Intergalactic conquest with an AI

The echoes of twisted metal and distant explosions reverberated around them as they dangled precariously in the void left by the collapsed staircase. Dust and debris floated in the weightless air, illuminated by the eerie red glow of the station's emergency lights.

"You okay, sis!?" Nyra shouted, her voice strained as she fought to maintain her grip.

Lyra groaned softly while her head was resting against Nyra's shoulder. "I've been better…" she mumbled, her voice weak but laced with sarcasm. "This isn't exactly helping me recover, you know…"

"Yeah, well, you're welcome," Nyra snapped, panting as she adjusted her tentacles to secure their position. "If I'd let go, you'd be floating through space right now. So maybe save the complaints for later!"

Nyra glanced around, her crimson eyes scanning for any sign of escape. The shaft they were suspended in stretched endlessly upward and downward into darkness, with faint flickers of distant flames visible through gaps in the walls.

The air was filled with the creaks and groans of the station's failing structure, a grim reminder that time was running out.

"Alright, I'm climbing up," Nyra said through gritted teeth. "I don't know where this leads, but anywhere's better than here."

Lyra nodded weakly, her arms still draped around Nyra's neck. "Just... don't drop me, okay?"

"Wasn't planning on it," Nyra muttered, rolling her eyes as she began hoisting them upward. Her metallic tentacles pierced the walls with a loud metalic sound, pulling them higher with each movement.

Sweat dripped down Nyra's forehead as she climbed, the strain of carrying both her sister and her own weight taking its toll. The walls groaned and shuddered with every motion, and debris rained down from above, narrowly missing them as they ascended.

"This is insane…" Nyra grumbled under her breath. "If I survive this, I'm asking Master for a damn vacation. Somewhere without killer robots, space debris, and—"

Her words were cut off as another violent tremor shook the station. One of her tentacles slipped from the wall, sending them dangling precariously for a moment before she regained her grip.

"Nyra!" Lyra gasped, her grip tightening instinctively.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Nyra snapped, though her heart pounded fast. "Just hold on. I'm not letting us die here."

As they neared the top of the shaft, a new sound reached their ears... one that sent a chill down Nyra's spine.

Heavy footsteps.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Nyra muttered, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Sure enough, a golem appeared at the edge of the shaft above them. Its jagged form was silhouetted by the red emergency lights, its glowing eyes locking onto the twins with chilling intensity.

"Sis…" Lyra whispered weakly. "Please tell me you have a plan for this."

Nyra stared up at the golem, her jaw clenching as it stepped closer, its weight causing the platform to creak ominously.

"Oh, I've got a plan," Nyra said, her tone heavy with sarcasm. "Step one: Climb faster. Step two: Hope it's dumb enough to fall."

"That's your plan?!" Lyra shouted, though her voice lacked strength.

"Unless you've got a better one, yeah!" Nyra shouted back, her tentacles digging into the wall as she climbed faster. "Now shut up and hold on tight!"

The golem let out a deep, metallic growl as it raised one of its arms. Sparks flew as a glowing blade extended from its forearm, the weapon humming ominously as it prepared to strike.

Nyra's crimson eyes widened. "Oh, hell no. You are not ruining my day any further!"

One of her tentacles shot out, grabbing a loose metal beam from the wall. With a sharp grunt, Nyra hurled the beam upward with all her strength, aiming for the golem's legs.

The beam struck true, slamming into the golem's knee and causing it to stumble. The platform beneath it groaned, unable to support the combined weight of the golem and the falling debris.

With a deafening crashing sound, the platform collapsed, and the golem tumbled into the void, its glowing eyes fading as it disappeared into the darkness below.

Nyra let out a shaky breath, her heart racing. "See? I told you I had a plan."

Lyra let out a weak laugh, resting her head against Nyra's shoulder. "You're crazy, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, it runs in the family," Nyra muttered, continuing to climb. "Let's just hope there's something better waiting for us at the top."

Despite all of Nyra's efforts, the station was far beyond saving. The structure had sustained too much damage, and the corridor she was climbing was now widening as the station continued to break apart.

Her tentacles, once firmly anchored, stretched unnaturally as the walls they were embedded in began to tear away. The vacuum of space pulled harder and harder, threatening to rip them free at any moment.

