The Khanid-Swami are a sub-culture with ties dating back to "Solar Terra" (Earth) BEFORE the foundation of New Eden.

One of the more interesting traditions they hold is "Marriage At Birth" (MaB).
This is marriage arranged before birth and enforced at birth.

When a girl is born, her mother places her in the crib with a new-borne boy (her husband for life) and walks out of her daughter's life.
She is unlikely to know even the name of the family she just gave her daughter to.
The boy's parents name BOTH children and raise them as husband and wife.
At twelve years old, the children dedicate themselves to each other with a ceremony much akin to a wedding ceremony.

This tradition has had profound effects on the 'Swami'...
First; teen pregancies are expected (some people even say "required") and prepared for.
Second; crime is almost unheard of (particularrly teen crime)
Third; many ethical, moral, and social problems faced by most other cultures (particularrly dealing with sexual identification/orientation) are simply no issue.

Since Athena's initials are "A.A.A."; she has picked up (and answers to) a nickname... "3-A"
When she was 14 years old, her family (including her infant children) was slaughtered by raiders from Sansha's Nation who called themselves "True Power".
She has dedicated her life to ridding the universe of Sansha's Nation (particularly the "True Power" raiders).

Raiders of any stripe (and particularrly those of 'True Power') have learned to avoid the dark skinned woman with scarlet hair and white tatoos on her face.