A Letter from Saint Paul to the Romans (Brothers and Sisters)

December 792 U.C.

Dear Fredrica,

I hope you are doing well. I won’t waste time describing my situation now (longer letter forthcoming, and just reread my last message if you’re truly bored and desperate). I need you to do me a favor.

It’s Annerose’s birthday, and I am completely unable to give her anything myself, for reasons that I would hope are obvious to you. If you have a spare hour or so, I would appreciate it if you could do the following task on my behalf.

In Heinessenopolis, on the corner of 14th and 32nd St, there is a specialty crafts store called Eye of the Needle. I have already written to them and asked them to prepare an order for pickup, under Annerose’s name (in case you can’t do it, she can pick it up herself, but it would be nicer to not make her go out and fetch her own birthday present). It’s already paid for. If you could pick it up and deliver it to her, I would be very grateful, and I will generously compensate you for your time and effort when I return to school. Think about what you want from me in exchange.

Annerose also likes fruit tarts from a bakery called Joshua and Sons.

A longer letter really is forthcoming within the next day or so, so don’t think me too rude for writing down a list of demands. I wanted to get this out immediately. Thank you in advance.

Your friend,

Reinhard von Müsel

January 793 U.C.

Dear Annerose,

Perhaps it’s for the best that I’m out in space for the duration of the summer, and then back at school without even the chance to see you while you’re at work. I feel that I would be likely to pester you to no end about how things are going. You might say you don’t mind, but I’m sure you would be annoyed with me anyway. What, after all, could I possibly have to contribute to your working life? I definitely asked for too many details when you were working with Cazerne before.

How is he doing, by the way? Charlotte looks so big in that photo you sent. Do you still talk to him socially, or is that no longer acceptable since he is your direct superior?

I suppose I should ask you fewer questions, since you’ll answer them all when you write back anyway, as you are a far better letter writer than I, but here are a few more: is our mother doing all right? Is she unhappy that you’re living in officer housing in Heinessenopolis? Is your house working out, by the way? I know you sent me pictures, but I can’t wait to come visit and see it in person. Perhaps I shall invite myself to stay with you over my winter break. Fredrica is working in the military affairs headquarters as well, do you see her around often? Have you met her father (Admiral Greenhill)? Do you like living alone?

And now I shall tell you how my summer placement is going, since I’m sure you’re dying to know.

I am finding the work quite interesting and enjoyable, though it is certainly not what I want to spend my entire career doing. My CO has me doing a mix of administrative, technical, and hands on work, so that I can have a broader experience. That’s the justification, anyway, but I suspect that she just doesn’t always have a lot of desk work for me to do, so she sends me off with one of the work crews to do inspections or installations.

I have been getting a lot of suit time recently, which is always interesting. I can admit to you, at least, that the first time I went out, and then the first time I went out untethered, were both somewhat nerve wracking experiences. You went out when you were in space, so it’s not as though I need to wax poetic to you about the feeling of it. But there really is no feeling like it. Especially when I went into the shadow of the station, and I let my eyes adjust, it felt like there was nothing between me and the stars. Like I could reach out and take them right out of the sky and put them on my utility belt.

Aside from that, it’s interesting working in the drydocks. The ships are designed to be full of people, so getting to walk around them while they’re silent and deserted is an eerie experience. You can hear your own footsteps echo so much it sounds like you’re being followed. I’ve gotten used to it, but the first time I got myself a little lost in one of the empty ships, it was a strange, strange feeling. I kept thinking that I was hearing someone just down the corridor I could ask for directions, but then I would walk there and there would be no one.

I didn’t realize just how big the ships were. It’s one thing to see them on a diagram; it’s another to walk around inside; and it’s a different thing again to fly around the outside just in a suit. I’m getting a good handle on the layout of a bunch of different classes, so I suppose wherever I’m assigned I won’t need to have an escort or spend too long learning my way around. I shan’t bore you with the intricate technical details (and besides, the censors would delete them.)

There are a few other academy students placed here, but they’re all rising seniors, and also all in the engineering program. We get along fine, but I wouldn’t say that we’re destined to be anything other than coworkers. I have no intention of joining the engineering program, after all.

I don’t miss a lot about being on the ground, but I do miss fresh fruit and other produce. I think everything tastes subtly different after it’s been on a starship. And perhaps I shouldn’t admit that I also miss being able to acquire alcohol. Our mother would be unhappy that you’ve instilled bad habits in me. It’s for sale at the commissary on base, but they ask for everyone’s ID so that no one exceeds their ration, and mine is flagged as a minor. It’s not that I have any desire to drink to excess, but, you understand, it’s embarrassing, especially when I am socializing with the other cadets.

Not having net access is also somewhat annoying. I’ve been spending my free time reading and writing (among other things) which you know I would be doing anyway, but not being able to look up things other than what’s in the base media library, or that comes in on the daily news-- it is a roadblock. To that end, I’ve attached my latest post for my website. If you could upload it for me, I would greatly appreciate it.

