Without looking up, Brig wiped the last bit of juice from his medium rare steak with his toast, and answered Hammer with a monotone voice.
'Fine.'
Brig finished his breakfast, eating the entire meal with ravenous hunger. The great thing about their morning runs was that it burnt off his near sleepless nights with Vivienne and left him with an enormous appetite. He was still functioning on maybe 2-3 hours of sleep a night, but his body had adjusted to it nicely.
'LT is still pissed about not knowing about Vivienne.' His nephew had not mentioned the incident which was several days earlier; a clear sign of his displeasure. The other Pipers had gone back to business as usual.
'What about the men?' Hammer asked in a tone that did not betray concern or any other emotion for that matter.
Brig made a face and reached for his coffee. 'You'd think it never happened.'
Suddenly goose bumps appeared on his arms and the back of his neck as a sweetly familiar scent floated past him. He paused, his hand hovering just over his cup as he felt his pupils dilate with arousal. Snapping himself out of his shock, his fingers wrapped around the coffee cup, lifting it to his mouth.
'What is she doing here?' Brig asked after taking a sip.
A clear message.
Continues from Kiss them for me
Eating in silence, Hammer inhaled his heaping mound of scrambled eggs. Across from him was his cousin, dressed in uniform with his jacket hanging crisply on his chair. It had been since Hammer's reveal that they spent breakfast together.
The meal used to be both personal and business related; the two discussing the Piper's activities, pack issues and the like. More often than not, Brig would regale Hammer with whatever female interludes he had recently had and Hammer, as always, would admonish him silently but listen intently.
The surrounding tables were empty. In fact, the entire dining hall was void of any other pack member within fifty feet of them. Their breakfast was always after their morning run and eaten in privacy. That was Hammer's preference, taking his scrambled eggs seriously.
Hammer was finishing the last bit of his thirteen egg scramble with ketchup. His eye flicked over to his cousin who sat quietly across the square table from him, eating his fifteen ounce steak and five sunny-side up eggs with six pieces of wheat toast. Both men drank coffee, black with no sugar.
Forking the last of his eggs, Hammer set down his fork and pulled the napkin from his lap, wiping the ketchup off his face and thin beard. His cousin looked up briefly from his nearly eaten steak and sighed deeply.
It was painfully quiet. Hammer drank his coffee, gulping half of it down. 'How's the nose?'
Brig Jameson
14 years ago
Vivienne Sena
14 years ago
Vivienne set her coffee, extra cream and three splenda, on the place setting in between Hammer and Brig. With a snort, she looked at Brig as he asked Hammer why she was there.
'I asked her to join us.' Hammer said, still not acknowledging her. 'Some things we need to discuss.'
Rolling her eyes, Viv pulled the chair out and sat down, crossing her legs. 'I love it when you guys talk about me like I'm not even here.' Placing her papers and notebook in front of her, she set her pen on top of it.
Both men looked over at her. Hammer took his plate and twisted around, placing it on the table behind him and cleared the space in front of him. Brig pushed his to the place setting across from Vivienne and leaned back in his chair, laying an ankle on his opposite leg. Running his tongue over his teeth, Brig gave her a blank look.
Picking up her coffee, Viv looked straight ahead of her, sipping slowly at it. Both men sat and waited for her to speak, and knowing this, Vivienne took her time.
'Vivienne?' Hammer said.
Viv sipped from her coffee again, looking at Hammer. With her other hand, she held up a finger, silently asking him to hold on. One more sip and then Vivienne set her cup back down, next to her notebook. Her hands busied themselves as she opened the book, pulling out two sheets of paper. She put one in front of Brig and the other in front of Hammer. She gave them a minute to read it.
'What is this?' Brig asked looking up.
'It's an evaluation.'
'We see that,' Hammer replied. 'This is on Michaels.'
Ivan Michaels was part of the ill-fated Piper Five from 2008, involved in the torture of Ellis Duban and Simon Huntington and murders of three other Pipers. Vivienne had the unfortunate honor of evaluating Michaels as a replacement for the lost Pipers from the Christmas 2006 event at Nachton Mall.
