STF

Earth - Somewhere

Posted May 25, 2021, 3:36 p.m. by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun Edman (Future Citizen) in Earth - Somewhere

Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Somewhere

Ragna had been working in the archives for weeks. There was so much to go through, and then archaeological sites to visit and artifacts to re-exam and double check before presenting the information.

It had taken her two weeks just to get the heraldic papers prepared. She was really happy for Revna but she was also very surprised. Revna had always been so adamant that Shauwn was the only love of her life. And they hadn’t even KNOWN she was seeing someone. And Nobility at that! Ragna had a fleeting concern that Revna was doing this for the clan. Ragna wasn’t sure how she felt about ‘love’ and falling and all that nonsense, but she did believe in Love. The kind that lasted ages and weathered any storm. She’d seen it in her parents, her grandparents, in the people of the village. In the stories passed down in the Eddas and in the histories she’d recorded and confirmed. She called Runa, she had to, she couldn’t pass the papers on if Revna was doing this for Clan. Ragna may be skeptical but Revna never had been, and she was certain that if Revna could just leave Shauwn’s ghost to rest she’d find someone to at least be happy with.

Runa talked her EAR off. But Ragna felt better for it. She’d missed her sisters. Revna had been home briefly when she had to report to San Francisco and had visited, but it hadn’t been long enough. And Revna was totally in love with Michael McKenzie and that made the compiling of the papers worth it.

Wait….what? Ragna went back and reread the passage she’d been skimming. White linen gloves covered her hands, protecting the ancient documents. This was the only area of the island that was high technology, in order to preserve the pieces. “Computer, Lights 25 lumens over this workstation.” Soft light that wouldn’t fade the ink but bright enough to read it more clearly despite the old smudges…..Ragna blinked and sat back. Well then….there it was. “Computer make a facsimile of this document and transfer it to PaDD 1A.” Ragna had to admit it was certainly a tactic that worked well, and in Mike’s favor, but the rest…Runa would get a good laugh out of it. Ragna thought it was silly, but the ending was…well if life really worked that way….

Runa and Revna had left home, hiding from their obligations, leaving her to be the face of the next generation. She wasn’t angry with them, Revna always met her obligations, but this time Ragna would do her job. She was the clan historian and the clan herald. She sat down at the comm station and put in a formal request to Lady Tarra McKenzie, Chief of Clan McKenzie, Scotland from Ragna Edman Herald Clan Edman

Ragna Edman, Clan Herald

There was an odd delay in the comm, then an automated message replied. “Clan Chief Lady McKenzie is unavailable until one week from today. For emergencies or official Clan McKenzie matters, accept the forward of your contact and you will be connected to the Clan Marshal.”

Clan McKenzie Automated Comm System

Ragna sighed, “Yes yes okay.” She accepted the forward for the contact. She needed to get this taken care of before Revna’s ship left the star base. It would take longer to get it taken care of if the information had to be relayed back and forth. And she didn’t want to still be stuck on this in a month. She had that archeological dig off the coast and she didn’t intend to miss it.
Ragna Edman

The screen remained blank for a moment and then a voice only connection activated. “Aye? Clan Marshal McKenzie here. How canna be of service to ye?” came thick, deep Scottish brogue.

Marshal McKenzie

Clan Marshall? Okay so if Ragna remembered her clan archecture right, her job as herald would be similar, but his was more…militaristic…well so was hers....”My name is Ragna Edman and I’m the Herald for Clan Edman. I have documents for Lady McKenzie that need to be delivered in person. I need to make arrangements to deliver them. Can you do that, or do I need to call back?”
Ragna, got no time for flunkies

There was a pause and then the voice said “Documents ya say… what sorta documents ya talkin’ about, Herald of Clan Edman?”

Marshal McKenzie

Ragna paused and a soft drumming of fingers on a real wooden table top could be heard. Revna was very clear she wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone but Lady Tara. Ragna knew there were official complications to that. There was some issue with ‘cousins’ and it was good bet that this ‘Marshall’ was a cousin, but was he one of the problems? Officially she had to follow Revna’s instructions. “Legal and historical documentation being provided by Clan Edman for Lady McKenzie.”

