Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Well," Oscar said, rubbing his forehead, "they scammed me. Stole the EMP weapon right out from under my nose. No protection, no deal, just me left standing there with a dumb look on my face."

The room went silent for a moment before the elder broke out in a hearty laugh. "Hiohiohio! You got outwitted by a bunch of criminals! Well, that’s a story for the grandkids, eh?"

Oscar groaned, shaking his head. "Believe me, I’m still kicking myself over it."

"But that’s not the whole story," he continued, his tone shifting. "After that mess, I was at my lowest point. But then, by sheer luck or fate, I ran into Rex. And it turns out, Rex was a being unlike anything I’d ever seen." He glanced at Ys, who was listening intently. "An angel from the ancient age, the last protectors of the human race."

Lilly, who had been quietly sitting on Oscar’s lap, suddenly perked up. Her eyes sparkled with wonder, as if someone had just lit a fire in her imagination. "A real angel?" she whispered, hanging onto Oscar’s every word.

Oscar smiled warmly, his voice softening. "Yes, Lilly. A real angel, just like the ones from the old human legends. Strong, noble, and sworn to protect us in our darkest hour."

Lilly’s eyes shone with pure awe as she gazed up at him. "I knew it," she whispered. "I knew the angels would come back for us."

The rest of the room had fallen into a stunned silence. The mention of angelic beings thought to be lost to history had a way of captivating even the most hardened souls in the camp.

Oscar leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering to a near whisper, though everyone in the room was hanging on his every word. "I’ve seen things on this journey that would shake you to your core. And this... this angel, this protector, is something beyond our understanding. But if there’s any hope for us, it’s with Rex at our side."

The elder, who had been quietly sipping his coffee, let out a soft chuckle and leaned back in his chair. "Hohoho, it seems we’ve got ourselves a proper legend brewing here. Maybe we’ll all end up in the history books one day."

"Or at least a campfire story," one of the other leaders quipped, lightening the mood.

The tension that had gripped the room since Ys’s arrival had all but dissolved, replaced by a strange but comforting sense of hope. Even the lingering doubt in some of the humans’ eyes was slowly being replaced by cautious optimism.

"Well, then," the elder said with a wink, "another cookie, anyone? Hohoho!"

Ys suddenly remembered her purpose here and leaned forward, her expression shifting to a look of wide-eyed innocence that could almost be called... cute. "By the way, Elder, do you guys have a plan for what to do next?" she asked, batting her eyes.

The Elder chuckled, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Well, our original plan was to rebuild here, but we still have to vote on whether we stay or leave."

"But Elder," Ys interjected, setting her cup down and fixing him with a serious gaze, "there are major problems with both options. If you stay here, it’s only a matter of time before someone else stumbles upon you, just like the Black Horizon did. And if you leave... well, where would you even go?"

She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. "Do you have a safe place where you could relocate? And keep in mind, the journey itself would be dangerous... bandits, slavers, and the beasts that roam this planet’s wilderness." With that, she took a long, thoughtful sip of her coffee, savoring the taste as if it were the last thing she’d be drinking all week.

Her words were blunt, but they were the bitter truth. The camp leaders exchanged uneasy glances, realizing the truth in her assessment. Sensing that she had their attention right where she wanted it, she took another sip before delivering her final offer.

"As you may have noticed, Rex and I are quite capable. And we’re not alone; we’ve got an elite team and several ships at our disposal. So how about this: why don’t you all come with us? We’ll take you somewhere safe."

The table erupted in a murmur of voices as the leaders turned to each other, discussing the proposal with varying levels of enthusiasm and doubt. Finally, one of them cleared his throat and looked directly at Ys.

"Excuse me, young lady," he began cautiously, "when you say you have a’safe place’... what do you mean, exactly? Is it some kind of protected zone within the city?"

Ys, who was just getting her third coffee refill, held up a finger, signaling him to wait. She took a delicate sip from her freshly poured cup, savoring it like a connoisseur. Then, with a satisfied sigh, she answered, "Well, my darling Rex and his holographic assistant are currently building an underground city. A place designed for...

smugglers and, um, some less-than-legal characters, shall we say?"

The leader’s eyes went wide. "Wait, smugglers and mafias? You’re proposing we relocate to a criminal nest?"

