Work Text:
Keith Kogane
c/o Galaxy Garrison
Garrison, AZ 85263
Dear Keith,
Surprise! How does it feel to be receiving the first written letter from the moons of Pluto? That’s right, this letter traveled 4.67 billion miles just to reach you! The Garrison’s technology truly boggles the mind!
I’m kidding. I scheduled this letter at the post office to be mailed to you during the mission. You probably figured out as much yourself. It was Matt’s idea. He thought that since the crew won’t actually be able to get in touch with their families during the mission, this could be a fun substitute.
He didn’t come up with it until today, so I’m probably only going to have time to write one letter to you. Sorry about that. I’ll try to make it count, though, okay? I’m going to look into the future and let you know everything we’ve done so far.
By the time you read this letter, we’ll have just about wrapped up everything we needed to complete on Kerberos, and are preparing to start the return trip to Earth soon. It was a massive success. The Holts were able to find all of the geological samples we needed to confirm the Garrison’s predictions of the moon’s structure based on the images they got from the explorer drone they sent out to Proteus.
Remember how I told you about how Kerberos has a lot of ice and water on its surface, and how there’s a remote possibility of microscopic life forms in the water? Well, we were absolutely correct! Kerberos is teeming with tiny life forms! It’s like we found our own little zoo at the edge of the solar system. I will be bringing you back some of the specimens we collect for you to keep as pets. I know you’ve always wanted a dog, but this is the next best thing, right?
Matt, of course, is thrilled about making contact with extraterrestrial life, even if a bit disappointed that it wasn’t in the form of the green, humanoid creatures with antennae that the science fiction films of old foretold. To be fair, I think we all knew that was a long shot. Sam has already done mountains of research on these life forms, more than the Garrison labs can pull off with a team of a dozen researchers. It’s safe to say that the Nobel Prize for physiology is in the bag this year.
The three of us have had a grand old time out here in space and on Kerberos. Matt, naturally, has kept us entertained by constantly reenacting every movie he has ever seen, as well as his best guesses at ones he hasn’t. This almost makes up for how annoying it is to have a crewmate who absolutely trashes the ship at every available opportunity. You’ve seen his dorm, Keith. You’ve seen the havoc he is capable of wreaking.
Anyway, I’m assuming all of this is the case. Once I get back to Earth, you can correct anything in this letter that did not hold true, but I’m pretty confident in my predictions.
Now, all that being said, I’m going to get serious here for a moment.
I’m really proud of how you’ve handled yourself throughout all of the preparations for the Kerberos mission. I know that this has been difficult for you. It’s been difficult for Matt and Sam’s family too – and yes, I said family – but I know that in your case, this is something you have been especially dreading. I understand how tough it is to have to stay on Earth while I’m away on this mission, and in truth, I partly blame myself for making it so difficult for you in the first place. I suppose that’s the risk you run when you bring people close: it gives you more to lose.
I’m not going to psychoanalyze you; I know you hate that. But let’s not pretend that isn’t a factor a factor for you. In any case, I hope that you have decided that it’s worth the risk.
To be honest, I’m worried about you, Keith. Strange, isn’t it, that I’m the one who’s worried, when I’m the one zipping off to the edge of the universe to visit an unexplored moon with only Matt as my bodyguard. I suppose it’s just in my nature to worry. That, and the fact that we’ve all trained long and hard for this mission and have with us the most reliable and state-of-the-art equipment and safety measures that the Garrison could fathom. I’m not worried about me. I’ll be fine.
But I know that this is going to be a rough time for you. And I also know that you’re a strong kid, certainly strong enough to get through it.
I’ve spoken to you before about this, and I’ll do it again before I leave, so you know what I’m hoping for you during this mission. For you to continue your studies and training at the same level you’ve been maintaining (I still owe you a trip to that pizza parlor as a reward for your last transcript, don’t I? Hopefully we can squeeze it in before the mission, and if not, it will be my first priority when I get back.), but also for you to try to get out of your comfort zone, even just a little. Don’t push yourself to do anything I wouldn’t do, but I don’t want you to spend the whole time I’m away feeling lonely and bored. And yes, despite what you insist, I know you get lonely, so don’t even try to argue. And don’t roll your eyes at me, young man.
There are activities and groups out there for you, and plenty of good people at the Garrison besides myself and Adam and Matt. I trust you to make the most of your time here, and I believe you are fully capable of pushing yourself. I have a feeling by the time this letter reaches you, you’ll already have been taking some steps in new directions, and I want you to know that you have my utmost support and encouragement to keep going.
I’m not going to be around forever, but that doesn’t mean you have to be alone.
Anyway, I was going to try and wrap this letter up before my next crew meeting, and I’m just about out of time. This may be the last you hear from me until we touch back down on Earth, but I’ll be thinking about you the whole time I’m on Kerberos. I can only assume you’re doing the same for me. Remember, you can always grab one of those Garrison recruitment posters with my picture and stick it on a body pillow if you get desperate.
(I’m kidding. Please do not do that.)
I’ll see you soon, kiddo. Hang in there, and keep up the great work.
I love you.
Shiro
Delivery status:
Failed to deliver
Recipient no longer at listed address
No forwarding address found
Returned to:
United States Postal Service
300 North Wade Street
Garrison, AZ 85263