MIDDLE OF A UNKNOWN CITY - 9:03 AM.

Khepera stood tall in the center of the wide street, her four arms stretched slightly as if savoring the space around her. The morning sun reflected off the chitinous sheen of her exoskeleton, catching the curious glances of the early commuters. A few floating cars slowed down, their passengers staring, but she paid them no mind.

"Yes... this will do nicely," she whispered to herself, her mandibles clicking softly in satisfaction. Her compound eyes scanned the cityscape, calculating, imagining banners with her crest hanging from every building. Today wasn’t about brute force—it was about announcing her presence.

She strode toward a toppled street vendor’s cart, each step deliberate, owning the space as if it already belonged to her. Her lower right arm reached down and set the cart upright with a surprising gentleness, though the vendor scrambled away in terror.

“People of this planet!” she called, her voice carrying with a strange, echoing resonance. “Your era of chaos ends now. Kneel, and you may yet find favor under my rule.”

She paused, her upper arms folding across her chest as she waited. Her antennae twitched in faint amusement—half-expecting panic, half-hoping someone would challenge her. The anticipation was delicious.

“So...” she tilted her head, her tone almost playful. “Who will be the first to bow?”