User blog:Pepoluan/Chapter 11 of "Explanations and Excuses" is Up!

For new readers: Explanations and Excuses is a series of interactions between Shepard and The Illusive Man, where the latter slowly — but surely — wins Shepard over to the cause of Cerberus.

To go to Chapter 11 directly, click here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6313361/11/

To start at Chapter 1, click here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6313361/

Author's Notes

 * Yes, I re-imagined Shepard-Samara interaction about her loyalty mission. That's the only way this chapter will work :)


 * The story about Samara's past I extrapolate-speculated from the Shadow Broker's dossier on Samara.


 * Next chapter: um, most likely after Reaper IFF, probably after the crew's abduction, and possibly after Legion's loyalty mission.


 * Finally, leave me a review at FFnet, pleeeeeease :D ... I need that review-count boost :)
 * If you are registered with FFnet, please login before reviewing; I like to respond personally to your reviews :)
 * If you are not registered with FFnet, please append (MEwiki) behind your reviewer's name

Responses to Reviewers
@anonymous (2010-10-11):
 * In the canon sources, there has been no clear-cut explanations on what the N7 actually did. The Systems Alliance Marines in my opinion is more than powerful enough to fight merc groups when needed. So, the presence of the "N" group is highly suspect; for what I know, it *might* be the replacement for Cerberus (who *was* SA's black ops group before their splintering).
 * Governments don't officially perform kidnappings. But they do happen. Case in point: CIA's recently exposed "jail network".
 * Yes, Cerberus *did* assassinations. So does the governments of the current Earth. And nobody said that the SA didn't.
 * Yes, neither Gillian nor Jack were willing participants. Where did I write that they are?
 * As to the Thanix Cannon: It is not the weapon per se that is dangerous, but the fact that it comes from Sovereign. The 'indoctrination' mechanism at the moment of ME2 is not known; that is why the turians are playing with fire. In the novel Mass Effect: Retribution, Cerberus is the one who finds out that 'indoctrination' is performed by nanites (nanotech machines). Who can say that Sovereign's weapon does not contain such nanites?

@RakeeshJ4 (2010-10-08):
 * Of course it is 'specious'. This story is about The Illusive Man explicitly defending Cerberus by explaining the reasons for their actions; no doubt TIM will give the 'selective' truth to Shepard.
 * At the time of the Akuze incident, Shepard couldn't be higher in rank than a Major; definitely not high enough to request an inquiry on an incident.
 * Finally, it is the intent of the story to explain Cerberus as a 'necessary evil'. It was never meant to be a narration on ME2 events with the gradual revelation of that 'necessary evil' aspect; rather, it was an 'in-your-face' declaration of Cerberus as such. So, your comment "which is why it doesn't work very well" is misguided, I must say.

@Inverness (2010-10-08):
 * Yup, the genophage was released by the turians. Nevertheless, Mordin fully owned to that weapon during his loyalty mission ;)

@t3HPrO (2010-10-08):
 * You really should read the Shadow Broker's dossier on The Illusive Man ;)

Feel free to leave a comment below :)