Cato
"Good to see you, Cinna," I grinned and clapped him on the back.
"So, Cato, why are we meeting in a dark alleyway?" He asked humorously.
Oh you know... drugs and stuff.
"There aren't any cameras or passerby's here. I thought it would be the safest place to talk," I said and he nodded. "So, why do you suddenly want to know about armor?" I asked and he pulled a sketchbook out of his jacket.
"As your father might have told you, there's a rebellion coming. We're focusing on making Katniss the center point, but that means she'll be in danger. I need to make her a suit that will protect her from anything. Fire, water, ice, wind, electricity, and metal. She needs armor. Now, I know how to make pretty clothes and match silks, but what I don't know is how to mold steelglass and titanium. You do. I need you to help me," He explained and I nodded.
So you get to protect her?
"This will protect Katniss?" I asked and Cinna nodded.
"Here are a few sketches. The basic shape is the same. Shoulder pads, a breast plate, and a thin back plate. Then there are the shin guards, the knee holders, and elbow pads. We have to make sure she stays alive. I've also begun adding some protection measures into her clothes. How thin can you make your armor? I want to add some here and there into her dresses."
I looked over the sketches and nodded as he spoke.
This is so cool and weird.
"The thinnest I can make armor that's useful is probably a centimeter or two. I'll need time to work on it, though," I said and he nodded. "Cinna, if these plans of rebellion are true, then I won't stop Katniss from becoming a symbol. But there's nothing that would stop me from doing anything to protect her. I'll have your armor ready. You need it in a specific color?" I asked.
"It's all in the book, but the armor will be black, and I'll start making the mesh that will cover her. Cato, we need to keep this a secret. I'm sure your father would love to help, but the less people who know about this means less people that will get hurt. I'm counting on you."
He looked around and walked away. I stuffed the book inside my jacket and walked out of the alleyway. No one had seen us.
Walking back to my lab, I locked the doors and began flipping through the book. Cinna had created the most identifiable suit ever. It was black and had gold embellishments. The armor was intricate and Katniss' mockingjay pin was stamped onto her shoulders in gold. I nodded and smiled.
Flipping through the book, I saw dresses and business suits. There were skirts and shirts as well. I opened my cabinet and pulled a large block of steelglass.
Steelglass was a creation of my father's. It was a type of metal that he had made when he was younger. He molded steel, glass, and a shit load of other secret materials to create it. Steelglass was stronger than any metal, shone like glass, and was lighter than cotton. It was the ultimate material for weapons and armor. Of course, something as rare as steelglass would never be used on Peacekeepers. They lined nuclear missiles with it.
Your father is a genius.
I began heating the core of the table and placed the steelglass inside. It would take hours if not days to melt. I began adding the math together to find out exactly how much steelglass I needed.
Well, she is relatively small, so you won't need as much as you would need for someone like you, but then again, the amount of skin covered by the armor has to be taken into consideration.
Absolutely. So, I'll get a mannequin. I pressed a button on the side of the table.
"Arckenson 2 here. I need one mannequin. Female, 5'9", and 139 lbs," I spoke into the little microphone. In our private lab, the avoxes were devoted, and my father made sure no secrets were let out. President Snow thought he was only doing it to make sure no enemies of the Capitol found out, but it was actually to make sure no one found out about what happened in the underground Arckenson Lab.
Someone knocked on the door and I opened it. Two avoxes wheeled in a mannequin whose body looked disturbingly like Katniss'.
Well, you got what you asked for.
I continued to write out equations until the general shades and forms were figured out. I tested the steelglass with a thermometer and knew it was ready to be molded.
Pulling on a pair of heat gloves, I dunked a metal cup into the molten goop and poured two cups onto the table. I grabbed two pairs of tongs and began to shape the metal into a flat square. The metal shined and I added black dye to the silver tint within to get a gleaming onyx look.
After seven days, I finally finished her armor.
It was probably my best work yet, I thought as I drew the mockingjay onto my graphing paper. It took a few more hours, but I finally made a branding iron that would actually sear through the steelglass. It had to be heated at 6,000 degrees Celsius to make a dent in the metal.
I pulled goggles on and rammed the iron into the first shoulder pad. The steelglass hissed and shrieked as I pressed the mockingjay brand into it.
Cato, how are you still alive after hearing that?!
I was trained to withstand almost anything. I wiped my forehead and examined the cherry red mockingjay emblazoned onto her armor. Putting the shoulder guard down, I grabbed the other one and repeated the process. After adding a few drops of extra strength dye, I gave both marks the look as if they were still on fire. Slicing my hand open, I dribbled a bit of my blood into it so I would be credited as the maker and so that the colors would become more rich and thick.
Your best work.
