Mass Effect: Project IBEX

Jack Harper, better known as "The Illusive Man" had a problem. More like several if he was being truthful, something rare in his line of work. A particular human spectre had absconded with the most advanced ship in the galaxy, paid for by his dime of course, and then the bitch had the nerve to poach his most talented agents! It was outrageous!

His fist slammed down into the arm of his chair, the quivering of the other hand breaking one of his very expensive nicotine sticks. What he wouldn't give to go back and put a control chip in that ginger bitch's brain. Properly controlled, her and her crew would have been an amazing asset for Cerberus. Not to mention the other assets most of the female crew aboard Shepard's ship boasted. Lawson alone had been blue balling him for years, strutting around in her armored catsuit and cock teasing almost every Cerberus agent.

As he reached down to his chair arm fumbling for a new smoke, he noticed a flash indicating an incoming communication from one of the experimental cells. A singular brow raised as he recognized the symbol as the IBEX unit, an experimental unit with 3 goals; merging synthetic and organic life in a controllable way, organizing a way to communicate and negotiate with the Reapers, and lastly mastering the new frontier of science known as reality tunneling.

As Jack schooled his features into something approaching his usual calm neutrality he tapped the chair button. A hologram sprang to life of a shy young redheaded woman nervously punching information into a datapad. For a moment he appreciated the way the lab coat fell across the curves of the young scientist. The rest of her uniform hugged her rather bottom heavy figure in quite an alluring way, and the unfastened high collar of the standard top left a rather tantalizing view of her cleavage.

Giving her a moment to notice the call had been answered, and by extension giving himself time to hide the results of his oggling, he eventually cleared his throat to gain her attention. The startled squeak was almost enough to make Jack smile, almost. "What have you got to report Dr. Byrne."

"Well sir, I have excellent news on almost all fronts!" Chirped Dr. Sarah Byrne after taking a moment to compose herself. "The Reality tunneling division is reporting stable worm hole development and should soon with any luck be capable of initiating extra-reality first contact."

Wide eyed and surprised Jack answered " Very good Byrne, what else have you got for me?"

"Well sir, contact with the Reaper Harbinger has been established. It states that the motivation of the 'Harvest' as they call it is to prevent synthetic life from destroying organic life by forcibly merging the two."

"Interesting, go on." Jack murmured, sneaking salacious glances and snapping photos with his augmented eyes.

"We have them seemingly convinced that we are of the same mind, pursuing a sort of apotheosis with synthetic life. We have struck a deal that should synthesis be achieved by at least half the galaxy then the harvests will stop." Sarah explained while pacing gently, clearly a bit nervous around THE Illusive Man.

Jack let out a sigh of exasperation. "And I'm assuming that would be the 'almost' from your first statement."

At this the young doctor ceased pacing and managed to lock eyes for a few moments with him. "Not quite sir, Harbinger was even kind enough to submit blueprints and data on how to make lower grade synthesis. As of this moment we are unsure how safe the technology is, but preliminary simulations show it would leave the subject with an outward intelligence just barely above that of a husk while also causing a sort of 'locked in syndrome' to the subject, leaving them significantly reduced and easy to mold and control mentally."

Harper's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. A solution to almost all of his problems right here in front of him and all he had to do was convince this girl that it was good enough, that surely they could reverse it eventually. Then Jack got a rather wicked idea. "Bring the data and yourself to the Chronus station, pack for an extended stay. We will be increasing funding to your department to figure this out."

She looked excited, poor thing. "Of course sir. I will make my way there as quickly as I can."

With that the call was cut and Jack began schemeing. Yes, more funding was in order. And Cerberus was about to have a new type of product to launch. He could even employ this on Shepard and her crew, sweet sweet vengeance while also letting the good commander save the galaxy. She would just do so in a way that she never would have conceived of.