Commander Shepard has just recently been defeated on Thessia and has departed on a classified operation to Sanctuary.

With Shepard too busy chasing down Leng and the Catalyst, the Alliance is left without the strike capability the Normandy provides for missions on Earth.

Scouts on Earth have discovered a troubling phenomenon - Firebases such as Rio and Vancouver, which fell to the Reapers months ago, had suddenly been vacated at the same time Shepard is investigating Sanctuary.

But worse, of the scouts that reported the findings who returned, they showed inconsistencies with their implants and symptoms of amnesia and concussions.

Anderson, fearing that hammer landings plans were at risk of being compromised, requested counsel from Hackett.

Anderson pings Hackett on vic comm, "Admiral, thanks for your urgent response - Reaper forces have started vacating hot spots all over the globe and we can't tell why or who's controlling those sectors"

Hackett responds, "Admiral Anderson, I would send the Normandy to investigate, but Shepard's chasing a lead on Cerberus. He's on a mad dash and I would not be able to convince him to forget the catalyst."

Thinking quickly on his feet, Anderson replies "I know that Shepard has brokered alliances with many partners, who have we yet to tap? We can't send traditional forces, as I've had to place all scouts in quarantine here on Earth. I fear our ranks are compromised.

Whoever holds these key locations, isn't the reapers, and the scouts certainly haven't divulged what has happened. Worse still, those vacating forces have started the move to London"

Hackett responds to his counterpart on Earth, "We need a torch and blow operation. The Firebases you've listed on the reports need to be utterly eradicated. But I can't spare Sword vessels for cover and Hammer forces can't deploy this early without Shepard's final assessment on the viability of the Catalyst."

Anderson comes to a leap of logic in that moment "convenient that when Shepard chases Cerberus, the Reapers decide to vacate locations on Earth."

Hackett replies, "I'm not one to hold a grudge, but those damned bastards need to fear what's coming next. I hate to say this Anderson, but I'm thinking we cash in the promised support from the Batarians right now."

Anderson "The batarians? Balak nearly destroyed Terra Nova 3 years ago and now we ask them for help? I don't actually discount their capability for violence, but will they agree to assist us for nothing in return?"

Hackett states cooly, "We need forces in those locations that will not hesitate to kill anything in their sights. And if Cerberus does have control, I need to know that whoever we send will have no qualms killing humans. Collateral damage isn't a factor."

Anderson retorts, "Blowtorch and Corkscrew by the books"

Hacket "Exactly - we don't have the time to consider the full implications of this retreat. Whether it's indoctrinated refugees or Cerberus who controls those bases, unfortunately they are all expendable."

Admiral, "I'll use whatever guns you send, even terrorists - this war is just too damn important. I'll speak to you soon."

Hackett chimes, "I'll patch into the War Summit Delegation, Balak's surely going to be intrigued. Hold steady Anderson. Hackett Out"


Within 48 galactic standard hours, Balak receives a call from a volus intermediary working with the War Summit delegation. He's utterly stunned that the same humans with blood on their hands have the audacity to request his support, and worse still on Earth!

" - and Khar'Shan-Clan, the Alliance has requested your extreme use of judicial force in these matters. For your support, the Volus protectorate can offer Air Support and Kodiak Class Shuttles of the same make and model as the Alliance."

Balak responds,"So the cunning humans know of our disgust with what happened at Aratoht
and want to use it as a motivator to do their bidding? If I didn't have a surplus of agitated volunteers looking to still kill humans even now, and do it legitimately during this war. I can't have dissent in the ranks at this time within the hegemony."

"Khar'Shan Clan, as I've learned in this business by working with the Palaven-clan - if this gets you what you want, what does it matter?"

"Fine, so the humans will get our support for these missions. The Hegemony will have its revenge. We will kill everything in sight. We will pull together a team of our finest to land on earth. The might of hegemony will be behind them."

