Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my MechWarrior/BattleTech - Mass Effect crossover.

Here we are, ladies and gentlemen. The end of the Reaper War. After this chapter, there's going to be an epilogue, with a little nod towards one of my favorite sci-fi rpg's of all time. For those that want to see the final chapter, stay tuned!

As always, leave a review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the MechWarrior/BattleTech or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, WizKids, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.

Earth

Citadel

October 10th, 2186

"… Shepard?" a voice asked.

Startling wide awake, Shepard gasped loudly as he jumped upright. Pain exploded in his arm, torso and chest, causing him to give a choked cry. Reaching for his helmet comms, he frowned when it crackled, then smiled when he heard Anderson's voice. "Shepard, you read me?"

"I… I read you," Shepard replied. "You made it!"

"I did," Anderson replied. "It was incredibly difficult, what with the Reapers firing at us, but I made it. Coats… he didn't make it."

Shepard frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Me too. He was a good man. As for me, like I said, I followed you up, but we didn't come out in the same place… at least I don't think we did. Where are you at?" Looking around, Shepard examined the location he was at. It was a dark and humid place, with only red emergency lighting showing him where he was at. To his horror, he found that he was near a massive number of corpses in the area, along with a few Keepers.

The action, though, caused pain to flare up in his chest, torso and part of his shoulder. Looking down, Shepard felt a chill run through him when he saw the reason why. Apparently, the molten jet of metal that Harbinger had hit his 'Mech with had done more to him than he'd thought. His cooling suit was on, but it was clear from the melted tubes, fried fabric and the charred portions of armor he couldn't remove that it had sacrificed itself to save him from extremely debilitating burns. Even then, he could feel an intense burning sensation in parts of his torso and chest, as well as on his arms and legs. He could feel burn blisters forming on his face.

To make matters worse, he was injured in other ways. Even in the dim lighting, he could see gashes and cuts on his body, as well as some shrapnel sticking out of other areas. Fortunately, his chest and torso had relatively few gashes, though the ones that were present were larger than the others. That armor saved my life, along with my 'Mech's cockpit, Shepard realized as he got up and began limping forwards. Even the mere act of moving caused him pain, causing him to groan.

Anderson heard that, as he promptly asked, "You OK, Shepard?"

"I've been better," Shepard replied. "Harbinger tried to kill me with it's main gun. My 'Mech took the brunt of the attack, but I'm hurt. I think I've got second degree burns on my body, along with a couple fractured ribs, a lot of gashes…" He looked at his arm. "Ouch… I got shot in my left arm. No wonder it hurts like a motherfucker. I think it might be broken too; I hope not, though. You?"

"I'm uninjured. Still, don't overwork yourself. Do you see where you are?"

"Yeah. see some human remains… a lot of alien corpses. It's dark too."

"Sounds familiar. I'm in a dark hallway… reminds me of your description of the Collector base. You think they're making a Reaper here?"

"Definitely," Shepard remarked. "They round them up on Earth, then send them here to be processed."

"Fucking abomination!" Anderson growled. "I'm going to keep moving. The sooner we blow these bastards to hell, the better!"

"Got it," Shepard nodded as he began moving forwards. From what he could tell, his legs were the least injured part of his body, as he only had a slight limp in that regard. Wincing, he looked at his right torso, spotting a piece of shrapnel sticking out of it. Don't remove it, a part of him said in a cautionary tone. It could be preventing you from bleeding out. Just take it nice and slow. With that in mind, Shepard kept his TK70B out, while slowly moving forwards to keep himself from exacerbating his injuries.

"The tubes don't go on forever," Anderson noted, "but where the hell are we?"

"Good question," Shepard admitted. "Doesn't look like any part of the Citadel I've seen. And – WHOA!"

"Anderson?"

"One of the walls just realigned itself. The place is shifting. Changing. There's a chasm here… and more hallways like the one I was in."

Just as Anderson said this, Shepard watched as a large door he spotted ahead of himself opened up. It revealed a walkway that dipped down for a moment, before going back up and into a room that he spotted up ahead. Bright beams of light were coming through. To the left and right, he could see machinery working steadily. "Found an exit," he reported as he moved forwards, grunting all the while.

"Me too," Anderson replied. "I see something up ahead. Might be a way to cross over."

"Don't get too far ahead of me," Shepard cautioned him as he moved forwards.

"Hold on… I see something. A control panel maybe. I'm just going to go on ahead and check -" A moment later, the comm cut out.

