STF

Earth - Time Marches Forward

Posted Dec. 31, 2021, 1:24 a.m. by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Time Marches Forward

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Time Marches Forward

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Time Marches Forward

Revna stood the middle of the dusty aisle of the small stable on the edge of the main village. Donned in jeans and a loose button up flannel shirt, she certainly looked nothing like the Fleet Counselor or Federation Ambassador that everyone else saw. Despite the beads threaded into her hair, instead of a braid her hair was pulled into a high pony tail. Her hand worked the curry comb in firm quick circles over Crescent’s silvery white coat. The mare stomped and knickered occasionally. At a particularly itchy spot her neck craned and stretched and her head turned almost upside down as she leaned into the brush. The action earned her laughter from Revna and Ragna. Her younger sister having just appeared in the door way.

Ragna was wearing hiking boots, dark tan cargo pants, and a brown button down heavy shirt. Her belt had plenty of pouches and some odd looking tools in loops. She was going on a dig, maybe. She was agitated and hadn’t slept a whole lot the night before. She would love to blame that on Seamus, her sisters would love to blame it on Seamus, but she couldn’t. Time had seemed to be stalled in the Edman and McKenzie clans for too long now. For totally different reasons , but now they were having to find a way forward, together. That meant strong leadership, and being connected to the rest of the clan. Ragna was concerned.

Revna could tell that something was bothering her baby sister. She kept flexing her hand like she wished she had a sword in it. She’d heard the ringing of metal on the wooden practice dummies early this morning. And that meant that whatever it was had either kept Ragna up all night or woken her early because she and Seamus were living in Scotland. So Ragna had walked the distance to use the transporter and be in Bomlo that early. Revna knew though that Ragna wasn’t quite ready to be pushed into talking.

The clip of heeled boots made a staccato sound on the hard packed dirt and then Runa’s laughter drifted to their ears inside. “No no no! That sign stays just like that. That’s part of our clan history now. But man has he got a hard head.” More laughter and Runa walked into the stable and raised a brow at Revna.

Runa walked in, knee high black riding boots, form fitting heather gray riding pants, with brushed soft leather inner knee patches, a crimson red blouse with a navy blue riding jacket. Her hair was pulled back and a loose basic braid and she was carrying a black English style riding helmet. “Where’s Dreamer?” She craned her head to look past Crescent for the black mare with the large star on her forehead. The mare, hearing her name, stuck her head out of a stall and kicked at the door. Runa grinned, “Ready to show off lovey?”

Ragna stepped into the feed room and came back, pockets filled with an assortment of treats for the horses in residence. Ragna loved the horses, doted on them, even if she wouldn’t ride every again. She laughed at Runa’s words. “The sign needs replacing. The current one is going into the archives to be remembered for all future generations.” She snickered, she already had a copy of the vid that Runa had recorded. Mike would be lucky if he wasn’t teased at least twice a week. And Ragna thought he used up all his luck getting to marry Revna. Another glance toward the door and Runa told her that Runa was going riding. “Leiv ask you to come down?”

Revna snorted. She’d seen the sign, she’d also seen the vid Runa had taken - several times. Runa took every chance possible to show it to her and their mother. Runa thought it was hilarious the way their Da and Mike had acted. Uncle Oddvar took every opportunity to give their father grief about it as well. He was rather put-out that he’d been in the forge the whole night and had missed it. But the work he and Blaire had produced that night was beyond anything she’d ever seen before.

But Revna knew that while Oddvar might tease their father, he hurt. A deep empty ache that he’d lived with a long time. And there was a gently envy that he didn’t have Trine anymore to share such moments with. Oddvar would never wish that kind of hurt on her parents, or anyone, but it didn’t make the ache inside less. He had come to her and told her he was going to be leaving with Tara. He didn’t have any desire to leave Earth, but he’d argued that leaving had helped her find her way, so maybe it was time for him to try the same. Revna knew Oddvar wasn’t looking for romance, but she also knew that there were other forms of intimacy other than romantic ones. If Oddvar and Tara could be just a little less lonely in each other’s company, Revna was happy for them.

Runa grinned and winked at Ragna, “Oh that’s even better. Everyone must know how much Mike loves his princess.” Runa ducked just in time to miss getting hit by the brush Revna hurled across the aisle at her. “Yes he did. New potential buyer. He’s looking for a horse for his son, and Leiv wants me to show off some of the horses more specialized skills. And his daughter is busy in the clinic today. I need to warm up though, it’s been awhile.” That comment earned a scowl from Ragna and a muttered, “Really I hadn’t noticed.”

