At long last. This day has finally arrived. In only a few hours, a battle unlike anything the galaxy has ever witnessed will unfold. The Reaper's time is coming up. Inside the Normandy, there's a thick fog of uncertainty. No one really knows what to anticipate, not even me. My worst fear is that the ending has changed. It's rare, but it still happens. I pray to the Source to not let any harm come to Tali.

While we wait, everyone is going through their personal rituals. Shepard is upstairs using the holochat to talk to his Mom. Mordin is singing. Garrus is asking for protection from his people's spirits and working on last minute weapon modifications. Ashley is praying. Taylor is casting spells and drawing protective sigils wherever she can. I am in need of an upgrade. You always get the good stuff right before the final battle. I need to find Garrus. He must be in the cargo bay. I rode the elevator down and noticed it picked up the pace. Sure, it works right before we fight the cosmic crawdads.

Inside the cargo bay. Garrus is hyper focused on a rifle. Whatever it is, the giant magnifying glass tells me it is a delicate operation. James is currently working out. Shouldn't he be saving his energy for the battle? While I wait, James and I make small talk. The little things. The weather. Sports. Fighting humongous galactic isopods. The usually. James finishes his set. His extra muscular body supported by a bony butt plop on the bench. A fine mist of sweat and Gatorade float my way as he dunks the remaining fluid in his bottle. Now seems as good as an opportunity.

Sheepishly, I ask "James, can I talk to you? I have something to confess."

James welcomes me, he moves his 40 lb weight off the bench, giving me room to sit down next to him. James quickly dries off his head, but wet strands of hair still remaining, like tree roots growing down to cover the ridges of mount eyebrow which do nothing to mask his stink.

James asks "what's up?"

Dramatic deep breath in "I usually never tell people this, but since this could be our last day... I figured I should have told you a while ago."

James reassuringly pats my back "What is it?"

I place my hands on my knees and straighten my back. Put my oscar worthy acting at work. "I am… I'm.. I'MAHOMOLUMINOUS. There I said it. Wow that feels good to get off my chest."

James tries to process the revelation, he asks "you're aroused by candles?"

"No. I'm an Ozzy."

James gave me a funny look "what does being Australian have to do with anything?"

"No. Not aussy, Ozzy. As in oscillations. (James rolls his eyes) See my people can make our atoms dance super jazzy at the right hertz and reveal glorious light. HALLELUJAH VIBES!" I show him my true form.

James freaks out, falling off his bench. He always has the best reactions.

James picks himself off the floor. Rubbing his eyes with his sweaty and now dirty hands. That is going to make them red. James curses. I nod my glowing head. James asks Garrus "are you seeing this?"

Garrus, with his giant eye in the magnifying glass, refuses to take a break from his work and tells him "Seen it before. I've known for over a year."

James turns back to me "You're an ascended."

I return to my mortal form "You know what I am?"

James says "From Stargate."

I'm surprised. "Really? Most people only watch Star Wars or star trek. That's a super old show. How'd you even know it?"

James explains "The Alliance advised us to watch it because it gave recruits an idea of what to expect. Exploring unknown worlds. Meeting advanced aliens. Fighting enemy forces with technological inferior weapons. Wait, are stargates real? How do they work?"

I explain "I haven't seen any here, but how it works is each ring makes a point in spacetime vibrate identically. This hacks the universe thinking it's the same place and allows for the creation of a wormhole. Teal'c was my favorite. Whose yours?"

James says "Samantha because she's hot. O'Neill was pretty cool." I'd argue Vala was hotter, but she was also really annoying so no go.

I tell him "So you understand how our existence was hinted at in the media."

James asks "you hid it?"

"I didn't. I'm not an ascended ancient. Imagine them but better."

James asks "like Q from star trek?"

I explain "I am above both of them. See those two groups figured out how to ascend or we're born up high, but they don't understand how it works. Just enough to control their gifts. I do which allows me to do more advanced things they can't. I met both of them and they tried to force me to follow their rules. I travel to various universes. It is my thing."

James asks "what did you do?

I tell him "I politely explain to them why I'm not going to listen to them, if they try to fight me on it, I leave because I have better things to do with my time and if they try to follow me, I beat the shit out of them."

James asks "Why are you telling me this now?"

I tell him bluntly "Because everyone is going to die."

James screams "WHAT!"

NEUTRALIZE. HAHAHAHA!

Garrus asks me "why do you keep doing that?"

"Because his reactions are the best!"

Garrus asks "should you really be stressing him out before the fight of our lives?"

I head over to Garrus. "No probably not. Hey buddy... if you have a minute, can you modify this? It's an Anzio 20 mm rifle."

Garrus examines the extra small American sized rifle. It's good for blowing up tanks or hunting a T-rex. You know… little kids stuff. I pull out a single round for this bad boy. Garrus is shocked at the size of our calibers. Four times the fire power of a .50 cal and at least eight bucks a round. Before hyperinflation. He must be jealous. The envious turian asks "what do you want me to do with it?"

