So… This project will take a bit of explaining.
Like many out there, I wasn't all that thrilled with the ending of ME3. However, I've been away from the net for the last few months, and I've only recently learned of the Indoctrination Theory. While I was out, I made up my own way to make the ending more palatable. I thought it over, and asked myself what I would have chosen if given Shepard's options. What would I have pushed for?
I also asked myself if I wanted to write a Mass Effect 3 fic. I know I will finish the ME1 story, and I have ideas that will work for ME2. ME3, however… I was happy with the majority of the game. I loved the interaction between Shepard and Tali, and honestly would have copied more of the dialogue verbatim. So… There wasn't much point in writing it. Best to say play that part of the game and enjoy BioWare doing what they do best.
The ending, however, I could write. I mean, I played it through in my head when I finished up my second playthrough. I took what EA (because I place the blame for this ending squarely on their shoulders) gave us, and picked the combination of stuff I'd want to see. Dropped what I could. And this was the result. As with the chapters I just posted for Pilgrim's Path, they have not been beta read. I'll take any comments I get and rework as necessary, but it might be a few months before you see the updated fic.
And so, here is my submission for the alternate ending.
Mass Effect is owned by BioWare. EA (unfortunately) owns a chunk of it as well.
Tali'Zorah let loose another blast from her shotgun, the Marauder knocked back a step as its shield flashed and died. A fast follow up shot sent it reeling, down for good. She stole a glance over her shoulder. Shepard stood at the controls to the missile launcher they defended, hitting controls as quickly as he could. He paused only once, to reach out with his pistol and drill a pair of shots into an approaching husk, before resuming his work.
The final battle. One last push. Victory was so close.
Around them were the buildings of wartorn London. She'd made it to Earth, after three years of wanting to see it. "Sorry about the mess," Shepard had said after they'd arrived at the Human Alliance Resistance's forward operating base.
She could hardly complain. Rannoch wasn't a jewel either, at that moment.
But to see Shepard's eyes…
Few knew him as well as she did. There was great pain in those eyes. It had been building for the past three years, ever since Ashley's death on Virmire. Maybe even earlier. And even thought it was coming to an end, that this was that final push, the weight on Shepard was as heavy as ever. Maybe even heavier.
A shriek filled the air. "Banshee!" The altered former asari turned monster flashed into the field. "Focus fire!" came Kaidan's voice. He, Garrus, and James Vega all turned and cut loose with their assault rifles. Slugs impacted the Banshee's barrier, causing little damage. The Banshee gathered a charge of biotic energy into its hand, hurling it at the trio.
Seconds before impact, a biotic bubble encompassed them. It took the impact, collapsing after the charge had dissipated. "Keep firing," Liara shouted. "I'll cover you."
With them focused on the Banshee, it was up to Tali to cover Shepard. To stem the tide of Marauders, Cannibals, and Husks climbing over the walls to stop them.
Their target, the Reaper Destroyer, loomed ever closer. It was almost in range. Just a few more seconds. Tali sprinted, firing at Reaper forces as she passed. She slammed into cover near Shepard, slapping in both a new kinetic barrier battery and thermal clip. "How much longer?" she asked over the din.
"Twenty seconds," he shouted back.
"You've got it," Tali replied. She stood, swinging around her cover from side to side and blasting apart Reapers as quickly as she could take aim. She heard the final shriek as the Banshee fell, three assault rifles worth of fire joining her shotgun moments later. But the mass kept inexorably coming. It seemed they might be out of time…
And finally, the missiles flew. They curved as the Reaper Destroyer aimed and fired. The spiral took them straight in to the destroyer's one weak spot, its main gun. Both detonated as one, tearing through the Reaper's armor and causing its legs to buckle. She heard Admiral Anderson's voice over the radio. "Hit 'em with everything we've got!" The remaining missile batteries did not hesitate. Countless volleys streaked in, bathing the Reaper in fire.
Only pieces remained, littering the ground between their team and the Reaper's transporting beam. The Reaper forces near their position scattered into the dark as quickly as they'd come.
