*
‘My dearest Julian
‘I have heard the terrible news. War is on the horizon. We all knew that it was coming, but I still can’t believe it. None of us know what is happening. There is a rumour that the Earth has been set ablaze, bombed from orbit - that they even used antimatter.
‘My God Julian I hope that you are all safe.
‘The news reports say little, we no longer have any accurate updates. Carvelle says not to worry, that there has been little actual fighting yet; that they would never use such terrible weapons upon one another. But I just don’t know if I believe him. I haven’t heard from you in so long now. I wonder if my letters are even reaching you. Please tell me you are okay.
‘Even if you are not getting these letters I feel myself compelled write them. I have such dark feelings. I do not want you to worry, as you have other concerns not doubt - but I have nobody else to confide in. There is something deep within its bowels of this place that they are keeping from us. It’s like everything has changed. People still go to work. But when I stand amongst them - I don’t feel it anymore, I don’t feel them.
‘Carvelle has tells me that I am unique - I used to find it flattering, but there’s something underneath those words. He talks about us being saviours in a time of war. That if only we could move ahead faster, we could stop it all.
‘Yesterday he offered me the choice, to work on the genetics project or become a part of it. His words always have such impact upon me that I joined up immediately, but at first I declined. Then he introduced me to the other participants. Something about them is so different from he others. I don’t know how to describe it, but they feel like me.
‘I do not mean to suggest that there is anything truly wrong. It’s probably just me, (well you remember what I am like). I have been so nervous since getting here that I have frightened myself half to death - no doubt we’ll find out the war was nothing more than a damaged uplink. Never fear, Ascension is the most comfortable place that I have ever lived in. Did you know that the station even has highways, filled with vehicles of every size?
‘We get doses for the genetics project tomorrow. Carvelle tells me that we are so close. He talks of such grand things. His voice carries such weight with all of us.
‘Dawn disagrees; she urges him to be more cautious. They think we can’t hear them when they argue, but we can. I suspect Dawn plays the arguments out to us over the speakers to get back at Carvelle. I never know what is going on between those two, but they seem very close. They dote upon all of us in the project as though we were their children. But I sense friction. I cannot say what it is.
‘I must go soon. They have told us not to be tired for our next exposure to the meds. My next letter will be in a couple of days, they say that I won’t be up to much for a while. Since I know that you must be struggling terribly I have included everything I’ve earned on Ascension so far. I know it is not much but I’m certain that it will help.
‘I hope this package find you well
‘Your ever loving sister, Persephone.’
*
The bustle in the CIC was still growing and Aeniah was shouting for a status report. The final letter lay in my hand and the excitement of learning more about Persephone’s fate was too much. With little effort I folded away the second letter and unfolded the third. The words began to flow throughout my mind as they lifted off the page.