Celebration

[Dougal MacDonald]

- Castle Glenn Broch

Castle Glenn Broch was a replica of Finlaggan Castle, the seat of Clan MacDonald in the Scottish highlands.

The great hall was packed with Marines laughing and chatting in a celebratory manner. Along the perimeter on three sides stretched long tables with the laird's seat at the head.

Regimental banners of both the 82nd and the 3rd Divisions hung on the stone walls lit by blazing torches.

The regiments of the 3rd didn't have their own colors so, some enterprising individuals had taken upon themselves to create the banners for them.

Behind the head of the table was a massive hearth blazed massive fire that countered the dreariness of New Scotland's own highlands.

Artificial lights were concealed behind nooks and crevices. This gave the hall sufficient light, along with the central air it was brighter and warmer than any castle would be normally. There were benefits to building something with modern technology from the ground up.

In the center of the hall were lined up long tablea and benches seating of the officers and a select few NCOs of the two divisions. There wouldn't be enough room to fit over 3,000 Marines despite the massive size of the great hall.

Ethan sat next to Dougal's left, and Major General François Dumas to his right. Trinity sat next to Ethan with Kalia sitting next to her.

Dougal stood a wine glass in his hand, "Aye lads! I ken that the 82nd has much ta celebrate. We clobbered ye wee scoundrels from the 3rd!"

"I'd like to see you try that again you Scotch bastard!" someone shouted from the center tables and the hall erupted in laughter.

"Aye laddie I may be the bastard of a Scottish pig farmer, but at least I'm no so ugly as you, havn' 'ta fuck the wee beasts cause the lasses willn'a give ye the time of day!"

This was greeted with ruckus laughter and good natured chaffing.

"To the 82nd! To the 3rd! To the Terra Alpha Marine Corps! May the bastards with the wee laser swords fear our banners! Ooorah!"

The hall was filled with shouts, and the banging of cups on the tables.

Ethan stood, "General Dumas you and your troops are hell'uv a bunch of fighters." He smirked, "But you can't out fox the fox. To the 3rd!"

"To the 3rd!" The gathered Marines shouted.

"And to the 82nd," Ethan continued, "You are all free to go home. No drill next month. You impressed me, and exceeded expectations. We got one hell of a good group of officers and NCOs!"

[Kalia Lei]

"And to all of you..." Kalia said as she stood and raised her mug. "I managed to talk it over with the powers that be... 5% salary increases for everyone and an extra three days of paid leave this year. Trinity and I fought for five... but well... this is the Marine Corps... we don't always get what we want but we get what we need!"

[Trinity Talon]

"You lads and lassies managed to prove what we knew all along that we have the best damn Corps in the Quadrant and volunteer or career we pull the fat from the fire!" Trinity said as she stood up. "Which is why... Colonel Kalia Lei will be remaining as General Talon's XO while I take a step back for a little while to ensure we're prepared for whatever comes next. Show her the same respect you showed me or you'll have a pregnant woman kicking your arse and you KNOW I will do that."

Kalia's jaw dropped. "You two seriously got pregnant?"

"That much of a shock?" Trinity teased. "What's the first thing a former prisoner does once they're reunited with their spouse?"

"Screw like bunnies?" Kalia chuckled lightly and shook her head.

"You know it... should have seen the bear hug Ethan gave me after I told him when he got home." Trinity nudged her hubby in the arm. "Oh and I have replacement parts for both of you, actually new limbs entirely... Natalia and Noonian finished them for me. I ordered them months ago. Wouldn't do for the 82nd's command team to be limping. Oh and Dougal... you crazy Scot... where you the one who ordered ten crates of Scotch Whisky delivered to the house? I'm assuming it was you.... and for this... well I paid the bill. Which means you owe me. Can pay it off by keepin' the single ladies out at Olive Grove and the old Bunk House out of trouble."

[Dougal MacDonald]

"Aye well, it was supposed ta come here. Dinnae ken why it went ta yer place lass." He dug into his sporran and extracted a leather coin purse and tossed it to Trinity. "I'll get ye the rest later aye. It willna do fer me ta be in debt to ya."

Ethan smirked as he lifted his goblet to his lips, "I still could use some help keeping an eye on those places."

"Aye sir, I will, and ye needn't pay me either. I have vested interest in one of the lasses, an I ken a thing o' two about a displaced monarch. We are Scots after all, and me many times great grand sire was a Jackobite."

