Chapter 347: Emperor Class-I: The Voyager

It’s been two hours since Liam boarded the starship and he has completed his exploration of what Lucy had built. Every corridor he’d walked, every system he’d examined, every compartment he’d inspected—all of it pointed to one undeniable conclusion: Lucy had created a technological miracle.The scale alone defied comprehension. The starship could house thirty-eight thousand people without straining its resources. Air recyclers, water purification systems, food production bays—everything necessary to sustain a small city, all packed into the vessel’s massive frame. And even that number wasn’t a hard limit.

Lucy had designed the ship as what she called a flagship, the pinnacle of her engineering capabilities. Its ecosystem was self-sufficient, capable of sustaining even larger populations for years if managed correctly.

Liam had studied the communication arrays during his tour, listening as Lucy explained their capabilities. The satellite and communication systems could maintain contact with smaller spacecraft anywhere in the galaxy. Not just the solar system, but the entire galaxy.

The idea staggered him. Messages traveling faster than light, bouncing through quantum relays that Lucy had built.

The same systems connected to Lunar Base Sanctuary on the moon’s surface. The base operated with even more advanced technology, serving as a hub for everything Lucy was building. Together, the starship and the lunar base formed the foundation of something unprecedented in human history.

But the communications were nothing compared to the weapons.

Military-grade spacecraft filled the docking bays—dozens of them, ranging from nimble Fighters to massive Battleships. Liam had walked past them during his tour, his eyes tracing the angular hulls and the weapon systems bristling from every surface.

Even the smallest Fighter-class craft carried enough firepower to level a city. If one of those ships descended to Earth’s surface and opened fire, the devastation would be catastrophic.

As for the Battleships? Their mere existence would trigger worldwide panic. Governments would demand explanations. Military forces would mobilize. The delicate balance of power that defined international relations would shatter overnight.

Lucy had classified the starship itself as a Heavy Cruiser Flagship. Currently, it stood as the most advanced spacecraft she had ever constructed. But during their tour, she’d mentioned plans for something bigger. A Super-capital ship, she’d called it, something that would dwarf even this massive vessel.

Liam had nodded when she’d told him. Honestly, he was satisfied with what he already had. This starship exceeded anything he’d imagined possible. But if Lucy wanted to push further, to build something even more impressive, who was he to stop her? Besides, curiosity gnawed at him and he wants to see what she would create next?

That brought him to the question of naming the ship. He’d completed his tour. It was time to give the vessel a proper designation. But what class did it fit into?

Nothing in his knowledge of naval or aerospace terminology seemed appropriate. This wasn’t a destroyer or a carrier or a frigate. It was something entirely new.

After some thought, he settled on Emperor Class-I as the classification. The name felt right. It was powerful, commanding, fitting for a vessel of this magnitude. As for the ship’s actual name, he considered various options before landing on one that resonated with his intentions.

Voyager.

He planned to travel beyond Neptune, for the Voidling. And he would also explore the outer reaches of the solar system and perhaps beyond. The name captured that spirit of exploration, that drive to see what lay in the darkness past the familiar planets. It fit.

Lucy registered the name immediately, her systems updating across the starship and the lunar base. She smiled as she confirmed the designation, then mentioned that the next spacecraft she built for him would be Emperor Class-II.

Liam reached out and caressed her head gently, a gesture of approval and affection. She leaned into his touch, that brief moment of connection more meaningful than words.

Now came the practical matters. He needed to make arrangements back on Earth before departing. But as he considered what actually required his attention, he realized the list was surprisingly short.

Communication wouldn’t be an issue, because he would be able to contact Lucy or Daniel instantly, regardless of distance, thanks to the quantum relay systems.

And if something truly urgent arose, something that demanded his physical presence, he could return immediately. The spacecraft made interplanetary travel as simple as boarding a plane.

So what arrangements did he really need to make? The answer: very few.

He turned to Daniel, who had spent the past two hours processing the impossible reality he’d been thrust into. The shock had faded somewhat from his face, replaced by a kind of numb acceptance. Daniel met his gaze, waiting.

"I’ll be leaving on an interstellar trip in the next couple of days," Liam said, his tone casual despite the weight of the words. "I might not return for some time."

Daniel’s expression flickered, with a brief flash of something between alarm and resignation.

Liam continued. "Nothing changes with the family office. Operations continue as normal. You and Lucy will work together, just as you have been. If something requires truly requires my presence, I’ll make an appearance. But day-to-day matters, you handle those."

Daniel opened his mouth, then closed it. He took a slow breath, his chest rising and falling as he tried to organize his thoughts. His eyes closed briefly. When they opened again, confusion still clouded them.

"Space trip," Daniel muttered, more to himself than to Liam. "You’re going on a space trip."

"Yes."

"After showing me spacecraft and a lunar base and telling me you’ve been building all this for two months—"

"Correct."

"—you’re now telling me you’re leaving Earth entirely."

"That’s the plan."

Daniel laughed, a short, brittle sound. "Everything is moving too fast. I can’t—" He stopped, shook his head, tried again. "I need time to process this."

Liam understood. Even after more than two months, he was still getting used to the system and the changes it has brought to his life.

Ideally, he would give Daniel more time, let him come to terms with everything gradually. But Liam intended to leave within a day or two. The deadline pressed against him.

Still, if Daniel needed more time, so be it. They could always communicate once Liam departed.

His attention shifted to Mason and Nick, his two bodyguards. They stood near the edge of the flight deck, both men looking distinctly uncomfortable. Their eyes kept drifting to the star-filled void beyond. They’d been silent for most of the tour, overwhelmed by everything they’d seen.

Liam walked toward them. As he approached, he caught the worry in their expressions. He understood that they were wondering if they still had a place, if they were still needed. Bodyguards protected against human threat. What use were they against the dangers of deep space?

"Take your time processing everything," Liam said gently. "But I won’t be bringing you on this trip."

Mason opened his mouth to protest. Nick stepped forward, ready to argue. But their words died before emerging. Both men glanced at the starship’s massive flight deck window, at the Moon’s surface hanging below them, at the sheer impossible reality of where they stood. What could they say? What argument could they make?

They were bodyguards, not astronauts. Not soldiers trained for void combat. Not engineers who could repair spacecraft systems. On this journey, they would be passengers, nothing more. The realization settled over them like a weight.

Liam nodded, satisfied that they understood. He turned back toward the center of the flight deck, toward the captain’s chair that dominated the raised platform.

With nothing else demanding his immediate attention, he’d planned to return to Earth within the hour. But a thought struck him as he settled into the chair.

He could do his sign-in here.

The timing was perfect, because coincidentally, it’s going to be A weekly sign-in, and he’d been accumulating them for three weeks. That meant bigger rewards, more significant gifts from the system.

He had no idea what to expect. Would the rewards be tied to Earth? To the Moon? To the starship itself? The uncertainty intrigued him.

The captain’s chair molded to his body as he leaned back. The blackness of space stretched infinitely outside the Voyager. The Moon’s gray surface stretched below, ancient and scarred.

It dawned on Liam that he was really sitting at the heart of humanity’s greatest achievement.

He smiled to himself proudly. This is what he has been able to achieve in just over two months. It’s terrifying no matter how he thinks about it.

But there’s still a lot more I have to achieve.

"System, Sign-in."