(A/N): Regardless of what is said or done, I'm still kicking myself over how foreseeable Alice's death was. I know shit happens, and burning all someone cares for in life in the blink of an eye is an overused method of character development, but I honestly how I could damage Fredrick as a character otherwise while ensuring his long-term survival. Also, I did raise the age rating because hospital bombings are not dinner table conversation, nor is half of the deaths of random bystanders so far. That being said, people choking on toxic gas was what I didn't have in mind when I was writing this chapter, but it came out anyways because it seemed like a good idea. As per usual, I only own the characters of my writing, Bioware and Electronic Arts own Mass Effect. Be sure to critique, or PM me if you have questions.

Chapter 1: The End of an Era

I should've learned to let go when I saw her on Illium. Now she's dead, and the Galaxy looks to us with questions to which we don't have the answers. It had been decided among high command that Cobalt be deemed supremacist traitors until we find a more concrete solution. It pains me to know that as much of a caring person and brave fighter Alice was, her name, title, and record are spat upon to save the rest of us from the glaring eyes of the public. After the crazed killing spree Cobalt went on, all that we have done until this point, trade, justice, social networking with other species has all been for nothing.

June 12, 2069

10 hrs/14 min/41 sec

Terran Embassy Infirmary, Citadel Station

Fredrick sat in his hospital room for a couple of days now. He ordered biometric scan after biometric scan, eager to discern any sign of infection. While he had no issue joining Alice in death, he still wished to find those who captured Benjamin and the artifact, and he especially wanted to find Nazara and his kind, and put an end to them. As much as he craved death and destruction at that point, he still had little idea of where to start besides the Minos Wastelands. His mind kept going back to the council meeting, where various Terran officers had approached them with "evidence" suggesting Alice and her team were all traitors who sought to kill the council, essentially making her a scapegoat.

Suddenly, a medical officer as well as Commander Burke entered his room. Fredrick glanced up, giving a look of curiosity. "What are the results, commander?"

"Well, as was the case for the last few scans, we have found nothing suggesting you are infected. No tumors or malformations of any sort, and all neurological patterns are still normal. The only difference is that we're picking up signs of new software on your systems. While it isn't anything particularly harmful to you, we are unsure of what it can do. Regardless of what we believe, the worm and its coding as intertwined with your own. What you can and will do with it is up to you," the medical officer explained.

"Understood. So, am I free to go commander?" Fredrick asked.

"That's what I'd like to discuss, major," Burke started. "I've talked matters over with other officers. Firstly, you and the other members of Crimson are the best we have, and you know it. We can't risk you all getting infected simultaneously, so we're dissolving Crimson squad and having you shipped off to various divisions. Secondly, we are all aware this last fight had more impact on you than any of the others, both physically and mentally. I hereby authorize you to take sick-leave for four weeks time. I know you are angry, but we've got to face the facts. Even if you could prove someone was responsible for turning Cobalt Squad, especially if it was one of the council races, there is still no way to prove they were no longer acting within the confines of their own consciousness. What's more important is how they turned, who made that artifact you crushed, and what are there bigger implications than are presented. We're going to be in a world of hurt if we have some unknown faction that is quietly taking potshots from the shadows at us."

Fredrick's heart sank. He was being split up from his team. His soulmate was now dead, and now he was being grounded for far too long. But he needed answers, even if he couldn't use them to gain justice for the fallen. "Sir, permission to go as I please, and bring my equipment along?"

"What did you have in mind, major?" Burke asked.

"Closure, sir. I want to go out on my own to the Minos Wastelands. We still have the last known coordinates of Pragar's group, same location Benjamin was tracked last before his brain was fried. With any luck, I could find who hired him," Fredrick answered simply.

Commander Burke grunted with discomfort. "Major, look. To reiterate, the officers you've served under, myself included, very well know that you and Sergeant Noel were especially close. I can understand what sort of emotional trauma you're going through and going out to shoot some more won't help that."

"With all due respect sir, that relationship is in the past and is none of your concern. I'm ready to move along," Fredrick said in annoyance. He still remembered vividly the emotional pain after he killed Alice. It was something he didn't want to go back to.

