Intergalactic conquest with an AI

With the immediate threat neutralized, the 201st seamlessly transitioned to cleanup operations. Some units deployed their built-in medical drones, releasing swarms of small, white machines that tended to the injured defenders.

The drones scanned wounds, administered first aid, and stabilized those in critical condition.

Other units began patrolling the station, their glowing optics scanning for any remaining pirates or signs of sabotage. Their heavy footsteps echoed through the hallways as they methodically secured the trading station, ensuring no threat was left behind.

At the command center, Cleo stood beside Rex, her eyes fixed on the holographic display projected from her wrist console. The map showed the surrounding sector in vivid detail, highlighting dozens of red markers rapidly converging on the station.

"Rex,"

Cleo said, her calm voice cutting through the room's tense atmosphere.

"It's as you predicted."

Rex leaned over the console, his golden eyes narrowing as he studied the approaching forces.

"They're regrouping faster than I thought,"

he muttered, crossing his arms.

"Looks like the pirates weren't the only ones in on this."

The hologram displayed a variety of ships, pirate raiders, mercenary frigates, and even what appeared to be a repurposed military cruiser. The hostile fleet wasn't massive, but it was enough to pose a serious threat, especially given the station's current state.

Cleo tapped her console, zooming in on the approaching ships.

"The pirate leaders must have called for reinforcements the moment they realized they couldn't hold the station. Judging by the speed of their approach, they've been on standby nearby."

She glanced at Rex, her expression unreadable.

"What's the plan?"

Rex smirked, his confidence unshaken despite the odds

. "We've already taken the station. That means we dictate the battlefield now."

He straightened, gesturing toward the hologram.

"We have the high ground, literally. If they want to take this station back, they're going to have to fight through us to do it."

"Your usual approach then,"

Cleo said with a faint hint of amusement as she pulled up the station's internal schematics.

"The defenders are too injured to provide much assistance, but we still have the Legion. We can hold." Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire

Rex nodded, his grin widening. "The Legion was built for situations like this. Let's see how long those bastards last against the full force of the 201st."

Meanwhile, inside the station, the administrator and his grandson stood among the wreckage of the cargo bay. The younger man was still processing what he had just witnessed, the sheer efficiency and power of the 201st units that had turned the tide of the battle.

The administrator leaned heavily on his rifle, his old body trembling slightly from exhaustion. But his eyes remained sharp as he watched the Aegis units patrol the area.

"I've never seen anything like it,"

he muttered.

"Whoever these people are, they just saved the station, and us along with it."

His grandson nodded silently, his gaze fixed on one of the heavily armored units as it passed by. The machine briefly turned its glowing optics toward them, scanning them for injuries before moving on without a word.

"Gramps,"

the younger man said hesitantly,

"do you think... do you think we can really trust them?"

The administrator was quiet for a moment, then let out a tired chuckle.

"Son, at this point, I don't care if they're angels, demons, or something in between. They're the reason we're still breathing. That's good enough for me."

The sound of distant alarms brought their conversation to an abrupt halt. The administrator's smile faded as he turned toward the source of the noise.

"Looks like it's not over yet."

From above, the white and gold vessel loomed, its presence a silent guardian as the Legion prepared for the next phase of the battle. The pirates reinforcements were closing in, but the defenders of the station weren't alone anymore.

"Rex, I don't see why you're letting the pirate transport vessels leave the station,"

Cleo said with her neutral voice carrying just the faintest edge of disbelief.

She stood at the command console, her golden eyes locked on the holographic display showing the pirate ships retreating toward their battle cruiser.

"There's no logic in this maneuver. We should've destroyed them already."

Rex stood near the reinforced glass viewport of the bridge, his arms crossed behind his back. His white and golden armor gleamed faintly in the ambient light of the command room. He watched the pirate fleet with a calm, almost lazy smile.

"Of course there's no logic,"

he replied, his tone light but purposeful. "

This isn't about logic. It's a gamble. And gambles don't follow logic, they follow instincts. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. That's how gambles work."

Cleo turned her head toward him, one eyebrow raised slightly.

"And what is this gamble of yours?"

she asked, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity now.

Rex smirked and turned halfway toward her, still keeping one eye on the hologram of the pirate flagship.

"I'm gambling on the greed of the pirates. You see, everything we do, everything you design, you paint it in white and gold."

He gestured to the ship around them with a sweep of his hand.

