Hammerthynn checked his watch just as the door opened. Dropping his hand back down, his eye narrowed in on the LT. Brig was standing next to him, arms crossed and in matching fatigues. With a roll of his good eye, he looked at LT and sneered slightly.
'Nice of you to join us, LT.'
'Aye sir, I apologize.'
'Yes. Of course.'
To give LT a dressing down in front of his men would only weaken the authoritative bond between them, so Hammer just looked at his cousin who nodded in agreement. Brig would talk to him afterward. With a look to Marthinus who was standing in the corner, his pup came up to the table and stood by a chair.
'This is not strategy meeting. The Alpha's command still stands and the Pipers have not been recalled into service.' The men muttered disappointed. 'Our services are not necessary in the city, at this time, but our readiness and ability to move quickly,' he looked at LT who did not flinch, 'still are.'
Looking around the room, he ordered the men to sit with a hand pointing to the seats as he took one himself. Hammer adjusted his khaki button up shirt as he lowered himself into the seat. With pen in hand, he tapped the surface of the table quietly as he waited for the men to settle.
'Good then. The oath has been delivered to Duban and Huntington. No one from this team, or the pack, will show any aggression toward their clan, granted we have no idea how many there might be of their kind. We do know that there are at least three clans in the city. Our intelligence from Marthinus has been enlightening, to say the least.'
Hammer knew Marthinus only told as much, or rather as little, as possible. Still, the information was valuable.
'We are on stand down for the time being. We watch, we do not engage unless engaged upon first. I don't want to hear about any transgressions with the vampires.' Quietly and softly, Hammer repeated himself.
'Any...transgressions.'
The men answered in unison. 'Aye, sir.'
Hammer looked to his cousin and Brig stepped forward.
Focused...kinda.
It took LT exactly twenty six minutes to get from Carol's home, his quarters on the pack property, changed into his uniform, and into the lobby of the Situation Room where the rest of the Pipers were waiting for him. They were all wearing BDU style uniforms with their pants tucked into their combat boots. They were black with dark green camouflage print, with their sleeves rolled up to their biceps. LT was tucking the back of his shirt in as he entered the room.
The Pipers were standing around, talking amongst themselves, chattering quietly until LT arrived. As he stepped in, they all stopped and turned to look at him silently. LT straightened his sleeves and looked at all them. They were dressed and ready to dispatch if needed. Finally, he sighed.
'I don't want to hear it.'
The Pipers began clapping and cat calling, whistling at their Lieutenant, till finally they all started cheering. LT pushed through the crowd and put his hand on the Situation Room door as he turned and looked back at the Pipers with a face void of amusement and full of authority.
The room went immediately quiet.
'Ready?'
'Aye, sir,' they replied in unison.
LT turned back and opened the door with a hidden smile.
Iov Hammerthynn
15 years ago
Brig Jameson
15 years ago
Brig watched as LT and the Pipers filed into the room. It had taken LT far longer than usual to ready the men and join them in the Situation Room. That could only mean one thing.
It took everything for him not to smile at his nephew as LT made eye contact with him. As an uncle, he was pleased that LT hit it off with Carol, despite having courting her for a brief time himself. As a Commander, it worried him and he silently agreed with his cousin that he should rebuke the lad for the poor showing. Still, a hearty smile threatened to break his stern and angry stare.
As Hammer reiterated the Piper's command, he considered their situation with their brothers, the Vyusher R'asa and was ready to speak of it as he stepped forward at the end of Hammer's speech. With one arm behind his back, Brig touched his belt buckle and looked at each and everyone of the Piper's faces.
'With the vampires in check, we still need to make contact with our brothers, the Vyusher R'asa.' He used the term 'brothers' loosely since neither pack had any love for the other. The aggressive, more feral pack of werewolves saught to dominate the world and was propelled by its bitterness for the humans and its hate for the vampires, but not unjustly so. The Kadzait just chose a more civilized approach at intergrating back within the ranks of humanity, although you'd not know it by Hammer's disposition toward their immortal enemies.
Each Piper held the blood memory that every Hammerthynn and Jameson carried, from one generation to the next. The blood memory of Ellis Duban and Simon Huntington, their absolute and painful betrayal that, oddly enough, no one spoke of. Not their own fathers, not in written form. It was just there, in their blood and they were all slave to the hate, but in Hammer's debriefing with him, he brought up the curious question from Huntington.
What was the memory?
Brig had no idea what the memory was, only that the bitterness of it was there and had always been there. And somehow, young Marthinus had learned how to control it. Looking at the older man seated at the table of the young Pipers, Brig noticed the burn marks on his fingers and it dawned on him.
Sneaky old fart, he was using silver rings to control his turning around them. Interesting.
