The Cyber Quests...

For totems...
Go to Victory Lap and run with any kind of shield.. Enter the northwest portal and to the keeper.. Kill any aliens in your way. Keeper gives one or two. 100 totems are needed.

For shards...
Do the same thing, but remember there are only half the amount needed to be collected.. Again, keeper usually gives one or two. 50 shards are needed.

For shadow prisoners...
Break open the pods in captive audience and destroy the shadow prisoners. They look like the ones in King Mynas's room... You need to do this 25 times.

For shadow essences...
Do the same thing.. Kill the shadow prisoners. Take note that not all of them drop essence. You need to do this 5 times.

My opinion..
Totems: Ahhh this is an uberly long quest...
Shards: Pretty long, but at least not as long as totems...
Prisoners: Meh not bad, but still kind of hard to find shadow prisoners...
Essences: Haha this is an elite quest? Pretty easy...

Another note:
Totems=Armor
Shards=Skull
Prisoners=Weapon
Essences=Shield

Hope this helped!