"Action Man Says He's Coming."

"So. The whole story, what are you?" he with a mind numbing smile.

"Alright. Take a seat, this is a long story", she sighed getting comfy on a leather couch.

Becker sat in the matching chair next to her in the corner of her office.

"You always were good at telling stories and legends", he grinned.

"Yes well this story happens to be true", she replied. After a pause to think she said," Hmmm where to begin? Well I guess the most logical place would be at the very beginning. It starts with the Irish 'myth' of a man named Tuan mac Cairill. His tale is very long and most is irrelevant at the moment so I will condense it. There had been a great plague amongst his people and he was the only survivor. He saw said to have lived 2000 years and well into the age of the Christians by transforming himself into animals. Tuan told his story to the St. Finnan to keep the memory of his people from being lost forever. Legend has it when he became old he fell asleep in a cave. When he awoke he was a young stag. This rebirth process was repeated three more times, once as a wild boar, an eagle and then a salmon. As a salmon he was eaten whole by a chieftain's wife. The woman became pregnant and Tuan was born as a man once more. That's the common story. What most people don't know was that he had a son that moved to Britain or Briton as it was called in the time of the Celts. This son was the ancestor of one of not the greatest warrior queen the world has ever known, Queen Boudica of the Iceni.
Class room history books say the Romans invaded Britain in AD 43 but notice how that's all they mention. Nothing about revolts or how they treated the native Celts. They are missing one hell of a tale. Now when the Romans conquered the Iceni they left their king Prasutagus to lead for them, a common ploy of the time to gain the natives' favor. Things weren't perfect under this but it was better than the alternative. The problem arose when the king died. Prasutagus had left his kingdom and wealth to his queen Boudica and their two 12 year old daughters Camorra and Tasca. In Roman society women where possessions, not allowed power or even to own property. So obviously they ignored the three women. When they came to take what they claimed was theirs Boudica protested. As a result she was publicly stripped and flogged. To add insult to injury they raped her daughters and treated her people as slaves. As you can imagine she was enraged. We Celts are a very proud people and we don't take well to others thinking they can walk all over us with out fear of retribution. Then Boudica gathered the Iceni and other neighboring tribes. They attacked and burned the Roman capital of Camulodunum (modern day Colchester), Londimium (London) and Varulamium (St. Albans) to the ground. Boudica always fought beside the men and she was a great warrior. She was unstoppable until she met the Roman army lead by Caius Paulinus. It was said she rode into battle on a war chariot. A Roman historian who gave an account of the battle described her as tall, with piercing eyes, a loud and harsh voice and think, flaming red hair that was below her waist. She was said to wear a long tartan cloak with a broach and a bronze or golden torc.
When her army was destroyed by the Romans she took her daughters and fled back to her homeland. If and when the Romans caught up with the three, they would make a show of them. Torturing them in before all of Rome and much worse. It would only be made worse by the fact she was the Celts' figure head and such a public execution would take the fight out of them. Boudica of obviously knew this. So she and both of her daughters took poison as a last sign of rebellion to the Romans", Jessi explained.

Becker soaked up every word. He cocked his head to the side and said,"That name sounds familiar. There's a statue near by Big Ben of a woman in a chariot with two girls. The horses are rearing up, she is wearing a battle helmet and she's carrying a spear. Is that her?"

Jessi smiled and nodded. "She almost ran the Romans clean out of Britain".

"As the old saying goes 'Hell hath no fury'", Becker remarked.

Jessi laughed.

"If both daughters died too then what does this have to do with you?" he asked.

"Well I told you the general story. The thing is, it's not quite true. Camorra was actually shipped over to Ireland to keep Tuan's bloodline going. She soon married a young chieftain and had many kids. Occasionally one was born with the ability to transform into animals when they pleased. Or at least that was the story my grandmother always told me", Jessi smile as she played with the bronze torc at her throat.

Becker looked at it for a moment before realization lit up his eyes. "You're Boudica's heir then! That explains everything, the torc, your beautiful red hair and why you're such a fighter. It all fits", he exclaimed.

"You're right. I am her descendent. Although you have the torc a little off. She would have worn the chieftain style that loops back at the end. Mine is a cat's head", she smiled as she took it off and handed it to him.

"It's beautiful", he said as he examined it. He handed it back to her, "like you. It's very fitting".

That caught her off guard. She reddened a little as she put the torc back on. "Thanks".

He stood up. "Anytime, Your Majesty", he grinned and he bowed low to her.

"No! Don't call me that", Jessi laughed as she jumped up. "I'm still the same ol' Jessi from Sandhurst. And if you ever do that again especially around everyone else I swear to God I will call you by your whole name", she said continuing to laugh as they both stood there.

"Alright. Alright! I just wanted to see how you'd react", he chuckled.

She stuck out her tongue at him. He just chuckled some more. After a while she flipped open her cell phone to check the time.

"Well I should go. I have animals to feed back home", she said.

She walked over to her desk and packed some papers and other things into an old, leather shoulder bag with a dragon stamped on the front. Just then two arms came up behind her and pulled her close. She turned around and hugged him back, resting her head on his chest.

"It really is good to see you again", Becker said as he pulled away and ruffled her hair with a smile.

"You too", Jessi smiled back.

She gathered her stuff and they walked out the door.

"See you tomorrow", Becker called as he walked down the hall away from her.

"You too", she called back.

Jessi said good night to everyone as she made her way to her truck. She turned it on and New Divide by Linkin Park came on. Jessi smiled as she made her way out of the city and down the short dirt road that lead to her house.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning Jessi drove to the ARC. She parked her big, blue truck and walked into her office. When she reached her desk, there was something on it. It was a bag of her favorite, dark chocolate truffles. Jessi picked up the note that was left under it.

Dark chocolate, right?

It wasn't signed but she recognized Becker's neat hand writing. She smiled. Just then he walked by and leaned against the door of her office.

"Good morning", he said.

"Morning. Thanks for the chocolate", she walked up and kissed him on the cheek.

"No problem", he grinned.

She put the bag in the frig.

"Oh by the way. Lester wants to see you in his office", he said.

"Ok thanks", she smiled and headed down the hall. "See you 'round".

"See ya".