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Lwaxana Troi slumps on her barstool. She pushes aside the goblet of Betazed sherry she’s been nursing for the past hour and glances around at the room of chatting people. Quark’s Bar is closed for a private party for the evening -- the pre-wedding reception for Quark and Odo. Apparently one reception after the wedding wasn’t enough, and all the varied guests were invited to socialize the evening before the main event as well. Perhaps to give them an opportunity to warn the grooms against hitching themselves to each other.
Normally Lwaxana would, of course, be absolutely delighted to attend multiple parties in a row, but she’s only been here for an hour and is already feeling burnt out. She flirted with a few bashful Starfleet lieutenants and delighted in batting off the attentions of a few groping Ferengi men, but the fun wore off rather quickly. Maybe she’s getting old -- sure, Betazoid women are in their prime during those middle-aged decades, but she’s been through husbands and suitors and two children and a war . Maybe it’s the lack of suitable bachelors to catch her interest at this party -- or maybe it’s just time to rest.
Or maybe it’s because it’s Odo’s wedding. Despite how she left DS9 the last time she was here -- with the intention of distancing herself from unrequited love and preserving a dear friendship -- maybe there’s still that lingering resentment that he never changed his mind about their relationship, that this is it for him and now he’s off the romantic market for real this time. Not that Lwaxana holds any yearnings for him herself. No, it’s been too long since they’ve spoken, and she’s been too wrapped up in raising her son (not to mention rebuilding Betazed after the war) in the intervening years for that. She hadn’t even known Odo was back in the Quadrant, until he contacted her needing to tie up a few loose ends from their annulment, because -- surprise! -- he’s back on DS9 and engaged to Quark .
She just wants to be wanted, that way, is all, even if only to reject it in the end.
Lwaxana sighs, feeling sorry for herself, then straightens her posture with resolve. She glances around at the chatting guests and concentrates on the many happy festive thoughts swirling around her from the party -- a heady mixture of nervousness and pride and excitement… and of course gaping blankness from the Ferengi guests. They’ve never been hard to read purely from body language despite their four-lobed brains, plus they make up for it in style.
“Mind if I sit here?” A stooped older Ferengi claims the barstool next to her without waiting for an answer. The Ferengi drips with heavy gold jewelry and is swaddled in acres of glittering pink and purple gauze , held together at the shoulder with a giant golden brooch in the shape of a beetle.
Strange that he’s abandoned the waistcoat and jacket more typical of Ferengi fashion... Then Lwaxana does a double take as she notes the smaller-than-typical ears and realizes that the garment is likely a feminine Ferengi style. She perks up immediately. Now this could be interesting.
“Well hello!” Lwaxana purrs with delight. “I have to admit, I’m surprised to meet a clothed Ferengi female here. And one with such lovely aesthetic taste!”
“If my son had his way I’d be naked and at home, but unfortunately for him I’ll take any event as an excuse to expand my wardrobe,” she says in a wry tone, as she pours herself a tall glass of slug juice.
“I certainly don’t blame you, with a dress like that!”
“Thank you, dear! You look pretty good yourself -- and it’s not often I can say that about alien aesthetics… Most people are too content with drabness.”
“I for one admire a bit of flash and sparkle! As you can perhaps tell. Weddings provide the perfect opportunity to show off new looks… Not that there's ever a bad time to dress well, but there’s nothing quite like a celebration to bring out our best, especially when there’s no bride to worry about outshining.”
Lwaxana dressed as fabulously as she ever does. Her dress this evening is the same light blue as the Tavnian garments during her wedding with Odo -- due to a rather silly stroke of nostalgia while packing for the weekend -- though she’s added considerably more flair to the outfit.
“Nice to meet someone with a sense of appreciation for style.” The Ferengi puts forward a hand. “Hi -- Ishka, leader of the Ferenginar for Females reform movement and chief advisor to the Nagus.”
“Oh! And the Nagus’ mother! The brains behind it all, is what I’m told. About time we meet...” Lwaxana smiles and clasps the offered hand to shake with her own. “Though I assume you’re here for Quark today. In addition to showing off your dress, I mean.” She winks.
“One thing I can say is that for all his faults, Quark at least has the decency to throw a real wedding. I didn’t have such luck with Rom, bless his heart. And your relation to the impending couple--?”
“Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed… Friend --” Lwaxana smiles sheepishly. “--and ex-wife of the groom.”
Ishka coughs on her drink, then squints at Lwaxana. “Ex-wife?!”
“Long story…” Lwaxana waves her hand dismissively, as if the whole ordeal had meant nothing. “Though I’d like to think I’m here in somewhat of a family capacity as well. He doesn’t have much you know, if you don’t count the former Dominion. And no matter his thoughts on the matter, I certainly don’t.”