'Yeah, I conducted that interview for placement here in Nachton. Wrote that evaluation, too.'
'I've never seen this,' Brig said, setting the paper down in front of him. He looked at Hammer and his cousin shrugged in agreement.
'That's because his father had it taken out of his file. This is a heads up from home letting you both know the results of Alpha Michaels, of the Quebec, Canada pack's, actions. A message has been sent to the other extended families of the Hammerthynns and Jamesons.'
'I asked her to join us.' Hammer said, still not acknowledging her. 'Some things we need to discuss.'
Rolling her eyes, Viv pulled the chair out and sat down, crossing her legs. 'I love it when you guys talk about me like I'm not even here.' Placing her papers and notebook in front of her, she set her pen on top of it.
Both men looked over at her. Hammer took his plate and twisted around, placing it on the table behind him and cleared the space in front of him. Brig pushed his to the place setting across from Vivienne and leaned back in his chair, laying an ankle on his opposite leg. Running his tongue over his teeth, Brig gave her a blank look.
Picking up her coffee, Viv looked straight ahead of her, sipping slowly at it. Both men sat and waited for her to speak, and knowing this, Vivienne took her time.
'Vivienne?' Hammer said.
Viv sipped from her coffee again, looking at Hammer. With her other hand, she held up a finger, silently asking him to hold on. One more sip and then Vivienne set her cup back down, next to her notebook. Her hands busied themselves as she opened the book, pulling out two sheets of paper. She put one in front of Brig and the other in front of Hammer. She gave them a minute to read it.
'What is this?' Brig asked looking up.
'It's an evaluation.'
'We see that,' Hammer replied. 'This is on Michaels.'
Ivan Michaels was part of the ill-fated Piper Five from 2008, involved in the torture of Ellis Duban and Simon Huntington and murders of three other Pipers. Vivienne had the unfortunate honor of evaluating Michaels as a replacement for the lost Pipers from the Christmas 2006 event at Nachton Mall.
'Yeah, I conducted that interview for placement here in Nachton. Wrote that evaluation, too.'
'I've never seen this,' Brig said, setting the paper down in front of him. He looked at Hammer and his cousin shrugged in agreement.
'That's because his father had it taken out of his file. This is a heads up from home letting you both know the results of Alpha Michaels, of the Quebec, Canada pack's, actions. A message has been sent to the other extended families of the Hammerthynns and Jamesons.'
Iov Hammerthynn
14 years ago
Hammer looked at the evaluation, his good eye growing wide at Vivienne's report. Words like: misogynistic, psychologically deficient and terms like 'signs of mental and physical abuse' stunned him into silence.
Looking up, Hammer shook his head, 'Wait - Alpha Michaels knowingly sent his son here, with these kind of psychological issues, and completely ignored the welfare of the pack?'
Vivienne nodded with all traces of sarcasm void in her expression.
'What the fuck,' Brig said, resting his elbow on his arm chair and covering his mouth.
'What message is being sent?'
Looking up, Hammer shook his head, 'Wait - Alpha Michaels knowingly sent his son here, with these kind of psychological issues, and completely ignored the welfare of the pack?'
Vivienne nodded with all traces of sarcasm void in her expression.
'What the fuck,' Brig said, resting his elbow on his arm chair and covering his mouth.
'What message is being sent?'
Vivienne Sena
14 years ago
'Was sent. Alpha Michaels has been visited by Elder Hammerthynn and Elder Jameson.'
'Our fathers?' Brig said, sitting up in his chair.
'With their Pipers, yes.'
Hammer shook his head, 'This was two years ago. What prompted the visit now?'
'We discovered that Alpha Michaels went to great pains to line up his other son, the second of five, to replace his brother.'
Vivienne looked down in her lap and picked an errant piece of fluff off her gray wrap around skirt, smoothing it over her knee. She was pissed, beyond belief, that Alpha Michaels would attempt to push another son into the Nachton Pipers. He ignored the welfare of the pack and thought only of his personal glory. Having two sons in the Pipers for the Alpha in Nachton Proper would have been unprecedented.
'That was part of the reason why your replacement Pipers was held up in transit. Your fathers wanted a word with the good Alpha first.'
