The Gathering (Carried over from old forum.)

[Ethan Talon]

Ethan stood in front of the mirror combing his hair. He was freshly shaved and wearing his best western shirt with a new pair of Wranglers. 

He inspected the brush in his hand. Lots of long dark strands, but he didn't see any of his lighter brown, but cleaned it out just the same, and tossed Trinity's hair into the wastebasket.

He walked out of the bathroom and saw Trinity sitting on the edge of the bed, "Well, what do you think? Am I going to impress some crazy Highlander?"

"Better than my meeting with the Indians..." Trinity said as she fixed her tights and shook her head. "I'm frakking Hawaiian and there's some Jewish on dad's side. I'm just as much a person of color as they are, as if that even matters. And they act like 'what has white man done for us?' uhm hello... given you a bloody state and whatever they asked for... on a new planet, hell there are at least two other Alliance worlds that have space for them if they want it. Constantly bringing up the shit during the Dominion War. That was a messed up time and like the Alliance hasn't tried to make up for mistakes and wrongs done way before it was even founded..." she growled and took a deep breath. "Practically accused me of being the 'token' officer. Seriously? Half my mother's crew are of such mixed heritage."

He laughed, and gave her a hug, "But, you did get the others. Which number should we assign this new regiment?" He sight, "You know Twoelks. You've had run ins with him before. What did he call you when you arrested him for public intoxication?"

"Whore of the White Man..." Trinity said with a grimace. "You know I was the nicest of the deputies, I usually let little things slide or if it look like the beef was settled... just let it settle down and move on. I wasn't one of the guys that liked to get into things and start busting heads and dragging them off to the jail." she touched up her lipstick and dabbed it with a part of a kleenex. "I try not to let it bother me but it annoys me."

He playfully elbowed her in the ribs, "I know. Nothing you can do about it, but, still good work. I am impressed."

"Thanks." Trinity said with a smile and put her arm around him. "You know I only took this role because I know we can get what Mattis wants done. Not the first time we've pulled together troops. Hell, we were a lot younger, yet Carly had faith and we didn't let her down. I should talk to Great Aunt Natalia and see if she can at least spare us some decent ordinance and gear. Marines usually deal with hand me downs, but I think for the guys who put their lives on the line... some new gear would be welcome."

He chuckled, "Let's worry about training them to not shoot themselves in the foot, then we can get fancy and get them stuff that shoots, or protects better."

"Well you remember Ensign Turner?" Trinity said with a grin. "Mr. "Oh I can handle a little recoil." and ended up firing himself into that thorny bush... picked burrs and thorns out of his ass for two days when we gave him that heavy phaser cannon." she replaced the earrings she was wearing with a different pair after looking at herself in the mirror. "You do realize the gear we consider 'old shit' is brand new now..."


"Wow... you two look nice." Lana said as she passed by their door which was open. "Going on a date?" she added with a grin. 

"Not quite." Trinity said as she pulled her engagement ring out of the jewelry polisher cup on her nightstand. "But in a sense."

"Ethan does clean up well." Lana commented and gave him a smile. "Mom and I are going to go and head into town for a junk food run... want anything?"

"Not if I want to fit into my dress." Trinity chuckled. "Thanks anyway. Ethan... anything you want?"


He checked his chronometer, "Naw, we got to get going. Hey, do you and your mom want to go along? I understand a Gathering is much like a big party. Get y'all out of the house."

Olivia poked her head in and rolled her eyes. "Lana... what did I always tell you about going into other people's bedrooms?" she chuckled lightly and hummed when she heard Ethan's offer. "Does sound interesting... but the junk food run is sort of a cover. Need to get this girl some clothes and I have more gear to pick up than I thought. Apparently my late brother... the idiot... stored all my music gear in his storage unit, which was fine, except Zeke didn't know my stuff was in there when he took the whole thing with him to Xenex. I'm missing cables, wireless receivers, and that loud speaker mic is so not cutting it." she smiled and winked. "Plus... I still haven't picked up your wedding presents. So, it's a good thing you two are going to be gone for a while."

"You know, just playing at the wedding is present enough." Trinity said sweetly.

"Pfft... girl... Ryders know how to give good gifts. It's sort of an innate thing." Olivia said patted Ethan on the shoulder. "By the way... I may know of a unit of guys and gals that are bored out of their skulls. Maori, been hanging out near Angel's place, doing odd security jobs, but mostly they're beach bums. They were in a rival unit to my late husband's. I liked them, nice guys. I could put in a call to them if you want. They used do to do a whole Maori evening ceremony thing every Saturday night but now they kinda throw one whenever... New Honolulu's been a bit... annoyed with some of them. I mean, have you ever seen a Haka? Now picture that at midnight..."

The field opened wide into a shallow bowl before them. The grass was a radiant green, and the edge of the field was lined with a forest in a darker line of green.

In the field white tents from single occupant lean-tos to enormous multi room contravencies. Flags of the Alliance and the blue and white cross flags of St. Andrew's Cross billowed in the wind that carried with it the scents of wood smoke and roasting meats.


Hundreds of people milled about the field like ants. Some sitting, playing music, and laughing. A game of shinty was being played off to the side. The teams distinguished by the lack of shirts. Their kilts of every conceivable tartan pattern swirled around mostly hairy legs. Here and there there were the shaved calves of a woman. 

The woman in fact was on the "skins" team, her breasts concealed by a grass stained white bra. The woman twisted on a heel. She was smaller than most of the men, but her face was set in determination. Speed was on her side, and she used it here to ram her shoulder into a man a head taller than her, and twice her size. 


