This story is a continuation of the popular video game series: Mass Effect created by Bioware Entertainment. It will go along with a slightly alternate storyline, with game based historical events being assumed for the purpose of the story. Please note that I am aware that some events being assumed might never have happened to you: so don't get all high and mighty with me about how certain things did not is a FanFiction story after all. I assume certain things for the purpose of writing not to piss people off. So again just relax. To add furthermore, I do not own any of the rights of copyright of the Mass Effect franchise or its use in public or in marketing beyond FanFiction. Regardless, from one fan to another please enjoy. Updates will be coming soon.

-StarOmega


MASS EFFECT: DARK EMBER

By: StarOmega

Part 1

The Alleyway

New London

Year: 3245 PRE-1114 years Post Reaper Era

The alleyway was unusually quiet for the night. Often it was littered with criminal activity ranging from minute gangsters simply hanging out or passing gossip to the not so much subtle transactions that high wage individuals deploy. Much like tonight. Tonight something big was going to go down and because of that the alleyway was quiet; just as Phoenix wanted it to be. Otherwise the deal would never occur in such a route alleyway. The news has it that a major manufacturing company; Eroski Steel Inc. was going under after a defect in some of the company's factories which caused the products to be weak and brittle. Thats really bad for a company whose business orientates around ship building and military vehicular design. Once the defect was detected, Eroski issued a world wide recall of company product for major overhauling. Unfortunately Eroski had to recall almost 89 percent of its shipped product. It was a manufacturing nightmare; within a span of a few months a triple A company has had to let go hundreds of thousands of employees, its revenue dried up and all of its stock exchanges ceased to be. Most damaging of all is its major investors are continuing to sever ties with the company. Eroski is in total freefall.

Because of that, this meeting was vital since the one making the deal was Arzeed Eroski: founder and CEO of Eroski Steel Inc. With him was numerous top notch prototype and experimental schematics that the company desired building in the near future. A future that was all but gone. Unless of course Mr. Eroski makes the deal he's about to make. Estimably, the small black edged silver briefcase containing the schematics was worth about 3.2 billion dollars. No syndicate would be stupid enough to pass on the chance to get that brief case, including Phoenix. However Phoenix wanted to play it safe, to ensure the deal was made and to calculate how legit Mr. Eroski's wager was.

At 0550 hours the first out of the expected two parties came. This party consisted of five members, each semi-shrouded by a veil of darkness masking their identities from street cameras. Prior to their arrival, Phoenix had previously inserted multiple blackspots; a type of malware which attacks LAN lines, falsifying reports which report that nothing is going on which in turn then keeps WI's or Watcher Intelligences uninterested. That way the authorities would remain unaware of the transaction.

The first party continued to walk into the alleyway for a few moments before stopping. Three of the members, Turian security guards, went forward to secure the area. A minute later they pulled back.

"I don't like this." A woman nervously claimed as she held the first man's hand, who was currently holding the briefcase. The woman was Mrs. Eroski, an Asari who fell in love with Mr. Eroski. She insisted that she'd come along during the transaction. Subsequently the man with the briefcase was her husband; Mr. Eroski who too looked nervous but had determination in his posture.

"Neither do I. But what choice do we have?"

"I can think of a dozen, anything but them."

"They're offering good money and enough political weight to bail out Eroski Inc. I can't-no I will not allow my family's legacy be thrown away because of a stupid defect."

"But Arzeed, these people-" Mrs. Eroski was saying until she was bluntly interrupted by an anonymous voice.

"These people are what, Mrs. Eroski?"

Emerging from the shadows were two figures each with privatized custom made armour and weapons. They represented the second party, the one whom offered Mr. Eroski's salvation and the one who're about to get an unbelievable advantage over rival syndicates. They represented Cerberus, a shadow organization that was once a substitute to the Alliance as guardian for Humanity. It was also the organization that brought back Shepard after the Collectors had killed him. However, whatever reputation they had left went down the drain when the Reapers ensnared its leader; the Illusive Man and his High Command through indoctrination. With the Illusive Man now a puppet, the Reapers used him to cause havoc throughout the galaxy: attacking key installations and positions vital for the resistance. Most notably were the attacks on the Citadel and the fallacy refugee known as Sanctuary.

With his supposed death during the assault on the Citadel, the already fractioned group splintered completely: with each cell going into complete darkness. After the war was over, the cells went into hiding, licking wounds. Now a thousand years later; Cerberus has returned.

