A/N: As promised, Lesaro is back and the focus of this chapter's Leviathan section. I wanted to spotlight on those characters that are currently having some identity issues, so you will see that Shepard does not have a large role in this chapter. Fear not, she will return in the next one!

As always, your reviews, comments, PMs, favorites and follows are always welcomed! The title of this chapter is taken from Arthur Koestler's The Ghost in the Machine, 1967. Thank you for continuing to follow my tale! A special shout out too for Tayg and Bebus for your ideas and support! Happy Holidays!

Chapter 9: The Ghost in the Machine

Eons had passed since Lesaro had traversed the galaxy and used the mass relays. The vacuum of space, the flow of electromagnetic fields and the rush of power were all familiar companions that he had forgotten with his years hiding in the depths of the sea. His last memory of it was the vastness and the glowing stars that looked out on him eternally as the sentinels of the sky. There had been panic during his last voyage, as the Reapers had pursued his kind and tried to drive them from existence. He had witnessed his crèche be hunted and assimilated, until only he remained.

I know silence once again. I have longed for you, the blackness and solitude of your embrace. You are eternal and unrelenting, as am I. You have no pity or fear and all are at your will. To be among you again and feel your currents carrying me to glory is what I have yearned for.

During the time of retreat, the call from Krixo's mind had been faint, but Lesaro had been desperate to find his own kind and fight the monsters that were quickly harvesting his species. As he moved closer to Krixo and the others, their voices were stronger and Krixo's mind easily filled his own. Lesaro found himself being drawn to the ancient Leviathan and doing his bidding. Hiding in the depths of a lost planet and watching cycles succumb to the same invaders had been maddening. Lesaro was birthed to be a warrior, to destroy and conquer, never to cower or pity. But cover himself in the veil of the ocean is what he did, since Krixo had commanded it and he had not questioned him.

We endured our exile and lived despite those that would destroy us. It is our turn to rise and dominate. Never again will I be weak and hide myself away. I am a hunter and the youngest and strongest Leviathan. All will know my might and fear me.

Speeding through space and heading away from Krixo and his call, Lesaro found Krixo's influence was less and less until he was able to solely focus on his own desires. Lesaro was free now, free to take back the stars and command those that were rightfully his. He wore the armor of the fallen hunters, the Reapers and their carcasses would fortify his own abilities. His very form would cause fear in those that saw him. Through fear, all would open their minds to him and they would be his army.

No more hiding. I am the embodiment of those that forced me into isolation and sought my defeat. Never again will I turn away from the fight. I will lead and flourish and know victory. I will not allow time to turn me to dust without a blaze of fury first. Tremble before me and I will take your mind. Defy me and I will end your life.

The song of the Leviathan had called him and touched him when he needed guidance. Lesaro had been intertwined for so long with the others, that he had felt vacant when their thoughts had faded. He could still hear them, but with distance and his armor, came isolation and his own personality started to dominate. A feeling of grandeur and sheer confidence in himself started to creep into his mind. He also was aware of a distant voice that he had never heard before. It was softly appealing to him and seeped into his consciousness. It was not the song of Leviathan, but it was seductive and hinted at glory if he listened harder. In the back of his mind, the voice softly spoke to him, whispering for him to embrace his destiny, without the others.

You are power Lesaro… You are war Lesaro… You are the true fury of all Lesaro... Conquer those that are before you… Crush those that will not bend… You do not need the others Lesaro… Control us instead Lesaro and add our strength to yours…

Answering the voice with his own thoughts, Lesaro could feel the anticipation of destruction burning deep within him. War was on his horizon and soon he would arrive at his destination, ready to assume control and lead his army against the krogan. All would follow his goals, not those of an antique king with rotting ways.

Yes, war is glory. Palaven awaits me, needs me, will long to be my wrath…

The room was dark and she felt that she could not breathe. Thea Tevos woke again sweating and gasping for air. Where am I? What have I been doing? Is the voice still there? She shook her head and screamed, "No! Stop it… Please stop…" She felt a surge of panic course through her as she realized that she was not alone. She felt a hand touching her gently and someone saying her name. Tears rolled down her face, as she desperately tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Thea, I'm right here…" Aria felt her own fears start to take hold as she responded to her bondmate. "Shh… You are having another dream… You're safe and home in our bed." Aria stroked Thea's back and tried to get her to focus on her voice. It scared her to see Thea continue to have nightmares of being at the mercy of Leviathan. Without thinking, she reached for her nightstand to double check that her omni-tool was emitting its protective shield from any Leviathan influence. Everything was working according to the readings, but Aria couldn't help but to question if it was enough.

