Epilogue

- November, 2186

Messalina felt herself fading away as she fell through the energy of the Catalyst/Crucible.

Death was easier to accept when you knew it was coming. Zaeed had called it karma. The one that comes to bite you in the back. She had to disagree. Despite all the terrors and difficulties she had faced in life, this was an embrace.

Despite her short existence, Messalina wanted to believe that she had left a mark in the world. In the hearts of those that were close to her, and even to those she had never met. Death was easier with friends. And despite her oncoming blindness, she was no longer lonely.

She always lived with a death wish on her mind. A wish to have all things come to an end. But she owed it to her friends who had gone before her, to others whom she have moved closer to death, and still others waiting for their turn to see the end of it all.

She was not in pain. No longer. It was warm, and tender.

Besides, it had always been her wish to join the stars.

- April, 2254

The warm breeze circling the Citadel grazed on Hannah's face as she looked over the lake from her favorite spot. A mug of coffee in her hand, she hadn't touched. It had been almost seventy years since Messalina had ended the Galactic plague that had been going on for Eons. They were now calling it the 'Symbiosis Event', and cults had sprung up around the galaxy, most notably the Hanar and its annoying high priest Opold. The cult had now firmly grounded itself as a firm religion based on pan-racial tolerance to all. It's major following were, of course, the Geth, who committed to the religion entirely as a collective. The only limitation that meandered in Hannah's mind to describe it as a cult, was the fact that most of its pantheon was still alive and kicking.

The Shepard Pantheon, as they were now called, visited the Citadel every year to honor their fallen Leader. Hannah had declined most visitations from them, as she only knew a few personally. Wrex had visited the other day with his wife and children. Liara, though fond of her godchildren, had been extremely annoyed when Wrex had named the son, Mess, and the daughters, Mordin and Garrus.

"Children," came the sudden scoffing husky voice of Aethyta. "Brace yourself, Hannah."

Hannah turned around to see that her grand daughter, Valerie, had brought the Krogans to escort Hannah to the Centennial of Messalina's birthday. Hannah took a deep breath and stood up as Aethyta supported her arm. Despite being several centuries older, Aethyta remained physically and biotically strong. The two often bickered on how to raise Valerie through Liara's busy schedule, but they had managed along well. Valerie chose to be a physician, and remained distant from the violent past of her parents and grand parents, mentored under the guidance of Doctor Michel. Though despite her outwardly gentle nature, like her mother, Hannah often caught the extreme stubbornness that reminded her of Messalina.

Urdnot Mess was wearing his grandfather's rebuilt armor. The enormous Krogan had tried living up to his name, hunting Thresher Maw along the Krogan frontier where terraforming was taking place. He had grown to be a formidable leader of the Krogan, following the footsteps of his battlemaster, Urdnot Grunt. He barked orders to his minions to forma close honor guard around the Aethyta, Hannah and Valerie as he escorted them to the Presidium fountains, under the statue of Messalina.

Messalina's statue was towering. Built by the Reapers before they dispersed, some said that the green eyes of the statue never faded. Departing from convention, Messalina's statue was sitting on the ground, her favorite Mantis Rifle over her shoulder, and facing outward toward the opening of the Citadel. The striking likeness, and the natural pose haunted Hannah too much. The Reapers had done too good a job in capturing her likeness, as if her will still coursed through their veins. Indeed, the green hue that had enveloped every Organic and Synthetic had slowly faded away. The joined empathy of consciousness remained, yet now only the wandering stray Reaper vividly glowed of emerald sheen.

The podium was set up, and the Krogan had to push their way through the tens of thousands that had gathered there. Hannah had only agreed to attend as long as Opold and his fanatics were kept at bay. As she passed she could see the Hanar among the spectators. On the podium sat Messalina's friends, at least those who survived. Wrex and Bakara were already there. They had become the closest to the Shepard family following Messalina's passing, or ascension as Opold would say. Among the crowd were multitude of Krogan. Hannah recalled the colossal stone monument that the Krogans had erected honoring Messalina and Mordin Solus. The Krogan, though never deigning to join Opold's cult, had began worshiping Messalina on their own, in their own way. Their blood lust had been deflected to hewing stone, as Tuchanka was now famous for its architecture.

Jack Zero and Miranda Lawson were also attending. Jack had denied her lastname that Liara had presented to her and chose to remain 'Zero', which Hannah had remarked sounded like a soft drink. Miranda had joined the Alliance Intelligence, but had remained distant. Liara had told her that Messalina and Miranda had been close, like sisters, but she had changed since the Invasion, only grudgingly appearing once in a while from her seclusion and routine. Zaeed Massani had passed on a few years ago, and in his empty seat sat his beloved rifle Jesse. Unlike his wish to have completed his circle of Karma, Zaeed had died peacefully on his villa on Eden Prime under natural causes, attended by his friends. Hannah hadn't been present, but Liara had told her that he had come to peace with his life, shedding a tear in gratitude that the Galaxy had shown him.

Probably the most astounding turn of events following the Symbiosis, was the cure of the Ardat-Yakshi. The collective wills of those surrounding them had allowed the pureblood mutants to control their urges. Other members of Messalina's close friends also nodded fondly at Hannah as she was led to her seat by Valerie. Valerie held Hannah's hand closely as the two stared out at the multitude of guests. Geth, newer Synthetics, Quarians, Krogan, Turians, Salarians, Drell, Hanar, Volus, Elcor, humans, Asari, Military, Civilians; Hannah was surprised to know that they were all selected guests, invited on basis of representation.

Hannah noticed that Garrus Vakarian was there. She had only heard of him, fleeting rumors related by Chloe Michel once in a while when she visited Valerie. He had disappeared following Messalina's death, and rumors of the Archangel along the Terminus had erupted. Once in a while he would resurface on Rannoch, but would soon disappear again. Now, age had caught up with him, and the wealthy Turian had declined the position of Primarch and remained with his life partner, Tali. Tali, on the other hand, had maintained her on-again-off-again relationship with the Turian, tilled the soil, and remained a leader of the Geth-Quarian community.

When the guests were seated and Liara finished her opening remarks, followed by Wrex, the Geth, Tali, and finally the human Councilor, Vernor, who had, to Hannah's dismay, cried, Valerie stepped forward, to introduce Hannah.

"Thank you, Valerie." Hannah embraced her grand daughter and looked out on the crowd. "Thank you all, for being her friend."