Interlude I: Epistolary Romance

Vee,

Thanks for letting me know you arrived safe. I watched the launch. It was hard, seeing the bright glow from all of those engines getting smaller, and wondering which of the shuttles you were on. In the afternoon, we went to the hearing for the Amnesty and Resettlement Commission, but it didn't go the way I expected. Several members of the commission began raising all kinds of problems no one had mentioned before our trip to the Southlands. They don't want to let the disarmed Zentraedi go free, and they definitely don't want them to have the option to come to North America for education programs or to enlist in the United Earth Forces.

Konda spoke up, and described a bunch of different insurgencies that ended by a general amnesty, and by allowing the fighters to re-enter society. Then he listed off several others that lasted for decades because the two sides wouldn't negotiate. There was a lot of media at the hearing, and you could really see the unfriendly members of the commission squirming while he talked. I guess Konda's been reading an awful lot all of that time he's spent on his own. I remember you were as worried as I was that he never seemed to want to go out and do anything with us anymore, and I still wish he could have a little more fun, but he's been working hard to learn anything he can that will help him represent the Zentraedi for the Ministry.

Anyway, Colonel Emerson, the chair of the commission, seems like a good guy. He thanked Konda for what he said, and adjourned the hearing for a week so the commission can consider what he told them and do more research. So that seemed like an ok outcome, but Mary was as mad as I've ever seen her. After we got outside, she said that half the commission is against the idea of bringing the rogue Zentraedi back in. She thinks our trip and the whole amnesty offer were never serious to begin with. The anti-Zentraedi faction thought we would fail and they would have an excuse to send more troops to the Southlands to wipe out the Zentraedi and tighten UEG control down there.

Rico told Mary she was being paranoid, and she told him he was being naive, and, well, they didn't bake that blackberry pie they were planning for this evening. I'm not going to go overboard and say that everything is falling apart with you gone, just that I missed having you here as soon as you left.

I know you're going to have your own struggles up there, and some of it will probably be dangerous. I know you can handle yourself, and I support you and believe in you. Vee, I didn't even know what love was before I met you, quite literally. I'm not sure love at first sight is really true for us, but even though you and the others were teasing us that first day on the SDF-1, there was nothing cruel or mean in how you acted. We had a great time dancing, and you introduced me to things I'd never even imagined before. When our mission ended, and we went back to Breetai's flagship, I still thought about you. I worried that something would happen to you, and I'd never get a chance to see you again. I worry about that now.

But just worrying won't do anything for you. So I'm going to keep going, keep working, for that better world you've helped me to believe in. That world I am sure we will one day share together. I love you. The first person I have ever loved. The person I will always love.

Yours Forever,

Bron

P.S.

Mary came back over while I've been writing this. She and Rico talked for a while in his room. They just went into the kitchen together, and I can hear them rummaging in the fridge. Good luck on your first flight.

Next time... cold greetings, dark watches of the night, and indelible words...