Throughout the Reaper War, you have the opportunity to help others in need with simple side missions that you take on by overhearing certain conversations.
Many of these lead to improvements to existing War Assets or may even result in you receiving new ones. Others are about providing closure to those who are seeking word regarding loved ones.
Almost every mission provides a boost to your overall Reputation, with some providing Paragon or Renegade points.
Many of these side missions are very profitable. Rare artifacts retrieved for people seeking them provide 15,000 credits for each item turned in, save for one mission that provides 20,000 credits.
This totals out to 185,000 credits earned without even firing a shot!
These missions become available at certain points in the story, but many of them may not be completed until later in the game, as more star systems open up for exploration.
As there are so many of these side assignments, it can be easy to forget about them, especially during the course of Priority missions or the larger side missions.
Use this chapter to learn each location you must explore to complete all hub missions. These are organized in the order in which you receive each of these missions.
Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Palaven”
Location: Citadel Embassies
You overhear a volus ambassador talking about a Prothean obelisk that he wants to provide to the Alliance for work on the Crucible, saying it is currently located in the Shrike Abyssal.
Travel to that cluster, enter the Urla Rast system, and scan the planet Talis Fia to locate the artifact. Inform the ambassador that you located the obelisk during your next visit to the Citadel. This artifact nets you 20000 credits.
Citadel: Alien Medi-Gel Formula
Availability: Act 1, during “N7: Cerberus Lab”
Location: Cerberus Lab and Huerta Memorial Hospital
Your first N7 mission in Sigurd’s Cradle sends the team to a Cerberus lab. During your exploration of the small facility, look for a Failed Medi-Gel Experiment and collect it.
The purpose may not be immediately clear, but return to the Citadel and look for Dr. Ravin at Huerta Memorial Hospital. She could use these findings.
Apien Crest: Banner of the First Regiment
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: The Citadel, Purgatory
Visiting Purgatory, look for a group of turians gathered in one corner of the club. One will lament the loss of the banner of the First Regiment and will indicate that you can find it in the Apien Crest cluster, in the Castellus system.
Travel there in the Normandy and scan planet Digeris to locate the banner; then report back to the turians. This artifact is worth 15000 credits
Aria: Blood Pack
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: The Citadel, Purgatory
See Aria T’Loak in Purgatory after she sends an invitation. Her business proposal is to unite three merc groups under one banner: hers. Meet with Narl in the Presidium Commons apartments.
The batarian wants Shepard to pretend he’s been captured to gain the Blood Pack leader’s trust. Your response to this can give you Paragon or Renegade points.
Once the Blood Pack shows up, a sudden change of leadership leaves Aria with a willing and pliable leader to manipulate the mercs into fighting for her, and you.
Aria: Blue Suns
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: The Citadel, Purgatory
The Blue Suns will require a bit more work to coerce. See Darner Vosque near Cargo Hold A in the Docks: Holding Area.
According to him, a turian general by the name of Oraka is meddling with his pirate raids and will not throw in his support until he’s dealt with. Your responses earn you reputation points.
Aria suggests she can handle the situation discreetly if Shepard can’t. Go see Oraka in the Presidium Commons.
Oraka is not willing to give up on harassing the Blue Suns, as they are attacking Citadel weapon shipments.
You’re given a choice to call in the hit on him for Renegade points, or find the means for securing weapons through a black market arms dealer.
Within the Commons, a salarian clerk near Aeghor Munitions named Kannik is your weapons dealer. His “good” merchandise isn’t open to credits, but rare artifacts are acceptable.
Travel to the Kite’s Nest cluster, and go to the planet Vana of the Vular system. Scan the world for the artifacts, then report back to Kannik. Kannik will offer his goods to Oraka.
Go back to Oraka with the good news, and he will lay off the Blue Suns, gaining Aria another army.
Aria: Eclipse
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: The Citadel, Purgatory
Commander Bailey of C-Sec has been fighting the release of Eclipse leader Jona Sedaris, and Aria wants you to convince him to allow it.
Meet with him in the Citadel Embassies, and the ensuing conversation can earn you Paragon or Renegade points. He will direct you to the C-Sec office in the Presidium Commons to give you a chance to speak with her.
Sedaris threatens extreme retribution on all of Eclipse’s enemies and tries to badger you into allowing her release. You can invoke Spectre authority over Bailey and allow for her release, or you can find another solution.
During your chat with Sedaris, she mentions her lackey, Seyn, being too weak-willed to betray her and take the organization for himself.