Herald Edman

“Legal, ya say.” and there was a long pause. “Nae, lass. That’s not happening without an order from the Courts. You wanna serve this Clan, you damn well better do it da legal way.” and the comm shut off.

Marshal McKenzie

Order from the courts? She wasn’t being served…oh good gods. Tyr give her patience! Thick headed…and the comm shut off…”HVA HELVEMET, DAMN SCOTSMAN! HVEM TROR han at han er? (WHAT THE HELL, DAMN SCOTSMAN! WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS?)” Ragna cussed for half an hour, calling on every god from every culture she could think of. She sent a message to her sister, “Revna, you better really love him because his family.....” and more cussing commenced....

She tried to call back throughout the week, always with a forward to the Marshall and the man was IMPOSSIBLE! She hated him, and was totally convinced he was one of the ‘problem’ cousins. She called again, and again, she even left a very formal message requesting Lady McKenzie contact her. At the end of the week she tried again, hoping the Chieftess would have returned. If she had or not she was still forwarded to the Marshall who continued to ignore her calls.

“Da! How am I supposed to get this done for Revna if I can’t get in touch with her?” Cuyler shrugged, “Used to be we did things face to face, instead of over a distance. Guess that’s what you’ll have to do. We share a lot in common with the Scots. Let go of your anger, girl, and get it done. You’ve wasted a week, and Revna doesn’t have that much time left.” So with papers and documentation in hand, Ragna left. She took a one man skiff to the mainland, then a transport to the British Ilse and not to waste more time a transporter to the edge of the main McKenzie estate. In a light grey underdress, and coppered brown apron dress, with all the finery, the turtle brooches marking her as the Edman Herald and the thora pin at her chest marking her as a daughter of the The Edman, she rang the comm/chime on the locked gate.
Herald, Ragna Edman

A man approached the gate and said “May I help you?” with a wary and suspicious glance. He was dressed in work clothes, dirt on his hands and clothes. “The McKenzies aren’t expecting visitors, I’m afraid.”

McKenzie Groundskeeper

Ragna clamped down on her irritation and gave the man a genuine smile. Looked to be a gardener and Ragna could respect anyone who cared for the land. “I know, and I’m sorry to show up like this, but I’ve been trying to get these papers delivered. I am the herald of Clan Edman, Chief Cuyler Edman and his heir has tasked me with delivering these documents. I don’t want to inconvenience Lady McKenzie, I just need to drop them off. Papers of historic relevance that I have been told to deliver for her consideration.”
Herald Edman

The man wiped off his hands with a rag and said “Well… Ladyship isn’t on the estate I’m afraid. Gone ta Edinburgh, she did. If’n ya need to speak to a McKenzie, though, ya ken try da Game Warden. Lives about eight miles thataway… towards the coast. I ken give ya a lift dere, if’n ya want. But I cannae stay. Chores and such. He may give ya lift back, I s’pose.”

McKenzie Groundskeeper

The Game Warden? Well at least that was someone she could have a decent conversation with. Maybe he could at least tell her when Lady McKenzie would be back. She could walk there, but it would take a few hours and put her there late, and she didn’t have more time to waste....”Thank you, I appreciate the lift. As for a way back…I’ll figure that out later.” If the game warden couldn’t help her it wouldn’t be the first time she’d walked along the coast of the North Sea at night. They probably had boats out there somewhere that she could get her Da to send. Or she could walk the 8 miles back, request a room somewhere and wait for Lady McKenzie to get back. She sighed, it was JUST mail…it really should not be this hard to deliver.
Herald Edman

The man unlocked the gate and let her in, locking it behind her. He nodded and led her to a ground vehicle with a flat bed filled with gardening equipment. “Hop in, lass. Let’s get a move on.”

Ragna climbed in and made sure the long ‘required as part of the uniform’ belt wasn’t hanging near any moving parts of the vehicle.

