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Aria's Advisor (Mass Effect SI)

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Off the top of my head:

Asari Blackmail: Thessia Prothean Beacon in the Temple of Athame.
Turian Blackmail: Continent-Killer Bomb on Tuchanka
Salarian Blackmail: Remodifying the genophage (not really a MAJOR threat)
 
AllisterH said:
Blackmailing the turians with the bomb isn't going to work I think

At this point in time, the turians don't need the krogans and the krogans certainly haven't shown any signs of having "grown up" so at worst, he'll be more interested in figuring out how a human knows about the bomb...The krogans can't really DO anything.

It also assumes Sparatus actually knows about it....Not a certainity. The turians will point out that "it is insurance" and given that the turians have never used it even with Tuchanka being home of the Blood pack, it isn't a threat to the krogans

Same thing with the genophage modification. All that he can hang over Valern's head is that the STG is working on modifying the genophage since the krogans were adapting to it. Given that the only reason the rebellions stopped WAS because of the genophage and you never hear about krogans being sorry fort he war, why would the other councillors and the OTHER non-council races have a problem with it? The turians aren't going to complain and the krogans again can't do shit about it and again it assumes that Valern actually knows about it.

Keep in mind that the councillors are NOT the heads of their governments. Probably hgihly influential but ME3 clearly shows that both Valern and Sparatus answer to their leaders.

It has to be the beacon since the other two councillors would see it as something blatantly hypocritical unlike the bomb/genophage, Tevos knows about it and apparently, Tevos herself being a matriarch _IS_ one of the governing members of their fractured leadership.
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Well reasoned, but that's not the only stuff I have against them. Carrot in one hand, stick in the other, remember. And besides, the Bomb and the Modification are big enough piss-offs that I could theoretically use to enrage the Krogan.

And not just the ones on Tuchanka. The Genophage has limited the Krogan growth, and their numbers are smaller, true, but I'd be getting every. Last. One. of them well and truly enraged. Which also pulls along the entire Blood Pack, because of the massive amounts of Krogan involved in their upper leadership.

Think of it this way: the blackmail is individual words. Anybody can use words, and most people can make a decent story out of a few hundred thousand words, but once in a while comes a person who can string along a masterpiece out of only a few thousand.

Aria is one of those people. I am not, but I am close enough for my purposes, though sadly only in the Mass Effect universe with all of my out-of-universe knowledge.
 
Yeah, figured the Tuchanka bomb and the genophage modification project are how he would claim to be able to restart to Krogan Rebellions. The bit about restarting the Geth War, though... I'm not sure what info he'd use to pull that off.
 
Those two points (plus any others he brings up) are however enough to demonstrate he knows a lot of crap no one should. Even if the Geth part is a bluff, it's a damned good one in the face of all that.

That said, this plan is bold as hell. One wrong move and he's going to have assassins on his ass (good ones if not outright specters), or a fuck-ton of political enemies you really have no way of opposing.
 
Mercsenary said:
Hmm I cant think of anything about the restarting the 'Geth war'

but for the Krogans...

just tell the Krogans there's a giant ass bomb on their planet that can crack it. Shepard did have to help defuse the thing right?
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He knows what Rael's up to.
 
Aleh said:
He knows what Rael's up to.
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Only a piece of the puzzle, but you're looking in the right direction. It's a lot simpler than you think though.
Parley said:
I have to wonder where things are going from here. Regardless of whether or not this scheme works, the protagonist is going to be in an interesting situation here. From the look of things, he's attempting to come into power through any means necessary. That being said, from the title alone I have to assume he's either going to defer some of this power to aria or give her the reigns and stay away from the spotlight.

I can't see Aria reacting too well at this. One of her subordinates is going through a fairly insane plan, even if it's out of nowhere and impossibly works. This could be seen as some sort of usurption of power pretty easily at first, and it's always going to be in the back of her mind regardless. I can't see her working with someone like this unless she sits him down (probably at the end of something lethal) and gets him to tell her what the hell is happening. Now.

Even then, well.. she's some sort of criminal overlord. They don't take wild cards well.
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Oh yes, Aria's going to be demanding some answers very shortly, but in the mean time, she's smart enough to play along, pretend most of it was her idea, then extract every ounce of information I have, willing or not. Whether she approves immediately after hearing my explanation is... dependent on chance.

Maybe.
 
Heh.

Yes.

And that's not the only thing I know.

Just imagine what fun I'm going to have once I get an army that follows my will.

Or once I convince Aria to let Grizz smash a few things with asteroids. That'll get rid of a few enemies. Furthermore, I approve of this option because unlike death-lasers, colony-dropping asteroids or moons is perfectly within canon.
 
Indoctrination? Oh, hell no!

That shit didn't work for the Illusive Man, and I'm not nearly Genre-Blind enough to fall for the same trap he did.

No, I'm going to use the more complex, hard to develop version of indoctrination, one that doesn't rely on brainwashing my army and thus losing some of their effectiveness, most commonly known as Loyalty.
 
Reece said:
Hm, a risky way of doing things, one wrong move and that loyalty can become hatred, be wary my friend...
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Heh.

Not to sound arrogant, but I have a way around that, which isn't a bullshit God-Mod-Sue trick or Author-Avatar BS. I have a legit method of having a completely loyal army.
 
1 -Go to the Geth,
2- Give then the means to be recognized as a nation
3- ???
4- Profit!!!