“Ah, ex-wife of Odo .” Ishka visibly relaxes. She pours herself more slug juice then pauses with the bottle over Lwaxana’s empty goblet, offering. Lwaxana shrugs, and Ishka fills it. “For the love of profit, it’s so hard to keep track of what trouble Quark gets himself into. It’s good to meet one alien female he hasn’t made a mess of himself with… and that he’s tying himself down to someone who might keep him out of trouble, for once.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that, but one can hope…” Lwaxana refrains from mentioning a certain incident with a stolen hairbrooch -- Quark may not have been the thief, but he hadn’t been very helpful either. Plus, the odds on his dabo tables were always rigged. No matter -- water under the bridge. “And I’m so happy that Odo has finally found someone to share his life with… He was so alone when we first met. You wouldn’t know it the way he carries on, but he was.”
“But not any more.” Ishka raises her glass in a toast, and Lwaxana reciprocates. “For better or for worse, Odo has agreed to marry my son. First Nagus Gint himself only knows what he sees in him…”
“Yes, indeed…” Lwaxana couldn’t fully read the Changeling, as he didn’t have anything resembling a humanoid brain or even neural patterns, but she still got wafts of emotion and thought from him at times. She liked to think she was perceptive outside of telepathic abilities when she chose to be, but it didn’t take a Betazed to sense the fondness between those two, even if they’d spent years denying it...
Lwaxana shakes herself out of a wistful sigh. No use being melodramatic about her own lost loves at what should be a celebratory event. “But enough wedding talk, I want to hear more about you, my luminous new friend. Who designed that wonderful dress of yours? I simply must know.”
“I did myself!” Ishka puffs herself up proudly. “ Ishka’s Indulgences: luxury fashion for a new Ferenginar. After dear Rom pushed through legislation allowing it, on my advice of course, I pioneered the first clothing for Ferengi females. It’s a brand new market, lots of room for expansion and no existing competitors. Very lucrative.”
“Trendsetter for an entire world! Oh my.” Lwaxana pulls out a jewel-encrusted hand fan to cool herself, playing up the drama of considering the enormity of such a task. “I can only imagine… Quite literally. Betazed, you know, is an entirely matriarchal society.”
“Matriarchal,” Ishka exclaims with a hint of wonder. “Now there’s a good idea! If Ferenginar knew what was good for them…”
“I’ll certainly drink to that.” Lwaxana smirks, remembering her run-ins with Ferengi marauders.
“Ah well, for now it’s one evening gown at a time.”
“And what a gown it is!”
Before she can stop herself, Lwaxana reaches out to feel the swath of fabric draped across Ishka. Ishka seems briefly startled, but leans in when Lwaxana’s fingers brush her shoulder when smoothing the cloth back into place.
Lwaxana continues on: “And I know what I’m talking about! Each ruffle and bow on this outfit of mine is from a long history of high class fashion, though I like to think I have a little extra panache than my fellow sisters.” She winks at Ishka. Ishka smiles in agreement.
“I do appreciate a good ruffle… I might have to incorporate some of these techniques into my designs. We draw up a profitable exchange...” Ishka assesses the garment with a critical eye, and Lwaxana can almost see the business plan forming in her head -- metaphorically of course, as Ishka’s thoughts are as guarded from Betazoid senses as any Ferengi.
Then Ishka smirks. She extends a hand to play with the puffy taffeta of Lwaxana’s sleeve. Lwaxana breaks out into a surprised but smug smile, and Ishka slowly, with heavy intention, strokes down Lwaxana’s gloved arm until their hands meet.
“And perhaps you can show me sometime, how your dress is put together.”
Lwaxana lets out a delighted laugh, grasping Ishka’s hand. “Mmm, or how it looks off."
"Hmph..." Ishka is nonplussed.
"Betazed brides get married in the nude -- entirely different connotations for that than on your world, I’m sure, but a cultural exchange might be in order. In honor of the events at hand.” She dramatically gestures around with her other hand at the pre-wedding reception.
“For now, I’ll settle for your continued good company at this party.”
Lwaxana and Ishka raise their glasses in a toast to their own new union.
“With pleasure.”
---
They scandalize more than a few people when they dance with each other at the post-wedding reception the following night. For such a handsy species, the Ferengi guests are strangely agog at how the two clothed females can’t keep their hands off each other, while the Federation guests watch in bemusement. It is practically tradition for members of wedding parties to hook up (for Humans at least, with the bridal and groom attendants), but who ever heard of both mothers (or maternal stand-ins) of the grooms getting together? Odo and Quark, however, have only eyes for each other.
Lwaxana is renewed, as fresh and vibrant as ever.