October 28, 1963
Dear Shadow,
It's funny, you know, that Gerald never told you anything about me, why it's always just us two together and no one else. I assumed that he did; I mean, you had a right to know since we're friends. I'll tell you the truth, the whole truth.
Grandpa was in charge of creating a weapon for the government that would help protect the country from terrorists and whatnot. But as for my reasons for being there . . . What you never knew was that I had been diagnosed with a strange disease that was very contagious and had never been heard of. Gerald took me with him when I was born so that I couldn't contaminate the people on Earth. But the scientists had their job to do, so of course none of them could risk touching or being around me. Gerald tried his best but he could do nothing for me. I felt like I wasn't human anymore; no one, not even Grandpa, could console me or touch me or anything. He knew that I had been so lonely and depressed, so his plans for that Ultimate Weapon changed into an Ultimate Life Form called 'Project Shadow'.
Do you understand, Shadow? I couldn't go to Earth for so long because I was sick. I was always with you and happy to be with you because you were a creation; you couldn't get sick from my disease. Gerald had changed your purpose just for me and gave me a friend. But it wasn't just for me. He didn't want the government to be corrupted with power so a creation with feelings of love and compassion that I could give you would keep them morale and in order. I was happy to have you as a friend. I was happy to have some sort of importance while in Space Colony ARK, always alone and crying. I knew that I could never really go to Earth with my sickness at risk of terminating all of humanity. But I still dreamed. I still wanted to, and I wished that Gerald could find a cure, or that you could go and tell me all about it. It looks so pretty from the window we're always staring at. I bet closer up it'll be just like my dreams. I always wanted to go there with you, but I knew in my heart that it wasn't meant to be for me. So when you're gone, when you leave for Earth to work with the government, remember to visit me, okay? Tell me every detail. Tell the little children all of those stories I wanted to tell them about you. Give everyone there a chance to be happy, like how you made me happy.
Love always, Maria Robotnik