Arizhel: Letters From Home

Dearest Arizhel,

I heard about the power outage on New Luna. I'm getting worried about you. Please get ahold of me as soon as you can. -Mom

Dearest Arizhel,

Two days and I've heard nothing from you yet. I'd think you would have gotten off that God-awful backwater planet by now. You always were... resourceful. -Mom

Dearest Arizhel,

Really, now, you expect me to believe that you still haven't gotten off of New Luna yet? Call your mother, young lady. -Mom

Dear Mother,

It is quite difficult to escape from a place with no power and no working ships, unfortunately. I am, however, quite flattered at your assessment of my abilities. To be quite honest, the only reason that I did get off the planet is a friend's impeccable timing. I am sorry to have worried you. I assure you that it was not done out of malice, but rather, because of a complete inability to find a solution to the situation. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Apology accepted.

You sound a bit... different. Is everything alright?

Where are you at? -Mom

Dear Mother,

I am perfectly fine. Is good grammar and precise speech usually an indication that something is wrong? I had heard of no such thing, to be honest, but perhaps it is something to look into. Hm. Ah, as to where I am at, I can be found on La Terre. The friend that picked me up from New Luna has dropped me off with an associate of his. We will be going into the wilderness to better avoid the Phyrrian threat. I will not be reachable by commlink or PDA, at least not directly, but do not worry. I will not lose touch again, though my response time will likely be very slow. I will simply need to make arrangements to have messages delivered and picked up. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Why don't you just come stay with me? Sivad is safe. I don't like the idea of you running off into the wilds. There's all sorts of lunatics living out there. Just think about it, okay? I know we don't always get along, but I'm still your mother. I still worry about you. -Mom

Dear Mother,

Thank you for your concern. I will be fine. Staying with you is an unnecessary burden on you, and would present problems because of Tiana and Rillitan. I will not be alone, as they are going with me. The group numbers about five hundred now, more than enough to deal with common criminals or trespassers.

After today, messages will get to me sporadically at best. I will take care of myself. Try not to worry overmuch about me. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Well, at least you will have friends with you. Tiana - is that the Martian girl you told me about? It's a bit unnatural if you ask me, for a Martian to be taking up with a Timonae like that. I guess there's no accounting for taste. -Mom

Dear Mother,

Rillitan is actually rather peculiar as Timonae go - he is not so flighty as most. In any case, I think they make a rather fetching couple. A bit odd, yes, but still, they obviously care about each other very much.

Ah, there is the transport now. I will stay in touch. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

See that you do. Your mother worries about you. -Mom

Dearest Arizhel,

I know that you said it would be sporadic contact, but two weeks seems excessive. I can't just sit around knowing my only daughter is off in some trackless wilderness full of crazy people and convicts and God knows what else. Write back as soon as you get this. -Mom

Dear Mother,

My apologies for the delay. It took longer than anticipated to get settled in. We are quite far from any sort of major settlement, but supplies do come in regularly. Myself and Tiana have been put to work in the kitchens, both cooking and procuring food. It keeps us busy a good portion of the day. Some of the rest of our time is spent in target practice or physical training, and I myself have been spending any spare time I can find at the med tents. If war is indeed upon us, then I mayaswell learn to be useful. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Target pratice? Physical training? It sounds as if this is an army in the making more than anything else. My heart aches to think of you doing such menial things. You were meant for so much more than that. We both know it.

Do you even have any instruments with you? -Mom

Dear Mother,

The entire point of the target practice and such is survival. I do not wish to be useless should an attack actually come about. The practice and the training are both largely voluntary, in any case.

I will be in New Paris on Tuesday if you wish to meet at the Bluenose for lunch. I know it is not up to your usual standards, but thought it might be nice anyway.

I have access to an acoustic guitar, to answer your question. It is shared. I do not have my own because, by necessity, we had to travel light. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

It pains me to know that your real skills are going to waste like that while you do all of these menial little tasks fit for a Specialist.