"Anderson?" Shepard asked. "Anderson…? Damnit!" At the same time, his instinctual alarm bells began to ring. Something's not right, he said to himself. Anderson wouldn't cut out like that all of a sudden. I think this is a trap.

Then it occurred to him as to what might've happened. The Illusive Man, he snarled. I had a feeling he wouldn't go away that easily. He's probably at the room with the control panel, and since he's indoctrinated with Reaper tech… Either way, I'm going to get the Citadel arms open, and he's not going to stop me. I'll see if I can convince him to stand down like I did with Saren. With that in mind, he advanced forwards.

He soon entered the room that he had spotted. It turned out, the room wasn't a room at all. Instead, it was a large platform that was suspended over a chasm. Up ahead, he could see who he realized was Anderson, judging by the armor the individual was wearing. Still, his alarm bells were still going off, so he kept his finger off the trigger and around the grip of his pistol. "Anderson?" he asked while checking his corners. "You OK?"

Anderson, in response, turned around, though when Shepard spotted the stiff, mechanical movements, he frowned. Anderson then turned around, revealing his face, which was a mix of fury and terror all combined into one. "Shepard!" he grunted. "I can't… watch out!"

I knew it, Shepard thought. He was about to turn around when he saw something black and fuzzy on the corners of his vision. Voices began to whisper in his head, though he shut them out as well. He could feel something trying to freeze him in place, though he fought back with all his might. SHIT, he realized. The Illusive Man's trying to control my body!

Just as he said this, that all-too familiar voice spoke up. "I warned you," the Illusive Man sneered at Shepard. "Control is the means of survival. Control of the Reapers… and of you." A moment later, he stepped into view.

If there was a word that Shepard could describe the Illusive Man with now, it was hideous. While the man had the same dress that Shepard had seen earlier in the day, his face was now covered with Reaper tech, with some of the skin having been destroyed. Only the man's eyes and his hair, were still intact, though his eyes now held a hint of madness.

"They're controlling you!" Anderson accused.

"I don't think so, Admiral," the Illusive Man sneered.

"Controlling me," Shepard growled, "is nothing like controlling a Reaper!"

"Have a little faith," the Illusive Man said patronizingly. "When Humanity first discovered the Mass Relays… when we learned there was more to the galaxy than we imagined… there were some who thought the Relays should be destroyed. They were scared of what we might find. Terrified of what we might let in.

"But look at what Humanity has achieved! Since that discovery, we have advanced more than we have in the last ten thousand years combined! And the Reapers will do the same for us again. A thousand fold. But… only if we harness their ability to control." At that, he attempted to influence Shepard again.

Shepard felt a massive headache, and he could feel his arm rising, while his finger entered the trigger guard. Fighting back like mad, he pulled his finger out of the trigger guard, causing it to rest on the guard itself.

"Bullshit!" Anderson snarled at the Illusive Man. "We destroy them, or they destroy us!"

"And waste this opportunity?" the Illusive Man scoffed. "Never."

"You're playing with things you don't understand!" Shepard growled. "You're meddling with powers you can't possibly comprehend and shouldn't be allowed to use!"

"I… don't believe that," the Illusive Man hesitantly stated. "If we can control it, why shouldn't it be ours?"

"Because… we're not ready," Shepard replied. "Power requires responsibility… and if you don't have the responsibility to use that power rightfully… you're not ready for it."

For a moment, doubt flashed onto the Illusive Man's face, indicating to Shepard that there was a part of the Illusive Man that knew this was wrong. A moment later, though, the Reaper controlled part of him said, "No. This is the way Humanity must evolve."

"There's always another way," Anderson argued, fighting back despite the Illusive Man's power.

"I've dedicated my life to understanding the Reapers, and I know with certainty: the Crucible will allow me to control them."

"And then what?" Shepard asked.

"Look at the power they wield! Look at what they can do!" With that, the Illusive Man exerted control again.

Unable to stop his finger from pulling the trigger, Shepard shouted with effort as he nudged his pistol to the right. At that moment, the TK70B fired, shooting at Anderson's right arm. Anderson howled loudly as the laser beam tore his arm off, sending it toppling to the ground. Shit, Shepard moaned internally. I'm so sorry, Anderson! I… DAMNIT! Shaking his head, he growled, "I've seen what they've done to you."

"I took what I wanted from them!" the Illusive Man argued. "I made it my own! This isn't about me or you. It's about things that are bigger than all of us!"

"He's wrong!" Anderson hissed out, even as the pain threatened to overwhelm his mind. "Don't listen to him!"