'Our fathers?' Brig said, sitting up in his chair.
'With their Pipers, yes.'
Hammer shook his head, 'This was two years ago. What prompted the visit now?'
'We discovered that Alpha Michaels went to great pains to line up his other son, the second of five, to replace his brother.'
Vivienne looked down in her lap and picked an errant piece of fluff off her gray wrap around skirt, smoothing it over her knee. She was pissed, beyond belief, that Alpha Michaels would attempt to push another son into the Nachton Pipers. He ignored the welfare of the pack and thought only of his personal glory. Having two sons in the Pipers for the Alpha in Nachton Proper would have been unprecedented.
'That was part of the reason why your replacement Pipers was held up in transit. Your fathers wanted a word with the good Alpha first.'
Brig Jameson
14 years ago
Brig pulled out his iphone and sent a message to Lewis in the Situation Room, telling him to find out the status of Alpha Michaels and their replacements. Then he sent a message to his father, asking him about his trip to Quebec. Setting his phone on the table, he looked over at Hammer. His cousin had pulled out his own phone. Within a minute Brig's phone chirped, signaling a message.
Looking at the display, he read the message from Lewis, and then held the phone out to Hammer for him to see. Hammer took it and read the message. His concerned face smoothed over as he handed Brig back his phone.
Turning to Vivienne, Brig read out the message. 'Alpha Michaels died in his sleep.'
Vivienne tsked and raised her eyebrows. 'How unfortunate.'
Looking at the display, he read the message from Lewis, and then held the phone out to Hammer for him to see. Hammer took it and read the message. His concerned face smoothed over as he handed Brig back his phone.
Turning to Vivienne, Brig read out the message. 'Alpha Michaels died in his sleep.'
Vivienne tsked and raised her eyebrows. 'How unfortunate.'
Vivienne Sena
14 years ago
Viv rested her elbows on the arms of her chair and looked thoughtfully at Brig.
'There are currently two Pipers now holding in Europe. Alpha Michaels' son, the third replacement Piper, has returned to Quebec to see to his father's pack. I think it goes without saying that Elder Jameson and Elder Hammerthynn will be leaving representatives of the family there to aid in the shift of power.'
That would have been Vivienne's job, had she not been in Nachton overseeing Alpha Xephier's Pipers. Vigo dealing with his business first hand was more of a public statement. She had no problem looking Brig in the eye as he processed what she had just told them.
Looking at Hammer, Viv addressed him with the respect due to his position. 'Although two years late, as you said Beta, the families want to ensure the protection of not just the Alpha, but of the pack as a whole, so both your fathers,' Vivienne flicked a look at Brig, 'are extending my stay to ensure your replacement Pipers, pending my review, are properly assimilated, and of course to aid in any situation that might warrant my skill sets.'
Settling back in the chair, she gave him a sheepish smile. 'You're kinda stuck with me for a little while.'
'There are currently two Pipers now holding in Europe. Alpha Michaels' son, the third replacement Piper, has returned to Quebec to see to his father's pack. I think it goes without saying that Elder Jameson and Elder Hammerthynn will be leaving representatives of the family there to aid in the shift of power.'
That would have been Vivienne's job, had she not been in Nachton overseeing Alpha Xephier's Pipers. Vigo dealing with his business first hand was more of a public statement. She had no problem looking Brig in the eye as he processed what she had just told them.
Looking at Hammer, Viv addressed him with the respect due to his position. 'Although two years late, as you said Beta, the families want to ensure the protection of not just the Alpha, but of the pack as a whole, so both your fathers,' Vivienne flicked a look at Brig, 'are extending my stay to ensure your replacement Pipers, pending my review, are properly assimilated, and of course to aid in any situation that might warrant my skill sets.'
Settling back in the chair, she gave him a sheepish smile. 'You're kinda stuck with me for a little while.'
Iov Hammerthynn
14 years ago
Hammer wasn't sure how the Alpha was going to take the implications of the families' retribution on Alpha Michaels. Officially there was no wrong doing in his death, it was natural causes, but with the Elders presence foreshadowing the Alpha's death, there would be talk.