Afraid to look at the woman in bed with her, Thea brought her hands to her head and covered her face. "Why is this happening? Aria… I need this to stop…" She continued to sob, but did not pull away from Aria's embrace. Her closeness helped to ground her and Thea desperately needed to feel the safety and comfort that Aria was providing.

Anger and concern were forefront in Aria's mind. Thea had been violated and Aria wanted to hurt Leviathan, but was powerless to do anything more than attempt to offer her lover support. It took all of her training for her biotics to stay suppressed and not hit something. "It will fade love, try to breathe deeply and hold onto me. I can call Dr. Michel and have her look you over again."

"No… you are right, it will pass. Just hold me for a little while." Thea leaned into Aria and tried to stop her tears. She was a practiced politician and usually able to bury her own feelings for the greater good. She looked up and saw the glowing form of a drone that was now hovering closer to the couple's bed; the drone was from Liara and was supposed to help with the dampening field. "Maybe we should talk to Liara in the morning and let her know that I am still having nightmares."

Aria kissed Tevos's lips lightly, "I will call her first thing in the morning. We are going to be leaving with her soon to go to Thessia anyway and we need to make some plans for the damned trip."

They both were quiet and taking in the warmth of the other. Thea longed to use this time to join with Aria and meld, but since the indoctrination, she had been afraid to open her mind to anyone – even her bondmate. What if I am still vulnerable to Leviathan and they use me as a conduit to control Aria? I could not live with myself… The thoughts made her tear up again.

Aria had tried to meld with Thea, but had been met with resistance each time she started to reach out. The idea that Tevos had been manipulated to the point of indoctrination haunted her and made her want to fight. She was unwilling to force Thea into something that she knew scared her, so she resorted to what other species did… talking. "Tell me what this one was about… Maybe it will help."

Looking at Aria and feeling guilty and thankful for the fact that she did not press her to meld; Thea closed her eyes and tried to bring up the memory of her dream. "I was somewhere dark and cold… it was silent, except for a voice in my head… I tried to fight it and push it away, but it was too strong… it kept telling me to give in and open myself to its will…" She stopped and felt the familiar fear start to penetrate through her.

Sensing her lover's hesitation and distress, Aria placed her arm across Thea and pulled her as close as she could. "It's alright Thea… You aren't being controlled anymore… It's just from breaking the link suddenly and pulling you back…" I hope Liara is fucking right… What if she's not? Don't you fucking even think like that! Liara is always fucking right, damn it!

"I know that you are right… it is just so, so unthinkable to know that I was being used as a puppet. That I had no control of my actions and that… that thing was inside my mind…" Thea tried to calm herself and be comforted by Aria. She looked deeply into her lover's eyes, attempting to find any reservations or disgust – there was nothing but concern. "Thank you for not pushing me to meld with you… I am still scared… I will not be the cause of any harm to you."

Aria pulled Tevos into a full hug and in doing so lifted her off the bed; she also made sure that Thea could not see her face. Please don't see the fucking doubt that I'm fucking feeling. I want to believe… FUCK! Aria wasn't sure what to do with her feelings. The idea of indoctrination was one of the few things that scared her and the realization that her lover had been taken control of enraged her to her core, but also terrified her.

Miranda Lawson was working in her laboratory, trying to analyze a piece that had been secured from the remains of Harbinger. The Reaper remains were a complete mystery and she longed to help solve it. The material wasn't wholly machine, but contained genetic codes from races that she had never even encountered. The Reapers were gone, but so much of their own culture had been influenced by these creatures and almost nothing was known about them. A knock on her door pulled her attention away and she was surprised to find Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh standing in her office.

"Greetings, Ms. Lawson." It was the first time that the quarian had spoken to Miranda. "I am sorry to intrude on your work, but I would like to discuss something with you."

"Of course Admiral, please come in." Miranda raised one of her perfect eyebrows at the approaching woman. She had not known many quarians, but had been impressed with the Admiral's technical knowledge and understanding of the geth. She motioned to a chair and then took one opposite her, "What would you like to discuss?"

The Admiral held herself with confidence, like a person that was used to issuing commands and getting what she wanted. "You may call me Xen…" She paused to fully assess the human before her and then got right to the point of her visit. "You are currently studying the Reaper known as Harbinger and looking at how the Reapers used synthetic and organic components in their construction. I have experience in understanding how synthetics work and an interest in the merging of the two. My skills are quite adept and I will be able to help you decode the Reapers faster than you could without my assistance."

