Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Harlix let out a slow breath as he poured himself a glass of an unknown, swirling purple liquid from a crystalline decanter. He swirled the glass idly, watching the liquid dance as he muttered, "This enemy... they think they can cripple Nexum Dynamics. Fools."

After several minutes, the communication console crackled to life. A deep, authoritative voice came through, accompanied by faint background static. "This is the captain of the Harbinger-Class Battlecruiser under Nexum Dynamics command. State your purpose."

The soldier manning the console straightened and spoke quickly, desperation leaking into his voice. "The Nexum Dynamics facilities on this planet are under attack by a powerful, unknown enemy! We are requesting air and land support immediately!"

The voice on the other end was calm but clearly strained. "We can provide limited assistance. We'll dispatch a few drop pods with ground troops and transport ships carrying tanks. However..." The captain paused, and the tension was palpable.

"However what?" the soldier demanded, his voice rising in panic.

"Air support is denied," the captain stated flatly.

"What?! Why not?!" the soldier shouted, his tone teetering on the edge of hysteria.

There was a pause, and when the captain spoke again, his voice was tinged with frustration and exhaustion.

"We're under attack ourselves. An unknown fleet has engaged us in orbit. Our fighters are already deployed defending the Harbinger and other vessels from enemy bombers. We cannot spare a single ship for air support. I suggest you prepare to hold the line on your own."

The room fell silent, the soldier gripping the edge of the console as the captain's words sunk in.

"Good luck down there," the captain added, his voice devoid of emotion. "Harbinger out."

The communication line went dead with a sharp click, leaving the soldiers and officers in the room dumbfounded.

One of the younger soldiers broke the silence. "They're under attack too? By who? What's even going on here?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Another soldier slammed his fist on the console, his frustration boiling over. "Damn it! This was supposed to be a corporate backwater! Who the hell is hitting us this hard?! First they jam our communications, then they take down the city guards, and now the military's useless!"

Harlix remained calm, though the faint twitch of his tentacles betrayed his rising irritation. "Enough," he said, his voice cutting through the rising panic like a blade. The soldiers fell silent immediately, their attention snapping back to him.

"We don't need to understand the who or why right now. All that matters is surviving this night," Harlix said while rising from his seat and placing his drink on the desk. He loomed over the room, his golden eyes gleaming with resolve.

"Send all remaining personnel to the defensive perimeters. Lock down the central facility and prepare the automated turbines. If the enemy thinks they can simply waltz into Nexum property, they are sorely mistaken."

"But sir..." one of the soldiers began hesitantly. "Without air support, we're sitting ducks. The drop pods and tanks might not even make it to us in time."

Harlix's tentacles twitched as he glared at the soldier. "Then we buy time," he said coldly. "This is not up for debate. Either fight, or be swept aside like the worthless vermin you are."

The soldiers stiffened, saluting with shaky hands. "Yes, sir!" they shouted in unison.

As they scrambled to carry out his orders, Harlix leaned back in his chair, folding his tentacles across his chest. He gazed at the holographic map of the facility, where red markers indicating enemy movements were rapidly spreading.

"Unknown fleet... unknown invaders..." he muttered to himself, his voice low and venomous. "Whoever you are, you've made a grave mistake challenging Nexum Dynamics. You'll regret this before the night is through."

But even as he said the words, a flicker of doubt crept into his mind. For all his confidence, Harlix couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in his gut that this wasn't a fight they could win.

Several minutes before the invasion of Nexum Dynamics facilities on the planet Nakor, the allied fleet that had been stationed in orbit was already gone. The fleet, comprised of a coalition of corporations and military factions, had departed in haste after receiving critical intelligence from their scouts.

Reports confirmed that one of the Hive Minds, those nightmarish biological swarms that controlled entire sectors of space, had temporarily vacated the neighboring sector. It was the opportunity they had been waiting for, a slim window to invade the planet Hnarix that was now a Hive Mind stronghold.

Fighting two Hive Mind swarms was tantamount to suicide, but against a single swarm, the odds were slightly less grim. And so, the allied fleet made the jump without hesitation, leaving behind only a symbolic defense force to protect Nakor.

That force consisted of a few frigates, a handful of destroyers, and a single Harbinger-Class Battlecruiser, the crown jewel of the remaining defense fleet. It was a paltry force meant to deter pirates and smaller opportunistic organizations, not a serious threat to any determined invader. Your next journey awaits at empire

On the bridge of the Harbinger, Captain Orlan Valis leaned back in his chair, enjoying the serene view of Nakor's surface below. The dark blue oceans and shimmering cities created a calming backdrop, and for once, the captain felt a rare moment of peace.

