Finding a way: Mass effect 3

Project Aurora

The sky car dropped him and Aubrey off outside the entrance to a research building on the Presidium. They entered and took the elevator to the floor containing Dr. Bryson's lab. The doors slid open revealing a room covered in computer terminals, microscopes and data pads.

"Ah, Commander Shepard," a gaunt faced man in his late fifties said as he turned toward them, "We've been expecting you. I'm Dr. Bryson and this is my assistant Mr. Hadley." He gestured to a younger man with a goatee wearing a lab coat.

"Nice to meet you, doctor. This is my XO, Major Kaidan Alenko," she replied, shaking the doctor's hand and then stepping back so he could do the same.

"Hadley, once you get the updated data to the field teams, please bring me everything we have on the Leviathan."

"Yes, sir."

Bryson led them into an adjoining room where a large holographic galaxy map took up one wall and a mass of pictures and notes were taped to the other.

"Welcome to Project Aurora," Dr. Bryson said.

"What's your assignment?" he asked.

"To investigate old legends, rumors, and stories that may be connected to the Reapers before anyone knew they existed."

"That's an interesting tactic, but how does it help?" Aubrey asked.

"Even the Reapers have a history, Commander. If we can uncover it, we may be able to determine motives, tactics, a weakness..." he trailed off, moving to a terminal near the galaxy map. "And with new data we've uncovered, I think a breakthrough is near."

He and Aubrey stood examining the pictures and notes on the wall opposite where Bryson was. Footsteps sounded from the door and he started to turn as the doctor greeted Hadley. Everything after that happened almost faster than Kaidan could process. As he turned around, he saw Hadley raise a pistol and point it at Bryson. "Gun!" he called out to Aubrey to get her attention even as he moved closer to Bryson to try and get a barrier over him. The shot rang out and the doctor crumpled to the floor before he could, though. He raced to his side as Aubrey's barrier took the bullets intended for her and she tackled Hadley to the ground. She pinned him down, with his hands behind his back.

"You shouldn't be here," he said in a monotone voice, "The darkness can't be breached."

He tried to stabilize Dr. Bryson with medi-gel while Aubrey called C-Sec for back-up, but Bryson didn't make it.

The C-Sec officers arrived quickly and took Hadley into custody. The man seemed dazed, like he didn't realize what was going on.

"Shepard," EDI's voice came over the comms, "I noted a C-Sec alert at your location. Have you or Major Alenko been harmed?"

"No EDI, we're fine. But Dr. Bryson was assassinated. I could use your help sorting through the data files here."

"At once, Commander."

"What's going on?" Hadley asked in confusion.

"You tell us," he said, "you're the one who shot Dr. Bryson."

"What? No...I was gathering the data when you arrived and then...it was cold...dark. And then there was a gun in my hand, but...I don't remember picking it up. And then a loud noise and then you pinning me down."

"The loud noise was you shooting Dr. Bryson. And you would've shot me if I hadn't tackled you."

"No, I swear I wouldn't do that. I'm not a murderer. It wasn't me!"

"So, somebody else pulled the trigger of the gun that was in your hand?" he asked. "C'mon, Hadley, Commander Shepard and I saw the whole thing!"

"What's this Leviathan Dr. Bryson mentioned?" Aubrey asked.

"It's some kind of creature. Our teams were tracking it. One of our researchers, Dr. Garneau, sent back this artifact," he gestured at an iridescent orb behind him, "with an audio log if you want to –" he stopped short and grabbed his head, falling to his knees in pain.

"Hadley?!" she asked with concern, stepping toward him.

"Turn back," Hadley said in that monotone voice once again, "The darkness cannot be breached." He crumpled to the floor unconscious.

"Dammit," Aubrey said. "Get him to the hospital," she ordered the C-Sec officers.

As they rushed out, EDI walked in. He filled her in on what had transpired while she started accessing Dr. Bryson's files on the nearest terminal.

"And EDI...get a containment field over that artifact," Aubrey said, unable to suppress a small shudder. He noted the goosebumps on her arms as he approached.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's just..." she paused, trying to find the words to explain. "You remember on Noveria when Benezia was indoctrinated? She said she could feel Saren's talons creeping up her spine?" He nodded so she continued, "I looked at the artifact and it felt like something cold was skimming up my back toward my brain...trying to get in."

"You think the artifact is part of the Reaper's indoctrination?" he asked.

"It's certainly possible given how Hadley was acting."

"Commander," EDI interrupted them. "I have found a communication from Dr. Bryson to Admiral Hackett that I believe you will want to hear."

She played back the comm log, which showed Dr. Bryson talking about how the Batarians had found a dead Reaper near the planet of Dis twenty years ago, but had covered it up. The bigger question the doctor had been investigating was what could have killed the Reaper in the first place and the answer to that seemed to be Leviathan. Bryson also noted Reaper forces shadowing his field teams, indicating that they also seemed to be trying to find the creature.

"Great, so now it's a race between us and the Reapers to find Leviathan," Aubrey muttered.

"Hadley mentioned an audio log from the researcher that sent this artifact back. Maybe that can help?" he suggested.

EDI searched through the data until she found the log in question. Garneau mentioned crunching numbers to try and track Leviathan's movements, but didn't mention a specific destination in his continued hunt.

"Alright, there's got to be more information here to tell us where Garneau may have gone," she said starting to sift through the various data pads around the room. He and EDI joined in the search.

They found data about eezo deposits suggesting that Leviathan may use and therefore need to replenish eezo; data about black out crimes that would suggest indoctrination; data about the movement of the Reaper fleets supporting the fact that they were also hunting Leviathan; data about sightings of strange creatures; and data suggesting that the Rachni may have been influenced in their behavior during the Rachni wars, again pointing to potential indoctrination.

"I can cross reference these data sets to narrow our search for Garneau," EDI informed them.

"I think the black out crimes and the Rachni movements are a stretch, EDI, but go ahead and cross reference the other three data sets and see what that gets us."

After a few minutes at the terminal she replied, "Only one place has an overlap of all three data sets, Commander; the Aysur system in the Caleston Rift."

"Then it looks like that's where we're going," she said, smiling triumphantly at them.