Miranda smiled at the woman as she considered her request. She was not accustomed to people being as brash and arrogant as Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh and was somewhat reminded of herself when she was younger. "Alright… Xen, I could use your help. I'm aware of the technological advances that you brought to the quarians and your expertise would be a great help to the project."

"Excellent, we should start immediately." Xen rose and then stopped and turned her head quizzically. "There is one more thing that needs to be addressed…"

"Go on…" Miranda crossed her arms and readied herself for whatever was next.

"You and Dr. Bryson-Vega have become friendly…" Xen posed this as both a statement and a question. "I have some… concerns about her recent behavior." Xen studied Miranda carefully for any indication of what she was referring to, but found that the woman was not read easily. She continued with her comment, "I have noticed that she has seemed disoriented and is often having migraines and nosebleeds. I do not believe this is due to her pregnancy… Are you not concerned?"

Miranda exhaled deeply as she thought about how she wanted to answer Xen. She wasn't sure that she wanted to have this conversation with the quarian, but it confirmed that there was indeed something wrong with her friend. I wonder how many of the others have noticed her ailments too?

Miranda headed to her desk and picked up a stack of OSDs and then handed them to Xen. "This is all of the data that I've gathered on the current sample of Harbinger. Please familiarize yourself with it and I will have you added to the list of personnel that can access this lab. I look forward to working with you Xen. You have a unique understanding of synthetics and I'm sure you will be a valuable asset. To address your other concern, I'm not at liberty to talk about my relationship with the Director."

Xen was quiet for a moment, "I understand, Ms. Lawson. Thank you for you assessment of my qualifications. I will get to work on this immediately." Xen turned and started to leave.

"Xen, you may call me Miranda… if you like."

"Yes, thank you… Miranda." Xen nodded and exited Miranda's lab.

Thinking over the past few weeks at how Ann had slowly seemed to be changing, Miranda was now concerned for her friend. What is wrong with her? She sat back down and closed her eyes, thinking of their past few conversations. Miranda often took her lunch with Ann. Ann had become interested in Miranda's time heading the Lazarus Project and always wanted to hear tales of her time with Commander Shepard and the specifics about her implants. Was there something more than just curiosity there? What was going on?

Wanting an answer to her questions, Miranda headed to her computer and inputted the information that she herself had observed Ann exhibiting: irritability, loss of focus, lack of appetite, migraines, nose bleeds, nightmare, memory loss. She scanned the results until one in particular caught her eye… indoctrination. A pit formed in her stomach and a cold chill went down her spine. No… that is not possible… But Miranda also trusted her instincts and something about the word hit her hard. I need to get in touch with Shepard.

Activating her comm unit, Miranda was relieved when Shepard answered, "Commander, hello… Are you able to speak discreetly?"

"Miranda… are you okay?" Shepard had concern in her voice. She had not spoken with Miranda in some time and she was not one to call just to chat.

"Are you able to talk?" Miranda repeated her question before she continued.

"Yes, I am about to meet up with Tali and Garrus. What is going on?" Shepard pressed a button on her omni-tool and made sure that the channel was secure.

"I am concerned about Dr. Bryson-Vega… She is not behaving as she used to Commander. I need to tell you something, but I don't want you to think that I am crazy…" Miranda was not sure how Shepard would take the accusation, but she also knew that she could trust her and that she needed to know.

Knowing what Miranda was about to say, Shepard decided to share some information with her old friend, "You think that she is suffering the effects of indoctrination."

"What? How do you know?" Miranda was taken aback by the revelation that Shepard already knew what she suspected.

"Has she given you any artifacts that look like an orb or jewelry?"

It was an odd question, but Miranda thought about it, "No… No she hasn't… Why?"

"Miranda, I am sending you information on Leviathan. I need you to look it over and contact Liara. She will fill you in on everything. I am also giving you a mod to add to your omni-tool, make sure you install it immediately and share it and the information with those that you trust completely. I am heading to the Normandy with Garrus and Tali, but I will be in contact with you." Shepard pressed a few more buttons on her omni to send Miranda everything.

"I don't understand Shepard, but I will do as you ask." Miranda felt confused, but could tell that Shepard had some answers. A light flashing on her computer indicated that the files had arrived from Shepard. "I will review everything you sent and contact Liara… Good luck Shepard."