Finally, the truck arrived behind them. Anderson and Major Coats stepped out, looking over the carnage. He looked to Shepard, a smirk on his face. "That's what I like about you, Shepard. You know how to get results."
Shepard chuckled, pointing back to his gathering people. "I've always got a great team backing me up."
Anderson nodded. When he looked up, his expression had sobered. "Final push, Shepard. Let me know when you're ready."
"Yes, sir," he replied. He turned back to them as Anderson walked back to the transport. "Kaidan, James, Garrus, you're with me. The rest of you, get clear. Try to meet up with the Normandy."
Again… Once again, he was trying to leave her behind. Had he not learned? If this really was to be the end of all things… Tali stepped forward. "No," she said. "I'm coming with you."
Shepard looked to her. His eyes… "Not this time, Tali."
"Shepard…" So many things she wanted to say…
He must have sensed it. Or, more likely, he knew her just as well as she knew him. He stepped back, waving her to follow. As if he needed to ask. She remained right as his side as they stepped away from the others. "Tali," he started, "please go back with the others."
"Shepard… John, I've been with you through everything. No matter how bad things looked, I've been at your side. Not because I had to be. Because I WANTED to be." She reached out, taking his hands in hers. "No matter what, it's where I need to be."
He gently pulled his hands from her and reached up, taking off his helmet. His hair was matted with sweat, a small bruise at his temple from where a blast had knocked him around within his armor. And those eyes… His whole expression… It said everything. After all they had been through, after how far they'd come…
Shepard was not sure if he would be coming back from this one.
"Tali," he finally said, "I need to know that you'll be all right. That you'll survive this." His mouth managed the ghost of a smirk. "That you'll be building that home on Rannoch. You know how I feel. I want you with me. Where ever you are, my place is at your side, too. But this time, this place…" He breathed a sigh. "I NEED to know that you'll make it through this."
Tali's eyes dropped. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. If this truly was the end of all things, she wanted to face it with him. She didn't want him to face it alone, as he'd been facing this whole damned invasion damn near alone for too damn long.
But she had to think of his needs, too.
Tali finally gave a slow nod, her face looking downward, too. "Okay," she said.
"Thank you," he replied. Shepard reached up, finger touching her chin and gently guiding her gaze to once again meet his. He still did not look happy, but he seemed more… content. More at ease.
She reached out as well, pulling herself to him and wrapping him in her arms. She felt his arms around her as well, holding her tightly. After what felt like an eternity… yet still nowhere near long enough, the two parted. "I love you," she said.
"Keelah Selai." He stepped to her again, pressing his lips, the lips she longed to much to feel pressed against hers again, to her helmet's faceshield. Then, it was over. He stepped away, sliding his own helmet back onto his head.
There was nothing left to say. She simply watched him go, joining the others and stepping into the transport. He gave her one final look… and then he was gone.
"Tali!" she heard someone yell. She turned. Liara was there, standing by a shuttle and waving her to them. She forced herself into motion, running across the broken landscape and in with the others. The door shut behind her, Tali turning to watch out the window as the transport convoy started on their final journey.
And it finally became too much. The tears she'd been fighting started to fall. She turned to the nearest bench and dropped onto it, her faceshield in her hands. "Tali?" Liara, good friend that she was, was beside her in moments. The question was on her lips, but it remained unspoken. She knew what was wrong. She simply wrapped her arm around Tali's shoulders, giving her support as best as she could.
Joker swung Normandy around, scooping them out of low atmo and heading back up into the fray. Tali found herself heading for the CIC deck, forward to the cockpit. Joker and EDI kept the ship dancing through the battle, Normandy's twin Thanix cannons blasting at any Reaper that was unfortunate enough to remain ahead of them long enough to get a lock.
"Wait… What are those ones doing?"
Tali's eyes turned to follow Joker's pointed hand. Three of the larger Reapers had turned from the battle… they were driving straight for the surface.
They were heading straight for London.
"They must have figured out what we're trying to do," Joker continued. "EDI, get Hackett on the line."
"Establishing connection," EDI replied.