Find the salarian in the Docks: Holding Area, near where you met Darner Vosque. Present him with the idea of taking Eclipse for himself, either by letting her rot in jail or killing her after release.
After brief consideration, he decides that following Aria would be a step up from Jona Sedaris. With this, all three major merc organizations of the galaxy are Aria’s to command and become a powerful War Asset for the cause.
Benning: Evidence
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: The Citadel Embassies
Ambassador Dominic Osoba is seeking information on the whereabouts of his son, an Alliance soldier who did not return from his mission to the planet Benning. Other soldiers who knew him refuse to give a straight answer.
During the N7 Cerberus Abduction mission that appears later in the game, you are sent to Benning to deal with the Cerberus presence there.
Check carefully in the area you are first directed to; you will find the Dog Tags belonging to your ambassador’s son, but little else. Bring back the sad news as soon as possible.
Citadel: Barla Von
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Presidium Commons
Find Liara near the cafe in the Commons. After a short conversation, she will direct you to a volus named Barla Von over at the bank.
He knows of a mercenary outfit stranded in enemy territory, offering their services and monetary reward for rescuing them. Once you have access to the Krogan DMZ, travel there and enter the Dranek system.
Scan the planet Rothla to recover the mercs. Return to Von to finish the mission.
Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Huerta Memorial Hospital
An asari at Huerta Memorial is trying to contact Grissom Academy for information on biotic amps but is unable to get through.
Specialist Traynor aboard the Normandy will eventually pass along information that necessitates a visit to the academy.
After the fighting that ensues and you’re exiting the facility, keep an eye open for a computer console with Biotic Amp Schematics. Report back to the asari.
Make sure to report back to her before completing the Genophage Campaign, as she leaves afterward, making it impossible to complete the mission.
Citadel: Hanar Diplomats
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Citadel Embassies
Jondum Bau, a salarian Spectre, e-mails Shepard regarding a potential issue on the Citadel regarding hanar diplomats, one of whom may be indoctrinated by the Reapers.
Meet with him near Commander Bailey’s office for a full update on the situation.
He asks that you go to the Spectre Requisitions office to use your authority to locate any information on the hanar from terminals on the Citadel.
The first terminal is located within the Embassy proper.
The second terminal is located in the entrance to the Docks: Holding Area, and the third is located farther back in the area, near Bay E28.
You are prompted to go back to the second terminal; from there, you gain the last bit of intel you need. Return to Jondum Bau in the Embassies to confront the hanar.
In the ensuing confrontation, your conversation choices can grant you Paragon or Renegade points.
The hanar admits their true allegiance to the Reapers and claims to have uploaded a virus to his homeworld’s defensive network. Jondum tries to stop the upload but is waylaid by a bodyguard.
Shepard will automatically run to a computer to stop the virus, while the bodyguard mortally wounds Jondum. However, a Renegade interrupt will allow you to go back and save Jondum...at the cost of millions of lives on the hanar homeworld.
Saving Jondum grants you a Spectre team War Asset; saving the homeworld provides you a combined force of hanar and drell as a War Asset.
Shepards from Mass Effect 2 who recruited the super-thief Kasumi and completed her Loyalty mission are able to get both War Assets, as Kasumi makes a return here if she survived the final mission.
She stops the upload while you save the Spectre.
Citadel: Heating Units
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Presidium Commons
A salarian near the C-Sec office in the Presidium Commons worriedly discusses with a family on a colony that a clutch of eggs may not be receiving proper warmth, but apparently the hardware needed is not available on the open market.
Locate heating units on the N7 Noveria missions in the lower base area, directly across from the security console that you need to deactivate.
Citadel: Improved Power Grid
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Purgatory
A human woman in front of Purgatory mentions her concerns about the failing power grid that helps keep the club in operation.
She says there’s not a solution on the market to handle the increased power draw of the facility.
The solution for this is on Tuchanka, of all places, found during the N7 Cerberus attack mission. Don’t miss the Old Grid Schematics in the control room for the ground-to-space artillery cannons.
After you locate the schematics, report back to the woman in front of the club. Return before completing the Genophage campaign, as she will leave afterward.
Irune: Book of Plenix
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Presidium Commons
A volus near the Presidium Commons wants to find the Book of Plenix to remind his people to be charitable during this time of crisis.
You may not have access to planet Irune immediately, but as soon as the Aethon Cluster opens up for exploration, travel there and scan Irune in the Aru system to locate the book.