No. I have an even bigger project in mind for her. I cleaned my desk space and polished the armor. I tossed everything into the satchel I'd begun bringing to the lab.
"Leaving already? What have you been working on?" Father called out from his office. I turned and saw him in a gold HAZMAT suit. An oxygen mask covered his face.
"I need to meet with a few people. I'll be home for dinner!" I called and walked out after showering in the Clear Zone.
It took a few minutes for me to find where Cinna had set up shop. With the steady flow of money coming in, Cinna bought the two top floors of the building closest to the Tribute Center.
"Mr. Arckenson, how may I help you?" An attendant asked once I exited the car.
"Cinna is expecting me."
"Of course, sir," He led me to an elevator and we shot up to the top floor. I stepped out of the elevator and a few Avoxes bowed to me.
"Cinna?" I called and the man appeared from behind a mannequin.
"Cato! Great to see you," We shook hands and I handed him my bag.
"One set of bronze wings," I said and he nodded, looking inside.
"Great. Now, I'll just have to sew these on," He murmured and I looked around. The entire are was covered in silks and satins.
"Been busy?" I asked and he nodded.
"So many orders. I've hired 30 people to help. It's wonderful work,"
So he plays the dumb Capitolite in front of others.
Indeed. I walked around and touched an emerald green dress. It was floor length and quite the work of art.
"Who's this one for?" I asked and Cinna looked up from his tablet.
"Hm? Oh, that one. It's for Katniss' Victory Tour. District 4," He said and I nodded. There were many dresses laid out for Katniss' Victory Tour.
Coriolanus
Peeta was kept in a bedroom of my own estate so that none would know that he was alive besides the closest of my inner circle.
"President Snow, Domitius Arckenson is here to see you," an attendant said and Domitius was led in by an Avox.
"Domitius, good to see you," I shook his hand and the man nodded.
"And you, Coriolanus." I sat down at my desk and rested my elbows on the table.
"You were born into, married into, and continued one of the most prestigious families in the world. Arckenson and Cohere. It began with Junallia Cohere; your late wife. Enobaria Cohere, still unmarried but extremely famous. You married Junallia and had two children. Cato and Junallia the second."
"Yes," Domitius looked proud.
"You were the son of Antonius Arckenson and Lilia Hycronote. Both extremely prominent families. Arckenson has worked with Snow for a millenia and it was your grandfather that helped me rise to power as a young man. I then promoted your family to weapons and their design. None can create weapons like you.
"Then your son became Victor of the Games and now he's brought someone back to twelve. Outstanding. Now both of you are under the employment of me and building weapons to further benefit the Capitol and to crush all rebellion. I wonder who District 13 has working for them? They're still using Dark Day technology, but I have you and your son. I should pin a medal on both of you."
"Coriolanus, I was making a nuclear missile using hydro-technology. You told me to make it. There has to be a reason for you to stop my working on that."
"Yes. You see, I have something to show you," I said and stood up. Domitius followed me into the adjoining bedchamber where Peeta laid. He was in a bed and strapped to three machines that kept him alive.
"Is that-"
"Yes, it is. Peeta Mellark is needed for our cause. To crush the rebellion, we need Katniss' weakness. I already know they've made her the symbol of their cause. Katniss refused to kill Peeta, resulting in the least gory games imaginable. The Capitol loves her, but the districts love her even more. They see her as a beacon of light. I need to crush that light," I explained and Domitius choked on his own words.
"Why am I-"
"Because you have direct contact with Katniss through your son. The next games are going to be a lesson to all."
"Coriolanus, what are you going to do with Peeta? His family believes him dead," Domitius said, messing with his tie.
"I'm going to send him to some place that has no hope. I'll get the details to you when I can." He turned to leave and I grabbed his shoulder.
"Oh, and Domitius, if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will turn your daughter into an Avox, and she can serve Lucilla for the rest of her life." His mouth opened but Domitius nodded. He was so easy to use. All he did was make weapons and coo over his little girl. I needed more people like Domitius Arckenson and fewer people like Seneca Crane.
"Coriolanus, please. Not Juna. You can do anything to me, just don't touch my daughter," He pleaded.
"Are you planning on telling anyone what you just saw?" I asked and Domitius shook his head.
"Then we don't have a problem. I trust you, but the consequences of losing my trust are harsh. Keep that in mind."
Domitius was like clay in my hands. Anything to do with his children and he melted. I needed to get Katniss back into the arena, and with the Quarter Quell coming up, I knew just what to do.
I looked out the window at the car that drove away. My daughter-in-law was out in the gardens with Lucilla and her new boy, Philipe. She held the baby in her arms while Lucilla ran around. A picnic blanket was set under a tree and an avox brought a basket of food out. Life was well in the President's Mansion, and it would stay this way for quite a long time.