Tali could see it, too. She wanted to reach out and stop them herself, to keep them from landing on top of Shepard, Kaidan, Garrus, James, everyone. But she couldn't. All she could do was pray…
And pray she did. Until she finally saw the arms of the Citadel open. "Look!" Tali's arm shot to the viewport.
Joker laughed with joy. "All right! They pulled it off!"
Tali turned to him, her voice carrying her smirk. "You're surprised?"
"With Shepard?" Joker asked. "Never."
The Reapers were distracted, somehow disorganized. The Crucible slipped past them unimpeded, Shield Fleet breaking off as the ancient superweapon ejected its armor plating and gently docked with the Citadel.
The weapon was ready.
But as the second ticked past, nothing happened. "What's wrong?" Joker asked. "Why isn't it firing?" He looked over to EDI.
EDI looked back. "I… I do not know, Jeff. Perhaps Dr. T'soni could… Wait… Admiral Hackett is broadcasting." Her avatar reached out, tapping the controls to receive the admiral's signal.
"Shepard? Commander, can you hear me?"
There was a long pause. It felt like Tali's heart stopped in her chest. But finally, a voice replied. "Yeah…? What do you… What do you need me to do?"
It was Shepard. But he sounded so… tired. "Commander, something's wrong," Admiral Hackett continued. "The Crucible's not firing. It must be something on your end."
"Gimmie a sec…" The sounds of armor against metal. He was pulling himself toward something. "I don't… I don't know… I…" A dull thud.
Tali's eyes met Joker's in an instant. They both knew what they'd heard. Shepard had just collapsed.
"Jeff! The Citadel."
Their eyes returned to the station. Its arms were opening once again, this time far wider than either had ever seen. They were like the petals of a flower, the Crucible at its center. "I need to get over there," Tali said.
"There's still a shit-ton of Reapers out there," Joker replied. "Normandy would have to go too slow to maneuver inside the arms." He reached out and hit the ship's intercom. "Prep shuttle for launch." Another tap turned it off. "We'll cover you."
"Thank you," Tali said, turning to run before hearing Joker's reply.
Moments later, Tali ran from the elevator into the hanger. Cortez was running for the shuttle hatch, having just finished what little pre-flights he'd had time to complete. Liara stood by the shuttle. Tali nodded to her as she approached. "You're going after Shepard?" Liara asked.
"Of course," Tali replied. "You coming with?"
"Of course," Liara said with a small smile.
As they boarded the shuttle, another voice spoke up. "I'm coming, too."
Tali turned. "Dr. Chakwas," she said.
Dr. Karen Chakwas stepped up behind them. "Yes. Jeff called me and told me what happened. That Commander Shepard sounds injured. If that's the case, the sooner he receives medical attention the better off he'll be."
Tali simply reached a hand out and helped the doctor into the shuttle. She closed the hatch, turning to the cockpit. "We're all in, Cortez."
"Launching immediately," he replied, his voice in 'unflappable pilot' mode.
Cortez punched the thrusters, the shuttle shooting from the cargo bay like a bullet from a gun. Normandy slid back far enough to cover, launching volleys from her twin Thanix cannons and scores of shots from her GUARDIAN lasers. Reaper fighters were scattered, and the one destroyer that tried to stop them was blasted apart as the shuttle ducked past the resulting debris. Thanks to Normandy's well placed fire and Cortez's incredible skill, the made it into the Citadel intact.
They slowed once within station, Tali looking out the viewport at the inside surface of the ward arms. "Look at the buildings," she said. "They're all… glowing."
Liara leaned over to look. Sure enough, the station's structures had started to glow orange. There was almost a pulse; brighter energy flashing along the buildings and toward the center. "It looks like a power grid," Liana commented. "Like the Citadel is channeling its reserves into the Crucible." She looked over to Tali. "Maybe Shepard succeeded in activating it?"
"Maybe…" On the one hand, that meant Shepard might well be okay. On the other… it meant they were running out of time.
"I see a control platform ahead," Cortez said from the cockpit. "Got a couple bodies next to it. I'm bringing us in."
Liara and Dr. Chakwas pulled on their helmets, just in case the Reapers had any remaining forces on the Citadel, and joined Tali by the hatch. Cortez swung around, settling just over the deck as Tali pressed the hatches controls.
