The battle to stop the colony goes full-blast, with the Federation and Cima's forces working together to protect the Solar System II on one hand and the Delaz fleet shepherding the colony on the other while the Axis Advance Fleet stands back. Kou kills Cima in the fracas. The Solar System II fires, but Gato destroys the command ship, resulting in a weaker blast that barely damages the colony. As it breaks through the solar array, Gato enters the colony and inputs the final course corrections. Kou tries to stop him, but Nina interferes and protects Gato as they leave, revealing that they were once lovers. The two pilots continue to fight after Gato has Karius bring Nina to safety. The Solar System II remnants fire again, with many forces on both sides destroyed as the colony crashes into the Midwest. The Federation orders the Axis Advance Fleet to leave the Earth Sphere immediately, having overstayed their welcome, but Gato leads the Delaz Fleet survivors to attempt a breakthrough and dies in a kamikaze attack on a Federation ship. Several weeks later, Hymen and Bask Om announce the creation of the Titans. All records of Operation Stardust and the GP are erased, including Kou's one-year hard labor sentence. He eventually reunites with Nina, Keith, and Mora.