Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Hehe, I was right behind you the whole time after you left the ship!" she said, smiling cutely as she hugged Rex tighter.

"What? But I didn’t see you at all."

"Oh, that? I can turn invisible! It’s not perfect, but it’s enough to hide from the naked eye, and even some sensors!" She said with a proud little smirk.

"Ha, that’s seriously impressive. But, why were you following me?" Rex asked, playfully ruffling Ys’s hair.

"Hehe, because I’m your partner! Where else would I be?"

"Ahem—" Carlos cleared his throat loudly, making them both look up. "Rex, who’s this little girl hanging onto you?"

Before Rex could answer, Ys jumped in front of Carlos’s healing tank.

"Little girl!? You’re the little girl! Your whole family’s little girls! How dare you!" she said, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down, little one. You should show some respect to your elders! How old are you anyway?"

"I’m 345 imperial years old!" she declared, proudly putting her hands on her hips.

Carlos blinked, speechless for a moment. "Rex, were you seriously walking around with this... old grandma?" he said, shaking his head.

That was it. A vein practically popped on Ys’s forehead. She was ready to punch the glass of Carlos’s healing tank.

Rex panicked and quickly scooped her up like a kitten. "Hey, hey! Easy there, Ys! Don’t break the tank! Those things cost a fortune! And besides, we don’t fight with bald guys; it’s bad for our reputation," he joked, trying to calm her down.

Ys froze in surprise, her face blank. She had never been picked up like that before, and it left her momentarily stunned. Rex turned to Carlos.

"Carlos, maybe it’s not the best idea to insult the princess of the Khryssari, especially when she’s the one who saved your life," he said, nodding toward the little girl in his arms.

Carlos looked from Rex to Ys and back to Rex. Rex just gave him a knowing look.

"Right... well, fill me in. What happened while I was out?"

Rex sat down on the floor, still holding Ys, who now sat between his legs, somewhat reluctantly but quietly. He began to explain everything that had happened in the bug cave, including Ys’s part in it all.

"Wow... So that’s how it went down," Carlos said, letting out a long sigh. "And what about the Thunderblades? Are you going to deal with them?"

Rex nodded, still absentmindedly patting Ys on the head. "Yeah. I’m going to ask for an explanation and get paid. If they refuse, we’ll have to get... persuasive. Plus, we need the credits for your arms."

"My arms?" Carlos looked down at the stumps where his arms used to be. "I don’t have any arms, in case you missed that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ve been talking with Cleo, and we’ve decided to get you a pair of cybernetic arms. So... do you have any preferences for what kind of weapons you want installed?"

Carlos fell silent, his mind drifting back to the bug cave. He remembered the chaos, the screams, and the way his team was torn apart while he could do nothing. His own arms were gone, leaving him defenseless, surrounded, and powerless to help the others. The memories weighed heavy on him.

After a few minutes, he spoke up. "I want shield generators. Forget firepower; I want to be able to protect those around me. I couldn’t before... but I can now." His voice was steady, but Rex could see the fierce determination burning in his eyes.

Rex smiled. "Heh, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. Consider it done. Once I get the credits from Talon, I’ll have Cleo place the order with the smugglers." He stood up, still carrying Ys on his arm like a kid.

"Alright, Carlos. I’ll take care of the credit situation. You just focus on getting better." Rex then glanced over at Emilia, who had been quietly standing by. "Emilia, Carlos is in your hands now. But make sure you get some rest yourself, alright? You look like you haven’t eaten or slept in days."

"Yes, Lord Rex," Emilia said softly, giving him a small bow.

Rex nodded, then left the private medical room, striding toward the exit of the medical bay. He noticed more stares this time, not just because he was ridiculously tall but because he was carrying a girl who, despite her small size, was undeniably beautiful.

But Rex didn’t pay any mind to the looks he was getting since he was in a hurry. Once he stepped out of the medical bay, attention on him multiplied. People stared at him with a mix of envy and admiration, but Rex simply ignored them, focusing on the task ahead. He needed to get to the Thunderblades HQ and deal with the payment.

Finally outside, he headed straight for the ship.

"Cleo, I need to head to the Thunderblades’ HQ," Rex called out, "but, well, you know, being 2.5 meters tall doesn’t exactly make it easy to blend in. Got any ideas?"

Cleo popped up suddenly, as if out of nowhere. "Unfortunately, no. Once your body adapts to nanomaterials, there’s no shrinking back. But while you were recovering in the recharging bay for those four days, I did manage to assemble some Aegis Sentinels."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Aegis Sentinels? What’s that? And where are they? I want to see them."

Cleo pulled up a screen, showing detailed specs and images of the Aegis Sentinels. Rex let out a low whistle.

"Damn, those things look like they could pack a punch. Were they the elite soldiers of your race?" he asked, studying the data.

Cleo shook her head. "Negative. They’re the basic infantry unit. With the equipment I have right now, that’s all I can manage. But if you get enough credits, you can build a larger assembly factory, and we can produce more advanced units."

"Got it. Noted," Rex said. "So where are these Sentinels now?"

"I sent them out to hunt some local wildlife to test their combat capabilities. Everything’s performing well so far. I called them back a few minutes ago, so they should be here soon."

"Alright then," Rex nodded. "Guess I’ll wait. In the meantime, I need to grab something to eat." He paused, suddenly realizing how quiet Ys had been. He looked at her, still perched on his arm. "That reminds me, Ys, what do you eat?"

Ys tilted her head and tapped her lips with her finger, thinking for a moment. "Mmm, I can eat anything! From minerals to metals to organic materia. I’m not picky at all," she said with a playful grin.

Rex smirked. "Perfect. Then I’m going to treat you to the best chips you’ve ever had."

He headed over to the food containers and set Ys down gently on top of one. She sat there, swinging her legs, while Rex rummaged through the containers until he found what he was looking for. Triumphantly, he pulled out a bag of chips.

"Found them!" he said with a grin, holding up the bag. "Get ready to be amazed!"

The bag of chips he pulled out had "Extra Spicy" written in bold across the front. He tore it open, grabbed one, and handed the bag to Ys with a playful grin. He was waiting, eager to see how she’d react.

"So, how was it?" Rex asked, already picturing her face scrunching up from the heat. But, to his surprise, nothing. No reaction.

"They’re not bad," Ys said casually, like it was no big deal. "I once drank some highly poisonous water on another planet that made my tongue feel kind of tingly, sort of like these chips. Are they toxic too?" She looked at him with an innocent expression.

Rex sighed, shaking his head. "No, no. They’re not dangerous; they’re just spicy. I was really hoping for some kind of reaction, but you’re way tougher than I thought."

Ys tilted her head slightly, her eyes curious. "Do you want me to make faces? I can, if that’s what you’re looking for."

Rex laughed and waved it off. "Nah, that’s not the point. Forget it. Just enjoy the chips while I heat up some food." He rummaged through the supplies and pulled out two instant meal boxes. "Ready-to-eat lunches," he muttered. "All you gotta do is pull this cord, and they heat up on their own."

The boxes were a common staple on long journeys, able to stay good for five years thanks to some high-tech packaging. They were popular in new colonies and used in military rations, all thanks to one of those massive megacorporations that seemed to control everything related to it.

As they were eating, Rex’s communicator buzzed. It was Cleo. "Rex, they’ve arrived. They’re just outside the ship."

Rex glanced down at the half-finished meal in his hand. It was his fifth one; ever since his body size increased, so had his appetite. With a sigh, he stood up, stepping out of the ship to finally face the Aegis Sentinels. And there they were...