Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Welcome back, my son." The voice was soft, warm, and dripping with a kind of affectionate charm that could melt the frost from anyone's heart... except perhaps Rex's.

It reached him the very instant he closed his eyes to begin drawing in planetary energy, a sound he recognized instantly. He had heard it before, in other times and other places, and it always carried the same strange mix of tenderness and mischief.

Rex opened his eyes slowly, already knowing where he was. "So… you've called my soul here again." He let out a long, controlled sigh; his shoulders loosened as he studied the familiar white expanse around him. "Well then, are you going to tell me why you keep doing this?"

"Oh my," the voice teased him, rich with false drama. "When will you speak to your mother with the sweetness you once had? In your tenth and twenty-fourth reincarnations, you were simply adorable. Now you have turned into such a rebel."

Her tone was so theatrical that it made a shiver run down his spine, though Rex could not decide if it was from discomfort or something deeper.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied flatly, trying his best to keep his voice cool and even. "But you still haven't answered my question."

There was a soft chuckle. "Fine, you win this time, my little rebel. But first, take a seat."

The pale ground between them rippled like water, and from it rose two silver flowers, their petals unfolding into the shapes of ornate chairs. One shimmered faintly in the light, as if carved from moonlight itself.

Rex dropped into his without ceremony, letting his body sink into the soft seat, while the Lady in White lowered herself gracefully into hers with the elegance of a queen at court.

"Well then, my stubborn child," The moment she spoke, her tone shifted. The playful lilt was gone now, replaced by a steady seriousness he had never heard from her before. "Do you know what it truly takes to become a Tier Five existence?"

Rex leaned back slightly. "I only know the basics. You absorb planetary energy, make it your own, and then you break through. That's about it, right?"

A quiet laugh escaped her, not mocking, but tinged with amusement. "Fufu… three points out of ten. A passing score for a lazy answer. I will have to explain it to you properly." She cleared her throat with a strangely delicate sound, like a girl pretending to be formal.

"You see, while it is true that you must absorb planetary energy and make it your own, that does not mean you can simply act like a petty thief and take whatever you please."

"A thief?" Rex raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "How does taking energy that's just floating around make me a thief?"

"Well, there is no sin in ignorance," she replied gently. "The energy you believe is simply drifting freely around you is not yours to claim. Tell me, do you know why it is called "planetary energy"? She reached forward and lightly tapped his forehead with her fingertip. Rex barely reacted, since he had grown used to her odd gestures.

"Mmm… not really," he admitted without hesitation. Pride had never been one of his flaws, and unlike many in positions of power, he saw no point in pretending to know something he did not.

She smiled faintly, though there was a note of reproach in her eyes. "It is called planetary energy because the planet itself is its owner. The energy is its breath, its blood, its very life force. When you take it without permission, you are stealing from the planet itself."

She lifted her finger again, in the universal gesture of a mother scolding her child, though her tone was still soft.

Rex frowned slightly. "What? Planets are just… rock and dirt. Why would I need to ask permission from a giant rock to take something?"

At that, the Lady in White's expression dimmed a little, but she did not seem angry. She only sighed, as though remembering how much the young often misunderstood.

She leaned back in her chair, deciding to teach him in a way he could not deny, a lesson that would bypass words entirely and leave an impression carved into his very soul.

The Lady in White clapped her hands together; the soft sound echoed strangely in the pale, endless space around them. "Well then," she said with a warm, almost playful smile.

"Since you believe planets are nothing more than rocks and dirt… why don't we make a bet? You enjoy making bets, do you not?" Rex felt a faint shiver creep down his spine. That smile of hers... it was too calm, too inviting.

He studied her face carefully. The fire burning in her eyes was not the harmless spark of friendly competition. It was something deeper, sharper, a passion that hid an edge. It felt, somehow, like the first step into a trap. His instincts told him to tread carefully, but before he could dwell on it, her voice cut through his thoughts.

"What is this? Are you afraid of losing?" She teased him, tilting her head slightly and poking her own cheek in an exaggeratedly cute gesture. "But you were the one who just said planets are only rocks and dirt."

