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"Family Reunions Always Lead to Plotting the Downfall of the World"
Previous post: "What the Heck?"
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Corridor
Stardate: 63073.1030

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"Mother? What are you doing here?" Hex stammered, suddenly very self-conscious when standing in front of the woman who had raised her.

Without a moments hesitation, the elder Kzinti strode over to the younger and struck her across the face, the sound echoing loudly though the corridor. Hex did not turn from her, holding on to a weak and battered pride while sensing that Vladina and the officer were alone.

"You… ungrateful little wretch…" Vladina hissed, striking out at the other side of her daughter's cheek, taking pleasure in the fact that the Ensign's face was flushed in embarrassment as well as pain.

"I am never ungrateful to you mother… I merely had to follow my own path," Hex's eyes narrowed slightly, "Not yours."

The next slap hit hard as the Kzinti's mother's strength was fueled by her fury. Nothing was comprehensible as the Ensign's head begin to spin. Hex was vaguely aware that her mother was standing in front of the Engineering room. She wondered why no one came out to inspect the commotion.

"You were my heir, the priestess who would take my place when I was old! What of you now! Look at what you've become!" the dark Kzinti spat at her daughter's feet, "You are Federation scum! Of a different world than your people! You haven't even a mate!"

Hex's face was aflame with embarrassment as she chose her words slowly, "I remain abstinent mother, I have done nothing wrong in that regard, therefore you cannot chaste me for it."

Those who might have watched would have noticed the younger Kzinti's change is pose and posture to match her mother's. They always spoke in the old tongue when alone; her mother preferred it to others. It was hard to speak and horrible for grammar, but it was habit, and one not easily broken.

"You were to give your hand to the young priest of the neighboring village…" Vladina voiced slowly, “He will not have you if you are lying."

"I'm not lying mother, but I will have nothing of him anyway. You and your politics no longer have anything to do with me." Hex said, keeping hold just barely to her edge on the conversation.

"Is that any way to speak to our mother?" a voice joked from the shadows. All of the younger Kzinti's efforts were destroyed as she turned to see yet another member of her family standing in the corridor of the ANUBIS.

The shroud of independence and strength the Kzinti would unconsciously wear around her shattered and crumbled in the brother's steely gaze, surrounded by his raging presence. The Ensign had sub-consciously transformed back into a child as Damon stared into her violet, tearing eyes. Hex *looked* like a child compared to his mass as his strong and steady hands clasped her thin-looking shoulders painfully.

"Damon…" Hex swallowed, on the brink between tears and violence, "Why are you here? Both of you."

Damon's answering smile was cool and looked genuinely sarcastic and playful, but he had a deep coldness in his eyes that only Hex ever saw, "I am here to see you little sister."

"You *will* be wed to the priest Hex, it is your destiny." Vladina stated, now using her normal tongue with her son present. Damon's jaw tightened in response.

"Yes mother…" Hex squeaked, her voice barely audible, defeat was complete with her brother standing before her as he did. The youngest Kzinti could never shake her fear of him. She was acutely aware that he could feel her trembling in his grasp.

"Don't think you've won mother, I still sense resistance in my dearest sister. Hex, you of all people should know that it is futile to resist." Damon stated, giving his little sister a cruel grin when his mother turned away.

"My hold on Kzinti Prime is very limited. If our family is to rise, we must do so through any means necessary, including marriage. The more villages under our control, the stronger we will become. You have family at this moment preparing to secure the last of what we need in Kordinili." Vladina explained coolly, not noticing her child's flinch as she mentioned marriage.

"The priest.” Damon stated in triumph, noting his sister's baleful glare, but enjoying every moment of the time spent with her in emotional pain.

"Yes, the priest. We'll have almost full control by then. We will take the rest by force if needed, and then we will rise Kzinti Prime itself to be a planet to be feared by all." Vladina spat, glaring at her daughter, "Including the Federation"

Hex felt dizzy and was losing consciousness. This wasn't right, the Kzinti knew that it wasn't right, but what could she say? [[Let them believe I will aide them, they'll never find me anyway…]] the officer thought blissfully.

Just as she was about to close her eyes and to surrender to the pounding of her head, Hex thought of her father. What would he do? Her vision was blurry, but she could have sworn she saw the image of her father before her just as she fell into her brother's arms. A big man, black of fur as she was, with only on eye.

The last thing she heard was her mother's strained whisper, "Grex…"

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Ashley Shane (crazyoneofthenight@hotmail.com)
Ensign Hex Fanngot
Assistant Chief of Security/Tactical
USS ANUBIS