I request the best (only) turian firearms maintenance guy I know "would it be possible to modify whatever components are in your rifle, to shoot the equivalent of these (lift up loose american girl emergency dildo) into this rifle? I need more ammo."

Garrus asks "why won't you just make more bullets."

I remind him "It's not enough."

Garrus says "You have an unlimited supply."

"Still not enough. I feel bad you guys don't use gunpowder anymore. I get why but you will never feel how manly it feels having powder residue on your thumb and pointer fingers. The ladies love it. It makes their insides feel tingly."

Garrus stares at me with healthy skepticism "Honestly?"

I say "Of course! They know how much we spend on bullets and know what we can afford to buy them."

Garrus says "I probably could but that would take longer than we have. If I make it out alive, this can be our little side project."

I honorary knight Garrus "you have my blessing. I wish providence on you. Godspeed Garrus."

Garrus asks "did you just make me invincible?"

I informed him "No. Strictly symbolic gesture. Make it out alive Garrus. I need you. Be the god of death gamers make your character to be!"

James is snapping out of his hypnotic state. Normally after this, I test out more lines I come with up when I reveal my identity to see which order of words shocks him the most, making me laugh my ass off. I came up with a few new gems working with him. It was my pleasure. The time for humor is over. I take the elevator to the next floor. I find Tali at the engine core, making sure the reactor is working at optimal conditions. Any little bit helps. She's too delved into her work for her to notice I walk up behind her, tightly weaving my arms around her shoulders.

I nuzzle my face into her neck "Tali whatever you do. Don't be a hero. I came this far, and I love you too much to lose you now."

Tali wedges her hands until my fingers which desperately fight to lock her in place "*********."

I pleaded with her "is there anything I can do to convince you to stay on the ship?"

Tali says "you know I can't do that."

I try harder "there is no reason you have to fight down there."

Tali protests "that is not true. If we can't beat the Reapers here, they'll eventually come to Rannoch. Besides this is Shepard's and your home. Who would I be if I didn't fight for my family?"

I argue "This Earth is not my home. Not even my Earth was my home. My family was my home and you're the only family I have now. That planet we are going to. I've only been there once, and Shepard wasn't even born there. Tali… please stay. I can't risk losing you."

Tali breaks my strangle, spins around. Locking my eyes with hers "you are never ever going to lose me. I love you too much for that to happen. We are going to have the lives we deserve. Even if by the slightest chance the Reapers do manage to kill us, which won't happen because we are the toughest group of aliens this galaxy has ever seen, we can reincarnate to another world, find each other, fall in love again, have the biggest most loving family we can have."

I hate the idea of her dying, but the assurance we can have it in a different life does ease me a bit "That sounds heavenly, but I don't want to wait that long. I-"

Tali closes my lips "you won't have to."

"Thank you, Tali. I believe it."

Tali says "you won't have to believe it because it's true. Do me a favor my cherished, don't worry about me. I'll stay by Wrex and Grunt. They'll protect me in case anything happens, but make sure Shepard comes back. Liara will be heartbroken as would all of us. I know you refuse to bring back the dead, but could you please make this one exception? Doesn't Shepard deserve it? Hasn't he earned that from you?"

I tell my dear "It's not that I refuse, it's that I don't have any real control. It's hard to explain but I promise to do my very best to bring Shepard home."

Tali says "I know you will. Now go. I have to prep the bracings for the battle. One last thing. I love you, and you made these past few years the best of my life and I can't even begin to imagine how many wonderful more we'll have together. You're the strongest person I'll ever met. Physical, mentally, I have full confidence you got this."

"Thank you, Tali. I love you so much."

"Tell me that again after we win. You should go find Shepard. He needs you."

Shepard says "after all this time, I can't believe the catalyst is the Citadel."

Joker comments "It would have been nice to know that before we crossed across the galaxy."

I amuse "But then you'll miss out on the story of what you needed you already possessed. What a classic." Can't believe Bioware pulled that twice.

Shepard says "this feels unreal. A part of me thinks I'm still in a coma hallucinating all of this."

I reply "I assure you, this is very real."

Shepard says "all our years of hard work have led to this moment."

I ask the Commander "what are you feeling?"

Shepard thinks… "I feel ready."

Joker says "we are through the relay in thirty seconds."

One by one, starships of varying sizes drop out of hyperspace. More and more keep flooding. Dozens, hundreds, thousands. The antenna at the back of my skull is shaking like crazy. So many people. I can sense all of them. Every single one. A fleet that puts the forces of the trojan war and D-day to shame. A population of warriors ready to fight against the mechanical lovecraftian horrors. I feel so much uncertainty, fear, doubt coming from them, yet it is all overshadowed by the love they have for their people. Bravely united. No matter what happens. Everyone is giving it all.

Joker reports "Alliance fleet reporting. Turian fleet reporting. Asari fleet reporting. Salarian fleet reporting. Quarian fleet reporting. Geth fleet reporting. Leviathans reporting. Aria's fleet reporting. Everyone is here Commander. The entire galaxy stands ready and at your command."

Shepard says "No reason to keep the Reapers waiting? Everyone! We should go."