"Isn’t that even more dangerous than here?" Another leader blurted out, looking around in alarm.

Before Ys could respond, Professor Oscar slammed his fist down on the table. "Enough! At least let her finish before interrupting!"

Ys, however, was hardly annoyed by the interruption. In fact, she was too busy enjoying the coffee to care. The effects of caffeine seemed to hit her differently than they did humans since, rather than energizing her, it had left her calm, almost serene, as though she were lounging in a meadow somewhere.

She took another sip, her wings fluttering lazily behind her. "Yes, it is technically a hub for ’lowlifes,’" she admitted, a faint smile playing on her lips. "But that’s precisely what makes it the safest place on this planet. Criminals have a knack for staying hidden and out of sight from the authorities.

And believe me, they’ll go to great lengths to keep this place secret from both the military and planetary guards."

She gestured out the window, where two tall, imposing Aegis units could be seen patrolling the camp’s perimeter. "See those white soldiers out there? They’re just a taste of the security we have in the underground city. Plus, there are drones and, let’s just say, certain creatures that discourage any funny business. Break the rules down there, and, well, you might just end up as something’s dinner."

The elder raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Hohoho! So, young lady, if we decide to follow you... how exactly do you plan on getting us out of here?"

Ys gave him a sly smile, her eyes sparkling with confidence. "Leave the logistics to us. We have enough ships to get you all safely to the underground city. We’ll handle the journey, the dangers along the way, and even throw in a few... scenic detours if you’d like." She winked playfully, then took another leisurely sip of her coffee, completely at ease.

The camp leaders exchanged looks, the last of their doubts beginning to fade. The promise of safety and maybe even a little adventure was starting to sound better than the bleak, uncertain future they faced if they stayed.

The elder chuckled, clapping his hands together. "Well, it looks like we’ve got ourselves an interesting proposition. How about we take a vote, gentleman? And Ys... pour yourself another coffee. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night."

The voting was dragging on, and Y had lost interest ages ago. She let out a stifled yawn, her eyes half-closed, barely listening to the endless back and forth. Just as she was on the verge of nodding off completely, a familiar voice crackled through the communicator on her neck.

"Ys, how did the conversation go? I’m above the camp now," Rex’s voice came through, sounding slightly amused.

Her face lit up, and she spoke in a dreamy, slightly slurred voice. "Darrrrliiiing… I missed you so much," she giggled, a little too happily.

"Erm… Ys? Are you okay? Why do you sound... weird?"

"Whaaat do you mean? I’m thinking normally, you know?" She replied, her words stretching and slurring like she’d been sipping on something a little stronger than coffee.

"Did you... smoke something you shouldn’t have?" Rex asked, sounding more concerned.

"Mmmm? Zzzzzz..." she mumbled before drifting off mid-sentence, the communicator going silent.

"Ys? Ys! Did you just fall asleep?" Rex sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could practically picture her curled up at the table, snoozing with a half-finished cup of coffee in hand.

Not wasting any more time, he brought the Black Horizon transport ship down to the outskirts of the human encampment. The moment he touched down, six Aegis units marched into formation around him, their white armor gleaming under Cleo’s control. She had ordered them to protect him, knowing he was running dangerously low on energy.

As Rex approached the town hall, a group of young guards stepped forward, aiming their weapons at him with shaky hands. "Stop! Identify yourself!" one of them demanded, voice wavering.

Before Rex could respond, all six Aegis units around him raised their plasma rifles, the weapons humming ominously as they powered up. The young guards’ eyes went wide as the Aegis Units shifted into a protective stance, forming a tight circle around Rex and activating their combined energy shields. The glowing barrier expanded, covering Rex, who towered over his robotic escorts.

"Hold your fire! Stand down," Rex commanded calmly, his voice cutting through the tension. At his order, the Aegis Sentinels powered down their weapons and resumed their patrol routes as if nothing had happened, though the ones directly guarding him maintained their vigilant circle, rifles at the ready.

With the situation under control, Rex stepped forward, his Aegis guards following in perfect sync, still keeping their shields raised to cover him. "Apologies," he said, addressing the stunned guards. "They’re just following orders from my wife to protect me."

One of the young guards swallowed hard, glancing nervously at the towering Aegis Units before finding the courage to speak. "W-who are you, sir?"

"Mmm? me? Im......."