Intergalactic conquest with an AI

She hesitated briefly before continuing. "To maintain that level of power and keep fighting, you used up all your energy reserves, and I mean everything. Even the emergency backup energy I had stored to save you in case of a complete shutdown."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Rex chuckled weakly, the sound barely audible as his eyelids began to droop. "Hahaha... Sorry about that, honey," he said, his grin faint but genuine. "I guess I was too reckless this time."

Cleo's holographic form hovered above him, her golden eyes softening as she gazed down at him. "Yes, you were," she said quietly. "But that's nothing new, is it?"

Rex smiled faintly while his gaze shifted back to the sky. The distant hum of the carrier's engines filled the air, along with the faint sound of footsteps approaching from the far side of the deck.

"Master," came a calm and familiar voice, breaking the silence. "We have brought your body, as you asked us."

Rex tilted his head slightly, his silver eyes dimly reflecting the figures approaching him. His vision blurred slightly, but he could still make out the shapes of the twins, Nyra and Lyra, standing beside what appeared to be a pod-like structure.

"Mmm, good work, girls," Cleo said, her voice barely audible, strained with exhaustion. "You can leave it there... You two know what to do after we go to sleep."

"We understand, Master," the twins said in unison, their calm voices unwavering.

Rex let out a deep breath and smirked faintly. "So, are we ready to sleep?" he asked, glancing at the faintly glowing pod where Cleo frame rested.

"Almost," Cleo replied, her voice faltering. "There's still... something I... need to do before that..."

Rex tilted his head in curiosity but didn't press. He watched as Cleo entered her physical body, which slowly powered up and stepped out of its resting pod.

Her movements were unsteady, her golden robotic eyes flickering between brightness and dimness. She looked as though she were fighting every step, her legs wobbling beneath her like a newborn fawn.

"Is this really necessary, Cleo?" Rex asked, but his question was lighthearted. As he watched her stagger toward him, he couldn't suppress a small laugh. "Hahaha, you look like a baby deer. Here, let me help you."

Rex extended his enormous arm, his muscles faintly glowing with residual energy. He gently picked Cleo up, cradling her fragile body like a delicate doll, and placed her on his broad chest.

"Is this better?" Rex asked, smiling warmly as he covered her with one of his hands, his palm large enough to shield her entirely.

"Yes... it is..." Cleo replied softly, curling into a fetal position against his chest. Her voice was so faint it was almost a whisper. Her head rested against him, and for a moment, the flickering in her golden eyes slowed, replaced by calm.

"So..." Rex began, his voice carrying a trace of amusement. "Was it really necessary to sleep like this?"

There was no immediate answer.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine," Rex said after a pause. "I'll probably forget once I wake up anyway."

Contrary to his expectations, Cleo's small voice finally broke the silence. "It's just... I was afraid..."

Rex's brow furrowed slightly. "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of returning to the darkness again," Cleo admitted, her voice uncharacteristically sweet and soft, almost childlike. It was rare for her to show vulnerability, and her words carried a weight that even Rex hadn't anticipated.

Rex chuckled softly, his voice warm and soothing. "Well, this time you won't be going alone. I'll be with you." He gently patted her head with his massive finger, the gesture surprisingly tender for someone of his size.

"Rex," Cleo said, her lips curving into a faint smile. "That was... too corny."

"Haha, yeah, it was," Rex replied, grinning.

And with that, silence fell between them. Slowly, the faint glow of their energy dimmed until both of them shut down completely. Their bodies entered a deep vegetative sleep, akin to cryo-sleep, with all systems offline. They were perfectly still, but it wasn't death; it was a temporary state of preservation.

"Nyra," Lyra said, her voice soft as she looked at the now-dormant Rex and Cleo. "It's time."

Nyra nodded, reaching out to gently pat her twin's head. "I know. And stop pouting; I'm still older than you."

Lyra huffed and swatted Nyra's hand away. "I'm the oldest, and you know it!"

"Haha, sure, whatever you say," Nyra teased her with a playful smirk on her face. "But Dad always said I came out first!" She reached over and pinched Lyra's cheek lightly.

Lyra flinched, glaring at her sister. "Yeah, well, Dad also said I was named first, so technically, I'm older!" She struggled to free herself from Nyra's pinching attack.

"Haha! You're such a nerd. Look at you getting worked up over something so silly!" Nyra said, releasing her twin and laughing.

