The Gathering (Carried over from old forum.)

[Ethan Talon]

"You people with holograms and clones," Ethan muttered. Sighing, "I didn't know she was musically inclined. Mom was completely tone deaf. I can play a little guitar and sing a bit, but nothing like that."

The song ended and Aimee switched places with the bagpiper. They played an instrumental version of Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping up to Boston" complete with flames shooting out of the bagpipe drones.

"You were saying Mister Vice President? About punk? That doesn't get any more."

[Malcolm Foster]

"Aye lad... that's punk." Malcolm said as he raised a lighter high in the air and glanced at T'Kir and Trinity as they cheered them on. "I believe both of our dates are enjoying themselves too. How did we ever manage to get women like them interested in gruff men like us? I can be a bloody hard to live with old Scot who can string together profanity like some people string up popcorn. Yet they still stick around. Even make us do insane things like imagine the rest of our lives with just them... y'deserve yuir happiness Ethan Talon. An' that woman is pure happiness in a short tartan skirt." he took a deep breath. "An' I think it's high time I focking shoved my nerves right up where the sun don't shine and do something about it."

Trinity walked back over to Ethan and whispered as she watched Malcolm and T'Kir go off together. "Vice President give you a pep talk?" she winked and raised an eyebrow. "T'Kir wants Malcolm to perform at our reception. I told her yes."

[Ethan Talon]

"I think he gave himself one," Ethan said shaking his head and watching the couple disappear into the crowd. He smiled, and kissed her, "Have I told you that I love you recently?"

[Trinity Talon]

"Not in a little while." Trinity said as she kissed him again on the lips and smiled. "So I'm dying to know are you... regimental under that kilt?" she said with an impish look.

[Ethan Talon]

"By that you mean going underpants less? No. I figured it would be unwise. First day in a skirt and all."

[Trinity Talon]

"Pity... I am." Trinity said with a saucy grin and put her arms around his waist. "We are going to be an amazing team together... "

[Ethan Talon]

He cleared his throat, "Well, you are used to the wild blue yonder blowing up your nether regions. But, you are wrong Mrs. Talon. We are already an amazing team, and we have been since we were little kids making mud pies in the backyard."

[Trinity Talon]

"That we've been... but now I'll have your name and so will our children and you better believe we're going to try our hardest. I do fully intend to keep working, our parents managed just fine and we all turned out pretty good. Besides... after dealing with Marines and ranch hands, children won't be that hard. Hell, children will be easier to deal with. I can't spank a full grown Marine. Well I can but then they think it's some kinky thing and we won't get into that..."

[Ethan Talon]

He smirked, "They would enjoy it, that's for sure, and flogging is illegal. Latrine duty will have to do."



The sun had long since set bathing the gathering in darkness. Dozens of campfires sprung, and Ethan found himself sitting in companionable conversation around Jenny Murray's fire.

Fed to the gills, and liberally lubricated from copious amounts of whiskey Ethan was laying back in the grass his shoulders propped up on a log, booted feet facing the fire.

"It was a fine gathering this year to be sure," Jenny said from her folding chair equally relaxed. "Ya ken Dougal wants to bring back the clans aye."

Ethan sipped from his pewter cup, and nodded. "I heard. Wants to make that Stuart kid king too."

"Aye he does," she agreed. "Not that I am inclined to disagree."

"Does that mean you are a Jackabite?"

She shrugged, "I canae say that I am or that I am not. The Stuart's had their chance at The '45. But, we are no in Scotland now are we? I ken as well as you that the Queen has no say as to what is going on here."

"Sure, but will the Alliance be okay with it?"

"I dinae ken. But, they no say much about that bonnie Emperor of the Narlins. I ken that much indeed."

Ethan nodded, "The difference the Emperor was there before joining the Alliance."

"Aye lad," she conceded. "I kent that well."

[Malcolm Foster]

Malcolm walked over and took a seat by the fire and pulled the bottle of Scotch he had from his jacket and set it down.

"Well, technically... and this is speakin' as the Vice President..." Malcolm said as he offered up the bottle to those gathered. "The Alliance has allowed for new sub governments to form. We're not the Federation, all 'one world government' that's why I am always keen t'say 'of the Alliance & Terra Alpha', remember I was the Communications Minister here since this whole thing started." he shrugged his shoulders. "We could technically parcel out land that's ruled by it's own monarchical government. Kings and Queens and the whole lot. Romulan lands are still under the aegis of the Romulan Republic. Narlin lands under the Narlin government. little desert is essentially Xenex. Leader has a seat on the planetary and Alliance council. Y'would need to have yuir own fundin' for construction and power and the like, but it's do-able. Of course this is all unofficial and just off the cuff, I am quite inebriated at the moment. So nothing I say or suggest is to be taken with any modicum of veracity but I'm not lyin' if I said that it'd be bloody wonderful to have a little real piece of Scotland on Terra Alpha."