Mass Effect: Redemption

Mass Effect: Redemption is a four-issue comic series, written by BioWare Lead Writer Mac Walters, scripted by John Jackson Miller, and drawn by Omar Francia. It was announced on July 21, 2009, and the first issue was released on January 6, 2010. The first issue is also available to those who order the Mass Effect 2 Collector's Edition.

The story takes readers through the events leading up to Mass Effect 2. "The narrative in Mass Effect: Redemption picks up just as Commander Shepard disappears and is left without the support of the crew on the Normandy in the lawless Terminus Systems. Shepard must fight for survival, and will be assisted by close companion, Dr. Liara T'Soni, to come home alive." The events that follow will expose readers to new locations, aliens and extended storyline in the Mass Effect universe. The cover for Issue #2 features a new and soon-to-be-revealed salarian character, while the picture of a drell character is featured on the cover of issue #3. 

The first seven pages of Redemption #1 were released online on October 2009.

Issue 1
Two turian brothers and a batarian, heading towards Omega, are discussing their asari passenger, and comment it's been a month since the destruction of the Normandy and the disappearance of Commander Shepard. When their passenger, revealed to be Liara, asks if they're close to the station, they refuse to let her leave and suggestively demand additional "...docking fees". Disgusted, she refuses and uses her biotics to incapacitate them. Liara then docks the ship herself, telling the landing staff that her visit is both business and personal, and that she has "someone to meet".

Later, in the Afterlife Club on Omega, Liara is speaking with an elcor patron about Shepard's whereabouts, only to be told they have not seen "...anyone like that here--nor have I been looking". The two are commenting on a news broadcast that reports the Citadel is still under reconstruction when they are interrupted by a mysterious hooded figure, who is revealed to be a drell. Liara recognizes him as her contact, and asks for information on Shepard. The drell agrees to inform her, but only once they are outside.

The drell, named Feron, tells Liara that Shepard's body had been recovered in a stasis pod, and is "neither dead nor alive". Liara refuses to believe Feron until she sees Shepard for herself. Before they leave, Blue Suns Mercenaries attack them, and the krogan leader of the group tells them that the Shadow Broker wants to know why Liara is looking for a dead person. An unknown sniper then kills many of the mercenaries while Liara and Feron escape.

While escaping, they run into Miranda and two Cerberus operatives, who tells them they have the same goal (looking for Shepard) and want to work with Liara. Feron tells Liara about Cerberus's human-centric agenda, but Liara insists that as long as they share the common goal of saving Shepard, it should be all right.

Miranda brings Liara to the Illusive Man, who tells Liara that the Collectors want the corpse, and have hired the Shadow Broker to give it to them. The Illusive Man wants Liara to find out why the Collectors want Shepard's body, and to get it before they do. Liara wonders why he chose her, and the Illusive Man tells her that "nothing beats someone with a personal motive driving them". Liara does not trust Cerberus or the Illusive Man, but tells him that Shepard can count on her.

The last page shows a high-ranking Collector conversing with the Shadow Broker, upset at the Shadow Broker's delay in shipment of Shepard's body. The Shadow Broker reminds the Collector that he is the only one who can get Shepard's body, and that he always gets results. The Collector's eyes then go gray.

Issue 2
This issue begins with Miranda interrupting Liara's flashback of the destruction of the Normandy, and tells Liara that a mercenary group called the Blue Suns had been the ones who attacked her and Feron earlier. They find out that the body must still be on Omega since Cerberus would have found out if someone had left with it. Miranda suggests that Liara needs Feron's help to find Shepard and leaves the pair in an unknown area on Omega. Liara immediately hits Feron with a biotic attack saying that she knows he has been working for the Shadow Broker and accuses him of selling her out to the Blue Suns. Feron replies that he has worked for the Shadow Broker in the past, taking odd jobs from him, and admits to having been told to lead any friends of Shepard astray (of course no one had told him about the merc group). The Drell suggests finding the dead body on her own, but Liara protests stating that since she had paid him, and that even though they were doing a job for Cerberus, helping her also gives him a chance to redeem himself (and redeem herself as well for being so helpless to save Shepard in the first place).

The pair then return to the AfterLife club to meet the illustrious Queen of Omega: Aria T'loak, since no one knows this station better than she. After Liara pelts a rude Batarian and Volus, Feron blackmails one of Aria's guards to let them see her. Aria is at first reluctant to give the two any information until Liara tells her that the Collectors are the ones interested in finding Shepard; since the Queen did not know this piece of information she tells them that the deal is going down in the lower levels of Omega, in an old mining plant. Liara and Feron arrive at their destination only to find a large group of Blue Suns Mercenaries along with an unfamiliar ship docking near them. Feron starts to shake up once a salarian named Tazzik exits the mysterious ship to talk with one of the mercs. Taz is apparently the Shadow Broker's one and only hit man who is called in rarely when the Shadow Broker really wants something or someone taken care of (he is the man to go to for results and usually he gets them, as stated by Feron). The salarian and a krogan merc stand in front of what appears to be a case holding Shepard's corpse. Liara flares up her biotics upon realizing that Shepard is so close by, but the Drell states that it is too risky. Mistaking his attitude for cowardice she tells him that he will not run now that she has come so close to finding the Commander. Liara is afraid that Feron will switch sides and vows not to let him out of her sight incase he is given a better offer. Feron brushes her off and suggests that they use one of the old defense guns to gun down Taz's ship so that they may not escape; Liara agrees. Unfortunately Feron misses his target, hitting some cargo behind the ship instead. The mercs shoot in their direction while Liara moves forward to take out a few men, heading towards Tazzik himself. Taz then shoots a heavy weapon (perhaps a grenade launcher) at Liara but Feron pushes her out of the way at the last moment. Liara angrily shoves the Drell off of her only to watch helplessly as Taz's ship leaves Omega, presumably with Shepard's body inside.