"That vested interest better be me you overgrown man-child," Aimee teased as she prodded him in the ribs.

"Aye lass it is. Speaking of which, General, I... we'd... Och aye, General I'd like yer blessing ta marry yer sister."

Ethan choked on his whiskey. Dumas interrupted standing with his champagne glass extended before him. He spoke in a soft French accent, but somehow his voice carried.

"Brigadier General Talon, I wish I could say that you had luck on your side monsieur, but that would be a lie. You bested us at every opportunity. I have to say between the Scots and the Narlins I'm not sure if my nightmares will be bagpipes or Narlin trumpets."

The Marines laughed at that... some of them. The ones who had been on the receiving end of those assaults smiled nervously.

"To the 82!" Dumas shouted.

"To the 3rd!" Ethan replied.

Dougal waited for the cheering to simmer down before shouting, "What are ye waitin' fer? Eat before yer food gets cold!"

"Ethan you never answered the question," Aimee said with a roasted turkey leg in one hand and dram of whiskey in the other.

"What question," he asked stupidly.

"Men!" Amiee exclaimed in exasperation. "What Dougal asked you. Do we have your blessing?"

"This isn't 5th century Europe. You can do whatever you want," Ethan said deflecting.

"We know we can!" She said exasperated. "We weren't asking for your permission."

"Oh," Ethan replied. "Then yes, you have my blessing. Dougal is a good man."

Dougal grinned and raised his cup to Ethan, but didn't say anything.

[Trinity Talon]

Trinity whispered to Aimee as she stood behind her. "You do realize you're marrying into this..." she gestured to the assembled crowd of Scots. "Wild and wooly group."

"Can think of worse bunches to be part of." Olivia said as she walked over with young Vin on her hip. "Good thing Jena made the house more than big enough for you. Could even have a few more if you wanted. I seriously doubt Lana's gonna stick around that long. I know I wanted to move out once I was old enough."

"Well that's why we gave you that much land... so you could pretty much stay there for generations." Trinity said and put her hand on her still flat stomach. "Besides. someone has to keep all this going someday... or take our jobs when we're ready to retire."

[Aimee Sandoval]

"I'm confused," Aimee said. "Are you thinking Dougal would move in with us?"

[Olivia Ryder]

"Why not? We just moved you in, got the twins rooms all set up. Besides, we could use his bag piping skills when we play AC/DC..." Olivia teased.

"ACCA DACCA!" Kirby said from behind her.

"AYY CEE DEE CEE!" Olivia retorted.

"Islanders and Ozzies and Scots oh my..." Trinity teased. "Although for propriety's sake, he could move in after the wedding and oh yes sister in law... you're having a wedding. You finally got your figure back... "

"Told you having a fitness junkie around was helpful. Although we really do need to work on your legs, you're going to have a husband with an ass that may need a kick now and then." Olivia said with a smirk. "Marines need a kick start sometimes..."

[Aimee Sandoval]

Aimee laughed, "And give this up?" She indicated the hall around them. "I tell you what. You convince Dougal to move out of his castle, and I'll... well, I guess I won't have to do anything at all since I already live with you, but you get my point I think."

[Olivia Ryder]

"Oh I'm very convincing. Of course... this castle IS rather nice. But would you really want your half Klingon twins tear assing around a big castle like this? You've seen what Vin does when he visits Trinity and Ethan... I've had to get the kid an anti-grav belt to keep him safe when he thinks he can jump off the staircase." Olivia glanced at her youngest son who was running around with a couple of the other kids of some of the Marines. "I'm proud of you Aimee. You do realize that I'm going to do a full background check on Dougal... wait a sec... isn't Dougal related to Ethan somehow?"

[Aimee Sandoval]

She thought for a moment, and shrugged, "Well, they can't break it. It's made of granite stone!" She laughed, "I don't know Liv. I love living with you, Jena and Vin, but I'm not a part of your group. I've been the third... well, fourth wheel, which makes much less sense, on more than one occasion. Don't you think it's time for you three to live your lives without me always there? You're my bestfriend, and nothing will change that, but I have two kids for crying out loud! It's time to grow up and stop acting like I'm in college. And, I don't think Dougal is related to Ethan. Colonel Murphy is distantly on our mother's side through the O'Sheas."