Intergalactic conquest with an AI

A few days later, following the tense discussions in the meeting room, Cleo and Lilla had reached a mutual understanding.

With negotiations finalized, the human envoy departed the Cleopatra, marking the beginning of a new chapter, one that would inevitably lead to massive conflict within the Human Empire. The seeds for an internal war were sown, and Lilla knew she'd have to prepare for the storm ahead.

Meanwhile, once all the diplomatic obligations were finally out of the way, Rex wasted no time. He took his small fleet and left the sector, setting a course to the trading station located within a sprawling asteroid belt.

The station, with its massive construction bays and bustling shipyards, became the perfect place for the next phase of their preparations.

For the next two months, the Cleopatra underwent significant upgrades to its weaponry and shielding systems. Alongside this, Cleo spearheaded the production of advanced fighter and bomber units.

Among the new designs was the Wraith-Class Fighter; however, the star of the new fighter fleet was the Venom-Class Bomber, a cutting-edge bomber unit designed specifically for high-impact strikes.

The Venom-Class Bomber was a sight to behold. Its wide-bodied frame was reinforced with heavy hull plating and glowing energy vents running along its sleek sides.

Its wingtips flared outward, and bomb bay doors lined its underside, capable of deploying devastating payloads. Equipped with plasma bomb bays, heavy torpedo launchers, magnetic shielding, and anti-fighter laserturrets, it was built to deliver overwhelming firepower.

But as formidable as it was, the bomber came with one glaring flaw: it was slow... painfully slow. With practically no energy shield capability and limited maneuverability, the Venom-Class Bomber was the definition of a glass cannon. Its survivability relied entirely on tactical precision and heavy fighter escort.

This drawback became a point of contention during training, leading Rex to commission a new addition to the Cleopatra, the Game Room.

The Game Room was a high-tech simulation chamber, featuring spherical pods that allowed users to practice simulated battles.

The pods could replicate scenarios spanning ground, air, water, and space warfare using both existing and experimental units designed by Cleo. It was an efficient way to train without wasting valuable resources or risking lives.

"Dammit, Cleo!" Rex shouted as he emerged from one of the simulation pods, his hair disheveled and his face flushed with frustration. "Can't you do something about these damn turtle-slow bombers? I can't even get them to the objective without enemy fighters tearing them apart!"

Cleo, standing nearby with her ever-composed demeanor, handed him a cold bottle of water. "Negative," she replied calmly. "Increasing their speed without adding an energy shield would be far too dangerous for the pilots. They'd be sitting ducks the moment they were detected."

Rex groaned, uncapping the water bottle and taking a long drink before retorting, "Then at least give them an energy shield! Anything to stop them from getting shredded out there!"

Cleo shook her head, her golden eyes glinting with amusement as she summoned a holoscreen in mid-air.

"Also impossible. Adding an energy shield would increase their energy output significantly, making them detectable from far greater distances. Worse, if a bomb were to detonate inside the shield due to malfunction, it could cause a chain reaction, annihilating the entire bomber. Look,"

she said, gesturing to the screen, which displayed footage of one of her test runs.

Rex watched as the footage showed a Venom-Class bomber activating an energy shield. Within seconds of releasing its payload, the plasma bombs detonated inside the shield's radius, causing a catastrophic chain reaction that destroyed not only the bomber but also its nearby escorts.

"See?" Cleo said, folding her arms. "We've run these simulations hundreds of times. A shield on this design is more of a liability than an asset."

Rex let out a long sigh, his frustration clearly mounting. "Fine. Guess I'll just have to figure out a way to use them more effectively so they can actually reach their targets." He pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing toward the two pods in the corner of the room. "How are the twins doing with the simulation, anyway?"

Cleo turned her head toward the pods, where the twins had been inside for over four hours. "Mmm," she began reviewing the data scrolling on another holo-screen.

"they're struggling. While their combat strategies have changed and improved over the past few months, they're still too reckless. They haven't even passed the first mission yet."

Rex chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Figures. They're still treating everything like a game of smash-and-burn."

Cleo gave him a rare smile and nodded. "Indeed. But despite their failures, their determination is admirable. This simulation system was a smart idea, Rex," she added, giving him a thumbs-up.

"It's an efficient way to train our forces without wasting resources or risking lives. I'm impressed."

Rex shrugged, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, well, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. Still, we need those bombers ready for the next operation. Keep working on ways to improve their survivability."

