Posted by Civilian Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie (Clan McKenzie Chief) in McKenzie/Edman Land - The End Of The Beginning

Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in McKenzie/Edman Land - The End Of The Beginning

Posted by Civilian Revna Freya McKenzie (Resident) in McKenzie/Edman Land - The End Of The Beginning
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
=/\= So that’s where we are at, Mike. She didn’t want to say anything. She knew you had a lot on your plate and a life that has just changed and shifted in so many ways. She didn’t want to burden you. =/\= The speaker was an older human male who was obviously very tired.

Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie sat in his office in the newly built Chief’s Manor on the grounds of the McKenzie -Edman clan; new arrivals to Oed V. And while new arrivals they were, the entire planet had already felt the effects of their presence. Mike turned from the screen and looked out the window. Outside was grass and trees and other plant life where, just six months earlier, had been nothing but dust and rock… the remnants of a broken world. A world slowly coming back to life thanks to the efforts of the colony. *So much positive… and now this. I should’a known it was too good to last * he thought to himself.

Mike turned back to the screen and said “Thanks, Oddvar. I really appreciate you letting me know. I’ll tell the others… then the Clan.” He paused as a lump the size of his fist formed in his throat. “Di-… did the doctor’s say how long?” Oddvar nodded and said =/\= A few weeks, maybe a month. She’s not in any pain, and her mind is still sharp as ever. =/\= and he chuckled even as years began to appear in his eyes. =/\= Tongue too, if she ever finds out I told ya. =/\= Mike chuckled and then said “Oh hell no, old man. We are not gonna start crying together. We save that for the next time we share a bottle.” Oddvar nodded as he wiped his eyes with a shaky hand. =/\= Look at ya… year in the job as Chief and you think you can tell people what to do. =/\= Mike chuckled and said “I know… I totally let the power go to my head.” and then both men laughed long and hard. When they finished, Oddvar looked at Mike and said =/\= Ok. I’m gonna head up and see how she is doing. I’ll keep you posted. Take care of my girls… and my boys. =/\= and he waved and the screen went blank.

Mike leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Tears formed, but didn’t fall. After all, he had told his uncle-in-law that they couldn’t cry until they were drinking. And no Chief worth a damn would ever give an order he didn’t expect to follow himself. So instead, he pressed the comms and sent a message.

“Ok, brothers and sisters. It’s been far too long since we sat down to dinner together.” he said to the recording. “So tonight we eat together. All of us… no excuses from anyone. Seamus, you and Ragna bring a case of mead. I want everyone here at seven sharp. That’s an order. See you all tonight.

Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie, Clan Chief

Revna walked into his office not even a minute later. “Wow has our life changed. I get a dinner invite by comm message instead of in person and an order to boot?” Revna laughed, unaware of the devastating news that Mike had just received, but knowing something was not quite right. She walked over to him, slipping her arms around his shoulders from behind and kissed him right below his ear. “So, should I go ahead and clear our calendars for tomorrow since Seamus and Ragna are bringing more than a case of mead?”

Revna, Lady McKenzie

Mike looked up at her… and the tears welled up again. “Yeah… please. Except… except block off two o’clock tomorrow for all of us. We… we’re gonna have to address the Clan. And don’t ask, Rev… not right now, okay? Wait till everyone is here and I’ll tell everyone at once. I just… I don’t think I can go over it multiple times. Okay?”

Revna slipped around the chair and settled on his lap. She stared into his eyes. Worry and love in her gaze. She wanted so desperately to ask what was wrong, but instead she gently leaned in and kissed the corners of his tear filled eyes. She pulled him into her and held him for a long time. “Whatever you need Mike. I’m with you.”

At some unspoken agreement, much later, Revna sat up and turned to his computer console. She cleared their schedules and sent out a notification to the whole clan for an announcement at 2 the next day.

