"The monthly GN drive creation has increased four times since we began creating them." One of the engineers told Marcus that he was an Ex-Celestial Being scientist who was rising through the ranks.
GN technology is becoming a cornerstone of ship and mobile suit technology. Especially ships, as it's part of Jump Space technology.
The Empire needs a massive amount of GN drives. For their phase-two Cataphracts, new warships entering their final design phases, and the 'Innovator' transitioning centres.
These are buildings that will turn humans into Innovators.
There is a huge hype about Innovators since Marcus revealed GN technology and what it can do.
For years, he preached about human evolution, and now it was happening.
But the issue with all of this is that GN reactors are not easy to make; after all, it's pseudo-perpetual energy generation, and actual people have to oversee their creation.
There are not that many people who fully understand them. Thankfully, in Marcus' service is the very man who developed the technology, so he is here to assist in training the next generation of engineers and mechanics who can create these cone-shaped engines.
"Wonderful, keep on increasing the scale. The first five exploration ships are under construction as we speak.
We need ten ship-sized drives." Marcus sighed as he commented on what he needed.
"By our estimation, we will have them ready in three months, Your Majesty."
The Emperor slightly nodded. Honestly, the sheer idea that people can move to Alpha Centauri soon is making people extremely giddy, as they say, the hype is real.
But that's the thing: he won't allow regular humans to move there.
Simply because Innovators are a far better choice, the sun is literally different there; it will take a while for humans to adjust to a different light. Not only that, but they will be working on making the soil usable, and genetically engineering and altering plants for the new type of sun.
It's literally bigger, and the amount of sunlight they get is different.
So, with all these differences, Marcus' solution is simple: he will send a million innovators to terraform their first-ever colony in another solar system.
But to have that many innovators, he needs a lot of Twin Drive systems, so he began converting some hospitals in his territory into rooms where people could bathe in GN particles.
Yet, no amount of preparation can overcome the shortage of GN Drives.
"Good. For now, the exploration ships will have simple GN drives to do their jobs. Once the tech is ready, they will go through a retrofit."
What Marcus meant by that is once a Jump Space ends, the ship doesn't have particles, it becomes an easy target.
So, to counter this, there is a solution: warships will have twice as much Particle storage. Such a design choice will allow warships to switch containers mid-flight, enabling a form of endless Jump Space.
However, to do something like that, a strong AI has to be on board, as it would regulate the stored particles.
Of course, the empire will perfect such technology with 4th-generation Fusion Reactors, which the science division decided to call the GN Engine, a blend of Fusion Reactor and GN drive.
The rate of particle creation will increase massively, as will storage, but for now, science ships will have to deal with storage tanks switching up.
Marcus has to deal with an eager population, so he might as well give them what they want.
"Understood, then we will give these GN driven to the Exploration department."
The Emperor simply nodded at what he heard; his mind was a bit away, and he was pondering on the Exploration Department.
It's a new branch in the Empire that will play an enormous part in the Future. Most of the expansion will happen because of them.
He is considering expanding it and giving it to Anna, but his first wife is responsible for the very science of his Empire; she can't work with two branches.
"Good, for now, continue with the current pace. There will be even more creation chambers that are coming online soon. Notify me once everything is in place." Marcus instructed, motioning for the engineers and scientists to leave.
Once they were gone, he moved to his hologram controls and called the majority of his wives.
"What is it?" Leila was the first one to pick up.
"You called?"
The Emperor could see them pick the call one after another.
"The exploration department is getting its first five exploration ships, which will be capable of travelling light-years in mere seconds.
Before long, we will have a decent understanding of our neighbouring stars." Marcus began to explain.
"I know… You've been talking about this for weeks." Leila nodded.
"What I am hinting at is that I want a competent person to control this vital branch of the Empire.
If I have something like glory hounds, it would be counterproductive." Marcus exclaimed with a sigh. He was worried about fuck ups, especially in deep space.
"Why don't you look into your G-Force and A.S.P? All those guys there only want to please you." Kallen lazily commented, as if she were lazing around the pool in their home.
"...True, that is a good solution, at first I wanted to give it to one of my wives since my wives are the most competent in the world."
'Minus the cooking part.' That part he said to himself.
"I know that you were thinking something not nice about us, but I will let it slide this one time." Leila narrowed her eyes, and Marcus could see that the lightning in them was brighter for a second.
"Sadly, husband, you don't have spare wives who could lead the exploration." Euphemia shrugged at him.
"Hmm… I will think of something; until then, I will see you all in the evening."
With that said, he ended the call and got up from his chair. For a second, he stretched and then looked around.
His office is quite nice; he brought back some of the trophies from his wars, and of course, there was Imperial regalia, but mostly trophies, like a damaged Britannian soldier's helmet, followed by Europia and a Chinese one.
Then, some swords from around the world, a couple of guns, they are all floating behind glass cases, like in a museum.
These kinds of items help him when he is in a tight spot. He would look at a weapon or piece of equipment, think about its source and the history of that culture, and then get inspired by it.
