"All ships are in formation, preparing to jump into Automata space in five minutes. Sync clocks...now," came the voice over the comms, and I heard Joe give an acknowledging beep, as we waited. Behind us, waiting, was the forces of the galaxy. All total, the number of ships, if you included fighters, was more than a billion, with such a wild variety of hulls that it boggled the imagination. Each was unique, inside and out, and had been meticulously joined together into fleet groups, all assembled in front of the Bactrian that held the command staff, while my own Shield Beetle took the fore of the formation.

"Alright, we jump one minute ahead, and transmit the codes I got from the Korath-Ah. If they work, we'll get one last ally on our side," I said, and Darien made a mocking motion with his hand, at least until Bandit turned to him, and he very quickly made it look like he was doing monitor duty for the power control systems.

"We know our mission. If this doesn't work though, we'll be swarmed in seconds, and have to fight our way through," responded Bandit as she turned to me, and I nodded at that assessment. It was true, after all. We all hoped it worked, but if it didn't, we'd have two fights on our hands, and that second fight was already against impossible odds. Still, I didn't let it bother me. Something told me this would work, especially after the welcome we'd gotten at the Eighth Ring, where the Speaker had been shouted down by the Korath-Za.

"Target vector locked, we're good to go," said Joe, and I nodded, looking out at all the ships joining the fleet. Korath Worldships were still falling into place, but the Ring was sending out tankers, and letting out forces dock to refuel as fast as possible. The Korath-Za, upon hearing what the Quarg had kept from them, of their people being used for spare parts by the Automata, had nearly slammed their station into the Ring. Only the assurance that the one behind all of this would soon be in their sights had kept them from doing so, a fact that had pleased the Korath-Ah in their stations, as they teleported with us.

"Alright, let's see if this works," I said, hitting the control, and feeling the sensation of blue fire consuming me, as the jumpdrive drove us onwards. A day later, or a moment, depending on your perspective, we appeared in the middle of a warzone, where Kor-Sestor and Kor-Mereti ships were fighting each other, tearing their hulls apart. Before, I'd been angry at these machines, knowing what they were doing behind their lines. Now I saw them as yet more victims, as they would have been put out of their misery millennia ago if not for the Org using the Quarg to keep them alive.

"We've got contact already. Some of both fleets are breaking off to come check us out," said Bandit, and I nodded, watching as a few small fighters began to peel off the battle. Despite their animosity, the chance at new combat actually got them to fall into line with each other, covering their weaknesses with the other's strengths. It would have been beautiful at other times, but knowing we had only a small targeting laser for defense, and minimal shields, I saw them as a major threat.

"Transmitting command codes now. Brace for combat," I advised, quickly typing a command, and then waiting with baited breath as the channel buzzed with a signal I couldn't even comprehend. The effect was immediate and stunning, as the transmission, a wide burst, rippled out from our ship like a wave, and I got to watch as the battle stopped in a sphere around us. Each ship, as their received the codes paused in their fight, some with missiles actually sticking out of their firing tubes, as they went over the contents of the package.

"Come on, come on," I goaded, hoping this worked. It took almost a minute, but finally I heard the click of someone on the other end of the line picking up, followed by another. Soon, two windows stood open before me, each bearing the logo of one of the Automata factions.

"Command Code recognized. Mission Orders Foremost?" asked two voices together, almost sounding like a stereo. I, for all my confidence, breathed out a sigh of the breath I'd been holding in, laughing to myself a little, as I stared at the windows. This code might not have been recognized,the Foremost of the Korath-Ah had said as much. If my Luck had been just a little bit worse, the drift of all these years from where the Twin Blades had started would have made them cease to acknowledge it.

"Root Level Command, halt all new ship production. All currently operational vessels set course, Similisti System. New Friend-or-Foe Targeting data uploading now," as I spoke, I motioned for Joe to send the information, and she did so with a speed, the transmission finishing just a few seconds ahead of the first ships arriving in system, the two Automata forces giving them room instead of engaging them.

"Command Acknowledged. Arrival time of all forces, approximately five Diem," said the two voices, before they signed off. Then, almost as one, the two forces of robots leapt away, heading for the system where we'd meet up with them.

"It would seem you've done well, Admiral Sage," came Tomek's voice over comms.

"It would seem so, yes. Let's hope that the command got to all their forces. It wouldn't do to have them fighting each other again, when we need them for the coming battle," I said, and then heard orders being given. Immediately new jump vectors were being calculated. We leapt away as soon as the forces were refueled, and then again. All in all, it took us almost five days to assemble in the system, and when we got there, the Automata forces were already waiting, joining the fleet, and allowing me to pass command from my ship to the Command Core.

"Hmm, now then, where are you...gotcha!" Freya's words were followed by a missile streaking out from one of the Navy ships, striking at the moon of the Mereti primary production world. Immediately, we sensed it, the path opening up towards the final battle.

"Forces discovered, reconnecting to network...Sayabin system is secured. Awaiting further orders," were the words that got a cheer from the fleet. They'd been briefed, they knew that meant the nanotech forces already in the systems were now under our command as well. With that done, we waited. Hours passed, the countdown timers clicked and again, while the lane restabilized, becoming strong enough to allow transport. Every second that ticked away, I felt my heart skip a beat, thinking that at any moment, the Org would appear, and the fighting would begin. We held three meals on the bridge of my ship, and still nothing happened, until at last, the hour came.

"All ships. This is Sage. I'm going to try something, something foolish, something dangerous, but it's my mission. The Org, it must know we're coming. It's eyes are everywhere, and that means it cannot be blind to what we intend. I want to talk with it, however. One final time, I will offer it a choice. To leave us be, to grow and learn as we will, making our own mistakes and triumphs. If it refuses, well, you all will be right behind me. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and it will run away due to our overwhelming firepower," I said the last as a joke, and it got a few nervous chuckles from the human fleets, and almost nothing from the alien.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked, turning to my crew.

"This is the purpose we were made for, Cousin. I was literally born ready," responded Darien.

"You came to my people, pursued by a greater foe, and yet, you did not fear to adventure out again. You have faced many trials since that time. This will be the greatest, but you will meet it with the same will that has carried you this far," added Bandit Joe, her tail twitching a little behind her.

"I've been a prisoner of this thing all my life, even if I did not know its name. The Drak are its servants, and my people have served them since time immemorial. This day, you have given the Quarg a chance we have not had in all that time. The chance to make a choice of our own. I would not miss this coming battle for all the Rings," said Bandit, making a very strong fist with her one arm, and then giving me a thumbs up, which I returned with a grin, before turning to the last member of the crew.

"Did you ever think you would end up like this? Waiting all those years on the lot at that used starship place on New Boston, only to be here, at the greatest battle in the history of the galaxy?" I asked, and the STAR android looked at me, tilting its head.

"This situation is...beyond my computational ability to analyze. I was made as a control AI for a small shuttle. To ferry people between worlds. Now, I'm ferrying a great hero to his dragon. Whether in death or in victory, this final journey is one I could not have anticipated. I will do my best to make it a fight to remember," he promised, and I nodded, turning back in my seat. With one final look at the stars outside, I pressed the button, and we leapt across the void, towards the future.