Cerberus
Mass Effect 2
Immediately following the First Contact War, an anonymous extranet manifesto warned that an alien attempt at human genocide was inevitable. The manifesto called for an army -- a Cerberus to guard against invasion through the Charon relay.
Derided as "survivalist rhetoric written by an illusive man," the manifesto and its anonymous author soon fell off the media radar. But in 2165, terrorists stole antimatter from the SSV Geneva; the sole figure arrested named his sponsor "Cerberus." Throughout the 2160s and 2170s, alleged Cerberus agents assassinated politicians, sabotaged starships bearing eezo, and conducted nightmarish experiments on aliens and humans. Denounced as human-supremacist, Cerberus calls itself human-survivalist.
Counterterror experts speculate Cerberus may have changed leadership with its recent shift to stockpiling ships, agents, and weapons. Whether "he," "she," or "they," the Illusive Man hides his finances behind shell companies. Few doubt he will kill anyone attempting to expose him.
Mass Effect 3
In recent years, the pro-human syndicate known as Cerberus has seen its influence grow galaxy-wide. The largely untraceable organization now includes private intelligence agencies, biotics laboratories, research facilities, and the lucrative corporations that provide a front for it all.
Cerberus's charismatic leader, known only as the Illusive Man, drives the organization's philosophy and interests. The level of secrecy he maintains puts professional intelligence agencies to shame.
As Cerberus grows, so too does public distrust of the organization. Some commentators have remarked that Cerberus is not so much pro-human as it is antialien. Others question the blind loyalty of its employees.
Adjutant
Omega Reclaimed: Omega's Secrets
"Adjutant" is the Cerberus codename for the experimental subjects created at a secret facility beyond the Omega-4 relay. The creatures are based on Reaper technology, and the adjutants encountered on Omega have the ability to infect any life-form to create a new adjutant.
Adjutants are deadly pack hunters. They initially remain hidden, observing potential victims and distracting them with subtle whispers. When they select a target, adjutants ambush them with charged projectiles that create a violently unstable mass effect field that causes severe disorientation and renders the target helpless. Enhanced muscle tissue gives adjutants the ability to leap surprising distances, allowing them to close in and infect their target quickly.
The baseline form of the being does not match any known species. Xenobiologists suspect that Reapers may have originally created and implemented the virus several cycles before the Prothean extinction and that it still carries genetic traces of its original host. If this is true, then like the Collectors, adjutants are a glimpse into the distant past at a species whose very existence -- and struggle against the Reapers -- has long been forgotten.
Atlas
With the Atlas, Cerberus's research arm has combined the deadly armor and firepower of a YMIR mech with the tactical superiority of a trained human pilot. An element zero core allows the Atlas to be air-dropped onto a battlefield with minimal impact damage. Its thick armor includes a robust transparent canopy made from a polycrystalline composite proprietary to Cerberus. Alliance engineers hypothesize that the material is some kind of synthetic sapphire composed with interlayers to resist cracking and thermal damage.
Although the Atlas is somewhat unwieldy in the field, its antipersonnel machine guns and ability to shrug off damage from anything short of a heavy weapon makes it a fearsome opponent. Heavy loss of life is to be expected in any unprepared encounter with this unit.
Centurion
Centurions are Cerberus's front-line tacticians. They are meant to enact the Illusive Man's strategic goals, although it is clear that they have leeway to adapt as an encounter develops.
The only useful intelligence that the Alliance has gathered on centurions relates to their armament. Each centurion carries an M-96 Mattock heavy rifle modified to launch smoke grenades, leaving enemies vulnerable to crossfire.
Cerberus Occupation of Omega
Omega Reclaimed: Omega's Secrets
The Illusive Man's plan to capture Omega was elegantly wrought. Experimental specimens called adjutants "escaped" from a Cerberus facility beyond the Omega-4 mass relay, took command of a Cerberus convoy, and arrived on Omega to wreak havoc. With more adjutants incoming, Cerberus reached out to Aria T'Loak, claiming it needed her help to stop its wayward test subjects. Reluctantly offering her own forces in an alliance, Aria joined Cerberus's General Oleg Petrovsky aboard his ship to oversee the battle. When the adjutants overran the Cerberus-Omega fleet, Petrovsky and Aria escaped through the Omega-4 relay.
