10 March, 2040
Dear Mum,
Cerberus is already a thing of beauty.
I gunned so hard for this posting, I can still barely believe I'm here. The pace is frantic and exhilarating — the powers that be want to get her in the air early next year. It's going to be tight… I really don't see getting enough shore leave together to make a trip home until after her maiden voyage. It can't believe I'm going to miss Sandy's graduation… and Homer's baby and Solstice…!
There's a lot more responsibility that comes with my new promotion, and I wanted it. I prayed for it. But I still sort of thought I could have both. And… I can't, can I? Not really. Not my life with you and my life here. One of them has to be "my life" and the other…. "a part of my life".
And YOU… you always knew, didn't you? Like you know everything. And of course you didn't tell me, back when I was agonizing over joining the fleet or a life at home on the farm. Because you knew if I'd known, then, I'd have to choose… I'd have stayed home. Of course, that was before I'd slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of the Lords, right? And you knew that would change me. And you knew that once it did, I'd never be able to come home again.
Not really.
Oh, Mum, I miss you.
As soon as we get back from her first flight, I'm taking as much leave as they'll give me. I'll make it up to Sandy, somehow. I saw this lovely, old-fashioned astrolabe in a museum shop on Caprica — do you think he'd like it? How are things between him and Dad? Last letter I had from him, it was still rather rough. You'd think the old man would be happy his two eldest stayed in the business, instead of enraged that his youngest flew the coop — but nothing ever pleases him, does it? Now that I've met more people like Dad out in the wider world, I guess he's a little less… mythic in my recollection. He's just another one of those folks who's only happy when they're unhappy, isn't he?
Please give my love to Mira and Eury, to Sandy of course, and to Homer and Jason and Dad, too, assuming they'll take it without too much grumbling. You'll wireless as soon as the baby's born, won't you? We don't get a lot of time on the line, and I'll like as not be on duty but… I'm on pins and needles! Please tell Eury I'm praying for her and the baby and a safe birth, every day. As I pray for you all.
I know this year will go by quickly! In the meantime, don't worry about me. I'm safe and happy as a clam — they even feed us better, here. Nothing but the best on the Fleet's newest diva.
Have to run — on duty in five!
All my love,
Penny