Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"This is it, folks," he said, his voice steady with anticipation. "Time to make these bugs regret ever messing with us." And with that, Rex leapt from the gunboat, diving headfirst into the chaos, with Ys on his back and the Aegis Sentinels close behind. It was time to bring the wrath of the stars down on the Hive.

As Rex and his team were near the ground, their landing props roared to life, creating a storm of dust and debris. For a moment, everything was obscured by the thick cloud they’d kicked up.

Then, like thunder from a storm, golden plasma bolts erupted from within the dust cloud, lancing out toward the Khryssari warriors. The alien creatures screamed as the searing plasma struck their bodies.

But the Khryssari adapted quickly. After the initial volley, they began dodging, their swift, insectoid bodies weaving around the slower-moving plasma bolts. Their sheer numbers made them a relentless tide, closing in from all sides like a swarm of angry hornets.

Up above, Cleo was locked in her own battle. She was supposed to be providing fire support from the gunship, but a wave of Khryssari Skydancers had her fully occupied. The alien fighters dove at her from all angles, forcing her to maneuver the gunship far away from her ground troops.

Even with the assistance of the four Wraith-Class fighters, it was all she could do to keep them at bay. Ground support would have to wait.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Carlos was holding his own in the chaos. With a wild grin, he stood atop the body of a Khryssari warrior he’d just flattened with his hammer.

"This area’s VIP only! Show me your pass, please!" he called out, taunting the oncoming swarm.

But his moment of bravado was cut short as a barrage of green plasma bolts streaked toward him. "W-What! That’s cheating!" Carlos yelped, diving behind the fallen Khryssari for cover as plasma scorched the air around him.

Through his communicator, Rex’s laughter crackled into his helmet. "What the hell were you thinking, baldy? Only an idiot brings a hammer to a gunfight!"

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do, Rex?!" Carlos yelled back; the frustration was clear in his voice. "This hammer’s all I got!"

Rex chuckled, looking up at the sky. "Chill out, Baldy, the airdrops are on their way. Cleo’s been cooking up some new toys for us; all those months in the lab weren’t for nothing."

Carlos’s eyes lit up as he scanned the sky. "Oh hell yeah, about time! Alright, everyone fall back!" he called out, rallying with a renewed spark of hope.

As the team regrouped, the Aegis Units sprang into action. Hundreds of combat drones deployed from their ranks, their golden eyes flashing as they dove into the fray. The drones fought fiercely, matching the Khryssari in brutality. They had no fear, no hesitation, just relentless, calculating aggression, surging forward to hold the line.

But even an AI can be overwhelmed. For every Khryssari warrior that fell, two more took its place. The drones and Aegis Units were holding the line, but the numbers were starting to tell. Shields flickered and failed, limbs were torn off by the Khryssari’s organic plasma weapons, and several Aegis units collapsed, sparking and broken beyond repair.

Rex gritted his teeth as he watched the Aegis Units falter. His fingers clenched around the hilt of his claymore sword. "Hang in there, guys," he muttered. "We just need a little more time."

And then, with a loud whoosh, the sky above opened up, and a cluster of silver and blue pods descended, leaving trails of light in their wake. The airdrops had arrived.

Each pod landed with a thunderous impact, scattering the Khryssari nearby. As the pods opened, they revealed racks of new weapons and armor, shining with Cleo’s latest tech enhancements. Among them was a massive plasma cannon and a sleek, black exosuit designed to enhance strength and speed.

Carlos’s eyes widened as he grabbed the plasma cannon, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Now this is what I’m talking about!" He glanced over at Rex, his hammer long forgotten. "Looks like I’ve finally got a gun for this gunfight!"

Rex smirked, grabbing his own upgraded exosuit and locking it into place with a satisfying click. "Let’s show these bugs they picked the wrong planet to mess with."

Ys hopped off Rex’s back and grabbed a pair of plasma daggers from one of the pods, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "These are mine now! theyre pretty."

The team regrouped, each member now decked out in cutting-edge gear, standing tall as the Aegis Units rallied behind them. The Khryssari swarm was closing in, sensing a final push.

Rex raised his Claymore sword, its golden edge glowing fiercely. "Alright, everyone! Let’s light them up!"

The battle turned in an instant. Plasma bolts tore through the Khryssari ranks, Carlos’s new cannon blasting holes in their lines as Ys weaved through, her daggers a blur of light and fury. Rex led the charge, carving a path with every swing of his blade, while the Aegis Units and combat drones pushed forward, regaining ground.

