"—You are watching a special Westerlund News Broadcast, A Lasting Peace, reported by Kalisah al-Jilani, brought to you by Armax Arsenal."
"Welcome back, viewers. As you are aware, it has been four years since the galaxy was approached by a race of sentient machines called the Reapers. Machines that threatened all of us with extinction and were ultimately pushed back by the ultimate might of our combined forces, together.
"In the last segment, we covered that our victory was not made possible without the involvement of one man. A solitary man…and his equally astounding crewmembers. To have the entire galaxy indebted to such a small group of individuals is by no means an astonishing feat and we recently reached out to all of them to give them a retrospective on the last few years since the conflict.
"At the Alliance headquarters in Vancouver, we briefly talked with former Spectre Kaiden Alenko, who had resigned his position at the Citadel to pursue a full time career with the Alliance military. Captain Alenko now heads the SSV Normandy as part of the 63rd Fleet, along with its noted pilot, Jeff Moreau.
"Moreau had also elected to stay in the Alliance following the conflict, stating that 'Flying's all I'm good for.' For his involvement and dedication throughout his tenure, his request to stay aboard the Normandy alongside its indispensable copilot, the artificial intelligence EDI, was granted and he was awarded the Navy Cross.
"Urdnot Wrex returned home to Tuchanka where his accomplishments of driving out the Reaper forces off the planet were rewarded when he was summarily appointed to be the chief clan leader for the entire krogan race. For the krogan's participation, the Council made the unprecedented move to extend an offer of representation for the small group, to which Wrex accepted.
"Accompanying Wrex back to Tuchanka was Urdnot Grunt, the second of the two krogan to serve on the Normandy. Grunt, pictured here, is now a seasoned military commander and has been known by his unit to exhibit unique combat skills combined with a newfound patience.
"Liara T'Soni moved back to Thessia to help with the rebuilding process. She still resides there, working part-time as a successful information broker. From her experience dealing with prothean technology, she co-wrote the bestselling book 'Journeys with the Prothean' with the last prothean, Javik.
"The enigmatic prothean currently calls the Citadel home and has made a living traversing the galaxy, experiencing the wonders that this cycle –the last cycle- has to offer. There have been many requests for Javik to come speak about his culture but he has been very selective among such offers, many of which belong to the hanar.
"James Vega, shown here, is now a major in the Marines where he has experienced a colorful career in the military's N7 program, their highest echelon for their troopers. Major Vega can be considered a military man through and through, dedicated in his duties and never hesitating in his leadership.
"Zaeed Massani, the famous mercenary, now retired, spends his days on Earth. When attempting to get an interview on his private island, he refused all requests and hurled several abrasive remarks at our staff to get us to leave. Seeing as he was a decorated war hero and a killer, we took his advice and left.
"One of the more mysterious crewmembers, Kasumi Goto, disappeared from the public light entirely shortly after the war ended. From time to time there have been sporadic sightings of the woman but tracking her down to procure an interview has been a monumental undertaking and one that will not seem to end, given her precarious nature.
"A curious case, the woman simply known as Jack has been a true story of redemption. As a little girl, she had been experimented on by Cerberus scientists, crafting her into a powerful biotic. Years later, she was recruited to the Normandy's crew and she now spends her time as a teacher for Grissom Academy. From the students that we were able to acquire blurbs, she remains one of their favorite instructors for her devotion to her teachings and her pupils.
"The asari justicar Samara, like Ms. Goto, also disappeared from the limelight rather quickly. Knowing the adherence to the Justicar Code, it is likely that Samara is out there, performing her duties and bringing justice to the unworthy.
"As a former Corsair, Jacob Taylor has led a hectic lifestyle, working for the terrorist organization known as Cerberus for a few years before deserting the cause in favor of following his commander. Through his experiences, Taylor is now in charge of security for a noted corporation where his wife, Dr. Brynn Cole, works. A father and a family man, Jacob Taylor has been grateful to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"Since the departing of her father, Miranda Lawson has disbanded the remnants of his company in light of his horrific actions during the war and used the liquidated assets to start her own logistics company. Miranda and her sister, Oriana, currently share joint ownership of the company and according to financial reports, the whole endeavor has been financially prosperous.
"Garrus Vakarian was reinstated into the turian military, achieving the rank of general in two years. He now commands the largest fleet in the system, having become one of Palaven's most respected military leaders. Throughout our interview, which we will broadcast in full later, he still maintains an air of modesty, as though he never expected his life to turn out like this. Knowing the turian's prowess in combat, it is clear that we are in good hands with him around.
"As for the quarian, Tali'Zorah, she accompanied Commander John Shepard to her home planet, Rannoch, where they now reside together. Both of them resigned their military commissions immediately following the official announcement that the war ended in order to pursue a quieter lifestyle. Any requests for interviews have been politely declined and we believe, this reporter above all, that we should respect their wishes for they are the ones deserving of a rest from the hectic bustle of the outside world. Still, it is a good feeling to know that the two of them managed to find companionship in the end, I can't think of anyone else who deserves it more.
"We will be right back after a short message from our sponsors. This is Khalisa al-Jilani, sign-"
CLICK
The remote was tossed onto the couch, the soft substance yielding slightly to the weight. Fingers tapping on the countertop, the figure who switched off the feed slowly walked over to the nearby door and opened it. Sunlight streamed in through the aperture, casting long shadows as the glow of the afternoon sun illuminated the room.
The figure blinked in the light and stepped out onto the balcony, feeling the soft prickle of warmth permeate his skin. He breathed in the dry air as he savored the intricate aroma of the sea nearby.
He walked around the balcony to perceive the front of the establishment. From here, he could discern two figures in the distant field of grain, one hovering near the edge, while another was playfully running around in the golden stalks.
He leaned against the railing and smiled, appreciating the calmness and solitude. He felt like he should call out to the two but the one closest to him turned at the sound of the door opening. He could see her silver hair waving in the breeze as she gave a loving smile. He reciprocated the movement as he merely waved a hand, beckoning them inside.
She nodded and turned around to call out to the third, smaller figure. He stopped chasing the local fauna in the field as he heard someone calling his name. The little one saw her waving him over and he let out a high-pitched laugh, smiling furiously as his legs propelled him over to the house. The woman quickly scooped up the child as both of them laughed, starting to make their way back to the entrance.
The man met them halfway from the house, taking the child from the woman's arms and stopping to give her a long kiss. As they looked at each other with a longing, he opened the door wide to let her in first. Setting the child down, ruffling his hair, he gazed one last time across the golden, rocky terrain before smiling in relief.
And with that, he shut the door.
Mass Effect: Peroration