'I've never heard of this happening before,' Brig said from behind his fingers. His face seemed torn from confusion to complete shock.
Hammer rubbed his scarred eye and looked down at the evaluation. 'I've heard it happening once in the pack, but it was hundreds of years ago. I suppose a reminder was needed that family comes before glory.'
It wasn't his or his cousin's place to question the will of the families. Some day the both of them would step up into their father's places, assuming control of the families.
Hammer wasn't looking forward to it.
'I've never heard of this happening before,' Brig said from behind his fingers. His face seemed torn from confusion to complete shock.
Hammer rubbed his scarred eye and looked down at the evaluation. 'I've heard it happening once in the pack, but it was hundreds of years ago. I suppose a reminder was needed that family comes before glory.'
It wasn't his or his cousin's place to question the will of the families. Some day the both of them would step up into their father's places, assuming control of the families.
Hammer wasn't looking forward to it.
Brig Jameson
14 years ago
Brig watched Hammer process the ramifications of what their fathers did. Eventually, after much silence, Brig caught his cousin's eye and they stared at each other with a knowledge that didn't sit well with either one of them. Brig was the oldest and Hammer was an only son; their paths had always been known to them, but that didn't make their futures easier to accept.
Brig's blue eyes flicked over to Vivienne's brown ones. Her expression was unemotional, but then he didn't expect a loving glance from her, not in front of Hammer. She slowly raised her eyebrows at him as the corner of her lips curled into the barest of smiles. Running his tongue along his teeth, he put his hand on the evaluation and leaned forward.
'Was there something else?'
It was the only thing said for a full minute; Hammer turned his head away from them and looked off at nothing giving Viv an opportunity to try and express herself through knowing stares. He knew prodding when he saw it.
He didn't like it.
Standing, he pulled his jacket off the back of his chair. 'All right then. See you at muster.'
Hammer turned his head back and nodded at him.
As he buttoned his jacket, Brig looked at Viv and raised his eyebrows. 'You coming or what?'
Brig's blue eyes flicked over to Vivienne's brown ones. Her expression was unemotional, but then he didn't expect a loving glance from her, not in front of Hammer. She slowly raised her eyebrows at him as the corner of her lips curled into the barest of smiles. Running his tongue along his teeth, he put his hand on the evaluation and leaned forward.
'Was there something else?'
It was the only thing said for a full minute; Hammer turned his head away from them and looked off at nothing giving Viv an opportunity to try and express herself through knowing stares. He knew prodding when he saw it.
He didn't like it.
Standing, he pulled his jacket off the back of his chair. 'All right then. See you at muster.'
Hammer turned his head back and nodded at him.
As he buttoned his jacket, Brig looked at Viv and raised his eyebrows. 'You coming or what?'
Vivienne Sena
14 years ago
Viv glared at Brig, but not because of his curt question. It annoyed her that they yet again missed an opportunity to try and work things out, using a situation that they could potentially bond. She knew what they were both thinking; their uncomfortable body language after what she had told them had to have made them realize that they were both poised to step into their fathers roles, as unpleasant as they seem to be. Of course, they could use that power to make some needed changes within the families, but that was literally years in the future. Their fathers were old, but Viv didn't see either one letting go of their positions anytime soon.
With a deep sigh, she gathered her papers and stood. Hammer immediately stood with her and then took the opportunity to excuse himself, leaving the dining hall without a word. Viv watched Hammer as she tucked her papers back into her notebook. As he turned the corner and disappeared, she looked over at Brig and smacked his arm.
'Ow, what?' he whined.
Rolling her eyes, she tucked her notebook under her arm and walked out of the dining hall with Brig lazily following her.
((OOC - Everyone out))
Continues in Just this once
With a deep sigh, she gathered her papers and stood. Hammer immediately stood with her and then took the opportunity to excuse himself, leaving the dining hall without a word. Viv watched Hammer as she tucked her papers back into her notebook. As he turned the corner and disappeared, she looked over at Brig and smacked his arm.
'Ow, what?' he whined.
Rolling her eyes, she tucked her notebook under her arm and walked out of the dining hall with Brig lazily following her.
((OOC - Everyone out))
Continues in Just this once