However, Petrovsky's subordinate Colonel Raymond Ashe had remained behind on Omega to take control of the station's defenses while Cerberus reinforcements approached. Announcing that it was protecting the galaxy from the adjutant threat, Cerberus seized Omega, giving the Illusive Man full control of the Omega-4 relay and the space beyond. Without Aria to keep them in line, the various criminal and mercenary factions on the station erupted, fighting both Cerberus ground troops and each other.
Meanwhile, Aria was taken captive by General Petrovsky. Realizing that the adjutants had simply been a ruse to capture Omega, Aria managed to escape back to Omega, slipping away into its underbelly to organize a resistance force.
Eventually, Petrovsky ordered the Cerberus forces to evacuate the station, but this was yet another ruse -- this time to lure Aria out of hiding. With his troops out of harm's way, Petrovsky summoned a massive Cerberus fleet and presented Aria with an ultimatum: leave Omega or lose it. Petrovsky threatened to destroy the station rather than lose control, and with no alternative, Aria left, vowing she would return to claim Omega and take her revenge.
Engineer
Cerberus combat engineers are specialized support units that assist primary forces while staying out of the line of fire. They wear lighter armor than the typical Cerberus combatant, using a modified mesh that allows greater mobility. Under cover and out of sight, engineers focus on setting up and maintaining turrets as well as repairing mechanical units or armored allies. When confronted, they return fire only for as long as it takes them to find cover again and let front-line combat personnel take over.
Although engineers are not particularly dangerous on their own, the Alliance specifically warns troops to remain alert for turrets, which can mow down an entire squad while the engineer escapes.
General Oleg Petrovsky
Omega Reclaimed: Omega's Secrets
Military strategist and classical scholar General Oleg Petrovsky is one of the Illusive Man's most respected operatives. As a corporal in the First Contact War, Petrovsky was forced to take command of his unit and proved his tactical brilliance by holding off repeated turian attacks for weeks. The war ended before his position was overrun but not before Petrovsky had witnessed firsthand the brutality of the turian war machine.
Despite being praised and promoted for his bravery, Petrovsky eventually found more common ground with Cerberus than the Alliance military. Since leading the campaign to seize Omega, Petrovsky has proven to be a capable if firm administrator who is focused on containing or eliminating "unstable elements" before they threaten Cerberus's occupation of the station.
Guardian
Guardians, the Cerberus equivalent of human tanks, are slow-moving soldiers who carry enormous polycrystalline-composite shields. The weight of the shield requires an armored suit equipped with hydraulic assists and a dedicated power supply. Combining this exceptional protection with a suite of enviro-mapping systems, guardians focus on flanking opponents to flush them from cover.
A Guardian's slow but relentless approach is intended to demoralize enemies as well as draw their fire, but rip away their shield, and guardians become little more than cannon fodder.
The Illusive Man
Mass Effect 2
The reclusive tycoon calling himself the Illusive Man is a human nationalist focused on advancing human interests, whatever the cost to non-humans. The Citadel Council regards him as a fanatic posing a serious threat to galactic security.
A mysterious maverick to say the least, the Illusive Man heads the Cerberus network. Dubbed "the illusive empire" by investigators, Cerberus is an allegedly untraceable syndicate of private intelligence agencies, biotics laboratories, engineering and scientific research teams, and lucrative front companies.
Branded a terrorist and seditionist organization by authorities, Cerberus is the only human power base other than the Terra Firma Party strong enough to embarrass -- if not threaten -- the Council and its human representatives.
Mass Effect 3
The Illusive Man is a human loyalist focused on advancing the interests of his species, whatever the cost to non-humans and reportedly humans. The Citadel Council regards him as a fanatic who poses a serious threat to galactic security.
The reclusive tycoon is the head of Cerberus, an organization that furthers his pro-human agenda throughout the galaxy. His views have led him into questionable alliances. Recent rumors go so far as to suggest that the Illusive Man may even have allied with the Reapers.
Nemesis
The nemesis is a Cerberus sniper specialist. Customized implants allow the nemesis to withstand the crippling kickback of the M-98 Widow antimateriel [sic] rifle, turning a redoubtable opponent into a force capable of inflicting instant death. A suite of high-tech scanning equipment makes the sniper adept at maintaining cover, meaning a nemesis is usually spotted only after opening fire--assuming the target survives the first round.
