As much as I miss racing across the galaxy on the finest, sleekest ship in the fleet, as much as I miss the Omega black market and the view on the Praesidium; or the light of Haestrom's primary seen from a distance... as much as I liked listening in on conversations on Ilium... it was never about the places.  The prettiest bits of ceramic and metal in the universe, or even the stars themselves, are just so many random molecules thrown in a pile.

It's the people that make a place great.  Haestrom wouldn't have looked the same if I hadn't gone there to see Tali.  The Normandy wouldn't be my damn ship without Joker at the helm complaining at half-past light-speed.  Anderson's what made me give a damn about the Citadel; and Ilium wouldn't have hit me so hard if everything there didn't make me want to lie back and talk it over with Liara, because now I could finally see where she came from.

And you know what?  As much as I miss them, there are people just as good here.  Naoto, it's a crying shame this island doesn't have a navy for you to enlist in, because you'd be the best damn officer most planets have ever seen.  Hell, if you could consult with C-SEC you'd turn the Citadel upside-down in a week.  Dante, a beer and a fight with you is every bit as good as any I ever had with  Wrex.  You'll have to trust me, he'd fit right in on movie night -- and you'd do damn well on Tuchanka or Omega.  Chief, if you ever get tired of sarcastic, prickly subordinates, you should be grateful you never met my buddy Garrus. The two of you deserve each other.  I know you've been out and around the universe, but I wish I could show you my piece of it.

Jenny.  You make this whole damned thankless job worthwhile.  You've got a fresh perspective that can blow all the cynicism out of a room.  You can field-strip and fix a jammed gun you've never seen before fast enough to make a Marine drill sergeant cry.  Never met a job you weren't just naturally good at.  When I get hung up on everything that's happened in my past, you're the one person who always makes me remember I've got a future, even if I never get off this island.  I couldn't ask for a better colleague.  But I could probably ask for something more than a colleague, instead.

Here's to you, New Moore, you crazy hell-hole. 

Yeah, you!

What's the use of lying around and whinging, huh? Yeah, so your mates ditched you a second time. Yeah, it's horrible and depressing and all that rot. But you have to admit they were a bit off, so chalk it up to one of those incredibly fucked up situations that just happens here. It wasn't down to you so stop beating yourself up cos I know you LOVE doing that, but it's not about you, yeah? Mope about it, go off the deep end if you must, but then pick your robot self back up and move the fuck on. Cos let me tell you mate, if you're stuck thinking about all the terrible shit that's happened and the people who aren't here, you're going to miss out on a whole lot.

Cos this island's not all bad, is it? Of course it isn't. If it was all bad, we'd've all killed each other long ago. But we haven't! For some cocked up reason, a part of everyone actually likes it here! Yeah, we're trapped. Yeah, we get forcefed complete bullshit about our lives. Yeah, there's not nearly enough beautiful women to go around. But so what? Everyone's got something that'll keep 'em here, and don't even try to pretend you don't. Even if you hate every bloody person on the island, I'm sure there's at least one you'd stick around for.

And I know what you're going to ask. So why do people leave then? Fuck if I know. Frankly I don't think there's any rhyme or reason to why they go, because there's a-list people who left too soon and then there's miserable cocksuckers who should've gone long ago but are still here. So you can't let it get to you. Don't let the island get in your head and do shit to you. Say FUCK YOU! and turn it right back around. Mahatma Gandhi said that the best revenge is a life well-lived, and to be fair he was a celibate, wrinkly old fuck, but he was probably at least half right.

So everyone, but especially you, needs to chin up and get a little revenge. If you let this knock you down and ruin you, New Moore wins. But if you don't let it ruin you and turn you into a sad, boring shit, you win. And we all want to win, don't we? Isn't that what it's all about?

Who's with me?

You know, so much of what I say is filtered and compartmentalized, I still worry that my Shadow is going to show up and cart me off again. But I am doing better, I think, most of the time.

Ramona, I had a great time last night. I hope that qualified as an impressive date. And if anybody on this island can actually get me to lighten up, it's you. You challenge me. You scare me, just a little, but I think that's a good thing. And you are absolutely never boring, not even for a moment. It's incredible.

As much fun as I have with you, though, and as much as I like you, I always worry that I'm not being honest. Either with you or with myself. I guess you could say I've got... unfinished business? Baggage?

And a lot of it's tied up with Steph. Steph... you're my best friend on the island (Sorry, Feliks). The best partner I could ask for. When I thought you were dead... that whole year broke me, but losing you was where it started. And when I found out you were alive again... I understood. I did. But it made me so angry. Angrier than when Bruce had you spying on me, even. I don't think anyone's ever been able to get under my skin the way you do -- not even Damian. Nobody makes me angrier, nobody makes me panic more. And I realized a long time ago that that's because nobody ever mattered more to me. I don't know if there's still a chance for us -- I don't know if I'd want there to be, or if I'd take it if there was, and I've honestly got no idea what you want -- but I never got over you. Not even a little.

I'm happy with the way things are now. Actually, as much as I hate this island, it's hard to think of a time or place I've been happier than I am with the way things are, right this moment. But I just thought the both of you should know.

i love everyone in this bar


unels this isnt a bar

is this vodka or sprite