Shepard and Kaidan are sent to the human colony of Eden Prime to recover an unearthed Prothean beacon. They repel an attack by the geth, rescuing Ashley in the process. Saren Arterius, a rogue turian Spectre, activates the beacon before escaping. Shepard reaches the beacon and receives a vague vision showing scenes of war and death. The SSV Normandy and its crew are summoned by Ambassador Donnel Udina to the Citadel Station, but Shepard is unable to convince the Citadel Council of Saren's treason without solid evidence. Shepard rescues Tali, who possesses a recording of a conversation between Saren and asari Matriarch, Benezia. The two discuss their victory while also mentioning an artifact called the "Conduit" and the return of the Reapers, a highly advanced machine race of synthetic-organic starships believed to eradicate organic civilizations every 50,000 years. The Council revokes Saren's Spectre status and makes Shepard the first human Spectre. Shepard is also handed command of the Normandy by Anderson, and begins to follow several leads provided by him and Udina in pursuit of Saren. On the world of Therum, Shepard rescues Benezia's daughter Liara T'Soni, who joins Shepard's squad; with her biotic abilities and expertise on Prothean culture, she provides Shepard with better understanding of the vision from the beacon.
