Karma Police

Brig's father had a confused expression. His image was crystal clear on the over sized plasma screen, so clear that Brig could see the years of calluses on his father's fingertips. He had grown a goatee, now gray and only peppered with red. Brig was almost his father's twin, only forty years younger.

'You did the right thing, son.'

Brig had told his father everything. And he did it with his hands balled up into fists so tight that he was positive he'd have crescent shape cuts in his palms. The pain of Hammer's lie was just too fresh to not want to destroy everything in the room.

Duncan paused and looked back at his son. 'This is Iov, Brian. Despite what he did, he is still your family.'

Brig flinched and paled. 'And that's why what he did is wrong.'

'You have known him all your life.'

The rage surged in him now, making Brig forget just who he was talking to. 'Father, are you going to tell Elder Hammerthynn or should I?'

Duncan's softened expression changed, becoming cold and hard. 'Remember your place, son.'

'No disrespect sir, but I seem to be the only person here who has.'

With a slow sigh, his father nodded. 'It is done, then.'

'Thank you, sir.' Brig stepped forward to shut off the display and break the connection when his father said one last thing.

'I'll be sure to give your mother your love.'

Pausing, Brig looked back up at the screen and saw the sadness in his eyes. He blushed, suddenly very ashamed for speaking to his father the way he just did. 'Thank you, Dad. And you have mine.'

Duncan smiled at his son and cut the connection.

Brig looked at the quivering display for a long while before finally shutting it off. His father looked good, looked healthy. It had been years since he had see his parents, as old as they were now. He would call his mother soon, maybe even visit her in Canberra. So Brig stood there, his back rigid and painfully straight, and he wondered what else had changed in the world without him noticing.

There was a loud knock at the door, startling him out of his reverie. How long had he been standing there, staring at the blank screen. His anger rose back up in him and uncharacteristically shouted at the interruption.

'WHAT IS IT?'

There was a pause and the door opened slowly. His Sergeant, Piper Charlie, stepped in cautiously. 'Sir, message from home.'

Brig raised his eyebrows, his features annoyed.

Charlie pointed at the computer panel. 'Want me to call it up?'

'Get out.'

Charlie stopped mid step and froze.

'GET OUT.' Brig yelled without looking at his piper, something he had not done in anger for some time. Charlie immediately stepped backwards to the door and shut it without turning his back.

Reaching down to the computer panel, he called up the message and read it. It was addressed to Hammerthynn and himself. With a satisfied snort, Brig forwarded the message to Hammer's phone. It was done.

Vigo Hammerthynn, Elder of the family and Hammer's father, was coming to Nachton.