Jacob: The Gift of Greatness

When you go to see Jacob, he seems very distraught. He confides in you that he doesn't think much of a father, especially since he's vanished 10 years ago onboard the Hugo Gernsback. Recently, however, he's received a distress signal from the Gernsback on Aeia. Jacob thinks he's just chasing ghosts, but would like to have some closure on the matter. He requests that you take him to the site for further investigation. 2175 Aeia is located in the Rosetta Nebula in Alpha Draconis. You're going to need some fuel and probes before you attempt the journey. When you reach the planet, you need to scan the planet surface for the distress beacon. Dispatch the probe once you have and land the shuttle.

This thriving green environment hides a sinister secret, and we'll need to get to the bottom of it. Some very strange things have befallen the Gernsback crew, as evidenced by all cryptic messages from the voice logs and the holographic beacon. Head around the corner along the grassy path to find a woman--she has trouble articulating her exact thoughts due to some mysterious neurological degeneration. The conversation gets cut short when some feral hunters appear. You can use a Paragon action to save the woman's life and engage in battle against these heathens. These guys are rather tough despite not wielding any protective equipment.

After spilling their blood, check around to salvage parts and continue up the hill to land upon a small settlement. There's something strange about this settlement as Shepard is quick to point out. You clearly aren't wanted here, and the inhabitants only spout nonsense. Continue through the camp to see what else you can turn up. A PDA on the crate at least yields some semblance of civility, but go up further to come in contact with some aggressive LOKI mechs. Speak with the doctor to receive the crew's logbook to unveil the harsh reality of the survivors here.

Get the mech to explode on the blockade and free up the path. Undoubtedly more LOKI mechs are on the loose further up, and you've no choice but to eliminate them as they come. Jacob's Pull Biotic is doubly effective here, so have him use it as often as possible. The LOKI drones spawn in greater numbers than before, but the seemingly endless waves eventually stop once you've gunned down a good number of them. Scan the heavy pistol on the crate for Titan Pulsar upgrade and salvage the spare parts nearby for credits while you're at it.

Continue the trek along the cliffs, past the LOKI patrols, to some spare parts, power cells, Medi-Gel station, and ultimately an expanse featuring walls of barricades posted all over. You can expect more hostiles, although this time not from fodder like the LOKI mechs but from more formidable opponents, such as brainwashed survivors and a YMIR mech. The YMIR mech should instantly top your kill list, so cut through this troublesome machine quickly before the humanoids get the chance to close on you.

With the immediate threat neutralized and all enemies out of the way, forage the area for Element Zero and credits from a PDA. Head through the door and follow the path all the way to a spaced-out Ronald Taylor. Through this encounter with his father, Jacob finally closes this saddening chapter in his life and is ready to commit himself fully to the mission at hand. Back on the Normandy, Jacob discovers who exactly forwarded him the beacon signal from Gernsback. With this, Jacob has his Barrier Biotic unlocked.