Ragna made her way slowly down the aisle. Crescent snuffing her as she passed by, and then lipping at her pocket. “Okay okay, I know, someone has to spoil you since no one else is around.” Her voice was biting and irritated. It gained a questioning but long suffering look from both her sisters. Ragna ignored it. They’d left, they’d ignored what needed to be done. And that was okay for years, but things were different now, the future wasn’t years away, it was here, right now. Ragna could not maintain all of their responsibilities by herself anymore.

Revna finished with the curry comb and dropped it into the bin at her feet and grabbed a course brush. Crescent looked like she’d been rolling in brambles for all the crazy which ways her coat was going. The course brush moved in quick strong flicks, brushing the loosened dirt off and fixing the direction of Crescent’s coat. After a few quiet minutes Revna looked up and sighed. “Out with it Ragna, you’re going burn a hole in my back otherwise.”

Revna

Ragna paused almost at the end, feeding a carrot to the bay gelding there. She ran her hand over the cheek, rubbed at the ears and down his neck. “There is more unrest than Seamus and I can deal with alone. And seeing us together calms some, enrages others. The clans as a whole are happy, but the cousins had more…support than…well it boggles my mind. The party and wedding were fine, but they won’t hold them all together.”

Ragna

“She’s right. Capall has been helping Tannery with tracking more of the electronic evidence. Honestly I didn’t think there could be more after the files he sent Tara. But then again, he didn’t have a warrant to go digging into the other side of things. He said he’ll be busy with it for awhile. ” Runa led Dreamer out into the middle of the aisle and got to work on grooming her. “You know while we’re all here we really need to go to The House. And I would like to go visit some of the scholarship recipients.” She watched Ragna with the bay, “I can tack Baby up if you want Ragna and you can ride down with me.”

Runa

Ragna shook her head ‘no’ to Runa. She loved the horses, but she wasn’t going to ride. During the last few years she’d ride in a small two seater carriage with her mother, or even Oddvar, but she could never bring herself to actually ride anymore. When she was younger, Cuyler used to set her in front of him and hold onto her, but after she had a seizure and fell off, she never rode again.

Runa knew it was a long shot. Baby was the most docile of all the horses, but Ragna was afraid, and Runa couldn’t really blame her. She never knew when she’d get a migraine or have a seizure. Though it had been years since she’d had the later.

Revna nodded, “No matter what anyone though, this wasn’t going to be an easy fix. The majority of the clan is happy to have Mike instead of one of the other cousins, but a good majority of them also don’t know Mike. They don’t know what to expect. And then there are those that were loyal to the cousins. It’s a mess, to be sure.” She looked over at Runa, “We do need to go The House. They are self-sufficient but we took on the responsibility.” Revna sighed as Ragna glared at her. She crossed her arms and leaned back against Crescent’s flank and waited…

Revna

Ragna was known for hot temper, and maybe she’d been keeping it in check for far too long. Playing Tara’s game, pretending like nothing had happened, sneaking clan back and forth, walking into that farce of pre-wedding gathering. Then…THEN Runa threatens to leave the clan. For a traitor! Okay well Capall wasn’t a traitor. They all knew that now. Okay so they knew that before, but the idea of Runa coming back just to walk away. It made her feel like she was 12 again, abandoned by both her older sisters as they left for college. And then Runa said ‘while’ they were here and Revna agreed. Her temper seemed to have no where else to go, but out. “While? While you’re here?” She took several steps towards Revna, “You’re leaving? You come sweeping in, save the day, and you’re leaving?”

Revna had meant while they were all here together. Runa would be going off with Capall. Revna knew that. There was so much the man had missed out on, and Runa wasn’t going to let that stand. She’d go wherever he wanted, changing her plans to make his dreams their plans. At least for a little while. It’s how Runa was. She would give all of herself to Capall and their life together. Ragna wasn’t living in Bomlo anymore, she lived in Scotland with Seamus, and she had her own projects and work. Revna and Mike would have to figure out how to live in both Scotland and Bomlo at the same time. Mike could stay, Mike would stay. He belonged here, and it was so obvious. There was a light to Mike, that Revna was drawn to, but it was so much brighter now. He’d missed so much, and she couldn’t ask him to give it up, she wouldn’t. She didn’t know what that meant for her and her responsibilities to the diplomatic corp, but that was a problem for later. She opened her mouth to tell Ragna that. That she had no intention of abandoning either clan…

“Don’t. Just don’t. You can expect a few days, a week at most to fix the problems that have been decades in making, Revna. You’re going to leave again. You can’t. Da made you chief! The clan, we, have waited for you to come back, to stop running from everything. Now you’re here and you going to leave. It will destroy us…the clan. And now we have a whole, the entire, of another clan we are supposed to support. You’re going to leave and we’ll have no leader. Mike will name Seamus and you’ll name me or Da. Da deserves to retire, and I am the worst possible choice.”

