Priority: Sur'Kesh | Mass Effect 3 Wiki

Priority: Sur'Kesh Full Walkthrough

Getting Started

This Mission is acquired automatically after the conclusion of Priority: Palaven.

The introductory cutscene shows Shepard speaking with the Asari Councilor who is dismissive of his plans to acquire Krogan aid. After the conversation, open up the terminal again to speak with Admiral Hackett for some updates. You can take some time exploring the Normandy and speaking with new NPCs like Primarch Victus who can now be found in the War Room, Garrus can be found manning the ship's weapons systems. As you enter the CIC area, Joker radios in regarding EDI going offline and him being unable to access the AI Core systems. He asks that you head down to the Crew Deck and investigate the strange occurrence. A cutscene plays out as you enter Med Bay and it is revealed that EDI had taken over Dr. Eva's body and is now available as a squad member. You can follow her to the bridge for some amusing dialogue with Joker.

Note that completing Priority: Palaven will have also opened up the Presidium Commons, Docks: Holding Area and Purgatory Bar for exploration on The Citadel. Subsequently, the following Side Missions are made available as well:

• Apien Crest: Banner of the First Regiment - Acquired by eavesdropping on three Turians in the Purgatory Bar at the Citadel.
• Aria: Blood Pack - Acquired by speaking to Aria T'Loak in the Purgatory Bar at the Citadel.
• Aria: Blue Suns - Acquired by speaking to Aria T'Loak in the Purgatory Bar at the Citadel.
• Aria: Eclipse - Acquired by speaking to Aria T'Loak in the Purgatory Bar at the Citadel.
• Benning: Evidence - Acquired by speaking to Ambassador Osoba to the left of the Citadel Embassies entrance at the Citadel.
• Citadel: Alien Medi-Gel Formula - Acquired from a doctor at the Huerta Memorial Hospital's lobby at the Citadel.
• Citadel: Barla Von - Acquired by speaking to Liara at the Apollo Cafe and then to Barla Von at the bank in the Presidium Commons on the Citadel.
• Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces - Acquired by talking to the Asari at the entrance of the Lab Services at the Huerta Memorial Hospital on the Citadel.
• Citadel: GX12 Thermal Pipe - Acquired from Engineer Adams on the Normandy after Priority: Palaven.
• Citadel: Hanar Diplomat - Acquired via e-mail from Jondum Bau after Priority: Palaven.
• Citadel: Heating Unit Stabilizers - Acquired by overhearing Sellea outside the C-Sec Outpost at the Presidium Commons on the Citadel.
• Citadel: Improved Power Grid - Acquired by speaking to Alison outside the Purgatory Bar at the Citadel.
• Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation - Given by Specialist Traynor on the Normandy
• Ismar Frontier: Prototype Components - Acquired by eavesdropping on a Salarian scientist across the medical ward where your companion is confined at the Huerta Memorial Hospital on the Citadel.
• Kite's Nest: Pillars of Strength - Acquired by listening to the Batarian preacher in the Docks: Holding Area of the Citadel.
• Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk - While you may have acquired this quest during Priority: The Citadel I, it cannot be completed until after Priority: Palaven..
• Citadel: Aria T'Loak (Omega DLC) - Acquired via private message from Aria T'Loak after speaking with her at the Purgatory Bar on the Citadel.
• Citadel: Dr. Bryson (Leviathan DLC) - Acquired via private message from Admiral Hackett.

With the Galaxy Map opening up some, this may be a prime time to tackle some of these missions. If you're ready to move on, open up the Galaxy Map and head for the Annos Basin and dock with the Diplomatic Ships.

Walkthrough

The mission opens to a war summit involving Dalatrass Linron, leader of the Salarian union, Primarch Victus and the Urdnot Clan Leader which will be Wrex if you imported a save file and he survived the events of the first game or if you started the game from scratch, otherwise it will be Urdnot Wreav if Wrex is dead. The Krogan leader reveals the existence of Krogan females that survived a Salarian scientist's experiments and research into a cure. They are revealed to be immune to the Genophage that plagues the Krogan race and are being held prisoner on Sur'Kesh. The Krogan leader demands their release in exchange for Krogan aid on Palaven. The Dalatrass eventually bows to pressure and reveals the location of the Krogan prisoners.

Upon arrival at the Salarian base, Wrex will have a confrontation with the guards before Padok Wiks intervenes. Wrex stands down and allows for Shepard to take a more diplomatic approach. You can ask Padok for some information and Shepard will eventually ask to see the Krogan prisoners. Padok will arrange for your clearance and you'll have a chance to explore the immediate area before continuing on. You can speak to Wrex just below the steps and also eavesdrop on the Salarians in the area for more backstory. Major Kirrahe will also be nearby if he survived from the first game or if playing from scratch, otherwise he'd be replaced by Lieutenant Tolan. When ready, head to where Padok is, speak to him and then take the elevator down to the lower levels. As you enter the lift, an alarm is raised and the Salarian security force scrambles to action.

Downstairs, you are greeted by Mordin Solus if he survived the events of Mass Effect 2. Otherwise, Padok will have accompanied you and replaces Mordin's role henceforth. It is revealed that Mordin was the Urdnot Clan's source on the inside, encouraging them to make use of political pressure in order to free the female Krogan captives. He also reveals that there is only one sole survivor of Maelon's expermental cure, the only living hope of the Krogan. As you speak with her, a second alarm goes off and Wrex informs you that Cerberus is assaulting the base. Mordin begins clearing the Krogan's containment pod for transport and asks you to meet them at the next checkpoint.

