Jacob Taylor

Jacob was born in 2157 and eventually joined the Alliance military. Originally Jacob was part of an Alliance-sponsored group called the Corsairs, a program that contracted independent starship captains to handle missions that fell outside of official Alliance jurisdiction, giving the Alliance plausible deniability. Jacob eventually left the Corsairs and was assigned to Eden Prime, and was present for the geth attack that nearly destroyed the colony. After Eden Prime, and later the attack on the Citadel, Jacob became disillusioned with the ineffectual bureaucracy of the politicians and quit the Alliance. Later that year, after the events of Mass Effect Galaxy, Jacob enlisted with Cerberus for a chance to serve humanity without too much to hold him back, although he remains cautious of some of the organisation's more ruthless measures. Shortly after the destruction of the first Normandy, Miranda hired Jacob as her 'lieutenant' in the Lazarus Cell, whose titular Lazarus Project was tasked with resurrecting Commander Shepard. Over the next two years, while work on Shepard continues, Jacob was technically in charge of security on the Lazarus Research Station. At this time it is implied he and Miranda had some form of relationship, although it didn't work out; Jacob claims he wasn't the right person for Miranda, though they remained effective colleagues.

In 2185, when the Lazarus Project neared completion, project scientist Wilson betrayed the organization and hacked the security mechs to attack the station's staff. During the firefight Shepard was awoken earlier than scheduled, and met Jacob fighting a group of LOKI mechs. Jacob joined Shepard, and together they managed to escape. Of the original members of the first Lazarus Cell, Jacob and Miranda were the only survivors. On the Illusive Man's orders, Jacob accompanied Shepard on a mission to Freedom's Progress, which had recently gone silent. With Miranda's help, they discovered the Collectors were behind the mass abductions.

After this mission's completion, Jacob becomes a member of the second Lazarus Cell aboard the Normandy SR-2 where he serves as the Armory Officer, charged with maintaining and stockpiling the team's weapons. During missions he is a calm and collected voice of reason, often siding with Shepard's decisions and trying to defuse conflicts.

If Jacob survives after the assault against the Collectors, Jacob began to see Cerberus for what it really was and left the organization. He turned down formal reinstatement into the Alliance marine corps, feeling his past with Cerberus disqualified him from their company. Instead, Taylor became a consultant, advising the Alliance on Cerberus tactics and defenses. He also participates in missions that target the Illusive Man's holdings.