Burke put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't lie to me son. And don't you dare lie to yourself. Cobalt was a loss felt by everyone in the uniform. They were brothers and sisters, friends, family, lovers, you name it. They each meant something to us. Alice included," he uttered menacingly.

For a brief moment, Fredrick broke eye contact, looked off to the side as the commander finished.

"See? Even mentioning her name brings back the pain. You need rest, it isn't healthy to work while you are injured. Even with what we have," Burke said, furthering his point.

"Just let me go to the Minos Wastelands sir. I'll be discrete," Fredrick pushed, returning his gaze.

"So be it. But other than your own equipment, you'll have to find a way to get out there on your own. Perhaps the new virus on your system will grant you passage to something useful, but we can't be held accountable for any actions you take. Not after... this," the commander sighed.

20 hrs/13 min/19 sec

Citadel Docks, Citadel Station

Already, Fredrick felt alone without his team at his side. The eerie silence over what would've been a crowded com channel among the six or seven of them was now non-existent. He walked by himself along the docks, and towards a security booth. He knew C-Sec kept someone in there during the night shift to have someone keep an eye on the cams to prevent smuggling, theft, or murder. He knew he was done-for the moment the camera saw him, so he walked up to the side of the booth, hoping he could sabotage security without having to render the guard unconscious.

He reached the side of the tower and opened a panel on the side. It was a maintenance panel that allowed engineers to tweak with the machinery should a bug show up in the system. He used his implants to mentally interface with the system. He knew that his hardware shouldn't have trouble infiltrating the system and getting the job done, but it was still a calculated risk. He then thought back to the alien worm within his system. Redirecting the new code into the panel before him, the world around the docks seemed to slow down for a moment as his mind traveled into the system.

Connecting...

Checking authorization...

User unre-

User recognized...

Access granted_

Fredrick blinked. He never felt an experience such as this before. For that single moment, he felt like his mind was no longer attached to his physical form any more. Distantly, he could feel his heart beat and his lungs breath, but it felt slow and diluted. Now, he felt the security system. He could only feel the connections going to the docked ships, the monitors in the tower office, the security cameras, and the ventilation system.

He didn't know what to do at this point. He let his mind travel to the security cameras first, only to have his vision explode with a plethora of images and visuals from each individual camera. It was strange seeing so many things at the same time, somehow having eyes across multiple bodies, being in more than one place. The only thing different was that, since time was traveling so slowly for him, that the images almost felt they were just pictures.

He then retracted his mind from the camera feeds, and inserted his mind to the connections from the ships, looking at their diagnostics, searching specifically for smuggler ships. He knew these ships not only had the best stealth equipment to date, but were capable of long-distance travel without refiling at every stop. Finally, he found a lonesome, small, Eclipse freight ship. Retracting his mind and returning to the camera feeds, he found the same freight ship and set it to a loop of the last hour, before he arrived at the docks, as well as all the other cameras leading from the tower to the dock.

Once again, he retracted his mind, and glanced at the information going to the security tower. He proceeded to rig false information concerning the ship he was about to hijack and unlocked the docking magnets. Satisfied with his work, he began to retrieve his mind from the system altogether.

Citadel Docks

At first, the world still felt so distant, his vision had yet to return, as well as his other senses. Slowly, he began to feel more than just his heart and lungs, like he was waking up from a deep sleep. As he finally came to his senses, he stumbled for a moment, remembering he still needed to concentrate on standing. For a moment, he stood there and felt himself, brushing his hands over his head, torso, legs, confirming that each were still real and connected.

He glanced around him looking all directions, making sure no one had been watching. In reality, it had happened so quickly that not even a second had passed. Satisfied with his work, he began to stroll back down through the docks, back to the Eclipse freighter, and left the Citadel dock into the Widow Relay.

June 13, 2069

01 hrs/30 min/01 sec Local Time

Minos Wastelands, Arrae System, Erros, [classified]

Erros, another dead rock that life somehow managed to grow on. It was isolated, covered in volcanoes, and barely a location of interest, making for a perfect site for behind-doors activities. He landed on the dark side of the planet, stealth equipment still engaged, a couple kilometers away from his destination. The rest of the way, he made on foot. As he walked so many memories came rushing back to him, image after image flashed by his eyes as he blinked. He thought back to the days when life was simple, when he was still in his "recruit" stage of life, when it was he and his team against whatever monstrosities lay just on the next planet. Now, he was alone and without anyone to look out for, anyone to cover him, any one to think about when he went home.

