for.
As Tali ponders, she receives a notification on her omni-tool, instructing her to report to the command center. Rising from her chair, she makes her way there. The sight of her face no longer surprises the mercs; they have grown accustomed to it. Some nod in acknowledgment, while others salute the admiral. As she enters the command center, she notices the screen displaying a voice analyzer, recognizing it as Liara's voice. The Shadow Broker is giving orders to her men. Many leaders leave the room, including the base leader, leaving Tali alone with her old friend.
"Liara... How are things? What have the Matriarchs found?" Tali asks, her voice filled with concern.
"It's war, Tali. Despite Shepard's claims, the Matriarchs blame the Federation for the explosion. But for now, they're holding back... I think you understand why. Three vials are still out there, and they need to be destroyed or captured before my people go to war against Shepard. Victus is content for the moment, but my government has made it clear that there is no alliance between us and the Hierarchy. The Salarian Union is echoing the same sentiment. Though they haven't explicitly said it, the Citadel Council is essentially dissolved," Liara says, her words rushed. Tali gazes at the voice analyzer, absorbing the gravity of the situation.
"Shepard will use them, won't she?" Tali asks, already knowing the answer. The war has become a galactic war in all but name.
"You know she will. With the video evidence and what happened a week ago, Shepard will resort to using them. She has become the very thing we swore to protect against," Liara answers, reluctantly acknowledging the inevitable. Tali didn't want to hear it, but the truth had to be faced. Tali looks at the screen, contemplating her next move. Liara speaks again.
"I have a mask on its way to you in the next day or two. I'm surprised you've been doing well without one..." Liara says as Tali looks at the screen.
"I've been practicing without my mask, and before I left, I started the new treatment with Phoenix..." Tali replies, her eyes fixed on the screen. She then notices a small rack with a variety of rebreathers. Among them, she picks up a charcoal gray mask and activates it. She places it on her face and turns to face Liara's voice analyzer. Tali knows that Liara is watching her. She walks closer to the screen.
"So, Shadow Broker... What's our next move?" Tali asks, her voice determined.
--
76 Hours Later
Admiral Tali'Zorah is making her way to a shuttle accompanied by three skilled Shadow Broker mercenaries. Their destination is the Industrial District. Thanks to Liara's efforts, they have successfully tracked down an individual of immense significance who possesses crucial intelligence about President Jane Shepard.
Tali is joined by a team of highly capable mercenaries, and the shuttle is piloted by an Asari Security Officer named Ilona Mactavsh. Ilona reveals that her father, a human Alliance Officer, fought on Earth during the Reaper War, while her mother, a soldier, tragically lost her life on Thessia during the initial hours of the Reaper invasion. Ilona shares a closer bond with her father than her mother. Witnessing the events in Nos Astria and being presented with Tali's evidence, Ilona is determined to lend her support in bringing down the tyrant ruling the Federation.
Shepard has enacted several controversial laws that would be considered illegal in a sensible democracy or Federal Republic, which is how the Federation classifies itself. However, these laws remain in effect due to the absence of a constitution and a parliament too consumed by internal bickering. Two of Shepard's acts have particularly divided the Federation. The first involves mandatory vaccination for a significant portion of the population, as well as immune treatment for the Quaran people. The second act, known as the sedition act, allows for the imprisonment of individuals who criticize or speak ill of the government and its leaders without trial. While these acts have caused divisions, the majority of people still regard Shepard as the savior of the Galaxy.
As Ilona issued the thirty-second warning, Tali walked over to a nearby bench and picked up her SCAR rifle, which had a suppressor attached. She was dressed in a covert EVO suit, complete with a half-face rebreather she had acquired at the base. Tali then put on a pair of dark tactical glasses featuring a built-in HUD. When the shuttle landed and the door opened, the group was greeted by the sight of smoke still billowing above the cityscape. Ilona followed the group out of the shuttle, each of them armed with rifles and carrying a duffle bag.
