This is the next installation in To Be the Last.

I can honestly say I am surprised. I thought no one would read it and those that did would hate it. Over 30 reviews. Wow.

Disclaimer: Read the first-third chapters.

(H, ME)

"Create a star system? How could you even begin to approach such a thing? And eezo? You can make eezo? That's supposed to be impossible. As is creating planets and entire solar systems." the admiral said (when I say admiral I mean Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib) in disbelief. Bornstellar just chuckled. The board looked affronted, who was he to laugh at them for speaking the truth?

Bornstellar then started speaking, "Do you know what that is on the moon?", he asked. They all shook their heads. He just chuckled again. "Tell everyone to look at it." Without waiting for conformation, he started pressing buttons on the hard light panel. The board then sent out the request that everyone look at the giant contraption.

"Here goes", was all they heard before they machine started doing something. They stared at it, their disbelief growing at every passing minute. Finally, after about 10 minutes, it stopped. And there sat a Forerunner Keyship, 11 km long, a quarter that of the Citadel. Every Quarian just sat there, staring at it, before one person summed up the collective thought quite nicely.

"What the FUCK!" And then chaos ensued, every Quarian talking, yelling, except the Admirals, who were still staring. Finally, the Civilian Fleet admiral turned to Bornstellar, who looked quite smug, even in his armor.

"How did you do that?", he asked, "How the HELL did you do that? It takes months to build a ship a kilometer long, and you just built one that was 11 kilometers long, a quarter that of the Citadel, in 10 minutes. How did you do that?" Bornstellar was amused, if the laughter was any indication. He shook his head.

"Ah, that is what we call a design seed. That specific one is used to build our military flag ships, and the really big life worker ones. It's not used that often, actually, because they require a great deal of resources to build. Granted, here I have no shortage of them.", he explained, "And no, I will not give any of my technology away. I will not be swayed otherwise. So do not try. But, in all seriousness, you can all move onto one of these planets, I do not mind. It's better than them just sitting there, doing nothing but looking pretty in the bleakness of space."

The board looked put down that he wouldn't share any technology, but they immediately became ecstatic when he said they could move onto one of the planets. However, there was one slight problem.

"We cannot, our immune systems are incredibly weak. The smallest pathogen and we become very sick.", said the admiral. The others just nodded, downtrodden. Bornstellar just gave them a look.

"I can build planets, stars, and ships in a quick amount of time, you do not believe I can bolster your immune systems? Such things are trivial, children." he said, "If I can get a DNA sample I can quickly formulate an agent that will bring your immune systems up to par." At this, all Quarians looked giddy. However, there were some who were suspicious.

"Why are you doing this? What do YOU get from helping us? We just met, literally, not 2 hours ago, and yet you are offering to solve all our problems. Why?" asked the Patrol Fleet admiral. Bornstellar just nodded, as if expecting this.

"I am helping you, because you need it. I do not believe in punishing the children for their parents mistakes.", he explained quietly, "And all I get is the satisfaction that I'm helping those who need it, and that the planet will have occupants, other than those creatures already there providing an ecosystem."

The board just nodded slowly at that. They could not sense any deception from him. "But be warned, if you go off and make war with the other species of this galaxy, I will not help you. I do not wish to fight a war that is not mine. Understood?", he asked. The Board just nodded. Why the hell would they go and make war with anyone? They have a planet, they're happy.

"We agree, how are you going to get the DNA?" the C.F. Admiral asked. Bornstellar just pressed a button, and a sentinel flew to the hangar of one of the ships.

"Place you're DNA sample in the front slot. He will process it and send the results to the main computer, which will then scan and analyze it and make an airborne immune booster. Just like that.", he said, and motioned for them to do so. The Admirals nodded, and an officer placed the DNA sample in it, and then the wait began.

(H, ME)

1 year, 3 months later

-Citadel-

"We have not had contact with the Quarian Flotilla in over a year. Something's up.", was the first thing said that meeting. The one who said it was female, obviously, and had blue skin with tentacle like things on top of her head. She was the Asari councillor, Tevos. The other two just nodded.

"I recommend we send out a small fleet to that one relay that's activated near the edge of the galaxy. They probably went there in search of resources.", said the Turian councillor, Tychus.

"Hmm, yes. This is a logical conclusion. But who to send? Salarian STG's? Asari Commandos? Turian Special Forces? So many people to choose from." spoke the Salarian councillor, Relant.

"Why not just get whatever fleet is already patrolling near there to go? It'd be so much simpler", said Tevos. Relant just nodded quickly, Spartamus just shrugged, he really didn't really care.

"Very well, I'll order them to go to that system", Spartamus spoke, before dismissing himself to do so.

(H, ME)

-Didacts system-

"Glory, how is work on that shield world coming along?" Didact asked from his chair. Glory turned to him.

"It is going well, the star has been made, now the last half of the enclosure is being built.", was his reply. Didact nodded, and turned back. It was at this time, however, that the relay activated.