Because of self-destruct mechanisms that activate upon the sniper's death, the Alliance has never retrieved an example of nemesis augmentation technology. This fact, combined with Cerberus forces' penchant for suicide when faced with capture, has made scientific study of their implants impossible.
Phantom
Phantoms are agile Cerberus agents with a wide array of offensive and defensive capabilities, including particular specialization in evasive maneuvers and firing from cover. Although intelligence on their implants still evades the Alliance, phantoms are known to be able to create a personal barrier for greater protection.
Monomolecular blades and biotic shielding allow phantoms to engage in close-quarters combat, and phantoms can briefly cloak in order to recover from injuries. Because of this ability, the Alliance recommends personal confirmation of a phantom's death.
Rampart Mech
Omega Reclaimed: Omega's Secrets
Though its initial invasion of Omega was successful, Cerberus was soon faced with the problem of controlling the station's large and often lawless population. An initial solution was to establish detainment areas bordered with impassable force fields, believed to be sheets of plasma suspended in a magnetic field. As Cerberus tightened its control of the station, units that could pass freely through the force fields to police the populace became necessary, leading Cerberus engineers to recover LOKI security mechs from the remaining Eclipse mercenary chapters. When upgraded with Cerberus's proprietary mini-fabrication technology, shielding recovered from Omega's element zero processing plants, and additional ablative armor, the result was the Rampart mech, a flexible combat unit designed for control and intimidation of Omega's inhabitants.
Rampart mechs can seek out targets or troublemakers anywhere on Omega, even lower industrial areas where radiation can be intense. It is fitted with infrasound and scent markers that are "fight or flight" triggers for several species and are intended to subdue or disperse a crowd. When necessary, Rampart mechs can channel all available power into generating a high-intensity shield that defends against hacking or biotic attacks and weapons fire, protecting the Rampart until reinforcements arrive. For combat, most Rampart mechs are equipped with a standard issue shotgun; if damaged beyond repair, the Rampart mech destroys the shotgun's aluminum-alloy heat-dispersal sinks, coating any nearby assailants in red-hot residue that burns through armor.
In extreme situations, the Rampart mech overclocks into a "hunter-killer" mode, diverting power from its unique shields to single-mindedly destroy its target. In this mode, the Rampart mech moves faster, attacking with a flash-forged omni-blade that targets unprotected nerve clusters and immobilizes the luckless target. The Rampart also channels excess heat through the dispersal sinks, visibly burning off material to create an intimidating display as it advances.
Shadow Broker Dossier
Rogue agency for "advancement of humanity" founded in 2157. Active in both Citadel and Terminus Space. Strong human supremacist overtones. Classified as a terrorist threat by both the Systems Alliance and Citadel Council.
The loss of credits due to the Illusive Man's direct interference in recovery of Commander Shepard's body has been offset by data gathered from the Lazarus Project. Withhold retaliation until Shepard's long-term functionality is confirmed (one year post-resurrection).
Activity Highlights
Activity Highlights (for more extensive list of shell companies, see "Cerberus Economic Structure, Vol. 1-4")
2157 - Manifesto published
2160 - Facility on Pragia constructed.
2161 - Subject Zero born, CDR Holdings purchased, Terra Nova Commonwealth Bank purchased.
2162 - Infiltration of human media begins, specializing in extrasolar news: Constant Times; Scott Examiner; nascent Galactic Broadcasting Corporation.
2163 - Project DOORWAY makes forgery of Council-standard medicards and identitags possible, allowing agents unrestricted movement.
2164 - Scott Examiner destroys credibility of Vera Safin, front-runner for Prime Minister of Systems Alliance. Leak to Galactic Broadcasting Corporation stopped by agents in place.
2165 - Operatives steal antimatter from the SSV Geneva. Assignment goes wrong, but discipline holds and squad fights to the death. Sole survivor divulges little but names his sponsor "Cerberus." Recruitment increases, but stringent standards slow growth.
2166 - Haribon Military Industries purchased on Terra Nova. Legitimate arms contract to colonial forces; models without serial numbers produced for export to crime syndicates in batarian space, Terminus Systems.
2167 - Cerberus agents among humans recruited into Global Maritime Justice organization on Trident.
