Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Gustav forced himself onto his hands and knees, his golden fur now matted with dirt and debris. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.

The scene around him was chaos incarnate. The once organized rows of conscripted workers had been obliterated, replaced by craters, scattered limbs, and panicked survivors running in every direction.

The drop pod that had caused the destruction hissed as its doors began to open, releasing a cloud of steam and smoke. Through the fog, Gustav could make out the silhouettes of figures stepping out.

They moved with precision, their black-and-red armor gleaming ominously under the facility's flickering lights.

These weren't regular soldiers. They were Aegis units.

"Oh no..." Gustav whispered hoarsely, his voice trembling as fear clawed its way into his chest. He had heard stories of these monsters, unstoppable killing machines that could tear through entire battalions with ease. And now they were here, right in front of him.

One of the Aegis units raised their weapon, a sleek plasma rifle that hummed with deadly energy, and once it was ready, it fired into the scattered workers. Screams erupted as beams of crimson light tore through the untrained defenders, leaving behind only smoldering corpses.

Gustav dove instinctively, his heart pounding as he scrambled for cover behind a collapsed piece of machinery. His mind raced, his usual humor now replaced with sheer survival instinct.

What do I do? What do I do?!

"R-Retreat!" someone shouted from nearby, their voice cracking with panic. "Fall back to the second line of defense!"

Gustav peeked out from his hiding spot, his eyes widening as he saw more drop pods descending from the sky. Each one landed with earth-shaking force, unleashing waves of Aegis units that moved with terrifying efficiency.

The defenders meager resistance crumbled almost instantly, their desperate attempts to fight back proving futile against the overwhelming firepower and skill of their attackers.

"This isn't a fight," Gustav muttered to himself, his hands trembling as he clutched his head. "This is a massacre."

The roar of engines drew his attention upward, and he spotted a squadron of Nexum Dynamics security drones swooping down to engage the invaders. The drones opened fire, their laser cannons lighting up the battlefield.

But the Aegis units were ready. Several of them activated shimmering golden shields, deflecting the incoming fire with ease, while others returned fire with pinpoint accuracy, taking down the drones one by one.

Gustav's breathing quickened as he watched the slaughter unfold. Around him, workers and low-ranking officers alike were either cut down where they stood or fleeing in blind panic. The once-imposing facility was rapidly falling into enemy hands.

A shadow loomed over him, and Gustav frozen. Slowly, he turned his head to see one of the Aegis soldiers standing just a few meters away, their crimson eyes glowing behind their helmet. The soldiers tilted their heads slightly, as if assessing whether Gustav was worth the effort of killing.

Gustav's instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move. His body was paralyzed with fear as the Aegis unit raised its plasma rifle; the barrel pointed directly at his chest.

Time seemed to slow. Gustav closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But the shot never came.

Instead, he heard a voice, calm, commanding, and strangely... feminine. "Hold your fire."

Gustav's eyes snapped open. Standing just behind the Aegis unit was another figure, her silver hair flowing like liquid metal as she strode forward. Her crimson eyes locked onto Gustav, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

"Leave this one alive," Nyra said casually, her tone almost playful. "He's got such a nice mane. Wouldn't want to ruin it."

Gustav blinked, his heart still pounding as he stared at the enigmatic figure before him. For a moment, he wasn't sure if he had been spared or marked for something far worse.

"So, what do we do with him, sis?" Discover more stories at empire

A second silver-haired figure emerged from the shadows, her crimson eyes glowing faintly as she stepped forward. She was identical to the first, her presence just as unnerving.

The first girl tilted her head slightly, her smirk widening. "Well, this area is already under our control," she said, glancing around at the chaos they had left behind. "Let's use him as our messenger."

Gustav, still trembling from the encounter, flinched as the first girl crouched down next to him, her unnervingly beautiful yet terrifying face only inches away.

"So, little lion," she began, her voice sweet yet dripping with mockery, "let's make a deal. You take this device." She pressed a small, sleek communicator against his chest, "and deliver it to whoever's in charge of this place. That's all you have to do. In exchange..."

She leaned closer, her crimson eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement as her lips curled into a devilish smile. "Your reward will be... you get to keep your life. Aren't I merciful?"

