Quarter of a Master
Valery's datapad beeped and buzzed with a message that once opened seemed to be from Aeris Lashiec of former NJO fame, but the contents -- as warned by Lashiec herself in said message -- was not in reality written by her but rather by someone else. A brief apology and invite for tea was embedded in the form of a moving picture of a Rodian enthusiastically raising a cup at the camera with the horrendous subtitle "Time for tea!"
Almost as if on cue, Colette entered the room once Valery stopped reading. She made her way over to the fridge, uncorked a cold water bottle and slowly downed a good portion of it.
“What’s up?” She asked.
Dearest Elder Noble,
I apologize for any difficulties you may have reading this, I am not so used to writing my poems and thoughts down with these machines as I am with a pen and a book.
My name is Nix, you probably don’t remember me. I was part of the group you and our clanswoman once traveled with on your visit to our sandy marble of a home. I have been asked to keep from naming it but you would know it from the daughter you have Collected since she came to you.
Last we saw one another we unleashed a horrifyingly cruel trick upon you, and more than that cast a vile curse of hatred upon our clanswoman. We can’t rid our hands of this guilt and we won’t attempt to plead for absolute forgiveness since it would serve no purpose at this point, but I still wish to clarify the situation if not for my own sake and clarity of mind. I would have done this earlier but poor weather conditions and a year-long march offered me no opportunity to do so.
The woman who had been our Elder at that time when you were visiting was under the impression that had the girl not been given the correct ‘encouragement’ to leave she would potentially seek a reason to stray from her new path and return to us. We didn’t agree, but we did it anyway to our immense shame.
While life out there in the bigger galaxy isn’t very kind from what I have heard, it was cruel to deny her a home. Luckily, if there ever was one of us who would be able to weather the galaxy it would be her.
I was the closest thing she had to a mother once. Survival was the key to everything I had raised her to do from the day that she could walk. The girl is strong, independent, and stubborn, and I know that she will do great no matter what happens to her.
What I wish for this message to convey is that our daughter, now your daughter, in spite of everything still has people at home who love her and while they do miss her, wish her all the best in her mystic career. Lashiec has told us that she had graduated from apprentice to journeyman which fills our hearts with joy.
As for the Elder she passed a little less than two weeks after you left and our clan shattered and split into new ones after that. In part out of shame, in part due to tradition. Which I suppose is part of the newer problem. While the girl has people here who care, the home that she knew no longer exists. Our old codes retired, the trackers reprogrammed, our ashes spread to the cold desert winds.
While a part of me would wish for her to know this, I am unsure if it would do her well to hear of it. In accordance with our laws she is now well and truly without name. She has no clan, no claim to a bloodline, and nearly infinitely small chance of finding those she once cared for again. In short: our planet has forgotten her, but those few of us who remain have not.
I leave this information in your hands to do with as you see wisest. Once again, I am unsure if this would do her well, but all that I ask is that if you know for certain that the girl seeks to return for any reason you tell her this information before she makes landfall. The idea of the type of welcome she would receive as an outsider is not one that fills me with much joy.
Yours sincerely,
Elder Nix, her former caretaker
I apologize for any difficulties you may have reading this, I am not so used to writing my poems and thoughts down with these machines as I am with a pen and a book.
My name is Nix, you probably don’t remember me. I was part of the group you and our clanswoman once traveled with on your visit to our sandy marble of a home. I have been asked to keep from naming it but you would know it from the daughter you have Collected since she came to you.
Last we saw one another we unleashed a horrifyingly cruel trick upon you, and more than that cast a vile curse of hatred upon our clanswoman. We can’t rid our hands of this guilt and we won’t attempt to plead for absolute forgiveness since it would serve no purpose at this point, but I still wish to clarify the situation if not for my own sake and clarity of mind. I would have done this earlier but poor weather conditions and a year-long march offered me no opportunity to do so.
The woman who had been our Elder at that time when you were visiting was under the impression that had the girl not been given the correct ‘encouragement’ to leave she would potentially seek a reason to stray from her new path and return to us. We didn’t agree, but we did it anyway to our immense shame.
While life out there in the bigger galaxy isn’t very kind from what I have heard, it was cruel to deny her a home. Luckily, if there ever was one of us who would be able to weather the galaxy it would be her.
I was the closest thing she had to a mother once. Survival was the key to everything I had raised her to do from the day that she could walk. The girl is strong, independent, and stubborn, and I know that she will do great no matter what happens to her.
What I wish for this message to convey is that our daughter, now your daughter, in spite of everything still has people at home who love her and while they do miss her, wish her all the best in her mystic career. Lashiec has told us that she had graduated from apprentice to journeyman which fills our hearts with joy.
As for the Elder she passed a little less than two weeks after you left and our clan shattered and split into new ones after that. In part out of shame, in part due to tradition. Which I suppose is part of the newer problem. While the girl has people here who care, the home that she knew no longer exists. Our old codes retired, the trackers reprogrammed, our ashes spread to the cold desert winds.
While a part of me would wish for her to know this, I am unsure if it would do her well to hear of it. In accordance with our laws she is now well and truly without name. She has no clan, no claim to a bloodline, and nearly infinitely small chance of finding those she once cared for again. In short: our planet has forgotten her, but those few of us who remain have not.
I leave this information in your hands to do with as you see wisest. Once again, I am unsure if this would do her well, but all that I ask is that if you know for certain that the girl seeks to return for any reason you tell her this information before she makes landfall. The idea of the type of welcome she would receive as an outsider is not one that fills me with much joy.
Yours sincerely,
Elder Nix, her former caretaker
Almost as if on cue, Colette entered the room once Valery stopped reading. She made her way over to the fridge, uncorked a cold water bottle and slowly downed a good portion of it.
“What’s up?” She asked.