In general, I suppose, I am doing well, and I hope you are, too. Please enjoy the nice summer weather for me-- that’s another thing that space quite obviously lacks.

And last, but certainly not least, happy birthday! Please eat some fruit tarts on my behalf.

Your brother,

Reinhard

January 793 U.C.

Dear Walter,

I hope that you’re not too disappointed that my beginning assignment is on Heinessen. Captain Cazerne, who I wrote you about several years ago, specifically requested me because of my experience during the summer program. I would have liked to get a choice, but in terms of assignments, this one is far from the worst. You’ll probably laugh to think about me associating with the real brass, running around on every errand that Cazerne can think of for me to do. For better or for worse, he knows how to put me to good use. I won’t say it’s interesting work, since I feel like you would be bored out of your skull by it, but it is necessary and always changing work, which makes it of interest to me.

Even though I spend a good portion of my time behind my desk, I have not let myself get completely lazy. I recalled that when I visited you in Heinessenopolis, you took my brother to a gym-- I asked Reinhard about the specifics, and he described the place to me. After I got myself settled into the junior officer housing (Reinhard keeps describing it to people as a house, but it really is an apartment, not any larger than the one my mother lives in; I hope that he won’t be terribly disillusioned when he comes to visit me), I introduced myself to the proprietor of that establishment as a friend of yours. He has me working hard to keep myself sharp. I hope you approve, and don’t think I’m meddling in your life overmuch.

I practice regularly with the other junior officers in the military affairs headquarters, too, but their interests diverge from mine in a few areas, and-- maybe it’s gauche for me to complain about such things, but I will anyway because I trust that you will understand-- there is a certain disregard that women are held in. Oh, it’s fine that I am a competent officer and good at my logistics job, but it’s a different story when we’re in the gym. It’s not that I make a fool of myself (I don’t) but it’s hard to judge myself accurately when everyone against me is treating me with kid gloves. Your friend from the gym doesn’t do that: I knew he wouldn’t, because you have good taste in friends.

This is perhaps silly for me to be pleased about, but it’s another thing I’m sure you’ll understand: I got my citizenship card. I keep looking at it. It’s not like it changes very much about my life, but my vanity compels me to appreciate markers of status. Besides, the photo on it is quite nice (see attached). I’m excited to vote in the upcoming elections-- to think when I was a child I had no concept of participating in a democracy! Anyway, I’ll tell you that I won’t be voting for Job Truhnit for SecDef. The man seems like bad news all around. Unfortunately, his opponent in the race is not very well spoken, so I have a feeling that he will lose. I don’t mind Sanford, though, and I hope he gets reelected. You never mentioned-- do you have any interest in following politics?

I should have started my letter with this, but congratulations (again) on your promotion. I feel like I have to say that to you every six months or so, which feels fast enough to alarm me. You must be making yourself pretty valuable over there. I’m sure that soon you’ll be in charge of the whole regiment.

Please do tell me more about how things are going for you. I write to you because I want to hear how your life actually is. Tell me all the amusing anecdotes about Linz and Der Decken that you like. I’m not as bored by them as you seem to assume that I am. I very much look forward to meeting them someday-- I half feel as though I know them already.

I think I have made up my mind about where I want to be assigned. I think it’s to my benefit to stay on Heinessen for now, at least for the next few years until Reinhard graduates from the Academy. He doesn’t want me to baby him, of course, but my position right now is a good one, and I should make the most of it before I rush out heedlessly into the universe. When Reinhard graduates-- and, don’t take this as a promise, because that’s still years away-- I think I will ask for a transfer to the Rosen Ritter.

I ran into your grandmother the other day, by the way. She seemed to be in good health. If you would like me to check in on her, I’m happy to do so. She’s a wonderful woman, though she did talk for so long there on the street that I nearly missed my bus home.

I hope you are doing well.

Sincerely,

Annerose

April 793 U.C.

Dear Dusty,

I do appreciate your little newsletter. It never fails to make me laugh. I’m sure that you’re also writing to Jessica, but I’m happy to report to you that the Liberty Bell is still a thriving little paper back at the academy, even though you haven’t been there to guide it along. Reinhard reads it, and always gives me some dismissive report on it, but I think he just has different standards than the average cadet.

I was on the edge of my seat when I read your last letter. I know that this is war and that it’s your duty to be on the front lines, but hearing you talk about life in the Iserlohn patrol makes me fear for your safety every day of my life.

Congratulations on your promotion, regardless of the circumstances under which it took place. You’ll have your own ship within the next year and a half, I know it.

I see on the maintenance schedule that your battlegroup is due to come back to port “soon”. (Check with your CO for when, but I’m letting you know that it has been scheduled, can’t specify here because the censors will delete it). When you are in port, you should come to Heinessenopolis and visit me. You’re welcome to stay at my place for the duration of your port call, or if you must, you can go to Jessica. I don’t recall which of us is closer to your actual family. Correct me if I’m wrong and you would rather stay with them, of course.

In terms of my life, there’s very little to report that you haven’t heard a million times already, so I won’t bore you with it.

I hope that we can meet up soon. Please stay safe until then.

