The Salarian Pathfinder and the Other Missing Arks
In order to figure out the location of Meridian, Mass Effect: Andromeda sees Ryder journeying to the Archon’s own flagship. Upon arrival, it’s discovered that one of the missing Arks, Ark Paarchero of the Salarians, was captured by the Kett, so not all is lost (though all is in a pretty bad position). What starts as a recon mission gets a rescue objective added on top for good measure.
Boarding the Salarian Ark shows that it fared a bit better, physically at least, than the Hyperion. Upon reaching the Ark it turns out that the Salarians willingly surrendered to the Kett in order to buy time (live to fight another day sort of thing), and since then have been tethered to the Archon’s personal ship as he studies them and tries to see how Exalting them would further his species.
Freeing the Ark is no easy task, though. You’ll have to board the Archon’s ship (which was already part of the plan), but you’ll need someone to disable its weaponry so that you can escape before being destroyed. Naturally, things get dicey on the Kett ship. There’s tons of aliens and other beasts to fight, and you see that Salarians aren’t all that the Kett have captured. You face Behemoths, which are exalted Krogan – huge, armored beasts capable of taking tons of damage and dishing out even more. It’s actually pretty sad, especially if you happen to have Drack in your party as it clearly breaks his heart.
Still, you’re able to retrieve the information aboard the ship, which will help you locate Meridian but also informs you that the Archon doesn’t know how to use it just yet. However, he’ll soon learn, because your first meeting with him, in person, happens aboard this ship. He injects you with one of those same syringes you may remember from the Exaltations on Voeld. You don’t turn, but it allows him to look inside you, searching for the root of your powers and your knowledge. While it’s not instant, it will come back to haunt you later on. Afterwards, you’re able to escape but you realize they only captured the Salarians.
However, during your journey’s through other planets leading up to those points you hear whispers of sightings of the other Arks. Turns out that they met a fate more similar to yours, being caught by the Scourge and seeing serious damage to your ship. One was boarded by the Kett, though, and that was the Asari Ark. But seeing as how they tend to be better fighters than the Salarians, they took a critical blow but were able to fight off the Kett for the most part. The Turians have it rougher, with their ship being almost completely destroyed. But they too are present in the Heleus Cluster.
Seeking them out will reunite all the Pathfinders, and make the fight against the Kett a whole lot more interesting.
