20/4/2186

SSV Normandy.

It was early. Probably around six in the morning. Mads had already been up for hours at this point. Mostly he had been thinking, as well as drinking a bit. His bottle of Vodka stood faithfully at his side, just waiting for him to pour another glass. In front of him, was the bible. Sitting at one passage he had been looking at for a long time now.

""He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?""

Micha chapter 6 verse 8. This was given to him when he was just fourteen years old. On his day of confirmation… Not that he really believed back then. But this was tradition… To confirm your faith before God. He had battled long and hard to try and understand it. He repeated the verse under his breath, careful as to not wake up Tali… Who, judging by her snoring, was still fast asleep.

"Why didn't they give me John 1:4… That would been easier to understand..." Mads muttered as he sat back in his chair. He sighed as he took a sip of his drink. "Okay… Okay..." Mad said to clear his mind. "God said this to the Israel… Okay, got it so far…" He lightly tapped his finger on the page. "He has shown thee, O man, what is good… The law of Moses. They already should have known what he was talking about…." Mads said to himself. "God requires them to do justly… To love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God…. Justice, mercy and humility… Can that really just be it?" Mads muttered as he took another sip.

"What are you reading?" Tali asked, and it was enough to make Mads jump. Just a second ago she was sleeping like the dead, and now she was pretty much right behind him.

"You gotta stop sneaking up on me like that." Mads said, falsely acting like he had been inches away from a heart attack. "Thought you were asleep."

"Perhaps if you weren't speaking so loud, I still would be." She chuckled, and it made Mads smile a bit. "And maybe you shouldn't be so focused then. I don't think my footsteps are that quiet." Tali remarked as she looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. "Haven't seen you read that in a while." She said with a smile while putting her hand on his shoulder.

"I have been a bit busy these last few days… I have been trying to decode my confirmation words..." Mads replied.

"Confirmation words?" She asked confused.

"You know, I can't believe I keep forgetting you're not human..." He smiled, and so did she. "Not that many humans nowadays remember what confirmation words are..." Mads remarked. "If you are baptized in the Christian faith, then when you are fourteen years old… Then you need confirm your faith. When you have done so, your pastor will give you some words from the bible. These will be your confirmation words… Anyhow, these are mine." He said as he pointed to the verse in his book. Tali went in to read it.

"He has shown you-…. What's that word?" She asked. Her Russian still wasn't as good, but she was most likely better than last they met.

"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"Mads read up in Russian, then he translated it back into English for her, so her translator could pick it up. "You know, I can buy you the extended upgrade for your omni-tool so you don't have to do all of this." Mads suggested. His love for her didn't depend on how good her Russian was.

"I prefer it this way." She replied. She pulled up the other chair and sat down next to him. "What does it mean?" She asked.

"That's what I have been trying to figure out… I know it's a command from God to the people of Israel, an attempt to show them how to live. Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with thy God." Mads said.

"I like them…" She smiled under her helmet. "What is this really about?" She then asked. It caught Mads off guard, he didn't think he had a different reason to go look for his old confirmation words… But as she said does words, it suddenly dawned on him.

"I have been thinking… About all those who I have lost so far… Ashley, Mordin, Thane… And I sometimes wonder… They were all doing exactly like God told them to do… And yet he calls them home… I suppose I have to trust that he knows what he is doing..." Mads admitted as he took another sip of his drink.

"Mads." She said, gestured for him to look at her. "Do you remember what you said at the funeral of Ashley?" She asked.

"Yeah… I do." Mads remembered it all too well.

"You said: The Lord gives and the Lord takes." She reminded him, even though there was no need to.

"I guess that's what I'm worried about." Mads said as he stood up. Tali's eyes followed him as he walked over to the fish tank, which actually held live fish… Courtesy of the automated feeder. "...I'm worried that God is done giving, and now only takes… I wonder how many more he will call home… I wonder if he will call you home..." Mads explained as his voice almost cracked. She also stood up and walked over to him, and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "That's why I don't want you here with me. That's why I support your decision to stay with the fleet… On Rannoch, you can be-..." He had to compose himself. "-You can be safe." Mads said, and it hurt his heart to the very core to mutter those words.

"Mads-" Tali tried to say, but she was interrupted.

"Even if it hurts my heart. Even if it pains my soul… Knowing you are safe… That brings much more peace to me than you being in constant danger at my side." Mads replied. She didn't say anything… Maybe there was nothing to say to that. Mads went back to his desk to pour another drink, and that was perhaps a nice conversation changer.

"It isn't even 6 am in the morning and you're already drinking?" She asked.

"It's 7 pm somewhere in the galaxy." Mads remarked as he took a sip of his drink.

"You need to cut down. It's killing you." Tali replied, and the lecturing did not stop when he pulled out his cigarette pack. She took it out of his hand. "Smoking too." She said as she put the pack down on the desk.

