Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Lilla and her guards watched as the twins vanished, the silence of the battlefield filling the void they left behind.

"What was that about?" Lilla's brother asked, his spear still crackling faintly with residual energy.

Lilla stood slowly, brushing the dust off her uniform. Her psychic abilities had drained her significantly, and her breathing was still labored, but her composure remained intact. "I don't know," she admitted, frowning slightly.

"But if it's urgent enough for them to leave like that, it must be serious."

Her brother nodded, retracting his spear and folding it back into its compact form. "Then we should leave too. It's unwise to linger here. If the Void Assassins regroup or leave traps behind, we'll be sitting ducks."

Lilla adjusted her gloves, her sharp eyes scanning the wreckage one last time. "Agreed. Let's fall back to base. There's no point staying here now."

She turned to her guards, gesturing for them to move out. The group quickly fell into formation, the two guards flanking her as they began their retreat.

Two days before Nyra received the urgent message, Rex and his crew were wrapping up the final day of their camping trip. For most of the rich, spoiled young people aboard the luxury cruiser, the camping experience had been a tedious ordeal.

With no extravagant parties, holo-lounges, or lavish distractions, many of the participants found themselves miserable, bored, and counting down the hours to return to their indulgent routines.

But for Rex and his crew, things had been different.

Thanks to Cleo's resourcefulness and an almost suspiciously well-prepared backpack, her team didn't suffer from a single moment of boredom. Somehow, Cleo had brought along a collection of compact gadgets that fit perfectly into the camping theme without feeling out of place.

Portable holographic video game consoles had kept Carlos occupied for hours, while Ys had been enthralled with the mini projector Cleo had set up to play various classic and modern movies.

Even Rex, who wasn't usually one to indulge in tech distractions, found himself enjoying the quiet downtime, lazing around and munching on snacks while watching a particularly absurd comedy Ys had insisted on.

They had spent the last few days eating, laughing, playing games, and enjoying each other's company, something that had been hard to come by in their normally chaotic lives.

As the camp settled into the usual quiet of the late morning, an announcement suddenly rang out, the holographic campsite speakers crackling to life.

<<Attention everyone! This is your cute host talking once more! How was the camping? Did you all have fun!?>>

The cheerful voice boomed through the speakers, a little too bubbly for some of the tired participants. Rex groaned, pulling a pillow over his head. Carlos let out a laugh, clearly enjoying his suffering.

<<I'm here to remind you all that it's time to start packing! In five imperial hours, the transport ships will take off to bring you all back to the cruiser hangar. So, start tidying up those campsites, packing your things, and making your way to the rendezvous point!>>

<<And remember, no one wants to be left behind! That's it from me! See you all back on the cruiser!>>

The announcement ended with a cheerful chime, and Rex rolled over, groaning as he stretched. "Five hours, huh? Guess it's time to start packing up."

Ys, still sprawled on her inflatable lounge chair, yawned and waved lazily. "Can't we just stay a little longer? I was finally starting to like this whole 'nature' thing."

Cleo, as efficient as ever, was already folding up their tent. "You could stay if you want, but I'm not coming back for you when the ship leaves," she quipped, smirking slightly.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Carlos let out a chuckle as he began gathering their cooking gear. "Nah, I'm with Cleo. I've seen enough glowing trees and fake campfires for one trip. Let's get back to the cruiser and find some real entertainment."

Once they had packed everything neatly into their transport ship, the crew began the walk back to the rendezvous point. The journey back was uneventful, with everyone in good spirits as they chatted and joked about the past few days.

Upon arriving at the ship, they had to wait a couple of hours for the rest of the campers to trickle in. Finally, the transport ship's engines roared to life, lifting them off the ground and taking them back to the massive cruiser floating in orbit.

As the transport ship docked in the cruiser's hangar and the group stepped off, Rex stretched his arms wide, savoring the feeling of being back in the more luxurious confines of the ship.

"So," he said, turning to his crew, "did you guys have fun?"

Carlos stepped down behind him, rubbing his bald head with a grin. "Hell yeah, I did. I don't even remember the last time I had a chance to just laze around like that. It was exactly what I needed."

Ys nodded, her green eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Same here. It's been so long since I got to just relax with you all. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did, but... yeah, it was fun."

"Glad to hear it," Rex said, smiling at the rare moment of camaraderie.

Just then, Sharon approached, her elegant figure and natural feline grace making her stand out even in the bustling hangar. She was wearing a sleek white jacket and carrying a small bag, clearly ready to leave.