The small group made their way through the deserted streets, which were littered with the bodies of both converted and regular citizens, as well as security personnel. Tali led the way along the deserted warehouse buildings, with Ilona following closely behind, while the three other mercenaries moved on the opposite side of the street. When they reached a building that appeared to be a school, Tali and Ilona entered, while the other three proceeded to the next building.
"Never thought I would see this area of the city so... quiet," Ilona remarked as they ascended a flight of stairs. Tali turned her rifle to inspect a gaping hole in the ceiling, revealing exposed steel and wires. They entered a classroom, only to come face-to-face with a grisly sight: a group of 12 deceased Asari, Human, and Turian individuals lined against a wall.
"This is Ghost Actual... We have 12 dead civilians. Advice," Tali reported, awaiting a response from command.
"Asari Command says they have multiple clean-up crews in the area, and three teams have gone dark. Guessing you found one..." Shadow Command replied.
"...We are not alone. This clean-up team is stripped of their gear and suits. Treat all clean-up teams as hostile," Tali ordered.
"Yes, Admiral," the second team acknowledged. Ilona moved one of the bodies, revealing a black metallic liquid coating the ground. Tali approached and examined it. It was the same liquid she had encountered before, but this time it appeared inert, lacking the life she had witnessed when it was in vials. With no time to collect a sample, she tapped Ilona's shoulder, and they both continued towards the rendezvous point.
Tali and Ilona continued up another floor, encountering a hole in the floor that served as the only way to reach the rendezvous point. They carefully walked along the edge, hugging the wall as they made their way. However, Tali misstepped and slipped, falling into the hole. She managed to grab onto the edge, but her grip slipped, and she plummeted three stories down. Fortunately, her fall was cushioned by loose crumbling concrete and metal, and she landed in a large puddle of water on the final floor.
Getting to her knees, Tali looked around for her rifle but couldn't find it. Ilona called out to check on her, and Tali heard a commotion nearby. She quickly went prone behind a low wall, barely able to see. A human in a hazmat suit armed with a Federal AR came into view. Tali finally responded to Ilona.
"I'll be okay. Head external. I won't be far behind. Be advised, we have company armed with SCAR rifles, grenades, and hazmat suits," Tali informed her team. Crawling on her stomach, Tali stealthily approached the Federal soldier as he walked back in her direction. She unsheathed her knife and moved behind him, wrapping her arm around his neck and plunging the knife into his back. The soldier went limp, dropping his rifle into the water, and Tali laid him down in the puddle. She then retrieved the Federal rifle and cautiously moved toward some crates.
From her vantage point, Tali spotted three Federal soldiers in hazmat suits patrolling the area. She slowly maneuvered around to another set of crates, attempting to stay hidden. Tali noticed a utility space with a large hole in the metal wall and decided to move toward it. However, just as she was about to enter the room, a Federal soldier in a hazmat suit ambushed her, slamming her into the wall. The soldier struck her face with his fist, but Tali fought back, driving her knee into his stomach. She grabbed the knife from the soldier's belt and lodged it into his neck. As he fell to the ground, Tali could see him spitting up blood.
Regaining her senses, Tali quickly picked up her rifle just as three more Federal troopers rushed into the room. She swiftly moved to take cover behind some crates, preparing for the imminent confrontation.
The Federals continued to fire in Tali's direction, forcing her to take cover behind the crates as their rounds slammed into the surrounding objects. Tali returned fire, managing to take down one of the troopers while the other two kept shooting. As Tali's rifle bolt popped back, realizing steam and thermal clips, she saw an opening and eliminated another trooper. However, her last thermal clip flies out, leaving her defenseless against the final trooper who aimed and fired at her.
Thinking quickly, Tali looked at the dead soldier who had ambushed her earlier and noticed a grenade on his belt. She quickly grabbed it pulled the pin and tossed the grenade behind the last trooper. Unaware of the impending danger, the trooper did not see the grenade land before it exploded, taking him out. Tali retrieved her rifle, still raised, and cautiously left the room, collecting whatever ammunition she could find before proceeding.