A single console sat at the platform's center. To one side lay the body of the Illusive Man, a single gunshot wound to his… head… Tali could see immediately just how far he had fallen. Indoctrinated, implanted… He had lost his humanity, just as Saren had lost himself to Sovereign.
The other body… "Admiral Anderson!" Dr. Chakwas rushed to his side, dropping to one knee as her omni-tool flared. "His vitals are weak, but he's still alive." He seemed to hear her, eyes fluttering open, barely. "Admiral?" His eyes locked on hers. He was conscious.
Tali knelt beside them. "What happened?" she asked. "Where is Shepard?"
Anderson tried to speak, but no words escaped his lips. He managed to move one hand.
He pointed. Straight up.
Tali looked up. The Crucible stretched out above them. Of course… He must have found a way up to the Crucible to try to activate it. "Then that's where we're going."
Dr. Chakwas and Tali each grabbed one of Anderson's shoulders, getting ready to lift him… when suddenly he was surrounded by a purple biotic field. Tali's eyes shot to Liara, who had a hand stretched out, glowing purple. "I hope you don't mind my assistance," she said.
They carefully guided Anderson into the shuttle, leaping in and shutting the hatch as Cortez got the shuttle moving once again. Dr. Chakwas worked to stabilize Anderson as they climbed to the Crucible. The superweapon's structure came into view. A bright beam of white light flashed into existence, reaching from far inside the Crucible down into the Citadel. "There!" Tali yelled. "I see him!"
He was walking straight at one of the Crucible's power conduits… and he was shooting it with his pistol. "What is he doing?" Liara asked.
"I don't know, but…" Before she could finish, the conduit exploded. The beam of light turned bright violet.
All around them, violet started to spread down the Citadel's arms. Tali knew they were out of time.
A second explosion… Shepard was sent flying from the Crucible's superstructure and into the void between ward arms. There was still atmosphere, for the moment. But there was no way he would survive.
Unless they acted immediately. Tali slapped the hatch controls, waiting for the door to open. She grabbed her pistol, using the newly forming crosshairs on her HUD to aim herself. "Liara, catch us." Without waiting for a reply, Tali ran across the shuttle and leapt into the void.
Shepard was limp, drifting. The blast had knocked him cold. And as Tali closed, and closed rapidly, she could see why he had sounded so distant before. His armor was shredded, skin broken open and glowing implants showing. Tali reached out, wrapping her arms around him as they collided. Moments later, Liara's biotic field wrapped around them both and hauled them back to the safety of the shuttle.
Now, a ball of violet energy formed at the Crucible's maw. "Get us out of here!" Liara yelled as the hatch shut once more. Cortez didn't need to be told twice, turning the shuttle tightly and rocketing away from the Crucible.
Without warning, the energy detonated, sending a pulse out in all directions. It passed over the shuttle, through the shuttle, through them all. Tali saw Shepard's implants start to glow violet… then slowly fade back to orange. Dr. Chakwas quickly examined him, looking up with relief in her eyes. "His implants are still functional," she said. "His vitals are recovering. He'll be fine."
The same could not be said for the Reapers. As the pulse hit them, bursts of violet electricity danced over their hulls as their lights flickered and died. The massive hulks drifted in orbit, several colliding into each other as others started a fiery reentry.
"He did it," Cortez said, his voice carrying quiet awe. "He killed them."
Tali simply sat at Shepard's side, holding his hand in hers and hoping that Dr. Chakwas's assessment was correct. That he really would recover.
She needed to know that he was going to survive this…
Suddenly, the cabin was filled with violet light once more. Tali turned to see the Crucible firing a massive beam into space… then watched as the Citadel fell to pieces. Where was that beam heading…?
Joker's voice came over the shuttle's comm, almost in a panic. "All ships! Get away from the relay! I repeat, get away from the relay!" Tali turned to look at the display screen, seeing the feed from Normandy. The beam had struck the relay. Its massive rings were spinning faster… and backward… They snapped to a stop, the relay firing its own massive violet beam into space before breaking apart…
The remaining ships of the allied fleet shared a collective stare, all seeming to watch as the remains of the Sol Relay drifted apart. A voice finally broke through the silence. "As… Asari fleets, form up on the Destiny Ascension."
