After-Action Report: Re. Artemis Tau, Sparta System, Edolus

Attn. Admiral Hackett

Lieutenant Commander Revan Shepard (Spectre)

1/28/2183, 2100 hours (Earth Standard Time/Greenwich Mean)

Arrived in the Sparta system at 0800 hours. Intel from Rear Admiral Kahoku indicated that a squad of soldiers belonging to the 103rd Marine Division had gone missing in this system nine standard days prior, and as per the admiral's request, the Normandy investigated the mystery.

During his scan of the system, Navigator Pressley detected anomalous readings from an asteroid in the belt between the second and third planets in the system. At 1000 hours, the Normandy sent the salvage team in the Kodiak shuttle to investigate what turned out to be a functioning bio-dome on the asteroid. The salvage team, led by Chief Engineer Adams, found a Prothean data disc, but little else to indicate whom the bio-dome belonged to, or was even built by. Upon returning to the Normandy, Dr. T'soni requested and received permission to analyze the data disc for any useful information. Navigator Pressley also discovered deposits of plutonium on Alsages and a large hydrogen deposit on Ontamalca.

During our approach to the second planet in the system, Edolus, Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau detected an automated distress beacon from the planet's surface. Using the spare Mako, I assembled a ground team consisting of Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams and Staff Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, and achieved planetary insertion at 1300 hours.

Upon arriving at the distress beacon, we discovered the remains of Admiral Kahoku's men and a automated distress signal. Evidence indicated that the admiral's men had landed in a Kodiak shuttle next to the beacon, and had subsequently been killed by an unknown assailant. Injuries on the marine's corpses were consistent with thresher maw acid and claws, a judgment proven correct when a thresher maw erupted from the ground less than 100 meters from the Mako. Dodging a volley of acid spit, Gunnery Chief Williams returned fire with the Mako's main gun, and killed the thresher maw with three shots to the head. Subsequently, Staff Lieutenant Alenko recorded the technical data from the beacon, which was then destroyed by an explosive round from the Mako.

Addendum: The placement of the beacon suggested a deliberate effort by a force, identity unknown, to cause any potential rescuers of the "distress beacon" to land directly in the thresher maw nest. Whoever was responsible for this atrocity is directly liable for the deaths of ten soldiers and the destruction of an Alliance shuttle. Recommend that an investigation be launched into the death of the 103rd Marines, and that their murderer be pursued and terminated with extreme prejudice.

Subsequent reconnaissance of the area surrounding the massacre site turned up polonium and lithium deposits and a crashed satellite, but no direct evidence of the identity of those responsible for planting the beacon. There was an ID tag belonging to STG Captain Milon found on a salarian corpse, which may provide a clue as to the identity of those responsible for the beacon. If STG, motive unclear – do not recommend accusations against the Salarian Union without further evidence. Historical records indicate that a Captain Milon was involved in the hunt for the League of One – given the medallion found in the Knossos system, there may be a connection there. The data module was stripped from the crashed satellite, and is currently being analyzed by Communication Specialist Helen Lowe for any information regarding the "distress beacon".

With no further items found, called for extraction by the Normandy. Left the planet at 1700 hours.

Summary: Missing marines found. False distress beacon destroyed, thresher maw killed. Deposits of Lithium and Polonium found. Crashed satellite found. ID tag of one Captain Milon recovered. Given confirmation of thresher maw presence on Edolus, I recommend that a travel moratorium be placed on the planet until further notice.

***TOP SECRET***

Admiral Hackett: The beacon was deliberately placed?

Commander Shepard: Without a doubt, sir. It was perfectly located for any investigators to be attacked by the thresher maw.

Admiral Hackett: What kind of sick bastard sets a random trap like that? It's not targeted against any particular faction – anyone could have investigated it. It was chance that it was an Alliance team that was caught by it, but anyone - civilian and military – could have triggered it.

Commander Shepard: I don't know, sir, but we need to make sure that nothing like this happens ever again.

Admiral Hackett: Agreed. Our techs are analyzing the data from the beacon and the satellite that you found nearby, but it'll be a while until we have anything useful from it. Keep at what you're doing, but I'll let you know if we find anything.

Commander Shepard: Thank you, sir. The Normandy is behind you all the way.

Admiral Hackett: Appreciated, Commander. Hackett out.