Objective 3: Investigate Archeological Site

Into the Mines

Proceed down the initial mining shaft with caution: A number of geth troopers, shock troopers, and snipers lie in wait at the tunnel’s far end.

The shaft doesn’t offer much in the way of cover, so strive to dispatch the geth as quickly as possible.

More geth are positioned about the lower walkways beyond the tunnel. Fire on them from the tunnel’s mouth, retreating whenever your weapon overheats or your shields run low. Secure the area and save your game.

A glowing forcefield prevents you from exploring the odd Prothean tower to the east. There’s nothing else to do here, so climb aboard the nearby mining elevator and activate the controls to ride down to the level below.

Going Down

Find some cover as soon as you step off the elevator. Three geth assault drones hover up from the mines below, firing at Shepard and company from their position near the east glowing barrier.

These drones are well-shielded but don’t offer much in the way of firepower. Work with your squad mates and drop them fast.

Yet another barrier prevents you from exploring the Prothean tower to the east. Someone obviously wants to keep that area locked down.

You have no option but to use the elevator near the barrier to ride down to the floor below. Save your game before you proceed.

Liara’s Plight

The elevator experiences technical difficulties on the way down, malfunctioning and shooting hot sparks. You won’t be able to use it to return to the surface. Not to worry; you’ve finally found what you came here for.

Drop off the ruined walkway ahead and approach the nearby glowing barrier to find Dr. T’Soni hovering in captivity on the opposite side.

The stranded asari calls out to Shepard, begging for help. She explains that she’s become trapped in a Prothean security device and is unable to move or free herself.

Question Liara to learn that she was forced to activate the tower’s defenses when the geth arrived.

She says a control panel should deactivate the force field, but you must find some way of bypassing the barrier to reach the controls.

Liara issues a final warning that a krogan is working with the geth; they’ve been trying different ways of getting past the barrier.

Proceed down the nearby ramp to explore the bottom of the mine. Beware: several more geth troops assault you from below.

When the enemies reveal themselves, back off and fire down at them from the elevated walkway near Liara.

You face shock troopers and rocket troopers, along with a distant sniper. Watch out for Carnage blasts and rockets.

Heavy Machinery

Descend the ramp and explore the cavern’s basin to eliminate any remaining geth forces. Find a storage locker and a weapons locker at the cavern’s west end. Decrypt the weapons locker to score some extra gear if you can.

Then approach the mining laser controls and activate them to initiate a short minigame, in which you must click the correct buttons on each concentric ring.

Correct choices cause the button in the center to flash green. Incorrect choices cause it to flash red and reset the sequence.

Play this brief game of trial and error until you manage to input the proper code. The correct sequence is randomly generated each time you play the mini-game.

After the code has been accepted, a massive mining laser suddenly activates, blasting a huge hole through the cavern floor.

As luck would have it, this creates an underground passage leading eastward into the base of the Prothean tower.

Traverse the passage and use the odd elevator beyond to ride up to Liara’s level of the tower.

Heroic Rescue

Dr. T’Soni is shocked that Shepard managed to find a way past the barrier. Shepard wastes no time in freeing her from captivity, and a thankful Liara advises that they use the tower elevator to return to the surface.

Approaching the elevator controls, Liara asks why Shepard feels Saren would have any interest in capturing her.

She’s surprised to learn that her mother, Matriarch Benezia, is working with Saren and the geth in an effort to locate a strange Prothean device called the Conduit.

Because Liara is a specialist in Prothean culture, they may suspect she knows something about it. Just as the asari is about to say she’s never heard of the Conduit, the entire tower begins to rumble and shake.

The damage done by the mining laser must have triggered a seismic event!

With no time to waste, Shepard signals to Joker, ordering him to bring the Normandy in for extraction. Joker acknowledges the order and says he’ll be within range in eight minutes, not much margin for error.

Liara quickly activates the elevator and the group begins their ascent.