Shepard stood in a sea of stars. Above her a huge blue-green nebula shone down, making her feel as though she was beneath the waves of a cosmic ocean. She had no idea what she was standing on, but it didn't seem to matter much. The universe was arrayed before her eyes, and she was the least important thing in it. The nebula began to recede into the distance, and a pinprick of light below her began to grow larger, quickly becoming a spiral galaxy colored vibrant oranges and reds. From all around her star clusters and galaxies began to form, shifting in and out of all the colors of the rainbow and constantly changing shape, old being replaced by new, and new in turn growing old. Then she was surrounded by planets, hurtling past and around her. Huge gas giants, lush garden worlds, cold barren moons, and scorching volcanic rocks took turns orbiting her and flying off into the stars. Then, there it was. Palaven. The dull green planet didn't pass her by like the others, instead settling in front of her, as though it was presenting itself to her. The scars and fires caused by the reapers were gone, and it looked the picture of serenity.
"Well, it looks like I didn't manage to duck after all." Garrus's unmistakable wry voice came from behind her. "I apologize commander, but it certainly wasn't the first order I've failed to follow. You should have known better."
"Goddamnit Garrus, I followed YOUR order….well, sort of." She wasn't sure she entirely understood what the catalyst had meant by synthesis, but she knew for sure that the reaper threat was over, and the galaxy would be left to its own devices from now own.
"Well, probably not the choice I would have made, but that's why I'm just part of your crew. And anyway, I think we can finally be sure that nothing back there is our responsibility anymore. You did what you thought was best, and if I can't trust you to decide that then I can't trust anyone."
"Thanks Garrus." She smiled as Garrus came up beside her, and they both turned their gazes toward Palaven. "What the hell is the Palaven going to do without you anyway? You're the best damn thing the Turians have to offer, once you joined up again I almost told the Primarch he could keep his dreadnoughts."
"Eh, probably the same thing the rest of the Galaxy is going to do without you, get all messed up again. But don't worry, I think as long as they put Joker and Wrex in charge of everything it'll all turn out great."
"Please don't joke about things like that. Although come to think of it Joker probably has the best perspective of anyone in the galaxy when it comes to working with synthetics." Palaven began to glide away into the expanse, and the galaxies around them began to move again.
"It's a damn beautiful sight." Garrus said, looking around in awe. "I'm glad I got to travel so much. Saving the galaxy took us pretty much everywhere."
"That it did. Hey, I seem to remember you saying something about a bar."
"Yeah you're right, where'd the damn thing get off to?" He mockingly put his hand on his brow and began to scan the starscape. "I swear it was just here." To his surprise a bar and stools suddenly appeared in front of him, and a nebula swirled out of the shifting sky and enveloped them. It looked as though they were in a forest of light.
"Shall we?" She gestured toward the new arrival.
"Don't mind if I do." The pair took seats at the bar and looked out at the universe. Garrus picked a drink up off the counter and raised it up. "To friends." Shepard picked up her drink.
"To comrades in arms."
"To the good fight."
"To the two best snipers in the galaxy."
"Oh, I'm glad you're finally recognizing your talent, I've been telling you you've got potential."
"Garrus, are you really challenging me to another shooting contest right now?"
"Potentially. I can't imagine what else could possibly be more important."
"Alright, you're on, where's my Widow?"