Nyra swallowed hard, feeling her grip slipping. "Oh no… Lyra… please tell me your helmet's oxygen system is still working," she said, her voice strained as she fought against the increasing suction.

Lyra blinked slowly, still groggy from exhaustion. "I don't know. My suit's pretty busted… Let me check."

With a shaky hand, Lyra activated her helmet. The damaged systems whirred to life, and a flickering HUD appeared in front of her eyes. The oxygen meter flashed: 16% remaining.

She hesitated, then decided not to mention it. "Yeah… it's working, sis," Lyra said while tightening her arms around Nyra's neck. "So… I guess this is it, huh? Now it's all up to luck."

Nyra let out a dry chuckle, her crimson eyes glinting with defiant amusement. "Heh… yeah. At least Master won't be able to blame this one on me. Not my fault the whole station decided to blow up!"

She shifted slightly, gritting her teeth as her tentacles strained against the growing pressure. "Well, floating in space is better than dragging your fat ass up this shaft. Damn, you're heavy."

"What fat ass!?" Lyra snapped, her sleepy demeanor vanishing as she yanked Nyra's hair hard. "We're twins! Yours is just as big as mine, so shut up!"

"AH! Quit it, you gremlin! How about helping me instead of pulling my damn hair? Activate my helmet!" Nyra shouted while shaking her head like an annoyed cat.

While still smirking, Lyra reached down and tapped the activation button on Nyra's suit. The helmet shimmered into place, sealing her inside a protective layer of reinforced armor.

Nyra could feel her strength draining, her tentacles giving out one by one. "Damn it… I can't… hold on much longer…" she admitted, her voice laced with frustration.

"Hey, don't worry, sis," Lyra murmured, her grip tightening. "I wasn't expecting much from you anyway."

Nyra scoffed with a smirk tugging at her lips. "Ha! You little ungrateful brat!"

Then, with a final, deafening cracking sound, the station tore itself apart.

The corridor split in half, and the twins were ejected into the void of space, spiraling uncontrollably as debris tumbled around them. Explosions flashed in the distance, lighting up the wreckage like a dying star.

The two clung to each other, floating helplessly as the remains of the trading station were pulled further into the abyss.

For a long moment, they simply watched the destruction unfold, their crimson eyes reflecting the burning wreckage. Neither spoke. They just held onto each other, hoping... praying, they wouldn't be separated.

Then, out of the darkness, a blinding golden light appeared.

At first, it was distant... a streak of radiance cutting through the wreckage. But it was moving fast, slicing through debris as if it weren't even there.

"Hey, Cleo! I found two twins floating in the wreckage!" A familiar voice rang out through their comms. "Since I found them, they're mine now, right?"

The moment the twins heard that voice, their hearts skipped a beat. Their faces flushed, a mixture of relief and something else entirely flooding their systems.

"REX!" they shouted in unison, their voices filled with pure, unfiltered joy.

Before they could say more, two massive hands grabbed them, one each, effortlessly pulling them from the void.

The grip was firm, protective, and impossibly strong. When they finally registered what was happening, they looked up, and there he was.

Rex, in his full three-meter-tall combat form, with his usual golden energy radiating off him like a beacon. His armor gleamed under the distant explosions, and his crimson eyes, hidden behind his helmet's visor, locked onto them with silent reassurance.

They were safe.

Nyra blinked up at him, her face turning redder by the second. "Took you long enough, you dumbass!"

Lyra, on the other hand, buried her face in his chest, sighing in relief. "Rex… I love you right now…"

Rex let out a low chuckle, his grip tightening ever so slightly to ensure they wouldn't slip away. "Yeah, yeah. You can fight over who gets to thank me later. For now… let's get you two home."

As Rex flew through the wreckage, the twins clinging tightly to him, Nyra squinted at his glowing golden aura, her crimson eyes struggling against the brightness.

"But... Rex..." she muttered while pressing her forehead against his armor to shield her eyes. "How the hell are you even here right now? Weren't you supposed to be with Y's mom?"

At her question, Rex stiffened slightly, though it was barely noticeable.

"Ah, yes… I was…" he hesitated, his deep voice carrying an odd mix of guilt and awkwardness. "With her… mom…" He coughed. "Ahem. But thanks to her, we got here just in time."

Before the twins could press him for details, Rex shifted his grip on them and rotated their bodies so they were facing the station.

"Look over there," he said. "See for yourselves."