A very bumpy cross-country trip later, no roads apparently to the Game Warden’s location, the man stopped the truck seemingly in the middle of nowhere a mile or two from the coast. “ ‘Ere we are, den. Warden’s house is two hundred yards thataways.” and he nodded straight ahead.

Ragna got out having enjoyed the ride. She didn’t mind the harsh ride and the countryside was beautiful. And she doubted she’d get to see much of Scotland anyway, so she enjoyed getting to see it, and if her training told her anything, it was pretty near untouched for centuries. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.” She turned in the direction he indicated and started to walk.

A hundred yards form the place the man indicted, just visible ahead, was a low building with a turf roof. A rough hewn fence contained a few sheep. Past the fence was a large garden, well maintained and truly impressive in its health. The building was made of stone and was a perfect example of traditional building. Whoever did this, did it by hand and with no noticeable modern tools. The stonework was uneven, but done n way that just seemed right.

The house was amazing. Ragna loved it. Surely someone who put that kind of time and effort in wasn’t anyone Revna warned her about. With a knowing and practiced eye she looked over every inch of what she could see. So impressed by the workmanship she didn’t stop to think should she open the gate, she just did. Eager to see if the building was new, built upon an ancient foundation, or a still intact building from a bygone era. New or restored it was a work of art, and Ragna was enthralled.

As she approached, a large black ram came running towards her from the side of the house and stopped, presenting it’s curved horns and pawing the grounds. A loud BAAAAAAAAA issued forth as the black eyes regarded her for a moment.

Game Warden’s Abode

She stopped and turned her head slowly to look. Sheep were not as docile as people believed. Awww man…it was the Ram. Keeping her side to the animal she turned her head to face it. Body language, she wasn’t threatening, but she wasn’t cowering either. Her hands stayed open and loose while she dropped her center of gravity, widening her stance. It was big enough to knock her over, but if she could grab the horns she could subdue it without hurting it. It was a beautiful animal. “Chan eil mi a ’dol a ghortachadh thu fhèin no do bhoireannaich. No do mhaighstir, tha mi dìreach airson bruidhinn ris. Tha balach math ann. (I’m not going to hurt you or your ladies. Or your master, I just want to talk to him. There’s a good boy.)” Her voice was light and soft as the Gaelic flowed from her tongue. She figured he was probably used to hearing it and she held a hand out, low and open. The Ram looked at her and stopped it’s charge, and after several more minutes, Ragna knelt down to get eye to eye with the big handsome beast and stroked his nose, muttering softly the whole time. “Now will you let me knock on the door?”
Ragna, animal whisperer

The ram butted her hand gently and shook its horns and then went and stood in front of the sheep paddock gate as if to say My ladies. Leave them alone. Do what you want with him. and bleated a low call.

The Ram

Ragna grinned, “I promise I won’t bother your ladies. They are all very beautiful.” She stood up and walked towards the door. The garden was spectacular, though it wasn’t her area of expertise, but it was lush and healthy, she could tell that much. She took a steading breath and prayed to the gods this man would help her deliver her letter so she could go HOME, tell Revna it was taken care of, and go back her pet projects. She reached up and knocked on the door.

A weary sister

A shout from inside seemed… familiar… somehow, but it wasn’t easy to place. “Dammit, Angus! I said na visitors, ya dense bag of fleas!” and the door flew open.

There stood a truly massive Scotsman. Flaming red hair and a full red beard framed a truly handsome face with piercing blue eyes. He was well over six feet tall, and well over three hundred pounds… but he was not out of shape. Muscles rippled and flexed under a plain white shirt with a v-neck, and he wore tan pants seemingly made of some kind of leather. A broad brown belt circled his waist on which hung a sheath knife with an antler handle. The man looked down at Ragna…

And whatever he was about to say was lost. His eyes followed her face and hair, and his jaw opened slightly but no words came for several seconds before he managed to utter “Um… hi.” and he couldn’t help himself… he smiled at her. “Cannae help ye, lass? Are ye lost?”

Seamus, Game Warden


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