"I had a wonderful time too," Sharon said warmly. "I don't remember the last time I enjoyed myself so much."

"Heading out already?" Rex asked, noticing the private vehicle waiting for her in the distance.

Sharon nodded, waving cheerfully. "Yes, my car is here to pick me up. I need to take care of a few things, but thank you all for making this trip so lovely."

As she walked away, Rex caught Carlos shamelessly staring at her retreating figure, his eyes firmly locked on her swaying hips. Rex smirked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to Carlos.

"Hey, weren't you afraid of her before?" Rex asked teasingly.

Carlos grinned, not even bothering to deny it. "Afraid? Nah, I was never afraid of her. I was afraid of her husband," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head.

"But you know what?" Carlos added, his grin widening into a cocky smirk. "Even if her husband finds out and decides to kill me, so what? How many people in the galaxy can say they cucked the CEO of a megacorporation? I'll die a legend."

Rex let out a booming laugh, clapping Carlos on the back. "Hahahaha! You're insane, man. But hey, I'll give you that; you're a hero in your own twisted way."

Carlos puffed out his chest, clearly proud of himself. "Damn right, I am."

As the crew walked toward the main corridors of the cruiser, Cleo and Ys exchanged a knowing glance, both shaking their heads at the two men's ridiculous banter.

"Men are so weird," Ys muttered, though there was an amused smile tugging at her lips.

Cleo smirked, crossing her arms. "Weird doesn't even begin to cover it."

As Rex and his crew made their way out of the bustling hangar bay, Carlos stretched his arms behind his head, flashing his usual mischievous grin. "So, guys, what are your plans for tonight?" he asked, his tone light and curious.

Rex rubbed the back of his neck, his eyelids drooping slightly. "Honestly? I just want to sleep. I miss a real bed. Those camping bags were too damn hot for me," he replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

Carlos let out a loud laugh, clapping Rex on the shoulder.

"Ha! So damn true. I think I'll do the same. Nightclubs are fun and all, but honestly? I'm done flying solo in those places. It's a dangerous game for a guy like me. I go in just wanting to be a normal man… and somehow, I end up doing amazing stuff."

He paused dramatically, placing a hand over his chest like a tragic hero.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, baldy," Ys shot back with a smirk, clearly unimpressed.

Carlos narrowed his eyes at her, bristling. "Ha? You want to go, pocket-size grandma? I swear it's been a miracle you've kept quiet the past few days. What happened, huh? Did someone finally install a mute button on you?"

"That's it—" Ys growled, her green eyes gleaming dangerously as she took a step toward him.

"Both of you," Cleo interrupted, her calm voice cutting through the brewing argument like a knife. "Don't cause a scene here. We're in a public area." She sighed before continuing. "And to answer Rex's question, I have an appointment with Sharon later. She wanted Ys and me to join her at the spa."

Carlos blinked, taken aback. "Wait, Sharon invited you both to the spa? What kind of evil plot is that?"

Rex, on the other hand, yawned, waving the topic off lazily. "That's cool. Just don't cheat on me, Cleo. You know how jealous I get," he joked with a half-asleep smile. "Anyway, I really need to crash. I'm dead tired, more tired than after some of my toughest fights. I wonder why…"

Ys raised an eyebrow at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, I can think of a few reasons why," she muttered under her breath, earning a light snicker from Cleo.

Carlos, oblivious as ever, simply shrugged. "Alright, sleepyhead. Let's hurry back to the dorms before you pass out right here."

Hours later, after the hangar bay had emptied and all the passengers had returned to their respective areas, the dimly lit space was quiet, the only sounds coming from the faint hum of machinery and the occasional shuffle of maintenance bots.

But the hangar wasn't entirely empty.

From one of the transport ships parked near the edge of the bay, a faint metallic click echoed. Hidden in the shadows, a small creature crawled down from one of the ship's vents.

It resembled a spider, but its segmented body was sleek and metallic, coated in a glossy red shell. Its eight legs moved with unnatural precision, clicking softly against the floor as it skittered forward.

The creature paused briefly, its glowing green eyes flickering as it scanned its surroundings. It emitted a faint, rhythmic chittering sound, almost like an electronic pulse, as it searched for prey.

Its gaze finally landed on two maintenance workers idling near the wall. The workers, oblivious to the predator in their midst, were resting while taking an smoke.