Intergalactic conquest with an AI

She swallowed hard. "Because I can't give you offspring. A consort who can't bear children… will eventually be discarded for someone who can."

Rex stiffened.

Then, without hesitation, he tightened his grip around her, his heart pounding.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Cleo's breath hitched, but she didn't pull away.

"Listen to me," he murmured, his voice softer now, his hand cradling the back of her head. "You think love is just about having children? You think I care about that more than you?"

She didn't answer, but he felt her fingers clutch at his shirt just a little tighter.

"Cleo… you're irreplaceable to me. Do you understand that?" His voice was barely above a whisper now. "Nothing, no one could ever change that."

"Did you hear me?" Rex asked while gently patting Cleo's head.

But she didn't respond.

With a quiet sigh, he didn't push her for an answer. Instead, he simply scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the command bridge's throne. Sitting down, he adjusted her in his lap, holding her close.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

"I don't know much about the Kaelzar Empire," Rex admitted, his voice soft. "You don't talk about it much. But if I'm supposed to be the new leader of your people… I have the power to change laws, don't I?"

Cleo gave a small nod, still resting her head against his chest.

"Well then," he continued with a small smile playing on his lips, "you're going to have to teach me about your laws. Something tells me there are some pretty extreme ones in there." He chuckled lightly, but when Cleo didn't react, his expression softened again.

His arms tightened around her just a little. "So… all of this," he murmured, "was because you thought I was going to abandon you?"

Cleo shook her head. "No…"

Rex frowned slightly. "Then why?"

There was a pause. A deep breath.

And then, finally, Cleo whispered, "Because… I was jealous."

The moment she said it, something inside her eased. As if an invisible weight had been lifted from her chest.

Rex took her hand in his, rubbing slow circles against her palm. "And… why were you jealous?"

Cleo hesitated. Then with her voice barely above a whisper, she confessed, "Because she can give you an offspring. And I… won't be able to. Not for who knows how many years. I don't even know if there's any living metal left out there. I mean, I know some still exists in the megacorps, but it's impossible to get our hands on it…"

She let out a shaky breath, a fresh tear slipping down her cheek.

Rex exhaled, his grip on her hand tightening slightly.

"Well..." He hesitated for a second, then chuckled. "I don't know if I should tell you this now or save it for later, but… I guess I can give you a little spoiler." He smirked. "I got some living met—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Cleo shot up like a lightning bolt and pinned him down, straddling his lap.

Her eyes were wide, staring at him as if she had just heard the most unbelievable thing in the universe.

"Are... are you serious?" She breathed. "Living metal? You actually—really—?!"

Rex burst out laughing. "Wow. That cheered you up instantly." He shook his head in amusement. "Yes, I got some living metal. I made a trade with the owner. Since I told her that once you get your original body back, you could produce more living metal, she agreed to give you what you need… under one condition."

Cleo barely heard him. She was trembling now, not from sadness, but from pure, overwhelming joy. Her entire face was glowing with emotion, and yet, her tears kept coming.

Rex reached up, wiping them away with his thumbs. "Haha… did that make you that happy? And since when did you become such a crybaby?" he teased, though his voice was filled with warmth.

Cleo sniffled, a small, breathy giggle escaping her lips. She placed her hand over his, letting his warmth seep into her.

"Let me be... hehe."

She closed her eyes while resting against him once more.

Two hours had finally passed.

Rex and Cleo stood in the lush garden inside the Cleopatra, the artificial lighting casting a soft glow over the vibrant flora. A gentle breeze from the environmental systems rustled through the leaves, but Cleo barely noticed it since she was too focused on Rex.

"Rex…" she murmured while hugging his arm. "Since you only told me about this meeting five minutes ago, can't you at least give me a heads-up on what we're going to talk about? I'd rather not stand here looking like a clueless teenager."

Rex chuckled while patting her head. "Just be patient. I'll explain everything to everyone at the same time." Then, with a teasing grin, he pinched her cheeks. "And don't cry again, little crybaby."

"Hey! Stop pinching me!" Cleo huffed, swatting at his hands. "And stop calling me that!"

But no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't break free from his grip. With a defeated sigh, she simply pouted and gave up.

Just then, the grand entrance to the garden hissed open.

