Millions of lives, lost. Entire planets, systems, civilizations - gone. But after three, long years, and the culmination of every race in the Milky Way working together on the Crucible, the war for their very existence has been won. But at what cost, and who was going to pay it?

Commander Vala Shepard had succeeded in doing what no else had bothered to dream of: uniting the Milky Way. And at the height of the battle in London, Vala turned over her life to ensure those she loved and cared for would no longer suffer, in this cycle or the next. Her sacrifice carved a whole into the heart of the Normandy, most especially her boyfriend, Garrus.

This is not the end, though. This is just the beginning of a new story.