A down-on-his-luck lieutenant claims to know Shepard's mother and asks for money.
Acquisition[]
This assignment is only available if Commander Shepard has the Spacer background, and one of the core missions has been completed. While walking through the Wards Access corridor on the Citadel, Shepard is addressed by name as "that Shepard kid" by an older man standing nearby. Talking to him and finishing the initial conversation activates the assignment.
Walkthrough[]
The man introduces himself as Lieutenant Zabaleta and claims to know Shepard's mother. He then asks you for 20 credits because he's down on his luck—he's staying on the Citadel because he can't afford a ticket home. You can give him the money, lie that you don't have some, or refuse outright. Morality points are available depending on action taken.
Zabaleta remains loitering around the corridor whatever you decide. Call the SSV Kilimanjaro (to which Hannah Shepard is currently assigned) from the Normandy's comm room to confirm Zabaleta's story. Shepard's mother explains Zabaleta is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because he was at Mindoir, and says he should go to the Veterans' Affairs Office to get help.
Returning to Zabaleta, the lieutenant asks for credits again, for whiskey to stop the dreams. You can give him the money, set him up with an account at a grocery store to stop him from drinking, or simply refuse again. You can also try to send Zabaleta to the VAO, but it takes 4 Charm or 5 Intimidate to convince him to go. This time, Zabaleta goes away from the location for good whatever the outcome.
Note: This assignment cannot be completed if it is initiated after finishing your final plot world. The Normandy cannot be boarded during the lockdown to use the comm to speak to your mother, and the Citadel cannot be boarded once you leave. If you have enabled the console, you can complete this assignment through use of the "at" command which can be used to teleport onto the Normandy allowing use of the comm room. Teleport back onto the Citadel right away afterward since attempting to access the galaxy map or doing anything else aboard the Normandy can cause a game crash.
Trivia[]
- This assignment was written by Chris L'Etoile. The title of this assignment is a reference to the poem "The Solitary Reaper" by William Wordsworth.