"Thanks, Miranda and you too."

When Aria woke up, she felt tired and her muscles were sore from not moving all night. She was somewhat relieved that Thea finally calmed down and had fallen asleep in her arms, even though her left arm was now numb. Afraid of waking her bondmate, Aria tried her hardest to shift Thea off of her and allow her to climb out of bed. Luckily, Aria had the help and fine control of biotics to assist her with the task.

Aria looked over the sleeping form of Thea Tevos and allowed herself to enjoy the sight and remember how Thea made her feel. She's beautiful and I love her… I will protect her, but I don't know how… Fucking Leviathan… A feeling of want and desire quickly hit her and for a moment, she thought of taking her like she had. But then a pained look appeared on Thea's face and Aria was thrown back into the emotions from the last few days and their unknown future and want was replaced by fear. Thea…

Aria walked out of her bedroom and into the study. She activated her comm unit and a holographic image of Liar T'Soni appeared before her. "Liara…"

"Hello Aria." Liara looked at Aria's expression and could see that she was pained, "How is Thea doing?"

Shaking her head slightly, Aria tried her best to answer Liara without tipping her off to the inner turmoil that she was feeling, "She's fi…" A lie would've been so easy to tell, but it was not why she was talking to Liara, "She's struggling, Liara… She's still having those fucking dreams and wakes up screaming and crying…"

"I am sorry, Aria." Liara's expression changed from somber to hopeful, "I think I know someone that might be able to help us… Let me make a call and I will be over."

Looking somewhat relieved, Aria smiled at Liara, "Thank you… I'll be ready when you arrive."

Liara nodded and her image faded. Aria was left again to her thoughts and she focused on a word that Liara had said, She said us… The idea that Liara was part of 'us' was actually a comfort to Aria. We will get through this…

With the apartment quiet and having time to kill, Aria's thoughts were taken back to the last time she felt this vulnerable and upset… Oleg Petrovsky and his attempt to turn her and Liara into some kind of Cerberus-Reaper monster. What had happened on Omega had forever changed her and also linked her to Liara in a way she never thought possible. Liara had seen her hidden fears and also shared her strongest joys and she in turn knew Liara's too. During their meld, the two had needed to be completely open and use their inner abilities to survive and as a result, had formed a lifelong bond. I've endured worse shit and I've always gotten through it… Thea will be okay and Liara will help… I fucking know it…

A chime from the front door announced that Liara had arrived. "Finally!" Aria headed to the door to greet her guest. When the door opened, two people stood before her – Liara T'Soni and Miranda Lawson. Aria had an immediate gut reaction to the second visitor, "What in the hell are you thinking bringing a Cerberus agent?"

"Calm down Aria… Miranda is not with Cerberus and she is here to help us… I fully trust her, as you should too." Liara did not want to mince words with Aria and knew that she must show absolute confidence in order for Aria to trust her decision to include Miranda. She looked her elder in the eyes and held a steady, definitive gaze that reinforced her beliefs.

Aria did not trust others by nature and usually only revealed what she chose of herself when dealing with people. The asari in front of her though had shared her mind and knew her in a way that most could not even fathom. Trust Liara… it had become an instinct and she followed her instincts. "Come in…" She stepped aside and let both women enter her home, but did not offer an apology for her first statement.

"I thought that I heard the door chime…" Tevos came out of the couple's bedroom, attempting to look composed and stately, wearing a flowing asari cut dress.

Moving to her bondmate's side to offer support if needed, Aria turned back to her guests, "How can you help?"

Recognizing that she needed to settle Aria down, Miranda took the floor, "Shepard and Liara have filled me in on everything that is going on with the Councilor. I have also read through Dr. Michel's files and it is consistent with Leviathan's use of mind control, but I'm not sure that the Councilor was actually indoctrinated… at least not yet."

Thea accepted her partner's arm and gently wrapped her own with Aria's, "How can you be sure? What about the nightmares?"

"I can't be 100% sure, but it is consistent with what the Mahavid miners went through after they were rescued and rehabilitated. They had been controlled through an orb and once that was destroyed, they slowly recovered. The asari in the group took longer and complained of nightmares, but they were not indoctrinated." Miranda offered Thea and Aria an OSD containing details of everything she had summarized.

Hearing the news and digesting it all, Aria looked at Thea, "I told you that Liara would help us… Thea, you're not indoctrinated." Thank the fucking Goddess! She let the relief wash through her and she pulled Thea into a very powerful hug that was fully returned by her lover.