Helena Blake, a high-ranking member of a criminal cartel, has asked you to eliminate two of her unpleasant compatriots. Their bases are located in the Han and Dis systems. After eliminating them, meet Ms. Blake in the Fortuna system for a reward.
Alternative journal entry:
C-Sec is investigating a woman by the name of Helena Blake. They seem to think she is involved in some major criminal activities.
Acquisition[]
Once Shepard becomes a Spectre this assignment can be obtained in one of two ways.
- Find Helena Blake near the Emporium in the Financial District of the Presidium. She will call the Commander over to talk.
- A Person of Interest, the first name given to this assignment in your journal, can be acquired by decrypting a computer console in the C-Sec academy (in the office next door to Chellick). Note, however, that this will require you to have at least Decryption Rank 9 (Hard Decryption). The terminal report reads as follows:
“PERSON OF INTEREST
C-Sec is investigating a woman named Helena Blake. There's no hard evidence against her, but if these reports are correct, she's a powerful criminal element on the Citadel. She was last seen near the Emporium on the Presidium.”
Preparation[]
You'll face a wide variety of mercenaries on this assignment, including krogan. A mixed squad will probably work best, and you can adjust your squad for each planet if desired. There's a fairly high mix of snipers, so armor mods that provide additional shielding or damage protection make sense for surviving their one-shot attempts.
Because almost all of these enemies can regenerate and use Immunity on higher difficulties, it may be best to save this assignment until you have reached about level 30 to face them with better equipment and more powerful abilities. At least one opponent can use Neural Shock on Shepard—thankfully, not often—but expect to fall to the ground at least once while someone shoots at you.
In terms of squadmates, ones who take and do a lot of damage really quickly, like Wrex or Ashley, are useful here. Weapon mods that prevent regeneration and increase damage work here. It may also be a good idea to bring a sniper because while a tank can distract the enemies, a sniper can pick off enemies from a distance.
Walkthrough[]
Assignment Briefing[]
When spoken to, Helena Blake explains that she is a high ranking member of a criminal cartel and wants two crime bosses and their operations eliminated. They're red sand dealers who trade any defaulting customers to batarians as slaves, a business practice of which Blake disapproves. Once they're dead she will manage their organization "more tastefully".
Regardless of whether you accept her offer or not, Blake will give you the coordinates to her partners' bases. Morality points are available depending on your behavior.
Note: If you already acquired the assignment from Blake herself, the alternative assignment acquisition terminal at the C-Sec office becomes inaccessible, which means the loss of a few experience points. To maximize gains at this time, acquire the assignment by decrypting the terminal first, then speaking to Blake for those morality points.
The unnamed crime bosses are located on two different planets. One is on the planet Mavigon of the Han system in the Gemini Sigma cluster. The other is on Klensal of the Dis system in the Hades Gamma cluster. You can hit them in any order you like.
Mavigon Base[]
The base on Mavigon is located on a high cliff in the southeast corner of the map. The base itself is defended by three heavy turrets. Take these down at a distance, or lower their health and then take them out on foot for more exp. Remember that Mavigon is a Level 2 Cold Hazard (incorrectly labeled Level 1 in the original version of Mass Effect) so be careful when exiting the Mako and watch the bar in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Get yourself or someone in your squad to wear Devlon Industries armor to at least slow down the cold if you'll spend substantial amounts of time on foot. Enter the base once you've dealt with the turrets.
The base is a science station layout so the entryway is clear. Swap out your anti-hazard armor for something more protective if you were wearing it, as you may be in for a moderately challenging fight. There's only one medical kit in the antechamber, note it if you need to come back and refill later, and if you want save here before proceeding. The main room holds 5 regular mercs, 2 Snipers, and the Crime Boss. Usually, the first ones coming at you are a couple of krogan mercenaries so hold your squad back until they have been dealt with.
Caution: On higher difficulty levels the snipers can one-shot you so keep an eye out for them and especially their red laser sighting beams. The Crime Bosses possess a nasty collection of tech abilities including Damping which can shut down your squad's tech and biotic abilities temporarily, and Neural Shock which can instantly ragdoll you or an ally, leaving you easy prey for the snipers or krogan.
There is plenty of cover around so use it to your advantage and eliminate the enemies; you can often lure a few mercenaries at a time back to the enclosed area near the entrance of the main room. The crime boss has a habit of hunkering down behind the bunker wall defense structure at the other end of the room so you may have to move around in order to get to him. Once they are all down you will receive a congratulatory message.
