Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Then allow me to show you a selection of nearby planets where we could rest while rebuilding our forces and also construct the necessary facilities to raise and educate the child."

Cleo's golden eyes glimmered as dozens of holo-screens flickered into existence around Rex, each one filled with planetary data, environmental records, and security reports.

Rex leaned forward and plucked one of the glowing panels from the air. His brow furrowed as he studied it. "Hold on… aren't all of these planets under Nexum's control?" He turned the holo-screen in his hands, its light painting his features in cold blue.

"Isn't it dangerous to choose one of their inner worlds as a hiding place? I mean... we just stole two planets from them. I doubt they'll be too welcoming."

"You are correct," Cleo replied, her voice calm and confident as ever. "These are all Nexum Dynamics worlds. Which is exactly why they are the best choice. No one would suspect us of hiding inside their own inner sphere."

"It offers more advantages than disadvantages. For one, we would remain close to the two conquered worlds. Should we ever need to retreat, the route would be short, and I will have already established strong defensive measures on our holdings."

At her gesture, the holo-screens shifted and merged into a vast starmap. Dozens of red spheres appeared, each representing Nexum-controlled worlds. Two of them glowed with a golden light, marking the ones Rex and Cleo had recently captured. The web of control and tension spread across the space like veins of fire.

Rex rubbed his chin, staring at the glowing spheres. "So, hiding right under the lion's nose, is that it?" A slow grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Yes," Cleo answered, her golden irises shimmering brighter for a moment.

"All right," Rex said, tossing aside the holo-screen in his hand when he saw it was barren rock. "Then let's choose a world with something worth living for. A beach, perhaps, or if we're lucky, a planet with living forests. A place that feels natural."

Over the following days, Rex split his time between visiting the twins and helping Cleo search through records of Nexum's worlds.

The fortress hummed with chaotic activity, yet in the quiet moments, Rex found himself imagining Nyra and their child somewhere with soft waves and green fields instead of steel corridors and battle reports.

At last, after a week of searching, Cleo presented the ideal choice: a mid-level planet within Nexum's sphere. Its defenses were modest, ruled by a Tier Five planetary champion, the standard for most mid-tier worlds.

It was fertile, with oceans and forests, and its cities had the veneer of Nexum's prosperity without the iron grip of their highest nobility.

To reach it safely, they would not arrive in their usual fortress. Instead, Cleo spent a month crafting a vessel at the shipyard, an elegant luxury transport ship. From the outside, it looked like something a spoiled noble heir would use to travel in style, complete with a polished silver hull and crystalline windows.

Inside, it dripped with refinement, from velvet lounges to shining marble floors with lighting that mimicked the glow of real suns. But beneath the beauty lurked hidden strength.

Its shielding and laser weaponry rivaled that of a light destroyer, and in its hidden belly lay a drone bay capable of unleashing swarms of corrosive machines designed to bypass shields and cripple engines.

It was a mask of wealth hiding a predator.

When they finally arrived at the planet, the endless curve of blue oceans and green landmasses greeted them through the ship's viewport. The beauty lasted only a moment before the harsh voice of authority cut across the bridge.

[Attention, unknown vessel. You are entering the orbit of a Nexum Dynamics world. Identify yourself immediately, or you will be taken down.]

Cleo accepted the transmission, her expression remaining calm. The holo-screen filled with the image of a humanoid figure whose head was a writhing mass of pale octopus-like tentacles.

His heavy robes shimmered with noble insignia, and his eyes glowed a dull, watchful red. He was one of Nexum's aristocrats, a minor noble of the race that held the megacorporation in its grip.

Even as he spoke, the hangar bays of the orbital station burst open. Five sleek Nexum fighters streaked out into the void, their engines blazing, arrowing toward the luxury vessel with predatory intent.

"This is the Morfeo," Cleo replied with unshaken grace. "Serial identification number: X54LP."

Her voice was as smooth as liquid gold, utterly calm even as the hunters closed in.

"The credentials are valid, my lord," reported the Nexum officer, bowing slightly as he relayed the data. "According to the ship's travel records, it has made multiple entries and exits from inner worlds belonging to several different megacorporations."

