Intergalactic conquest with an AI

He slowly stood from the bed, stretching like a lazy predator. His body was marked with scars and medals, proof of both experience and indulgence.

"Head to the bridge and make sure the fleet is on standby. I'll be there once I'm properly dressed," he added while running a hand through his hair.

Then, with a sideways glance at the officer still standing awkwardly in the doorway, he smirked.

"And if you're quite done staring at the girl, be a gentleman and escort her out, will you?"

The officer gave a sharp nod, turning away quickly with a flustered expression as the woman gathered her things and scurried past him, avoiding eye contact.

The captain, now alone, walked over to his wardrobe and began slipping into his uniform. His smirk never left his face.

"So… the game begins," he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing as he gazed at the stars beyond his window. "Let's see if these invaders are as fearsome as the rumors say."

Just as the captain stepped onto the bridge, the automatic doors slid open with a hiss. The lights inside the command center were dimmed, casting a bluish glow over the consoles and displays.

Officers were working at their stations, eyes flicking between holographic screens and radar data. On the main view screen, the invading fleets of Y'Ssera and Lilla could be seen slowly forming up in space.

The captain stood at the center of the bridge with his hands calmly resting behind his back. His sharp eyes scanned the enemy ships as they took their time arranging into formation.

"Captain," one of the younger officers spoke up, glancing nervously at the screen. "Are we really just going to wait for them to finish assembling their fleet?"

The captain didn't move or blink. His voice came out smooth, composed, and steady, like a man who had seen war more times than most.

"It doesn't matter. If they want to waste time organizing themselves, that only benefits us. Let them play their little games… we'll see what they plan to do soon enough."

Suddenly, a new alert lit up on the side monitors.

"Ah," the captain said, his tone shifting slightly. "It seems they're finally on the move. Raise the shields. And send the command to the surface... activate the interplanetary barrier immediately."

"Aye, sir!"

Within moments, the planetary defense system roared to life. From the surface of Xylos, massive energy pillars shot upward into the sky, and in a flash of light, a colossal translucent shield wrapped itself around the entire planet. The barrier shimmered with a faint golden hue, like a second atmosphere.

This wasn't just any energy shield; it was an interplanetary-class defense barrier. It completely sealed off the planet from orbital bombardment and large-scale invasion forces.

Now, the enemy would be forced to either attack the shield directly with their fleets or try to sneak inside using stealth and infiltration.

Meanwhile, aboard one of the flagship destroyers, Lilla stood near a glowing console, her long robes catching the light of the surrounding holo screens. One of her priestesses approached and bowed slightly.

"Saintess," the priestess reported, her voice respectful and calm, "the enemy has activated a planetary shield. It seems they were waiting for us."

Lilla studied the information being shown. On the holographic screens, the barrier around the planet pulsed softly with energy.

"I see. So they're not as unprepared as we hoped," Lilla replied with a cool expression. "But this isn't unexpected. That's exactly why we brought such overwhelming force. We'll break through eventually."

She looked over the data again, scanning the enemy fleet movements carefully.

"Though... the Kaelzar fleet is still not here. So we'll have to begin without them. At the very least, the enemy fleet above the planet matches the numbers in the report. What do you think, Ys?"

The view shifted as she opened a video call with Y'Ssera. Ys was lounging in a cushioned chair inside her ship, the glow of data screens lighting up her face. Her glowing black dress shimmered slightly, and her expression was calm but curious.

"Mmm~ I don't think this is their full strength," Ys replied, her voice soft and thoughtful. "A planet with an interplanetary shield… that usually means one of two things. Either it belongs to a major inner-world colony… or…"

She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied a different section of space.

"...Or there's a hidden fleet nearby. A big one. Just waiting for the right time to strike."

"Mmm? What do you mean by that?" Lilla asked, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to sense something unusual around her.

She reached out with her awareness, trying to detect any movement or presence but nothing came to her. No matter how hard she focused, she couldn't feel a thing.

"Well～," Ys replied in a sing-song voice, clearly amused, "this is kind of like a game of hide-and-seek, but the difference is… I already found them～." She giggled softly while raising her hand and pointing toward a spot in the distance that only she could see.