There are no lootables in the main battleground except a medical kit in the northwest pillar, going by map orientation. The rest of the valuables are all in the rooms to the south. The room on the right (west) is a storage area and holds a technician kit, malfunctioning object, a secure crate (average decryption) and two more medical kits. The left (east) room is the gang's living quarters and contains a wetware kit with biotic amps and a medical station (easy decryption). Once you have collected your reward head back out and return to the SSV Normandy to take out the next base.
Klensal Base[]
The base on Klensal is located near the center of the map near a platinum deposit. The exterior of the base is defended by 3 regular mercs and 3 snipers, two of which are in towers above the battlefield. Kill them first, then focus on the other mercs. Once you have taken them all out move into the base.
This base here is a mine so move down the entrance tunnel and onto the first landing. The base itself has the same amount of mercs as the base on Mavigon: 2 snipers, 5 regular mercs, and the Crime Boss. The center of the mine as usual has crates all around it, but no containment cells. Take cover near the entrance to avoid being flanked. Just watch your right.
Dealing with all enemies is required. As with the Mavigon base, a short message pop-up appears when the last guy falls, and with that, time to get looting.
From the entrance to the main battleground, there's a medical kit atop the crates (you may have to climb over to reach it). Before the entrance to the north and east tunnels on the far side of the room is an upgrade kit below the huge stack of crates. The north tunnel is blocked by a drill, so there isn't anything for you. The east one, however, holds two regular weapon lockers and a secure one, requiring basic and average decryption respectively. There is also an aid station (+2 medigel) and a fire containment cell. Once everything is in hand, head out and back to the Normandy for the final part of this mission.
Note: The crime boss can sometimes spawn inside the rear wall near the two lower tunnel entrances. Singularity will successfully pull him out of the wall, and though he may remain unanimated, you can kill him and complete the mission.
Amaranthine Base[]
Once the bases are cleared, head to the planet Amaranthine in the Fortuna system in the Horse Head Nebula to find Blake.
The base itself is in a crater at the south of map, and has no exterior defenses. It's the usual two-story type facility. Once you enter the base and open the antechamber door, Blake will be standing there. She will thank you and assure you that the gang will now restrict itself to gambling and smuggling illegal technology, crimes that aren't worth your trouble.
If you accept Helena Blake's reward, it results in you being escorted out of the facility and the door locked behind you. If you attempt to arrest her, she and her mercenaries will attack you. Otherwise, with a high Charm (10+) or Intimidate (7+) score, you can convince Blake to disband her gang permanently. You can still explore the base to look and loot around in this case. Unlike on certain other uncharted bases, firing weapons inside the facility won't turn people hostile, and they become unable to be directly targeted. If you chose one of the disbanding options then tell Blake you are going to arrest her, you can get the morality points and still get to kill everyone.
If you choose to attack, a purple barrier will erect preventing you from shooting her immediately and block your access to the interior until you shoot it out. The defenses are basically the same here as the other two bases: a krogan merc, three human mercs, two salarian snipers, and Blake herself. Use the cover just ahead of the door to take out all the mercs.
There's an ion containment cell in the open space near the stairs to the second floor, and the krogan mercenary initially stands next to it. With enemies roaming around you can conceivably deal toxic damage to them when you blow it up with them nearby. When the last enemy dies, a dialogue box appears:
“Helena Blake lies on the floor, bleeding from her wounds. She looks to you with a wry, respectful smile, and opens her mouth to speak... but only blood comes out. A moment later, she's gone.
Your work here is done.”
As usual, there will be plenty of loot in the compound. The main room only has a medical kit and an upgrade kit behind the crates at the end, but if you go up the stairs to the walkway above you'll find a secure weapons locker (average decryption) and a room at the end with a technician's kit, an aid station and a hardened wall safe (hard decryption).
Mass Effect 2 Consequences[]
If you didn't kill Helena Blake and her gang, she can be found in the lower level of Afterlife Club on Omega. If you persuaded her to disband her gang, she is now a social worker and will thank you. If not, she mentions she merged her gang with Aria T'Loak's organization.
Enemies[]
- Alliance Heavy Turret
- Crime Boss
- Helena Blake (Optional)
- Mercenary - krogan, turian, and human
- Mercenary Sniper
Trivia[]
- The Amaranthine base uses the same main area layout as the Sharjila base in UNC: Asari Diplomacy and the Xawin base in UNC: Privateers.