Dreamer was a bit high strung, but was nothing like Crescent. He loved to run and show off, but once his rider was firmly in the saddle he was all business. He argued and fidgeted while Runa worked at grooming him. Side stepping and tossing his head. Runa listened as Ragna began one of her tantrums. It wasn’t that she didn’t have good points, her temper just made everything run together and get disjointed. But something in her tone made Runa pause. She stopped brushing Dreamer and looked toward the door. The barn was a fairly busy place and coupled with Ragna’s shouting people had stopped in the door way, not sure if they should come in or not. And far too stunned to look away. “Ragna, I really think we should talk about this later.”

She spun, “No Runa! This isn’t a game! I don’t care about technology and warp travel. It’s like you in the classroom. Things were done the old way for centuries for a reason. I swear Revna, if you leave, you aren’t fit to wear that torq!”

Ragna

“RAGNA!” Runa walked right up to her and clamped a hand over her baby sister’s mouth. “Shush that tongue.” But it was too late, several people had just heard Ragna challenge Revna for leadership of the clan. Ragna may not have meant it that way, but that’s what she had done.

Runa

There was a large intake of shocked breath from those that had stopped to watch. Revna pushed away from Crescent and paced Ragna down across the few feet that separated them. “Damn you and your temper Ragna.” Ragna had a couple inches in height on her, but that didn’t stop the full force of Revna’s personality from making Ragna want to take a step back. Did Ragna even realize what she’d done? She’d challenged her and Revna couldn’t ignore it. The only thing she had going for her was that Ragna issued the challenge, but Revna got to set the terms. The best thing that could happen would be for Ragna to retract the statement, to clearly apologize with everyone within hearing that she didn’t mean it. The Edmans knew Ragna, knew her temper, but after everything the McKenzies had just been through it couldn’t be ignored. Ignoring similar circumstances had led to the problems that had called Mike and Revna home. And there were enough McKenzie’s in the village for it to spread through both clans. They were curious about their new clansmen, and the way the Edmans did things. This could not be allowed to turn into gossip, conjecture, and speculation. Ragna was her sister, she loved her, she’d come home for her, NOT for Tara’s request. She did not want to fight with her.

Revna

Ragna shrugged Runa off, roughly, angrily. Her eyes darted around and she saw the people gathered. Unlike Runa and Revna she knew them all, the Edmans AND the McKenzies. She’d been living with them for long enough now. When she’d healed enough she’d made trips into the towns and villages, with Kirsten and Ada, to find out more about Argyle and what he had been up to. Ragna had gotten to know these people, they were clan but they were family. And her mistake, her angry words, over heard by everyone, only made her madder. She knew what she had to do, but she just couldn’t make herself say it, her temper, her pride…her embarrassment urged fire to her words rather than reason. “Damn me? At least I stand up for what matters rather than running away!”

Ragna

Runa grabbed Ragna by the shoulder and spun her and slapped her across the mouth. “Ragna stop! You are Klanvart and Revna is chief! There are only two possible outcomes to this. Do you really want to fight Revna?” Ragna started to open her mouth again, and Runa knew it was only going to get worse. She grabbed her and practically frog marched her out of the barn and into the center of the village. She saw Terje and waved him over, “Go get my da and Uncle Oddvar. Quick now!” Terje, who had heard the whole thing nodded and took off.

Runa

Revna watched as Runa dragged Ragna off. She hoped Ragna could let go of her temper. She understood Ragna was scared, she felt that nothing had been solved, and she was chaffing under the differences in traditions. And Ragna was the human embodiment of the storms that made her so ill. And sometimes forces of nature just had to be allowed to be what they were. Revna did not want to fight her. She had to find another way. She walked back to Crescent and the mare laid the full length of her face against Revna and snuffled. Revna stroked her neck and ears and sighed. “She’s wrong, but she’s not. Things aren’t so simple anymore. This isn’t a disagreement between sisters anymore.” Crescent headbutted her and Revna unclipped her from the cross ties and returned her to the stall next to Aotrom. Their noses touched and nuzzled against each other. Revna sighed, if only her life could be so simple. Then she returned to Dreamer and led him back to his stall. Then with a deep breath Revna strode out of the barn into the village center. Oddvar was standing in front of Ragna, still as a statue except for his eyes. Cuyler was waiting for her and Runa was standing off to the side, trying not to take sides. The hard angry frustrated stubborn look in Ragna’s eyes was so familiar. Ragna knew what she’d done was wrong, but she strongly believed that her words, the reasoning behind them, was right.

