Dr. Pelona Sivini woke from her cot and glanced at the digital clock on the floor. It read four in the morning, local time. The Asari sighed heavily. Sleep had become difficult and her eyes still felt laden with fatigue. She also felt troubled, though she couldn't quite place why. Slowly getting up so that she sat up in bed, she laid a blue hand on her forehead and decided she would get up early. Maybe she could get a head start on the day's work.

After throwing on some clothes and a lab coat, she carefully padded out of the room towards the labs. Not all the lights were on yet, just a select few to keep vigil over the night. She was just making it out towards the main hall which would lead to the labs when she came across a sight she had not expected. There were two men in the main room. Both of them were heavily armed and armored. She could tell one of them was a human, the other a Turian, both wearing a green camouflaged armor. The Turian handed something to the human.

"Take this, it is a night vision mod. Since you'll be taking point, you'll need it more than me. I have no use for it anymore." the Human soldier plugged a device somewhere in his armor and Pelona noticed his visor turn from translucent to a brilliant green.

"Yep, it works, even on a human model." the soldier announced.

"Armax Arsenal is very good making sure everything stays compatible." that was when Pelona realized something odd about the Turian's voice.

"Harrvok?" Pelona asked quietly. She nearly jumped when both of the men turned to look at her. She could not see their facial features as they were both wearing their full helmets. Their armor clearly were the same model from the same manufacturer, if different only in that one was specifically made for a human and the other for the Turian. The Human soldier only carried a heavily built sniper rifle on his back. On one hip was a pistol while from the other hung a sheathed survival knife. The Turian was carrying the standard issue of weapons every soldier carried with the exception of a sniper rifle. In its place he seemed to be carrying a special receiver or radio of some sort, judging by the long antenna coming from it. That was when she noticed the small engraved symbols on their collars.

The human had three insignias burned into the collar of the armor. The first was a pair of wings, the second was a cross and the third was a pair of sniper rifles crossed like an "X." The Turian had only one symbol, a single cross, but it was different from the Human's. While the Human's cross did not bisect equally, the arms closer to the head, the Turian's were equally divided. It was a medic's cross. It was indeed Harrvok.

"Harrvok, what are you doing?" Pelona asked quietly, walking up to him.

"Pelona, what are you doing awake at this hour?" Harrvok replied, almost sputtered.

"I-I couldn't sleep."

"Well, I was chosen by the Spectre's team to help investigate the quarantine zone. This is Lieutenant Von Seraph, one of Spectre Jima's crew. I'll be giving medical advice for him as well as acting as the radio man. The radio pack also contains some equipment so we can take samples if necessary." the Turian explained.

"They chose you because you were a battlefield medic." Pelona stated blankly.

"Yes, I believe that would be a proper educated guess." Harrvok agreed. There was a moment's silence as all three stood awkwardly. Pelona wasn't quite sure how she felt and she wished that she could at least see their faces, not the cold, emotionless shells of their helmets. She also wanted to kick herself for saying the most obvious fact.

"I will return as soon as we find anything." Harrvok announced, as if reading her thoughts.

"All right. Please do." Pelona said meekly and continued on her way to the lab.

The Asari decided that she was off to a bad morning. Her mind, still addled with sleep, did not want to function anymore. However, a mostly rational or optimistic side barked at her to keep working. Just because Harrvok was going into the quarantine zone where Goddess knew what pathogen was lurking there, he would still return and probably have found what happened to those two other field agents. This could all turn all good, right? This did not have to end badly.

The Asari glanced at all the samples, all the tests and found nothing. For the second day in a row no pathogen registered on the experiments. Even the rats were still scampering around with no signs of debilitating diseases showing. Discouraged, the Asari slumped forward on a counter and let her forehead slam into the smooth, polished steel. The cool of the metal reminded her that she decided it was already going to be a bad day. It was still only four-fifteen in the morning.

--

What didn't kill you only made you stronger. Yeah right. Nalia kicked back in the navigator's chair and poured contempt on the old saying. Sure, it was probably right but only half the time. What didn't kill you probably made you wiser but only if you chose to heed the lesson. What didn't kill you probably made your life more interesting, so long as it wasn't completely twisted. There was no absolute positive to the saying. What didn't kill you probably traumatized you for life, or left long emotional, spiritual or physical scars that never would heal.