Gustav's heart pounded as he stared into her eyes, feeling as though she could see straight into his soul. Her tone was mocking, yet there was no mistaking the deadly seriousness behind her words.

With a soft chuckle, she stood up, brushing off her pristine uniform as if she hadn't just threatened to kill him. "Well then, sis," she said, turning to her twin, "let's move on to the next zone. We need to hurry before the sun comes up. You know how easily we tan, and I don't want my perfect skin ruined."

The other twin sighed dramatically, brushing her silvery hair over her shoulder. "I know, but don't worry. At this rate, we'll have this wrapped up in just a few hours. They're crumbling like wet paper."

The two exchanged a knowing glance before turning on their heels and walking away, their conversation already shifting to casual banter as if the carnage around them were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Gustav remained frozen in place, his claws digging into the dirt as he watched the silver-haired devils disappear into the distance. Only when they were completely gone did he dare to move.

He gasped for air, coughing as his lungs burned with the effort. "Cough, cough! So those are the ones responsible for this massacre." His hands clenched into fists, his golden fur bristling with rage. "What do they think our lives are?! NOTHING?! FUUUUUCK!"

His voice rose to a feral roar, echoing through the night as his pent-up fury burst forth. A deep, primal indignation burned in his chest, and he felt something inside him stir, something that had been dormant for far too long.

For the first time, Gustav felt a strange sense of pride ignite within him. Despite his fear, despite the humiliation he had endured under the gaze of those silver-haired devils, he couldn't let it end here.

Gritting his teeth, he rose to his feet, his legs trembling but steady. He gripped the device they had placed on his chest, his claws leaving faint scratches on its sleek surface.

"They think I'm just going to roll over and follow their orders," he muttered to himself, his sharp teeth bared in a snarl. His golden mane shimmered faintly in the dim light as he squared his shoulders.

But as much as he wanted to fight back right now, he knew it wasn't the time. He needed to bide his time, gather his strength, and most importantly, he needed to survive.

Gustav glanced at the device in his hand, his expression hardening. "Fine," he growled. "I'll do what they asked. But this isn't over... not by a long shot."

With renewed determination, Gustav began walking toward the central command tower of the Nexum Dynamics facility. The air was still thick with smoke and the distant sound of battle, but he didn't falter.

The lion's pride had been wounded, but it wasn't broken. Something inside him had awakened, and if those silver-haired devils thought they could extinguish it, they were gravely mistaken.

This wasn't the end. For Gustav, it was just the beginning.

"Sir! We can't contact the city guards or the military defense forces!" shouted one of the Nexum Dynamics soldiers, his voice trembling as he furiously tapped at the console. He tried once more to establish a connection, but the static that buzzed through the speakers was the only response he got.

The person in charge of the facility was a rank 3 humanoid octopus known only as Overseer Harlix, leaned back in his chair, his tentacles coiling and uncoiling as his glowing yellow eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

Harlix was no ordinary corporate officer, he was ruthless, cunning, and known for his unwavering loyalty to the Nexum Dynamics Viceroy he served. A rank 3 officer was nothing to scoff at, and Harlix wore his authority like a second skin.

"Mmm, I see," he mused, his voice smooth and cold, the tentacles on his face twitching as he spoke. "There could be only two reasons for this..."

"Sir, what do you mean?" one of the soldiers asked nervously, his curiosity momentarily overriding his fear.

Harlix's golden eyes swiveled toward the soldier, making the man shift uncomfortably. "Either our communications are being jammed by this unknown enemy..." Harlix paused, his tentacles curling as he considered the implications.

"And... and the other reason, sir?" the soldier pressed, though his voice was barely more than a whisper.

Harlix's tentacles flared slightly, his expression darkening. "The other reason," he said slowly, "is that the city guards and military defense forces have betrayed us." His voice was sharp now, cold and cutting.

The soldiers in the room exchanged uneasy glances. The idea of betrayal sent a ripple of dread through them, and the tension in the air thickened.

"It doesn't matter which one it is," Harlix continued, his tone unshaken. "Right now, we need reinforcements. Contact the allied forces orbiting the planet. If the ground forces can't help us, then we'll call in the big guns."

"Understood, sir!" one of the soldiers said, saluting before rushing off to relay the order.