Just at the tip of the next hill, he saw a partially subterranean facility, just poking out from the ground. A hanger, as well as several ventilation units lay scattered in a small, round opening with a hanger bay poking out of the middle. If it weren't for the facility, he'd most likely believe that the area was a thresher maw nest. Entering cloak, he made a dash for the nearest ventilation unit. Upon closer observation, each maintenance vent had a hatch for mechanics to access the outside to make repairs. Using his enhanced vision, he saw multiple security devices around the lock and interior to dissuade unwanted guests from entering. Checking some of the panels outside, he found a security check-in terminal. Walking over to the panel, he turned it on before reaching into it with his mind.

Connecting...

Checking authri-

User recognized...

Access granted_

He was starting to get used to the alien software within his body, as it made life so much easier on his own now. At most, he'd have Nolan hack the device before he and his team made his intrusion. Now it was simply him against the Galaxy, as everyone else was taken away from him. Initially, he felt the cameras and lock. He started to think, trying to remember how he broke through security back on the Citadel. He was still adapting, but the security here was probably much weaker than that on the Citadel.

Then, he reached forward with his mind to the security cameras. As the images came up, he wasn't surprised by the results. All throughout the base were various Asari commandos, all whom were cleaning up final materials. Unfortunately enough, what looked to be the labs were cleaned of all utensils, equipment, and notes. With further searching, he found the main office, watching as a commando walked in to access it. Knowing his objective, Fredrick turned his attention to the security room, began "flooding" with junk bits, then back to the door before him. He disabled the cameras and unlocked the door, feeling the "access granted" message flow through his mind. With that, Fredrick returned to the real world.

Erros, [classified]

Fredrick's eyes shot open, and he turned his head to the maintenance hatch. It had swung wide open, and the airlock was waiting to accept him. He stepped in and shut the hatch behind him. Seconds after, the airlock began to pressurize the room around him, injecting air into the vacuum. As the other door unlocked, Fredrick stepped through, into the lab.

First, he injected himself with an overclock stim, entering back into cloak, then making a beeline towards the main office. Corridor after corridor was patrolled by Asari commandos, either on guard or carrying cleaning equipment around. Between brightly lit, camera recorded areas, Fredrick would decloak, gather himself and look around, making sure no one had detected him.

Eventually, he made way to the main office, cloaked as he went in. Fortunately, the Asari commando he saw earlier was still there and even more fortunately, she clumsily left the door open. He walked in hearing her conversation, instantly recognizing Samelthea T'zeros' voice on the other side.

I presume everything is nearly complete? T'zeros asked.

"Yes, major. We've cleaned up all forensic data, and the Blood Pack remains were dropped off at a thresher maw nest in another system. We've cleaned up just about everything, and we'll be shipping out soon," the commando answered.

Not yet, you still have the conversations and reports on that monitor. You'll have to extract all the meta-data concerning each call with Councilor Tevos onto an OSD and destroy it.

"Understood, major," the commando answered as she plugged in an OSD into the side of the monitor. After pressing a few keys and clicking a few files, the screen flashed. She then proceeded to retract the OSD. "There, all the conversations have been withdrawn. I'll finish up and- *glack!*"

The commando never finished her sentence before a particle knife punctured her jugular and blood sprayed across the screen. An unseen force clutched her hand and forcefully plucked the OSD out of her hand. After that, Fredrick's physical form shifted into reality, revealing himself to Samelthea.

"Major T'zeros, I suspected as much. Thank you very much for keeping those files all conveniently on hand. I very much appreciate it," Fredrick started with a voice dripping of both acid and sarcasm. "I was genuinely concerned I might be all out of lose ends."

Yes? And what are you proposing, Müller? There's nothing you can do, the Galaxy has seen what your kind really is. Do you really think the courts of law will do anything besides wrap this case with layer after layer of red tape? T'zeros asked with a look suggesting she was victorious.