"Quarian fleets, form up on the Rayya."
One by one, each race's fleet formed into its own unit. No one seemed certain of what to do next. Finally, Admiral Hackett's voice came over the comm. "All ships, this is Admiral Hackett. I don't have to explain the magnitude of what we all just witnessed. I don't have any answers for you yet, but rest assured that we will find a way to return you all to your homes. For now, you are all welcome to rest here. Earth may not be as comfortable as it once was, but we will do all we can to help all those who risked everything to help us."
At first, there was nothing. Each race seemed to be wondering who would move first. The answer surprised them all. A deep voice came, "The batarian fleet… appreciates the humans' hospitality. We are approaching with weapons disarmed."
Another voice, this one familiar. "This is Admiral Raan of the quarian Scout Fleet. We, too, accept the humans' gracious offer."
Each fleet followed suit, turning toward Earth for whatever refuge they could find.
It was monumental. Not only had the races combined to defeat their common enemy… but it seemed the peace had been won as well.
And yet… Tali did not care.
Let the races of the galaxy figure themselves out.
Her worries were right there, before her. With the hand resting in hers. That she would feel it close around hers again, as hers closed around his.
They landed on the Normandy shortly thereafter, several crewmen already waiting with stretchers for both Anderson and Shepard. Tali never left Shepard's side as they moved him to the medical bay. Anderson was lucid, stable. Shepard still hadn't come to.
After Dr. Chakwas ushered any nonessential personnel from the medical bay, she stopped by Shepard's medical bed. She held a device, which she set on the bed next to them. Tali looked at it in question. "Local sterile field generator," the doctor explained. "I figured one might come in handy if I ever had the opportunity to work with you again." She activated the device. "This way, your helmet is more… optional. For when he wakes up."
Tali smiled at the doctor. "Thank you, Dr. Chakwas."
"You're quite welcome, Tali."
A few updates came to her in the following hours. The fleets had all gathered at Earth. Its cities were heavily damaged, but there was new renewed hope. All knew that the Reapers were no more. The cycle had been broken, and they were now masters of their destinies. Thanks to Shepard, many of the old rivalries had been broken. It would take time for all to heal, but they now had that time.
All races had pitched in to help the humans. Turian and krogan scouting parties scoured the surface for the last vestiges of Reaper forces, while asari rescue teams dug through the rubble for survivors. The pulse sent out from the Crucible had initially blanked out any possible out-system communication, but salarian and quarian engineers had worked with the human system operators to repair the hypercomm network. Soon, word was spreading once more.
The Sol Relay had not been the only one affected. The entire network had been destroyed. Other means of FLT existed, but now a trip across the galaxy would take years vice minutes. Regardless, loved ones were able to reconnect. People could learn who had survived and who had perished. Plans were made to reunite.
Liara even offered to make sure Tali's land claim remained good.
It was all noise. Well, all except for Liara's gracious offer, which Tali accepted. Tali remained in the medical bay, watching Shepard. Watching as his chest continued to rise and fall. Watching the Normandy's monitors pulse with his heartbeat. Watching the hand that lay in hers.
Then, she felt it. His hand twitched in hers, then slowly closed around it. She looked up, eyes wide. His own eyes fluttered, slowly coming open. He looked around, as if trying to remember where he was, and finally his eyes settled on hers. His mouth twitched, pulling into a smile. "Tali."
"John!" Tali looked up again, looking around the med bay. "Dr. Chakwas!"
The doctor came running, her omni-tool already active. "Commander," she said. "It's good to see you're still among the living."
"Likewise," he replied, his voice raw. "Still owe you that round of brandy."
Dr. Chakwas smirked. "And I'll hold you to it." Her omni-tool faded as she looked to Tali. "He's well enough to talk," she reported, "but keep him in bed for now." She paused, giving a small smile. "I'll check on the admiral and give you two some privacy."