"If I die from a liver failure or lung cancer. Then I'd say I had a good run." Mads replied, and that really was how he thought about it. He knew that was a toxic way to think, bound to come and bite him in the ass someday.

"We need you at 100 percent if we are going to win this war." It felt like receiving a lecturing from a doctor, or heaven forbid, your own mother.

"Not right now Tali. We can discuss this later." Mads dismissed. He really wasn't in the mood for it. She slowly nodded, but Mads was sure she would pick it up again later. He then turned to her again. "I'm afraid there are more pressing matters." He said, it was just after 6 now, and the day was about to begin. "No matter what happens down there today… Just know that I love you, now and forevermore." Mads reminded her.

"I know. And I love you just as much." She threw her arms around him, and they stared deeply into each other's eyes. "I just hope this won't be the last time we see each other." Tali said, and Mads could swear that there were probably tears forming in both of their eyes. Mads opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by the arrival of a moron.

"Hey Cap, I just wanted to run something by yo-" Kaminski stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the scene before him. "Oh..." He said. "Well, erh-… Sorry to interrupt."

"You never learned to knock, Lieutenant?" Mads asked.

"Sorry sir, I didn't mean to intrude." Kaminski replied, but he was trying to mask a smile. Mads just knew that a bet had just been settled between him and someone else.

"It's alright. I was just leaving." Tali clarified. She looked over at Mads. "I'll be in the war room. Come find me when you're ready to head out." She said as she walked past Kaminski and out to the elevator. As soon as she was out of hearing range, Kaminski looked back over to Mads.

"Damn, and I thought Ken was joking!" He laughed. "You really are together with Tali?" He asked.

"Yes, and I would appreciate it if you didn't announce it to the wider galaxy." Mads stated as he sat back down. "So why don't you tell me what you were gonna say before I kick you out." Mads suggested.

"Right, just wanted to run the medical inventory list by you… We're down to half capacity of medi-gel, Dr. Chakwas suggested we stop by soon and fill up again. We still have a pretty solid amount of other medical equipment." Kaminski listed.

"When we are done here, we're probably gonna stop by the Citadel to get stocked up again. So don't worry." Mads replied.

"Good to know… Also, there was another thing I wanted to ask you..." Kaminski admitted.

"Then ask." Mads said as he began to brew his coffee over by his work station. The vodka bottle had already found it's way back into the small cabinet underneath his desk. He sat back down into his chair, and picked up his cigarette from his ashtray to smoke the remaining half.

"It's just… I enjoy working with Dr. Chakwas. I like treating the fellers for whatever small injures they get… But since I got on board, it's been either that or listening to Kaiden and Jane dirty talk to each other…. Well those two things and getting beaten in chess by both Riesman and Traynor… I would like some more field duty." Kaminski requested, and he was not alone in that request. Several members of his team had wanted to serve a more active role.

Mads hummed. "Then you will be delighted to hear that I'll bring the entire team in for the next mission. We're gonna need as much muscle as possible. The Geth will be defending their base tooth and nail." Mads assure him.

"Thank you, Cap. I really can't take listening to Riesman's boasting any more." Kaminski remarked.

"Riesman always struck me as a strong silent type." Mads replied.

"Don't let looks deceive you. That guy is a vicious bastard." Kaminski warned with a laugh, and it earned a chuckle from Mads as well.

"I won't." Mads laughed. "Go on down and get your ready. I'll give a sit rep to the Quarians in an hour or so, and then we'll get this crazy train started. Now up on your bike and fuck off." Mads ordered.

Kaminski mocked a salute. "Yes sir, Captain sir." He said as he went out of Mads' quarters.

"Fucking polish man." Mads muttered to himself.

An hour later.

War room, SSV Normandy.

There he stood, among Quarian Admirals and a Geth ambassador… Or whatever the proper title for Legion was. This was were 300 years of History would be settled. Either with the Quarians dead, or the Geth dead. Mads could feel how nervous everyone was. This was it.

They had been discussing how to do the task that laid before them. Legion had provided the rough layout of the area, and explained that a well placed missile was needed for full effect. Something which only the Normandy could do without getting shot down. And to that end, Riesman presented him with a gift.

"What is this?" Mads asked as he inspected the gadget in his hand.

"Been comparing notes with Tali, Edi and Legion on how we can make such a precise shot. It's laser beam will allow the Normandy to fully lock in on the target, despite the jamming towers, and make the drop as needed. We haven't given it a name yet. But I thought of-" Mads raised his hand to cut Riesman off before he went on further.

"I get it…. Nice work, all of you." Mads replied. "Any closing statements?" Mads asked the people in the group around him. No one said anything, but there was probably nothing more to say anyhow. They had been discussing this plan in detail for the last hour already, and they were all itching to get on with it. "Then I say we're good to good." Mads said, and they all began dispersing to go do whatever their part was.

