Dear John,

I'm not positive this will reach you on Mindoir, but writing this helped to calm my nerves. I'm back on my Pilgrimage, still looking for… well, anything really. At this point, I'm not positive about any of this. I may need to have a talk with my father when I get back; I'm sure he's dying to hear about what happened.

My ship broke down outside the Artemis Tau cluster, and I've made acquaintance with another quarian: Keenah'Breizh vas Honorata. Don't worry, nothing's going to happen; I told him I'm taken. Anyway, he offered to give me a ride to Illium so I can really get started on my search. I'll write again when I get the chance.

Keelah se'lai,

Tali

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Tali rummaged through her belongings, making sure she didn't forget anything in her old ship. One of the people that fixed the vessel did a half-ass job replacing the fuel tank, and she ran out of power before she could get to a fuel depot. Fortunately for her, another quarian ship was passing by and gave her a hand in her predicament. Keenah'Breizh was nice enough, too; he wasn't too harsh on the crew, but he'd shove your face into the drive core if you slacked off.

"Do you have everything you need, Tali'Zorah?" Keenah asked, standing at the door to Tali's cabin.

"I should," she replied. "Thanks again for helping me. I'm certain I'd be stranded right now if you hadn't found me."

"Just helping a fellow quarian, ma'am. Just give a yell if you need anything."

"Actually, there is one thing I need." She pulled a slip of paper from her bag, showing it to the crewman. "I need to stop by some place so I can send this letter if it isn't too much trouble?"

Keenah thought briefly before nodding. "I'll be sure to set a course for the next place with a mailing center. Is that all you need?"

"Yes. After I mail this, we can head straight for Illium."

"Alright, I'll notify the helmsman."

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After what felt like hours of regulations and what may as well have been peace negotiations, the Honorata finally was allowed to dock in Port Hanshan. To avoid hostilities with law enforcement, Keenah insisted that he and Tali be the only ones to exit the ship. He had also asked Tali to leave her shotgun in her cabin; quarians are already seen poorly by people on Noveria, no need in getting shot at.

"Your arrival isn't scheduled," one of the officers noted. "State your business."

"We're just mailing a letter," Keenah said. "After that, we'll leave your planet. You won't even notice we were here."

"Well, if you'll just give us the names of the sender and recipient, you can give us the letter and we'll mail it for you."

"It's kind of personal," Tali said. "It's going to a friend of mine."

"Not a problem, ma'am," replied another official. "We won't read it if you don't want us to. Just tell us who you are and where it's going."

"I am Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. If you really are going to mail it yourselves, I need it mailed to the colony of Mindoir."

The male officer paused. "Mindoir, you said?"

"Last we heard of that colony," the woman stated, "it was on the news: 'Batarians attack small town after rebuild. All survivors now presumed on slave ships.'"

"If your friend was actually there, those batarians don't tend to leave stragglers…"

Tali was crushed. She finally gets a chance to write John a letter, she gets the chance to send it, and the Noverian officials tell her that the colony is pretty much gone. She felt tears start to run down her face, hidden by the tint of her helmet. John… No… She knew she had to keep her composure, but the weight of this news was too much.

"Thank you anyway," Keenah said. "Come on, Tali; let's return to the ship."

Tali handed the letter to the female officer. "Please… I don't want to believe he's dead… I'd like to mail this, regardless of the news… John Shepard, if you'd be so kind…"

The officer took the note. "I'll be sure this goes out. As for if it gets there, I'm not able to guarantee."

"Thank you."

"Wait," the male officer said, "John Shepard?"

"Yes."

"My cousin, Mike; he's in the Alliance Navy. They just drafted him a few weeks ago. He sent me a letter saying how he's part of the crew of the Britannia, out in the Horse Head Nebula."

"I don't see any relevance to this story, sir."

"He said he was training with a fellow recruit named Shepard. It's a stretch, but I could send a copy of the letter to the ship's next stop if you want."

This new spark of hope was almost too much for Tali. Less than a minute ago, she'd learned that Shepard's little hamlet was besieged by batarian slavers with no survivors. Now she's learned that he may have gone against his better judgment and joined the military. As the officer had mentioned, it was a stretch, but it was better than nothing. "Thank you. Please do."

"If that's all, Tali," Keenah cut in, "we need to be leaving soon."

"Just one other small thing, then we can go." She faced the officer. "When you send that letter, can you send another with it? You can just write it on the back."

"No problem, ma'am," he replied. "What should it say?"

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Dear John,

Thanks to some wonderful officials on Noveria, I was able to find out where you are. I thought you said you weren't going to join the military? If we ever see each other again, I will have a few choice words for you!

If it actually is you I'm writing to, write your reply and send it to Nos Astra, Illium. I should receive it when I get there. If it isn't you… Well, for now, I desperately hope it is.

Dictated, but not written,

Tali'Zorah