There was a small crowd gathered outside the elevator of the Normandy. Garrus, Joker, EDI and Shepard stood in front of the memorial wall surveying the names of the lost crew of both the SR-1 and SR-2, bringing back memories of Sovereign's attack and the Collectors. Shepard recalled how without the countermeasure to the seeker swarms, the Collectors could never have been stopped on Horizon or defeated beyond the Omega-4 relay. Without Mordin, none of them would be there.
Holding a small plaque, Shepard stepped towards the wall, placing it in the gap that had been made. Joker stepped forward alongside him.
"Who'd have thought a salarian would give their life to cure the genophage?"
"Mordin wasn't just any salarian. He was one of the bravest, most honourable men I've ever known." Shepard's emotions were still raw, and he tried to avoid the memory of trying to stop Mordin from going up the shroud, from sacrificing himself to counteract his species' sabotage.
"And someone else would almost certainly have gotten it wrong." Garrus' comment brought a small smile to the dozen or so people who had assembled to honour their fallen comrade. Shepard felt better, knowing that whatever happened from now on, Mordin would always be remembered as a hero to the krogan. Wrex had assured him of that. No matter what, Mordin's death had not been in vain.
As the crowd eventually dispersed, only Shepard and Garrus remained by the wall, stood in a silence broken only by the gentle hum of the drive core.
"Hard to stay positive with so much death around, Shepard."
"He made a difference. I guess that's the best we can ask for." Shepard's words were as much for his own comfort as Garrus'.
"What about everyone on Earth? Everyone on Palaven? They making a difference?"
"I don't know. But every one of those lives is worth something. They're who these people died for. And that's what we're fighting for. Remember that, Garrus." As Shepard was about to leave, he saw Javik approaching.
"You are mourning the salarian?"
"Yep"
"His death was a good one. He died with purpose, with honour. That is something from which you must take heart."
"I guess so. Better than death by reaper at least."
"Precisely Commander. And besides, his kidney would have been roasted perfectly in the fire. It is important to see the positive side of war. That is how we will keep fighting."