Mads went back up to his cabin to get suited up. He picked out the weapons he wanted to use for this round. He took the M14 with the scope and his trusted AK. His .44 Magnum and his Glock. As he was putting magazines into his carrier vest, Tali walked in.

"You ready?" He asked as he finished getting all the gear in the right pouches on his carrier vest.

"Almost." She answered as she grabbed her shotgun from the gun safe in the cabin. He smiled as she filled her pockets with thermal clips. "Do you think we will win this?" She suddenly asked. Mads looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

"If Legion's data is anything to go by, then I say our chances are-"

"That's not what I asked." She stopped him. "Do you think we will win this?" She asked again.

"Yes… I do. But it will come at a cost." Mads replied. She slowly nodded her head. "You alright?" He asked her.

"I don't know… I guess I'm just nervous." Tali answered.

"We all are." Mads confessed. "Come on, let's get down to the shuttle." Mads gestured towards the door. She nodded and headed first, Mads followed closely behind. They didn't say anything as they took the elevator down. Whether it really was nerves, or something else, Mads didn't know. All he knew was that he was going to give it his all. Her Father promised her a house on Rannoch. Considering he isn't around to keep his promise anymore, Mads figured it was only fair he would do it instead. He owed Tali that much, in fact: He owed her a lot more than that.

They looked at each other one last time before stepping out of the elevator. They exchanged a smile and went forward together. His entire squad was waiting at the shuttle, lightly chatting and killing time. They looked ready, some of them were itching for Action again. Funny how all of them seemed like they were built for combat. They always wanted to get back out there, into the field. They didn't come asking to be transferred to another department, or another division of the Alliance.

"Can we finally get going? I'm tired of listening to this guy" Garrus said as he pointed to Kaminski.

"Hey man! You're the one who asked me! What was I supposed to do? Tell that your build was pretty? I'm not a liar, Garrus." Kaminski tried to sound offended, which earned a laugh from more than a few of them.

"Just a quick reminder: This is a Geth base, and since this is the source of their upgrades, this is where the main force will be. We will need to move quickly and with extreme force. Our main objective is reaching a good vantage point to get a fix on the silo. In doing so, we will be coordinating with Legion the entire time, who will be taking a different route. Is that understood?" Mads asked, and they all nodded. "Then get on the shuttle and let us finish this shit." Mads ordered as he gestured to the shuttle. Steve already sat in the seat, ready to get them where they needed to go.

They all loaded themselves into the shuttle, and Mads realized just how cramped it could get in here. But everyone was there, and he needed these numbers to have any chance of getting to the heart of the base. As he looked at his squad, he couldn't help but feel proud of them, how far they had come since they first served together on the original Normandy, or those who were new and were proving themselves.

"You feeling alright, Dr. T'soni?" Mads asked. He hadn't been able to talk much with Liara since this all kicked off.

"I am… I guess I'm just thinking if… Well, if Thessia, or any other planet for that matter will be lost for 300 years…" Liara replied.

"Don't worry. We won't let that happen." Mads reassured her.

"Romanov-Captain?" Legion asked. Mads turned to him to see what was going on.

"Yeah?" Mads asked.

"We recommend you go for the upper entrance. Target the base before the Geth can organize resistance." Legion said.

"Understood." Mads replied. "Also… Mind filling me in fully on your part?" Mads requested.

"We will be deactivating defense systems and we will focus on acquiring an escape vehicle." Legion responded.

"Can you still do that when the Geth have those super Reaper upgrades?" Mads asked confused.

"This unit still carries remnants of-" Legion stopped himself, and for some reason looked down into the ground. "-Of the old machine upgrade code. We can break any Geth security." It was like Legion was feeling some sort of… Was it guilt? Remorse? Mads wasn't sure. "You are concerned." Legion observed, and Mads was indeed concerned… To a degree at least.

Mads sighed. "I have never mistrusted you before Legion. No reason to start now." Mads remarked, and that didn't earn him any favors with Tali, that's for sure. It was hard trying to balance between the two. "I would have liked to have known about it before hand though." Mads said.

"You were tolerant of our recovery of Geth intelligence from the Server, but this matter is different… Personal." Legion explained.

"So you were really ashamed?" Mads asked. He didn't know one could read Geth body language before this.

"Shame is an emotional or cognitive response to social judgment. It should not apply here." And there it was, the classic Legion debunked line. Like pulled straight from the extranet.

"Legion, I want there to be peace. I want to help your people. But I need you trust me, now and forevermore." Mads replied.

"We didn't mean to cause offense." Legion quickly stated.

"Jesus Christ, Legion… Aren't the Geth better than this?" Mads asked as he rubbed his temples. He was already tired of this, but what Legion said next… Well, that was certainly unexpected.

"No… Based on empirical evidence… They are not." It was almost like there was emotion in Legion's voice when he spoke.