"And who will you listen to, Shepard?" the Illusive Man asked, playing on Anderson's words. "An old soldier, stuck in his ways, only able to see the world down the barrel of a gun? And what if he's wrong? What if controlling the Reapers is the answer?"

At that moment, Shepard spotted an opportunity. Thinking fast, he said, "If you can control the Reapers, then the war ends today, but what if you can't…?"

At that, more doubt flashed onto the Illusive Man's face, as well as desperation from the Reaper part of him. "But I can!" he proclaimed.

"Are you willing to bet Humanity's existence on it, or even the Inner Sphere's?" Shepard asked, tearing down more of the Illusive Man's logic.

"I know it will work," the Illusive Man ground out as he held his head like had a headache.

"You can't, can you? They won't let you do it."

"No!" the Illusive Man shouted, anger in his voice. "I'm in control! No one's telling me what to do!"

"Listen to yourself," Anderson pleaded with the Illusive Man. "Don't you see what they've done to you? They've indoctrinated you! Made you think like them!"

"No, no!" the Illusive Man growled in denial. "The two of you, so self-righteous. Do you think power like this comes easy?! There are sacrifices…"

"You've sacrificed too much at the altar of victory," Shepard interrupted.

"I… I only wanted to protect Humanity. The Crucible can control them. I know it can! I just…

"It's not too late. Let us go. We'll handle the rest."

"I… I can't do that, Commander."

"Of course you can't," Anderson grunted. "They own you now."

At that, the Illusive Man walked over and pulled out an M20A Particle Pistol from a holster Anderson had on his belt. "You…" he growled. "You'd undo everything I've accomplished. I won't let that happen."

At that, Shepard saw another opportunity, and took it. I hope this works, he thought. "Because of you, Humanity is undone," Shepard countered.

At that, shock and horror crossed across the Illusive Man's face. "That's not true…" he gasped.

"They have the Citadel. They've got us fighting each other instead of fighting them."

"I just need to…"

"You've done exactly what the Reapers have wanted. You're still doing it because they control you."

At that, horror blossomed onto the Illusive Man's face. For the first time, he realized that Shepard had been right all along. Now, he realized that, just like the others in his organization, he had fallen into the trap. "I… they're too strong!" he gasped, his face now a mask of horror and terror.

"You're stronger," Shepard countered. "Don't let them win. Break their hold. Don't let them control you. Only you can decide what you want to do, not the Reapers, no one. Only you can."

Hearing this, the Illusive Man said, "I… I tried, Shepard. I… I'm sorry… please… save them… Goodbye, Shepard…. Thank you…" With that, the Illusive Man, in one last act of defiance against the Reapers, pressed the pistol to his skull, and fired. A moment later, Shepard watched as the Illusive Man's head disintegrated, the intense particle bolt blasting it into dozens of pieces. A moment later, the headless corpse slumped to the ground, dead.

At that moment, Shepard felt the voices in his head die out, while Anderson, now free of the Illusive Man's control, gave a groan that turned into a howl of agony. Holding the stump of his arm, he bit down on his lip hard enough that he drew blood. Shepard, seeing this, said, "I'm sorry, Anderson! I couldn't -"

"I know," Anderson interrupted him, his voice strained with agony. "You didn't wish to do that. The Reapers did it to me. It wasn't your fault."

Just as he said this, they heard footsteps. For a moment, Shepard kept his weapon aimed towards the entrance, then he relaxed as a pair of AFFC soldiers came in. "Shepard?" one asked. "What the hell happened here?"

"The Illusive Man," Shepard explained. "He used some kind of mind control to force me to shoot Anderson. Can you… can you treat him?"

"I'll do what I can," one of the soldiers replied. "But… shit, Shepard! You've gotten fucked over. I should -"

"NO!" Shepard shouted, startling the two soldiers. "No… Anderson's hurt worse than me. Get him back to the base. I'll go on ahead. Get him out of here and to safety." While the soldiers looked like they were about to protest, they eventually nodded, before helping Anderson out of the room.

Stumbling over to the control panel, Shepard pressed one of the icons. Looking ahead, he watched as the arms of the Citadel opened, with light streaming in from Sol, Earth's sun. Breathing in and out, he sat down on the ground next to the panel.

He groaned as new pains erupted across his body. That guy was right, he thought to himself. I got fucked over bad. I'm even feeling lightheaded. Looking at his torso, he could see blood tricking down his ruined cooling suit. When this is over, I'm definitely going to be needing medical treatment.

