It Is Only Fitting...

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There were plans to annex Rothana relatively soon. The world had a number of factories that would do well in service to the Imperium, and the spirit of its inhabitants would not clash with that of the ZI's people. Some of the Magistrates had said it was a match made in the heavens. Alexander was not such a believer in fate as his associates, though he did see the glaringly obvious similarities.

The heart of the matter was that the Imperium lacked artisans of war. It hosted a number of factories and places to create the machines needed to bring the Southern Systems to heel; it did not have the vision to create these titans of war.

Thus, Alexander had come to speak with the head of Imperium Forge Works. The name alone had been enough to garner his attention.

The forge works were the key to a peaceful annexation of Rothana, and those who ran the works had the minds the Imperator sought out. It was a natural meeting.

Clad in a leather coat that fell to his ankles, Alexander keyed in at the main offices of the forge works. He'd scheduled an appointment, as was only proper, though he looked a bit odd sitting in the waiting room with two armed guardsmen at his sides. They were your typical army soldiers -- it was hard to fit men clad in power armor through an average sized door -- but they did their duties well.

Whistling a quiet tune, Alexander waited to be admitted.

 

[Joran Greth]

Joran walked out into the main lobby of the administration building and up to the three man waiting for him to arrive. This man, this [member="Alexander Ontonas"] had wished a meeting with the Imperium and the Forge works. Greth knew the man had his eyes on Rothana and for the most part Greth would let the man believe Rothana had its mind open to such a patronage. The ZT was a powerful organization and they would make better allies than enemies. The bottom line as Greth envisioned it was they needed a industrial power Like the Forge and Rothana to fill their ranks with war machines. That The IFW was very adept at and willing to do. The large man in the center stood watching Greth as he neared. Joran walked over and nodded to the man and Spoke.

"Imperator Ontonas, It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Welcome to Rothana. Please if you will follow me to an appropriate venue and we can begin."

 

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"By all means, Mister Greth," Alexander rose to his feet. He wore a thin, albeit warm smile as he followed after the man. His guards moved to go along with them, but a wave of Alexander's hand rooted them in place. There was no danger here, and if there was and he could not handle it, then he was not fit for the position he had been given in the first place.

"I have to thank you for meeting with me on such amicable terms," he spoke as he took in the halls and office of the forge works. "I know Rothana had dreams of building something not unlike our own union. I only think that we would stand together as allies better than rivals, seeing as both of our peoples want the same endgame."

A hint of amusement found its way into his voice. "Politics aside, I'm quite interested in what you've built here," he gestured all around, " - and what forms of art it can create."

[member="Joran Greth"]

 

[Joran Greth]

Joran returned the mans smile and waited for him to stand and begin walking along side him. HE looked off at the doorway at the end of the hall and motioned towards it for [member="Alexander Ontonas"] to see.

"We are going to the room at the end of the hall. There We can discuss the future."

Greth looked around the room. He knew spies were there. The old government of Rothana still struggled against the Imperium's control. The Governor was still in hiding somewhere on the orbital ring. The massive collection of orbital factories and shipyards which circled the world was massive and much of it had been shut off centuries ago. The man and his supporters have taken up somewhere in the massive structure and alluded the IMperiums forces for over a month now. They were running out of places to hide and Greth knew soon the man and his campaign of hate would be over and the Imperium would be done with him. The two walked down the hall towards the door as Joran considered the man. He was large and was no doubt powerful. HE wondered if a sample of the man's DNA would be possible. That would wait for another time though. for now they had business.

"I hope your trip to Rothana was not a long one. I know that the area between here and there can be dangerous. I have a fleet out there dealing with a group of pirates now. I hope our groups can work together to rid the space in our little corner of the galaxy of the rodents who inhabit it." said Greth as the two men reached the door. The door slid open and Greth motioned for Alexander to go before him.

 

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Alexander understood all too well the challenges of leadership in the chaos of the southern systems. Threats came in a thousand different variations: be they Graug raiders, Geonosian hive fleets, Primeval cults or worse. Keeping Zenith Prime and its allied systems clear of the chaos was challenge enough. Defending a single planet with no allies to back it would have been a far more harrowing task. He felt a pang of sympathy for [member="Joran Greth"] as they strolled through the door.

"Perhaps my people can help," he began, "We've a fleet of some size. Pirates are nothing we can't handle. It's the larger groups that worry me. We were attacked by a Geonosian hive fleet not too long ago. Over two-hundred thousand people died." There was a grave finality to his tone -- as if that were to be the last battle that would ever be fought on Zenithian soil. Perhaps it was pride that brought forth that tone, perhaps it was true belief. Perhaps, and most likely the case, Alexander believed the rhetoric he told his people just as zealously as they did. It was almost poetic, in a way, the naivete of it.

"Fortunately we're not too far away. Not even a full sector. The flight was bearable." The leather-clad warrior settled in one of the chairs. "Though I've no come here to talk about the state of things. The Zenithian Imperium has the resources to bring worlds to heel, but we lack the vision. Our designs are outdated and growing ineffective on the field."

He gestured toward his host. "I've seen some of your creations, and I wish to field them in battle. You've the sort of mind I'm looking for -- perhaps we could come to an agreement."

 

[Joran Greth]

Joren tented his fingers and rested his chin on them as he listened to the man speak of his world and the strife they have had to face. He too had a sizable fleet that for the moment he would keep secret. The Imperium had been fleet based for months before they finally settled on Rothana. Most of the Chiss and Ragithian contingent were sheltered way off world on the ships of the IMperiums fleet. The sudden influx of aliens would have destabilized the world before Greth could have set it to heel under his foot. That would not have been at all suitable for his plans. For now the blue skined engineers and their people were slowly populating the industrial and development centers of the world. The massive Ragithians would take over security once there had been time to filter in their number and take over the positions. For now the face of the world was human, which it would remain, but the core of his force very much depended on the aliens and their specific skills.

"Ah i see, We have been lucky here so far. Only the local dissidents have plagued us. No outside forces have, as of yet, been an issue." Greth said as he looked past the man and around the room. The mans sullen tone stuck Greth as something he might use in the future. It was clear the man cared about his people. He considered the mans comments and offer then answered.

"I think the Forge works can be of assistance to you Imperator. Our development and engineering team here are the best in the galaxy. May I ask what kind of constructs you wish to have made? Anything spacific or would you need an array of things to cover a full spectrum of needs?" Asked Joran of the large man

[member="Alexander Ontonas"]