Star Trek: The Next Generation - 020 - Q-In-Law by Peter David Page A
Authors: Peter David
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frivolously as you wish, Deanna." "How am I supposed to take something where you're telling total strangers that you're in mourning for me!" Deanna said in exasperation.
"I can tell all your associates as well, if it will make you feel more comfortable." Deanna brought her palms together, fingers steepled, to try to compose herself. "What will make me feel comfortable," she said, "is if you stop acting as if I'm dead!" "Not dead in the physical sense, Little One!" said Lwaxana consolingly. She gently stroked Deanna's cheek. "Just dead in the hope that you will contribute to the propagation of our people, and to the hope that you will ever find a mate to share the rest of your life." "Oh, that's all." "Why, yes. That's not so terrible, is it?" Deanna sighed and leaned back, softly thudding her head against the wall. "I don't believe this." "You had your opportunity," Lwaxana said with a shrug. "Several opportunities. I found you a mate, but that didn't work out..." "Are you blaming me for that?" "No one's to blame, precious. These things happen. Then, of course, there's that lovely Commander Riker." Her lips twitched in amusement. "He still wants you, you know. Would give his left eye to have you. I can read him clear as glass." Deanna thudded her head a couple more times.
"You're still in phase, aren't you," referring to a time during which older Betazoid women's sex drive is quadrupled, or more.
"It's in remission," said Lwaxana blithely. "My abilities to read minds are as sharp as they ever were." "Yes, that's what I thought," said Deanna ruefully. "Mother, the Ab'brax was from a time when life spans were shorter, and when a woman's niche in society was to be married, have children, and tend house. So if you weren't married by a certain age, it was anticipated that you would never marry and the family would go into mourning..." "Precisely," said Lwaxana.
"... generally in order to raise such a fuss that people would be forced to realize that someone the family was eager to marry off was in the house. This would, in theory, attract someone who needed a good wife in the same way that he needed a good farm animal, and he knew that the family would not protest overmuch." Lwaxana gave a shrug of her elegant shoulders. "That's one interpretation." She got up and stood before her mother, trying to be as calm as she could. In a way, the anger that she had initially felt was now mutating into a dim amusement. "Mother, I'm living a full and happy life. I have opportunities that women of centuries ago didn't have. You have those same opportunities. Why are you saddling yourself with this artificial bereavement? It's a pointless tradition." "My dear," said Lwaxana archly, "anyone can uphold traditions that have meaning. Upholding the pointless traditions--that, Deanna, takes style." Deanna shook her head, and her mother patted her on the shoulder with genuine affection. "Oh, my darling, I just hate to think of you going through life unfulfilled." "I am fulfilled, mother." "Lonely, then." Lwaxana sighed. "No one should have to spend their life by themselves, without the comfort of a loved one beside them. No one to share their achievements with, the high points and low points.
When I think of you, day after day, in this sterile environment--alone, unmated, chaste--" Deanna coughed politely.
Her mother continued, "I become as depressed as when I..." Surprisingly, her voice trailed off.
Deanna looked at her mother with curiosity. "As when what, mother?" "Nothing." But Deanna had caught the stray thought from her mother and she said softly, "... as when you think of yourself?" Lwaxana glanced at her from under shaded lids.
"I am perfectly fine, Little One. At least I had my opportunity with your father, and those pleasant memories are more than enough to sustain me during my long, empty nights. Nights where my own body and mind are haunting me to find a new husband, and I still
"I can tell all your associates as well, if it will make you feel more comfortable." Deanna brought her palms together, fingers steepled, to try to compose herself. "What will make me feel comfortable," she said, "is if you stop acting as if I'm dead!" "Not dead in the physical sense, Little One!" said Lwaxana consolingly. She gently stroked Deanna's cheek. "Just dead in the hope that you will contribute to the propagation of our people, and to the hope that you will ever find a mate to share the rest of your life." "Oh, that's all." "Why, yes. That's not so terrible, is it?" Deanna sighed and leaned back, softly thudding her head against the wall. "I don't believe this." "You had your opportunity," Lwaxana said with a shrug. "Several opportunities. I found you a mate, but that didn't work out..." "Are you blaming me for that?" "No one's to blame, precious. These things happen. Then, of course, there's that lovely Commander Riker." Her lips twitched in amusement. "He still wants you, you know. Would give his left eye to have you. I can read him clear as glass." Deanna thudded her head a couple more times.
"You're still in phase, aren't you," referring to a time during which older Betazoid women's sex drive is quadrupled, or more.
"It's in remission," said Lwaxana blithely. "My abilities to read minds are as sharp as they ever were." "Yes, that's what I thought," said Deanna ruefully. "Mother, the Ab'brax was from a time when life spans were shorter, and when a woman's niche in society was to be married, have children, and tend house. So if you weren't married by a certain age, it was anticipated that you would never marry and the family would go into mourning..." "Precisely," said Lwaxana.
"... generally in order to raise such a fuss that people would be forced to realize that someone the family was eager to marry off was in the house. This would, in theory, attract someone who needed a good wife in the same way that he needed a good farm animal, and he knew that the family would not protest overmuch." Lwaxana gave a shrug of her elegant shoulders. "That's one interpretation." She got up and stood before her mother, trying to be as calm as she could. In a way, the anger that she had initially felt was now mutating into a dim amusement. "Mother, I'm living a full and happy life. I have opportunities that women of centuries ago didn't have. You have those same opportunities. Why are you saddling yourself with this artificial bereavement? It's a pointless tradition." "My dear," said Lwaxana archly, "anyone can uphold traditions that have meaning. Upholding the pointless traditions--that, Deanna, takes style." Deanna shook her head, and her mother patted her on the shoulder with genuine affection. "Oh, my darling, I just hate to think of you going through life unfulfilled." "I am fulfilled, mother." "Lonely, then." Lwaxana sighed. "No one should have to spend their life by themselves, without the comfort of a loved one beside them. No one to share their achievements with, the high points and low points.
When I think of you, day after day, in this sterile environment--alone, unmated, chaste--" Deanna coughed politely.
Her mother continued, "I become as depressed as when I..." Surprisingly, her voice trailed off.
Deanna looked at her mother with curiosity. "As when what, mother?" "Nothing." But Deanna had caught the stray thought from her mother and she said softly, "... as when you think of yourself?" Lwaxana glanced at her from under shaded lids.
"I am perfectly fine, Little One. At least I had my opportunity with your father, and those pleasant memories are more than enough to sustain me during my long, empty nights. Nights where my own body and mind are haunting me to find a new husband, and I still
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