Retrieving this artifact is worth another 15,000 credits.
Ismar Frontier: Prototype Components
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Huerta Memorial Hospital
A salarian doctor in the hospital room across from where your injured comrade is staying seeks a prototype to help his people to fight better against the Reaper onslaught, but the needed components are in the Ismar Frontier.
As soon as the system is available, travel there and scan the planet Metaponto for the components. Be sure to get the components to the doctor as quickly as possible.
After the mission to cure the genophage on Tuchanka, he will not be in the hospital, preventing you from completing the quest.
Kite’s Nest: Pillars of Strength
Location: Docks—Holding Area
A batarian prophet wants to give his people the strength to pull through the loss of their homeworld to the Reaper invasion, but he needs the Pillars of Strength to provide that inspiration.
Travel to the Kite’s Nest cluster, the Harsa system. The planet Khar’Shan hides the pillars; just scan the world for them. Your generosity to the prophet is rewarded with 15000 credits.
Citadel: GX12 Thermal Pipe
Availability: Act 1, available as of “Priority: Sur’Kesh”
Location: Normandy—Engineering Deck
Engineer Adams may have raised concerns about the possibility of the Normandy’s drive core venting into the engineering compartment in the event of an overloaded heat dissipation system.
He will eventually request parts from the Citadel to help prevent this. You can buy the part directly from a shop on the Citadel, or you can actually requisition it from the shuttle bay on the Normandy.
It will take time for Adams to finish the installation, so check back with him to wrap up the quest.
Citadel: Krogan Dying Message
Availability: Act 1, started during “Attican Traverse: The Rachni”
Location: Presidium Commons
While investigating a missing krogan squad during “Attican Travers: The Rachni,” you may find a corpse of a krogan warrior who has left a final message to an asari named Ereba.
You can find her working at a shop in the Presidium Commons. It’s worth sticking around to listen to the krogan’s final words to her.
Citadel: Cerberus Automated Turret Schematics
Availability: Act 1, started during “Tuchanka: Bomb”
Location: Presidium Commons
During a side mission to Tuchanka in support of turians attempting to defuse a massive bomb, Cerberus abandons a set of Turret Control Schematics.
After Shepard and C-Sec repel the Cerberus coup attempt on the Citadel, several turrets left behind by the terrorists have C-Sec in fits trying to prevent them from activating and gunning down civilians who happen upon them.
To help solve that issue, hand an officer at the Presidium Commons the schematics you’ve found.
Athena Nebula: Hesperia-Period Statue
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
An asari in the Commons wants a statue from a particular period to assist with developing the Crucible. She can be found near the elevator entrance.
The statue itself can be found on the planet Polissa, in the Vernio system of the Athena Nebula. You’ll receive 15000 credits for your trouble.
Citadel: Asari Widow
Availability: Act 2, found during “Lesuss: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery”
Location: Presidium Commons
During the side mission to the Ardat-Yakshi monastery, you will come across a dead asari commando. Inspecting her PDA will play her final message to her lover on the Citadel.
You can find the widow of this commando at the Presidium Commons on the Citadel, to the north-east of Apollo’s Cafe, to give her the bad news.
Citadel: Batarian Codes
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
Officer Noles, near the C-Sec office in the Commons, is tracking down a hacker using old batarian access codes from when that race had an embassy on the Citadel.
Head to the Spectre facility at the Embassies, and enable tracking of batarian access codes.
You find the first compromised console inside Huerta Memorial Hospital.
The second is located near the Normandy dock entrance, close to where you met Diana Allers.
The last console is located in the Docks: Holding area next to Bay E28. As soon as you access it, a batarian appears behind Shepard, a gun in hand.
This operative is apparently the highest-ranking military official of the entire Batarian Hegemony, and he places the fall of his empire and the loss of so many batarian lives on the shoulders of the Spectre.
Depending on your conversational choices, you can either talk the man down and earn the support of the remaining batarian forces as War Assets, or you can kill him.
However, to be able to convince him successfully, you will need a high enough Paragon or Renegade score; otherwise you will be forced to kill him.
Citadel: Cerberus Ciphers
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Citadel Embassies
In the wake of the Cerberus coup attempt, a turian C-Sec officer can be found near Donnel Udina’s office, saying that he needs Cerberus ciphers to defeat their encryption in the future should they strike again.
