Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Don't listen to the so-called old man, sis," Nyra scoffed while leaning back in her chair. "He's just trying to use that smug, handsome face of his to trick you into saying you like fishing."

Nyra leaned back in her chair, her mischievous grin widening as she flicked an ice cube toward Rex. He caught it effortlessly, deflecting it back at her with a single flick of his finger. The cube sailed through the air, landing squarely in the middle of her chest.

"AHHH! It's cold!" Nyra shrieked, leaping out of her chair and frantically brushing the ice away. Her dramatic flailing only made Rex laugh harder, his deep voice echoing across the water.

"Ha! Serves you right!" Rex teased, his eyes glinting with amusement. He turned to Lyra, who was sitting quietly, her cheeks already flushing under the weight of their attention. "So, Lyra, be a good girl and tell her the truth."

Lyra hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "Well... it is true I like fishing..." she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink as both Rex and Nyra stared at her.

"Tsk! You little traitor!" Nyra exclaimed with her voice dripping with mock betrayal. Before Lyra could react, Nyra lunged forward, scooping her up in her arms and leaping off the dock into the ocean below. The two sisters hit the water with a loud splash, sending ripples across the surface.

Rex sighed while shaking his head as he watched the scene unfold. "And... there goes my dinner..." he muttered, though a sly grin crept onto his face. "Oh, wait... If I remember correctly, some fish are attracted to the sound..." His voice dropped to a whisper, and a devilish smirk spread across his features.

In the water, Lyra surfaced while sputtering and glaring at Nyra. "Why did you do that!" she shouted while splashing water toward her sister's face. Nyra laughed while dodging the spray and retaliating with a wave of her own.

"Hahah, that's the destiny of traitors! Sadly, it wasn't a pool of magma!" Nyra taunted, her laughter ringing out across the waves.

From the dock, Rex cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Hey, you two troublemakers! Make more noise!"

Nyra paused, treading water as she squinted up at him. "Ha? Has he already gotten a sunstroke and gone crazy?" She asked while glancing at Lyra.

Rex rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Tsk, the youngest never listens to their elders." He strode over to the cooling device, pulling out a bag of ice cubes. "I... said... make... MORE NOISE!" With that, he began hurling ice cubes at the twins, his aim precise and relentless.

"Kyaaaa!" Lyra screamed while ducking under the water to avoid the icy projectiles.

"Have you really gone crazy because of the sun or what!" Nyra shot back, her voice rising in defiance. She summoned her tentacles, sending massive waves of water crashing toward Rex. The force of the water knocked him off balance, drenching him completely while getting the unsuspecting Ys washed away by the water.

The chaos only escalated. The noise, the splashing, and the sight of Nyra's tentacles thrashing in the water made her look like a wounded sea beast struggling for survival. Unbeknownst to them, the commotion had attracted the attention of a massive predator that was lurking beneath the surface.

In an instant, the water erupted as a colossal fish burst from the depths, its jaws wide open and rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. Nyra barely had time to react. She thrust out her tentacles, bracing herself against the creature's powerful jaws as it lunged toward her.

"W-what!?" Nyra gasped, her eyes wide with shock. The fish's momentum carried it out of the water, its massive body arcing through the air with Nyra trapped in its grasp. For a moment, it seemed as though she would be swallowed whole.

"S-Sister!" Lyra screamed, her voice filled with panic. She started to dive after them, but Rex's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait, Lyra! Take this and put it inside its mouth!" Rex shouted while tossing something toward her. Without thinking, Lyra caught the object and plunged into the water, her heart pounding as she swam after the monstrous fish and her sister.

The tension on the dock was palpable as Lyra disappeared beneath the waves, her figure growing smaller as she pursued the monstrous fish. Above, Rex sprang into action with his fishing pole already in hand.

His eyes narrowed, focused on the churning water, every muscle in his body coiled and ready.

Meanwhile, Ys finally managed to pull herself up from the soaked dock, her clothes clinging to her like a second skin. Her hair dripped relentlessly, and her expression was a storm of irritation. She stomped over to Rex, her footsteps squelching with every step.

Rex barely glanced at her, his attention still fixed on the water. "Hmm? Something wrong?"

