Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Oscar walked over and helped him to his feet, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "My friend, come this way," Oscar said with a faint smile. "You were far too reckless this time."

The professor nodded, still pale and shaken, as he allowed Oscar to guide him away from the glowing dome where Rex and Cleo rested. He cast one last glance at the shimmering barrier, his curiosity still evident in his eyes, though the fear of another encounter with the twins kept him silent.

As the two professors retreated a safe distance, the twins continued to stand guard near the dome, their crimson eyes scanning the area for any further threats.

"That fool was lucky," Nyra muttered, resting her sword on her shoulder.

Lyra nodded, her own blade still in hand. "If he'd made even one wrong move..."

Nyra smirked faintly. "Well, it's a good thing he didn't."

Both sisters returned to their watchful stance, standing silently by the dome as the carrier's engines hummed softly in the background. The supernova's residual heat still lingered in the air, casting a faint haze over the scene.

Inside the dome, Rex and Cleo slept peacefully, oblivious to the brief moment of danger that had just passed. The twins, however, remained vigilant. They would allow no harm to come to their masters.

Meanwhile, on the command bridge, the tension among the officers was palpable. Everyone had watched the exchange between the twins and the professor through the ship's surveillance feed, and the bridge crew was abuzz with outrage.

"Saintess! What those two creatures did is unacceptable!" one officer shouted, slamming his fist on the console. "We should arrest them immediately!"

"I'm with him, Saintess!" another officer chimed in. "They're treating this ship like it's theirs! We can't let them do as they please on one of humanity's vessels!"

The complaints kept coming, one after another, each voice rising louder than the last. The bridge crew was indignant, their frustration mounting at what they perceived as an insult to their authority.

But Lilla, seated calmly in her command chair, remained utterly unfazed. Her expression was neutral, her golden eyes scanning the situation on the monitors with quiet precision.

Just as she was about to speak, one of the officers monitoring the sensors shouted, "Saintess! A large ship is exiting a wormhole directly above us!"

Lilla's eyes narrowed slightly. "Identification?" she asked, her voice calm but commanding.

The officer quickly typed into his console, his face turning pale as the results came in. "According to the database... the ID matches that of the Cleopatra."

The entire bridge fell silent.

"The Cleopatra?" Lilla repeated, her tone neutral, but the subtle shift in her expression betrayed her interest.

The officer quickly pulled the image onto the main screen. The entire bridge gasped as the massive vessel came into view.

From above the planet's cloud cover, the Cleopatra descended gracefully. Its sleek, elegant design shimmered under the light of the nearby sun, its hull adorned with intricate golden patterns that marked it as a vessel of immense prestige.

The ship dwarfed the human destroyers in both size and beauty, its presence alone radiating authority. Even those with only a rudimentary understanding of space warfare could tell that the Cleopatra was far superior to any vessel present in the fleet.

"It seems," Lilla began, her voice calm but carrying an edge of mockery, "that the ship has come for the very same twins you were all so eager to throw in jail."

Her words cut through the silence like a blade, and several officers shifted uncomfortably in their seats. No one dared to argue.

As the Cleopatra settled into position next to the human flagship, one of the officers spoke up, his voice trembling slightly. "Saintess, a transport ship has just launched from the Cleopatra. They're requesting permission to land on the carrier."

"Permission granted," Lilla said, standing from her command seat. Her brother and her personal female guard flanked her immediately as she made her way toward the exit. "They're likely here for our guests. I'll meet them myself."

A few minutes later, the transport ship touched down on the carrier's landing zone. Its sleek design mirrored that of the Cleopatra, every inch of it gleaming with the same golden elegance. The cargo doors hissed open, and from within, a formation of Aegis Royal Guards marched out with military precision.

The guards, clad in dazzling white and golden armor that shone like polished mirrors, moved with an air of authority. Their steps were synchronized, their presence commanding respect. They carried long energy pikes and sidearms; their very existence is a testament to the Cleopatra's superiority.

Without hesitation, they formed a protective circle around the energy dome where Rex and Cleo lay sleeping. Their movements were calculated and deliberate, each one standing at the ready to defend their precious cargo.

Nearby, Lilla, her guard, and her brother stopped a short distance from the twins. Lilla gray eyes locked onto them, her expression unreadable as the situation unfolded.

Lyra glanced at Nyra, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Nyra, what should we do?" she whispered.