You will not have a chance to actually get the needed ciphers until the N7 Communication Hub mission later in the game. During that op, check for a console marked with Cerberus Codes, and return them quickly to the C-Sec officer.
Citadel: Cerberus Retribution
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
Near the C-Sec station in the Commons, you overhear a couple discussing the fate of a traitorous C-Sec officer who betrayed his comrades to Cerberus during the coup; apparently, they set up a hit on the man.
Go to the C-Sec station and confront the assassin, a former Alliance captain.
You can attempt to talk him out of his assassination, but Shepards with high enough Paragon or Renegade scores can either pull rank on the man to get him to back off, or they can use their Spectre authority to let the hit happen “legally.”
Citadel: Cerberus Turian Poison
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Huerta Memorial Hospital
According to a salarian doctor, a turian general is dying due to a special poison tailored to his species by Cerberus. You can locate Turian Toxin Data during the “Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists” side mission.
Check the small hub area you arrive in after the initial landing combat. It’s near the med-bay where Jacob Taylor can be found (assuming he survived the events of Mass Effect 2 ).
Citadel: Chemical Treatment
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Huerta Memorial Hospital
Doctors at Huerta Memorial are unable to come up with a treatment to a chemical poisoning that will eventually kill all affected patients. What you’re looking for can only be found during the “N7: Fuel Reactor” mission.
The Chemical Treatment Plan is located on a PDA close to where the mission begins atop a shipping crate, so don’t miss it.
Citadel: Inspirational Stories
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Docks: Holding Area
A salarian filmmaker is being denied access to the makeshift refugee camps on the docks, citing that C-Sec believes he will only prove disruptive.
If you offer to help, all you need to do is to explore the entire dock area, interacting with photo opportunities until the filmmaker is satisfied with what you’ve got; then report back to him to wrap up this mission.
Only photo opportunities dealing with refugees count toward completing this mission.
Citadel: Kakliosaur Fossil
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
According to a salarian geneticist at the Presidium apartments, krogan used to ride tamed kakliosaurs into battle on toxic worlds, but the animals no longer exist.
However, with a preserved fossil, it may be possible to clone them en masse to support krogan forces today. Head to the Argus Rho cluster, and explore the Phoenix system.
The planet Intai’sei happens to have the fossil he needs. The kakliosaur fossil is worth 15000 credits.
Citadel: Medi-Gel Sabotage
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Docks: Holding Area
The Medi-Gel dispensers around the refugee camp have been tampered with in the wake of the Cerberus coup attempt, and patients may die if this is not resolved.
After hearing out the request of the doctor, simply explore the entirety of the docks, interacting with dispensers as you find them, until you’re prompted to return to the doctor.
Though the problem is fixed, the saboteur remains at large...
Citadel: Medical Supplies
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Normandy Med Bay
Your chosen doctor aboard the Normandy will eventually inform you that you have an abundance of supplies that could be exchanged for things the ship needs.
You’re directed to speak with a turian named Tactus, who is considered the leader of the refugees in the makeshift camp on the docks.
He will try to haggle with the commander, and you have the chance to earn Paragon or Renegade points based on your decisions.
You must use the special charm/persuade option to successfully convince Tactus, or you will not receive his aid.
Your reward on this mission changes based on which doctor you convinced to board the Normandy. Doctor Chakwas gives the player improved Medi-Gel, while Dr. Michel improves your Medi-Gel capacity.
Citadel: Reaper Code Fragments
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Citadel Embassies
An asari commando in the Citadel Embassies needs a Reaper code fragment to help her fleets predict where the enemy will strike next.
Your only chance at a piece of nonmalignant code comes during the “Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons” mission.
While exploring the geth server, keep an eye out for a string of Reaper code that is separated from other fragments.
Citadel: Target Jamming Technology
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
A turian C-Sec officer near the cafe in the Commons wants to improve the Citadel’s ability to interfere with hostile targeting systems in the event of another attack.
During the “Rannoch: Admiral Koris” mission, inspect the various computer terminals located throughout the geth jamming tower facility to find Jamming Tower Data. Take it back to the turian.
Citadel: Volus Ambassador
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
Primarch Victus sends you a disturbing e-mail in the aftermath of the Cerberus coup attempt. A turian cruiser was ambushed by the terrorists, and the evidence points to volus ambassador Din Korlack.
Go to the Spectre offices and use the terminal there to begin the investigation into Korlack.
