Cerberus

'Cerberus' is the codename for a black ops organization that was formerly part of the Alliance military but which has now gone rogue. Cerberus has conducted horrific experiments intended to create a super soldier, including experiments on rachni and Thorian Creepers. They have several secret research sites, with three on Binthu. Cerberus personnel include commandos, mercenaries, and research technicians. They are mostly human but have hired salarians, for instance at Nepheron. Some of their operatives are biotics.

The PC version of Mass Effect adds equipment produced by the Cerberus Skunkworks.

Mass Effect
Cerberus is responsible for conducting several dangerous experiments. They lured thresher maws to the marines stationed on Akuze, resulting in the notorious massacre, capturing a survivor named Corporal Toombs for tests. They accidentally unleashed rachni on Listening Posts Alpha and Theta when their experimental subjects - shipped from Noveria - escaped from Depot Sigma-23. Cerberus also deliberately destroyed a settlement on Chasca by turning the colonial pioneer team there into Husks.

There is also some indication that Cerberus protects its bases from being found by hacking the Alliance database. Information on at least two of their known planets in the astronomical database is described as "surprisingly sparse", and may have been edited by Cerberus agents to discourage casual explorers.

Things came to a head when Commander Shepard, investigating the disappearance of a group of marines under Rear Admiral Kahoku, found that Cerberus had lured them to a thresher maw nest using a distress beacon (similar to the 'experiment' they allegedly conducted on Akuze). After being informed of their death, Kahoku bought information from the Shadow Broker and sent Shepard to track Cerberus down. Shepard's team went to Binthu to take out Cerberus' research bases, but not before Cerberus had Kahoku killed. Shepard then headed to Nepheron to launch an assault on Cerberus' main base.

Little is known about Cerberus aside from their brutal experimental methods, and their ultimate goal and command structure are a mystery. However, Shepard does find the journal of a scientist called Elena Flores on Depot Sigma-23 which records the progress of the rachni experiments there. Her log ends with a recommendation given to a 'General', but Flores never addresses this individual other than by rank.

Assignments involving Cerberus include:


 * UNC: Missing Marines
 * UNC: Dead Scientists
 * UNC: Cerberus
 * UNC: Hades' Dogs
 * Investigate Samples → UNC: Colony of Dead
 * UNC: Listening Post Theta → UNC: Depot Sigma-23

Cerberus Forces
Cerberus bases are usually guarded by the following forces:


 * Cerberus Commandos. Highly trained shock troops armed with assault rifles or pistols.
 * Cerberus Snipers. Often found indoors, these snipers find cover and hit you with Assassination.
 * Cerberus Anti-Tanks. These units are on patrol outside the base and are armed with rocket launchers, which - fitting with their name - they tend to use against the Mako.
 * Research Technicians. The technicians are normally biotics; though unarmored, they use powerful Throw attacks.

The bases also contain whatever dangerous experimental subjects Cerberus is currently working on, which includes rachni (soldiers and workers) and Thorian Creepers.

Mass Effect: Ascension
Cerberus plays a key role in the events of Mass Effect: Ascension. It is revealed that Cerberus is led by a mysterious figure known only as the Illusive Man, it's goal was revealed to be the ascension of humanity over all of the other species. Unlike the Alliance, which is restricted by the laws of the Council, the Illusive Man is prepared to take any action, no matter how heinous, to achieve his goal, believing history will vindicate him. For now, Cerberus has to work behind the scenes. Its primary cover is the starship manufacturer Cord-Hislop Aerospace. Cerberus has operatives across the Alliance, often in high-ranking positions, giving the Illusive Man constant updates and feeding him information that would otherwise be classified.

It is also revealed that Cerberus is responsible for several acts of sabotage and at least one assassination. In 2170, Cerberus engineered the Eldfell-Ashland Energy accident over Yandoa with Paul Grayson as intermediary, and implicitly two other accidents starting four months before that in two other colonies. The death of Claude Menneau in 2173 was also at the order of the Illusive Man.

In Mass Effect: Ascension, Cerberus focuses it's attention on two separate projects. The first is human biotics, and they have infiltrated the Ascension Project to take advantage of the Alliance's biotic research. The key test subject is Gillian Grayson, Paul Grayson's daughter, whom Cerberus are feeding specialized medication to turn her into 'humanity's saviour'... or a deadly weapon. The second area of interest is the quarian Migrant Fleet, which the Illusive Man sees as a threat, given that the Fleet is the largest single armada in the galaxy. Also, as creators of the geth, the quarians have suddenly become of much greater interest in light of the recent attack on the Citadel. To this end, the Illusive Man has contacted a quarian exile, Golo, to gain the Flotilla's transmission codes.

However, Pel decided to betray Cerberus, planning on selling Gillian and her tutor Hendel Mitra to the Collectors. Grayson killed him but also decided to abandon Cerberus, realizing that they would use his daughter as a weapon.

Mass Effect 2
The plot summary for Mass Effect 2 states that Shepard will have to work with Cerberus to stop a terrifying threat to the galaxy. One of the locations in Mass Effect 2 is also a major Cerberus station in the Horse Head Nebula. The Cerberus insignia features prominently on the official site and in promotional materials and can be seen on the clothing of Miranda Lawson and Jacob Taylor, though their exact relation to Cerberus is not yet known.

Organization
Cerberus has operatives all over Citadel space and the Terminus Systems, regularly reporting to the Illusive Man. Their operatives tend to act alone, based on Hendel Mitra's personal experience. If an operative is captured, Cerberus might attempt a rescue or declare him/her expendable.

However, Cerberus has no knowledge of what goes on in uncharted systems and the Migrant Fleet, thus rendering the Illusive Man blind in those areas.

Known Cerberus Operatives

 * The Illusive Man
 * Paul Grayson (formerly)
 * Pel (formerly)
 * Dr. Jiro Toshiwa

Trivia

 * The name "Cerberus" comes from Greek mythology, where Cerberus is the three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades.
 * The teaser site for Mass Effect 2 seems to be owned by Cerberus.