? Month, ? Day, 2186, Citadel/Crucible, The End of the War Against the Reapers

2 Minutes until Alliance Victory

"The crucible changed me, created new… possibilities. But I can't make them happen. If there is to be a new solution, you must act." It gestured to the structure to the right of us; a giant glass-protected cable. I guessed it was some kind of power supply from the Citadel, or the Catalyst, to the Crucible. "It is now in your power to destroy us." It continued. "But be warned, others will be destroyed as well. The Crucible will not discriminate. All synthetics will be targeted. Even you are partly synthetic." My mind made it like I could see the now dead Admiral Anderson destroying the large cable.

My mind immediately flew back to Legion, and what happened on Rannoch. He sacrificed his own life so the Geth could finally have free will once again, and could no longer be controlled by the Reapers… But if I chose to destroy the power supply, I would be undermining everything he did for organics… For the Geth…

"…But the Reapers will be destroyed?" I asked it.

"Yes," It answered. "But the peace won't last. Soon, your children will create synthetics, and then the chaos will come back."

The Catalyst's flat tone in everything he said was starting to get to me. "There has to be another way!" I demanded.

"There is," It said, surprising me with the unexpected answer. It gestured to the station on the left, with what looked like two large needles above some hand scanners. "You could instead use the energy of the crucible to seize control of the Reapers." I could see the Illusive Man at the station, electricity flowing all around his body, before the illusion faded away.

I chuckled a bit. "So, the Illusive Man was right after all?" I asked the Catalyst.

"Yes, but he could never have taken control, because we already controlled him." Figures.

"But somehow I can?"

"You will die. You will control us, but you will lose everything."

I thought about his response for a solid 5 minutes. I would be able to save everyone, save Earth, even save the galaxy, at the cost of my own… life… Am I really this selfish? Am I really willing to sacrifice every living being in the galaxy… Just so I can have a little more time with the people I love and care for? I dug whatever what was left of my nails into one of the cuts on my left arm, where most of my armor was either buried into my arm, or somewhere in a pile of ash back in London. The Catalyst watched, neither curious, nor disgusted.

"Focus!" I thought. "You can't just let everyone die because of your selfishness!" I was right, but something in the back of my mind kept me from answering. I kept digging through my brain, trying to figure out what kept holding me back, when I got to an image of my cabin in the Normandy. There was nothing special about it, but one thing stood out to me: The single picture that stood atop my bedside table. That picture made me realize why I was resistant to choose to control the Reapers.

"…But the Reapers will obey me?" I finally spoke up.

"Yes. We will be yours to control and direct as you see fit." The Catalyst answered, unaffected by my staying quiet for so long. Come to think of it, that seemed to happen a lot these past few years… Weird.

I sighed, the pressure to choose the fate of the galaxy started weighing heavily on my mind. Soon, the Catalyst took notice. "There is another solution…" It gestured towards the huge beam of light in the middle of the platform. "Synthesis."

He kept silent after that. "…And that is?" I asked, sarcastically gesturing for it to continue.

"Add your energy to the Crucibles." It finally said.

'So this is what it feels like.' I thought to myself.

"The chain reaction will combine all synthetic and organic life into a new framework; a new DNA."

That was off the table. I have no right to do that, even if I was willing to sacrifice myself. "You're asking me to change everything, everyone. I can't make that decision, and I won't." I immediately responded.

"Why not?" He asked. Now THAT surprised me, it actually sounded curious. "Synthetics are already part of you. Can you imagine your life without them?" He had a point.

"That's beside the point."

The Catalyst sounded impatient, surprising me again. "Your time is at an end, you must decide!"

"…Fine." I began limping towards my choice. "Then let's get this over with."

"Do what you must." Said the Catalyst, before finally fading away.

When I realized I could never see my family ever again, I remember exactly what my father said to me on my 16th birthday:

"I know things may seem like life is hell, but you must never give up. You have a full life ahead of you; friends you've never met, a love you've never known!"

"Well dad…" I said to myself as I approached my destination. "I doubt this is what you thought would happen when you said that…"

I soon stood directly in front of the power supply, and began firing whatever remained in my thermal clip. "When I finally see you, mom, and Cheryl when this is all over…"

I walked up towards the wire, one last round left in my pistol.

"I'll look up at the face I haven't seen in nearly 200 years…"

I aimed my gun directly at the center, and fired; flames engulfing me in seconds. My life flashed before my eyes, my friends all giving me a caring look. Garrus, Joker, Kaiden, Ashley, Wrex, Dr. Chakwas, Jack, Miranda, Jacob, Thane, Legion, Grunt, Mordin, James, Cortez, EDI, Traynor…Tali...

"And I'll tell you…"

"You were right."

Prologue: End