Mission 5: Noveria

The Normandy

Back on the ship, have your chat with the crew, then chat it up with the
council. Joker doesn't have much to say. Then go meet the rest of the bunch.
Ashley has quite an interesting chat about a few things, so do see what's up
with her. Don't forget to visit the shop.

*Note: Remember, all romance plots will thicken if you want to go there.*

Go to the galaxy map to get a comm link. Go into the front room and talk with
the council yet again. There is a codex thing on one of the computers around
the map. Then save, use the map, and go to Noveria.

*Note: Be sure to bring Liara.*

Noveria: Port Hanshan Docking Bay

Go down the path and meet with the people waiting for you. This is a time to
choose the renegade option (keep your weapon) just for fun. What a welcome!

Go inside the building and up the stairs to talk with Parasini. After, go
around the corner and into the funky elevator.

Noveria: Port Hanshan Plaza

A Hanar in the room near the elevator will sell you stuff, as well as offer
you a quest. After you get the quest, if you want it, exit the chat and go
back in to ask him who it's for. Can't buy much, so leave.

Look to the map and enter the office in the lower right corner. Talk with
Gianna and then go around to see the guy in charge. You can use the option to
rat out Opold if you want, but you shouldn't. Ask about Benezia if you want
to get anywhere. But there isn't much this guy can do for you. Exit the
conversation and go talk with Gianna again.

Now make your way to the opposite corner and enter the hotel.

Noveria: Port Hanshan Mezzanine

As soon as you step off the elevator you will run into a Mallene Calis. You
can accept her offer and then learn of Vargas' tendencies.

Then go see Lorik Qui'in at the table nearby. Talk and agree to snuff out any
mercs in the office.

*Note: This side quest is best done with a maxed out paragon/renegade talent
to whatever point you're at. You may even consider returning for this quest
later, but it makes little difference.*

Now let's deal with Vargas. He's on the other side of this room, so go talk
to him. Tell him you're a spectre, then that you are interested in his
services, then you get a karma option, so go with either one (you may get both
at the moment), then you will probably get just one karma choice that you've
added talent points to so pick that, then you get one last karma option but
you probably don't have the ability to use it, so pick any option and that
should do it, and then tell him you gotta go. Now you can go to Calis and give
her the goods, and if you have the talent, you can coax her into giving you a
little extra. *And I'm sure you know you could have ratted her out to Vargas
if you wanted to.

Up the ramp and down the path in this area will be a Inamorda by a table on a
bridge. He is related to the Opold quest with the smuggling. You have the moral
choice of whether to backstab Opold and earn more scratch by selling directly
to the customer, or you can ignore this guy and do the favor for Opold. It's
up to you, but try to to stick to your moral code of ethics, whatever that may
be.

At the end of this bridge is a room with two hackable objects, but you may not
have the skill to get in them. Just go back to the elevator and take it back
down.

*Note: The power unit by the wall will disable the security of the offices you
are trying to take back for Lorik. Though, I have no clue what that actually
does.*

In the plaza, take the only corner you've yet to travel on your way to the
Synthetic Insights area. On the way you will run into Lilihierax by the
elevator, but he is useless. Just get on and head down.

Noveria: Synthetic Insights Offices

Talk with the first two guards and then the fighting starts. Just take cover
and ice all the bad guys from all directions. Then go up the ramp and into the
office at the end. Download the evidence and come back out. You will run into
Kaira Stirling. Chat a bit and then kill a bit. Once the place is clear you
may have enough talent points for one of your decryption specialist to go
hack the stuff in the office.

*Note: Don't forget to crouch and use your team as decoys/bullet sponges.*

There is a door near where you met Kaira that you should be able to hack; save
before you do because there are three loot containers in here. There is a crate
on the ground level by a room, a locker in that room, and then a box in the
other room. So after you loot the place, make your way back to Lorik.

You run into Gianna in the plaza. Keep going to the bar after the brief
encounter. Agree to her proposal once you meet her in the bar and then go talk
to Lorik. Be sure to tell him to about Gianna's plan, and convince him with
your karma option. Then back to the plaza and to Gianna in the office in
the corner.

*Note: If you didn't hack the containers in the bar the first time and you've
added talent points to your decryption specialist's hacking skills, try them
again. Hmm, not sure what that Insights security disabling did, but other
one is a side quest.*

Talk to her and tell her the good news. Anoleis will be carted away and you
can breathe easy. Enter his office and hack the box on the wall, then make your
way to the garage.

When you are finally past the guard by the garage door, you will run into a
cutscene revealing a new enemy. Get out your gun and look down the room to see
more Geth appear. Use your overkill or whatever, send your team go cover, and
then start blasting the two charging your direction. Once those are down, now
is the hard task of bringing down the ones that jump frequently. Your best bet
is to not precision aim, just get your crosshair over the things and fire.
Either you or your team will start picking them off one by one.

After the fight, go meet Matsuo by the door. There is a loot behind the vehicle
in this half of the room. Then go hop into the Mako at the other end. Get used
to the controls as you exit this tunnel if this is your first time in one of
these damned vehicles.