"Sir, do you think the allied fleet will manage to take Hnarix this time?" one of the junior officers asked, his tone curious but tinged with the faintest edge of doubt.

Orlan chuckled, swirling the glass of dark amber liquid in his hand. "Hard to say. Fighting Hive Minds is always a gamble. One minute you think you're winning, and the next..." He snapped his fingers. "...you're overwhelmed. At least this time, we're lucky enough to avoid participating in that mess."

The bridge crew laughed nervously, clearly relieved that they hadn't been called to join the assault.

But the moment of peace didn't last long.

"Sir! Multiple wormholes detected near our position!" The radar officer's voice cut through the laughter like a blade.

Orlan turned his head lazily, his expression calm. "Wormholes, you say? Hah. It's probably just traders or a convoy with mercenaries. Happens all the time around these parts," he said dismissively, taking another sip of his drink and gazing back at the planet.

"Sir," the radar officer pressed, his tone more urgent, "the energy signatures coming from the wormholes are consistent with large vessels. These aren't small ships."

The captain froze mid-sip. His instincts, honed from years of combat and countless near-death encounters, flared to life. He could feel it, danger was coming. He immediately set his glass down, his relaxed demeanor replaced by sharp, calculated focus.

"All hands to battle stations!" Orlan shputed, rising from his chair. "Activate shields to maximum and relay orders to all ships in the defense fleet. Tell them to arm weapons and prepare for engagement!"

The bridge erupted into motion as officers scrambled to execute his commands. Lights dimmed, and the alert sirens began to wail. The captain stood at the center of the chaos, his sharp eyes fixed on the holographic display of the wormholes projected above the main console.

One by one, the wormholes began to disgorge ships, hulky, angular vessels with a design that was wholly unfamiliar. The first to emerge were four destroyers, their hulls black with sharp, jagged edges that gave them a predatory appearance.

Following them was an enormous carrier, its size dwarfing anything in the remaining defense fleet.

The ships bore no markings or insignias recognizable to the captain or his crew. Their credentials didn't match anything in the database, and the flag they flew. a black banner emblazoned with a single winged figure, was utterly alien.

"Unidentified vessels," the comms officer reported. "No records of their design or flag in any known database."

Orlan's jaw tightened. He had seen a lot in his career, but this? This was new. And new, in his experience, was rarely good.

"Open a channel," Orlan commanded, his voice steady but firm.

"Channel open, sir," the comms officer replied, his hands moving deftly over the controls.

"This is Captain Orlan Valis of the Nexum Dynamics Battlecruiser Harbinger. You are entering Nexum-controlled space without clearance. Identify yourselves immediately, or we will consider your presence an act of hostility."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The bridge fell silent as they waited for a response. Seconds ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity. Finally, the comms console crackled to life, but what came through wasn't a response, it was a sound.

A low, guttural hum echoed through the speakers, a noise that sent chills down the spines of everyone on the bridge. It was almost like a growl, deep and predatory.

"Sir... no verbal response. Just... this," the comms officer said nervously, his hands trembling slightly as he adjusted the controls.

The hum grew louder, more intense, until it became a deafening roar that forced several crew members to cover their ears. And then, just as suddenly as it started, the sound cut off, leaving only a cold silence.

Orlan clenched his fists. "They're toying with us," he muttered, his voice low and grim.

"Sir! The unidentified vessels are locking weapons on us!" the radar officer shouted.

"Shields to full power! All ships, prepare to engage!" Orlan shouted, his voice carrying the weight of a seasoned commander who had faced death more times than he cared to count.

On the holographic display, the enemy ships began to fan out, their movements precise and methodical. The destroyers formed a protective perimeter around the carrier, while smaller ships, sleek, dart-like vessels began to pour out from the carrier's hangars.

"Enemy fighters inbound!" the tactical officer reported.

Orlan's mind raced as he calculated their odds. The destroyers and frigates in his fleet were no match for these alien ships, and the Harbinger could only hold its own for so long against an assault of this magnitude.

"Focus fire on their carrier!" Orlan commanded. "If we take out their flagship, the rest of their fleet might scatter!"

The Harbinger's main cannons roared to life, hurling massive plasma bolts toward the enemy carrier. The destroyers and frigates followed suit, unleashing their full arsenal in a desperate bid to cripple the invaders.