Once you regain control, head for the elevator to the surface. Opening the door reveals a bomb that destroys the elevator, forcing you to take the emergency exit further in the back of the room. There is an Assault Rifle Extended Barrel near the emergency exit. Head through the door and take the ladder up and prepare for combat. There will be several waves of Cerberus Assault Troopers dropping down from shuttles all along the balconies and they will be deploying smoke making visibility difficult. There is a Shotgun Blade Attachment in the room on the right of the first balcony. The room next to that will have a Medical Station on the back wall. When you've cleared all the troopers outside, follow along the balconies until you reach a door on the right Before entering, go to the benches on the balcony opposite the door for a datapad. Inside the door, an escaped Yahg bursts through the wall, killing some Salarians in the process. It does not attack you and simply runs away after. Its escape causes a pipe to burst, spurting flames out and preventing you from crossing. Hop over the ledge on the left into the adjacent room, jump over the hole in the floor and pick up the Shotgun Spare Ammo on the ground. You can get past the flames by hopping over the ledge back into the original room from this side. Take the stairs up and get into cover as you encounter more Cerberus enemies.

Mordin will radio in, asking for assistance as the Cerberus troops begin attacking the pod. The pod's shield integrity gauge will appear on your HUD from here and you will need to quickly fight through the Cerberus forces. You will be faced with more Assault Troopers and a few Centurions on this floor. Head out to the balcony, defeat all the enemies and then head left towards the pod. There is a datapad on the terminal on the left side here. Activate the Quarantine Checkpoint terminal for a short cutscene at the end of which the pod is attacked by more troopers on a shuttle. Defeat the troopers and head out of the hole in the wall to the building's exterior. Take out the enemies in the distance and then look to the left for a Pistol High Caliber Barrel on the shelves. Proceed through the door in the back of the area and then take the stairs up one more level.

You see Major Kirrahe executing a Cerberus trooper here. He will proceed to take out an entire group of enemies for you and provide support for the next fight. There will be some Combat Engineers in the fold. These enemies specialize in deploying stationary turrets that are deadly and have heavy armor and shielding. Overload can be a tremendous benefit while fighting Engineers and their turrets. After taking out an Engineer's shields, you can aim for the turret stored on their backs which explode when shot, dealing damage in an area around the Engineer. Deployed turrets will explode upon destruction as well, use this to your advantage. Finally, if you have Sabotage, you can turn the turrets against the Engineers making combat against them trivial.  Once the battle is over, look to the shelves on the right for some salvage worth 3,750 credits.

Continue along the area and use the scanner by the door on the right to proceed. There is a Medical Station on the left well as you enter the next area. Go around the corrider and through a door to witness a Cerberus trooper getting mauled by a Varren. Another fight ensues, this time with some Guardians. It's best to keep your distance to avoid grenades in the rather small area. There are more enemies in the upper level reachable via the staircase on the right side. Mordin will radio in again, requesting assistance with the elevator. Before you continue, go back down to the main floor and collect the Armax Arsenal Greaves in the middle and then go out to the balcony at the back and to the right to find the Sentry Interface head armor and some salvage worth 3,750 credits. After collecting everything, take the ladder just at the balcony entrance and bypass the door above.

To the right of the entrance, you can pick up an M-13 Raptor Sniper Rifle. On the other side is a workspace with several research terminals and a group of Cerberus troopers. Defeat all the enemies and Mordin will radio in once more, suspecting that Cerberus had cut off power to the elevator. You will need to reroute power to continue on. Pick up the Pistol Scope next to one of the terminals and then move along to the end of the balcony. Turn left for a Medical Station by the left wall and then examine the Power Terminal in the back to reroute power. There is a Scorpion Heavy Pistol in the opposite corner of the room. With the power back on, head back to the previous area where more Cerberus troops arrive. There will be a few Guardians as well. Once you've taken care of all enemies, go up to Mordin and activate the terminal. Another battle will commence after which, you should be able to go through the door to the right of the entrance and up the ladder to the final level.

As soon as you get up, the pod will be under heavy attack from troopers all around. Make quick work of them and activate the terminal to release the pod for the loading area. As you do, an Atlas Mech drops in from above. This heavy unit is equipped with a rocket launcher that deals immense damage and some burn damage over time. The mech is also equipped with an arm cannon that fires in four-shot bursts. You should never be within melee range of the mech as it can grab you for an instant kill. As soon as the mech drops, throw everything you have at it to keep the battle short. Otherwise, you can get flanked by Cerberus troops dropping in from the balconies.

After defeating the mech, the mission comes to a close as Wrex lands the shuttle. More Cerberus troops drop in and the female Krogan grabs Wrex's gun and dispatches them immediately, reminding him that she is more than capable of taking care of herself. Shepard attempts to interrogate one of the dying Cerberus troops but to no avail.

Note that while the next Main Mission is technically Priority: Tuchanka, you are required to complete either Attican Traverse: Krogan Team or Tuchanka: Turian Platoon before you can resume. It is also worth completing both missions. Attican Traverse: Krogan Team is acquired from Wrex(or Wreav) while Tuchanka: Turian Platoon is acquired from Primarch Victus.  Both can be found on the Normandy upon the conclusion of Priority: Sur'Kesh.

Other events that trigger upon completing Priority: Sur'Kesh are as follows:

• Wrex/Wreav can be found in the War Room on the Normandy.
• The Krogan female is named "Eve" and will be found in the Med Bay of the Normandy along with Mordin/
• Dr. Chakwas (or Dr. Michel)and Engineer Adams will temporarily move to the Crew Deck of the Normandy to accommodate Eve and Mordin. If you've previously acquired the Side Mission Citadel: GX12 Thermal Pipe from Adams, you will be unable to complete it until he returns to Engineering.
• Admiral Hackett will notify you that the Prothean weapon dubbed "Crucible" has begun construction.

Trivia & Notes

• Trivia and notes go here