He yelped in suprise stumbled backwards, and fell into a heap of kilt and hair. The ball bounced free, and the woman pounced on like a cat toying with a mouse. She dodged and ducked around the first man, her stick only flash of yellow. Her red mane flying wildly over her shoulders, as she ducked around another and passed the ball to a teammate who whacked it into the goal followed by cheers and groans.

Aimee laughed seeing her brother, "Oh do close your mouth Ethan. A fly is going to fly in."

That seemed to break the trance and he smiled sheepishly, "Uh, yeah... Well, that is a rough game."

Trinity laughed and applauded. "You go girl! Those big guys were beaten by a pregnant woman... ohhh they're going to drink so hard tonight to forget this." she ran and put her arm around Aimee's shoulders and raised an eyebrow. "Need a shirt?"

Aimee laughed and bent down and picked up he tee-shirt, and pulled it on. "Got one thanks! And I don't look it yet." She was breathing hard and wiped the sweat from her face. "You guys do anything fun yet? They got all sorts of things going on."

"Just got here a little while ago." Trinity said and looked around. "You seem to have made some friends." she glanced at some of the shirtless Highlanders.

"Oh, yeah well. I brought  Ian Cameron, Lindsey Murray, and their families from Earth.  Gained kind of a reputation,  and I helped nearly two dozen Scottish families make it here."

"I did not know that... that's pretty impressive Aimee." Trinity said with a smile. "They certainly welcomed you in with open arms, or you kicked their arses until they did."

She shook her head, " Nothing like that. I'm still a 'sasanach', but so are they now themselves. I didn't take advantage of them like several other freighter captains.   I know what it's like to live in the Imperium.   They paid me what they could.  Once, I got ten head of sheep as payment. With no place to put them, I gave them back and told Young Michael Fraser, his father was also Michael Fraser, that he could repay me by giving me 10% of the wool sales. No where near the price of ten sheep."

"You're really too nice sometimes Aimee." Trinity said with a smile. "Proud that you're going to be my sister in law."

"Well don't let that get out," Ethan chuckled.  "It might ruin her bad reputation." Aimee punched him in the arm and Ethan let out a mock yelp of pain, "See what I mean!"

Aimee laughed too, "Oh well.  I worked hard at it.  It won't last long with you two blabbing about it.  By the way Trinity, if I hear you say 'sister in law again'... well, you'll regret it.  We are sisters now. That's all anyone needs to know."

[Trinity Talon]

"I like that." Trinity said with a smile. "Always kind of wanted a sister." she gave her a wink. "So sis... real talk... keep my maiden names or just take Talon and run with it?"

[Aimee Sandoval]

"I think you should choose what is best for you. For me, I'm a traditionalist. I was that girl in high school putting my name with my crush's," Aimee replied.

[Trinity Talon]

"I'm only worried about my initials being... TT... like titty..." Trinity whispered. "When I was starting the ranch, I was going to call it the T-T Ranch... and I had some really shrill harpy of a woman think I was making like a whore house. 'Yew cannot open a... a... titty ranch! This is a respectable community!' So I went with the oh so original Rafter-T - after his mom's Rafter-S..."

[Aimee Sandoval]

"It could be the Flying-T," Aimee suggested. "Or the Lazy-T for a no good for nuttin some bitch husband," she said mocking some of the cowboy's speech."

[Trinity Talon]

"Or some of our hands..." Trinity said with a laugh. "Granted a lot of our automated systems help with some of the simpler things, but no one said a ranch was easy. Of course, Ethan and I spent most of our childhoods in some pretty rough places. The Imperium hit us with EMPs so often, that even my grandfather could barely keep his bionic hands functional. Nearly 5 years seemed like eternity to some people here, try living through it for nearly 25." she sighed and smiled. "I can't complain though...we've given a second chance to a lot of people that needed it."

[Ethan Talon]

"I was an Intelligence officer with the Corps before Terra Alpha fell to those EMPs. I joined the resistance, assuming I wouldn't live more than a year. I got word through some friends of mine that Trinity was about to go to the past to alter the future. She was my partner before we were partners, and I couldn't let her do this mission alone, and I snuck on to the ship that brought us here.'

[Trinity Talon]

"Yeah well Carly didn't exactly complain when she found out." Trinity said with a smile and held onto Ethan's arm. "I was in love with him for a long time, just never realized that I wanted him to be my one and only until we fixed history."

[Aimee Sandoval]

"Aww you two are cute. Disgusting, but cute," Aimee teased, while making gagging motions. "I talked to Dougal MacDonald about you wanting to see him. He said he would talk to you before the end of the night."

"Did you tell him why I wanted to see him?" Ethan asked.

"No," Aimee said honestly. "That isn't something I feel comfortable bringing up."

Ethan shifted and took a moment to gauge the time by the lowering of the sun, "About a hour to sunset."

"Still more festivities to go," Aimee laughed. "They're doing the weddings now."

"Weddings?" Ethan said with a raised eyebrow.

"It's kind of a tradition. Back in the day folk might not see a preacher for months or even years. So, couples would be handfasted, and they would have a year to get formally married. The clan Chiefs would call a gathering once a year to collect rents, and so with the entire clan as a witness they would get married."

[Trinity Talon]

Trinity gave Ethan a look and raised an eyebrow. "Sounds romantic. Could always get some ideas for our's this weekend... we should really attend, especially if we're asking so much of their men and women to serve with us. Least we can do is celebrate with them." she gave Aimee a wink. "Yes we're disgusting but we're also like very close to our own wedding. It'll pass after the weekend... maybe."