That's what he did from the early days when he was living in Japan and tinkering with Glasgow parts to build his Lugh.
Now, he has things from another reality.
Marcus gaze went to three mannequins in one of the corners.
Three uniforms: from AEU, Union and HRL.
His office is the only place that has these clothes, an extreme rarity, to say the least.
"Send the word, I want my G-Force and my top Knights to gather, I have things to discuss." The Emperor said after pressing a button on his table. He then walked over and looked at the large painting on one of the walls.
It was a painting of his Tiranis blowing up the Britannian base. Truly one of the best pieces painted, all he ever mentioned to the painter was a couple of details; the rest was all his.
Now that's art!
It took around an hour for his knights and G-Force to gather, as some of them were all over the Empire, from Mars to Venus, even in Jupiter's sphere.
"Your Majesty, you have called us?" Jeremiah proudly asked him.
"Indeed, there is something that I wish to discuss with you."
Marcus turned around, and he was gazing at his city from the massive windows.
One thing he abused when he built his citadel was the use of massive windows. The window is a structural weakness, but one thing people probably didn't notice is that the window frames were resonance stones.
And that means there is a strong gravitational force around them, protecting the citadel from outside attacks.
"I called you all here. Our Empire is entering a new stage in its existence," Marcus commented as he looked at the gathered crowd.
"...What do you want us to do?" The Commander of G-Force asked in an excited tone.
"Imperial Exploration Division." The Emperor dropped the name.
"I do not want some senate pencil pushers to take this over, since… apparently I lack wives that could take this one off my shoulders." The Emperor sighed in defeat; it was quite animated to some of the knights.
As if having ten wives is not good enough!
'This is what you are worried about?' Suzaku deadpanned, next to him was Graham, who had a small chuckle.
"Indeed. So, here is a thing: one of you will be leading that division for me."
Marcus walked over to his table and summoned a hologram, which expanded and showed it to them.
"This is a Galahad-class exploration vessel. A ship designed for swift movement, it has a hangar for two mobile suits, one shuttle and two small flying crafts.
Equipped with an array of scanners and all the little things you need to explore a new solar system."
"..."
The new vessel was something new. They were designed purely for space; there are no 'regular ship' traits that the previous warships had, like Sirius-class or Centauri-class.
"Now this is not what one of you will command. But something grander… eventually."
"You might recall what I proposed around a year ago."
'Proposed is a strong word.' Suzaku internally chuckled. No one can decline him, so when he puts it in place, people will have to build it.
"Mothership class vessels, these vessels will be at the frontline managing expansions among them, exploration."
Marcus showed them a huge, V-shaped vessel that includes a city, shipyards, and a command vessel… It was a mammoth of a ship! A Juggernaut!
One of them will be a coloniser that assists in terraforming worlds and sending down infrastructure to a fresh world.
Another one will assist in exploring and building a 'route' to colonisation.
Of course, there is a third of these motherships, and that one is responsible for military, a moving castle, barracks and shipyards.
"Umm… Your Majesty."
A blonde lady raised her hand. This one was Monica, his 'bastard' sister. Well, no one calls them in Empire or even Britannia, but the point is, she is not Vi, Zi, or La Britannia or whatever; instead, she was a Knight of Round at one point. She knows how to command troops and organise things.
"Do you want to lead it?" Marcus asked with a smile.
"...That is… if no one opposes." She nodded while looking at other knights, looking for their expressions.
Many of the knights and G-Force members shrugged at her.
"Our job is to eliminate our Emperor's enemies and lead his troops to glorious victory. We will join you the moment some aliens desire to intervene in the Empire's expansion." Jeremiah said with a bolstering tone, and the majority of knights sagely nodded at his words.
"I guess, you don't have opposition for your new position, sister." Marcus smiled while saying that. The knight slowly nodded, but then one of the younger girls got their attention.
"...Your Majesty.. if we might…" Another blonde asked.
"What is it? Liliana?" The Emperor asked curiously.
"If I may, these exploration vessels need at least some form of defence, at least one of the members should be decent at piloting a mobile suit." The knight girl explained what she thought.
"Indeed, are you suggesting that you want to transfer to one of these exploration vessels?" There was a curious look on the Ruler's face as he walked over and leaned into his table with crossed arms as he observed his knights.
"I believe this is one of the most important tasks in our Empire at the moment, Your Majesty." The blonde seriously replied to him.
"You are not wrong. I suppose I can allow you two to assist Monica."
Liliana smiled as the girl next to her gawked at her friend, then at the Emperor.
"B-But your Majesty! I didn't say a thing!" Marika, the brown-haired girl, exclaimed with disbelief.
"You two are always together, so I think of it as a package." The Emperor simply shrugged at her.
~~~
500 powers stones = 1 Extra Chapter
1000 Power Stones = 2 Extra Chapters
And so on, You know what to do.
~~~
Join my Discord: discord.gg/Yn8aa8pQM
More Chapters (Chapter 100 are up!)
Extra Stuff (Chapter 76.5 Euphemia Lemon) is up on Pat.
P.a.t:re.on..c.o.m/DragonsFics