Speaking of, are you still insisting on seeing that Lunite boy? He's far too young for you, you know, as if him being Specialist-derived wasn't bad enough in and of itself. Well, anyway, I'm only asking because you haven't mentioned him in quite some time. I thought perhaps you'd actually come to your senses. Unfortunately, I am busy Tuesday, but perhaps next time you are anywhere civilized, we can meet. -Mom

Dear Mother,

"That Lunite boy" is in the Vanguard, and we have not seen each other since some time before I left New Luna. We maintain sporadic contact, and are on friendly terms. It is too bad about your being busy the last time I was in New Paris. Next time I know in advance, I will inform you again.

You will be pleased to know that we are moving to a more 'civilized' location very soon now. There is even a small village nearby, though it is still out of comms range of New Paris. Our encampment numbers about twenty-five hundred now, so there are many to provide for. At least there is plenty of help to be had.

There is another Terran here. I find him very interesting, actually. He speaks not only Spanish, but several other Terran languages. I am grateful, if nothing else, to sharpen my language skills. Precious few people speak Spanish anymore. It is good to hear it spoken by someone other than myself. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

You’re making your old mother jealous. You can manage to find suitable prospects even in the middle of nowhere. I keep hoping you’ll come to your senses and find someone that’s worth your while and quit this nonsense about carrying on with Lunites and, God forbid, Timonae. I thought you’d thought better of it when I heard a little rumor about you and Andrew Long, but it seems like you’ve let that slip between your fingers. Silly, silly girl.

When can I see you? You don’t get away from that camp nearly often enough, and you don’t write as often as I’d like. -Mom

Dear Mother,

He is someone else’s fiancee. I am quite certain that she would be very upset with me were I even to attempt such a thing. As for Andrew, there was an understanding there from the very beginning – that relationship was never permanent, nor meant to be anything other than casual. He is, in fact, the one that put me in contact with Ms. Withern.

We are closer to New Paris now, and so messages should be a bit more regular. It is also easier to find reasons to be away from the camp. Perhaps we can meet sometime soon. Actually, I will be on Sivad next Wednesday on business. Perhaps we could get together then, after my meeting. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

When has that ever stopped you?

Ah, another casual relationship. When are you going to settle down and give me some grandchildren? Human grandchildren, I mean.

I would very much like to see you, but am going to be away next Wednesday, unfortunately. Will you be coming back again sometime soon? I can try to reschedule my engagement, but it’s highly doubtful that I could push things back without some bruised egos. You know how men get about that sort of thing. -Mom

Dear Mother,

Please do not put yourself out on my account. I am sure that I can invent a reason to visit Sivad again. Barring that, there is always New Paris.

If you need to reach me early next week, I will be spending several days at the Outlook Club with Diri. A few days of sleeping in a real bed should be refreshing, and I find myself quite looking forward to spending some time with him. It has been rather lonely here at the camp – actually, it has been rather lonely in general for quite some time now.

Before you jump to any conclusions, I do not know where things stand between us. We have kept up contact and are on friendly terms, yes, but that means little. I am not certain that I want to keep up a relationship with him, or vice versa. There are things that would need to change on both sides of things, I think.

In any case, I will let you know next time I will be on Sivad. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

There’s no need to rub my nose in it.

You’ve always been so damnably stubborn. Just like your father. And mean, just like your mother. At least you get it honestly, I suppose.

Do see that you let me know well in advance. Then I can make sure I don’t have any prior engagements that interfere. -Mom

Dear Mother,

I did not mean to rub your nose in it. If I had, I would have been considerably crueler than I was. I was simply letting you know where I would be.

And yes, at least I get it honestly.

G’ahnlo was lovely, as always. The Outlook Club has long been one of my favorite places to stay, despite the one unfortunate incident I had there. It was an isolated thing, after all, and in no way the fault of the management or the staff. We stayed there for several days, all of them quite enjoyable. He was kind enough to split the bill with me, despite my insistence to the contrary.

I am thinking of joining him on Hancock Station, if they will have me. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

I would still much rather you came home. I’ll… well, as much as I hesitate to do this, I’ll even help you find an apartment for your Lunite.