"Maybe… Maybe." Mads remarked. It didn't take long after that before they reached Legion's drop off point. Legion repeated his advice and his plan before he exited the shuttle. "Legion!" Mads said. Legion looked back at Mads. "Good luck out there, okay?" He wished he could do more to him, but Legion probably didn't want it any other way.

"Acknowledged." Legion said as he jumped off. Mads shook his head. It was all so textbook Legion stuff. They all moved out as Legion sprinted ahead. Mads equipped his M14 and looked for any threats on the horizon. There were slowed walked along the rocky surface of Rannoch. He lowered his rifle and turned his attention to his crew. In particular, his eye sight followed Tali as she went forward towards a patch of land. As soon as she got to the edge, overlooking a nice small lake, she stopped and crouched down.

"I don't think it has really sunk in yet… Even though I have been here twice before, it still feels so surreal… Like a dream, a far away vision." She slowly stood up and looked around at the beautiful valley they were in. "Look at the sky! Look at the rock formations." She said as she pointed all around her. Mads' eyes tried to keep up. "They used to write poems about them." Tali informed him cheerfully.

Mads took one last look at the scene before him. "I can see why… Who knows? You will probably make a new one once we are done here." He replied with one of those sweet smiles he knew Tali liked. And he knew that she had a lovely smile underneath that helmet.

"This is Rannoch… The home of our ancestors. Our bodies carried the seed that spread the desert grass..." Tali explained, and Mads remembered how she had told him of that theory. That since no insects were to be found on Rannoch, the responsibility fell on larger mammals, like the Quarians. "You heard me say 'Keelah se'lai'?" She asked, Mads nodded. He had heard that many times. "The best translation I can come up with is… 'By the home world I hope to see one day'." She explained, Mads came up besides her.

"Well, it seems like you are seeing it today." He remarked as they both stared out over the small lake in front of them.

Suddenly, Tali's posture changed. She mocked a small screen with her hands, holding it out like looking through a camera lens. "The living room window will be right… Here." She stated, as a matter of fact. Mads knew she was planning her future house, but he couldn't help but notice this land wasn't exactly ideal right now. At least not for the small scale farming he had been planning for when this was over.

"Lovely place you've picked." Mads agreed. "Can I weigh in?" He asked with a wink.

"Of course… I was hoping we would get to live here together… After this is all over." She admitted, and he knew she was blushing under that helmet. Which made Mads think about how they had never really talked about what they both wanted once this war was over.

"Well, we can save that discussion for when we have liberated the galaxy from the Reapers, or at the very least when we have liberated Rannoch from those bastards. But until then-" Mads holstered his rifle on his plate carrier and slowly squatted down to pick up a small rock. "-Use this as your claim for the land." He said as he handed her the rock. He placed his hand over hers as soon as she took it. The small wink did not go unnoticed by Tali.

"Good idea." She said as she put the rock in one of her pouches. Mads took his M14 into his hands again. He smiled at her, a subtle invitation to talk after they were done with the mission. Mads wondered for a moment if the Geth knew what was going to hit them, that today was the day it would be settled. Either in their favor, or the Quarians' favor.

"Alright boys, let's get going!" Mads yelled out as an order. They all followed him as he moved forward. They moved through the narrow corridors made of rock on their way to get to the Geth base. As they came out of the rocky corridor, they were greeted with the first challenge: Getting inside.

Their path had been littered with Geth corpses. They had pushed their way deep into the base, doing everything in their power to get where they needed to go, and that included taking out anyone that got in their way. They now all stood at the top level, the one place Legion had suggested. But even now, the Geth didn't give up. Mads usually thought that they were stupid for throwing their forces to their certain death, but he caught himself feeling sympathetic for them. They were, ultimately, fighting for their own survival. Did the humans roll over dead when they saw the overwhelming forces that the Reapers have? No, they fought back. To the bitter end.

This was the conflict that raged in both Tali's and Mads' mind all the time. Who were in right? Did they really deserve death? He wiped those thoughts from his mind. He really couldn't afford getting cold feet right now. And besides, they were only taking away their upgrades, not their right to live.

Mads shot a Geth that was trying to bring it's blade down on Garrus' throat. He brought himself back into the present. He had a job to do, and he had been trained to not think about the morality of a situation. He was still Spetsnaz, even after all these years. "You alright?" Mads asked, loud enough for Garrus to hear over the gun shots.

"I am now!" Garrus replied as he got back on his feet. Just as he got back up, not one, but three Geth Primes entered the room. Mads quickly began firing his M14, trying to keep them at bay. They were tough, and three of them at once was just a nightmare. They advanced on his position, baring down on him like some cheap metal angels of death.

He would have been overrun and killed if not for his squad. Kaiden distracted them, while Kaminski, Riesman and Shepard gave them hell. Liara supported them with her biotics, making sure no bullets hit Tali while she was hacking their shields. They worked so well together, even without his guidance. He couldn't help but be proud of them. How far they had come. He reloaded a new mag into his M14 as helped them push back the primes.