Runa and Ragna had both confirmed they would be there. Runa was happy for the distraction after a long week filled with toddler meltdowns and a surge in new kinds of seasonal allergies from the area of new plants the children had never been exposed to before. Needless to say, not much was taught or learned that week. Mike’s message didn’t read like a formal event but it WAS an order. Capall had no idea what was going on, so the only thing they could do was show up.

Ragna hemmed and hawed over which meads to bring. What was Mike having served? What was the occasion. His message was an order if she ever heard one. Maybe she should save that one bottle for when she knew Mike was in a good mood? She was used to people getting short with her and ordering her around and being irritated, even when she was trying not to be annoying. People weren’t usually like that with her sisters. And Mike didn’t order Seamus and Capall around. There was nothing to do, but go and find out.

Runa, ECE Director

At seven exactly the three couples - Mike and Revna, Capall and Runa, and Seamus and Ragna - all took their seats in the dining hall. As the food was served, Mike looked at the chef and said “Tasgall, tell everyone we are not to be disturbed for any reason, okay? Lock the door behind you.” The chef looked at Mike confused for a second, and then said “Uh, yeah. Sure thing, sir.” and he withdrew and locked the door as he was instructed.

Mike picked up a glass of something dark brown in color and drained it. He looked at the table, and his family, and then took a deep breath. He refilled the glass from an unmarked bottle and then took a long drink. “Gimme a sec… sorry.” and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie, Clan Chief

Revna reached over and placed her hand gently over his, silently supporting him. She could only think of a few things that would make him this upset, and they all made her stomach hollow.

Revna, Lady McKenzie

Runa knew Mike fairly well. They had bonded over too many crazy antics in his bar, and she had never seen him like this… except once. Well almost once, when he and Revna had stopped talking and she had set the bottle of bourbon on the bar. She looked at Capall, then Revna, Ragna, and Seamus. No one else seemed to have any idea what was going on.

Ragna’s hand reached out and held onto Seamus’. She couldn’t fathom what would make Mike have that look on his face. She’d seen him drink a lot, but the way he threw those two glasses back was different. She wasn’t sure she was the one to say anything, but despite her temper, Ragna loved fiercelyand loyally. And Mike was her brother more than anything else. She glanced at Seamus again before speaking, “Whatever you need Mike. We’ll do whatever we can.”

Ragna McKenzie, Herald

Mike took another long drink and then set the glass down hard. “Okay listen. Oddvar called me this morning. There’s… Ya see, the do-…” and he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. This time the tears didn’t stay, but fell from his eyes into his beard.

The girls froze. Uncle Oddvar? Their parents? Was it there parents? They lived basic, rough; accidents happened all the time.

“Lady Tara… she’s dying.” he said softly.

There was a roaring in Ragna’s ears. She didn’t hear that right. Mike misunderstood. Tara was one of the fiestiest women she knew.

Revna sat shocked for a moment. No. Absolutely not. Mike only just got her back. She wasworking on plans to bring Tara out to visit to surprise Mike. She blinked as her vision went blurry.

Runa tucked her hand tight onto Capall’s arm and put her head in his shoulder, her other arm wrapping around his stomach.

Mike took another breath. “So she has apparently been sick a long time. Like… years and years a long time. Some kinda degenerative thing from an illness she picked up. She isn’t in pain, and she is still mentally all there. Docs said she has three weeks. She doesn’t know we know. Oddvar told me so it would just be dropped on us. So… yeah. We’re gonna lose her.” He fell silent, spinning the empty glass on the table while his mind was somewhere far off.

Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie, Clan Chief

Revna moved from her chair so she could wrap Mike in her arms. Of course Tara would hide it. She’d had to for years from those vultures. Revna would like another go at the cousins - with her sword, not her shield wall.

The room was silent with thick shock and heavy grief. No one made a sound. Ragna hid her face in Seamus’ chest, holding him even as grief took her breath. The silence was broken as a heartbreaking sob ripped from her.

Ragna McKenzie, Herald