The noble squinted at the glowing screen before him, his tentacles curling in slow thought. "Mmm. Then they must be minor nobles or perhaps the spoiled offspring of a wealthy merchant. Nothing more."

The noble straightened, his eyes gleaming as he addressed the transmission once again. [Attention, vessel Morfeo. You have been granted permission to descend. Proceed toward the planet's atmosphere.]

His hand moved to cut the link, but then he paused. His gaze flickered toward the faces on the other end. […However, since this is your first visit, allow us to extend the courtesy of an escort. Our station will guide you to a docking bay where one of our representatives will meet you.]

Cleo opened her mouth to respond, but Rex raised a hand to stop her. He stepped forward into the holo-screen's light, his smile wide and disarming.

"That is most generous of you. I was, in fact, hoping for a guide to acquaint me with your fine world. You have saved me valuable time, my friend." His voice carried warmth, but his eyes flickered with sharp calculation as he studied the noble's reaction.

The Nexum aristocrat only inclined his head with stiff formality before finally cutting the transmission.

The bridge of the Morfeo dimmed as the screen vanished. Cleo reached up and released the locks of her helmet. With a soft hiss, the visor retracted, allowing her hair to spill free, cascading down her shoulders like liquid silver.

She exhaled lightly, her golden eyes settling on Rex. "Why should I hide behind power armor and a helmet when speaking to them?" she asked while tilting her head, her beauty all the more striking against the polished interior of the ship.

Rex was wearing a suit that was woven from fabrics that only the richest in the galaxy could afford. It shimmered faintly in the ship's artificial lights.

He turned toward her with a faint, crooked smile. "Because you don't realize how beautiful you are. And beauty draws flies. We came here to lie low, not to make enemies. On the planet, it may not matter as much, but here, while eyes are watching, I'd rather you remained hidden. Just for now."

His hand rose, rough but gentle, ruffling her hair as if she were something precious. Cleo lowered her gaze, the faintest curve softening her usually cold lips. "Very well," she murmured, her voice quieter now. "I will do as you ask."

Soon after, the Morfeo glided into its assigned docking bay, a cavernous berth vast enough to accommodate a frigate-class ship. The ship's landing struts touched down with a deep metallic echo that rolled through the hangar.

The first to disembark was Rex. He stepped down with measured confidence, his tall figure commanding the space even before he spoke a word.

Cleo followed close behind, her helmet once again sealed into place, her power armor gleaming under the docking bay's lights. Little Red trailed at her side, clad in her own full armor; her movements were also precise and silent.

At the foot of the landing platform stood their welcoming party. The guide was easy to spot since she was flanked by several enforcers, the local garrison troops who served as law and order for the city. They had arrived quickly after being notified of the docking request of what they believed was a wealthy noble or merchant family.

The guide's expectation, however, faltered the moment her eyes fell on Rex. For just an instant, his face caught the docking bay's light, and a faint green glow rippled across his skin. It lasted only a heartbeat, but it was enough. She knew what it meant.

His entire face was threaded with bionic implants, something only the aristocracy could afford. Not the lowest rung of nobility either, but the mid-tier and above. A living mark of privilege and power.

But that was not what unsettled her most. The closer Rex and his companions came, the taller and broader they appeared. By the time they reached speaking distance, the guide and the armored enforcers found themselves staring up at giants.

Rex and the girls were easily two meters tall; even in their out-of-combat forms, their very presence overshadowed the ordinary individuals around them.

The guide swallowed hard, adjusting her posture, every instinct telling her that they weren't ordinary.

The guide stepped forward, her boots clicking softly against the polished surface of the docking bay. The enforcers flanking her stiffened to attention, their rifles held across their chests, but even they could not hide the unease flickering in their eyes as they gazed up at the towering figures that had just descended the ramp.

She adjusted the collar of her uniform, forcing herself to breathe evenly. The faint glow of bionic circuits across the man's face marked him as a noble... one far beyond her rank to question. Her palms grew damp, but she pressed them tightly against her datapad, refusing to let the tremor in her hands show.