Intergalactic conquest with an AI

While Rex and his crew were enjoying their time aboard the luxury cruiser, Nyra and Lyra were embarking on a very different kind of mission.

At Cleo's request, the twins had traveled to the bustling commercial world of Nakor to assist Emilia with a problem she was facing in the underground city, a problem Cleo had deemed significant enough to require the twins direct involvement.

After several days of navigating the wormhole aboard the sleek private frigate Cleo had gifted them, the twins finally arrived. The frigate docked smoothly in the underground city's private docking zone, its crimson lights cutting through the dim industrial haze of the station.

Waiting for them on the platform was Emilia, dressed impeccably in her usual maid uniform, complete with her pristine white headpiece. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her, radiating her usual composed, authoritative presence.

As the transport vessel's ramp descended, Nyra was the first to bound down the steps, her energy infectious. "Emilia! It's so nice to see you again!" She called, running up to embrace the maid warmly.

Behind her, Lyra followed at a slower, more reserved pace, bowing slightly from a distance. She wasn't as accustomed to physical contact as her sister, preferring her own quiet brand of politeness.

"Welcome back, young ladies," Emilia said warmly, returning Nyra's hug with a small, patient smile. Her sharp eyes flicked briefly to the six members of the Blood Clan who followed behind the twins, their presence adding an air of quiet menace to the group.

Nyra released her hug, her crimson eyes sparkling with curiosity. "So, what's the problem, Emi? Teacher didn't tell us anything about it, just that you'd explain the details once we arrived."

Emilia straightened her posture, her expression becoming more serious. "It's a delicate matter," she replied, lowering her voice slightly. "We shouldn't discuss it out here. Please follow me to the mansion. We can talk more freely in the command room."

"Okay!" Nyra said cheerfully, while Lyra nodded silently. The twins fell into step behind Emilia, their Blood Clan escorts shadowing them with military precision.

The twins couldn't help but take in sight of the mansion as they entered. Despite its luxurious design, the atmosphere was notably tense. The corridors were crawling with heavily armed guards who moved with purpose, their patrols carefully coordinated.

The security presence was much more intense than the last time the twins had visited, which made them exchange a quick, knowing glance.

After a brief elevator ride, they arrived on the third floor, where the command room was located. The room was dominated by a large, high-tech holo table in the center, surrounded by chairs and monitors that lined the walls, constantly feeding data and surveillance footage.

Inside, they weren't alone. Sitting at one of the chairs near the table was Lilla, the leader of the human army that had allied with Cleo and Rex. She was sipping from a steaming cup of something that smelled faintly like herbal tea.

Standing behind her were two imposing guards clad in black and red armor, their visors glowing faintly with red energy.

Lilla noticed the twins as soon as they entered, and for a moment, her usually calm expression faltered as her blue-gray eyes widened slightly in surprise. She wasn't easily impressed, but the twins were a sight to behold.

Nyra's confident demeanor and bright golden eyes, paired with Lyra's quiet grace and silvery gaze, created an almost ethereal aura around them. There was a charm to them, an almost hypnotic allure that could overwhelm anyone who lacked strong mental defenses. For a moment, even Lilla found herself slightly captivated.

But as a leader, Lilla was quick to regain her composure, setting down her tea with a soft clink.

Before anyone could speak, Emilia stepped forward, her professional tone cutting through the room's charged atmosphere. "Now that everyone has arrived, let me begin with introductions," she said, gesturing toward each side of the table.

"To my right, we have Lady Lilla," Emilia began. "She is the leader of a human army and a trusted ally of Lady Cleo and Lord Rex."

Lilla offered the twins a warm smile. "Hello there, girls," she said in her usual friendly tone, her hands resting lightly on the table.

Nyra, always the bolder of the two, gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment, though her crimson eyes were scanning Lilla with a curiosity that was hard to miss. Lyra, on the other hand, looked down shyly, barely managing to whisper, "Hello," as she kept her gaze averted.

Emilia continued without missing a beat. "And to my left, we have the young ladies Nyra and Lyra. They are disciples of Lady Cleo and have been sent here to assist with the matter at hand."

"Disciples of Cleo, huh?" Lilla said, her smile widening as her curiosity grew. "Well, I'm glad to finally meet you both. I've heard quite a bit about you."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Nyra tilted her head, her curiosity now openly evident. "All good things, I hope," she replied with a playful grin.

"Of course," Lilla said smoothly, taking another sip of her tea.

Lyra stayed quiet, fidgeting slightly as she shifted closer to Nyra for comfort.

Seeing that the introductions had run their course, Emilia clapped her hands lightly to draw everyone's attention. "Now that we're all acquainted, let's get down to business. I'll explain the situation in full so we're all on the same page."