"Keep up the pressure! Don't give them room to breathe!" Mads ordered as he could see how well it was working. One of the primes was already down, and they two others ones were nearing death's embrace. Within just a few seconds, they overwhelmed the primes, forcing them to their very knees before destroying them. They had a moment to breathe, and that moment was to be used for their goal. Targeting the base silo for the Normandy. Mads grabbed the gadget he had gotten from Riesman.

"Go on, Captain! We got your back!" Kaiden assured him as they all acted as his rear guard. Keeping him safe while he did what he had come to do. Mads walked out to the vantage point, it looked like it was built for someone to stand there and do what he was going to do. He lined up the gun, or whatever the hell it was. It looked like a gun.

"Hailing SSV Normandy, this is Big Duke 6. We are ready to relay signal. Are you in position to lay down hellfire? Over." Mads asked onto his ear piece.

"Hey Captain! Yeah, we're ready to bomb that silo back to the stone age! Just send the signal and we'll come knocking." Joker replied, and Mads wished that Joker had picked up on what the official handbook said for radio comms communication, especially with officers. But this wasn't the time. He pressed the trigger, and the laser began to narrow in on the hole in the ground.

"You done yet Romanov?" Garrus asked as he came up to Mads.

"Yeah, just a sec…" Mads muttered as he watched the dial go into the green. "There!"

"We got it Captain! Coming in hot!" Joker said over the comms, and within just a few seconds, the Normandy in all it's glory came flying. It flew low over the pit, and it dropped it's payload straight down the hole. The explosion was so great that it shock the entire floor they stood on. And it was in that very moment that Mads realized that standing on that small, thin vantage point with no guard rails had not been the best idea in existence.

"oh blyAAAAAAAAAATT!" mads all but screamed as he fell down from the small platform. That landing knocked the air straight out of his lungs. As he laid there on the ground, he was trying to re catch his breath.

As he finally got enough oxygen to breathe, he wanted to laugh. But something stopped him from doing that. It wasn't his teammates repelling down to help him up, but rather the horrible noise that only one thing in this universe could ever hope to make… It was a Reaper. "Fuck me..." Mads muttered as he quickly got to his feet. All of them looked at the Reaper in horror. This was certainly not what they had expected, but Mads mentally slapped himself for not even thinking it was a possibility.

"Mads, we gotta go!" Tali told him as she grabbed his arm.

"Yeah… Where is Legion?" He asked, still a bit out of breath.

"We are here, Romanov-Captain. We have secured transportation!" Legion said as he rode in on one of those fancy Geth trooper transport vehicles. And it came just in time too, because that Reaper was already making it's way out of the hole it called a home.

"EVERYBODY GO!" Mads quickly ordered as he gestured them all along. They had a short distance to run, but everyone ran like hell. That was until some Geth managed to shoot Garrus in the leg, making the Turian fall on the ground and winching in pain. Mads stopped and looked back at his comrade. There was no way in hell he would ever leave him for dead. "EVERYBODY GET TO THE TRANSPORT! I'LL GET GARRUS!" He told them as he ran back for his friend.

"Bringing you to Rannoch seems to be bad luck, Garrus. First you step on a mine, now this?" Mads joked as he pulled Garrus up and supported him.

"You really think this is the ti-AAAAAAAHHHH" Garrus screamed in agony as they tried to move. The bullet had gone straight through, and there was no way he would be walking on that leg to their rescue.

"Fuck… Alright." Mads didn't have time to sugarcoat it with Garrus. So, instead he grabbed Garrus and threw him over his shoulder. The normal way they teach you in the military… Only Garrus wasn't human. "You're fucking heavy!" Mads commented as he jugged his way towards the transport. Garrus didn't have much to say other than a silent nod for them to move faster, or rather, for Mads to move faster. Which he did, he moved as fast as he could.

Kaminski and Kaiden helped him load Garrus into the transport, and not a moment too soon. The Reaper was pretty much out of the hole by now. "THIS IS BIG DUKE 6! THE BROADCAST IS A REAPER! REPEAT: THE BROADCAST IS A FUCKING REAPER!" Mads yelled into his ear piece. "I NEED FUCKING AIR SUPPORT!" He demanded. "GO GO LEGION!" He commanded as soon as they were all in the Geth transport. Legion quickly got them out of there, but the Reaper was still hot on their tail.

Mads climbed into the turret, which was the only defense this little transport had. Nothing that could anything but anger the giant piece of metal slowly stalking them. He fired the turret, he fired it until it overheated. It was all he could do as Legion tried his best to put some distance between them and the Reaper. The fleet had assured him that they would fire all their guns at the damn thing, they just needed a little time to get the targeting solution. "We're clear! Fire at will!" Mads ordered when they were a good distance away from the reaper, and within seconds hellfire rained down on the Reaper from above. The Reaper tried to regain it's balance, but ultimately it collapsed on the rocky surface of Rannoch… Although it wasn't dead yet, they hadn't scored a hit on the one place it matter on a Reaper.