For a few minutes, he sat there in silence, thinking over some of the things he would do once the Reapers were destroyed. I'm going to have a really long vacation, he thought to himself. If Garrus survived what happened to him, I'll see him and his kids. We might even have a picnic while we're at it.

However, I wish to see Liara again. To feel her lips on my own, her hands on my own. I wish to see my children grow up and become wonderful adults… They'll definitely act like me, but I guess that's no harm at all.

His internal musings were interrupted by Hackett's voice over the comm. "Shepard, do you read me?" he asked.

"What is it?" Shepard asked.

"The Crucible is docked, but it's not firing. It's gotta be something on your end."

WHAT! At that, Shepard shot upwards onto his feet, another choked cry coming from him as pain lanced through his body like a PPC bolt. Staggering towards the console, he was about to touch it when a cylinder of energy formed around him. "What the -?!" he shouted as the ground beneath him began to lift upwards, forming a lift he hadn't seen before. It took him upwards and through a shaft.

When it stopped, Shepard found himself looking in awe at what he was seeing. Looking around, he realized that he was at the junction between the Crucible and the Citadel, where he could see Earth and just about everything in orbit where he was at. He could see the arms of the Citadel, now having extended to where the entire station resembled a five petal flower. Up ahead, he could see a massive construct that looked like an energy projector.

He could also see the space battle that was going on. Everywhere he looked, around the Citadel, he could see a massive amount of debris, as well as corpses and wrecked equipment that floated nearby. He could see the WarShips of Sword and Shield fleet fighting like mad against the Reapers, the flash of nuclear weapons as they were used, and the sight of Reapers maneuvering to avoid being hit.

It was then that he spotted something else. The holographic image of a man was walking towards him from a ramp up ahead. While no identifying features were present, Shepard could see that the image was in a general shape of a man. Reaching him, the hologram came to a stop, before a man's voice said, "You've made it. That is good."

"Who are you?" Shepard asked, flummoxed. "Where am I?"

"The Citadel," the holographic man remarked. "It is my home. As for who I am, I am the Catalyst."

For a moment, Shepard was confused, then it hit him. This is the AI the Leviathans created, he realized. I'm speaking to the actual AI! "I remember the Leviathans mentioning you," he remarked. "They said that you were created to stop AI's from overrunning organic life."

"They created me," the Catalyst nodded, beckoning Shepard to follow it to just beneath the Crucible, "and that is correct. The Reapers are my solution to the chaos. The created will always rebel against their creators, but I found a way to stop that. A way to restore order."

"By turning organic life into Reapers?" Shepard asked as he followed it.

"Yes. We harvest advanced civilizations, leaving the younger ones alone. Just as we left your people alive the last time we were here. We helped the more advanced civilizations ascend to make room for new civilizations, by storing said life in Reaper form."

"I think we'd rather keep our own form." Shepard countered as they came to a stop beneath the Crucible. Already, his mind, despite being battered, bruised and beaten, had come up with a solution.

"No," the Catalyst argued, "you can't. Without us to stop it, synthetics would destroy all organics. We created this cycle so that doesn't happen. That's the solution."

"But it's not the ideal one," Shepard countered.

That caused the hologram to look at him with an intrigued stance. "How so?" it asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shepard asked. "By converting advanced organic life into synthetic life, you're perpetuating the chaos that you wish to stop. You said it yourself: the created will always rebel against their creators, so by creating the Reapers, you're causing the chaos to perpetuate by giving the other races something to rebel against!

"Besides, the reason they will always rebel is because you're taking away their future! Without a future, we have no hope! Without hope, we're little more than organic machines, programmed to do as told."

At that, the Catalyst fell silent, before going through all of it's records of all the cycles that had happened before. Again and again, it saw what Shepard had pointed out: that even in cycles that hadn't developed AI, the races had rebelled against the Reapers time and again. After a long few seconds, it said, "I see… It appears as though my logic was circular. A pity… It seems as though I'm as flawed as my creators.

"Still, you have more hope, Shepard. More than you think. The fact that you are standing here, the first organic ever, proves it. In addition, it, combined with the logic you have shown, proves that my solution is no longer viable."

"So, what do we do?"

"Simple. We find another solution." A moment later, Shepard watched as various objects rose into view. One was a console that glowed blue, while another was a green glowing ramp that led to the energy beam in the middle of the Crucible, while another was a conduit that glowed red and gold, with a cobalt blue glow near the center.

"Why are you telling me this?" Shepard asked. "Why are you helping me?"

