Chapter 82

Dear Willow and family,

Phoebe wrote to me in your absence and has me much frightened. I know you train hard, I expect that you'll end up the hard assed bitch that everyone hates eventually, but at the same time they wouldn't have it any other way. That will be because they know that the pace you set and the example you show inspires them to be able to survive where others fail. Eventually you'll either be the top kick in your unit or they'll promote you into the officer corps.

Don't frown at me like that! You will earn what you earn, and you will be promoted. People who do well get promoted quickly now. I suspect that Phoebe is right, that we are in for a war that exceeds anything that humanity has experienced up to this point. The question will be this: Can we adapt and overcome so that we can win this?

So you too feel the pressure of excellence? I didn't at first, but even from afar you inspired me. Okay, yes Marissa inspired me as well. She directed me to keep on working with drafting so that I'll be contributing something more than sperm to the combined effort of the human race as they learn to kill the Sa'arm.

Phoebe sent along a pattern for the artificial rubber that John has been working on. While I'm not absolutely sure that it will be of great importance, I can say that I instructed the replicator and AI on this ship to note the original discoverer and to credit you as John's guardian with the discovery.

I've been experimenting with adding it to the 'armor' I'm working on and let me say that it looks like it is going to be the breakthrough compound to making pressure suits from spun carbon nanotubuals. If that is the case then John will be quite 'wealthy' in terms of Confederacy credits. What it will mean to the war effort though is of greater importance. To put it simply, when I can test the final product that I'm creating against the vibe blades that the Sa'arm use I will know if it is something that will help us turn the corner on the war we must fight against the Sa'arm.

With that in mind, I've put up an award from my personal account for anyone who can provide me with one or more examples of the knives that the Sa'arm use. If they don't go dead at loss of contact with their 'owner' I need some to run tests on armor with them.

I beg you not to put yourself or anyone else in danger to attempt to acquire such a thing. Not even if the Confederacy adds to the reward, as I expect they will. Simply put, though I know you can retrieve such tools, I'd hate to think that I caused you to put yourself in danger. And after reviewing the footage of the cluster-fuck on Darling Downs I am more certain than ever that fighting the Sa'arm is going to be a difficult and dangerous proposition.