Stephen said:
In football circles "handbags" describes a scrap where no real damage was done. For example if two players exchange ineffectual punches before being pulled apart by their team mates. The assumption being that women cannot fight.
On topic reference: The altercation between Avon and Tarrant on the Flight Deck in "Sarcophagus" was a definite case of handbags.
And the Tarrant-Jarvik match-up in Harvest of Kairos. (BTW, I was at a venture capital breakfast meeting yesterday and someone handed me a card from Kairos Consulting...I did a double-take, I assure you.) Especially since Dayna does notably better against Jarvik.
I wonder if there is any link to "The Importance of Being Earnest" in the use of "handbags"? OTOH, on other B7 lists, I've seen it used more or less as a synonym for "pants": i.e., a mild expletive.
-(Y)
PS--it's odd that I haven't been named as a "slasher," in that unlike most of the people so described, I do in fact write and publish slash fiction, sub. nom. Executrix for those who don't know.