The Imperial Fleet is now on the edge of Machine space, ready to get rid of the things they thought they had killed centuries before. The Gorgansha are happy to have the humans as allies against the death machines. The humans aren't so sure about their new allies, who remind them of the Cacas more than anything. Admirals Beata Bednarczyk and Mara Montgomery already have their hands full battling the massive killing machines. The Machines have recently discovered the secret of hyper VII, putting them on an even level with the humans in propulsion tech. And with their ability to quickly manufacture themselves, they could prove to be too much. Now the Imperials have an ally they can't stand, but who they need to fight a successful campaign. While the Machines open a new gambit striking at the very heart of the Empire, and continue their campaign against the newest alien members of the Empire, the Klassekians. The Emperor was counting on this being a minor war, but things might be getting out of hand. The saga continues, as intelligent war machines try to wipe out all life they can locate, and beleaguered organics attempt to stop them.