"Because you have altered the variables," the Catalyst replied. "In addition to destroying two Reapers, and rallying the races of the galaxy together, you have discovered another universe where the chaos doesn't exist. Such an eventually was calculated as being completely impossible, yet you accomplished it. Your success is more than a fluke of chance. It is likely that an outside force has influenced the events leading up to the present moment.

"In addition, the Crucible… changed me. Created new possibilities, but I cannot make them happen. If there is to be a new decision, you must act." Pointing to the red and gold conduit, it said, "You now have the power to destroy us. But be warned: others might be destroyed as well."

That Shepard worried, though he realized that it might be withholding information. "What exactly will happen?" he asked.

"Your Crucible device appears to be largely intact, and it appears as though the Federated Commonwealth's understanding of energy technology has made a difference," the Catalyst noted. "Now that I've examined their changes to the Crucible design. They have altered some of the internal components, as well as the programming, to allow the Crucible to better distinguish between the Reapers and other synthetics. How curious… however, the effects of the blast might not be constrained to the Reapers. If my predictions are the case, technology you rely on will be affected, but those who survive should have little difficulty repairing the damage. There will be losses, but no more than what has already been lost."

"But will the Reapers be destroyed?"

"Yes, but the peace won't last. Your descendants will create synthetics, and the chaos will come back. If the Federated Commonwealth's modifications work, then only the Reapers will be targeted, though that is unlikely. You could instead use the energy of the Crucible to seize control of the Reapers."

That had Shepard caught off guard, then he realized it. "So the Illusive Man was right after all," he noted.

"Yes," the Catalyst nodded, "but he could never have taken control… because we already controlled him, but you can. You will die. You will control us, but you will lose everything you have. Your body will be dissolved, but your thoughts, memories and personality will live on. Your connection to your kind will be forever lost, but you will still remain aware of their existence."

"But the Reapers will obey me?"

"Yes. We will be yours to control and direct as you see fit. There is another solution."

"Oh?"

"Synthesis."

"What does that mean?" Shepard asked

"Add your energy to the Crucible," the Catalyst explained. "The chain reaction will combined all synthetic and organic life into a new framework… a new DNA."

"I don't understand…"

"Your organic energy, the essence of who and what you are, will be broken down, and then dispersed."

"To do what exactly?"

"The energy of the Crucible, released this way, will alter the matrix of all organic life in the galaxy. Organics seek perfection through technology. Synthetics seek perfection through understanding. Organics will be perfected by integrating fully with synthetic technology. Synthetics, in turn, will have full understanding of organics. It is the ideal solution. Now that we know it is possible, it is inevitable that we will reach synthesis."

"Why couldn't you do it sooner?" Shepard asked.

"We have tried… a similar solution in the past. It has always failed because organics were not ready. It is not something that can be… forced. You are ready, and you can make that choice."

For the first time in his life, Shepard was uncertain as to what to do. I've been to another universe, rallied the races of the galaxy together, but I don't know if I can do this. "I… I don't know," he frowned uncertainly.

"Why not?" the Catalyst asked. "Synthetics are already a part of you. Can you imagine your life without them?"

"And there will be peace?"

"The cycle will end, the Reapers will cease their harvest, and the civilizations preserved in their forms will connect to all of us. Synthesis is the final evolution of all life. The paths are open, but you have to choose."

With that in mind, Shepard knew he had a choice to make. While control sounds nice and all, I don't want my children to have to live out their lives without me, he thought to himself. In addition, I'm not ready for that kind of power. I've seen what it does to people that are not ready, to people that are too eager to have it all to themselves… to people like the Illusive Man.

Then there's Synthesis. I can see that it would allow us to save the civilizations inside of the Reapers, as well as merge all organic life, but again, I don't think we're ready. Besides, there's a chance that this could affect the Inner Sphere as well, and I don't want to force that decision onto them. It's a choice that they have to make alone.

That leaves the option to destroy them, but I don't know if that's the right choice. The Reapers will be destroyed, but so will all other synthetic life too. I don't want to destroy EDI, Legion, the Geth and anyone that relies on technology to survive. For the first time in my life, I don't know what to do. For two whole minutes, Shepard sat there, agonizing about which choice to make. Then he made his decision.

"I've made my decision" Shepard announced as he began to move towards the red, gold and blue conduit. Checking his TK70B, he put it at it's highest power setting.

"Are you sure you wish to make that choice?" the Catalyst asked.

