Post by Alex Ramirez on Nov 13, 2012 18:46:32 GMT -5
[[OOC: as there is not place for the planet Deadwood, and haven is a moon of Deadwood, I'll be posting this here.]]
Latigo Ranch, Planet Deadwood
Alex Ramirez finished beating the whitewashed cross into place over his wife's head. It was hot that day; The trip from St. Leona was a dry, thirsty one. They were too far out for conventional craft; all the gorram sand and dust just gummed up the workings in the vehicles. Everyone in the greyback desert rode by horse or camel. This is how Alex brought his wife home, on a wagon pulled by two camels. The Latigos, long time family friends and business rivals in the horse and camel trade, waited at the entrance to their homestead with the Ramirezes, his own family. The young couple were supposed to be where the two empires became one; When they bore children, they would run the L-R Ranches, and their families' power would be known across the planet. Not anymore.
Julie Latigo died in pain and fear during a Bedouin raid on the small mining town her husband was Sheriff of. Her killer, a man named Royce who was a former Browncoat, like her husband. That made it worse for Alex. One of his brothers in arms, a man who had suffered, like Alex, in ways many wteould never understand, had taken the last thing in his life that was meaningful.
He sat back on his haunches, and wiped the sweat (and tears) from his face, the dust making him look like he was wearing camouflage. Behind him were the hundreds of family, friends, ranch hands, and even some Bedouins who knew Julie from when she lived at home. The Bedouin's salat al-janazah, or funeral prayers, mingled with the Catholic and Christian prayers. When Alex's mother broke into a mournful but beautiful rendition of Nearer My God to Thee, even the Muslim Bedouins joined in. This bit touched Alex the most, as Bedouins believe Christians to be infidels.
When the singing stopped, Alex stood and and waited for everyone to be quiet.
'Lord,' he began, This here's my wife, Julie Latigo-Ramirez. She was 29 years old. All these folk you see here're friends or loved ones of hers. You can see how loved she was in return. He stopped for a minute to clear the catch in his throat. 'I wasn't always there for her, Lord, like I shoulda been. war takes men from their homes and makes 'em kill other folk that ain't done him wrong. Hell, we didnt even get a proper wedding night before I went and got called up to fight on Hera. We didnt even get to have any...
By this point, Latigo the Elder had put his hand on Alex's shoulder. This brought the flood out of Alex. After the waterworks finished and Alex hand composed himself, he continued.
'Lord, my wife loved everyone. She didn't have a mean bone in her body. If one of the miners pissed away his earnins and his family couldn't eat, my Julie was there with a little coin or a home cooked meal. If one of em' got hurt in the mines, she was one of the first at the mouth of those damned holes to give some aid. She always had a smile, or a joke for you, even on the worst days. My Julie earned her place by your side, Lord. I've always loved this woman, since we were little ones chasin' around horned toads out in the Greyback. I'll love her after they put me into the dirt next to her. I promise her, and all of you here, that I will find her killer, and he'll dance under a gallows or bleed to death from my gun. So help me God.'
As the group sang 'Swing lo sweet Chariot, Alex just stood there, looking at the cross over his wife's grave.
'I swear to God, I'll get him for you Julie-girl,' he said to himself.
Latigo Ranch, Planet Deadwood
Alex Ramirez finished beating the whitewashed cross into place over his wife's head. It was hot that day; The trip from St. Leona was a dry, thirsty one. They were too far out for conventional craft; all the gorram sand and dust just gummed up the workings in the vehicles. Everyone in the greyback desert rode by horse or camel. This is how Alex brought his wife home, on a wagon pulled by two camels. The Latigos, long time family friends and business rivals in the horse and camel trade, waited at the entrance to their homestead with the Ramirezes, his own family. The young couple were supposed to be where the two empires became one; When they bore children, they would run the L-R Ranches, and their families' power would be known across the planet. Not anymore.
Julie Latigo died in pain and fear during a Bedouin raid on the small mining town her husband was Sheriff of. Her killer, a man named Royce who was a former Browncoat, like her husband. That made it worse for Alex. One of his brothers in arms, a man who had suffered, like Alex, in ways many wteould never understand, had taken the last thing in his life that was meaningful.
He sat back on his haunches, and wiped the sweat (and tears) from his face, the dust making him look like he was wearing camouflage. Behind him were the hundreds of family, friends, ranch hands, and even some Bedouins who knew Julie from when she lived at home. The Bedouin's salat al-janazah, or funeral prayers, mingled with the Catholic and Christian prayers. When Alex's mother broke into a mournful but beautiful rendition of Nearer My God to Thee, even the Muslim Bedouins joined in. This bit touched Alex the most, as Bedouins believe Christians to be infidels.
When the singing stopped, Alex stood and and waited for everyone to be quiet.
'Lord,' he began, This here's my wife, Julie Latigo-Ramirez. She was 29 years old. All these folk you see here're friends or loved ones of hers. You can see how loved she was in return. He stopped for a minute to clear the catch in his throat. 'I wasn't always there for her, Lord, like I shoulda been. war takes men from their homes and makes 'em kill other folk that ain't done him wrong. Hell, we didnt even get a proper wedding night before I went and got called up to fight on Hera. We didnt even get to have any...
By this point, Latigo the Elder had put his hand on Alex's shoulder. This brought the flood out of Alex. After the waterworks finished and Alex hand composed himself, he continued.
'Lord, my wife loved everyone. She didn't have a mean bone in her body. If one of the miners pissed away his earnins and his family couldn't eat, my Julie was there with a little coin or a home cooked meal. If one of em' got hurt in the mines, she was one of the first at the mouth of those damned holes to give some aid. She always had a smile, or a joke for you, even on the worst days. My Julie earned her place by your side, Lord. I've always loved this woman, since we were little ones chasin' around horned toads out in the Greyback. I'll love her after they put me into the dirt next to her. I promise her, and all of you here, that I will find her killer, and he'll dance under a gallows or bleed to death from my gun. So help me God.'
As the group sang 'Swing lo sweet Chariot, Alex just stood there, looking at the cross over his wife's grave.
'I swear to God, I'll get him for you Julie-girl,' he said to himself.