"What did we hit?" Han'Gerrel asked over the comms.

"Seems like you hit the firing chamber. It's a weak spot… At least so I think. We need to hit it again!" Mads said.

"Damn it! The jamming towers have us manually aiming and creating our own targeting solutions. We can't accurately hit it!" Admiral Han'Gerrel informed them.

"We may escape before it recovers." Legion suggested. Mads brainstormed with himself for just a second. Leaving would result in mission failure, and they wouldn't get a second chance at this… There had to be a way… And there was.

"No, pull over Legion!" Mads ordered, and Legion quickly obeyed.

"Romanov-Captain?" Legion asked, almost in a confused tone.

"Look, if we cut and run now, then the Quarians are dead and the Geth remain under Reaper control. That is not what I came here for. I am finishing this, here and fucking now." Mads replied. "Edi. Patch the Quarians into the Normandy's targeting solution. I want the whole goddamn fleet to be in sync with the targeting laser!" Mads ordered. It was the only way to make any form of precise shot on that hunk of metal.

"Understood Captain." Edi answered.

"If this doesn't-… If we don't make it." Tali was indeed worrying.

"You worry too much." He replied.

"I love you." She said, as a matter of fact. It felt so sincere in that moment. Like it went straight to his heart.

"I love you too. Keelah se'lai." He said. He knew he was running a big risk here, but it was either that or lose it all. He wouldn't allow that to happen. "Go on, get out of here." He ordered.

"Romanov-Captain… Good luck." Legion said, and it couldn't have sounded more filled with emotion, even if he tried.

"Acknowledged." Mads replied and gestured for them to get out of there and retreat to a safe distance. He stared out at the Reaper that was slowly getting back up. They would need more than one shot in order to bring it down, Mads just hoped he would be able to do it before it killed him.

At first, the Reaper destroyer wasn't even interested in him, too focused on other that allowed him to sync up the first shot in no time. More missiles rained down on the bastard as the fleets all gave their fury at the same time. But now he had it's full attention, through and through.

"COME GET SOME CYKA!" He yelled as he tried to avoid it's lasers. They tore the rock apart whenever it fired them. It was no wonder they held such an advantage over every race in history. Their weapons could cut through their enemies like a hot knife through butter. It seemed that his invitation was taken up by the Reaper immediately, as it slowly but surely made it's way towards him.

Mads had to dodge like never before. More than once, he was no more than inches away from certain death as the Reaper fired it's laser. Every time it fired that laser beam, he had an opportunity to line up a shot. With each shot, they came closer to hitting their actual target and destroying the Reaper, but Mads could see that it needed to come closer before he could get the best reading on the target. That probably meant it had to get right up in his face.

Mads hoped the others had gotten to a safe distance. He could feel how nervous he was. He knew that it all depended on him. If he didn't get the target solution, then it would all be for nothing. But Adrenalin was pumping through his veins, making these worries seem second to the giant Reaper staring him down.

It wasn't long before it stood just before him at the cliff's edge. It was like looking at the devil, that red hole that was use for it's laser… It was like the eye of the beast. And it was ready to consume him. It felt like staring contest. Whoever was the first to blink would lose. So while the Reaper was winding up it's laser for the final attack, he did the same. The Reaper was close enough for a direct hit, but if he didn't get it now, he would be dead.

Just when it seemed at the very end, he was saved from above. The barrage would be enough to make even the mastermind behind Operation rolling thunder blush. The Reaper didn't even know what hit it. You know, for a machine that has been described as the most intelligent and aware thing in existence, they sure seems to get easily distracted by the grudge they hold for Romanov.

Soon enough, the punishment became too great for the Reaper. It tried to put up a fight, make a last stand, but it was useless. It collapsed on the floor, not quite dead yet, but well on it's way to checking out. Mads let out a deep sigh of relief, and then began to chuckle a bit. They had done it, they had killed the Reapers. The Quarians were safe, and the Geth were no longer a threat. They could now figure out some sort of agreement.

However, he had to be sure. So he walked out towards the very edge of the cliff. He looked at the Reaper, all mangled up on the rocky surface. It looked meek from his point of view. Defeated, broken. But it wasn't done yet. It's beam powered up again, for one last talk.

"Romanov." It's very voice was like that of Sovereign, or Harbinger. Menacing to the very last. Bone chilling.

"You got me at a disadvantage here." Mads smugly replied. He had listened to all of Harbinger's speeches. Their voice was not enough to scare him anymore, and while their voice was as powerful as ever, the Reaper looked meek. Laying on the ground like a puddle of metal.

"Harbinger speaks of you. You resist. But you will fail. The cycle must continue." They never could shallow their pride. They could never look themselves in the mirror. Never.

