Eirik and Lasse watched as their grandfather's ship slowly drifted towards them. The pride and joy of the Terran navy, the "Hammerblow" was a truly enormous ship. large enough to carry 100.000 soldiers into battle, along with all the crew and logistics that were required to run a ship and army of that size. Entire solar systems had been conquered with that ship alone.

They both stared in silent awe at the technological marvel in front of them. David's voice suddenly rang out over the intercom, "Captain, an incoming call from the "Hammerblow" Pressing a button on the wall, Eirik answered, "On my way to the bridge"

A minute later he entered the bridge with his brother in tow and took position in his chair before nodding to David, who opened a call between the 2 ships.

Benny's face appeared on the main screen and Eirik stiffly greeted him. "Grandfather."

"I should demand you stand down surrender immediately, boy!" Benny was furious, his hands clenched tightly into fists and a vein pulsating on his forehead.

"Then a message will be sent out to the family with what I have discovered and the fact that you have kept it hidden on purpose. You will take a shuttle to my ship, you will do so now, and you are allowed to bring an honor guard if for some insane reason you think I would do you physical harm." Eirik sounded calm as can be, but his clenched jawline and hyper-focused stare told a different story. He was on edge. He knew exactly how little he could do to defy his grandfather if he decided to simply use force.

All that came out of Benny was a rage-filled sputtering for about a minute followed by a simple "received!" before the call was cut off.

5 minutes later a shuttle docked in his hangar, a quick scan showing that only 1 person was on board. Eirik sighed in relief. With his grandfather on board, the chance of being attacked by the "Hammerblow" was reduced to zero.

He quickly made his way towards the conference room with his brother while Jeanette went and fetched Benny. Finally, the door to the conference room opened and Benny walked in. When he saw Lasse sitting next to Eirik, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Lasse?? What are you doing here?"

"The same as my younger brother. I am getting answers to questions I did not know I had until very recently." Lasse sounded very stiff and reserved, his attitude showing will all the clarity one could want, that he was very disappointed in his grandfather.

"Sit down," Eirik interjected, "I have a feeling this is going to take a little while."

Benny sat down and looked over his 2 grandsons on the other side of the table. Settling his eyes on Eirik, he started the conversation. "How did you know?"

"The Goddes Saga told me," Eirik stated.

"Eirik, enough with that nonsense. It's time to grow up!" Benny admonished, thinking it was meant as a joke.

"I am completely serious granddad. I was mourning my brothers on the day of their supposed death, trying to drink myself into a stupor, I had a blackout, dreamt I was talking with Saga in Asgård, and woke up in a charcoal circle covered in runes, both known and unknown." Eirik explained impatiently. "But enough of that. How long have you known!!"

When Benny didn't answer, Eirik slammed both hands on the desk and jumped up from his seat, "ANSWER ME!!!" Lasse put a hand on Eirik's arm and pulled him down again before speaking, "Speak up granddad. If you are old enough to do something, you are old enough to stand by it afterward. Just like you always told us, growing up!"

The remainder of the words he had used throughout their childhood made him wince, but he did start talking, "I have known since a few months after your last mission." A deep shuttering breath escaped the old man as if a massive burden had been taken from him.

"Why haven't you told us in all that time?!?" Eirik spat out the next question.

"Because, to begin with, I feared they might execute them to get revenge, so I didn't want to give you hope that might be taken away. Later, I learned that they kept them as prisoners solely to antagonize me, and at that point, a few years had already passed. What could I say, at that time, that would have justified my actions??"

"What can you say NOW that justifies your actions?" Lasse rebuked.

This silenced Benny again and Eirik picked up again, "How could you do this to us? How could you keep quiet? Do you have any idea the amount of pain and grief the family has gone through on account of your silence??" Eirik fired off the questions like one would fire a gun, more venting than expecting an answer.

"What do you want me to say, Eirik?? That I'm sorry?? That I wish I could go back in time and do things differently?? I wish for all those things, but we cannot change the past. I pray every day that my spies finally discover where they are keeping your brothers hidden so I can demand them back as prisoners of a war that was ended long ago!!" Benny's despair was laid open for his two grandsons to see, but it didn't move them.

"The peaceful solution," Eirik sneered, "well, if you want to solve it peacefully, pray that your spies find them before the infiltrators I hired. Once I know where they are, I am going in to get them. Without you!!" He added the last part as he saw his grandfather open his mouth to speak.

"I have no reason to include you in this. I am already a rogue element from the Terran government. Attacking whatever species keeps my brothers is just another problem at the bottom of a very long list."

"Eirik, whatever you are planning, I beg you to reconsider. If you find them, contact me and we can get them back the proper way!" Benny implored.

"No, granddad. I have many years of grief and sorrow to inflict upon the guilty. They will know only 1 thing before they die. Utter terror at the sound of my approach!!"

"...So what happens now, Eirik?? Since I cannot convince you to abandon this, why did you want this meeting??" Benny looked crushed, like a man that had failed a lifelong task.

"Because I wanted to look you in the eyes as you promise to go straight back our mom and tell her the truth. I will call her in 1 week to confirm that you have done this, and to tell her I am getting them back."

"Eirik, please, she doesn't have to know-"

"EVERYONE HAS TO KNOW!!!" Eirik roared his interruption, making his grandfather jump in his seat. "You do not get to hide away from this!! You lied to us. Your own flesh and blood. If you ever want my forgiveness, you can start by taking responsibility for your actions. Now, leave my ship. We are finished until you have told the family."

"I'm with Eirik on this one granddad. You have to come clean before we can have any form of respect for you" Lasse added.

Benny slowly rose from the chair and walked to the door. He turned his head to the side as he stopped halfway through the door. "I love you boys"

"We love you too granddad." Came the low reply from both Eirik and Lasse, and they saw the shadow of a smile on Benny's face before he was gone.