The room was dark, dry and slightly warm. Joseph didn’t like being in there, his brother knew that but still, he demanded that the meetings be held there. The Police Commissioner looked around the room. Behind him was the staircase that leads to the main exit. The room was circular in shape, man-made but formed to look as if it were a natural cave. On the other side a Computer interface with several large screens, he didn’t quite understand the need for so many large screens at one location, quite unnecessary. In the middle a circular table with chairs surrounding it. On his left glass cabinets with dressed mannequins in different outfits. The different ‘Uniforms’ of his brother. A long dark coat and pants with a very dramatic Helmet topping it off, the ensemble of ‘Terras Razor’. Next to it a tight Combat issue stealth uniform his brother gleefully referred to as the ‘Dark Stranger’. Joseph shook his head as he sat down, his older brother truly had a flair for the dramatic. As he sat he saw as the single red light from the ‘Razors’ helmet activated. “The eye that sees eternity Brother” A voice beckoned from behind Joseph, the gleeful voice of his older brother Jóhann Karlson. “You haven’t been able to sneak up on me in decades Hannsi” The larger brother answered unphased “Your tricks don’t work on me” He looked at his CPI and checked the time.

When he looked up his older brother was already sitting in the seat in front of him. No sound, as usual, no sense that he’d actually moved. Perhaps he didn’t, perhaps he’d been in the chair the entire time but simply cast his voice across the room. He loved his little tricks “Why did you call this meeting on a Tuesday? I have dinner plans with Neema in an hour and I haven’t had a chance to get dressed” Joseph said grimly, they tried only to meet in the Cave once or twice a month, this was the second time this week. Johann crossed his thin legs and smiled at Joe “In the past few years I’ve managed to settle some fairly deep roots here, hell they’ve all but named an entire neighbourhood after me” Joseph disliked when his brother went into business mode, it bothered him more than the assassinating “I’ve also conveniently removed several obstacles within the local criminal element and replaced them with Conglom operatives.” Before he managed to continue he was interrupted “Yes I’m well aware of all of this, I do pay attention in our Bi-weekly meetings. I do appreciate that you keep your influencers away from the public eye but why have you called this meeting with just us?” He said rather annoyed, he usually enjoyed time with his brother but this was truly a waste of their time.

Johann leaned forward “Besides the forming mysteries surround your old friend Zar and the deliciously alluring Mrs Binns there is a new threat arising somewhere beyond Federation space, some of my Operatives within the Syndicate uncovered this communique from someone within the group. It mentions you” He tapped on the desk and a small hologram of text appeared in the middle of the table. It was Joseph’s public itinerary. A holopic of his house taken from outside the grounds and a professional assessment on its apparent security “This is a kill order” Joe’s eye’s narrowed “Someone is going through a lot of trouble to find a place to kill me, not just any place they want it done where I should be safest.” The former Marine leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. Then the smile started forming “I think we’ve finally managed to get their attention big brother” He looked at his older brother with an even wider smile “Yes little Joe. He’s finally making his grand move. You’re going to be dead by the end of the week” Johann answered the smile with his own. If anyone had seen into the cave hidden under that house inside the dome on the dead world of Oed Five they would have seen two old men sharing a laugh over the Death in their immediate future.

The Karlsons