Carlos still asks about you, you know. All the time. He’s been seeing some Sivadian girl, though. You’ll lose your chance at him if you don’t watch out. He’s a good Terran boy with a good family. Think about it for your poor old mother’s sake, would you? -Mom

Dear Mother,

Carlos and I have been nothing more than friends and occasional social companions for some time now, despite his attempts to the contrary. I do not foresee that changing anytime soon.

I will not be allowed to join Diri aboard the station, unfortunately, as they think I am some sort of spy. How preposterously cliched can you possibly get? In any case, he has decided to join me. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

I’m not certain that I even want to ask how you’re going to pull that off. How could he possibly leave military service during a war? I only have one possible answer to that, and I seriously hope you aren’t acting that rashly.

If that’s what you’re doing, I hope you know that you’re letting yourself in for a world of trouble. I’m not going to talk about this any more. Not like this. -Mom

Dear Mother,

Fair enough. Diri has joined me on La Terre. That is all anyone needs to know.

I do know what we have let ourselves in for, and I have weighed that against my loneliness. The loneliness won out, in the end. In any case, we may be moving on soon, as it seems as if perhaps we have overstayed our welcome here on La Terre. Things have been quite tense for some time now. Perhaps it is time for yet another move – I have been restless for awhile now, anyway. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

If you do decide to leave, I hope you consider Sivad. My offer to find an apartment for your Lunite still stands, against my better judgement. -Mom

Dear Mother,

I am pained to hear that he would not be welcome in your house, though I suppose I cannot blame you for that. It is just a shame, really. We have indeed found it necessary to leave La Terre. I will be in touch as soon as we get settled somewhere new. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Where did you go? It’s been a couple of weeks now since I heard from you. Are you trying to give your poor old mother a heart attack? -Mom

Dear Mother,

It is best that you did not know where we are. Then, if you are asked, it will not be necessary for you to lie. Know that we are safe, and that we are with friends. Sending messages should be near-instantaneous now, as we are at least in a civilized location.

You always did have a flair for the dramatic, mother. You are hardly in any condition that would suggest you would have a heart attack simply from not hearing from me for several days. Circumstances have forced us into a second move very soon after the first, and so, I have not been properly settled in just yet. As soon as I am, I will come to visit. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

I would very much like that. There is a formal dinner coming up in several weeks to celebrate someone or other’s retirement from the University. His name escapes me at the moment. Unfortunately, you would be my guest, so your Lunite would be unable to attend with you. Come by and pick up a couple of your nice dresses. On a Thursday, if you would, in the evening. I am usually home then. -Mom

Dear Mother,

I will certainly do that. This Thursday, I think. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

It was wonderful to see you again, even though you’ve gone as skinny as a half-starved alley cat. What have you been doing to yourself? There’s no curves left to you, girl – not many men go for that lean look anymore, you know. You’ll probably have to have those dresses taken in a few inches.

Doesn’t your Lunite boy feed you at all?

And God, what did you do to your hair? I hate it. It makes you look like a cheap hooker. At least dye it black again to be seen in public with your poor old mother, would you? -Mom

Dear Mother,

Diri seems to like me the way that I am. Of course, he liked me before, too. I don’t think he can help himself, actually.

Having the dresses taken in should not be an issue.

As far as him attending, I am not so certain he would want to anyway. No doubt you would spend the evening either sniping at him or ignoring him completely. I know you all too well, mother, so denying it is pointless. I do not believe that you have liked any of the men in my life since Carlos, now that I think about it. You really ought to meet him. He has proven to be quite trainable, and is much more attentive these days. -Rish

Dearest Arizhel,

Of course he does. He knows that you’re settling and that he’s getting a woman that’s far too good for him. It’s no wonder at all that he worships you. -Mom

Dear Mother,

Is that a hint of jealousy I detect?

In any case, I refuse to be drawn into a petty argument. We simply do not agree, and I am willing to accept that.

I will see you on the 29th. -Rish