"Thank you for your hastened decision Khar'Shan-Clan. The protectorate will await until your team is ready"

Balak contemplated what he was getting into, but then decided that killing humans for sport is just the morale boost his troops needed and the Alliance was handing him the opportunity on a plate.

He mused to himself "Fate decided that Shepard would set me free, and for that, we both paid the price to the reapers."

Within 24 galactic standard hours, the Batarians decide on their team.

Leading them is Hegemony Soldier First Class....Salkie?

With so many missing or KIA, and the Blue Suns still feeling the effects of Archangels's house cleaning, Salkie returned to Batarian space to change his career of a merc recruiter to being a Hegemony soldier.

But no one respected him at command as a fresh faced recruit, and Balak, expecting jubilant volunteers, had instead the back ranks laughing at the hegemony's choice of Salkie leading the mission. It became dismissed as a dud.

Few rose up to take on the mission and Balak didn't get nearly the support he expected. He couldn't afford to lose face at home and to a commitment he made to the Alliance now.

They had 3 volunteers, including Salkie; enough for a strike team, but they needed one last war fighter to complete the group. And that's when Salkie got an unexpected ping on this omni-tool for a video call.

An secure line from an unidentified contact with C-Sec tags...calling him? Now?

He answered the call.

'Salkie here..."

"You're in need of a cold-blooded killer for a mission on Earth. Allow me to explain why I'm calling you. A few hours ago I traced a call from the Citadel - a Commander Balak and an infuriated volus delegate who was using a C-Sec secure line. It appears that an agreement about a strike mission was about to fall through.

I approached the volus and offered him my services. I believe you can tell through my unmodified translator what race I am. All you need to know is that I have a grudge against a certain faction of humans that we're likely to face on earth"

An unmistakably raspy voice beckoned from a shadowy figure on the omni-tools screen.

Salkie knew enough about Drell not to turn away this offer. Drell are deadly when accurate. And when has a drell ever missed a shot?

"So you've invited yourself on to this mission? What is your stake in this?"

"I just want to see a certain faction of humans die."

"Drell don’t quarrel with humans, from what I recall"

"They've never known the drell. I have two loadouts ready to dispatch, I need no equipment. The latest C-Sec gear. Kuwashii Visor with Geth derived Scanning Technology, Standard Mattock Platform rifle, Viper High Velocity Sniper, Ariake tactical cloak, M-6 Carnifex, Paladin and Suppressed Variant. To top it off, a crate of Cluster, Homing Grenades and Recon Mines."

"Obviously you're more than equipped. Are you briefed on this mission? The chances of survival are slim, and everything in our path must die. We might as well have a death wish. Out of respect and nobility for the hegemony, I'm not turning this one down"

"Then you have my arm as a weapon, a tool at your disposal. I’ll do this mission gratis, no charge"

"We're hunting big game, and now I have an assassin within my ranks. Understand this Drell - Batarians kill for sport and we have specific methods of brutality that we’ll employ. We are sending a clear message to dissenting humans - the Alliance has abandoned them and they will get maimed and butchered by us instead. With that requirement satisfied, did the volus provide you the rendezvous?"

"Zakera Ward, Citadel Dock D2, Skyllian Five Poker table - near the medi-gel dispensers

And

I’ll be sure to wipe the leaderboards for medals.”

"You're well informed about our traditions. I'll let the volus know I accept your offer. I'm in Shalta Ward and I'll meet you there for a final rundown of the equipment manifest before departure in 8 hours. Be Ready."

"Always."


§§§ Blowtorch and Corkscrew is a mission where you role play as 3 Batarian Hegemony Soldiers each of a different talent class and an unknown quantity to the Batarians, a Drell Biotic Assassin.
The goal of this mission is about brutality and using destructive methods to overcome your adversaries. Your mission is to engage in shocking battles of violence to gain control of two key locations on Earth.
Send a message to any traitorous humans that if the Alliance won’t keep them in check, the Batarians certainly will. §§§