The Apollyon virus didn't kill her but then again, how did she survive? It wasn't from sheer force of will, she knew that much. Jima explained that she had used modified Quarian antibodies, her own antibodies, in a last ditch effort to stop the virus. The idea was that the Apollyon nano-virus was a machine that was made to mimic a genome, trying to incorporate itself into a biological organism to either make it stronger or ruthlessly destroy it. Machines, like the Reapers, could only expect to be destroyed by the pathogen. Jima's reasoning was that, going off the rumors that Quarians are a hybrid of cybernetics and biology, her antibodies would be a mediator of sorts between the biological and the technology that the Apollyon virus was.

Truth be told, it just looked like Nalia got lucky. She was probably one of those rare flukes of when a virus invades a body and them somehow disappears with no explanation. Every time Jima's theory had been replicated in a lab, it always ended badly for the infected lab rat.

And now, here she was. Nalia was an ex-Spectre with no plan in life. She had spent a few months recovering, but she got bored. (Her friend Julland would have quipped that this was no surprise.) So, on an impulse, she decided to try being a mercenary. Now here she was, on an impulse, running away from the profession and now lacked a direction in life. She was as aimless as the shuttlecraft coasting through the expanses of the galaxy.

The virus had taken its toll. She still had not regained all of her strength. Her muscles had not regained their former rigor yet. At least she wasn't as thin as when she first was pronounced clean. The emotional damage? She wasn't sure yet. There was a dull tormented nagging in her, that was for sure, but she didn't know how it manifested itself. Did life become more precious? Was it cheaper now? Could she brag that she and Death sat down to a game of blind poker and she somehow managed to pull the winning hand? She wasn't sure, she just wasn't. All she knew was that whatever doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger. Besides, no matter how many times you played with the Grim Reaper, he kept smiling at you. The truth of the matter was that his poker face was a solid, unflinching grin. That was because he knew that inevitably you had to pull the Dead Man's hand. Death always wins in the end.

Nalia kicked herself when she realized she was starting to sound like Lucas, always the philosopher. Maybe she needed a vacation. Yes, she would take a vacation. At least it was a direction in life.

--

Julland let his brows dip as his jaw set and he did one last mental rundown of the plan. The interior lights of the Mako cast uncomfortable and awkward shadows on his dark gray skin. Within a couple of minutes the vehicle would arrive at the compound Lucas spotted. They would first take out the heavier guns with the Mako cannon as well as clear out any hostiles outside. After that, he would have to lead the combat team inside to finish the job.

He had decided on bringing two reliable Asari marines from the Shiloh crew. First was Matron Shanata De'larese. Approaching the midpoint of her life, the Asari nonetheless remained faithful to her vocation as a huntress, brining a whole new meaning to soldiering for a career. The Asari had done it for several lifetimes by any other races' measure. Julland learned that she was quiet and perhaps a tad bit anti-social but she made up for it in a firefight. Julland didn't know how she did it but she knew how bring down anything with devastating speed. Julland had only seen her once resort to hand to hand combat and he prayed he never would have to again. The thought of the outcome on the part of the victim still made his stomach churn.

The other Asari was Filara Sidayana. Filara was trained as a soldier but she really shone as an engineer on the battlefield. Of all the marines as his command, Julland was the least sure on how to handle her. There were times when Filara could be emotional and bubbly. So far, she kept her head on every engagement he dragged her on and her skills were not to be overlooked. Besides, where else was he going to find an Asari soldier who could handle an assault rifle and hack a Geth Colossus and still have a few token biotic abilities? Finally, she was the only thing that convinced Jima from coming. The Quarian had clashed with him over this one specific in regards to the assault. Jima had argued that she should come. She was the leader and everyone expected her to take the initiative. Julland had argued that she still had not finished her combat training and it was unnecessary for her to come when Filara was an already skilled field medic. Jima finally conceded and decided she would direct the assault from a network computer from the Shiloh while simultaneously helping the doctors back at the labs.