2168 - Assassination of 22 salarian crime syndicate members on Trident leads to takeover of narcotics trade. Reprisals bloody but tolerable. Milky Way Foundation created to funnel money. New Dawn Pharmaceuticals purchased to begin project TRAPDOOR.
2169 - TRAPDOOR experiments on asari captives with omega-enkaphalin to measure disruption of biotic powers. Estimate 2.5 mg active ingredient for each 25 kg of body weight; under 7.5 mg dose optimal to avoid detection by taste or smell; 3-5 Citadel standard days onset period; powers return in 2-5 Cit-stan days after last dose taken; permanent damage possible.
2170 - Nanosurgery on Subject Zero successful: omega-enkaphalin fails to work on appropriate receptors. Program begun to instill other Cerberus operatives with resistance to "O-E."
2171 - Pope Clement XVI assassinated via rosary beads coated with sodium nonacetate and dimethyl sulfoxide. Death attributed to age and heart failure. Replacement, Pope Leo XIV, has eschatological beliefs in-line with militarizing humanity; forgiving attitude to salarians re: genophage proves useful for strategic alliances against turians.
2173 - Inez Simmons resigns as head of Terra Firma party; front-runner Claude Mennau [sic] assassinated; Charles Serracino [sic] much more tractable.
2174 - Radium placed inside office chair of Systems Alliance parliamentarian Artyom Gavrikov. Gavrikov's death attributed to cancer. Emergency election much cheaper to manipulate than normal process. Cerberus-backed candidate loses; winning candidate approached, found susceptible to bribes.
2175 - Michael Moser Lang approached by operatives in militia community -- insider information given for stock buy to provide him with funding. Contact severed, but electronic surveillance remains. Lang purchases armaments. --Influx of humans into Trident political scene leads to renaming of capital with human name - New Cousteau.
2176 - Electronic surveillance removed from Lang's home. Lang kills Enrique Aguilar and Ying Xiong. Resulting approval bump for Vice President Belknap allows passage of financial reform bill allowing for increased loopholes in colony-based shell companies. Fighting among Vice-Premiers a bonus, as Lin Yi alienates Politburo Standing Committee and his chances of election to the Systems Alliance Parliament are dashed.
2177 - Successful acquisition of Light Shadow Pictures' proprietary "RealityPlus" video editing machine. Capacity to forge photorealistic video is now unsurpassed.
2181 - Matriarch Tilia Eraza targeted with omega-enkaphalin. Claims of biotic superiority to non-biotics deflated once her powers fail. Voice in citizen legislature considerably diminished.
2181 - Military arm creates posts on planet Binthu.
2182 - MSV Anixara sabotaged. Catalyst added to metastable metallic hydrogen fuel by timer injection. Ship breaks apart during FTL, all hands aboard lost, turian Hierarchy hawk Raherix Ursivus killed in the process. Explosion attributed to faulty engineering.
- Admiral Kahoku begins investigation of suspected Cerberus activities.
(see Competition Details for more recent activity)
Illusive Man Profile
Illusive Man Profile:
Cigarettes smoked today: 4
Drinks consumed today: 7
Daily skyball score: 160/0 (fifth consecutive perfect game)
Suit Worn Today:
- Giuli Vorn
- Light linen blend, 2200 thread count
- Single-button closure, besom chest pocket, five interior pockets, four-button cuffs, side vents
- Built-in protection from close-range weapons fire
- Plum
Sexual liaisons (past week):
- Sani Shelani, Illium Entertainment's Sexiest Human Alive
- Brooke Karrigar, Skyball Champion
- Vela Vicious, Fornax Dream Girl for 2185
- Staci and Stephi Strong, the "Terra Firma Twins"
- Matriarch Trellani (twice)
Messages sent today to:
- Citadel
- Illium
- Omega
- Earth
- Horizon
- Eden Prime
- Thessia
- Palavan [sic]
- Tuchanka
- Migrant Fleet
Trooper
Assault troopers are the backbone of Cerberus forces. Those candidates who make it through the grueling basic training are submitted to an intensive psychological program that renders them fearless, disciplined, and unrelenting. Outfitted with custom-designed armor and rifles, these soldiers function with determined precision and practiced teamwork.
The first to rush into a fight, assault troopers often work in tandem with more powerful units. They make strategic use of this scenario, keeping their opponents occupied until it is too late to react to the combined Cerberus force bearing down on them.