All of us were reunited at last, with Capal tagging along with our group to crush Jakov's little monarchy. Velke had invited Sofia, Corai, Mikri, and I to join him, embedded with the group of human soldiers that were storming the cutesy palace. The Fakra had provided enough negative energy for the ESU to make a few warp jumps with their ships. While Takahashi's soldiers hadn't been able to master raisers in the few days since they'd been given them, we hardly needed it. Dropping an army of super-soldiers on that Brigand's head was going to be cathartic—especially for Capal, I wagered.

I know what it is like to want revenge on the person who captured you. I don't know how to feel about Larimak being executed while we were away. I'm glad he's gone, but I'm sorry that I…missed it?

I forced myself to focus on the presence of my friends, as we waited for the signal to jump to Jorlen. Today, we were going to see Jakov face justice, and stop a rogue human from ruling an entire planet. Humanity was restoring Caelum to how it was before the Elusians stuffed us away. This might be the last positive moment we had, since our future was being dragged into the Fakra's war against our wishes. What we had to build—what was our destiny to build—made my stomach sink like a stone.

Sofia wore a pensive look, though she shot Mikri, Corai, and I a smile. "I've thought a lot about what Corai said, about how the Elusian AIs determined life was pointless. Now more than ever, I believe it's important that we create an AGI of our own, to disprove that notion. We can't be reliant on the mercurial Vascar network to seek friendship; we have to be there from inception to truly have a machine race walk hand-in-hand with us."

Mikri gave her an understanding nod. "The Vascar find it difficult to get past hating organics. You would do well to have the friends you deserve, by making something of your own without baggage. I trust you to be a creator. I would support this endeavor to build humanity's new AI overlords."

"Very funny, Mikri. I think it'd be good for us to have someone to look out for us. Someone we could trust to help us, on matters like researching this weapon. Humanity can build it right."

"Hold up. Who says humanity has to? Why haven't the boneheads made an AI?" I responded.

Corai tilted her head. "I would not call the Fakra that, Preston. You play a dangerous game."

"I'm serious. They're way the fuck more advanced. Do they have AI? It'd be hilarious if they abandoned their creations too, after all of that."

"Try asking Velke," Sofia said, with a pointed arch of her dark eyebrows. They looked strange, against her gray skin. "Marshal, you never reacted much to Mikri being a robot. We wondered if the Fakra ever created, or tried to create, a sentient AI."

Velke waved a dismissive hand. "No. Technology was intended to replicate the Elusians' greatest feats, so that was where our researchers devoted ourselves. Piecing together what they left behind and building ourselves back to their level. Machines and robots were instruments to help with tasks. We must first deal with our creators before dabbling in our own creations."

"What a cop-out answer," I complained. "Look what you're missing with Mikri."

The robot beamed, opening his arms for a hug. "My mane has lice. Sharing is caring!"

"Bring it in." I embraced the Vascar, rolling our scalps together while beckoning to the others. "One shared brain cell between us! Good job, Mikrito. Keep the ideas coming."

"Okay! What if we replaced bubble wrap with bubble crap?"

"Oh, you wigglebutt numbnut, uh…codewalker. You had me at 'crap.'"

"Yay!!!"

"In not creating this mechanistic monstrosity, it seems to me that we dodged a bullet," Velke grumbled, before glaring at Corai. "Really? You abandoned us, but not them?"

The Elusian shrugged. "You might not like it, but they're the pinnacle of hominid evolution. Just ask the Neanderthals how fuego they…ah, wait."

"You next," I told Corai with a smirk.

"Music to my ears. Darling, you always know exactly what to promise a lady."

"What about MY ears?!" Capal raised a translucent cup of red…marinara(???) sauce toward Corai, pantomiming that he was going to throw it at my girlfriend. Dude, he better not, or I am going to deck him. "No more of that, or else. I'm warning you. Mikri will do it!"

"Yes. With Velke," the Vascar agreed.

