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Edimar smiled, and the two of them embraced.
A voice shouted from down the corridor. "Ms. Rena."
Rena turned and looked. One of the crewmen from the helm, Magashi, was calling to her. "You better come to the helm quick, Lady."
"What's wrong?"
"You have a message," said Magashi. "Arjuna said to bring you at once."
"From the traders?"
"No, no, Lady. From your son."
FROM: helm%[email protected]
TO: [email protected]
Re: Found at last
Dearest Vico,
My son. I have read your letter five times now. Every time I do, I cry. You would have been proud of me: I have held back tears for a long time now. I have tried to be strong. But to know that your fingers actually typed the words I was reading, to know that you're alive and safe, I became a slobbery mess. It's only a matter of time before the crew here starts calling me "nose faucet" or something worse. Somalis love nicknames.
Edimar was with me when your letter came. She sends her love. You wouldn't recognize her if you saw her, she's grown so much.
All of the women and children are here as well. I have read them your letter. If I were to include all the messages they asked me to pass along on their behalf, this would take forever to type. Suffice it to say, you're loved and missed.
In fact, this might be a good time to inform you that you're the chief of our tribe. It's a long story, but essentially we need you to approve our partnering with Arjuna and his crew to turn the Gagak into a mining vessel. I've convinced myself that being the wife and mother of two brilliant mechanics qualifies me to lead this effort. So far no one has put me in a padded room. Should I self-commit?
In your letter you ask about Mono. It breaks my heart to tell you that he snuck back on to El Cavador before the WU-HU ship had decoupled. I'm so sorry, son. He was on El Cavador when it was lost.
I wish I could be there with you to give you this news. It seems so cold and impersonal to do it this way. I know he was like a brother to you. I hope you find some comfort in knowing that you were always in his thoughts. From the moment you left, you were always the subject of conversation if Mono was around. Vico this and Vico that. His love for you was as pure as any little boy's can be. Remember him, son. And let his love for you make you stronger.
I'm sorry you learned about your father from Lem Jukes. That angered me more than you know. When I see you next, I will tell you all and we can grieve together. In the meantime, to answer your question, I am fine. Losing your father was like losing myself, but I am holding tight to memories and finding peace wherever I can.
You mentioned that you plan to attack the Formic ship with a team of soldiers. Don't. I know it's cruel and selfish of me to ask such a thing, but I'm going to be cruel and selfish. The thought of losing you so soon after finding you is almost unbearable.
Build whatever they need. Design whatever the mission requires. Give them every scrap of brilliance that brain of yours can produce. But don't give them you.
You need to experience life, Vico. There is so much you haven't lived. Fall in love. Be loved by someone in return. Have children, as many as your future wife can give you. Love them. Grow old with them. That is a joy you have not yet experienced, and it is the greatest joy of this life.
Maybe it's this Imala girl. I like her spunk. You don't mention her age, but if she's working and out of college, she's got a few years on you. So what. I was four years older than your father, as you know. And he wouldn't have had it any other way.
Stay alive, son. That's all I ask.
From the moment you've left, I've kept you close, and that's where you will always be.
All my love,
Mom
CHAPTER 16
Holopad
Bingwen set up the doctors' clinic in an alcove on the lower level of Dragon's Den. Kim had come through with so many doctors willing to help staff the clinic via holo that Bingwen could have opened a small hospital if he had had that many holopads to work with. But, as it happened, he had only been able to scrounge up six--begging donations from those who owned one and raiding the supply closets when the soldiers weren't looking. But six holopads amounted to six doctors, and that was more than the people had enjoyed before.
"Tell me where it hurts, Ni Ni," Bingwen asked the old woman in Chinese.
