Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Navigation Officer) in A small table in the corner

Posted by Crewman Eldorin Asam (Engineering Officer) in A small table in the corner
Eldorin had finished writing the most recent letter to his wife and sat back to re-read it a little, sipping on a cup of ginger tea:

Rende,

The SS Lunar Rover is…well, it’s a bit more cramped than I anticipated. I swear half the corridors were designed for children with those low ceilings! Still, she’s a fine ship, sturdy and with a good crew so far. It’s strange not having you by my side. Waking up in this tiny bunk without you is… unsettling. I miss our morning arguments about who gets the shower first. I even miss your snoring (almost). How’s MACO training? Are they working you hard? Don’t let those youngsters push you around, love. Show them what a seasoned El-Aurian warrior is capable of.

Space is…vast. I know we both knew that, but being out here, surrounded by it, it’s something else entirely. I find myself staring out the viewport for what seems like hours, thinking about Tabris, about El-Auria, our home in Belfast, about everything we’ve been through. I hope this posting brings us some peace, some sense of purpose. Maybe even a chance to find our purposes again.

Write back soon, my love. Tell me everything. Even about the awful rations they’re probably feeding you.

Forever yours,

Eldorin

~Eldorin Asam, Engineering Officer~

My Dearest El,

I miss you. Being in the barracks with all these kids is exhausting. I like it though. I’ve always been made for this type of work. Though I have to be careful. I’ve been fighting and training others for centuries. I am by no means the best, but I have a lot more experience than they do. I know fighting styles and strategies they have never heard of. I try to temper how well I do and not always be the best. That did get me into trouble once though. The Drill Sergeant caught me losing on purpose. I got 3 extra miles with a full pack for that. It was like a vacation! He could hear her laughter.

I miss our arguments about the shower. I also miss the compromise we always arrived at. I miss the security of knowing you are there, watching my back. Not that anything is dangerous here, but it’s hard to break old habits. The food isn’t horrible. It’s not yours though. You always could turn anything into a feast. It reminds me of Tabris coming home and telling us all about how the kids made their cafeteria food edible.

I miss him. I think about the two of you every day. I miss you, and your obstacle course of tools you leave everywhere. I miss sitting by the fire on rainy days with you. This is a new beginning for us. We’ve learned a lot over the centuries. I know we’ll get home, to Belfast again. Like you, I hope that we find our purpose again. I miss El-Auria and our friends we left with. Belfast is home though. I can’t wait to return there with you.

I long for your letters, for any word from you. The slowness of Earth comms is frustrating, but it feels good to watch them move forward at their pace. I must go. We have fire arms qualification today. Good thing I was never a sniper. I don’t have to try quite so hard to not show off today.

You are my heart,
Rende

My dearest Rende,

Your letter arrived this morning, a beacon of light in this sea of grey corridors. It sounds like you’re thriving amidst the chaos of boot camp. Three extra miles with a full pack? That’s barely a warm-up for you! I can just picture you, that mischievous glint in your eye as you let those youngsters think they have the upper hand. Just be careful, my love. That pride of ours has gotten us into trouble before.

You’re right, this is a new beginning. A chance to use our skills for something good, something bigger than ourselves. Maybe even a chance to find Tabris. I hold onto that hope, even if it’s just a flicker in the darkness. I know we’ve been over and over this again and I’ve told you countless times that I’ve accepted his fate but, without ever finding the remains I can’t help but hope, no matter how small it may be. Now Belfast that feels like a lifetime ago that we walked those cobbled streets, found solace on our estate. I can almost smell the salty air, hear the cries of the gulls even if they drive me insane when we’re there. We’ll get back there, Rende. I promise you.

Until then, know that you are always with me. In my thoughts, in my heart, in every beat of this old El-Aurian soul.

I love you beyond words.

Yours eternally,

Eldorin

~Eldorin Asam, Engineering Officer~