Agent047
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843 - Communication Network Upgrade
🕑 Added 2025-02-08 23:23:27 +0000 UTCA few days later.
Aron had returned from another short period of rest after spending three months in rigorous research. In real-time, it had only been ninety days, but within the accelerated VR environment, those months had translated into nearly twenty years of non-stop work, where he had meticulously studied, refined, and perfected the technology he had been developing.
Now back in his lab, he stood in front of an augmented projection displaying what appeared to be a quantum communication satellite, nearly identical to the ones the empire had been using to transfer information across vast distances. However, despite the striking similarities, there were some noticeable differences that set this new model apart. Its size had nearly doubled, making it significantly larger than the standard ones currently in operation. Additionally, a new structural addition was placed at the center of the satellite, a modification that clearly marked a technological advancement.
After carefully going over every component one last time, Aron placed the final piece into position, moving with the same precision and focus as if he were assembling an intricate puzzle.
“Test it and let’s see if this iteration works better,” he said, stepping back to observe the results.
As soon as his words left his mouth, Nova’s response came immediately.
{It works.}
By the time he had finished making the request, the test had already been completed.
“Inform the relevant departments to begin the process of overhauling our entire communication network. The transition to the new system should start immediately, but make sure the original network remains operational as a backup,” Aron instructed without hesitation.
{Understood,} Nova responded almost instantly. After completing the order, she followed up with a question. {Should they be given access to the schematics for these new satellites, or will the details remain classified even from them?}
Aron took a moment to consider before giving his response. “Limit access to just the head and assistant head of the Agency. They can receive general information on the upgrades, but keep the specifics of the new technology vague. If they need a deeper understanding, they’ll have to submit a request, and we’ll approve it on a case-by-case basis.”
The new version of the quantum communication network incorporated elements from several Conclave civilizations’ technologies. These additions were designed to overcome one of the primary limitations the empire had faced—energy expenditure increasing with distance. This drawback had made large-scale expansion a costly and impractical endeavor, as maintaining a stable communication infrastructure was both expensive and difficult with the current system.
“Understood. The Agency estimates that the initial preparations will take a few days before the rollout begins,” Nova informed him, relaying the update from the department tasked with implementing the new network.
“Alright,” Aron acknowledged before shifting his focus to the next project he intended to develop using the advanced technology now available to them.
In response to his thoughts, the holographic display in front of him changed, forming the image of a massive ring. The sheer scale of the projection hinted at the nature of the device he was about to design.
………………
While the emperor was deep in his latest wave of inventions, the Imperial Internet Agency—the entity responsible for maintaining seamless information transfer across the empire—was already operating at full capacity. The agency’s usual responsibilities involved monitoring, testing, creating, and repairing the quantum communication network that spanned every corner of the empire. However, within mere minutes of receiving the emperor’s directive, their workload had nearly doubled.
The scale of mobilization that followed surpassed even the agency’s founding or the effort required to establish communication lanes with Proxima Centauri. This was no minor upgrade—it was a complete overhaul of the network, requiring meticulous coordination and execution to integrate the new technology without disrupting daily operations.
Six real-world hours after the emperor’s orders, an empire-wide announcement was transmitted to every citizen. The message was concise yet critical:
[Emergency Announcement! Three days from today, the empire will be updating the quantum communication network protocol at midnight Imperial Universal Time. There may be brief communication disruptions lasting a few seconds during this period.]
Although the likelihood of a disruption was near zero—since the new network could be activated before fully taking on the load of the previous one—the announcement was made as a precaution. The last thing the empire needed was a sudden, unexplained blackout, even for a few seconds. While minor network failures were a normal occurrence in pre-empire times, they had become virtually unheard of in the present day. Given the empire’s increasing reliance on an always-available, free-for-all network, even a brief disruption could result in significant financial losses if critical data were corrupted during the transition.
Despite the announcement being short, it immediately became a hot topic of discussion among citizens who were awake at the time. Many speculated on the reason behind the urgent update and why it was happening on such short notice. Was it just an improvement, or was there something bigger at play?
Meanwhile, the agency responsible for implementing the upgrade had no time for speculation. Their focus was entirely on the task at hand. Their official production partner, Hephaestus Industries and Manufacturing, Inc., had already begun mass-printing the updated quantum communication satellites. Manufacturing divisions across both star systems—Sol and Proxima Centauri—were running at full capacity. However, there was a key difference between the satellites being built in each system.
The satellites printed in Proxima Centauri were being assembled with an empty center, in contrast, those printed in Sol were already equipped with the newly added devices at their center. These new components couldn’t simply be printedanywhere—they required elements (atoms) that neither the Solar System nor the Proxima Centauri system naturally possessed. The only way the empire had obtained these exotic (atoms) materials was through exchanges with the Astral Conclave civilizations.
It didn’t take long before all the required Quantum communication satellites were successfully printed and prepared for deployment. With the hardware ready, all that remained was for the Imperial Internet Agency to finalize their operational preparations. In just three days, the new system would be deployed and activated, marking yet another leap forward for the empire’s technological dominance.
Comments
Sol_Invictus
By the way, now I think that in addition to searching for suitable systems for colonization, we also need to establish outposts in nearby systems for indirect control and resource extraction. Additionally, it is necessary to search for rare resources that are currently unavailable on Earth or find alternatives to them.
Brett Gillespie
I need mooooore. Hah.
Jade
TYFTC!!
Sol_Invictus
TYFTC!! So cool! Finally, the series of chapters on the total upgrade of the empire has begun. Congratulations on fully and firmly reaching a Level 1 civilization and partially advancing to Level 2!
ismail hamisi salum
I was in the midst of writing the chapter but with another tech when I saw your comment resulting in additional inspiration on the idea which forced me to start from the beginning again to accommodate the new idea hence the late upload. So, thanks.
jordan payet
Thanks for the chapter :) Heyy i managed to foresee the comms upgrade im happy 😂😂
GripenSupremacy
First!!!!
GripenSupremacy
TYFTC