"Understood," Cleo replied, her expression returning to its usual calm professionalism. "I'll see what adjustments can be made, though I suggest you also keep practicing. Those bombers will need a commander who can make the most of their design limitations."

Rex groaned, already dreading another round in the simulation pod. "Yeah, yeah… back to the grind."

"Oh yeah, now that I remember, how's the movement of our enemy?" Rex asked as he climbed back into the spherical simulation pod, preparing for another round of grueling practice.

"Mmm, they're still on track toward us," Cleo replied, her golden eyes narrowing as she summoned several holo screens in midair.

"I haven't figured out how they know our location, but one thing is clear: they have no idea I've deployed stealth surveillance drones to monitor their every move."

The holo screens displayed footage of the enemy fleet, an intimidating collection of ships crafted from rocks and glowing crystals. The vessels floated ominously in formation, their designs looking more like massive chunks of a planet's mantle than conventional spacecraft.

"I see," Rex muttered while leaning forward to study the footage. His eyes settled on a distinctive symbol etched into the side of one of the rock ships, a jagged, angular emblem glowing faintly with an ominous red hue.

He immediately recognized it. "Do they really think they're going to catch us by surprise a second time?"

The Revenant Ascendancy.

"They must," Cleo replied, her voice as calm and cold as ever. "It seems they're underestimating us. But until we gather more intelligence about their vessels, we can't accurately gauge their full capabilities. We're walking into this partially blind."

"And what about our defenses?" Rex asked, tearing his eyes away from the holo screens to glance at Cleo. "How are they coming along? Are we ready for them?"

"Negative," Cleo responded bluntly. She flicked her wrist, and a new series of holo screens appeared, displaying real-time progress reports on the station's upgrades.

"While the anti-fighter and bomber defensive towers on the station are operational, we're still waiting for completion of the new energy core reactor and the military-grade dual energy shield. Without those, our defenses are still incomplete."

Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire

Rex clicked his tongue in frustration but nodded. "I'll leave that to you, then," he said while leaning back into the pod's cockpit. "Keep me updated on their movements. I'll handle this simulation for now."

"Understood," Cleo replied with a short nod. As Rex settled into the simulation, she turned on her heel and left the game room, her mind already shifting to the many tasks ahead of her.

As Cleo walked through the sleek corridors of the Cleopatra, her focus was interrupted by a familiar and unwelcome voice.

"Hello there, cold beauty～"

Cleo's eyes narrowed slightly as Ys appeared beside her, waving playfully and tilting her head to catch Cleo's face. Ys's movements were carefree and unbothered, the polar opposite of Cleo's rigid and disciplined demeanor.

"What do you want, Y'Ssera?" Cleo asked, her voice laced with its usual chill. It was a tone she reserved exclusively for Ys, a voice that always carried an undercurrent of tension and... something darker.

Despite the years they had spent together, Cleo could never bring herself to truly accept Ys. After all, Ys was a Khryssari, a species responsible for exterminating much of Cleo's own race. Even now, the sight of Ys's playful grin was enough to stir old, bitter memories.

Ys, undeterred by Cleo's cold tone, placed a finger on her cheek and made an exaggeratedly cute face. "Oh～, come on～, don't be so bitter with me," she said while pouting slightly. "How can you be so cold to someone as cute as me?"

Cleo sighed audibly, her patience wearing thin. "Every time you come to me, it's because you want something," she said, her voice flat. "So, what is it this time, Y'Ssera?"

"Hehe～," Ys giggled, twirling a lock of her hair as she walked alongside Cleo. "You know me so well! Ehem…" She paused dramatically, her playful tone dropping into something far more serious. "I came with a message from my mother, and it's for you."

Cleo froze mid-step. Her golden eyes narrowed as she turned to face Ys fully. "Your mother?" she repeated, her tone sharp.

The mention of one of the Hive Minds, the supreme leaders of the Khryssari, was enough to immediately command Cleo's attention. Even with all her power, the Hive Minds were beings she had to approach with caution.

Seeing Cleo stop, Ys gave her a wide grin, clearly relishing the reaction. "That's right," Ys said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "She asked me to deliver this to you personally. So, cold beauty, are you going to listen, or do I have to make you～?"

Cleo's hands clenched into fists at her sides for a brief moment before relaxing. Her expression remained icy, though there was now a faint edge of wariness in her eyes. "I'm listening," she said.

"Good～," Ys said with a teasing sing-song lilt. She leaned in closer, her grin widening. "It's about the Revenant Ascendancy."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

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