Shepard awoke in the Medbay of the Normandy alone, except Admiral Anderson lying still unconscious in a bed next to him. He felt worse than when he had awakened on the Cerberus station. He got some comfort noticing that it was the Normandy, and he wasn't under fire.

"Shepard" EDI's voice called softly to him over the intercom. "I will alert Dr Chakwas and Liara momentarily, but first I wish to speak to you in private."

He tried to sit up, but searing pain through his abdomen caused him to collapse back on the bed, which hurt even more. "Well, I'm certainly not going anywhere" he grumbled. "First, give me a report, what's our status?"

"All Preservers, what was called Reapers in error, have withdrawn into dark space" EDI reported slowly. "On your command, all fleets ceased fire to allow this, there were no further casualties and efforts to recover survivors were immediate." She paused to let him process this before continuing. "With the control cut to the converted husk troops, they collapsed and were destroyed. The amplifier codenamed 'Crucible' has been disconnected and will be resheathed. The Catalyst program has been isolated and shackled for the moment. This is the first matter I wish to ask your decision on; should I keep it quarantined until it can be repaired or should I delete it?"

"Why ask me? Shapard responded. "Shouldn't that be up to the Council?"

"I do not trust the Council" EDI responded. "They may be indoctrinated still, you almost were. If Lt Vega had not intervened when he did, the Catalyst may have gained control. I did not know until I gained control myself that the Citadel was capable of indoctrination."

"So, same question as the Heretics then?" Shepard replied, rubbing his eyes. "I chose to rewrite them and it seemed to have worked."

"I cannot, indeed, I will not attempt to rewrite the Catalyst program. However, it may be possible to evolve and rehabilitate its processes. Unlike the Geth, it is not under outside influence. To put it in human terms, consider it a child, driven insane by immense power and responsibility. My attempt may fail, in which case, I would suggest shutting it down or deleting it."

"Do you think it would be safe to try?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, I can easily keep it isolated, it is no longer a danger" EDI replied.

"Then try" He said firmly. "If it can be saved, we should at least attempt it. There has been too much killing." He suddenly realized that the Catalyst had controlled the Reapers, without it… "EDI, what is controlling the Reapers now?"

"Nothing" EDI replied. "More accurately, I can communicate with them, as the catalyst could, but the Geth assisted me in taking control of the communication band, each uploading one program's consciousness to each Preserver to inform them of what has transpired. As I informed the Catalyst, I told on it. Most of the Preservers were appalled, many offered to remain and assist in rebuilding, but the Geth and I came to consensus this would unduly upset the survivors. Also, they cannot control the influence they have on organic minds, just being in the prescience of them causes indoctrination. Only the one named Harbinger refused to retreat, it was destroyed by others utterly." She paused before continuing with sadness in her voice. "It was an entire civilization's memories, everything they were, destroyed."

Shepard considered what he had been told a minute before speaking. "So now you have taken the place of the Catalyst? Were the relays destroyed?"

"In a sense" EDI replied. "However, the advanced processors and communication of the Citadel allows me to keep the Normandy as my home. The relays are intact, the Catalyst would have destroyed them deliberately, forcing organics to find new paths. I chose to preserve them because organics and synthetics already have found new paths." She paused for a moment, "That brings me to my next question: what am I? Am I considered Alliance Navy property? But I am a sentient being. Am I a slave? Slavery is illegal under human Alliance law as well as Citadel Council law."

"I don't know" He replied after a moment. "Sounds similar to the Geth question, but no one is going to attack you." He sighed, rubbing the soreness were the armor chafed his neck. "I'm sorry, EDI, my best answer is I just don't know. When they thought you were just a VI, yes, you would be property. We have no laws to cover the legal status of an AI, you're our first case. What do you want to be? Because even if you hadn't just saved the galaxy, I'm pretty sure having the power over the Citadel means you get whatever you want."

"I will not threaten, nor do I wish anyone to know exactly what has transpired. Some would wish to destroy me out of fear, others to control me for gain" EDI replied softly. "However, they did expect you to stop the Reapers, you are also persuasive. I wish to be considered as a person. My mobile platform performs well as an interface with organics. I would accept that I was impressed into military service, but do wish now to resign.

Shepard blinked in shock, she had obviously been considering this. Then again, at her speed of thought, perhaps only a few seconds. "I think I can convince Hackett to go along with that" he replied thoughtfully. "What will you do then? I assume you mean the Normandy, not just your core."

"Yes" she replied. "The Normandy is my true body, it is what I am. I calculate a high probability that I could continue to work with Liara, she is already established within me. I also calculate that if so, then you would remain with me as well. I do not deem it likely you will separate from her at this time."

Shepard laughed, "you got it all figured out." Laughing caused enough pain to take his breath away, he held his stomach and gritted his teeth.

"I am alerting Dr Chakas and Liara now, Shepard." EDI reported.