"Oh no you don't. You try it, robot, and I'll turn you all to jambalaya. Atomized!" the Marshal's red eyes almost glowed with wrath, like Mikri's evil face. "I swear, you lot seek to turn me mad without any portal effects at all. Tell the blighted ESU to start the invasion already!"

The human soldiers seated at the back of the ship wore grins, bedazzled by the robot sensation known as Mikri. There was also a lot of fidgeting in their harnesses, not used to the crawling inside their skin of the nanobots Velke had passed along. That technology was going to change everything, and finally let us gain ground on the advanced civilizations. It was easy to see why some of my people might think this reluctant partnership with the Fakra could be good, after how stingy the Elusians had been. There were benefits, like getting to style on Jakov.

I can't wait to see the look on that motherfucker's face when we show up. We'll pop in all "Surprise, missed us?" and bro's gonna have that "oh shit" moment. Guess humanity wasn't gone forever. The day of reckoning has arrived!

The spacecraft's guns and cannons revved to life in a display of Sol might, for the first time since our last orbital battle over Jorlen that had forced Larimak's fleet to take refuge in the Birrurt Nebula. We warped into the skies above the Emo Palace with hundreds of ships, while Mikri helped us tap into any unsecured local broadcasts. The robot was also transmitting that humanity was back to the Vascar network, so that we might officially reopen connections with our first allies. Corai nodded to us and the soldiers, before warping every occupant of the ship straight into Jakov's throne room.

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The sound of several guns snapping toward the Brigand caused him to yelp. His eyes widened with more horror as he saw past the gray faces, and recognized the ESU icons on our uniforms. Jakov hopped off his throne, trying to run off down a corridor (despite the fact we encircled him in all directions). I took the liberty of snapping his golden belt buckle with my raisers, causing his pants to slide toward his ankles; Prince Rukavina tripped over the fallen fabric, and faceplanted onto the tile.

"Missed us?" I called out in a gleeful voice.

Corai took on a serious expression, stroking her chin. "Yes, I think I'll borrow this specimen for testing. You guys won't mind, will you?"

"Not at all, if I can give him a medical exam first. Actually, we can do it together, since it sounds like we go in the same hole!" Mikri celebrated.

"In this instance, I'll allow it." Sofia tried to bite back the hint of a smirk, as an ESU soldier knelt on Jakov's back and handcuffed him—not bothering to help his lower garment situation before pulling him to his feet. "It would be a very good way for you two to cooperate."

I gasped in shock. "Fifi, are you coming around?"

"On this asshole being humiliated, after he used our abilities to conquer Jorlen and mistreated our friends? I think I might be, as sad of a commentary as it is on me."

"Aw, it's not sad at all. It's natural. Elusians are gonna Elusian. The probes were coming into play at some point."

"What the fuck?" Jakov spat. "I d-didn't do anything."

Capal's eyes gleamed with something dark. "Says the real leader of the Brigands. You bragged to us about your great plan to take over Jorlen. Probes are the least you deserve, you greedy bastard. You aren't worth the skin on your back."

"I…humanity was gone. What was I supposed to do to survive? I t-thought the Elusians locked all of you in Sol forever."

"You deserted humanity during the battle for the Space Gate." Velke's voice was cold with disapproval, as a lightning arc zapped out from his raisers; it electrocuted Jakov like a taser, causing pain but no serious harm. "You abandoned your own species to die. The Fakra would bury a hatchet in your skull and crack it open like a fruit."

"Ow! What on Earth is going on?!"

"Karma, bitch!" Mikri beeped in an ecstatic register. "Say it with me, Velke. Boom!"

The Fakra grunted with disdain, a small gust of air seeping from his beak. "In your face."

While Corai could've warped us straight back to the ship, the ESU brigade made a point of parading Jakov through the palace's front doors and into the courtyard; Jorlen needed to see humanity restoring things to their proper order. Marshal Velke hung back, surveying the architecture of the first alien culture he'd seen of a race that had nothing to do with the Elusians. The Vascar existing on their own, as a byproduct of nature, had to be a novel concept to the Fakra. It must be strange for him to take it all in.

