Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Rex stood in the center, listening carefully to each side. He took in every argument, every hesitation, and every concern; once everyone had said their piece, he finally spoke.

"I've heard all your thoughts on this alliance," he said, his voice calm yet resolute. "While a strong trade network is a solid foundation, I want this to be a defensive alliance as well. For that to happen..."

He turned toward Xytrallia, his gaze locking onto hers.

"What would it take for you to accept a defensive alliance with us?" he asked with his voice being unusually steady. "I understand that, right now, you don't gain anything from it. But look at it from this perspective: if you support us, if you protect our assets, we will grow."

"Our military will expand, our economy will strengthen. In time, we could even stand against the megacorps."

He took a slow step forward.

"By then, our trade alone would be a force to be reckoned with. The flow of resources between us would be massive. Think of it not as a sacrifice, but as an investment, one that will yield long-term gains for you and your Hive."

He fell silent, waiting for her answer.

Xytrallia's piercing green eyes studied him, unreadable. Then, after a long moment, she finally spoke.

"What you say does sound promising," she admitted. "But my Hive cannot work for free. We require vast amounts of resources, and the fastest way to obtain them is through war or planetary expansion." She exhaled softly, resting a hand on her stomach. "The best I can offer is one year of protection."

She paused before continuing, "Use this year wisely. Show us that your forces can grow, that your power can rise. If, by the end of that time, you prove yourselves… we will discuss a longer arrangement. Until then, my Hive will stand as your shield."

Then, as if the discussion had already concluded in her mind, Xytrallia went silent, her hands gently cradling her womb, being lost in a moment of quiet contemplation.

Rex smiled slightly since that was good enough.

"Then it's settled," he said. "We now have a provisional alliance. I hope this is the beginning of something that will benefit us all."

The discussion continued for a little while longer, finalizing specific conditions and limitations before the meeting finally ended. One by one, the representatives departed from the garden.

And soon, only Rex and Cleo remained.

They sat near the edge of the artificial lake, the soft glow of the garden's bioluminescent plants reflecting off the water.

Rex let out a sigh, rolling his shoulders before pulling off his boots and dipping his feet into the cool water.

"So," he murmured while leaning back on his hands, "since the station got blown to hell, and I'm pretty sure this place isn't safe anymore, do you have any ideas on where we should go next?"

Cleo, who had been gazing at the shimmering lake, nodded.

"I have a few options."

She lifted her hand, and with a ripple of shifting nanomaterial, three small, bird-like drones formed in her palm. The drones fluttered into the air, hovering around her before spreading their wings.

Their beaks opened, and three holographic 4D planet projections appeared before them.

"This," when Cleo said that, her golden eyes glowed softly in the dim light, "is our best option right now."

A gentle breeze swept through the garden, making her dark hair dance in the air. Rex found himself momentarily distracted... since she looked breathtaking in this moment, the soft glow of the projections casting subtle highlights along her features.

His gaze flicked to the planets. "So… you're saying we should take over a planet?" His brow furrowed. "Can we even do that?"

Cleo glanced at him. "Yes. These three planets are corporate-owned, but their current owners are struggling to pay megacorp taxes. They've put them up for sale."

Rex smirked. "So… we wouldn't even have to take them by force?"

Cleo gave a small smile. "Not unless we have to."

Rex let out a low chuckle. "Well then… let's see which of these will become our new home."

Cleo raised her hand slightly, and the first planet's projection zoomed in, revealing its fiery landscape in greater detail.

"This one is a Pyros planet," she began. "A volcanic world with rivers of lava and constant eruptions. The inhabitants have adapted to the extreme heat, developing fire-resistant bodies and harnessing geothermal energy as their primary power source."

She paused for a moment before adding, "The planet's core is rumored to contain a sentient molten entity."

Rex let out a low whistle. "So, basically, hell."

He leaned forward, studying the glowing mining sites and energy stations scattered across the surface.

"Well," he muttered while rubbing his chin, "it's definitely dangerous as hell, but… there are benefits. Lava for our forges, geothermal energy, and probably tons of valuable minerals." He exhaled, tilting his head. "Still… that whole molten entity part sounds like a major red flag."

He leaned back. "Alright, let's see the next one."

Cleo flicked her wrist, and the image shifted to the second planet.

