Personal Correspondence

From: Graham “Greenie” Danvers, Alula System, Planet Syèlifi

To: Louda Danvers, Alula System, Planet Nou Walspere

Terra-Sol date 3812.005

They came and took Pa again two months ago. It was the army this time instead of the navy, though it’s not like that matters much. Gone is gone.

Everything was fine at first, but now the crops are starting to fail, and everything is falling apart. Nothing I do is helping. The magistrate is getting pushy. He finally quoted some bit of the planetary charter at me, so I looked it up. If an adult in our family isn’t here to take over control of the land soon, there’s something in the laws about being able to take control of it all for the greater good. It doesn’t make sense, and the law is as old as Syèlifi itself, but it’s there, and I can’t stop them from using it. Not alone.

Auntie, I don’t think Pa’s coming home this time. Please come back? I got a meeting with someone up on the station who says they might be able to get Pa back because of special circumstances or something, but the odds aren’t good. So many people have special circumstances these days that there’s not much special about them anymore. Just, please come back? I can’t do this by myself much longer.

Receiver, please note: This message was sent from a public-access terminal. This message is not secure.

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To: Graham “Greenie” Danvers, Alula System, Planet Syèlifi

From: Unspecified

Terra-Sol date 3812.006

Automatic message from receiver terminal: Delivery incomplete. This message was rejected upon receipt.