"If I were you, I would have overthrown Harbinger by now. That dude has failed so many times now… Isn't it time for a leadership change? A general election or something?" Mads tried to joke, even though it was probably pointless. "I mean, we stopped Sovereign and the Geth. We stopped Harbinger and the Collectors. Doesn't that at least tell you something?" Mads asked.

"You can not comprehend what is in front of you. The cycle must continue. Order must be brought to the chaos that Organics create." The Reaper replied.

"You know, I am real tried of everyone thinking I'm some grade A idiot. I think I have earned at least a little bit respect here. At least address me as sir." He enjoyed toying with the dying Reaper. "Besides, we will never lay down our arms. You think we will willingly accept our death at your hands just because you think it 'creates order'. No thank you pal."

"The cycle must continue. There is no alternative." It spoke, like it was just a matter of fact.

"You know, I disagree. There can be common ground. There is no need for this bloodshed. Synthetics and Organics can live in peace!" Mads answered.

"The battle for Rannoch disproves your assertion." Mads could only shake his head at the Reaper. He didn't know that Legion had been helping him every step of the way. Or maybe it didn't want to believe. Who knows. "Finish your war. We will be waiting."

"Whatever you said cyka." Mads said as he pulled out his Magnum and fired a single shot. It pierced the glass, but nothing that did any damage to the Reaper. Still, it shut down all the same. Knowing the outcome wasn't going to change now.

Mads could see Tali coming up beside him. Looking at the Reaper too as it shut it's eyes for the last time. When it was all over, she came running up to Mads and pulled him into a quick hug. "Mads..." She said sincerely. There was hope in her voice. Mads could see the outline of Legion just behind her, standing and typing on his omni-tool.

"We can confirm that the Geth are no longer being directed by the Old machines… We are free." Legion said, and that was a real load of his shoulders. Just as Legion finished, Han'Gerrel got on the line.

"You did it Romanov! Their fleets have stopped firing, they are completely vulnerable!" He preached, and he sounded down right thrilled. Mads suddenly realized this was taking a wrong turn.

"Romanov-Captain?" Legion inquired. Mads looked back at him. "The Geth only acted in defense after the Creators attacked. Do we deserve death?" Legion asked.

"What are you saying?" Mads asked confused.

"Our upgrades." He clarified. "With the old machine dead, we could upload them to all Geth without sacrificing their independence." Legion went on.

"You want to upload the reaper Code?!" Tali asked, but got no answer. "That would make the Geth as smart as when they were under the Reapers!" Tali was suddenly seeing where this was going as well.

"Yes, but with free will. Each Geth unit would be a true intelligence. We would be alive, and we could help you." Legion was trying undermine the Quarians and pitch a deal directly to Mads.

"Our fleet is already attacking! Uploading the code would destroy us! Mads, you can't chose the Geth over my people!" She was right, he couldn't. He had promised her that much. But killing off the Geth just felt so… Wrong. 3 years again, he would have done it without a care in the world, but now?… Now it was different.

"Do you remember the question that caused the creators to attack us, Tali'Zorah?" Legion turned around and asked. "Does this unit have a soul?" He reminded her before she even answered.

"Fuck me..." Mads muttered, he was put in the most difficult of positions. There he stood, about to make a choice… until it dawned on him. Hit him like a semi-truck. "Legion, upload that code! Tali, we'll have to call off the fleet now." Mads ordered. Legion instantly began doing as instructed.

"Mads..." Tali tried to argue.

"There is a third way Tali. One that brings peace to all, and Death to none. All we need is for the fleet to stand down. Call the fleet." Mads told her, she nodded slowly and turned on her comms.

"This is Admiral Tali'Zorah. All units, break off your attack!" Tali commanded.

"Belay that Order! Continue the attack!" Han'Gerrel was proving himself a real pain in the ass once more.

Tali hung her head in shame, and went up to Legion. "I beg you… Do not do this!" Her voice was… Afraid, and Mads understood why. But he wasn't gonna let anyone die today.

"We regret the death of the Creators, but we see no alternative. Forty procent." Legion answered coldly.

"Fuck this… No one dies today! Legion continue that upload!" Mads ordered. He was almost convinced he could pull this off, but just in case he was wrong, he held a firm grip on his Magnum. Ready to fire should the worst come to pass.

"Mads?..." Tali was onceagain worried.

"All ships, this is Captain Romanov. I command all ships to stand down. The Reaper is dead. I say again: stand down!" Mads ordered, and he hoped the other admirals would back him up.

"This is Admiral Tali'Zorah. Captain Romanov speaks with my authority." Tali stepped in and added.

"And mine as well!" Admiral Zoris threw in his vote as well.

"Negative! We can win this war now! Keep firing!" Admiral Gerrel commanded. Legion was already at sixity percent. He had to move fast.