Tali nodded gratefully. "Thanks," she said as the doctor departed. She looked back to Shepard. "John, are you…?"
He gave a small nod, swallowing saliva and clearing his throat. "I'll be fine, Tali." He smiled again, this time stronger. His hand squeezed hers. "More than fine, seeing you here."
"For a moment…" Tali shook her head. It didn't matter what might have been. All that mattered was that he was still there. "Thank Keelah you made it."
Shepard chuckled. "You may make a believer out of me, at this rate." Suddenly, he paused, face frozen in thought. "Wait… The Crucible…" His eyes locked on hers, concerned. "The Reapers?"
"Dead," Tali reported. "We've managed to get reports in from most of the major galactic regions. Ships are floating hulks, and their ground forces collapsed."
"What about everyone else?"
"They're fine," she replied. "Garrus, Kaidan, and James are all working with the teams on the ground. They're looking for survivors, clearing out the cities. Admiral Anderson is here. Dr. Chakwas is looking over him. Liara and I got back to the Normandy without major issues. When we heard how… exhausted you sounded on the Citadel, we grabbed Cortez and a shuttle to come get you."
"And what about EDI? And the geth?"
Tali paused, head tilted slightly. Thankfully, EDI responded over Normandy's intercom. "I am fine, Shepard. Thank you for your concern."
"The geth are fine, too," Tali said. "They're looking through the Reaper debris for anything useful we can safely salvage."
Shepard had relaxed after hearing his team was fine. He relaxed further when he heard the rest. "Good… then it worked."
"What worked?" Tali asked, her head once again to one side.
"Well… Long story," Shepard said. "So, we charged the beam. People we being… picked off all around me. Somehow I managed to dodge… well, everything. Gunfire, explosions, volleys of fire from Harbinger. All until the end. Shot landed right beside me, sent me flying." That explained the armor damage. "Picked myself up, grabbed the only pistol I could find around me, and limped the rest of the way in."
Tali nodded, taking his hand in both of hers. "What did you find?"
"Death…" Shepard sighed. "Bodies. All human. The keepers were dragging them for processing. The inside of the place had… shifted. It all looked like the inside of the Collector Base. But I wasn't alone in there. Anderson had beamed in, too, though landed in a different spot. I started for him, but lost contact after a bit. Followed his path to a control console."
"That's where we found him," Tali replied. "And…"
Shepard shuddered. "The Illusive Man… He'd implanted himself with that modded Reaper tech. It let him control us, me and Anderson. Tried to show how this was the way of the future, that this was his solution to the problem and his path to human dominance. Anderson and I both saw the truth, though."
"That he was indoctrinated."
"Yeah… Truth be told… it was hard to watch. I didn't agree with the man, didn't agree with his methods… but I understood him. Hell, in a way I could almost respect him. Until the start of all this, when he decided to go this route." Tali nodded. She remembered well how angry he'd been after Thessia. How he'd grown progressively more angry with each encounter against Cerberus's troops. "And in the end, in those moments… I couldn't help but feel… sorry for him. He'd given everything to achieve his goals, and it had destroyed him."
"What did you do?"
"Told him the truth," Shepard replied. "Showed him how far he'd fallen. Showed him that the Reapers controlled him, that he was leading humanity to its destruction. Anderson and I managed to break through… and the look on that man's face said it all. That horrifying realization that everything you've worked for was for nothing. That you had become your own enemy. But in the end, he won. He beat the Reapers." Shepard paused. "He killed himself rather than serve then any longer."
Tali squeezed Shepard's hand. She could see the underlying truth to his words, just as he'd seen the truth in hers in her 'toast to Miranda' after Horizon. That Miranda's struggle against her father, and her victory, had shown Tali just how much she'd… failed in her own struggle against hers.
For Shepard, he could see how, in another set of circumstances, he might have fallen into the same trap as the Illusive Man.
Before she could figure out what to say, Shepard continued. "I managed to keep moving, got the Citadel's arms opened up. Sat there watching the Earth pass by with Anderson. He… well, I thought he died. Glad to hear he just passed out. Then Hackett contacted me, told me the Crucible wasn't doing anything. I hauled myself to the panel, and…"
Tali nodded. "You passed out, too. We were patched in to the comm line, heard the whole thing. That's what got us moving for you."