She turned toward the holo table and activated it with a gesture, causing the room to dim slightly as the table's surface came to life. A 3D hologram appeared, showing a map of the underground city with several sections marked in red. As the projection spun slowly, everyone's expressions grew more serious.

"This," Emilia said, pointing to the glowing red areas, "is where the recent disturbances have been concentrated. Over the past few weeks, we've had reports of several disappearances in these zones, workers, residents, even a few members of our security forces. Normally, I'd write this off as typical underground city crime, but..."

She zoomed in on one of the highlighted areas, revealing footage of a shadowy figure moving through a dark alleyway. The image was blurry, but the figure's unnaturally elongated limbs and glowing red eyes were unmistakable.

"The nature of these incidents suggests something far more elaborated. Our initial investigations revealed signs of unknown forces lurking in these areas. They're fast, silent, and leave almost no traces behind. If this sounds familiar,"

She said, glancing at Nyra and Lyra, "It's because their descriptions match the enemies Rex and Carlos encountered during their first days on the planet."

Nyra's playful grin faded instantly. "Wait… those things are here?"

Lyra's crimson eyes widened in alarm, her hand clutching her sister's sleeve. "But... I thought they were supposed to be searching on another planet since we already left here."

"Apparently, they've made their way here," Emilia said grimly. "And they're using the underground city as their hunting grounds."

Lilla folded her hands, her expression serious but calm. "Which is why we've called you here. Lady Cleo believes that you, along with myself and my forces, are uniquely suited to deal with this threat."

Emilia nodded. "Exactly. You'll be working together to eliminate these enemies and ensure the safety of the city."

Nyra cracked her knuckles, a dangerous glint returning to her crimson eyes. "Well, that's all I needed to hear. Let's hunt these bastards down."

Lyra hesitated, her voice soft but steady. "If they're like the ones Carlos fought... we'll need to be careful."

Lilla smirked slightly. "Careful, yes. But with our combined skills, I'm confident we can handle them."

Emilia crossed her arms, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Good. Then let's get to work."

With the preparations complete, the group set out in three heavily armored vehicles, specially designed for missions requiring stealth and durability. Flying in on ships was deemed too risky since any aerial approach would likely alert the enemies, giving them time to scatter or burrow deeper into hiding.

Ground vehicles offered the advantage of discretion, and these cars, built in Lilla's factories, were top of the line.

Each car was equipped with reinforced armor, energy shields, and noise-dampening tech to keep their approach as silent as possible. The first car carried the Blood Clan assassins, their presence exuding quiet lethality.

The middle car housed the twins, Nyra and Lyra, along with Lilla and her two personal guards. The last car trailed close behind, carrying Lilla's elite Techno Knights, battle-hardened soldiers equipped with advanced exosuits and weaponry designed for urban combat.

The convoy moved quietly through the dim, labyrinthine roads of the underground city, the eerie stillness of the environment heightening the tension.

Despite the vehicles silent operation, the oppressive air of the underground weighed on them, the dim neon lights of the city casting long, flickering shadows on the cracked concrete walls.

Inside the middle car, Nyra leaned back in her seat, her crimson eyes flicking toward Lilla, who sat across from her with her usual composed smile. Behind Lilla, her two guards sat in complete silence, their black-and-red armor reflecting the dim light from the dashboard.

Nyra crossed her arms, breaking the silence. "So, Lilla, right? Why haven't you guys been able to deal with these enemies yet? I mean, you've got Aegis units backing you up, and those things are practically walking death machines."

Lilla's smile didn't falter, though there was a faint trace of frustration in her otherwise calm demeanor. "Because these enemies aren't just mindless beasts," she said, her voice level.

"They're highly intelligent and exceptionally skilled at evasion. They know the layout of the underground city better than we do. Every time we've closed in on them, they've either ambushed us or vanished entirely before we could finish the job."

Nyra tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "What do you mean, 'vanished'? Don't the Aegis units have advanced tracking systems? Thermal imaging, motion detection, all that fancy tech?"

Lilla nodded. "They do. And the enemies have somehow found ways to counter it. They've been targeting and destroying our tracking drones, jamming our signals, and even laying traps for our squads. It's… unprecedented."

Her smile softened, though her eyes were still sharp. "Even some of the Aegis units that tried to track them have been destroyed. And that's no small feat."

Nyra let out an annoyed huff, tapping her fingers against the car's interior. "Tch. These guys sound like a pain. If we already know they're from Nexum Dynamics, wouldn't it make more sense to hit the source? Go after their buildings or their factories instead of chasing these inferiors around the city?"

Lilla chuckled lightly at Nyra's impatience