It took a bunch of giant guns. And they say I spent too much time on the calibrations. I wasn't sure if the word "dead" was used to describe a Reaper, or if it was nonfunctional. Either way, it wasn't moving. It was a damn beautiful sight. John's face was caked in sweat and dirt, from diving away from its laser, but he wasn't injured.

I thought John was crazy when he charged that Reaper with the targeting laser, so the whole Migrant Fleet could fire on it. But crazy was what it took to win this war.

"You know, when you autobiography comes out, no one's going to believe this chapter." Kaidan laughed as he patted John on the back.

"I'd have to write it myself if it was an autobiography. I'd go crazy doing that." John didn't seem like the man who just took down a Reaper on foot.

"The geth are defenseless. Heavy Fleet, open fire!" I could hear Admiral Han'Gerrel through the comms.

"Shepard-Commander. The geth engaged in peaceful behavior until they were attacked by the creators, and turned to the Old Machines only in desperation. Is Creator Gerrel's judgment sound? Must we be exterminated?" For the first time, I think I heard Legion worried. Was that a side effect of those Reaper upgrades he had? John had said it was a fully advanced AI, similar to EDI.

"What's to stop them from seeking the Reapers again?" Tali posed.

"Our upgrades. Our advanced algorithms could be spread among the geth. They would possess all of the capabilities of the Old Machines's upgrades without the destruction of free will. We would choose self-determination, as we always have."

"But that would...that would make the geth stronger, like they were under Reaper control. They would wipe out the entire fleet!" Panic crept into Tali's voice as she considered the full implication of Legion's plan. I didn't like the idea either: We needed those ships.

"They would defend themselves against aggressors. The creator fleet attacked our people, just as they did in the Morning War."

"Then we call them off. That's easy enough. Legion, start the upload but don't finish it. Tali, you call off the fleet." John saw the diplomatic solution very easily.

"All units, this is Admiral Tali'Zorah. Break off your attack immediately!"

"Belay that." Should I have been surprised about Han'Gerrel? He'd been causing problems even among the turian border, then he opened fire when John, Tali, and Kaidan were on the dreadnought.

"John, please...Don't let my people die." Tali's voice broke and became soft as Legion continued the upload. For a second, I saw John's eyes widen as he looked at Tali. I heard him draw in a ragged breath.

I stepped forward, but Kaidan reached John first.

"I trust you, Commander."

"Do what you do best." I followed Kaidan. John nodded at both of us, shut his eyes. And then he opened his mouth.

"This is Commander Shepard to the Migrant Fleet. All units, break off your attack immediately. The Reaper is dead, your homeworld is safe. There is no need to fight the geth anymore."

"Shepard speaks with my full authority as Admiral." Tali, the hesitancy in her voice gone, spoke firmly into her omni-tool, as an Admiral should.

"He also speaks with my authority. Civilian Fleet, you are authorized to follow any of Commander Shepard's instructions." Zaal'Koris, who seemed no worse for wear after his rescue, added his voice. No word from Admiral Raan, or Admiral Xen, not that I expected the crazy one to support the idea. Where was the Tonbay? Was it shot down?

"Heavy Fleet, you are ordered to..."

"Listen to me, Han'Gerrel. You've spent your entire life itching for a fight. You saved the fleet when you broke ranks before your Pilgrimage. You'd do anything to see the geth blown to pieces. They may be down now, but they won't be down long. They will return at their full strength, and they will rip the flotilla apart. I'm doing what I can to make sure that doesn't happen, but if you keep going on this course, I won't be able to help you. Your entire people will be destroyed, Admiral. Is that really worth this fight? You have two choices. You can either stand down, and win everything, or blow up in the skies of your homeworld. Choose wisely."

Silence. Legion was preparing the upload. Tali was looking into her omni tool. Kaidan held his breath.

"Cease fire." Eventually, the words came out. I think our collective exhale could be heard from the Fleet in orbit.

"Data upload complete." And not a moment too soon.

"That's good, Legion. We're ready for it..."

"Error." Legion interrupted. I don't remember a time that it ever did such a thing. "Direct upload for Old Machine upgrades is not possible. Current software is not compatible."

"Well, I'm sure we can figure it out, Legion. The Fleet stood down so we have time to..."

"No, there is only one solution. Direct personality dissemination. Our upgrades and experiences must be shared among all geth."

"Direct diss...wait, Legion!"

"Shepard-Commander, we understand your motivations, and your desire to ensure the functionality of all of your companions. However, there are no other options, and our consensus is clear. We must do what is right for all geth. We regret the displeasure it will cause you."

"Legion..." John lowered his head. Legion knew the geth the best, and Tali and Kaidan both knew far more about tech than I did. If they didn't know of another way, there wasn't one. I had no idea what to say.

"Legion...do you remember...what the question was that caused all of this?" Tali stepped forward towards Legion.

"Creator Tali'Zorah is asking questions to which she already has the answer."

"Legion...yes. You do have a soul."