From above, Cleo finally got a break as the Skydancers fell back, giving her a chance to unleash the gunship’s full firepower. Lasers and missiles rained down, tearing through the Khryssari forces like paper.

As the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the ground was littered with fallen. The Khryssari forces were decimated, their numbers broken and scattered. Rex, Carlos, Ys, and Cleo stood tall amidst the wreckage, bruised but victorious.

Rex looked around at his team, a smirk on his face. "Not bad for some office workers, huh?"

Carlos laughed, wiping alien goo off his new cannon. "Damn right. Now, who’s ready to get back to the ship and celebrate?"

Ys turned to Carlos, giving him a look that could only mean You absolute idiot.

"Do you seriously think it’s that easy to beat the Khryssari?"

Carlos, oblivious, shrugged. "What? I don’t see any more of them! It’s clear we won this area, no?"

As the words left his mouth, the ground beneath them began to crack, deep fissures snaking out in every direction.

"RUN!" Ys screamed, bolting away at full speed. The Aegis Units also started to run behind her without a second thought.

Rex and Carlos exchanged a quick, confused glance, but instinct kicked in, and they turned to flee. Unfortunately, it was already too late. With a deafening roar, a monstrous pair of jaws burst from beneath the ground, swallowing Rex and Carlos whole.

The creature that emerged was massive, its scale dwarfing even Cleo’s gunship. Its skin was dark and ridged, a hide that looked as tough as starship armor. It reared back, opening its gaping maw to let out a thunderous roar, and as it did, a fresh swarm of Khryssari skydancers and K. warriors spilled out from its mouth like a plague.

Cleo’s voice crackled over the communicator, calm but commanding. "All units, retreat at least ten kilometers from the worm. The area is lost."

She turned her attention to Ys, who was watching the chaos with an unreadable expression. "And you too, Khryssari girl. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine."

Ys scoffed, crossing her arms. "Worried? Please. The only thing on my mind right now is where to find some water, since my darling’s going to come out smelling like worm guts." She glanced around as if genuinely considering where to find water. Even Cleo, normally unflappable, was momentarily speechless.

As the Aegis Units fell back, Cleo brought the gunship around and unleashed everything she had on the worm. Lasers, missiles, and plasma rounds hammered into the creature’s tough hide. Then she deployed the hive missiles, dozens at a time, each one spiraling through the air before exploding against the worm with blinding flashes.

It was the same weapon she’d used to level entire bandit camps before, but even this wasn’t enough to bring down the monster.

In the meantime, deep inside the worm, Rex had already activated his bionics overdrive mode. He was carrying Carlos over his shoulder, flying through the creature’s winding, organic tunnels as Carlos blasted away at the swarming Skydancers that followed close behind.

"Can’t you fly faster?" Carlos yelled, squeezing off another shot that vaporized a Skydancer’s head.

"If your bald ass wasn’t so heavy, we’d be out of here already!" Rex snapped back, dodging another Skydancer that swooped dangerously close.

Just then, Rex spotted a faint glimmer of daylight up ahead. "Look, Carlos! I can see the exit!" he shouted, pointing forward. Out of habit, his other hand started crafting a Claymore sword out of habit, right as he forgot he was holding onto Carlos.

There was a split second of realization before Carlos’s eyes widened in horror. "Oh, hell no."

"Awww, crap," Rex muttered as his grip slipped.

Carlos plummeted back down into the depths of the worm, his voice echoing, "AHHHHHHH! Fucccckk yoooiiiu, Reeeexxxx!" His middle finger was still extended toward Rex as he vanished from sight.

Outside, Cleo saw Rex finally burst out of the worm’s mouth, holding Carlos from his legs, who had somehow managed to grab onto a Skydancer that was now latched onto his arm, trying to bite through his armor.

Carlos yanked his hammer off his back and smashed it down on the Skydancer’s head with a sickening crunch. "I swear, one of these days, I’m going to kill you, Rex," he growled, swatting another Skydancer out of the air.

Rex laughed, not the least bit fazed. "Come on, Baldy, admit it, that was funny as hell!"

Carlos just glared, swinging his hammer at anything that moved. "Next time you drop me in a worm, I’m going to smash your head open, pretty boy."

Rex chuckled and steered them back to the gunboat. As they docked, Cleo already had the engines primed, ready to get them clear of the immediate danger. Once they were safely aboard, they regrouped with Ys to figure out their next move.