He nodded back. "Thanks, by the way," he replied with a smile and a squeeze of her hand. "Anyway… I felt something lifting me up, and when I came to I was standing on the Crucible. For a moment, there, I was just watching the battle rage around me, then looked at everything else trying to figure out how to make it all work." Another pause and a smirk. "Suddenly wished you were there to help me make sense of all of it, not that I would have wished 'there' on my worst enemy…" Tali managed a chuckle. "And then… I saw it. The Catalyst."
Tali tilted her head. "I thought the Citadel was the Catalyst."
"It was… and it wasn't…" Shepard sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know how to explain it. I saw this… glow. It almost looked like… the kid." Tali nodded. He'd told her about his dreams, about the kid who had been killed before his eyes. "It told me it was the Catalyst, and it told me about the cycle. That synthetic life inevitably destroys organic life. The Reapers were its solution. Harvest all advanced organic life, and store it in Reaper form."
"That…" Tali's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "That doesn't make a lot of sense."
Shepard nodded. "Maybe I'm just remembering it wrong… But I understood what it said next. The Crucible had changed things, given new possibilities. The Crucible could alter things on a galactic scale, though doing so would destroy the Mass Relays." A pause. "Were they…?"
Tali nodded. "They were. It was a shock to everyone, but we've managed to get galactic communications back. Conventional FTLs aren't as fast, but they'll have to do for now."
He sighed. "I didn't want to strand anyone here, but I didn't get a lot of options. In fact, it gave me just three choices. First, release the Crucible's energy and destroy all synthetic life. Including EDI. Including the geth."
Somehow, after all that had happened, that… unsettled her. "That's why you asked about them specifically," Tali noted. "You wanted to make sure…"
"Yeah," he replied with another nod. "But we'll get to that part. The second choice… was to take control of the Reapers."
"You could do that?"
Shepard chuckled. "Yeah. Turns out the Illusive Man was right after all. It said I'd die, that I'd lose everything, but that the Reapers would obey me."
Tali shuddered at the thought… "And option three?"
"Synthesis," he said. "I combine my energy with the Crucible's, and it sends out a wave to rewrite the DNA of every living being in the galaxy. Make everyone part organic and part synthetic. End the cycle for good, and bring peace."
"How would…?" Tali trailed off.
"No clue how that would work," Shepard answered. "That's just what it told me."
She gave a slow nod. "But I take it you didn't choose any of those."
"Correct," Shepard replied. "The second option was out of the question. The first option would destroy everything organics and synthetics have learned about coexisting during this cycle. The third forces an opinion on everyone, which I honestly believe would lead to resentment, at best, and war, at worst. None of those were acceptable, and I told the Catalyst as much."
"What did it say?"
"About what you'd expect. That this was all there could be, nothing more. So, I forced the issue."
Tali smirked. "You shouted."
Shepard nodded sagely. "Loudly. I told it that there had to be some fundamental difference between Reapers and other synthetic life forms. Something it could use to just target the enemy. It found that difference, and remodulated its energy to make it work. THEN, I released it."
Tali's hands once again found Shepard's. "And if we hadn't been there…"
Shepard pulled one hand free, reaching up to grab her arm. Tali responded immediately, shifting her grip to help him sit up. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around her, and she wrapped hers around him. "Thank you," he said.
"You've saved my life many times," she replied. "It's about time I returned the favor." Tali leaned back, reaching up to remove her helmet's faceshield, her eyes meeting his. "I love you," she said.
He smiled at once again seeing her face. "Keelah selai."
At long last, after so much pain and hardship, their lips finally met in the kiss both had longed for.
And after a happy eternity, they parted. For a moment, they simply hung there, faces inches apart. "So…" Shepard finally said, "I'm sorry that your house on Rannoch might have to wait a bit. With the relays gone, it's gonna take a few years to get your fleet home."
Tali leaned back, hand reaching up to tap her chin. "Oh, I've got an idea about that."
Shepard smiled. "Somehow, I thought you might."