Your friend,

Annerose

September 793 U.C.

Jackson and Caroline Edwards

And

Francis and Marianne Lapp

Request the honor of your presence at the wedding of their children,

Jessica Edwards

And

Jean Robert Lapp,

On Saturday the twentieth of February, Seven Hundred Ninety Four

At four in the afternoon

In the Thernusen Botanical Gardens,

Followed by dinner and dancing.

And, scrawled across the back,

ANNEROSE! Thank you so much for the scheduling advice. I hope that everyone will be able to make it. What was I thinking when I made friends with people scattered halfway across the galaxy? Jean is in even worse of a position than I am, in that respect. I should come visit you up in the capital sometime before then. Love, Jessica

February 794 U.C.

Dear Fredrica,

You’ll be pleased to know that Jessica’s wedding went smoothly. She does send her thanks for the gift. The venue itself was quite nice, and Jessica looked very beautiful, and seemed very happy.

I think the best part was probably the music. Jessica is a musician herself, so she picked the selections, and she found a very good band to play the event, and then the reception. I think that, perhaps for the first time, I enjoyed dancing. Now you can’t accuse me of standing around at a party doing nothing but hovering by the refreshments. (The food was also very good.)

If you want to know who I danced with, the answer is that all of Jessica’s music school friends, and her teacher friends from her other college, took a turn. I was on my best behavior.

You got to meet the groom once before, didn’t you? Jessica mentioned that she brought him by one of the women’s society meetings to introduce him to everyone, but I obviously wasn’t there. He made a good impression on me at the wedding. He seems like a dependable man.

I enjoyed getting to meet one of Annerose’s friends, Dusty Attenborough, who is the commander of a destroyer called the Elf III. If you picture a man who would be in charge of a ship called the Elf, you’ve pictured Dusty Attenborough. He’s very funny, and considering that he was a sub-lieutenant just five years ago, he’s risen a lot, quite quickly. Apparently, it’s due to his luck in the Iserlohn corridor, as he continuously avoids dying. It’s a dangerous posting, but he takes it in stride, and I’m more than a little jealous.

You know that I want to be out in space. I suppose it’s only fair that you’re out this summer, and I’m still on Heinessen. Are you enjoying your time aboard a supply ship?

On the subject of weddings again, all on the way back to Heinessenpolis, Annerose was in a mood, which I determined to be her moping about her own relationships. I know she doesn’t want me to get involved in her romantic life (because she is perhaps rightly worried that I will cause her trouble). Should I tell her that if she wants to be with her former boyfriend this badly, that she should ask for a transfer? She said she wants to stay on Heinessen until I graduate, which I of course appreciate (and her current posting is quite well suited to her talents), but I don’t want to hold her back, either. I haven’t put my dreams on hold for any reason (they are just taking a frustratingly long time), so I don’t understand why she would. I don’t even like the guy, and I doubt that he’s been waiting for Annerose to come running after him. I don’t want her to chase after something that doesn’t even exist.

And you are not going to tell me that I should remove the log in my eye before I remove the needle from hers.

I’m looking forward to the school year starting again. Living with Annerose over the summer is quite nice, but my assignment this summer is not particularly thrilling. I’m not too proud to say that I miss having you around, as well.

Your friend,

Reinhard

September 794 U.C.

Walter,

The idea that you would tell me not to transfer to the Rosen Ritter is, quite frankly, absurd and insulting. I’m not sure what has happened to cause you to change your mind, but telling me that I should go where my talents would suit me sounds like you are saying that I do not have the talent required. I can assure you that I do.

Thank you for your congratulations on my promotion.

I see that the Rosen Ritter are due to be recalled to Heinessen soon. I look forward to seeing you then.

Sincerely,

Annerose

January 795 U.C.

Dear Annerose,

I know you said that Commodore Cazerne wasn’t going to pry into my placement for the summer program, and I didn’t think that you had the ability to, and I feel like Fredrica doesn’t want her father to pull strings for her, but I know that there is someone who should be either thanked or reprimanded for Fredrica and I being placed together. If you find out who that responsible individual is, please do thank them on my behalf.

It must have been some string pulling, since this is an engineering oriented position, and neither Fredrica nor I are in the engineering program. Still, I have plenty of experience with similar things from my first summer, so I suppose I feel right at home. New construction is in some ways more interesting and in some ways less interesting than the upgrades that I did in the first year.

It’s fascinating watching the frames of the ships get put together, but there is much less individual variation between the hulls in these new constructions than there is in the existing fleet vehicles. It’s growing on me, though.

I’ve been getting a lot of suit time, which I enjoy. I remember being slightly apprehensive about it during my first summer, but I’m much more used to it now.

And, now I’m a legal adult, which makes everything easier. For a variety of reasons, then, this summer is my most pleasant by far. (Not that living with you last summer was unpleasant, but this is more exciting, and sometimes I need some excitement in my life.)

Happy birthday! I had mom get a gift for you, so you’ll have to go pick it up from her.

I hope you are doing well. Please keep me updated.

Love,

Reinhard