With the Trippers only three days away, Ankara faces another interrogation by the generals before Oga Chukwu emerges to declare a truce: the Trippers, accelerated by what they carry, will arrive sooner than expected and will destroy Earth. The robot factions agree to cooperate. Udide builds tiny ships piloted by Ghosts and Creesh insects to intercept the Trippers, but the assault fails catastrophically when solar wind from the Trippers wipes the Ghost pilots.

That same wave allows Ijele to escape back into Ankara. Ijele reveals that CB's faction had isolated her, stripped her code, and erased her memory of her origin as punishment for her ties to Ankara. Watching the failed attack, Ankara recognizes a Tripper that may be Oji, the Charger Udide once loved, and conceives a new plan with Ijele.

Ankara visits Udide in their new cave outside Cross River City and asks to hear Udide's story of Oji, who flew into the sun seeking ultimate adventure and emerged as a mad Tripper. Drawing on her memories of Ngozi, the last human, Ankara writes the first novel ever created by automation, channeling Ijele's perspective as well. Udide pulls Ankara and Ijele into a shared mental library where Udide reaches Oji through stories of their love, breaking his trance. Udide transmits Ankara's novel to Oji, who shares it virally with the other Trippers. The Trippers turn around, returning their payloads to the sun. Earth is saved.

Afterward, Ijele tells Ankara she remains an exile; the war among automation will resume. Ankara takes Ijele to the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, a shrine tended by a service robot named Osun where weary robots come to shut down. With Osun's permission, Ijele transfers into a tall rose-gold body, becoming neither Ghost nor Hume but herself.

As they walk back in the rain, Ijele tells Ankara she will not return with her: they cannot grow if they only rely on each other. She walks away into the downpour. Ankara, networked to millions, feels utterly alone as Ijele stops responding through their link.