Citadel: Tower - Mass Effect

This guide will help you explore the tower area of the Citadel in Mass Effect.

Citadel: Tower Map

Arrival
Garrus Vakarian
Keeper #9
Citadel Rapid Transit (Citadel Tower)
Keeper #10 and Chorban
Rear Admiral Kahoku
Keeper #11
Citadel Council Audience
Keeper #12

Citadel: Tower Overview

1 – Arrival

Your initial arrival at Citadel Tower will most likely be via the elevator from the Citadel: Presidium map.

2 – Garrus Vakarian

As you reach the top of these steps, you’ll overhear Executor Pallin telling a turian named Garrus that his investigation into Saren is over. When Pallin turns to leave, Garrus addresses you and explains that he was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into the rogue Spectre. He wasn’t able to find any hard evidence (though he strongly suspects that Saren is up to no good), and wishes you luck in your own investigation. This won’t be the last time you hear from Garrus.

3 – Keeper #9

This is yet another of the 21 different Keepers that are part of Chorban or Jahleed’s “Citadel: Scan the Keepers” assignment. Scan it to earn some extra experience points and credits.

4 – Citadel Rapid Transit (Citadel Tower)

Public transportation is important to the galactic community, so the fine people of Citadel Station have installed these nifty vehicles to quickly transport you to any of the station’s major locations. You’ll have to discover each one on foot first (or obtain a quest directly related to the location), though, otherwise the transit vehicle won’t allow you to choose it as a destination.

This particular destination will be labeled as “Presidium Locations – Citadel Tower” if you need to travel here from one of the other transit vehicles.

5 – Keeper #10 and Chorban

Once you’ve had your audience with the Council, you’ll discover a salarian scientist named Chorban suspiciously inspecting the Keeper here. If you confront him about what exactly he’s up to, he’ll tell you that he’s using a scanner to gather readings on the Keepers. Since it’s generally frowned upon to disturb the Keepers, he tries to be secretive about it.

If you offer to help him, he’ll hand over his scanner with a little persuasion and you’ll receive the “Citadel: Scan the Keepers” assignment. There are twenty-one Keepers in all that you’ll need to visit in order to complete the task, but you’ll earn enough experience and credits along the way to make it worth your while. While you’re here, you should start off by scanning the Keeper that Chorban was looking at earlier and then move on to the other three Keepers that reside here in Citadel Tower.

6 – Rear Admiral Kahoku

You won’t be able to enter dialogue with Kahoku until you’ve become a Spectre (see area #8). Once you meet that requirement, Kahoku will tell you that he’s being “stonewalled by bureaucratic assholes.” Apparently one of his recon teams was investigating some strange activity out in the Traverse, but the Admiral has since lost contact with them. He’s unable to get clearance to go searching for them, but such limitations don’t apply to Spectres. Offer to track down the recon team for him and you’ll receive the “UNC: Missing Marines” assignment. Once you’ve secured a ship, you’ll want to begin your search on the planet of Edolus in the Sparta system of the Artemis Tau cluster.

When you’ve discovered that the marines were killed by a Thresher Maw, you’ll have to break the bad news to Kahoku personally. He’s determined to find out how the team was lured into the trap with an Alliance distress beacon and suggests that you can help him do it. You’ll receive some experience and credits for completing the initial assignment, but unfortunately you’ll have to wait until later to get anything more from Kahoku.

Additionally, if you inquired about Armistan Banes to Captain Anderson up on the Citadel: Docking Bays map, you can talk to Kahoku for a little bit more information. Apparently the missing recon group that Kahoku wants you to find was scouting the system where Banes’ derelict ship (with his frozen body aboard) was found. Kahoku doesn’t care that Banes is dead – he’s only concerned about the safety of his team. Could the arrival of Banes’ vessel have something to do with their disappearance?

7 – Keeper #11

This is yet another of the 21 different Keepers that are part of Chorban or Jahleed’s “Citadel: Scan the Keepers” assignment. Scan it to earn some extra experience points and credits.

8 – Citadel Council Audience

On your first arrival at the top of these stairs, Captain Anderson will tell you that the hearing with the Council has already started. Ambassador Udina is already busy accusing a holographic image of Saren of being responsible for what happened on Eden Prime, but the Council claims that there is not enough proof to indicate that he was involved. An exchange of insults takes place, but it does no good (though your responses can net you a couple of Paragon or Renegade points). The Council denies Ambassador Udina’s petition to have Saren disbarred from the Spectres.

Captain Anderson already has a past with Saren (he watched him kill hundreds of innocents in the Skyllian Verge), so Udina assigns you to the task of finding evidence that shows Saren is dirty. The turian you talked to earlier, Garrus, seems like an obvious link. Anderson suggests that you talk to Harkin down in Chora’s Den to determine the C-Sec investigator’s whereabouts (opening up the assignment Citadel: Garrus). He also mentions that Barla Von in the financial district is an agent for the Shadow Broker, and therefore might have the information you need (leading into the Citadel: Shadow Broker assignment). Either method sounds like a good start.

Before pursuing either lead, take a moment to investigate all of the available topics with Anderson (Council and the Ambassador, Harkin, Spectres, Shadow Broker, and Barla Von). You should wind up unlocking the Salarians codex entry.

Later on, after Tali has shown Udina and Anderson the evidence linking Saren to the Geth, you will be returning here for another audience with the Council. Udina will be playing the recording found in the Geth’s memory core to the Council when you arrive, which they surprisingly perceive as irrefutable proof against Saren’s treachery and immediately strip him of his Spectre status. The Asari Councilor also recognizes the female voice as Matriarch Benezia, so at least you now have a name for the woman shown in the cutscene after Eden Prime.

Unfortunately, though, the Council does not believe that the Reapers are real. Instead, they think Saren is just using the myth to convince the Geth to serve his purposes. They’re also unwilling to send in a fleet to track down Saren, as it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems. That’s where you come in. After careful consideration, the Council decides to enlist you as the first human Spectre and send you to discover what “the Conduit” is and to apprehend – or eliminate – Saren.

Udina and Anderson are pleased to have a human as part of the Council’s Spectre division and quickly depart to begin setting you up with a ship, a crew, and anything else you’re going to need. As a Spectre, you now have access to the Spectre Training talent and can allocate additional points into Charm and Intimidate. You also receive an Xbox 360 achievement and a hefty experience and credit reward for making it into the Spectre ranks.

9 – Keeper #12

This is yet another of the 21 different Keepers that are part of Chorban or Jahleed’s “Citadel: Scan the Keepers” assignment. Scan it to earn some extra experience points and credits.