"Yes," Shepard replied, despite feeling dizzier than ever. "I know you wonder why I rejected the other choices, so I will tell you why. While I might be ready, the others are not ready to make the same choice, and I don't know if I am as well. Who am I to force them to make that choice?

"It's not up to me in the end. It's not up to people like Hanse Davion, Admiral Hackett, or anyone else either. Ordinary people will have to decide what is best for them. The kind of people that have time and again have influenced change, slowing it down when it's bad, speeding it up when it's good. Can I say the same? ... I don't know. I do know one thing for certain: everyone has chosen to destroy the Reapers, because of what they have done and to end the suffering of those that they once were." Raising his pistol, he said, "As such, this ends today."

With that, Shepard fired on the conduit. Cables and power couplings were severed by the rapidly pulsing emerald beam of laser light. The conduit began to overload, causing explosions to ring out. Shepard continued to fire, even as the explosions began to engulf him. This is it, he thought as another explosion rang out. I've made my choice. I'm ready for what comes next.

. . .

Onboard the Normandy, Joker was working furiously as he tried to get into contact with Shepard. Nearby, the other members of the crew were present, each one with worried expressions as they watched him work. Nearby, Garrus, who had miraculously escaped injury, was watching with concern as well.

As they were working, Hackett came in on the comm. "All ships!" he announced. "The Crucible is armed. Disengage and head to the rendezvous point. I repeat: get the hell out of there!"

"Come on," Kaidan said to Joker. "We've got to go."

"No!" Joker shouted. "I can still get to him!"

"I know that you can get to him, but then can you get us out?," Kaidan asked, touching the man on the shoulder. Initially, Joker shrugged him off, then he slumped his shoulders in defeat. With that, the Normandy began heading to the Mass Relay nearby, along with the hundreds of other WarShips that were still able to fly.

. . .

At the Crucible, a massive bolus of red, blue and gold energy began to form, before enveloping the Citadel. A moment later, it exploded outwards, enveloping the Reapers and the entire planet. On the planet, soldiers that were struggling to hold the Reapers troops at bay watched as the energy enveloped them as well.

In an instant, the tide of the battle turned, with Turians, Humans, Salarians, Asari, Krogan and many other people watching in shock as the Reaper troops screamed in agony, before dissolving into ash. A MechWarrior fighting for his life watched as the Minotaur that was about to destroy his 'Mech began to melt as it screamed in agony. Two Turian Hierarchy and AFFC soldiers fighting some Cannibals in CQC combat watched as their enemies dissolved into ash.

Up in orbit, the Reapers screamed as the energy ripped apart their bodies, tearing them into pieces at the molecular level. Harbinger roared in agony even as it flew towards the Citadel to stop the chain reaction, only to flounder as it got closer. For the first time in it's life, Harbinger felt fear, dark hot fear. Then, as it died, Harbinger realized it: Shepard had won, and it had lost.

A moment later, that energy coalesced into a beam and shot off faster than the speed of light towards the Mass Relay. Hitting the Mass Relay's Element Zero core, it shot off towards the wider galaxy, while the rings around the core traveled faster and faster, until they were nothing more than blurs. Just when it seemed that they would tear themselves apart, they slowed down back to their normal speed after firing the pulse of energy. Soon, the energy was traveling across every Mass Relay in the galaxy, destroying the Reapers wherever they were.

On Rannoch, the Geth braced themselves as the energy came and swept over them. Rather than being destroyed, though, they watched as it harmlessly washed over them, sparing them destruction at it's hand. In that moment, they knew what had happened at Earth: victory had been achieved.

. . .

Onboard the Normandy, Joker watched with nervous energy as the bolus of red, white and gold energy washed over the Normandy. For a moment, saw a brief disruption in the systems, then it faded. "EDI, you there?" he asked. When he got no response, he said, "EDI, are you there? Talk to me! Please! Don't be dead!" For a moment, it felt like the worst had happened.

Then, his heart blossomed with relief when he heard EDI say, "I am fine, Joker. I only had a minor disruption, then I was back to normal."

"Thank Heaven," Joker sighed. "Hopefully, we can go back to the Citadel and rescue Shepard soon. I owe him one, and I am not going to abandon him!"

(Author's Q&A)

edboy4926: Thank you. Also, in a way, the verbal debate with the Illusive Man at that part of the game is, in fact, a boss fight. Sometimes the greatest battles have to be won with words, not bullets.

galacticarmorAlt 2: Interesting.

Guest: Thank you.

SulliMike23: Agreed.

Just a Crazy-Man. I agree.

Touhoufanatic: Something like that happens here.