Alternatively

1-Go to Quarians
2-Tell the truth about the morning war
3-Make them realize they are still exiles due to politics
4-Watch the fireworks
5-???
6-Profit!!!
 
ryuan said:
1 -Go to the Geth,
2- Give then the means to be recognized as a nation
3- ???
4- Profit!!!

Alternatively

1-Go to Quarians
2-Tell the truth about the morning war
3-Make them realize they are still exiles due to politics
4-Watch the fireworks
5-???
6-Profit!!!
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I'd rather not destroy two species before the Reapers arrive. I'm going to need their stuff when the War kicks off. Very important, because I'm not nearly confidant enough to think we can fight the Reapers alone.

EDIT: Besides, while I wish I could achieve the impossible, the damn Council are so damn stupid that getting the Council to approve of the Geth as a nation/race with rights would take something crazy, something as massive as an intergalatic menace that's hellbent on wiping us all out.

Wait... I think I'm on to something here.
Reece said:
...this is one of those really obvious things that I'm not getting isn't it?
Money?
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It's not obvious, just beyond the veil of most people's sight.
 
Ways I can come up for getting Loyalty

1) Provide a common enemy(Council, reaper,)
2) Provide something rare (freedom, safety,etc)
3) Supply something useful (money, drugs)
4) Have a paragon of something ( Joan of Arc)
5) Get another loyal nation to follow your advice
6) Have your own (pseudo)nation.
7) Take control of someone else's nation


After this I have nothing.
 
evillevi said:
Ways I can come up for getting Loyalty

1) Provide a common enemy(Council, reaper,)
2) Provide something rare (freedom, safety,etc)
3) Supply something useful (money, drugs)
4) Have a paragon of something ( Joan of Arc)
5) Get another loyal nation to follow your advice
6) Have your own (pseudo)nation.
7) Take control of someone else's nation


After this I have nothing.
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So close, but it's simpler than that. Just a little bit farther, and you'll grasp why.
 
I don't know if I should chuckle at your cliffhanger/tease or cry at the "so close yet so far"

At any rate here is number
8) Gain loyal followers through (pseudo) religion [Jesus walk on water, you can see the future]
9) Find someone with loyal soldiers, engineers, pilots, and whatever you need while setting up a system to have them relay(?) your orders
 
Better, but... nope.

Besides, I'd rather not rely on religion, it's not always reliable.

You're looking for reasons to go past the natural urge to be suspicious. You're looking for reasons for the army to trust me, past the 'better judgement' of suspicion.
 
Just after the prologue? This is a month (or so) after the first game. Shepard's dead by this point. Humanity has a Councilor.
 
SoftRogue said:
I have an odd question...

How long did it take before Humanity actually gained their seat on the Council?

I was just wondering, since this is taking place just after the prologue of the first game; I would think that whoever was chosen to be the Ambassador would be present for such high level talks.
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Ouch. That is a plot-hole, as there should be the human councilor, even if its just 'this is the dangerous Asari that runs Omega'.
 
Was wondering when you guys'd spot that.

No, it's not a plot-hole. It'll get explained in the next snip, if you guys don't guess why before I post it.

EDIT: Yes, the Councilor is Anderson. Shepard isn't stupid.
 
SoftRogue said:
I was just wondering, since this is taking place just after the prologue of the first game; I would think that whoever was chosen to be the Ambassador would be present for such high level talks.
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Second game, IIRC. This is taking place shortly after Shepard gets spaced.
Xeno Major said:
No, it's not a plot-hole. It'll get explained in the next snip, if you guys don't guess why before I post it.

EDIT: Yes, the Councilor is Anderson. Shepard isn't stupid.
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And I'm gonna figure that Anderson isn't attending this meeting because he's probably highly involved in planning Shepard's funeral.
Xeno Major said:
I have a legit method of having a completely loyal army.
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My guess: you're gonna give Aria the identity and location of the Shadow Broker.
 
SoftRogue said:
Either that or Anderson might be on Earth/Arcturus Station taking care of the bureaucratic paperwork he needs to leave active service in the SA and to take over his new position as Ambassador.
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Still nope. Anderson's on the Citadel.
Pyrion said:
Second game, IIRC. This is taking place shortly after Shepard gets spaced.
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Yup. Two weeks, or thereabouts.
Pyrion said:
And I'm gonna figure that Anderson isn't attending this meeting because he's probably highly involved in planning Shepard's funeral.
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No, the crew of the Normandy demanded that honor. It's helping Wrex and the others deal with her death, via friendly arguing about honoring her to the best of their traditions, equally (in theory).

Tali, for example, wanted a memorial plaque over the place where Shepard had the biggest contribution, i.e. the Presidium Tower. For many reasons (even the painfully obvious ones) this was denied.

The Alliance wanted to conduct a smaller, private ceremony specifically for the Alliance, to keep it home, so to speak, but Anderson and Shep's squadmates put a stop to that.

Garrus wanted a full military ceremony, the one for honoring the deaths of Primarchs, but again, for many reasons, this was denied.

Liara wanted Shepard's memorial inside the most prestigious museum on the Citadel, because "History should remember Shepard as one of the bravest heroes of our time." Unfortunately, this was denied.

Wrex wanted a wake/bar night, with the traditional boasting of Shepard's deeds in battle, rounded off by a fighting tournament that ended with the victor bowing down before Shepard's guns and armor to admit that he would have lost to Shepard (If the bastard snubs the armor, it's one of the greatest insults in Krogan culture, and usually ends with everyone at the wake crushing the heretic into the fucking curb).

Needless to say, that last one... didn't quite go over so well with the Council.
 
The only things I can come up involves them demanding from proof you can't really give them.
 
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