Finally, there was Dalora who was patiently waiting in the back. The Turian had thought twice about asking her to come. He did not want to endanger one of his friends who was also the beloved of yet another friend. However, he also felt better when she was around in a fight. In the end, it came down to the fact that Dalora demanded that she should come. Julland was still trying to come up with an excuse but decided it was soon going to be unnecessary. In some ways, Julland felt more sorry for anyone who got in Dalora's way than anything else.

"We have visual contact, Commander." Shanata reported, looking through the monitors. Julland wrapped his talons together in thought before giving his prompt orders.

"Open fire. Take out the mounted guns. Use evasive maneuvers and run a circumference around the compound. The more we move, the least likely they are to hit us."

"Yes, Commander." Shanata replied.

--

Dorian McDowell could only smile at the monitor screens that showed the attacking Mako approaching his headquarters. Already he could hear the faint booms echoing in the walls when the enemy's cannon struck one of the mounted guns. However, despite being woken up at this unwelcoming hour, the mercenary commander could feel himself slowly getting into it. In fact, he already felt sorry for his attackers. They were going to be in for a bad surprise.

"Your order's, sir?" a technician asked. McDowell snickered before he gave his answer.

"Fire an EMP round."

"Yes, sir."

--

"Most of the guns have been taken out." Shanata reported from her post. The Mako was still running at a rapid pace, its cannon steadily fixating at possible targets.

"Filara, how are our shields holding?" Julland asked.

"Still have seventy five percent. Those mercenaries are lousy shots." Filara smiled.

"Very well. Take out all the guns and then await my orders." Julland stated confidently.

The Mako continued its rain of fire under Shanata's experienced direction. One by one the mounted guns were destroyed until only two of the topmost guns remained.

"Almost done..." Shanata muttered.

"You think they'll go down easy?" Dalora asked quietly.

"At this rate, most likely." Filara replied.

It was then that they heard a small thump right before the Mako came to a sudden screeching halt. All the lights and electronics also went dead.

"What just happened?" Dalora asked.

"This looks like the result of an EMP attack." Filara stated.

"Explain, soldier." Julland demanded.

"Electromagnetic pulse. Basically, they just fried all the electronics in the Mako. Our rover is now a giant paperweight." Filara sighed.

"Can you fix it?" Julland asked.

"Considering the safety of the environment out there-" Filara was suddenly interrupted by the constant rattling of the sound of metal crashing against metal. The engineer shouted above the noise.

"And the fact that they've taken out our shield and will breech the hull any minute, no. We have to get out of here, now!"

--

Julland was the first to step out from the Mako, the sound of rounds ricocheting off the hull behind him resounded in his ears. The field commander in him told him that the Mako being disabled was not part of the plan. He did not like this at all. Filing out behind him, Dalora, Filara and Shanata all had their weapons drawn. The commander in the Turian told him he was up against a different kind of enemy. His mind jogged with trying to come up with alternatives as he and the three women huddled behind the hull of the rover.

"What are your orders, Commander?" Shanata asked, taking a peek out from behind the Mako. So far, they could not spot any hostile soldiers. It was the mounted defense guns that were their main concern. Julland's mandibles shuddered for a moment as he thought.

"Filara, find a way to disable those guns, even if only for a moment."

"Yes, Commander." the engineer immediately started working away on her omni-tool.

"Incoming round!" Shanata warned.

From above them, a projectile exploded overhead. A small concussive blast threw them all to the ground. Rapidly pulling himself up from the dirt, Julland immediately called out.

"Status report, all of you!"

"I'm good." Dalora replied, finding her shotgun.

"I'm still in one piece." Filara added.

"I'm ready. That was a rather lousy explosive round. They're going to have to do more than that to stop us." Shanata grumbled.

"That wasn't an explosive round." Filara announced over the sound of gunfire.

"What do you mean?" Shanata stated.

"Look at the electronics in our guns and hardsuits. They're all dead. That was another EMP round. We have no radar, our biotic amps are gone and my omni-tool is fried. The only reason our radios are working is because a backup system has gone on. We can't even call for support now!" Filara yelled.

Internally, Julland cursed. Knowing that he was now entangled with an enemy commander, he felt a burning acid of frustration growing in him. In the deadly game of chess he was playing with this unseen commander, he was starting to lose. Checkmate would mean more than losing the king