"This one is a Nebulos-type planet," she explained. The hologram showed a world shrouded in perpetual fog, its surface barely visible beneath thick swirling clouds. "The inhabitants have adapted to the lack of visibility by evolving echolocation and heightened senses."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "So, basically, a planet full of blind supersoldiers?"

Cleo ignored his comment and continued. "The fog itself is rumored to contain ancient, dormant machines, possibly remnants from a lost civilization."

At that, her golden eyes gleamed slightly.

Rex smirked upon seeing she was interested in that planet.

"Let me guess," he said while folding his arms. "You think these ruins might be an old Kaelzar post, right?"

Cleo nodded. "There's a good chance of that. And if the terminals are still functional, we might be able to recover lost technology or blueprints."

Rex let out a thoughtful hum. "That's… actually really tempting."

Then, the projection changed once more, to the third and final planet.

"And the last one," Cleo said, "is one you're already familiar with. An Aquaria-type planet, completely covered in water. No landmasses whatsoever."

The hologram showed vast, endless oceans teeming with massive, intelligent sea creatures.

"These creatures," she continued, "are confirmed to be highly intelligent and are suspected to be artificially created, possibly bred for later sale or experimentation."

Rex frowned slightly, staring at the projection.

His fingers tapped against his knee as he thought.

"Mmm… so this is the same planet where that Tier 4 creature was last time, right?" He turned his gaze toward Cleo. "Isn't this way too dangerous? What if another Tier 4 shows up and beats the shit out of us?"

He studied Cleo's expression with his curiosity fully piqued.

Cleo's golden eyes glimmered as she pulled up fresh data on her holographic interface. "There's no Tier 4 creature on Aquaria anymore," she declared, her voice steady.

"According to my research, that beast shouldn't have been there in the first place. A corporation this small wouldn't have the resources to contain or manage something of that caliber."

With a swift motion, she swiped her hand, revealing images of a decimated facility, twisted metal, shattered domes, and scorched ocean platforms stretching across the screen.

"The real cause of the destruction," she continued while zooming in on the images, "was an orbital bombardment. Not the creature."

Rex leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he studied the charred wreckage. "Orbital bombardment? That's… unusual." His mind raced, piecing together the implications.

Then, another thought struck him.

"Wait," he muttered, pulling up his arm device. "Have you heard anything from Carlos?" His fingers scrolled through his messages, but his inbox was empty.

Cleo shook her head. "Nothing. The last update I got was from Sharon. She said they'd be out of contact for a while. Apparently, they're moving into one of Nexum's more secure facilities."

Rex exhaled slowly, his brow furrowing. Nexum's secure zones were notorious; once you entered, you vanished from the grid entirely.

He shook off the thought for now.

"So," Cleo said while breaking the silence, "which planet are you leaning toward?"

Rex crossed his arms, weighing the options one last time. "Let's go with Aquaria," he decided. "Those oceanic creatures could be a solid source of income, and the scans show plenty of valuable minerals underwater. Plus, the trade route is relatively safe, and—" He smirked. "—No mystery monsters lurking around to eat us."

Cleo nodded while closing the holograms with a flick of her wrist. The shimmering images dissolved, reabsorbing into her nanomaterial.

"Then it's settled," she confirmed.

Rex stretched his arms behind his head. "Oh, before I forget," he added, "remember the living metal I mentioned? It's in the hangar. Xytrallia dropped it off earlier, and the twins are guarding it."

The moment the words left his mouth, Cleo shot up like a rocket, her eyes wide with excitement.

Without a word, she sprinted out of the garden.

Rex blinked, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Hey! Wait for me!" he called while chasing after her.

By the time Rex reached the hangar, Cleo was already standing before a massive container filled with chromatic liquid metal. The substance shimmered under the artificial lights, shifting through iridescent hues as if it were alive.

The twins, Nyra and Lyra, stood nearby, watching the strange material with curiosity.

Rex walked up with his hands on his hips. "So… this is the famous living metal?"

Nyra tilted her head. "Oh? This is it?" She folded her arms. "I don't get it. What even is living metal?"

"Yes, this is living metal," Rex confirmed, peering at the container. "But honestly? I have no idea how it works." He glanced at Cleo, who hadn't moved an inch since entering the room.