As Tali made her way up, she arrived at a set of double doors, only to be confronted by Ilona, who had her rifle pointed at Tali. Tali quickly dropped her aim, and they both moved out of the building together. They continued down the street, encountering a large group of Federal soldiers. Tali and Ilona pulled the bolts on their rifles and placed them on a low wall, realizing they had no choice but to fight their way through the troopers to reach their target.
Tali took aim and fired, taking down a Federal trooper. The situation escalated as a trooper shouted, "Contact front!" and the Federal task force opened fire. Tali and Ilona engaged, taking out several troopers. Tali moved up behind a raised industrial office while Ilona provided cover fire. The Federals continued their relentless assault, prompting Tali to throw a grenade into a group of troopers, causing an explosion that took out a few of them. The remaining soldiers focused their fire on Tali, while Ilona continued to suppress them with her own shots.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Tali moved further, with Ilona covering her. The Federals eventually fell back into a nearby bar, and Tali and Ilona kept firing and tossing grenades into the building. After a few more intense moments, the gunfire finally died down. Tali looked up to see the last Federal soldier falling to the ground. Tali and Ilona cautiously entered the bar, grabbing numerous magazines from the ammo belts of the fallen Federals. It was a small victory, but at least they now had more ammunition for their captured Federal rifles.
Tali and Ilona made their way through the building, ascending three stories. When they reached a section that had been blown out, they heard gunfire. They quickly spotted the rest of their team engaged in a firefight with Federal forces. Tali noticed a lone federal sniper rifle leaning against the wall. Ilona swiftly grabbed it and began firing at the Federal detail. The Federals turned their attention towards the sniper, but Tali's team on the ground swiftly eliminated them with their rifles. As the last soldier fell, Ilona let the sniper rifle swing as she and Tali jumped from the edge and landed on the pavement. Tali's team regrouped with her, most of them now armed with Federal rifles.
Tali promptly ordered her team to head down the road to the hospital, where their target was located. They quickly noticed Federal troops both on the ground and in overwatch positions. Tali spotted a decent-sized ambulance that happened to be on wheels, which surprised her. She instructed one of the mercenaries to put it in neutral, and together they pushed it to use it as cover. Tali and Ilona provided covering fire while the team pushed the ambulance. The Federal troopers started firing at them, but Tali and Ilona returned fire. Ilona used the borrowed sniper rifle to take out the Federal overwatch, while Tali dealt with the ground troops. After a few moments, Tali ordered one of the mercenaries to join them and he opened fire on the Federal ground troops.
Tali eliminated the Federal troopers on her left, while the mercenary took care of those on the right, and Ilona targeted the Federal overwatch. Once done they moved to the hospital entrance. As she had done before, they all scavenged ammunition from the dead Federals before entering the hospital. They knew that navigating through the building would be challenging, as it would be swarming with Federal forces. The team entered the building, with two mercenaries leading the way, Tali in the middle, and Ilona and the last mercenary covering the rear. When they reached the second floor, they encountered a blocked flight of stairs.
The team cautiously approached as a couple of Federals came into view, all armed and ready with rifles. They sought cover and remained undetected by the Federals. Tali rested her rifle on the cover she was behind, and the rest of her team followed suit. Tali aimed and fired, eliminating one of the Federals. The rest of the team did the same, taking out four more troopers. The Federals quickly retaliated, firing at Tali's team, who returned fire. Tali's mercenaries managed to take down a few soldiers. Tali and her team pressed forward, firing as they advanced.
As the team continued to take down the desperate Federals, Tali swiftly replaced her magazine and resumed firing, eliminating more Federal troopers. The team split up, sweeping and clearing the floor. After a tense few minutes, they regrouped at a set of cleared stairs.
