Many worlds are burning, including the Asari homeworld. Finally the Asari Councilor informs us that a religious temple there has an important artifact. We go to retrieve it.
The fight against Reaper minions is tough. When we reach the temple the place is deserted, the scientists dead with their throats cut. Liara, who insists on accompanying us, tells us this temple is ancient, a legacy of a near-dead religion. The large statue of the goddess, though, hums for Shepard. She can hear it. Underneath the statue facade lies a Prothean beacon, intact.
Briefly we can lament that the Asari, the most advanced species in the galaxy, hoarded the Beacon and gleaned knowledge that propelled them to their status. The universe really could’ve used this information earlier in its battle against the Reapers.
Putting resentment aside, we unlock the Beacon and listen to its VI. It’s remarkably negative, almost refusing to interact with us because our cycle is nearing extinction. Finally Shepard convinces it to tell us about the Crucible during Prothean times. They didn’t develop the plans; multiple cycles have forwarded the idea. Shepard asks, What is the Catalyst? It’s the one thing we don’t understand in the plans. As the VI prepares to answer, it senses indoctrination and shuts down.
Here’s Kai Leng. We’ve met him once before on the Citadel battle. He opens a window for the Illusive Man to virtually talk to us.
The Protheans lost their battle because a faction wanted to dominate rather than defeat the Reapers. The Illusive Man repeats that goal. As we argue with him, he seems hesitant. However, he still sends Kai Leng to defeat us.
As Shepard, beaten, climbs from the wreckage, Kai Leng accesses the Beacon and removes its data. We have nothing and no lead. Shepard goes into an emotional tailspin. It’s so bad that others worry about her and she loses her usual cool competence.