Rex's pride was usually nothing to speak of, since he had no problem swallowing his ego when needed. But being called a coward? That was a different matter entirely. His jaw tightened in frustration, and without another thought, he shot to his feet, his voice echoing in the air between them.

"Fine! You're on! I'm in! What are we betting?"

Even as the words left his mouth, a faint, uneasy feeling slithered through him. It felt like he had just signed a contract without reading the fine print... one written by the devil herself.

Her smile widened. "Fufu… so eager." She leaned back in her chair, looking every bit the queen addressing a subject. "If you win, I will grant you one wish. Anything you desire. But if I win… you will grant me one wish in return. Fair, yes?"

He narrowed his eyes, suspicion flickering in them. "What kind of wish?"

"Any kind," she said sweetly, without blinking.

A long silence passed before he gave a reluctant nod. She did not waste a moment.

"Well then… my old friend," she said while turning her gaze toward the ground beneath them, "why don't you show him that you're alive?"

The moment her words faded, the white dwarf planet they were standing on trembled violently, as though it were waking from a long sleep. The pale ground cracked open in the space between them, releasing a gentle, silver light.

From the center of that light emerged a small, delicate creature, a rabbit, its body made of fine white sand that shimmered faintly with silver energy.

It hopped forward quietly, then leapt into the Lady in White's arms. She cradled it as if it were an old friend returning home.

Rex arched an eyebrow. "Mmm? That's it? This little thing is your proof?"

"Fufu… not yet," she said softly while stroking the rabbit's sand-like fur. "First, concentrate. Just as you do when you want to see planetary energy. And then, look at my little old friend here."

He said nothing but closed his eyes, sinking into the same focus he used in battle when sensing the flow of energy. Minutes passed before he opened them again, and when he did, he was out of words.

The tiny creature before him blazed with an impossible brilliance. Planetary energy poured from it in waves, flowing outward to blanket the entire white world beneath his feet. It was not simply alive... it was the very heartbeat of the planet.

"This is…" Rex wanted to ask, but the words faltered on his tongue. He had no language for what he was seeing.

"This, my dear son," the Lady in White said, her voice low and uncharacteristically gentle.

"It is the core of this planet. He is the planet itself. Most will never see one in their entire lifetime. Not even the creations of the Titans, nor those who call themselves immortal, can witness such a thing. In this form, they are painfully vulnerable. Anyone with dark intentions could harm them…"

Her voice trailed off. For the first time since he had met her, the playful light in her eyes dimmed. A shadow crossed her expression, and she looked away as if remembering something unpleasant.

"Is everything… alright?" Rex finally asked, his voice cutting through the lingering silence. He had noticed the way her gaze had shifted, how her eyes had turned distant, as if they were staring at something far beyond him.

The Lady in White blinked, then gave a small, almost dismissive laugh. "Oh yes, of course, my dear… I simply wandered into some unpleasant memories. Ones that should have remained buried in oblivion."

She waved her hand as if brushing away invisible dust, then straightened her posture. The shadow in her eyes vanished, replaced once again by that graceful, charming composure she wore so well.

Her lips curved into a bright, warm smile. "Now then, let us continue with our lesson, shall we?" Rex gave a short nod. "Mhm… but before that... tell me. What is your wish?"

The smile she gave him then was dazzling, but there was something behind it… something that made his skin prickle. Even in this soulless state, he could feel a bead of sweat form on his forehead, sliding slowly down.

"Oh my," she purred while tilting her head slightly. "My adorable little baby is a man of his word. How proud that makes me! For a moment, I feared you had fallen into bad company… that you were drifting too far, becoming a full-fledged rebel."

She placed the back of her hand dramatically to her forehead, feigning sorrow with a trembling sigh.

Rex exhaled through his nose, unimpressed. "Just answer the question."

Her mock sadness melted into a playful glint. "Very well…" She leaned forward slightly, her voice lowering, each word carrying a strange weight. "I wish for you to…"