Nyra raised a hand, silencing her twin. "Stay here. I'll go see what she wants."

Nyra stepped forward, her movements measured and deliberate as she approached Lilla. The air between them was heavy with tension, both sides radiating authority.

When she was a few paces away, Nyra stopped, her crimson eyes meeting Lilla's gray gaze. Neither spoke at first; the silence between them was filled with unspoken challenges.

Finally, Nyra broke the silence. "What do you want, "Saintess"?" she asked, her voice calm but firm.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Lilla tilted her head slightly, her expression still neutral. "I want to ensure that your masters are safe and secure," she said. "And to understand the reason for the Cleopatra's sudden arrival."

Nyra's lips curled into a faint smirk. "The Cleopatra arrived because of us, of course. It's here to protect Rex and Cleo. Surely, that much is obvious."

Lili raised an eyebrow. "And yet, it's clear the Cleopatra's forces don't fully trust us."

Nyra's smirk grew wider. "Can you blame them? Your officers were practically foaming at the mouth to arrest us just minutes ago."

Lilla let out a quiet sigh, her expression softening just slightly. "Fair enough," she admitted. "But understand this; we're all on the same side. We've fought together and bled together. Any hostility between us will only weaken the alliances we've worked so hard to build."

Nyra studied Lilla for a moment, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly before she nodded. "Fine. As long as no one tries anything stupid, we won't have a problem."

"Good," Lilla replied, her tone firm.

Nyra turned to glance back at her sister and the Aegis guards. "But let me be clear," she added, her voice lowering to a dangerous tone. "If anyone so much as breathes wrong in Rex's direction, you'll have more than just us to deal with."

Lilla nodded, unbothered by the warning. "Understood."

After the brief exchange with Lilla, Nyra returned to her sister, her expression calm but serious. "Let's get this over with. Start the transportation of Rex and Cleo," she said firmly.

Lyra nodded, her demeanor more subdued as she gestured toward the floating dome. The Aegis Royal Guards immediately went to work, maintaining their protective formation around Rex and Cleo's sleeping forms as the transportation process began.

Meanwhile, Lilla stood quietly a short distance away, her hands clasped behind her back and her eyes closed. Her brother stepped closer, his brow furrowed with concern. "Sister," he began hesitantly, "do you really think it's wise to let them act so... arrogant?"

Lilla let out a small, amused giggle. "My silly brother," she replied, her tone light but laced with subtle authority. "Do you honestly think anyone here could stand against them?"

She opened her gray eyes, which, while blind to the physical world, saw something far deeper. Lilla's unique vision allowed her to perceive the true essence of living beings, their power, their aura, their very nature.

Most humans appeared faint and dim to her, their auras barely visible. A Tier 1 human might be a faint glow, while a being as powerful as Rex or the Tier 4 beast she had witnessed earlier blazed like small stars in her sight.

And the twins...

The twins shone brighter than any human soldier she had ever seen. Their combined presence was like two blazing flames, each one pulsing with the unmistakable energy of a Tier 2 being. Whether they were mid-level or even peak Tier 2, it was clear they were far beyond the capabilities of any normal soldier.

But what truly intrigued her was the silhouette of pure white light that seemed to flicker within their auras, something more profound, more pure than she had ever seen. What was even stranger was the thread of light that connected this white silhouette to Rex's own radiant star-like aura.

"I see things differently than you do, brother," Lilla continued, her voice softer now. "And what I see tells me this: picking a fight with them would be suicide. Besides..." She closed her eyes again, her tone returning to its usual composed neutrality.

"We don't have the firepower to take down the Cleopatra. Even if we did, remember, it was our side that showed hostility first."

Her brother hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with her reasoning, but he said nothing.

"Now then," Lilla added, turning toward the doors of the command deck. "Let's head inside. It's starting to get cold out here."

As the transport ship carrying Rex and Cleo departed from the cruiser's landing zone, Lilla and her entourage made their way back into the warmth of the flagship. The tension from the earlier confrontation was fading, but the ripple effects of the encounter would linger.

Meanwhile, far away, in a sprawling Nexum megacity illuminated by the soft glow of countless neon lights, the Ceo of Nexum Dynamic stood near a massive glass wall in his private office. The cityscape stretched out before him, a breathtaking view of towering skyscrapers and shimmering lights against the backdrop of the night.