*Note: The Mako has two guns: RT is turret, RB is cannon. I have no clue why
they didn't tell me sooner, but now you know. I learned through the pause
menu where a tip will be at the bottom each time. Also, A is jump.*

Noveria: Aleutsk Valley

*Note: Be sure to save, because the game doesn't do that kindness for you. And
don't forget to use the cannon and the turret at the same time.*

Yeah, this thing handles funkyly. It's pretty responsive, so use slight
movements. Make your way along the ridge until you hit a ruined vehicle. Press
B to get out and grab the items in the container. Notice the bar in the lower
right corner; that means you're freezing your tail off, so get back in the
Mako.

When you meet the enemies at the bridge, focus on the smaller ones first, and
fire in bursts; ignore the turret until all the infantry are gone. If you
need to fix yourself, feel free to back away to the ruined vehicle and repair,
but you won't be able to shoot. Once the guys around the turret are out, then
focus on the turret, and remember to stay moving as best you can - I know the
controls can seem dreadful, but you move around. The worst part is that this
gun doesn't seem to angle downward, so the enemies behind the shields on the
bridge will be tough to hit.

Clear out the shields, save, and then go down this bridge. You may need to ram
some guys, or you can stop and shoot them all, or slowly drive up as you shoot,
or just come back for them later. There is a box toward the center of the
bridge if you want it.

On the other side you run into a big Geth. Of course target the little ones
first, then the big guy. I found success continuously ramming this guy over
and over, so try that and keep a steady stream of bullets pumping.

Then continue along the cliff side. A less hazardous bridge, with just a few
guys at the start and a lone turret at the end. Claim the crate by the turret
and continue.

Just some turrets up high along the rest of the path, so you should be clear.
When you reach the facility, there is a fight with a group of bad guys, so be
sure you have all your upgrades in order.

Noveria: Peak 15 Garage

Just four enemies in here, one big guy and a bunch of normal ones. Clear it
out and then go up the walkway for two containers along the way to the door.

Go through the door, past the turrets, and then go into the security room
on the right. Get the good loot from the locker and the crate, then take the
elevator.

Noveria: Peak 15 Administration

Clear out the bad guys in the wide open area. Once you do you will bring forth
the so-called extinct Rachni. You must first deal with the smaller bugs on the
floor or they will blow up. Kill the soldiers, who aren't as tough as they
may seem. In all the broken open room on the side will be a console with a
side quest, and a Rachni will pop up from the floor. Get more stuff in the
room with open doors, and then in the third room will be a Rachni on your
way out.

Noveria: Peak 15 Mira Core

*Note: Please, don't forget to save often. The auto-saves like stop for some
odd reason.*

Kill the bugs on the ground in the big room. Then find a loot container on
the ground. Go into the rounded room and enter the core. You go down a bit and
you can access the memory core.

*Note: You can use omni-gel if you have it. Feel free to convert some of your
items into omni gel if you want to do that.*

This game is tough. The goal is to get the top three onto yellow, and then the
last one on the red column. Then get the yellows onto the red. The key is
putting the big bottom block on the B column.

Here is the solution in button to button form: (press first button, then the
second button)

X - Y
X - B
Y - B
X - Y
B - X
B - Y
X - Y
X - B
Y - B
Y - X
B - X
Y - B
X - Y
X - B
Y - B

(say thank you to internet message boards for this, which was probably stolen
from the official guide anyway, so I should probably cut out the middle man
and just buy the damn book if games are going to keep throwing these make-no-
sense puzzles at us)

Talk with Mira as you wish. You find there are two things you need to do
before setting off: reconnect landlines and get the power going. Take the
elevator down the hall behind the core to get to the roofs.

Noveria: Peak 15 Roof

*Note: If you have a decryption specialist, and you better, I say work on that
electronics skill as best you can. It's for when you reach the tram. Master
Overload is the goal, but you might not even be close. Don't worry if not.*

Squash the Rachni up here, use the explodable things on the ground and any
powers you got. There is a crate you can hack. Then find the sparking computer
opposite the Mira terminal.

Now back to the core room. In the big room a Rachni will pop out of the floor,
so be ready. Take the path on the left that leads to the reactor.

Noveria: Peak 15 Reactor Core

Go into the first room and grab the loot. I say take the right path, since the
ramp on the left side seems to cause trouble. Just stay by the door and look
down the right walkway and hit the crawling Geth. Above you will be a big
guy, so poke your head around, shoot the explodable tank on the ledge, and
kill him quickly. There will also be a few of the charging Geth, so be ready
and use the exploding tanks when you can. Just don't die.

Repair the line in the middle walkway and you are done, but you can still go
up the ramp. Get up there, clear out all the enemies until the jamming of your
radar is gone. Save before you start looting just in case you mess up. There
is a container in the room and one by the door on the ledge where the big guy
was. Now back down to the first room and turn on the Mira if you want to
chat. Then head back to the Mira core room, fight an Rachni, and then take the
elevator down the open hall.

