It's A Pet Project

[Placeholder 0133]

[member="Finger"] had proven himself more than capable in the defense of Zenith Prime. Even more so during the announcement of the Imperium. The former slave was a model for the rest of the Imperium to imitate: strong, resilient, a natural leader, loyal. In Finger, Alexander had seen the qualities of a leader who might come to replace him one day.

It was his responsibility to prepare for the inevitable. Though only recently minted as Imperator, it was all too likely that he would perish in the line of duty. He was no average statesman -- Alexander Ontonas led from the front. That required he recognize all the dangers and horrible realities that might come to fruition during future conflicts.

And so he had called Finger to his private compound on the homeworld. He was clad in a white sleeveless shirt and overalls; the straps of which hung uselessly down at his sides. His hair was full of oil and grease from the suit he was working on.

The power armor was little more than an exoskeleton at the moment. The various pieces of plate had been removed so that Alexander might better do his work. The scientists below had worked on this new mark for quite some time -- Alex was simply adding his own touches to the design.

He hissed a curse as his finger was caught between a slab of phrik that served as a shoulder pauldron and the metal beneath. Shaking his head, Alex turned away from his work and wiped his face down with a nearby towel.

Finger would be here soon, and it wouldn't do for the boy to see his Imperator snapping and cursing at inanimate objects. Alex breathed a heavy sigh and appraised his work. The armor was coming together as he had envisioned, ever so slowly...

 

[Finger]

-wheeps-

 

[Finger]

Following the battle of the previous day, Finger had spent much of his time visiting among his men, paying his respects to the loved ones of those that had passed mostly, but also working on further organizing those that fought under him. Within the battalion of men he commanded, there were four companies, as he had previously organized. Now, however, he had further organized those companies so that each one consisted of four to six platoons with their own leaders, each platoon in turn consisting of several squads, each with their own leaders hand-picked by both himself and the four company leaders.
So soon after the Geonosian attack, Finger did not wish to push his men too hard, so simply had them practicing teamwork building drills to start getting the structure of their force into their heads, so that more complex orders could be given to them in the future once they were used to how things were. In his hand, he clutched a letter holding details of his reformations, and various notes on the kinds of training he would like to see his men undergo, though he wondered if he would be found strange for even using a physical letter to begin with, writing things down himself made it easier for him to organize his thoughts. He figured Alexander could hand it on to someone who could give him a hand, being the Imperator and all.

Still, there was only so much he could do himself, he was glad that [member="Alexander Ontonas"] had called him, he did not know who else to consult about the further training and armament of his force, further cohesion would be required with the rest of the Zenithian military, and as things were he could see his men jeopardizing coordination on the field due to differences in training. Though, he had no doubt that the experience of his fellow ex-slave's would allow this gap to be closed without too much difficulty.

Lost as he is in thought, Finger is somewhat surprised when he finds himself out front of Alexander's compound. The man takes in a deep breath to clear his head a little before making his way inside, finding Alexander working on the suit, looking over the power armor, Finger lifts a brow out of curiosity, he opens his lips, sounding somewhat tired but nonetheless inquisitive, "I wanted to ask about undergoing training here on Zenith Prime, as well as working with the rest of the military to train my men in the ways that you fight your wars... But, what is this? I want one, it looks fancy." Finger would say, tone turning joking near the end as his gaze runs over the power armor and he steps in a bit closer. In contrast to their past meeting, the man seems to be completely disregarding formalities, in fact he didn't even bother knocking. Realizing he might have been a bit forwards, Finger looks on over to Alexander, "Sorry, let myself in. I'm glad you've called me here, though, I'm fairly certain we have a lot to discuss." He'd go on, lifting up the letter in order to hand it to Alexander. "I've organized the men as best I can, as explained in here, I think it should more or less match how your infantry are structured, but I also have a number of munition and supply requests for them, plus the specifics of what kind of training I'd like to see them undergo."

Pausing a moment, Finger smiles a bit and rubs the back of his neck, "Suppose I should let you do the talking, though, you called me here.' He says before lowering his hand back to his side, "How can I help you, Imperator?" Finger says, keeping a slight, almost teasing smile. It felt strange to suddenly start treating Alexander as anything less than the soldier he had fought alongside so recently. So he didn't, his tone friendly but also somewhat mocking. Besides, few took the bonds forged through battle as seriously as he, the man was practically a brother as far as he was concerned, even if his title said otherwise.

Plus, he had always been a bit of a defiant bastard, the scars on his body attested to that more so than anything, most of them were not from battle, but rather punishment. He hadn't had an opportunity to relax in recent times, always playing the leader for his men. Now was a good a time as any to remove the stick that had been up his ass, if only for a few moments whilst he was out of the sight of others.

 

[Placeholder 0133]

Alexander had plans.

All newly minted rulers had plans, of course, but Alex had plans. Plans that he could only hope [member="Finger"] would see the merit in. He sized up the younger man with an easy smile. The former slave had come into his own, so far as Alex could tell. The boy was becoming a leader in his own right. There were other men who could claim similar feats and abilities, but the Imperator had made his choice. [member="Laman Ress"] would serve as Warmaster, for he was older and more experienced. A solid man, reliable, but utterly dour. He served his purpose well. [member="Invictus"] was another beast entirely, and then there was Daroth...

