A/N: Sorry it's been awhile, I started another story, and got a little entrenched in it. This chapters short, but it's more of a transitional chapter to get me back in the groove for this. Just a little heads up, the next chapter will begin near the beginning of ME1, but that's on purpose. Shades history will come out and play a big part of the story in it, so I'm skipping over it, for story telling purposes. It's not because I'm lazy and impatient. I swear that's the reason.

Bottle

"It's finally ready?" I asked

"Yes, it's ready" Cortana replied, "I know it took a little longer than anticipated, but it's ready"

"It's been nearly five months"

"It's a lot more complicated than we intended, I still don't think you should do it. There are risks that we can't account for"

"I'll be fine, and I've already made my mind"

"Fine" she muttered, crossing her arms, "Mordin's ready for you"

"Okay, let's go" I said, grabbing my coat. I make my way to the surgery suite that Mordin rented, not wanting to go to Achilles. It was a quick trip lasting about 10 minutes.

"Mordin" I said walking in, "what's up, everything good?" I asked

"I'm well, thank you. Are you sure you wish to proceed"

"Yeah, no going back. I've already modified my body beyond going back, lets keep moving. Is it ready?" I asked

"Of course, go ahead and lay down on the bed, I already have the anesthetic ready" he babbled on, "you should know, you will feel the pain from the bone ossification"

"Great" I muttered, and as I laid down he applied the anesthetic, and I was out.

-Wake up-

Me eyes burst open, and I'm staring at the ceiling, the ceiling in my bedroom

Cortana, why am I in my room?

-We had moved you here, though it'd be better for when you woke up-

What?

-What?-

Somethings wrong, I can tell. What happened? How long have I been out?

-There was an, unforeseen problem-

I slowly get up, feeling incredibly weak. I get up to go turn on the lights, and I could feel a beard, and my hair is much longer.

How long?

-22 days, that's how long it took Mordin and myself to find a solution, we woke you the instance that we did-

How bad is it? And Where is Mordin?

-Well, you should know that the modified gene mod was a complete success, your muscles are much denser, making your body stronger altogether, and he's on his way back to Achilles-

And the bone ossification?

-That's where the issue arises, technically it did work to an extent, increasing bone strength by 150%, shy of the 300% mark, but still good. The ossification had some adverse reactions with your existing gene mods affecting your bones-

Well don't stop there.

-Your bones will, 'leak', for lack of better explanation, carbon into your blood system. Because of this we had to install another set of nanites, they focus on collecting the carbon in your system. You'll have to take in an injection of dilepheloxide, it'll absorb the carbon in your blood system, leech it into your intestines, then you will vacate them-

This, this sucks. How long can I go in between taking shots?

-You can go three weeks without any non-irreversible effects, after four weeks, lets just not go that long-

I walk out of my bedroom, heading into the bathroom to relieve three weeks' worth of I.V's, and then to go find a bottle of scotch.

-I wouldn't advise drinking alcohol, you still need to inject yourself-

I can still work an injector, even intoxicated.

"You sure?" she asked, switching to hologram

"Yes" I said, grabbing the scotch, the injector, and going downstairs to lounge on the couch. "Have we heard anything from the Alliance?"

"Just once, but Thane was able to cover it, helped with the whole 'Shade' character you've been developing"

"And how's that?" I asked, opening up my bottle of single malt scotch, love that smell

"He dropped an old-fashioned business card, with a picture of a grim reaper on one side, Shade written on the other"

"Where the hell did you guys come up with that?"

"That was all Thane" she said, and I just started laughing my ass off. "Are you drunk?"

"I've already drank half the bottle, so probably. And I haven't had a drink in a while"

"Well, Mordin left you a package"

"Sweet" I said, "is it the biotic conductive metal?"

"Yes, what exactly do you plan on doing?" she asked

"Well, the hope is to deploy it from my armor in the form of a circle, surge it with the power from my nodes, make a biotic shield"

"Well, I'll leave you to you scotch, make sure he takes his injection" Cortana said

"I know I'm a little drunk, but I could of swo-"

"I'll make sure he does" I heard another voice said

"Cass?" I look over, and see her. "Hey" I put up my bottle

"Hey?" She asked, "I left here in a rage nearly six months ago, haven't talked or seen each other, hey?"

"Well, bad decisions were made, just learned about them, and I'm drunk. Been a crazy day. Don't touch my bottle" I said, taking another sip

"Yeah, I know" she said, sitting next to me. "And I forgive you, for lying to me my entire life"

"Anytime kid" I said, "Wait, how do you know?"

"Cortana" she said, "Look, I wanted to spend a few hours together, I don't know the next time I'll be able to see you"

"Why?"

"Because the recent batches of 'N' capable recruits have been lacking in numbers and talent, so we've been stretched thin lately. Then they lost you, so I have to pick up all of your overly difficult missions"

"I'm sorry" I said, "How about a chicken parm, on me?"

"Deal, just make it quick, I have to be at Arcturus soon"

"What?"

"Well, technically my flight had 'Complications' and had to land at the citadel. And my next flight is scheduled in two hours. You can thank Cortana" she said with a smile

"Yeah, she's pretty awesome. How busy do they have you?"

"They literally have me booked for an entire year" she claimed

"Are you two not going to fight?" Cortana asked popping up, "I was hoping to record it and hold against you in some way"

"She forgave me, and she's back. What're we going to fight about?" I asked, Cass nodding in agreement

"Chase is an assassin named Shade!" She yelled, disappearing

"What?" Cass asked

"Well, the Alliance has me in this hush hush program where I'm basically an assassin for them, and I can't exactly go around as the 'Demon' of the Alliance, so now I'm Shade"

"Shade?"

"I wanted to pick the name!"

"I almost forgot" she started, "Even though apparently you're one of the most powerful people in the galaxy, you're still just like a child"

"Am not"

-You have a delivery at the door, chicken parm-

"Your foods at the door" I said, pointing at my new armor on the wall, "Tell me that ain't bad ass!"

"And yes, you are. And I like your other set better" she said, getting up for her food. Rude.