Alenko arrived at the laboratory block to which Shepard had summoned him to find two bloodstains on the floor in one room, while Shepard and EDI worked in the next room—or space, there wasn't an actual door separating them—over. He deposited his cover on one of the tables, then called "Hey. What's up?"

Shepard's request for his presence had been issued in a 'honey, I really need a word with you. It's been that kind of day,' tone, so it surprised him that EDI was present.

"A big helping of some of the weirdest shit I've seen so far," Shepard announced, sounding tired. "I kid you not, I was here for forty-five minutes and at minute forty-six, I had two dead bodies, neither of them my handiwork."

"Yikes. How'd that happen?" he asked. No wonder she sounded so 'honey, I need you.'

Shepard looked at the back of EDI's head, then back at him. "Well, Guy Two shot Guy One, then Guy Two had some kind of massive temperature drop and fatal brain hemorrhage when he started talking about Guy One's research. EDI says—and I agree—that Guy Two seemed to be…how do we put this accurately?"

"Temporarily or periodically Indoctrinated," EDI answered without looking up.

"Thank you. Temporarily or periodically Indoctrinated. And this is what kind of ghosts we're chasing," Shepard said, ending on a sigh, holding out a datapad.

It contained abstracts for several recordings, probably written by Shepard herself. They had that feel.

Recording One

To: Adm. S. Hackett

From: Dr. G. Bryson

Subject: Leviathan of Dis

Twenty years previous, batarians discovered Reaper corpse. COD: battle wounds. Result: cover-up and denial of its existence. Pursue search for explanation: what could kill a Reaper? (First use of "Leviathan.")

Alenko ran a hand through his hair. It was a kick to the stomach to discover someone had proof about the Reapers long before Shepard ever got involved with them. Trust the batarians to cover it up…

He nipped the thought. After all, Kar'shan had been the first casualty, all those months ago. If anyone involved in that cover up was still alive, they were probably kicking their own asses over it.

Recording Two

To: Adm. S. Hackett

From: Dr. G. Bryson

Subject: Reaper interest.

Reapers shadowing research teams hunting for Leviathan. Conjecture: Leviathan makes Reapers nervous. Suggestion: apex predator they don't want running around? (SSV Normandy team dispatched to assist.)

Alenko re-read the abstract. A natural-born Reaper-killer? That was hard to wrap his head around. If it did exist, assuming the Reapers started with only a handful of ships and increased to their current fleet size only over time, then how come it hadn't wiped them out when they got feisty the first time? Or, if Leviathans—assuming multiple members of a species—weren't as widespread as most species today, why hadn't the Reapers wiped them out?

Or had they tried, and just missed a few? Liara mentioned something like that, once, when talking about archaeology. Something about the point at which a species could be classified as extinct, even though there might be pockets of them here and there in the galaxy, just hidden, unaccounted for.

Recording Three:

To: Dr. G. Bryson.

From: A. Garneau

Subject: Artifact

Trail of Leviathan found. Garneau to follow up.

…so there was actual concrete proof this thing existed? Alenko didn't know what to think about that. On the one hand, it sounded too incredible. On the other…he got this sinking, chilly feeling he used to get, back in the days when the SR-1's crew was still dancing around the edges of this Reaper mystery.

It was a feeling he could live without.

Recording Four:

To: Alliance High Command (presumed)

From: Dr. G. Bryson

Topic: Reaper hunting patterns.

Request for data. Permission given.

The idea of looking for the same objective as the Reapers did not add anything beneficial to an already sketchy mission. He was starting to understand why Shepard had prepared the recordings and the abstracts: all together, it would be a lot to swallow at once. Summarized piecemeal, it was easier to go back and take in the full documentation.

Recording Five:

Journal Entry: Dr. G. Bryson

Topic: Rachni Wars

Supports hypothesis that Rachni Wars resulted from outside interference. Timeframe noted as incorrect. Suggestion: Leviathan was trying to use the Rachni to fight the Reapers?

Shepard suggests Reaper-ized Rachni more efficient in wartime setting than non-weaponized Rachni. Also, that Rachni Wars were used to keep the galaxy in pace with Reaper-established galactic Cycle.

EDI suggests use of ancient Rachni fleet activity (found in computers) to find Leviathan.

Alenko blinked several times. It did seem that several of history's plot holes were suddenly not holes at all. Merely the absence—or invisibility—of another player on the galactic stage. "So…did you find any leads?" he asked.

Shepard nodded. "Mahavid. It's in the Caleston Rift, Aysur's Nahata Belt," she answered. "It's a little asteroid mining colony out in the middle of nowhere; only about a hundred and fifty people…as of the start of the war."

Alenko couldn't help wincing. A little mining colony out in the middle of nowhere. What were the odds that everything was fine, and folks were just keeping out of the war's way?

Shepard chuckled darkly at his expression. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. EDI got me in touch with T-GES Mineral Works, who owns the site. According to them, the site meets its quotas and hasn't had any workplace accidents for nearly a decade."

Alenko glanced down at the datapad. Sure enough:

Recording Six:

To: T-GES Mineral Works (Conact: Conner, Saundra)

From: Capt. J. Shepard

Topic: Facility on Mahavid

Facility meets quotas, has had no industrial accidents in nearly a decade. As far as Corporate is concerned, it's the perfect endeavor: brings in money, doesn't cost more than its allotted expenses.

"So, we're heading to Mahavid?"

"Yeah. I wanted your opinion on the briefing. It's…a lot to swallow."