Go to the embassy guard standing along the wall to the elevator’s left. After speaking with him, you’ll be granted access to Korlack’s office.
After listening to the third entry on his terminal, search for the bug in his room.
Once you have the bug, you can start narrowing down the location of the volus. You’re automatically transported to the Presidium Commons.
Head to the apartments and search the doors until you enter the room where the volus is being kept.
Afterward, Din Korlack explains his Cerberus connections and the reason he’s got a bounty on his head.
He tries to make a deal with you: You can keep a colony safe from attack, or you can take his offered bomber squadron as an asset. There’s no way to grab both.
Your choice also grants you a measure of Paragon or Renegade points.
Citadel: Wounded Batarian
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
A human and a turian near the apartments in the Commons can be overheard discussing a batarian who was wounded in the Cerberus coup and who is now receiving aid for his injuries.
However, it is possible he’s a terrorist. Once you get his turian nurse to let you see him, the batarian all but confirms what the civilians were saying.
You’re given a choice: shut off his life-support or call his nurse back to him.
Dekuuna: Code of the Ancients
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Purgatory
An elcor in front of Purgatory wants to retrieve the Code of the Ancients, left behind on its homeworld of Dekuuna.
Once you’re able to explore the Silean Nebula, travel to the Phontes system within the cluster.
Scan Dekuuna for the artifact, and report your findings back to the elcor. You’re rewarded 15000 credits in compensation.
Hades Nexus: Obelisk of Karza
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Presidium Commons
A human researcher sitting near the cafe in the Commons wants an artifact from the Hades Nexus cluster.
You might not have access to this cluster right away, but as soon as you do, the planet Kopis in the Hoplos system hides the obelisk. You pocket another 15000 credit reward for the obelisk.
Hades Nexus: Prothean Sphere
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Docks: Holding Area
A colonist near Bay E28 claims there is a Prothean sphere on the planet Gei Hinon in the Hades Nexus, and he wants to sell this information to the Alliance.
The planet can be found in the Sheol system. You receive 15000 credits after you inform the colonist that you’ve located the sphere.
Nimbus Cluster: Library of Asha
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Purgatory
You can find a frustrated asari commando complaining that while the galaxy is caving in all around them, her people are in this club, just dancing.
She feels that the Library of Asha, found in the Nimbus Cluster, will help produce more fighters than dancers. Scan the planet Carcosa in the Agaiou system. The library is worth another 15000 credit reward.
Silean Nebula: Rings of Alune
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Huerta Memorial Hospital
You can find this asari right next to the hospital entrance. She feels the Rings of Alune will inspire her people to provide greater assistance to hospitals like the one she’s standing in.
Take the Normandy to the Silean Nebula, Teyolia system, and scan the planet Nevos. Bring the rings back to the asari nets you 15000 credits.
Valhallan Threshold: Prothean Data Drives
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Perseus Veil”
Location: Docking Bay D-24
You overhear an Alliance Marine discussing sensitive information over an unsecured communicator regarding Prothean data drives.
Travel to the Valhallan Threshold, the Paz system, and scan the planet Garvug to locate the drives. The officer thanks you for your assistance with another 15000 credits.
Dekuuna: Elcor Extraction
Availability: Act 2, available as of “Priority: Thessia”
Location: Citadel Embassies
An elcor ambassador desperately wishes to save some of his people stranded on the homeworld of Dekuuna; however, he has been turned away by almost every other diplomat he’s asked.
Return to the Phontes system in the Silean Nebula, and scan Oltan for any survivors. Return to the ambassador to complete the mission.
A Word on Ambient Conversations
The Citadel is the center of the galactic community, and while you’re running across the galaxy in a desperate bid to save it, you’ll oftentimes overhear small conversations between people.
Sometimes you may need to eavesdrop on the conversation over the course of many visits to hear the whole story. This can sometimes lead to special options at the Spectre terminal in the Citadel Embassies.
For example, you may overhear a devastated asari commando relate her tale to a psychiatrist at Huerta Memorial Hospital. She wants a gun and a transfer to a facility away from humans.
You eventually will see an option on the Spectre terminal to use your status to grant her a gun. The consequences of this will affect a War Asset.
Other conversations you hear require input from Commander Shepard. You can choose to take a specific side during some debates, or lend words of wisdom to a group.
While none of these ambient conversations count as quests that are tracked in your Codex, they all grant points to your reputation and affect War Assets.
Consider how you deal with these interactions seriously, as they can build up to have an effect on your endgame.