"One more floor to go," one of the mercenaries informed as they ascended the flight of stairs, rifles raised and ready. Upon reaching the next floor, they encountered a set of double doors. The fire team positioned themselves, two on one side and three on the other. The mercenaries kicked the doors open, rushing into the room. As Tali entered, Ilona shouted "flashbang." The flashbang detonated, catching Tali off guard and temporarily blinding her. Ilona quickly pulled Tali behind a wall until her vision cleared.
Tali swiftly regained her sight, though she still saw stars. She joined the raging gunbattle, using the wall as cover while firing at the Federal troopers. The fight was intense but brief, as they made their way towards their target. As Tali moved down the hallway, she released her magazine and realized her ammo belt was empty. She let her rifle hang and drew her pistol, firing at the remaining Federals. With the last Federal defeated Tali quickly retrieved a magazine from his ammo belt and replenished her own belt.
The mercenaries stacked up on a door where their target was believed to be. Tali ordered them to breach. One of the mercenaries kicked the door in with his foot, while another tossed a flashbang into the room. As the flashbang detonated, the mercenaries swiftly moved in, and after a few shots were fired, the room was secured. Tali entered and saw one of the mercenaries pulling a cowering Asari in a hazmat suit from behind the lone office desk. Another mercenary produced a black cylinder and scanned her eye, the red beam quickly turning green.
"This is Ghost Actual. Target acquired. We are RTB," Tali reported to command.
"Solid copy, Ghost Actual. Be advised, that we're observing heavy activity in the AO. It's unclear what exactly is going on. Keep your heads on a swivel," Shadow Command responded before signing off.
Tali turned to the Asari just as Ilona grabbed her by the hazmat suit, slamming her against the desk. Ilona delivered a powerful punch, knocking her unconscious.
"Traitor," Ilona screams, and one of the male mercenaries lifts the unconscious Asari onto his shoulders. The team started making their way out of the building, heading back to their shuttle.
"Ghost Actual, be advised your shuttle has been taken out. We have bikes inbound to a new location on your tac map," Shadow Command informed them. The team cursed as they moved towards the RP descending a set of stairs. As they entered a room, one of the mercenaries shouted, "Grenade!" A concussion grenade detonated, throwing several team members against the wall. Tali slumped against the wall and saw five Federal troopers enter the room, rifles raised. However, they were swiftly eliminated by cloaked operators. One of the operators helped Tali to her feet.
"Thanks for the help... What outfit are you from?" one of the male mercenaries asked, Tali thought the operator's name was Knox.
"Classified," he replied as gunfire erupted around them. The unknown operators took cover against the wall and returned fire. The lead operator instructed them to take their captive and escape. Tali didn't need to be told twice. She and her team made their way across the roof, heading towards their rendezvous point where hoverbikes waited for them. After a few moments, they spotted the bikes, ready and waiting.
Tali and her team mounted the bikes, securing their target on one of them. As they began to move, they noticed an unmarked gunship flying past them. They continued towards the new rendezvous point, with the gunship trailing behind and opening fire on them. Tali saw the rounds hitting dangerously close. Spotting an open covered blown-out hallway, they took cover inside as the gunship unleashed its cannon upon them.
"Ghost Actual, be advised. Asari forces are waiting for you behind a gate," Shadow Command informed them as Tali and her team maneuvered towards their rendezvous point, dodging and swerving to evade the gunship's attacks. After what felt like hours, Tali finally spotted the gate. As it opened, she saw two heavy mechs positioned inside. One mech fired at the gunship while the other launched a rocket, both barrages hitting the gunship. As Tali and her team passed through the gate and began to close, the gunship erupted in flames and crashed into the gate just as it sealed shut.
"This is Ghost Actual. Mission accomplished. We are RTB," Tali reported. Their Asari prisoner was placed on the shoulders of the mercenary. Nos Astra security personnel observed the commotion, curious about the Asari being carried by the mercenaries. Tali gestured for them to head towards their new shuttle, which had just landed.