Noveria: Peak 15 Tram

In the open room will be lots of loot and a computer to listen to what the dead
guy said. The purge controls are hackable if you electronics skill is high
enough, but probably not. If you can use the computer by the window, you will
burn the two bugs in the chamber, but one will spring from the floor vent in
this room.

Open the other door and kill the Rachni inside, then open the other door and
attack the suicide bugs. Go down the tunnel, get in the tram, and head to the
Rift Station.

Noveria: Rift Station Lower Level

Just go to the elevator in the side room and head up to the main level.

Noveria: Rift Station Main Level

You run into Captain Ventralis, and after the conversation you will kill two
bugs that come from a vent cover by the elevator. Talk to him afterward for
some quick personality points.

In the medical bay you can talk to three people in depth, and one has some
stuff for sale. After that, enter the guard barracks on the side and grab some
stuff out of the lockers. Then find a door in the med bay that leads you
down to a lower level. You will find Dr. Cohen and a Mira. Talk with Cohen and
agree to help him, then talk to Mira if you wish.

Talk to Ventralis who will let you into the labs. In the med bay take the
hallway that leads to the elevator to the labs, which are part of the lower
level.

*Note: Be sure to not piss off Ventralis, but whatever you do, be sure you get
clearance to enter the research labs, NOT the Hot Labs.*

*Note: If you do go to the Hot Labs first, it sets off the events where you
must take a fighting path to reach Benezia. More on that later, but you will
basically miss the rest of the story.*

Noveria: Rift Station Lower Level

This map is composed of many areas, so you will be here a few times. For now,
grab some gel from the machine in front of Han, then go talk to Han. Another
locker.

Now go talk to the guard by the door nearby. Tell him you are here for a cure
and he will let you in. There are three rooms on the side, two of which will
have loot. There is a database in the larger room and a crate by the computer.
Go to the computer. Before you press A, note the bar above the button window
and notice the blue arrows at each end. When you press A, the arrows will cover
a certain area of the bar, a button will be highlighted, and the bar will
start to fill. You need to press that button when the bar gets between the
arrows. Just do this about three times and you have the cure.

Immediately after, that rude girl from the med bay will show up and try to kill
you. Just crouch, hide behind cover, use your abilities, and the fight should
be cake. Exit the room and talk with Han. Get on the elevator and return to
Cohen.

Go to the med bay and give Cohen the cure. Talk to him a bit, then ask him for
the maintenance pass. Now back to lower level, the part by the quarantine
labs.

Take the doorway in the corner of the room to enter a long rocky tunnel. There
should be a lone Rachni toward the end. A locker along the way and then you
will reach a fork with two doors. Take the one on the left that leads to an
elevator, but only for the loot on the floor. Then turn around, save, and go
into the secure labs.

*Note: If you did do the Hot Labs first and missed the Cohen part because all
the people turned on you, then you had only one path to go, which is the path
that led to a soldier-infested area. Basically, you took the lazy way out of
all this, but you will reach Benezia by the elevator near the lab. If you do
go this way, you can enter the Quarantine lab instead for a bit with the
Asari and the Volus. But you don't want to do the Hot Labs first, so don't
worry about this.*

*Note: Bringing Liara will change only some dialogue, but that's about it.*

Speak with Benezia. You go into a battle, but don't be fooled, Benezia is not
your target. You are to fight three waves of minions. Kill the first two up
the steps in front of you. Then two more on the side path. Now you need to go
to the right side of the room and get on the walkway so that the Rachni Queen's
tank will shield you from the Matriarch's attacks. Find any surviving attackers
and then you get on last wave. Still behin the tank, enemies will come from
both sides. So use your powers and wipe them out quickly.

Then you enter a long conversation with the big bad woman. And of course, after
you will fight. The key to this boss fight is to ignore the running minions
the walkways and just lay everything you got into the Matriarch. Kill her,
then claim the platform she was on. Use this position to kill the dashing
commandos, but try not to let them get too close or else you will get into
trouble trying to whack them (which doesn't work too well), so just keep
backpedaling. Just survive this most chaotic battle.

After that there is a chat with Benezia, then just walk toward the Rachni
tank to enter another long chat. Toward the end you get the choice between
saving the Rachni, or killing them forever. It's your choice, so make it. Good
chance to earn mucho renegade or paragon points.

Finally, the area is clear and Noveria is almost fully complete. In this lab,
search out the many loot containers.

Now, hopefully you saved the Hot Labs for last. So go there now, which is
reached via one of the elevators in near the tram area.

Noveria: Rift Station Hot Labs

Go talk with Yaroslev and tell him you'll help. Once you get to the part about
the purge, just tell him you'll do it to set off the next event. Kill the bug
and then grab the codes from his body. Save your game, and then enter the next
room.

Enter the code in the Mira to start the countdown. In the previous room will
be loads of bugs, so the best thing to do is sit back and pick them off from
this room because you have plenty of time. Clear out the bugs, run to the
door, and that's that.

Get on the tram and go back a place called Central Station, which is basically
the way back to your ship.