'Our repeated attempts to contact Loretta or Vaughn Emiliano or their Beta, Wieczork have failed. We aren't exact on where the VR are setting up shop, only that there were some incidents that traced back to them. The black market in Nachton has been besieged by our brothers and that gives us pause. We are to find out where they are taking up residence and what they are up to. That's it. Any questions?'
The men were silent.
'LT will have your orders. Other than that, we continue as before. Enjoy the city, but let's not get into any trouble, shall we? Dismissed.'
With a look at LT, he silently called him over with a nod. The Pipers filed out of the room and LT approached without an expression. Hammer touched the surface of the table and pulled up several reports. With a nod, he left without a word.
Brig watched as Marthinus followed Hammerthynn out and left him alone with his nephew. As soon as the door closed, Brig relaxed his arms and sat down on the table, letting a foot dangle.
'So, what happened with Carol?'
It took everything for him not to smile at his nephew as LT made eye contact with him. As an uncle, he was pleased that LT hit it off with Carol, despite having courting her for a brief time himself. As a Commander, it worried him and he silently agreed with his cousin that he should rebuke the lad for the poor showing. Still, a hearty smile threatened to break his stern and angry stare.
As Hammer reiterated the Piper's command, he considered their situation with their brothers, the Vyusher R'asa and was ready to speak of it as he stepped forward at the end of Hammer's speech. With one arm behind his back, Brig touched his belt buckle and looked at each and everyone of the Piper's faces.
'With the vampires in check, we still need to make contact with our brothers, the Vyusher R'asa.' He used the term 'brothers' loosely since neither pack had any love for the other. The aggressive, more feral pack of werewolves saught to dominate the world and was propelled by its bitterness for the humans and its hate for the vampires, but not unjustly so. The Kadzait just chose a more civilized approach at intergrating back within the ranks of humanity, although you'd not know it by Hammer's disposition toward their immortal enemies.
Each Piper held the blood memory that every Hammerthynn and Jameson carried, from one generation to the next. The blood memory of Ellis Duban and Simon Huntington, their absolute and painful betrayal that, oddly enough, no one spoke of. Not their own fathers, not in written form. It was just there, in their blood and they were all slave to the hate, but in Hammer's debriefing with him, he brought up the curious question from Huntington.
What was the memory?
Brig had no idea what the memory was, only that the bitterness of it was there and had always been there. And somehow, young Marthinus had learned how to control it. Looking at the older man seated at the table of the young Pipers, Brig noticed the burn marks on his fingers and it dawned on him.
Sneaky old fart, he was using silver rings to control his turning around them. Interesting.
'Our repeated attempts to contact Loretta or Vaughn Emiliano or their Beta, Wieczork have failed. We aren't exact on where the VR are setting up shop, only that there were some incidents that traced back to them. The black market in Nachton has been besieged by our brothers and that gives us pause. We are to find out where they are taking up residence and what they are up to. That's it. Any questions?'
The men were silent.
'LT will have your orders. Other than that, we continue as before. Enjoy the city, but let's not get into any trouble, shall we? Dismissed.'
With a look at LT, he silently called him over with a nod. The Pipers filed out of the room and LT approached without an expression. Hammer touched the surface of the table and pulled up several reports. With a nod, he left without a word.
Brig watched as Marthinus followed Hammerthynn out and left him alone with his nephew. As soon as the door closed, Brig relaxed his arms and sat down on the table, letting a foot dangle.
'So, what happened with Carol?'
Lothias LT Jameson
15 years ago
LT was waiting for the reprimand as soon as the room cleared, but was surprised when his uncle decided to forgo it.
'Oh, we ended up just driving around. Grabbed a hot dog and...said good night.'
Yeah, that was his story and he was sticking to it.
'Oh, we ended up just driving around. Grabbed a hot dog and...said good night.'
Yeah, that was his story and he was sticking to it.
Brig Jameson
15 years ago
'If that's all that happened, then you must be adopted.'
LT shrugged and gave him a small smile.
'Alright, alright. Fine, be a gentleman about it.' Brig smiled and put his hand on his shoulder. 'I'm glad it's working out, then.' He slid off the table and walked his nephew to the door, but before opening it he stopped him.
'And if you're ever late again, I'll rip you a new one in front of your men. Have fun trying to gain back their confidence after that.' LT's grin fell and he nodded. 'Are we clear?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Good then.' He gave LT a slap on the back and ushered him out.
((Brig and LT out))
LT shrugged and gave him a small smile.
'Alright, alright. Fine, be a gentleman about it.' Brig smiled and put his hand on his shoulder. 'I'm glad it's working out, then.' He slid off the table and walked his nephew to the door, but before opening it he stopped him.
'And if you're ever late again, I'll rip you a new one in front of your men. Have fun trying to gain back their confidence after that.' LT's grin fell and he nodded. 'Are we clear?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Good then.' He gave LT a slap on the back and ushered him out.
((Brig and LT out))