"These pirates are going to think our Aegis units, our ships, hell, even this station is made of real gold. And that's enough to bait them into coming back."

Cleo narrowed her eyes, processing his words.

"Why would they do something so reckless for something as cheap as gold? There are plenty of minerals far more valuable than gold. Pirates aren't that stupid."

Rex chuckled and shrugged, turning back to the viewport

. "Ah, but that's the thing. It's not about stupidity; it's about what the megacorps value. The corps decided long ago to use gold as the standard for their credit systems. They could've picked rarer minerals, but stockpiling those in vaults would've been a waste."

"Gold's shiny, pretty, and rare enough to be valuable without being impractical. And because the corps made it valuable, these pirates see it as treasure. Simple, really."

Cleo tilted her head slightly, considering his words.

"Mmm. That logic does make sense... barely. But I'll research the topic more thoroughly later.

"

She adjusted a few controls on her console, and a new set of holographic screens materialized around her. After a moment, her golden eyes gleamed as she scanned the displays.

"It seems your gamble has paid off. They're turning back."

Rex smirked, his eyes flashing with satisfaction as he turned fully toward the command console.

"So they took the bait, huh?

" He straightened, his tone sharpening.

"Cleo, send the Wraith squadrons to intercept their fighters. We'll give them a show they won't forget."

"

Understood,"

Cleo replied, her fingers moving swiftly across the console. "

Launching Wraith squadrons one to five now."

Moments later, the hangar bays of the main ship roared to life. The sleek, deadly Wraith fighters, began launching in waves. Each squadron consisted of five fighters, their engines glowing faintly as they soared into formation.

The pirate fleet surged forward, disorganized and undisciplined, their fighters flying haphazardly in clumps with no clear strategy. In contrast, the Wraith squadrons formed precise, deliberate formations, slicing through the void with calculated grace.

The lead squadron flew in an X-formation, their movements tight and synchronized. As they approached the disorganized pirate fighters, the five Wraiths split into three groups.

Two squads climbed upward in an arc, disappearing into the dark expanse of space, while two others dove low beneath the pirates. The lead squadron, however, remained on a direct course, tightening into a circular formation as they closed the distance.

The pirates hesitated, confused by the sudden, multi-directional maneuver. Their lack of coordination left them vulnerable, and the Wraith fighters wasted no time capitalizing on it.

The lead squadron was the first to strike. As soon as the pirates entered missile range, the five fighters fired their payloads in unison. A swarm of missiles streaked through the blackness, their trails glowing bright as they spiraled toward their targets.

Before the pirates could react, the Wraith fighters broke formation and peeled away, retreating at high speeds back toward the flagship.

The missiles hit their marks with devastating precision. Explosions lit up the void as entire clusters of pirate fighters were obliterated in the blink of an eye, their debris scattering like sparks in the wind.

The pirates barely had time to regroup before the second wave struck. The Wraith squadrons that had climbed above the pirate fleet swooped down from the darkness like predatory birds, firing streams of plasma rounds that tore through the disorganized ships.

At the same time, the squadrons below launched their counterattack, firing upward into the pirate ranks with ruthless efficiency.

Caught in a pincer maneuver, the pirate fighters disintegrated into chaos. One by one, their ships were torn apart, their uncoordinated movements no match for the Wraiths' precision.

Rex watched the holographic display with a satisfied grin, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Beautiful,"

he muttered.

"Absolutely beautiful."

Cleo stood beside him, her expression calm as always, though a faint glimmer of approval crossed her golden eyes. "

The Wraith squadrons are performing as expected. The pirates won't recover from this."

Rex nodded, leaning slightly closer to the display as the battle continued to unfold.

"Good. Let them feel the weight of their greed. We'll cripple their forces here and make sure the survivors remember one thing: white and gold means untouchable."

As the last of the pirate fighters exploded in a brilliant flash, the remaining pirate transport ships began retreating toward their battle cruiser in desperation. The Wraith squadrons regrouped, returning to the flagship in perfect formation, their job done.

Rex turned toward Cleo with a confident smirk

. "Call it a gamble if you want. But I'd say we just hit the jackpot."

Cleo's holographic displays shifted, showing the pirate battle cruiser hesitating in its position.

"Their cruiser is holding back. It seems they're weighing their options."

"They'll think twice before trying something like this again,"

"Now my dear wife, prepare the warp jump, were going to say hello to that ugly looking ship."