Ys's eye twitched, her patience snapping like a frayed rope. "Tsk. And you still dare to ask?" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

Before Rex could react, Ys planted a solid kick squarely on his ass. The force sent him tumbling headfirst into the water with a loud splash. Without missing a beat, she snatched the fishing pole from his hands, her grip firm and unyielding.

Rex surfaced a moment later, flipping his long black hair out of his face. He blinked a few times, water dripping from his lashes, before scowling up at Ys. "Hey! That wasn't even my fault! I wasn't the one throwing water everywhere!"

Ys huffed while turning her back to him with her arms crossed. "Hmph."

Beneath the surface, Nyra was locked in a desperate struggle with the massive fish. Her tentacles writhed and coiled, guiding the creature's movements with calculated precision. She steered it toward Lyra, who was waiting with whatever Rex had tossed her moments earlier.

As the fish surged forward, Nyra grabbed her sister's hand, and in one swift, coordinated motion, Lyra hurled the object straight into the fish's gaping maw.

Back on the dock, Ys was drying the water from her hair with her curiosity piqued despite her irritation. "By the way, Rex… what exactly did you give Lyra? A bomb?"

Rex let out an exaggerated gasp, placing a hand over his chest as if deeply offended. "A bomb? Please. Only uncultured fools fish with explosives." He shook his head in mock disappointment, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Ys narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing. "Wait… don't tell me…"

A slow, devilish smirk crept across Rex's face, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Oh, it's exactly what you think it is."

Just as the words left his mouth, the fishing rod in Ys's hands jerked violently, nearly yanking her off balance. Rex's grin widened as he planted his feet, muscles tensing as he pulled back with all his strength. "And here we go."

A second later, Lyra burst from the water, gasping for air. "Puaah! Rex! The bomb you gave me didn't work!"

Rex barely spared her a glance, his focus entirely on the rod. "Mmm? What bomb?"

Lyra froze, water still dripping from her face. "What…?"

She turned to Ys, who simply shrugged, her expression unreadable. "It wasn't a bomb. It was a hook."

Both twins stared at her, their confusion evident. "A… hook?"

Before they could process that revelation, Rex let out a triumphant yell. "Ohhh, here he is!"

With one final, powerful pull, he yanked the massive fish from the water. The creature soared through the air, its scales glistening under the sunlight, its sheer size leaving everyone momentarily speechless.

But the awe lasted only a second because in the next instant, Rex materialized a laser handgun out of thin air and fired a single, precise shot straight into the fish's eye.

The shot was instantaneous. The fish went limp, its massive body collapsing onto the dock with a heavy thud.

The twins stood there, mouths slightly open, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

Still whistling happily, Rex reeled in his now-dead catch, dragging the massive carcass onto the dock with a satisfied grin.

Nyra blinked with her voice tinged with confusion. "Lyra… is this how fishing works?"

Lyra let out an awkward laugh while scratching the back of her head. "Erm… mostly? But… I don't think the laser shot was part of it..."

Nyra was silent for a moment, her gaze shifting between the fish and Rex. Then, without warning, she burst into laughter. "Pffft—Hahaha! That is the Rex I know!" she cackled, doubling over with laughter, her voice echoing across the dock.

Rex merely shrugged with his smirk never fading. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

Hours passed, and the dock had become a lively hub of activity. The scent of roasted fish filled the air as Rex, beer in hand, tended to the grill with an air of satisfaction. Around him, bot maids bustled about, expertly cleaning and preparing the freshly caught fish.

Nearby, the twins lounged on a bench, completely absorbed in a game on their shared datapad, their fingers moving rapidly across the screen. Ys, meanwhile, stood beside Rex, idly chatting with him as the warm evening breeze rolled in from the sea.

Then, without warning, the doors to the dock slid open with a hiss.

"Guys! Get ready; we're leaving tomorrow!"

Cleo strode in, barely looking up from the glowing holo-screens hovering around her. Lines of data scrolled rapidly across the projections as her fingers danced through the air, issuing commands to the trading legion to stock up on supplies.

Rex barely spared her a glance since he was busy biting off a chunk of fish. "Mmm? And where exactly are we going?" Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire