Dear Jon,

I get to come home in two weeks! I can't believe it – I've finally made it! Sam is starting to teach me strengthening exercises that I can do back at the base, and Vi and Lottie are working desperately to help me gain the last couple of pounds they want me to gain. But the doctors have signed off on me leaving whether or not I gain them, so I'm already starting to pack. Mark says you'll be hearing from John soon, and that I need to remind you to act surprised. I've been using up the credits I have left on things that I think you guys would enjoy – some food, some music, some books. I want you to have a chance to experience at least a little of what I've been able to experience.

I actually let Kelly read one of your last letters – the one where you explained your conversation with Mark. She got teary-eyed as she read it. She hugged me hard, and told me that someday she'll have to meet this captain of mine who seems so smart. I'd love for that to happen. I'm going to miss her. Don't get me wrong – I'm counting down the days until I am back with you. But I will miss her, and Mark, and some of the others that I've met here. Hopefully, when this whole mess of a war is over, we can reconnect. Mark says he'll still run letters back and forth, just maybe not every week.

I hope the cloaking device is installed and functioning properly. I feel better knowing that you guys are protected. Of course, I'll be able to see if it's working for myself in two weeks! It'll only be a week after you read this, I guess. So get ready – I don't know if I'll be able to let you out of my sight for a little while!

I love you, and I'll see you soon. I'm so excited to write that!

Love,

Jennifer

Jon read and re-read the letter as the team returned back to the base at the jump ship. Mark had teased them at the drop-off that day that there was big news in Jennifer's first letter, and that the captain wouldn't want to wait long to read it. The rest of the team had waited anxiously as Jon opened the letter, and they could tell by the smile that threatened to crack his face in two that it was the news they'd been waiting for. She was coming home.

"You know, she was gone for her birthday," Scout was saying to Hawk as he started the descent. "We ought to have a party."

"I think just the fact that she's coming home is a good excuse to have a party," Tank interjected.

"I wonder if we can get some fresh food from the hydroponics lab at the Passages," Matt wondered. "I think we need a celebration dinner, at the very least. I know it won't be up to Lottie's standards, but it ought to be special." Matt set the jump ship down, giving the console a pat with the thought that its favorite pilot was on her way home. "Jon, couldn't you have at least warned her to bring some warm clothes?" he asked. "She's going to be in for a bit of a shock when she gets here."

"It was too risky – I can't put anything at all in writing about our location," Jon said, shaking his head. "We'll get her some extra warm things from the Passages – if we're there to pick up food later this week, we can get it then." He exited the ship, listening with a smile as Scout wondered out loud about music for Jennifer's homecoming party and Tank and Hawk debated about recipes. He paused as they turned down the hallway towards the command center, and instead headed the opposite direction to the sleeping quarters.

He came to the empty quarters that they had set aside for Jennifer and entered the room. It smelled a little stale in there – he made a mental note to air the room out as the time for her arrival got closer. His eyes took in the Spartan surroundings…they didn't have much of a chance to gather possessions, and everything she'd had was destroyed when the first base exploded. He knew she'd collected a few "mementos" of their missions, and he couldn't reproduce any of those. They had come across a few books on their missions, and he'd held back a few that he thought she might enjoy. Those were on a shelf above the work area, but that was about it. He'd have to ask the others for some suggestions – she needed a more welcoming space.

He walked down the hall to his own quarters, wanting to drop the bundle of letters off until he got a chance to read another one tonight. As he entered, his eyes rested on the box of personal items from his father that Matt had found in storage. He paused. He'd put off opening the box for a multitude of reasons. But now, he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to open the box with Jennifer – to go through whatever was inside with her, to share the stories and memories that he was certain would be dredged up by whatever was in there with someone who was as important to him as his father had been. He'd wished more than once that she could have met his dad. He thought they would have gotten along well – her need to learn anything and everything that she'd missed would have captivated his father. And she would have appreciated his wisdom, much like she appreciated Tank's knowledge of history. Would she have been able to talk to his father – eventually – as well as she talked with Mentor?

Jon placed a hand on the box, wiping the thin layer of dust that had settled on top of it away. "Soon," he said softly to himself. Then, it was time to get back to work. One more week to go, and the busier he kept himself, the faster she would return to him.

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"Mr. Stanton? There's a man out here who says he has information for you about a possible security breach."

William Stanton looked up from the financial report he was reading. Security breach? He placed the report back into the file – the bank's financial state was as solid as always, and could wait. Security, however, was something he never took lightly.

"Send him in, Phillips."

The man that entered his office wore the uniform of a mechanic. Stanton schooled his features so as to not betray the discomfort he felt at the man's cleanliness. He had to assume his visitor had come straight from his place of employment. "Can I help you, sir?"

His visitor was obviously uncomfortable. Stanton watched his eyes flick around the room nervously, taking in his surroundings. Stanton knew that his office was a bit more…comfortable…than most. It was a benefit of his position, and he wasn't about to feel ashamed for it. He'd been one of Eden's founding citizens, and he'd worked hard to ensure that the bank, as well as the land that he'd quietly acquired, allowed him such comforts. He waited patiently as the man's eyes traveled the room and finally landed back on him.

"Yes sir, Mr. Stanton…sir. I…I've heard that you're someone who is willing to speak your mind when it comes to keeping us safe here in Eden."

"You are correct," Stanton said simply. "I take our security – the importance of the lives we've built here – very seriously."

"Well, sir, that's why I'm here. I…I've learned that there's a chance we might be betrayed by someone."

Stanton indicated that the man should sit down. "Please, Mr…?"

"Uhm, Krauss. Steve Krauss, sir. I work as a mechanic down in the hangar bays. I help keep up the maintenance on the convoy ships, sir."

"Well, Mr. Krauss. What makes you think we are going to be betrayed by someone?"

"I…" Krauss didn't seem to know where to start. After a lengthy pause, he finally began. "I keep to myself, sir. I just want to do my job, to have a peaceful life. I didn't mean to overhear, but…"

"Mr. Krauss, many desperate plans have been foiled by someone who didn't mean to hear something." Krauss' body language had Stanton on high alert. This wasn't someone coming to report a random rumor. Something was going on. "Are there problems with one of the couriers? My friends and I have worked hard to limit their trips to the outside…perhaps we've been too lenient?" As far as Stanton was concerned, the influx of people to Eden 2 was their largest security risk. If he had his way, he'd stop them altogether. Since he couldn't, he'd pressured the right people until the convoys were as limited as possible.

"No, sir – the couriers take their jobs very seriously. No one that I work with would risk us here in Eden…at least, not knowingly."

Not knowingly? "Is someone manipulating our couriers, Mr. Krauss?"

"I…I'm not sure, sir. You see, in a few days, one of the couriers will be returning a Resistance soldier who was brought here for medical treatment back to the outside."

"Ah, yes, I remember something about that." He hadn't been happy with the situation, not at all. The only reason he hadn't been able to stop it was because John had gone straight to the Council and asked for an emergency exception to their policies. Stanton hadn't found out about it in time to block it. "Wasn't it a member of the Power team?"

"Yes, sir. You see, she's scheduled to go back in a few days."

"Do you have a reason to think that this soldier shouldn't be trusted?"

Krauss was now wringing his hands in his lap. "I don't like to make quick judgments, sir. In fact, I never would have thought twice about it. I've met Corporal Chase several times, and she seems like a nice enough person."

When Krauss didn't continue, Stanton began to grow impatient. "Something, however, is making you doubt your first impressions, Mr. Krauss."

Krauss' eyes closed as he continued. "I wasn't supposed to hear them…I needed a part, and I went to Davis' workstation to see if he knew where I could get one. I overheard…I overheard a conversation they were having. And I found out something about Corporal Chase that she hasn't told people."

"And this would be…?"

"She was in the Dread Youth." Stanton's eyes widened as Krauss rushed on. "I…I didn't think it was possible. No one ever escapes the Youth. None of them want to. Dread brainwashes them, trains them…everyone has heard the stories. But Davis was asking her something about her training, and she was awfully specific. I don't think she could have known about it if she wasn't. And she looks the part…I never thought about it before. I mean, I knew she was a member of Power's team – how could she possibly have been in the Dread Youth? How could someone like that end up in such a high-profile Resistance group?"

Stanton couldn't believe what he was hearing. As Krauss prattled on, his mind was whirling. A Dread Youth member here, in Eden? He couldn't believe she'd been allowed to enter. Had John known about this when he'd petitioned for her entrance? The reasoning he'd given, according to his sources, was that she was a vital member of Power's team, the team that had the best chance at beating Dread once and for all. It was imperative, John had argued, that the team stay whole. Too much was riding on them, they'd contributed so much already…there had been numerous excuses. But nothing in the hasty report he'd given the Council had mentioned anything about this in her past. He knew John – the man was nothing if not thorough. Stanton doubted that he had missed something this big. He'd be talking to John, as well…

"She hasn't ever given any reason to believe she shouldn't be trusted, sir, but…can she really have shaken that training? I just got scared, Mr. Stanton. We've all worked hard to get what we have here." Stanton focused back in on the man in front of him. Krauss was now speaking so rapidly that he needed to concentrate just to keep up. He held up a hand and quickly reassured his informant.

"No, Mr. Krauss. You did the right thing. Please believe me – you did the right thing for everyone here in Eden. I'll look into this immediately."