September 4, 2211, CE
From: Elena J. Shepard
To: Charlotte S. Vakarian
My dear daughter,
It's a new beginning for you, my Princess of the Stars. You're first FTL flight as an Alliance officer!
Right now, your mother is torn between proudness and worrying. And your father… Well, Garrus has been telling all the neighbors about it for days, praising you every chance he gets. And not just because you were recruited for the ICT program. Trust me, he's just nuts about his little girl who's going to kick, and I quote, "as many asses as we did".
Charlotte, I know we talked about it over the years, but I still hope you're not aiming for a military career because of us. It has to be your choice. Not mine, not your father's, not anybody's. At the end of the Reaper War, it was one of the things I was afraid of. If I had children, would they feel obliged to do as I did? To serve, to protect, to dedicate their lives to the greater good of the galaxy? I'll be honest: it terrified me. In fact, at that time, I was afraid of everything.
When your father found me on Earth, a couple of days after the destruction of the Reapers, I was left with a few hours to live. Honestly, I still don't know how I manage to survive. My body was broken, my soul was in pieces. It took five years of surgery and of physical and mental therapy to get me back on my feet. And it's still not easy on certain days.
It's one of the reasons Garrus and I decided to choose Eden Prime as our home, after my years of rehabilitation. By returning to where everything began, it was a way to close some chapters of our lives and to start new ones. Also, I wanted to get away from Earth and all the responsibilities the authorities wanted to give me. At that time, I didn't want or needed them. I was tired, still fragile, and I wanted to live outside of a starship for the first time in my life.
That's how we ended up on Eden Prime, where everything was to rebuild. And it's where your father and I fell in love.
With you, my darling.
Not long after the Reaper's attack on the galaxy, a civil war erupted on Eden Prime, due to the aftermaths of the destruction of the Reapers and the disruption of the mass relays. Many had already died during the sentient machines' incursion, but many were killed in that conflict too. Your biological parents were among those casualties, as you well know.
It was a chance we passed by the orphanage that day. I don't even remember why we went. But as soon as we entered the building, a little girl rushed to us, running in the hall with a model starship in her hands. Garrus caught you and started to make you fly with the starship. Your blue eyes started to shine like a million stars and you had the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. When Garrus let you rest in his arms, I just touched your soft black hair, looked at my husband and it was settled. We were now a family.
I can't believe you're 20 years old already. When I think of the day we adopted you, it still feels like yesterday. Time goes by so fast…
Well, look at me babbling! You don't have all day to read your mother's endless letter. Here's what I really wanted to tell you.
Be careful. Don't over do it, ok? I want you home for Christmas.
Be respectful of your superiors, but also of all the alien species you'll encounter. Ok, fine. Some are just hateful, but do your best. Respect is the key to many great alliances and friendships.
It's ok to feel, even as a soldier. You're allowed to cry, to laugh, to love. I know, they're better times to joke around than others, but still. It's alright to doubt, to relax and to take a break once in a while.
There's not always a good or a bad choice. Sometimes, you have to take the less severe one. And they're times you just don't have an alternative. You have to act, no matter what.
Your team is as important as the maintenance of a ship. Do not underestimate your teammates. In the hard times, they'll be all you've got. And a strong and loyal team can achieve miracles
You're the one exploring the stars, now. I hope you're going to have the time of your life, Charlotte Shepard Vakarian. But never forget that you have a home you're welcome into and that you have parents who love you.
Write or call us from time to time, ok?
Your proud and loving mother,
Elena Jane Shepard
P.S.: Say hi to William for us (it's quite nice that Kaidan and Steve's son is on the same ship as you). Oh, and when you'll arrive at Thessia, go say hello to your auntie Liara. She just wrote to me that she misses her niece.
P.P.S: Your father wants me to add that he hopes you'll bring us a super hot space boyfriend next time you're home. He suggests Turians.