TotHB: Division

Titus was sitting in his office, the only light coming from the distant star of the Torrinos system coming through the window. Haijikioten Security Group rented an office in a small Caldari station owned by Home Guard. He was going over the payroll and smoking his pipe. The bluish smoke wreathed his face, the red embers enhancing the gleam in his eyes. It had been a good year.

The door slid open, and the air seemed to grow much more electric. Kalus stood in the doorway, his slender form silhouetted by the light in the anteroom. Titus could smell the booze on him and scowled.

"What's wrong, Titus? No love for your brother?" Kalus slurred, stumbling into the office and crashing onto the sofa against the wall.

"Just wondering what my dear brother would be wanting this time."

Kalus frowned dramatically. "You really are a fucking dick, you know."

Titus simply stared.

After a few moments, the tension in the room at its zenith, Kalus spoke. "I want you to buy me out."

Titus was shocked. Buy him out? "What are you talking about?"

Kalus sat up straight. "I want you to pay me my portion of HSG. I am leaving to start my own company."

Titus stood, anger consuming him. "You piece of shit. Why the hell would you want to do something stupid like that? You've got no head for running a company!"

Kalus sprung up from the sofa and punched Titus hard on the mouth. "How would you know?" He screamed, kicking Titus as he tried to get up from the floor. "You've never let me try!"

He kicked Titus some more. "You've always looked down on me. You've been holding me back. You've been getting richer and richer while I've been scraping by on what scraps you'd give me! No more!"Tears streamed down his face. "It's my time, damnit!"

This was more than booze, Titus saw. Some drug, likely as not. His heart ached for his brother, but Titus knew he could help him no longer.

Titus stayed on the floor. He typed onto his datapad. He transferred exactly 50% of HSG's net worth to Kalus's account. He sighed. "Fine. It's done. Now get out before I kill you where you stand."

Kalus stiffened, saw the look in Titus's eyes, and walked quickly out the door.

Titus saw the door close, and wept.