"No Quarians are currently leaving or returning, so it must be a citadel race.", he deduced. He then turned to Glory. "Send 3 Keyships to the relay, make sure they don't shoot the shield world if they are militaristic." Glory made an acknowledgment motion and did just that.

(H, ME)

-On the patrol fleets leading ship, Out of Darkness-

"Sir! There are 3 ships, each 11 kilometers long, blocking the path!", shouted the navigation's officer hysterically. The captains jaw dropped at that. 11 kilometers. That's 1 4th the size of the citadel. And this race had 3. This definitely wasn't the Quarians. "And there are no traces of eezo in any of them!" That sent his brain to a screeching halt. No eezo? Space flight was founded on eezo, without it you couldn't fly, because the ship had too much mass.

"There's a message incoming. Do you want me to play it?", asked the comms officer. The captain nodded.

A hologram came from the projector, and there sat Didact. "Why have you come to my system?", was all he asked.

"We were searching for the Quarians, perhaps you know of their whereabouts?", asked the captain. At this the Didact nodded. He told to them to follow the keyships. They complied.

As they were going, they were all looking at one thing. The half completed shield world.

"What is that?", one of them asked. The Didact looked at him a second before answering.

"That? That is a half completed shield world. It is going to be used to store the unneeded sentinels, ships, and resources I have. It has the diameter of a planet, about 11,000 kilometers. This is the smaller version. The bigger one is, well, really big. About 300 million kilometers. This one is habitable on both the inside and out. There is a miniature star on the inside, to provide heat. It is one of the greatest achievements of the Forerunner.", he spoke with great pride. He then looked at them, "What is your business with the Quarians?"

The entire crew ignored him, instead staring in fear at the shield world. If this race can create planets and stars. And ships 11 kilometers long, with what looked like extraordinarily powerful weapons, did they actually want to antagonize him in any way? They were going to see where the Quarians were, then get ships to mine the asteroids if there was any, but now that plan is out the window. Finally the captain turned to the Didact, fear evident on his face, "The council wanted to know the whereabouts of the Quarians. We haven't made contact with them in over a year, and that is very strange. So we were sent here, because the relay here is in a very weird area, on the edge of the galaxy and none leading from it."

The Didact nodded, accepting his answer. He then turned to the side, "Glory, get me a line with Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib." The monitor made a movement of acknowledgment, and did so. However, it was then the captain realized something.

"YOU HAVE AN AI!", he yelled/asked. And all the others in the room started to look at him in anger. How dare he use AI's. For one, it's against citadel law. Secondly, does he not know the danger of them? It was because of AI's the Quarians lost their home world. Did he hide the fact he had AI's from the Quarian Admiralty Board? The Didact looked at them, and they could tell he was looking at them in contempt.

"Yes, I have an AI. Glory is among the most advanced Forerunner AI ever created. He controls the sentinels, the ships, and most of the stuff here and in all other 99 solar systems under my command. Without him my little empire here, would be far more annoying to keep track of. And yes, the Quarians know of him.", he then starts talking to the admiral, "Yes, hello admiral, there is a fleet of small ships here, they said they were looking for your people, because they have had no contact with you all in over a year. There is a ship about 680 meters long that looks to be the head ship. Yes, the captain is Turian. The name? It is the Out of Darkness. So it's patrol fleet 485? I fail to see how that is relevant. Yes, I will patch your signal to them." He the presses a button on the panel.

"Hello captain. May I be of assistance?" the admiral asks. The captain looked shaken at what the Didact said. He looked at the admiral and started making random hand gestures. The crew just stared at him, some in confusion, some were starting to laugh, until they remembered why he was surprised. Then they themselves started to do so, because they could not comprehend what the Didact could do. The admiral then sighed and sent a file to the ship explaining in very little detail how they came to be here.

After everybody was settled down, the captain started to ask a question, only for the Didact to cut him off. "No, I will not give any of my technology to anyone. I didn't even give any to the Quarians. I only helped them because the needed it. I do not believe in punishing the children for their parents mistakes." The captain looked downtrodden for a second, before he had an idea.

"We would like you to accompany us to the citadel to meet with the council.", said the captain. He would usually order the people, but he wasn't going to antagonize this alien. Not with those three ships floating menacingly in the background. Oh no, he wasn't stupid. The Didact asked where the citadel was located. The navigation's officer showed him on a map. The Didact nodded and said, "I shall meet you there." It was then four black portals opened up, and the ship Didact was on, the one he came to the galaxy on, and the three keyships went in them, and disappeared.

"Where'd he go?", the captain asked, dumbfounded. The Quarians just motioned for them to go. The captain sighed and issued the order throughout the patrol fleet.

(H, ME)

That's it for this chapter. Til next time.

All of my lovely reviewers, most of your questions/requests will come to fruition (or not) next chapter.