"Did you bring the schematics?" The first Cerberus representative, a Centurion with slightly modified armour compared to Cerberus standards; asked while approaching Mr. Eroski. Eroski's Turian guards didn't like that and moved in, guns aimed. The second Cerberus representative, a Phantom proceeded with drawing the iconic Cerberus vanadium katana.

"Whoa, everyone let's just relax and move onto business. We don't want things to get messy, now do we?"

"Yeah right!" Mrs. Eroski yelped, charging up with her bluish purple biotics, "Who the hell are you? Where's Karn?"

"Karn doesn't make the deals, he just brokers them. I'm the one you'll be dealing with for tonight." The Centurion explained which didn't help unease the Eroski's.

"Na-ah, no way-the deal's off." Mr. Eroski pronounced turning away. The Phantom with her altered, higher pitch voice laughed.

"Fine by us-enjoy your last weeks as a Somebody."

"Oh well, suit yourself. I guess we'll be on our way then," The Centurion added as he and the Phantom began to walk away.

Unfortunately Mr. Eroski's desperation to save his family's future got the better of him.

"Wait!" He yelped halting the two Cerberus agents.

Both turned to face Eroski as he walked towards them.

"Your certain that you can guarantee Eroski Inc. will be bailed and its assets restored?"

"We meant what we said," The Phantom ensured.

"And my family?" Eroski asked further. His wife, now trembling as her husband continued to negotiate with the two agents.

"Your family won't face any sues or drawbacks from recent events. You have our word." The Centurion promised which reluctantly convinced Eroski.

"Alright."Eroski said unbuckling the briefcase from its lock and then entering the security code. After a small pop, the briefcase contents were exposed and Eroski handed it over. The Phantom without delay snatched the case, looked and nodded to the Centurion; who then proceeded to conclude the deal.

"Alright everything seems intact. By morning your assets should return to normal."

"Thank the lord." Eroski proclaimed as he began to return to his anxious wife.

Now, Phoenix could've easily taken the case. However the whole trap was a go so long as Eroski enter the code. Briefcases like this one were known as Case-39's. Built with an internal thermal conductor, the briefcase's failsafe ensures that no one unlawfully breaches it since the contents are incinerated if the failsafe isn't deactivated. With the code inputed and its failsafe gone, the briefcase was finally exposed: and thus the trap was snared.

"What the!" The Centurion yelped as three then five flash grenades flew through the air, detonating within seconds of one another. Both parties were partially stun giving leeway for a few Phoenix Troopers to move in. In the blink of an eye, the Phoenix Troopers snatched the briefcase while killing the Centurion: stabbing him with a modified omni-blade in the gut.

Normally the Phantom would've been the hardest to take down but she had her own problems as an unknown figure in white armour emerged from the sidelines. Before the Phantom could react the figure deployed his omni-shield, and smashed her in the chest. The G force generated ruptured her lungs as she fell down with a thump. She struggled, gasping for any air her lungs could hold onto. But it was futile, the blunt force caused numerous ruptures which lead to blood flooding the lung chambers. 10 seconds later and the Phantom drowned on her own blood.

Afar from the alleyway, other assassinations were being commenced with Phoenix operatives ruthlessly taking down Cerberus agents whom had been waiting in case something happened. That made them easy prey. All it took was a few minutes of careful analysis, map out where they were and then attack. Quick, clean and quiet.

During the fighting the Eroski's broke for it, running away while calling the authorities. Which meant police and that was troubling because Phoenix's mandate was to stay hidden. No one was supposed to exist. Which further meant that they had to wrap things up and fast.

"Case is secured." One of the Phoenix Trooper explained to the White armour figure.

"Good,"The figure said stepping over the Phantom's corpse.

"She went down faster than expected."The Trooper said modestly making the figure chuckled.

"To her credit, she was able to maintain consciousness for the few precious seconds she had left. Says something about Cerberus genetic modification."

"Sure," The Trooper committed walking away from the scene, "doesn't seem though it did much good for her against a Crusader."

"Perhaps,"The Crusader replied, 'Regardless make sure that package is delivered safely to Wolfthorn. He'll want to see those schematics."

"Understood." The Trooper replied, heading off cloaked with the briefcase in hand. A minute later the Crusader left the scene leaving a dozen dead Cerberus soldiers in his wake.

Moments after the Crusader had left, a clean up crew courtesy of Wolfthorn arrived at the alleyway. It took the ten man team no more than thirty minutes before the entire crime scene was changed: from Cerberus massacre to a badly executed robbery. By the time the police had arrived, nothing was left that was traceable to Phoenix. All according to plan.