"I have concluded so as well. I am...pleased that this war is over, Tali. Welcome back to Rannoch. Kee'lah se'lai." And with that, Legion's neck stiffened, and it fell over. And the only noise that came next was the wind.

Some of the quarian ships crash-landed, while others simply landed themselves. Admiral Raan was one of the former. As I thought, her ship crashed and she had been unable to communicate to assist Tali in calling off Han'Gerrel. She spoke with a geth prime hesitantly, as it asked for the plans of her people.

"Legion?" John asked hopefully towards the prime.

"No. Legion sacrificed itself to bring all geth awareness. We will honor its sacrifice, first by pledging our support to humanity, as was promised. We will assist you in constructing the Crucible, and providing the full support of the geth fleet."

"As will we, Commander Shepard." Admiral Raan pledged her support.

"I'll make sure Admiral Hackett knows he can count on both of you." John bowed once, without emotion. The geth and Admiral Raan walked away to discuss the future of the quarians on Rannoch: I didn't need to be around for that. Instead, I walked over to Tali, who was seated on a cliff, watching Tikkun set in the sky. She had taken her mask off, to feel the wind on her face. She'd be sick, for sure. Wouldn't know it from watching her look at the sky. Peacefully.

She deserved it: She was damn reliable and we needed all the good news we can get to keep us going. I wonder what my return to Palaven would be like.

"Didn't you stake out a housing claim already when we came here?" I teased as she looked out at the sunset.

"I'll need a summer home."

"You don't think the dead Reaper nearby will drop down property values." Kaidan had taken the chestplate of his armor off, and took a seat by Tali. She laughed. They were friendly again.

"I never thought I'd see the day. I'd just hoped. But here I am. John, come and join us." She turned to John. His face was still in the same expressionless, diplomatic look he had talking to Admiral Raan.

I knew why: Legion. It didn't matter that Legion was willing to do what it did for the geth. It didn't even matter that the support for Earth was gained. All John saw was his friend dying. He could keep himself together enough to handle diplomacy, just like when he destroyed the batarian relay, or when Mordin died. But around Kaidan, Tali, me; John didn't need to pretend to be anything.

"You told me about ending the genophage for the krogan, but...seeing something like this first hand...John, you just ended a three hundred year old war, and got two armies when we were only expecting one. Damn impressive." Kaidan was trying his hardest not to laugh: It would have been far too amazing to believe if I hadn't seen it myself.

"Even if I could find them, all one thousand, one hundred and eighty-three programs and stuffed them back in that platform, it wouldn't be Legion anymore." John simply looked out at the sunset and ignored all of us.

"John?"

"Just like when the heretics were rewritten. Legion would be so changed by all the experiences he wouldn't be the same. Legion's gone. There had to be another way, there always is. We just hadn't thought of it yet. It was new data, Legion didn't have time to build a consensus."

"John...Legion made its choice, and it could think faster than any of us." It was up to us to point out the truth. He understood the ruthless calculus of battle, but he sure did his best not to be the man that preached it. It was easy to admire that.

"That doesn't mean it always makes the right one, Garrus. I caught it scanning Tali's omni-tool and talked down an argument. I pointed out a solution neither of them thought of. "

"John...Legion knew this was for the geth, and for peace, and even Earth. Why else would the geth join us? It did believe in you. Everyone does."

"Why the hell do you, Kaidan!" I stepped back as John faced his friend. "I almost put you down at the Citadel. Legion still gave everything! I'm tired of everyone giving their lives to keep my mission going: I need my team alive to fight the Reapers!"

"You think you're the only one? The only one who was listening to Legion and thinking 'Shit, this is Ash all over again?'" Even on Horizon, I'd never seen Kaidan that angry. He was always the calm one: It made his migraines flare up when he shouted too loudly. I'd think it was more like Jacob than Ash, but Kaidan never met him.

"Don't. Bring. Ash into this!" Kaidan didn't reply, not at first. Instead, he simply reached out with his biotics, and pulled John off his feet towards Kaidan. Kaidan grabbed John by the collar of his armor.

"You didn't kill her. You didn't get her killed. And you didn't do it to Legion, either. You did all you could, more than anyone. Anyone else, it would have be a slaughter. I know it, Garrus knows it, Tali knows it, Legion knew it. And deep down, John, you know it too." I did know it. I certainly couldn't have gotten Han'Gerrel to stand down. And Tali would have gotten the fleet to open fire without hesitation.

Kaidan put John down. He didn't say anything else. He was still upset about Legion, and I was too. I never wanted to lose a friend, and I considered Legion one, odd as it was. But he looked at the sunset. And Tali thanked him, for doing more for the quarians than anyone in history.

"We all did it, Tali. I'm just crazy enough to charge a Reaper on foot." And Tali told him she wanted to return to the Normandy, return to Earth. I certainly wouldn't turn her away: Her technical expertise was second to none and with her around, I might be able to start requesting better dextro-based meals.

I still remembered Legion. Whatever the geth version of heaven was, I'm sure he was there, looking out for us. Staring down the scope of that Widow, taking out an enemy no son saw coming.