From lhansen@cts.com Thu Feb 16 09:27:48 1995 Return-Path: Received: from crash.cts.com by netcom11.netcom.com (8.6.9/Netcom) id JAA21475; Thu, 16 Feb 1995 09:27:47 -0800 Received: by crash.cts.com (Smail3.1.28.1 #18) id m0rf9zQ-0001K9C; Thu, 16 Feb 95 09:27 PST Message-Id: Subject: LOG: Andros and Caldren Clash To: a-angelk@microsoft.com (Angela 'Anna'), dewshine@netcom.com (Sh'k'anna Korra'ti) Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 09:27:40 -0800 (PST) From: "Lori Hansen" X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Content-Type: text Content-Length: 7565 Status: O Log Intro The event which triggered Bernadette Marshall's string of misfortune was the receipt of a message from her parents on her home planet of Chanuuk stating their disapproval of her marriage to Kevlan Sharr. Berni assumed this message to apply to her brothers, as well, but little did she know, back on Chanuuk... - * - Caldren Marshall is preparing for harvest. He's checking his equipment and the hired help, busily concentrating on the task at hand in the barn. Caldren A tall man in his mid- to late-6th decade, with a strong, solid build. He has thick, dark auburn hair, sprinkled throughout with grey, green eyes surrounded with long, curling dark lashes; laugh lines creasing the skin on the outer edges of each eye. His jaw is squared and firm; his flesh is a deep, golden brown--tanned from his countless hours spent laboring in the sun. A farm-bred man, with wide shoulders, large chest, biceps and forearms; narrow waist, slender legs. He has a rumbling, deep bass voice; his personality is one of jovial non- chalance, but can change quickly with his hot temper. Andros steps through the huge double doors. Andros has arrived. Andros Slight of build, yet tall and gangly, this young man resembles his mother more than his father. In his late-3rd to early-4th decade, he has auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a long, oval face. He's quick to grin and has a 'devil-may-care' attitude. His complexion and build suggest that he's probably better suited for work other than farming. His voice is a strong, clear tenor. "Dad?" Andros calls, looking around the dimly lit interior of the barn. "Dad, where are you?" Caldren looks up from the thrasher and answers gruffly, "Back here, boy." Andros, his face set with determination, anger glinting in his hazel eyes, marches the length of the barn towards his father. As he reaches the elder man, he stops and stands with his hands on his hips, glaring at his father, who is hunched over the machinery, tinkering, and waiting to be acknowledged. Caldren straightens as his youngest son's footsteps halt behind him and turns around, a smile on his weathered face. "Andros! What a pleasant surprise..." His greeting is cut short as he notices the look on his son's face. He frowns a bit. "What's the matter?" Getting straight to the point, Andros says "Why didn't you tell Simon or me that Berni's been writing?" Caldren's frown deepens and his mouth presses into a hard line before he replies. "Because the messages weren't addressed to you." He turns back to the thrasher. Andros doesn't let the subject drop, however, and continues "Does it matter who the messages were addressed to? She's our sister, for crying out loud! You've known where she is all this time!" Caldren turns around again. "And she's my daughter. What's your point?" His voice is calm and level, but holds a hard gruffness. Andros throw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "My point is, if you knew where she was these past two years, why didn't you tell us? And why didn't you tell us she was getting married again?" He glares angrily at the older man. Caldren sighs. "Because as far as any of the Marshalls are concerned, Bernice doesn't exist anymore. She ceased to exist the day she left her farm." He pauses a moment, staring levelly at the young man before him. "Simon agrees." His mouth dropping open in astonishment, Andros sputters lamely "Wh..What?! How can you say something like that!?" Andros regains his composure enough to protest further "She was in shock! What did you expect her to do? Stay and be constantly reminded that pieces of Dennis had been scattered about?!" He looks livid and demands "Where is she?" Caldren frowns again. "She's on Shankill, if it really matters. But it doesn't because none of us are going to try to contact her, you understand me?" He glares menacingly at Andros. Andros shakes his head incredulously. "You can't run our lives forever, Dad. If you ask me, Berni did the right thing by leaving." With that, Andros turns and starts stalking towards the barn's entrance. Caldren's face is beet red and he bellows angrily, his deep, bass voice filling the barn at an almost deafening level, "I *didn't* ask you, boy! You show some respect to your father!" When Andros continues walking towards the door, unheeding, he bellows once more "Andros! Get back here! I'm not finished with you!!" Andros, wincing slightly at the noise level, continues striding towards the double doors. He shouts back, equally loud, his tenor voice carrying, "Well, I'm finished with you, Dad!" and exits the barn. Andros marches angrily past the main house as his mother runs out onto the porch. Leila calls out "Andy! Andy!!" as she darts down the stairs and chases after her son. Leila Pretty, petite, feminine...all words that best describe this small, platinum blonde woman in her early 6th decade. Clear brown eyes look out from a small, oval face; her fair complexion still unmarred by age, despite its exposure to the harsh sun. She is a quiet person by nature and offers little resistance to the ideas of others presented to her. When she speaks, she has a light, lilting alto voice and a slight lisp. Andros halts as his name is called and turns to watch his mother catch up with him. He stares down at her flatly as she approaches. Leila says "Andy, honey...what happened? I could hear you two shouting at each other all the way in the houth!" The small woman looks very distraught at the thought of her husband and son fighting. She wrings her hands in front of her agitatedly. Andros sighs and looks down at his mother, his expression softening a bit. "Mom, there's no talking to him. He's too stubborn..." Leila looks sadly at her youngest son. "He won't let uth go thee Berni, will he?" She looks on the verge of tears. Andros pulls Leila into his arms and hugs her. "No, Mom, I don't think he'll take you to see her." His voice is hard as he rests his chin on the woman's head, glaring in the direction of the barn. He looks down at her again. "Why don't you write to Berni yourself, Mom? Maybe she'll come back here to see you?" Leila sniffles and shakes her head. "I can't...your father hath the terminal thet up tho only he can thend out methageth..." Andros grumbles irritably. "Then come to my house. You can write her from there." Leila says "How? I don't know where she ith. He wouldn't tell me." She frowns unhappily. "He only thaid that she'th okay." Andros kisses Leila's forehead and says after a moment "Don't worry, Mom. I'll think of something." He squeezes her hands before walking off in the direction of his own, neighboring farmstead. - * - Back on his farm, in his house, Andros Marshall contemplates what he's going to do next. He sits quietly, his fingers steepled under his chin, stretched out in his favorite armchair in his living room. The sun sets and the house darken...Andros continues thinking quietly. After much contemplation, Andros seeks out his foreman and informs him that he's going on a trip...he doesn't know how long he'll be gone, but he'll keep in touch. With that, Andros returns to his house to pack himself a carisak and departs for the planet's spaceport, intent on looking for his baby sister and bringing her back to Chanuuk.