What is the crippled ultimate weapon to do at the end of the universe, when ninety percent of the stars have burned out, and the galaxies lay in waste? Rebuild them, of course. In order to keep himself busy—to give himself a purpose, a civilization to protect, The Great Machine resurrects a remorseful criminal who aspires for something better. Together The Machine and his nameless friend, and some of the universe's greatest minds intervene in the longest-running cold war, just as time is running out.