You've killed an asari mercenary named Dahlia Dantius. According to a datapad found on Dahlia's body, her sister Nassana is a diplomat on the Citadel. Dahlia was evidently blackmailing Nassana by threatening to reveal her own existence and ruin Nassana's career. Nassana will want to hear the news that her sister is dead.
Alternative journal entry:
You've received a cryptic message from Nassana Dantius, an asari ambassador on the Citadel. She wants to meet with you in person.
Alternative journal entry:
While on Noveria you found something interesting in Tartakovsky's personal log files. He mentioned increased mercenary activity in the Artemis Tau cluster, specifically in the Macedon system.
Acquisition
This assignment can be obtained in three different ways.
- You come across a mercenary base on Sharjila in the Macedon system, storming it and getting the assignment from a terminal in the upper level. This can be done at any point after acquiring the SSV Normandy, at the conclusion of Citadel: Expose Saren. The assignment will be then labeled as UNC: Asari Diplomacy.
- After completing a main plot world and leaving the system, Shepard will receive a communiqué from Nassana Dantius upon entering a new star system. Go back to the Embassy Lounge on the Presidium and speak with her for details. The assignment may then be labeled as Asari Diplomacy, without the UNC: prefix.
- Alternatively, you can get information on the mercenaries from Yaroslev Tartakovsky's log on Noveria, while you're busy with Noveria: Matriarch Benezia. Hack a terminal (easy decryption) at Peak 15 upstairs in a corner of the cafeteria (where you first encounter the rachni). Note, however, that this will only be present if you haven't acquired the assignment from alternate sources yet. This assignment is then initially labeled as Mercenaries in the journal.
Preparation
Attempting this mission at low level will result in a long difficult war of attrition. You'll be better off saving this one until level 30 or higher, at which point whichever squad configuration you prefer should serve you well.
Walkthrough
As the circumstances in which you obtain this assignment varies, so will the ordering of your knowledge of events be affected. If you have already dealt with the mercs, skip to Dealing with Nassana. Otherwise, continue reading as normal.
Nassana will tell you that a group of mercenaries attacked a freighter where her sister was a crew member. However they since kidnapped her for ransom money, as their family is prestigious and well-known. Nassana says that she paid the ransom to the required account but that her sister was not released. As she is an important ambassador, by Citadel law, Nassana should have reported the situation to C-Sec. She explains that if her actions were discovered, she would lose everything. Having already found the mercenary location by tracking the ransom money she had paid, she asks for Shepard's help. Head to Sharjila to rescue Dahlia.
Dealing with the Pirates
Upon landing on Sharjila, you will notice that it is a pressure hazard, so plan to limit your time outside the Mako or have at least one party member wear Devlon Industries armor. The stronghold is directly north of the Mako's landing site, and heavily defended. In four towers are Pirate Snipers and on the ground are a further five Pirates, including a krogan, and another Sniper. Deal with the krogan and the snipers first, preferably staying inside the Mako while snipers are about to avoid getting one-shotted by their Assassination ability, then switch to the regular grunt pirates. When they are all down, head into the stronghold.
- Warning: Keep an eye on the Level 1 Hazard bar if you're fighting outside the Mako; Pirates can take a long time to kill so it's easy to lose track.
- If you insist on fighting outside the Mako, you can skirt the perimeter and try to take out the snipers first. The cliffs are probably the best approach as you can duck back for cover against the snipers. If a Sniper Rifle is not available (your followers will typically not engage at that distance with their sniper rifles), a Pistol with the Marksman skill can be a fairly decent alternative. If you are unable to kill the snipers, try special ammunition to help knock them off their platforms to reduce their line of sight, allowing you to approach the camp from more directions and with more cover against the snipers. Another way to knock snipers off their platforms is to rush the camp with the Mako and just drive into or sideswipe the platforms, then flee and return on foot later (although you may inadvertently kill a pirate this way and thereby get reduced XP). Also, some pirates can be drawn out of the camp, allowing for divide-and-conquer attrition. Retreating far enough from the camp allows you to save the game, so if necessary you can divide your on-foot assault into phases.
Once inside, it is recommended that you save your game because there are a further seven Pirates, another two Snipers, one on the main floor, and a second on the upper floor catwalk, and their leader, the Asari Slaver. The wall directly in front of the door will provide some good cover, so use it. There is another krogan pirate in the main room as well, and like all krogan, can regenerate unless killed in the air. This battle can be tough especially if you let any of the pirates get behind you, so don't let that happen. The cover in front of the door is the best spot if you can hold it, but don't be afraid to backpedal into the entry room if you need to. If some enemies take cover hear opposite the entry door, there is a fuel tank that you can use to either severely wound, if not kill them. Using the Overload ability works great as it amplifies the explosion.
Generally the pirates will not rush the door. Therefore, to avoid an unnecessarily long battle of attrition, have your team wait in the entry room. Rush in but not too far, then back out. Each time you do, it should draw one or two pirates to a closer and more vulnerable position instead of one where they can easily retreat and wait for their health and shields to fully recharge. If necessary, lead them back into the entry room where the rest of your team can help kill it quickly with combined fire. Once the number of pirates has been thinned, it will be safer to advance deeper into the room.
Sometimes the Asari Slaver, doesn't come down from the second floor right way, neither does the other sniper, but they will come down eventually. Just keep your cool and focus on taking out the enemies as quickly as possible. Once they are all down, there are some crates around that you can grab. There is a medical kit on top of one of the crates near the door, you'll have to mount another crate to get it, an upgrade kit about mid-way along the right wall, and three crates and a medical station in the room on the ground floor.
When you get to the second floor, the only loot is in the room. Inside are a Hardened Storage Locker, a Hardened Wall Safe, and a malfunctioning object. There is also a desk in the upper room, investigate it to learn that Nassana deceived you, the Asari Slaver is actually her sister! With the evidence in hand, leave and return to the Citadel to confront Nassana with the evidence.
Dealing with Nassana
When you get back to the Citadel, meet with Nassana again to confront her with the evidence, or tell her about her sister's fate. With Charm or Intimidate you can get her to grant you access to 'prototype asari mods' in addition to your payment. To acquire these new mods, you can purchase the Armali Council License from Commander Rentola in Virmire: Landing Zone.
- Choosing "I've got a better deal." (requires Charm skill level 3) allows you to buy the Armali License. You do not get Morality points for this option.
- Choosing "Don't bother." gets you 2 Paragon points and XP, but no Armali License.
- Choosing "Fair enough." gets you no Morality points or license, just the base XP and credit reward.
- Choosing "It better be." gets you 2 Renegade points and XP, but no Armali License.
- Choosing "Credits won't cut it." (requires Intimidate skill level 4) allows you to buy the Armali License. You do not get Morality points for this option.
Note: it is possible to kill Dahlia without speaking to Nassana first. Doing so will result in a different conversation with Nassana afterward: she will lament not being able to manipulate Shepard as she had originally planned, but she will reward the Commander anyway.
Mass Effect 2 Consequences
During Thane's recruitment mission, Shepard will remember how Nassana manipulated them into killing her sister while speaking with Seryna. After the squad fights their way through Nassana's guards and confronts her in the penthouse, she will say that Shepard is now finishing the job that was started with her sister, and now Shepard is here for her.
Enemies
- Pirate
- Pirate Sniper
- Asari Slaver (Dahlia Dantius)