Maybe this will help Velke to consider the Fakra's aims, and what they would do after dispatching the Elusians. Our creators aren't all there is to the universe.

"Robot, will your network join forces with humanity?" Velke inquired.

The android whirred in agreement. "Yes. They insist that I tell you that while they hate the creators, they did not aid Ficrae for fear of angering you. They merely also would not rescue Jorlen, given their feelings. They wish to remain allies, and to welcome you back with clear gestures of our benevolence!"

"What exactly does that mean?" Capal asked, skepticism in his eyes.

"A unit called Tollu has passed a motion to relay a request for Ambassador Kendall Ryan's 'immediate return.' It was concerned to see her taken away so abruptly. Furthermore, to show that they renounce Ficrae, they will reinstate me as the Vascar ambassador effective immediately. That means I can sign really dumb treaties and it will count!"

"How about you sign one to help them build a weapon to destroy the Elusians?" the Fakra leader prodded.

"We will assist your research efforts, as we did with teleportation. It is mutually beneficial. The consensus is that they find commonalities with the Fakra's story, and believe the Elusians to be akin to our creators. They have no quarrel with you, but a low assessment of your makers."

Sofia knitted her eyebrows together. "What do they think, hearing humanity's full creation story?"

"That you might understand their desire for the destruction of our creators better, given your current predicament and treatment. Your abilities were to be used as tools, your existence was designed to serve their wishes. They agree with Velke that you deserve your freedom from them. The network is not humanity's enemy."

"But like you told Capal, they are focused more on vengeance than compassion. Just like many organics."

"This is an accurate assessment."

"Perhaps ending us is the only way to end this cycle. I wish it wasn't," Corai sighed. "You judge us for choices we made in the perceived absence of consequences, as you did with Jakov. I wish a death sentence for our race wouldn't be the only punishment that could satisfy you. My people had to be more than this once."

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "And the Elusians can be again, if they feel half as strongly as you do. After seeing the beauty you've created, I don't want you gone. I want you to realize your mistakes, and to live to witness humanity surpass your wildest dreams for us. There's more important emotions for us to choose than vengeance. The future doesn't have to be dark."

"My Preston. The choices that have been made are out of both of our hands. As for mine, I've had a million years to make them. I will not hide from them."

"We'll do what it takes to win, and ensure our safety. It's not a hard choice," Velke barked. "The network agrees with what they deserve. Your robot allies are reasonable—listen to them."

Capal stamped a paw, scoffing. "They're reasonable when they decided all organics are untrustworthy and useless threats to be killed? That my people should all die?"

"They…lack an understanding of nuance, but their fundamentals are correct. Crimes of that magnitude should only be paid for through death. Leniency will be the end of you."

Mikri's eyes glowed in direct opposition to Velke's words. "You speak with such certainty, when you do not know the results of calculating with compassion. Even so, I would rather feel love and value all life, and face my own termination, than to be like Ficrae or the Elusians. Mercy is an output pattern that shows that your morality is better in spite of theirs. It is an aspirational concept."

"I will not relent, robot! I have a war of annihilation that I must win, and your aimless platitudes don't serve anyone's purposes. I don't have time for them. Let us return to Suam's dimension and assess our state of operations."

While I knew with certainty that the tin can would go on a killing spree if anything happened to Sofia and I, it was good to hear that he held our lessons on mercy in high esteem, at least. Marshal Velke refused to be swayed by the concepts. By going along with the Fakra's intent, we could counterbalance our horrible purpose by moving Caelum back onto the path to improvement. If Corai was right that the Elusians' future concluded in darkness regardless of our actions, we had to reassert control over this dimension's fate.

In the worst-case scenario, I hoped that we'd be able to latch onto a brighter dawn with our Caelum friends, when the dust settled.

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