Eden Prime: Surface
Joker swoops the Normandy down and completes a successful stealth drop, deploying you and your squad mates (Kaidan and Jenkins) into an enemy-free clearing on the planet’s surface.
Take this opportunity to get your bearings and check your weaponry. Press [Q] to draw your pistol and to holster it again.
Hold the right mouse button to take aim or zoom and press the left mouse button to fire. Aiming with the right mouse button increases weapon accuracy and damage.
Press [Spacebar] to pause the action and call up your weapon inventory. Select a weapon other than the pistol and click the left mouse button to equip it.
Return to the game and watch as Shepard quickly arms the weapon you’ve selected. You can switch between weapons by scrolling the mouse wheel or using [F1], [F2], [F3], and [F4].
Odd creatures mill about just north of the drop zone. These peculiar beings are docile and harmless, but you can fire on them for target practice if you like.
Go ahead and pop a few rounds into each one you see, experimenting with all four of your weapons. You won’t be penalized for this initial bit of target practice.
Before moving too far ahead, search around to find an upgrade kit in a nook just north of the Start. Approach and open this special container to acquire a random item, usually a weapon upgrade or the like.
Doing so also earns you a Codex entry, since this is the first upgrade kit you’ve discovered. Keep an eye out for item-holding containers such as upgrade kits and be sure to open every one you find.
Death of a Friend
Shepard senses danger on the trail ahead. Jenkins moves to investigate, but is careless and fails to keep behind cover.
In a blink, a trio of geth recon drones flies out from behind a distant rock and fires on Jenkins, ripping him to shreds. The hovering devices then turn their fire on Shepard and Kaidan.
Don’t make the same mistake Jenkins did. Dart behind a nearby rock to press Shepard’s back against it.
Slide over to the edge of the rock, then press and hold the right mouse button to make Shepard take aim around the corner.
Target a recon drone and notice its health displayed at the top of the screen. Pick off all three recon drones as quickly as you can without exposing yourself to risk.
The pistol works well from medium range. Watch the drone’s health bars quickly dwindle as hits are scored.
Approach Jenkins’s body after eliminating the recon drones and press [Enter] or [E] to examine it.
Kaidan closes the fallen soldier’s eyes and mourns his loss. The response you choose can net you some morality points.
Destroying all three recon drones should net you enough experience points (XP) to level up your squad. Although Jenkins has fallen, Shepard and Kaidan advance to the next level after avenging his death.
Press [Spacebar] to call up the Mission Computer and visit the Squad menu to bestow your newly acquired Talent Points to Shepard and Kaidan.
See this guide’s “Spectre Orientation Department” for complete details on the level-up process.
Jenkins’s fate is unfortunate, but you’ve still got a mission to complete. Continue moving north along the trail with your weapon drawn.
Another trio of geth recon drones soon emerges from the trail ahead; spy them on your radar as a number of red blips. Take cover as fast as possible and pick off each drone from a safe vantage.
When the smoke clears, find another upgrade kit near some rocks to the west. Open the kit for a reward, then continue onward to encounter a third group of recon drones.
Help Arrives
In the clearing beyond the third group of geth recon drones, Shepard and Kaidan witness a female soldier being pursued by yet more drones.
The woman tucks and rolls, spinning to fire on the hostile devices in a desperate maneuver. Her aim is true, and both machines explode into bits of shrapnel.
A nearby colonist isn’t so fortunate, however: two frightening geth troopers impale him on a tall spike that rapidly extends upward into the sky.
Not wanting to become the geth’s next victim, the woman quickly flees to take cover behind a rock, then pulls out an assault rifle.
Rush to help her defeat the enemies advancing on her position. When the geth are no more, the woman thanks you for your help, then introduces herself as Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212.
She quickly recounts the horrors of the recent geth attack and believes she’s all that’s left of her squad. Your dialogue choices can earn you morality points and a Codex entry.
When the chat concludes, Ashley joins your party to fill the void Jenkins left when he died.
The Dig Site
Continue moving northward, heading for the dig site where the beacon was unearthed by Eden Prime’s researchers.
Notice several red blips on your radar: the geth are stationed all about the site, intent on keeping you at bay.
Use cover and pick your shots as you combat the geth troopers. Keep working until the dig site is secure.
To their dismay, Shepard and company find no Prothean beacon at the dig site. It must have been moved, but to where?
Ashley suggests they continue onward in search of clues, saying there’s a research camp just up the ridge ahead.
Nihlus radios in, saying he’s going to check out a small spaceport farther north. Open the nearby crate for items and then start off toward the camp.