SIM:Maria and Josephine Alenaas: Blood is thicker than water?

((Maria Alenaas' home in Marseilles, Earth)) ::The betazoid hummed happily as she opened her eyes to another beautiful day in the french town that had been her home for 6 years now. It was a saturday and that meant she could quite happily rest after a hard week at work, the linguist did like her job, even though she was glad she had a break, she had to translate legal documents precisely and accurately without changing them and that in itself was a challenge as legal language varied so dramatically between countries and planets.:: ::She stretched and opened the light orange curtains to reveal the glittering blue sea, perfect, as usual, maybe she would go down to the beach today and join a diving course, she had been toying with the idea for a while and now seemed to perfect time to...:: ::The communications terminal chimed gently as a new message came in for her. It should be from her daughter, she'd been expecting one for a while as in theory she would now have been posted to a starship! Her heart beamed with pride for the achievement, she had succeeded in her dream despite all the problems life had loaded onto her plate, even she had relatively only just escaped the nightmare she was plunged into by her family. That made two members who had effectively escaped their traps... The betazoid shook her head, she would not allow memories to spoil this beautiful day. She threw on her light dressing down and drifted over to the terminal where the message was waiting for her.:: ::Suddenly her heart sank from it's happy singing as she saw the sender, her mother's secretary. With dread she opened the message to find a few carefully written lines with the symbol of their family in the top right hand corner, she knew an offical message when she saw one and she didn't like this one bit.:: Dear Miss. Maria, ::The woman ground her teeth, how dare they address her as if she were a child again!:: Greetings to you. Mrs. Josephine Alenaas of Betazed wishes to have the company of her only Daughter and Granddaughter for the 30th anniversary of the marriage between herself and Mr. Kanse Alenaas on the 23rd of June in the year 2383. We expect to see you and your daughter present. Sincerely, Olrund Sentras, secretary to Mrs. Josephine Alenaas. ::The message was typically brisk and assuming that Maria would comply like a good little girl. This more than anything enraged the betazoid:: oO I am not going to be sucked into their plans again! Oo ::<nowiki>And so it was with a great amount of satisfaction that she sent a message back with the reply that Cara would unfortunately be absent due to being posted with starfleet several lightyears away. With a satisfied smirk the betazoid stood, part of her amazed at how daring she was being while another was cheering her on, she felt like she had won the big cup at those football games her husband always used to watch.:: <nowiki>::However yet again her hopes were punctured as the terminal chimed and Mrs. Josephine Alenaas herself appeared on the screen, looking furious. Maria turned with a start and instinctively tried to shy away before she reminded herself her mother couldn't reach her here. She was about to speak when the dry, almost screeching tones of the other Betazoid interrupted.:: Josephine: What is the meaning of this?! How dare you refuse my command! Maria: Mother... Josephine: Don't you 'mother' me you ungrateful wench! You're a childish little liar as well aren't you? How can you not have realised I'd smell out such an obvious lie to save your own behind from reporting to me! My granddaughter halfway across the galaxy indeed what a ludicrous idea! Get her in the room immediately, I wish to speak with her and you, though why I'm even bothering... ::The older woman decreased into outraged muttering as Maria summoned up words, her voice cold.:: Maria: Mother I cannot call her into the room because... Josephine: YOU DISOBEDIENT... ::The older woman's face contorted from rage into shock as her daughter roared at her:: Maria: NO! For once YOU will be quiet mother, I'm sick and tired of being treated as a child! You will listen to me and let me speak before renouncing everything I say as a lie with your rude and vulgar criticisms! When I say I cannot call her I mean I cannot. She is currently on her way to her new posting as an officer within starfleet as we speak and NOTHING you can say will change that or force her to do anything. ::The betazoid was livid with rage now, her telepathic waves red hot as they streamed towards the tyrant of thier family. But the other woman's face was also changing colour, to a healthy purple as her voice shouted even louder than her daughter's.:: ::Maria concentrated on blocking her mind from any signals that came through with the foul language her mother was using. She had expected an obediant daughter who respected her elders and the blood that bound them, the ones that had looked after her... This was the first time Maria had stood up to her family and to be certain she was not going to give up her happy life. Eventually Maria realised the tirade had got to the point rather than plain cursing her and started paying a little more attention:: Josephine: Foolish, STUPID girl! how dare you let her run away with this wayward dream of hers, how can you have allowed it after all the trouble we went to plant a contact on Terra? How can you be so ungrateful as to ruin the plans we laid carefully in advance for years? And to even think of not informing me that this was taking place is a grievious mistake and you shall have to marry again and waste yet MORE money and time... ::At this Maria was shocked into talking:: Maria: I cannot believe that you would be so inhuman as to even think of planning my entire life to fit in with your plans! I REFUSE to ever play a part in your games again and I will NEVER let my daughter be caught by you, NEVER, do you hear me? We are not pawns for your power games mother and you have had plenty of time to resist the process even so, I have not been part of your games for 6 years now mother and I am enjoying being a free woman without your net, your tangles, your hooks in my life! I have not reported you to the houses yet because you are my family but I sear, I SWEAR that on my life if you meddle in my or my daughter's affairs then you WILL be reported to them and they can deal with your treacherous double dealing! ::After this outburst there was a dead silence as the woman glared at each other, telepathic waves crashing together in a soundless battle before the older woman drew back with a look that was nearly grudging respect.:: Josephine: Well it seems I underestimated you... Maria: That you did. ::Her voice was still rigidly cold.:: Josephine: Maybe I should give you more credit in future. Maria: No, I want nothing to do with you. Josephine: Very well... ::Maria's eyes narrowed suspiciously:: Maria: What do you mean, 'very well'? ::The older woman just smiled nastily and Maria repressed a shudder:: Josephine: It means very well of course. ::Now Maria was worried, but didn't say anything. Josephine spoke again however, voice sugary sweet:: Josephine: It is within my rights to know exactly where my granddaughter is posted... ::Maria raised her eyebrows slightly. A flicker of annoyance crossed the older woman's face before it hid.:: Josephine: Can you tell me? ::Maria grudingly spoke, knowing it was within the woman's rights.:: Maria: The USS Wallace mother. ::A sinister smile spread across the older woman's face as she heard this.:: Josephine: Why I do believe she'll have a long and prosperous career then... Maria: Why do you say that? ::The smile spread slightly wider into a smirk:: Josephine: Goodbye daughter, I'll speak with you some other time. ::The connection cut off, leaving the betazoid woman fuming but more worried than anything. She hastily typed a message and saved it so that Cara could be sent it when she next communicated with her. She had a very bad feeling about her family, and she knew things were not going to improve...::