No, Finger had all the qualities needed. He was strong, charismatic, and young. The perfect figurehead for what was to come. The Imperium's fighting force would be supplemented beyond the Imperial Army. They would be the Imperium's chosen -- the Imperator's sons in all but blood.

Finger would be their leader. His brethren would be the first of them, the unchained. They would serve as the model for the Imperium's greatest warriors to level themselves against. They would be his perfect men, his greatest gift to the galaxy, his Chosen. The thoguhts rolled through Alex's head as finger made his jests.

The Imperator snickered. "I might've shot you boy. Learn to knock." Alex chuckled, shaking his head to indicate his falseness. He strolled over to the suit of power armor, easily eight feet tall and the color of a full moon. "This is Zenithian power armor. A prototype -- one I've helped created for myself and my warriors."

He looked over his shoulder toward Finger. "Your men are different brother. They need to be. They aren't like our soldiers. They weren't raised in to be regimented. They didn't grow up knowing the comforts of safety. No, your men are savages; primal warriors without equal."

Alexander turned away from the armor and strolled over to his younger comrade. He settled a calloused hand on Finger's shoulder in a brotherly gesture, and nodded toward the armor. "I want you to tell me about your people. Your beliefs, what forged you into what you are."

Just as soon, he dropped the arm and prodded Finger in the chest. "Who are you, Finger?"

 

[Finger]

The young man's gaze lingered on the power armor for a time as Alexander spoke, retaining a contemplative silence as he listened and looked over the armor. Finger supposed that the man was right, the men under him had long fought in different kinds of battles, ones ruled by brutality and pure ferocity in battle rather than the more complex workings of an organized military force. Before entering the room, however, he had not seen any other way of doing things, no alternative to training his men to be like the rest of the Zenithian military. Now, however, as he gazed over the power armor, he was beginning to see another way.

Alexander's finger pushed up against his chest, and Finger shifted slightly aside to face him straight on. Who were they? Who was he? Not questions he was sure he could answer, but nontheless he knew he would have to try. He turns his gaze downwards in contemplation, hands remaining by his sides. After a moment, he'd take in a deep breath before releasing it in a sigh, gaze shifting back to Alexander.

'We are men and women who have never had the opportunity to choose our own fates. We have fought, killed and died until we became a machine, one created for the entertainment of others, and for the use of those that would purchase us.' Finger says, expression growing somber, "But nonetheless, we are still people, driven forwards by our will to live, and the love of those that we have shared our live's with. As a slave, you learn to depend on those you share your burden with, not necessarily to make the weight easier, but to retain your sanity; your humanity, even when you are expected to be a machine. We are a family that has learned the hard way that other people are what make life worth living, and we will do anything... Absolutely anything, to ensure that these bonds are not broken, and that those we love are safe." He says, voice steady and deliberate, growing deeper near the end of his speech. "Past that, Alexander, we are men and women who were born for the singular purpose of killing the opponent, give or take a few that had lives before their enslavement. But no longer will we fight without real purpose. Yours is a noble enough one, and we will put everything we have behind it if that is what it takes to forge a peaceful land for our family to live in."

Finger pauses for a short time as he finishes his short speech, glancing skyward a moment as a small smile comes to his lips, continuing to speak "Me, however? I suppose I am rather simple. There was a time where I did not care for others, when I was the most finely honed machine you could imagine, bred for that singular purpose. And then, I fell in love. She was beautiful, I still don't know how she came to be in a world like that. Her existence was like... a magnifying glass to me, the feelings she showed me allowed me to look at the world in ways that I had never known existed before, look at myself as something more than just... a killer. She showed me the good in others, the good in myself. The value in striving for something better." He would say, smile growing larger by the moment as memories race through his mind. And then his smile falters for a moment, and he closes his eyes as the smile slowly morphs back into a simple, somber one, and he breaths a sigh. "Even after they took her from me, the lessons she taught me remained. She wanted a better future for all of us. So I want a better future for all of us. These people, deserve a good life; I hope that we can give it to them." The man would finish, leveling his gaze on Alexander once more, his final words resonating with meaning. And then he keeps his silence, keeping that ever so slight smile that was filled with meaning so pure, that few could understand it.

[member="Alexander Ontonas"]

 

[Placeholder 0133]

Alexander remained respectfully quiet as [member="Finger"] explained what he believed he and his fellows were. It lined up well with what the fledgling Imperator had grown to see the young man as. He was a warrior without par, a man of principle and purpose that few others could hope to match. His warriors -- no, his kin -- were much the same. They were the people the Imperium was forged to protect. Not the diplomats, bureaucrats, the aristocracy, but the common folk. The people who were used and trodden upon by those that would consider themselves their betters.

They were the Imperium's Chosen.

"You have a pure heart, no matter your deeds my brother," Alexander nodded, "As do your people. There are no better candidates for what I propose. Your loyalty is absolute, your principles pure, you purpose clear. You will become the Imperium's symbol; the light in the dark. From your people, I will forge the galaxy's greatest warriors. None shall ever stand against them."

He paused, meeting Finger's heavy gaze. His own was filled with purpose. "And you, Finger, will lead them as you always have. You will be the Imperium's Chosen -- my chosen."

He smiled. "Would you like that?"