The Imperial Armor

[Ikhan]

Throne Room, The Imperial Palace, Chernigov Prime

 

 It had been nearly a year since the Imperial Palace was finished being renovated, at least, the above-ground sections did. Ten kilometers below what the locals were calling the "Spire" district, the palace connected to a hyperwave relay station which was being powered by around 200 generators that tap into the planet's surface. This relay station allowed Alexei to take direct control of the Imperial Armada at will, should he ever need to do so. However, Alexei did not care about this at the moment, for he was studying a holocron, the Sith Emperor's holocron in fact. There was something about it that interested Alexei, something he tried to figure out. Suddenly, an entity appeared before him, one that seemed familiar, yet different at the same time.

 "Have you come to torment me again? No... I feel his presence, yet it is faint... You... are not Tenebrae." the presence said.

 "If your essence was hidden away in this holocron on Nathema, you must have been too dangerous, even for Vitiate." 

 "Tenebrae, Vitiate, the Emperor of the Sith, his name does not matter. All that matters is his destruction. There will come a time when he is weak, and that is when you should strike." the presence replied.

 "How do you know so much of him if you have been trapped in that holocron for so long? It hardly seems likely that you could know him that well." Alexei replied.

 "I... Am his father. My lowborn son has worn many masks, but one thing has never changed: His family. I was Lord Dramath, ruler of Medriaas. This holocron holds everything I know, as well as some things Tenebrae knows as well. I know he has taught you much, so I hope this will help you. Now please, free me, so I might become one with the force." Dramath requested.

 "Many have suffered from Vitiate's grasp, you more than others... I will release you. Join with the force in peace." Alexei said before releasing the spirit, who knelt his head before disappearing. Alexei was left in silence for many minutes, thinking back on his life up until this point. Every life he took, every family he had separated, every world he destroyed. These actions he had taken had changed him into something other than the benevolent leader of his youth. He was no longer Alexei... Somehow, he knew it all along, yet he denied it. His denial held him back, and now, he had awakened. Upon this revelation, he ordered a new suit of armor and a mask which would strike fear into the hearts of normal beings. 

 

Two weeks later...

 

 The day had finally arrived, Alexei's new armor had been completed, it's mask made to be both functional as well as intimidating. As it was equipped with a respirator, it allowed for him to survive in the vacuum of space far longer than usual, not to mention that it was made to be intimidating as well. At the same time, the armor was made with a cortosis-weave, which made it lightsaber resistant. Upon it's arrival, Alexei decided to put it on, but he hesitated to put the mask on, as he knew that once he did, it would symbolically be the end of the man he once was, and the beginning of his new life as both Emperor and Eradicator, as Dark Lord and destroyer of worlds. After a short period of time, he put the mask over his head, and an audible breath was heard, it's noise more mechanical than organic. Upon adorning the mask, it's interface slowly lit up, allowing Alexei to control whether he wished to have the respirator on or not, among other things. For several minutes afterwards, Alexei remained silent, to the point where one of the many soldiers in the room approached and asked him a question.

 "My lord, can you hear me? Is everything okay?" the soldier asked, but no response came. However, suddenly, he began to choke as Alexei held his hand out before letting him go. He no longer felt anything, save for a cold rage.

 "I am no longer Alexei, at least, not the same man as I was." he said before heading back to his throne room.