"And let law and justice handle this? No. This has become too personal for some lawyer to handle this. This is injustice that can never be repaid or fixed. After what has happened here, I have no intention of letting you go drawing another breath of air the moment I get within firing range. Regardless of how long it takes, regardless of if it's after the next hundred cycles, I'll still hunt you, and I'll still bring retribution down upon you. Count on it," Fredrick said with hostility. All the while, he was looking over the desk's security access. During his rant, he was granted access to "protocol zero," hanger door access, and control over the lights.

Don't be so sure you'll kill me before you yourself are reduced to dust, T'zeros mocked before the conversation ended. On that note, Fredrick opened valves all over the station, releasing toxic gas on as many exposed Asari commandos as possible, shut all the doors to the outside to prevent any escape, and shut off the lights, making it impossible for those who were still alive to transverse the facility safely.

Fredrick exited the office and began his cleansing sweep around the facility. All around him, Asari were either choking on their liquidated lungs, or were puking their purple blood onto the floor. Their eyes bled, their skin became dry, flaked, and fell off, causing bloody sores to grow all over them. Commandos who were lucky enough to have sealed helmets on at the time still wandered the facility, looking for a way out. Each and every one, Fredrick hunted down. With his particle rifle, he shot the limbs off any opposition, before finishing them off with headshots, causing their heads to become an incinerated pile of shattered bone, blood, brains, flesh, and contorted metal.

As Fredrick shot off each limb, the Asari fell to the floor, clinging on to their stumps in pain, or attempting to crawl away. When he walked up to finish any off, they would look up at him with their night vision, held whatever hand or arm they had left, and fearfully screamed for mercy before their head was vaporized. One by one, the commandos fell until the base was filled with nothing but toxic gas and death.

Fredrick walked to the hanger controls, disengaged the gas, and opened back up the hanger doors. From there, he took one of the commando ships and flew back to the Citadel. He knew this wasn't the end of his revenge. He still wanted more, T'zeros, Tevos, Nazara would all pay with their lives and careers. He would see to it that all of them faced justice for the crimes they committed.

08 hrs/22 min/43 sec

Presidium, Citadel Station

"I understand the cause of your concern, I'll keep that in mind, Ambassador," Councilor Tevos said. She had been invited by the Volus ambassador that morning to discuss the safety of trade routes.

"*wheeze* Thank you, councilor. You have *wheeze* no idea how much this means to me and my people, *wheeze* we need this protection to maintain productivity within the Galaxy *wheeze*," the Volus thanked her.

"I'm sure it does," Tevos said before a notice showed up on her Omnitool showed up. She glanced at it for a moment before she asked the ambassador, "I'll be on my way and make changes, if you'll excuse me, I've got matters to take care of." As she walked out of the restaurant, she looked at the notice, signifying a message from Major T'zeros. She thought it was probably the major informing her clean-up was completed and they were out of the wood. Her heart nearly stopped the message.

T: Councilor Tevos

F: Mjr ST

Topic: Severe Security Issues

Councilor,

I was communicating with the lab when Major Müller infiltrated the base, most likely executed all remaining staff considering the base went dark right after I ended the conversation. He currently carries information concerning the experiments and is most likely already returning to his kind with the evidence.

Orders?

T'zeros

Her mind was racing. What was she to do? After recent events, she couldn't simply have him assassinated, and if he was capable of clearing a base with that many commandos inside on his own, than a simple assassination wasn't going to work. She quickly walked back to the Citadel tower, thinking of possible solutions, every now and then glancing over her shoulder with nervous glances.

09 hrs/34 min/23 sec

Terren Embassy Command Center, Citadel Station

Fredrick walked into the tower, armor just recently cleaned of Asari blood OSD in hand. He walked up to the commander with the OSD ready to hand off. "I've found what I wanted sir. Vid conversations and status reports, as well as medical scans and notes. We've got everything we need to get a good jab at Tevos."

Burke stared at the OSD with disbelief. "Very well done, Major Müller. I'm honestly surprised you actually managed to get anything out of that loose end. We just might be able to avenge Cobalt just yet."

An officer walked up to the two from the other side of the room and saluted. "Sir, it's the council. They'd like to make a proposal to Major Müller."

The two looked at each other for a few seconds. "Maybe you should come along, commander. This is probably important."

"Perhaps. Though, it is awfully suspicious after not too long after your raid. Perhaps they want to 'apologize,'" Commander Burke said with distrust.