"Now then～ my lovely baby ships, it's time to wake things up a little～. Go make some noise up there for me."

The moment those words left her lips, two massive carapace-class destroyers, living warships covered in thick, organic armor, roared to life. With an almost hungry energy, they surged forward at high speed, charging toward their targets with purpose and aggression.

"Captain, we're detecting two unidentified ships moving toward us at a rapid pace," one of the officers on the bridge reported, sounding a bit nervous. "They appear to be organic in structure. Should we engage them?"

"Of course we should!" the captain shouted, his voice filled with authority and confidence. "Fire the main cannon! Launch every long-range missile and artillery shell we have! Don't hold anything back!"

The crew quickly followed the captain's orders. Moments later, a blinding laser blast from the ship's main cannon tore through space, hitting one of the charging destroyers directly.

All around, missiles streaked through the void, followed by the rumble of long-range artillery shells. The barrage found its mark; explosions flared against the creature's thick outer shell.

But it wasn't enough....

Even though the concentrated firepower cracked the carapace, it didn't do much damage. The outer shell of the destroyer was incredibly tough, like a natural fortress floating in space.

The two organic warships kept moving, and within seconds, they vanished into warp space, disappearing from view in a brilliant flash.

{Hmm… Did they retreat...?} The captain frowned while rubbing his chin as he considered what had just happened. {No, that doesn't make sense… something's wrong...}

Suddenly, the ship's alarm blared loudly, filling the command deck with flashing red lights and a deep, warning tone.

[Warp energy had been detected very close.]

"Captain! We've got an incoming warp signature right above us!" the same officer shouted in panic. "They're jumping in directly over our position!"

"What did you just say!?" the captain gasped, his eyes wide. His confident voice cracked slightly, replaced by disbelief and worry. "That's impossible! There's no way they could've known about our ambush!"

Just then, the space above them shimmered. In a burst of energy, the two carapace-class destroyers emerged from their warp jump, right on top of the hidden fleet.

With brutal precision, their massive pincers swung forward and collided with something that, at first, wasn't even visible. But then, crunching metal and explosions lit up the dark. The hidden frigates, cloaked and lying in wait, were smashed apart and revealed by the surprise attack.

"Tsk… So it's come to this…" the captain growled under his breath, his frustration obvious. A bead of cold sweat rolled down the side of his face as he slammed his hand on the console. "Damn it! All ships, listen up! Begin the counterattack NOW!"

His orders were followed instantly. The hidden fleet dropped their cloaking fields, revealing a massive number of ships. Without hesitation, they opened fire with everything they had. Streams of lasers, missiles, plasma bolts, and railgun rounds lit up the battlefield.

This time, the tide was different.

Under the overwhelming force of the full fleet's firepower, the thick armor of the carapace-class destroyers began to break. Cracks spread across their bodies as multiple shots pierced their once-impenetrable shells.

The living warships howled in pain... a sound both mechanical and organic, echoing through space like monstrous roars of anger and agony.

But then, Ys spoke again, her voice soft and soothing like a mother calming her child.

"That's enough, my little ones. You've done well. Come back to me now～."

As if obeying their mother's gentle call, the two injured carapace destroyers vanished once more in a flash of warp energy. In the blink of an eye, they reappeared beside Ys's flagship, floating quietly in formation.

Their bodies were battered and wounded, pieces of their tough carapace broken and smoking. But even as they hovered near her, they were slowly beginning to regenerate, flesh stitching itself together, machinery rebooting.

However, the cracks in their armored shells remained. No matter how fast they healed, that part of them would need more time or something stronger to fully recover.

"Well, there you have it, my dear～," Ys said with a playful grin as she flopped back onto her bed, letting her legs kick up slightly. "The enemy prepared a big, shiny welcoming party just for us～. How thoughtful, don't you think?"

She giggled, clearly amused by the situation, even as the tension in the air grew heavier.

Lilla stood nearby, arms crossed, her eyes focused on the tactical display floating in front of her. She let out a soft sigh.

"It looks like things have taken a turn… now we're the ones at a disadvantage." Her voice was calm, but the weight of the situation pressed against her chest like a heavy stone.

There had been no word from Cleo yet, no updates, no signals. That silence only added to her worries.