Instantly, Rex and Cleo straightened up, slipping into a more composed stance.

A familiar, elegant voice rang out. "Oh? Am I interrupting something?"

Lilla stepped inside, dressed in a flowing white gown adorned with red embroidery, exuding grace and authority. Behind her followed four priestesses and a group of paladins, who were her new forces, now fully under her command.

"Lilla!" Rex greeted, stepping forward with a smile. "I don't know what you're talking about; we were just waiting for everyone to arrive." Taking her hand gently, he escorted her closer to where Cleo stood.

Moments later, the next group entered.

It was Xytrallia in her humanoid form.

To her right stood Ys and to her left, one of her sons, his towering presence exuding a quiet yet undeniable strength.

Rex immediately noticed the flicker in Xytrallia's glowing eyes when she saw him. Her instincts told her to embrace him, to pull him close. But she resisted since Ys didn't know and she couldn't know. Not yet.

Rex, ever perceptive, smirked inwardly but chose not to address it. Instead, he took a step forward.

"Oh, Ys. Your Highness. Welcome." His voice was smooth, diplomatic. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin."

He glanced around at the assembled leaders. Their presence alone radiated power, the weight of three mighty factions standing in one room.

"Before we get into things, let's have some introductions." Rex gestured casually toward Lilla. "This stunning blonde right here? She's Lilla, the Saintess of the Human Empire."

Lilla inclined her head slightly, her golden locks shimmering under the light.

He then gestured toward Cleo. "Next to me, we have Cleo, the acting leader of the Kaelzar forces."

Cleo gave a small nod, her expression composed.

"And lastly…" Rex turned toward Xytrallia. "We have Xytrallia, Queen of the Hive Minds."

The moment those words left his lips, Lilla stiffened.

Her breath hitched, and her fingers twitched slightly, since a Hive Queen was standing right next to her.

The Hive Minds, a species feared and revered across the galaxy. Entire civilizations had fallen to their collective will, their power unparalleled. And now, here was one of their queens, standing calmly in the same room as if it were nothing.

Lilla swallowed, forcing herself to maintain her composure. But Rex had definitely noticed her reaction.

He smirked slightly before continuing.

"Now then," he said while folding his arms. "I invited you all here to discuss a few important topics. The first?"

His eyes swept across them, sharp and calculating.

"I want to propose an alliance between our three factions."

He then made a pause.

His voice remained steady, firm. "I want to establish a trade and defense pact between us, one that benefits all our people. With our combined forces, we can protect our interests, share resources, and create a power that no one will dare challenge."

He leaned back slightly, waiting.

"So… what do you all think?"

The air grew thick with tension while everyone was waiting for someone to talk first.

A tense silence hung in the air as the proposal settled over the gathered leaders.

Thankfully for the others, Xytrallia was the first to speak.

"What I see," she said, her voice smooth but edged with calculation, "is that only the Kaelzars and the... humans stand to gain the most from this alliance. My Hive has no need for protection."

She paused, her glowing eyes sweeping over the other representatives, gauging their reactions.

"However," she continued, "the trade aspect does interest me. The megacorps have restricted our ability to engage in commerce and most factions fear dealing with us. This alliance could provide access to much-needed resources."

She tilted her head slightly. "So, I am against the defensive pact… but in favor of the trading alliance."

With that, she fell silent again, her decision final.

Next, Lilla stepped forward.

"Our forces are still weak," she admitted, her tone level but firm. "Both in trade and military strength." She glanced at Xytrallia briefly before continuing, "But we are growing, rapidly. In a few years, we will be strong enough to stand as equal partners in both trade and defense."

She exhaled softly. "Right now, what we need most is protection, a defensive alliance to safeguard our people while we continue expanding. But trade is also crucial. So, I am in favor of both the trading and defensive alliances."

Finally, all eyes turned to Cleo.

She crossed her arms, her expression unreadable as she considered her words.

"We, the Kaelzars, do not require a defensive alliance." Her voice was as neutral as ever, but her words carried undeniable weight. "Our priority has always been acquiring resources to sustain our war machine. Materials to build our forces are always in short supply."

Her gaze flickered toward Lilla. "However, since the Human Empire does require military support, I am willing to support both alliances, trade and defense."

With that, she fell silent, waiting for the next response.