Cuyler and Oddvar were dragged by a frantic Terje to the village center. The teenager gave a disjointed accounting of what had happened. Seeing Runa dragging Ragna into the center of the square made Cuyler’s heart hurt. A quick word from Runa and Oddvar dragged Ragna away. He hoped his brother would talk some sense into her. He waited until he saw Revna walk out and then intercepted her.

“I don’t want to do this, Da.” Revna told him quietly.

He nodded. “I know. It would have been better if Ragna had said it where no one heard. And now she’s digging her heels in.” He sighed, a deep long drawn out affair. “You know, Oddvar and I had a similar problem. He has a temper much like Ragna. I think that’s why they get along so well, he understands her when no one else does.”

“What do I do? If I answer the challenge then one of us ends up dead or banished. Neither option is acceptable to me. And it doesn’t affect just me and her, it affects both clans. It’s not like I can leave Bomlo and go to Scotland. I’d be banished from both. Mike, Seamus, Capall, TARA, the bloody old herald, will have both our hides.”

Revna

Cuyler grinned, “What have you actually done wrong? We have many traditions, many customs, and she has to have a solid foundation for her accusation. She can’t challenge you on what you might do, only what you have done. Give her a way out, Revna. One that respects that she’s doing her job to protect the clan as Klanvart, and one that lets her place her challenge in the correct context. She knows she’s misstepped, but she also knows she isn’t wrong. You are a Federation renowned counselor and diplomat, be that.”

Cuyler

Oddvar had a steady but gentle grip on Ragna’s arm and dragged her over, out of the way. “Ragna what’s going on?” Ragna opened her mouth and then closed it. She stared at her uncle, almost eye to eye with him. “I…I challenged Revna....” Oddvar scrubbed a hand over his face. So many years disappeared in that moment and standing in front of him was a much younger form of his brother. Heated words, hot tempers, and far too many assumptions had landed him facing the same situation Ragna was now. Oddvar had learned that day why Cuyler was meant to be chief. Edman’s knew how things got out of control with siblings but was always resolved because it was family. The difference now, was the McKenzie half of the clan didn’t know that. Not in the leading family anyway. And if it had been just Edman’s around they’d all laugh about Ragna’s temper and go on about their day. The clans were going continually back and forth, curious about each other.

“Ragna, child, how did that happen?” Oddvar stared at her and Ragna felt very foolish and that just made her more mad - at herself. “She’s leaving, Onkel. She and Mike came back and they are leaving. That is not what is best for the safety and health of our clan.” Ragna meant the new combined clan. She loved the McKenzie’s with the same fierceness she did the Edmans. They were people to her, individuals, with their own stories and lives and deserved fierce loyalty. Oddvar stopped and glanced at Revna, “She said that? That she’s leaving?” Ragna shook her head, “I…didn’t give her the chance to say it. It’s my job to bring to the chief’s attention anything that might harm the clan.” Oddvar crossed his arms over his chest and one brow raised as he looked down at her. It was a look Cuyler and Revna had mastered many times over. He didn’t doubt that Ragna was worried about the clan, but it wasn’t all that. “It is your job, but that’s not all it is, is it girl?” Ragna met him stare for stare and didn’t say anything. “There is a part of you that is still that teenager who’s angry that her sisters left her behind. Even more so at Revna because she left us long before that. And now that she’s back you don’t want her to leave.”

Oddvar wondered if they should call Mike, Seamus and Capall. Revna looked calm, Ragna uncertain, and Runa looked like she might be sick. Mike had a knack for dealing with crazy situations. Cuyler had the same thought, but also knew Revna and Ragna needed to work this out, and everyone who had heard Ragna needed to know that Revna was just as capable as Michael was. With all the commotion is was possible someone had already talked to the boys. But no one got to say anything else.

Revna’s voice carried across the square as she stepped away from Cuyler, “Ragna Idun Edman McKenzie.”

The Edmans


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