Lyra stuck her tongue out. "Hmph! Says the one who acts like a child!"

Nyra just grinned. "Okay, okay, let's stop fooling around. We've got work to do." She pulled a device from her backpack and placed it carefully near Rex's head.

"Here are the batteries," Lyra said, passing them to her sister.

"Thanks, cutie," Nyra replied teasingly, inserting the four batteries into the device.

The moment the device activated, a shimmering dome-like barrier formed around Rex and Cleo, its surface glowing faintly with golden light. The dome floated effortlessly into the air, lifting Rex's massive body and Cleo's smaller one inside it.

"Wow..." Lyra muttered, inspecting the dome curiously. "I didn't know this little thing could lift Rex's huge body so easily. How does it even work?"

Nyra shrugged, flexing her nonexistent muscles with a mock-serious expression. "Who knows? Don't ask me. You're the brains; I'm the muscle."

Lyra giggled, sticking out her tongue again. "Muscle? You? Nyra, we're twins. Your body is as petite as mine! Don't blame me if you came out dumb instead of strong!"

"W-What did you say, you little―!?" Nyra exclaimed, raising her fist in mock anger.

"Haha! Now you want to hit my precious head? Keep dreaming!" Lyra said, jumping back and dodging her sister's playful swipes.

"Stop running, you ugly little beast!" Nyra shouted, chasing her twin around the dome.

Lyra laughed. "We're twins, you idiot! We look the same!"

Their playful antics came to an abrupt halt when a soft but unfamiliar voice spoke nearby.

"Ho... this is fascinating."

The twins froze, their cheerful expressions replaced with deadly seriousness. In an instant, they disappeared in a flash of red mist, reappearing next to the source of the voice. Their swords were already drawn, the cold steel pressed firmly against the neck of the newcomer.

The figure froze, its face pale as he realized how close he was to death.

"Who are you?" Nyra said coldly, her voice low and threatening, "And what are you doing here?"

Lyra narrowed her eyes, her blade steady. "You have five seconds to explain yourself. If you don't, you won't live to see the sixth."

The stranger gulped, sweat dripping down their forehead. "Wait! I'm just here to―!"

"Four," Nyra said, cutting them off, her tone unrelenting.

The air grew tense as the barrier behind them pulsed faintly, protecting Rex and Cleo as they slept peacefully, oblivious to the new threat that had just arrived.

"Hold on, hold on! He means no harm!" Professor Oscar shouted, running onto the carrier's landing zone from one of the nearby doors.

The twins turned their heads sharply toward him, their crimson eyes glowing menacingly, their expressions cold and unrelenting. "Even if you're one of Lilla's subordinates," they said in perfect unison, their voices low and threatening, "we won't let anyone get near our masters."

Their blades pressed closer against the trembling man's neck, the slightest pressure drawing a thin line of red. The poor professor's face was pale, his eyes brimming with panic as he dared not move a muscle.

"You have no enemies here," Oscar said calmly, raising both hands to show he was unarmed. His silver hair fluttered faintly in the wind, and his tone remained steady despite the tense atmosphere. "Everyone on this carrier is under Sir Rex's command. No one here would dare harm him."

The twins didn't budge, their swords unwavering. "How do we know we can trust you?" they asked, their voices synchronized and icy. "It's clear to anyone who saw our master's state that now would be the perfect time to attack him. This is when he's most vulnerable."

Their crimson eyes scanned every shadow, every corner of the landing zone, ready to strike at the first sign of danger.

Oscar sighed, lowering his hands slightly but keeping his stance nonthreatening. "I know it's hard to trust someone you've never seen before," he said.

"But all I can offer is my word. The man you're threatening is not an enemy. He's just another professor, like me, a friend of mine who's dedicated his life to researching the lost history of humanity. He was so overwhelmed by excitement after watching Sir Rex's battle that he... well, he let his enthusiasm get the better of him."

Oscar turned his gaze to the man still trembling on his knees. "Frankly, my friend, you were too reckless this time."

The twins exchanged a glance, their glowing eyes meeting for a brief moment. After a tense pause, they both nodded silently.

"Fine," they said in unison, stepping back and lowering their swords.

The instant the pressure of the blades was gone, the professor let out a heavy sigh of relief, his body trembling as he collapsed onto his knees. "I thought I was going to die," he muttered, his voice shaky.