The two made their way to the tower, and rode the elevator up. Fredrick thought to himself how the elevator seemed to be much faster on the outside. As they reached the tower, they made their way up the stairs and two the council court. They stepped up to the podium to begin the conversation.

"Thank you very much for arriving on such short notice, Major and Commander. We are very aware you are still recovering after the tragedy from earlier this week," Councilor Deximius started, flicking her mandibles nervously.

"Yes, Major Müller. Given your actions in protection of the Council, Tevos suggested that combined with your record as a soldier on the field would make you the ideal Specter candidate," Councilor Hihol Daelan said, continuing.

Burke and Müller gave each other disgruntled looks. They very well knew that Tevos was desperately attempting to "buy" their silence with a man among the Specters. This was especially apparent to Fredrick, as he thought to himself in frustration. "Alice was forced to commit a crime she had no control over, unaware of her reality, and driven into a bottomless insanity, and the reality was hidden to the public simply because even we didn't know the extent of the reality. Now Tevos spits on her name one last time by paying me under the table with a rank. How pathetic." Fredrick took a step forward and spoke. "I appreciate the offer councilors, but personally feel it would be greatly dishonorable and inappropriate given recent events." With that, he turned and walked out of the chamber, followed by Burke, ending the meeting.

June 17, 2069

13 hrs/45 min/32 sec

Flux Bar, Citadel Station

Fredrick downed his sixth drink that afternoon. With the amount he had drank, and at that level of concentration, he should've been on the floor with severe alcohol poisoning. Fortunately, his nanites allowed his body to cope with that level quickly, or vent excess toxin through his sweat or vapor from his breath. Regardless of how much he drank, he couldn't remove the sorrow that clouded his mind. Never before had leave felt so empty and emotionless. For the first time in his life, he felt alone and lost. He didn't know if he could truly bring himself to move on at this point.

At this point, a trio of Krogan mercenaries came walking into the club, all talking about some raid. Fredrick glanced at them in dismay, knowing that obviously this sort of thing would fly right under C-Sec. If it wasn't on the Presidium, chances are that one would roughly had a 50-50 chance of getting away with whatever crime they committed on the Citadel.

One of the Krogans, dressed in crimson, noticed his glare. "What are you looking at whelp?"

"Oh, just enjoying the view and my drink," Fredrick answered simply, gesturing towards the bottle in his hand.

The two other Krogan approached him, giving menacing looks. "Yeah, well if you haven't noticed, Aug, your kind isn't exactly welcome around here. Regardless of what those Pyjacks on the council tell you."

Fredrick got off his seat on the bar to face the two. "Knowing your kind, my friends, is this going to end on a friendly note without incident, or is at least one of us going to walk out of this with multiple fractures?" he asked, stretching his arms.

"Strong words for an intoxicated pillar of unrefined iron," one of the oncoming Krogans chuckled.

"Oh believe me, I can hold my alcohol very well," Fredrick countered as he took a defensive stance. The first Krogan lunged forward with a balled fist, only to be blocked by Fredrick, before he locked his arm in his grip, kneed the assailant to the quad, and struck the chest and head with a couple of strong punches, dropping the now unconscious Krogan to the ground. The other one rushed forward with a punch of his own, only for Fredrick to bat the punch aside with his right hand, strike the Krogan's chest with his left hand, and finally bringing an uppercut with his right hand again on the Krogan's jaw, sending the beast into a backflip onto the floor.

The crimson wearing Krogan simply stood and clapped at his feat. "Hehehe! I like your style! I'm surprised you aren't a Krogan."

"I do believe I am partially Krogan, helps with the natural regeneration and dermal armor. Sorry about your friends, but they got in my way," Fredrick answered.

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you were more genetically Krogan than you were machine or whatever your race originally was. I know I should recognize you, but the name is Müller, correct?" the Krogan continued.

"Ja, Fredrick Müller. And what's yours?" he responded, putting out a hand.

"The name's Urdnot Wrex. Regardless of how others see you, you've earned my respect, Terran." Wrex shook Fred's hand vigorously and chuckled.

Fredrick put on his helmet and locked the seals. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I should probably leave before C-Sec arrives." With that, he walked out of the room.