"The Geth are about to return to full strength. If you keep firing, you will lose EVERYTHING! Do no do it! Your entire history is you trying to kill the Geth. You forced their hand, you made them come running to the Reapers for help. The Geth doesn't want to fight you! If you can lay down your arms for just a second, you will see that… And this war will be over. I beg all of you… Please… Keelah Se'lai…." Mads explained, and he prayed to God that they would see reason and stop. That someone would finally listen to his warnings.

A few seconds passed, but then Han'Gerrel's voice carried over the comms. "All units… Hold fire." Mads breathed the biggest sigh of relief. They had done it. They had seen reason. They had understood. He even smiled. He looked over at Legion as he let go of his firm grip on his magnum.

Legion finished his upload, but there was something amiss. "Error, copying code is insufficient. Direct personality dissemination is required." Legion said, with an underling tone of sadness in his voice.

"Wait a minute, you don't mean to tell me that-" Before Mads could continue, Legion cut him off.

"Romanov-Captain. I am sorry, but I must go to them. It is the only way." The fact that Legion used 'I' instead of 'We' was not lost on Mads in that moment. He nodded his head to signal that it was okay and that he understood.

"Legion! The answer to your question is… Yes." Tali said, and it didn't sound forced. It sounded truthful.

"I know, Tali. But thank you. Keelah Se'lai." Legion replied, and there was so much more emotion in his voice than ever before. And with that, he did it. He gave himself up to give the Geth life…. The ultimate sacrifice, made just before Mads' very eyes. He felt both proud and sad…. But he knew that Legion wanted it this way.

Mads kneeled down over the body of Legion, looking slightly at where the light used to shine bright. "Walk humbly with thy God…." He slowly whispered. "Goodbye, old friend." He could feel another tear forming in his eyes. Tali no doubt had her own remorse after this whole thing.

"Auntie Raan!" He hear Tali say. He got back on his feet and looked to see the Admiral come up to them. It was clear that she was wounded, but not dying.

"Captain!" Raan greeted as she came up to them.

"Admiral Raan. I heard you had to make a crash landed over the secured channel. Good to see you are still breathing." Mads replied.

"I was listening over the radio… If Han'Gerrel hadn't stopped…" Raan was thinking about how badly this could have turned out.

"But he did. That's the important thing here." Mads reassured her.

"We have taken heavy losses… I don't know if we can… Where are we supposed to go?" Before Mads could even think about an answer, a giant Geth Prime came happily walking up to them. Legion might just have made the Geth the good guys, but there was still some instinct that kicked in for Mads, so he took his gun and aimed it at the Prime.

"You are welcome to return to Rannoch, Admiral Raan. With us." The Prime said.

"Legion?" Mads knew he wasn't supposed to expect him… But that was that slight hope.

"No Captain. I'm sorry. Legion sacrificed itself to give us all intelligence. It will be honored." The Prime said.

"Good… He walks with God now." Mads replied.

"And we will honor Legion's promise. The Geth fleet will help you retake Earth, and our engineers will assist in building the crucible." The Prime promised. Mads nodded.

"As will ours, of course!" Raan was quick to say, Mads gave her a nod as well. Before long, the Prime and Raan were discussing possible settlement sites. It didn't take long before they left together, talking about how the future should be. Raan reassured Mads that she would be fine, and he hoped so.

Tali tugged his arm to signal she wanted him to follow her. They both went to the cliff's edge. Where they could finally have a moment of peace. They sat down, with their feet hanging over the edge. Their weapons laid behind them on the desert grass, but they didn't care.

"Are you alright? I know working with the Geth will be hard, but-" She cut him off right away.

"I'm not staying. I'm coming with you" She replied.

"Excuse me, what the fuck?" He asked as he looked over at her. "Look, I thought we had an agreement." He said.

"I know… But I look at this-" She gestured all over the horizon. Showcasing it all. "And all I can think about is all the people and friends I have lost along the way. My team on Haestrom, my Father…. I see their faces… And then there is Legion! I'm mourning a Geth, can you believe that?" She asked with a fake laugh in her voice.

"It's not crazy at all… Look, I want you to be safe-"

"I want to be with you. No matter what happens. I know that you support me, I know that you want what's best for me… But I want to be by your side, until the very end." She clarified.

"I don't know… I just don't know where I would be if I was responsible for your death..." Mads replied.

"I feel the same way, but if I must die… I want to die by your side." She said, and he couldn't bring up a good counter argument against that…

"Sweet talker… I bet you say that to everyone who gets you a home planet." Mads said with a slight chuckle.

"Only the cute ones." She followed up with. He laughed.

"Come here." He requested. She rested her head on his shoulder and he hand his arm wrapped around her right as they looked out at the horizon together. Perhaps both of them were theorizing what life would be like when this was all over. But no matter what, they would be together. In the end, that was really what he wanted… And it damn sure was what she wanted. So, if they had to face Death together, they would do it with a smile.