Dearest Victoria,

How difficult this letter is to write.  So many things to convey before our contact is broken for the coming years.  It will feel similar to corresponding with a ghost for the next year.  Sending out words without any hope of a response.

I have received your final rendition of the Anomaly and the figures from your last weeks aboard the passenger liner Derringer 8.  The information will indeed be helpful in finalizing my work on Earth during this year of recovery.  I have placed your final depiction of our research subject in full view within my temporary lab. This allows me to look up from my work and view it whenever there is a need. Whether to remind me of you or to inspire some new inspirational idea, it will be a constant reminder for our common goal.  Since my muse is now millions of kilometer from me, I will have to use the Anomaly as a substitute.  Of course when I refer to my muse that is you dear sister, although the Phenomenon is the focus of our research.  Indeed you see my attitude toward our subject is shifting. I refer more and more to a sentient being when describing our Black Swan in space. The idea of a purpose behind this oddity creeps into my thoughts and is taking over as the dominant force when thinking of its nature.

Your reaction to the stasis treatments is a little disturbing.  Your new friend’s response is understandable given the fact that he is optically enhanced, but the tremor in your hand is sending alarm bells to my neurological radar.  It is not a good idea to relay this concern at this delicate time as you are well into the treatments, but it does worry me. When I arrive at the end of my journey, the first focus will be on the changes to your brain scans.  The ones taken in the last week before your departure and the follow up scans completed at the new lab and subsequently on New London. I meant for these comparisons to be exclusively for the changes induced by the proximity to the Anomaly, but I will also use them to verify nothing occurred to your neurological footprint during the Gambol and stasis process. I realize it is not the ideal scientific process with different variables affecting the outcome, but there is no way to separate these two catalysts for analyses.  

After hearing your concerns about Nikolas, I am happy I chose for full regeneration of my arm and not an enhanced prosthetic.  Mechanical replacement would have shortened my recovery, but the complications were a greater risk.  This is especially prevalent with my eminent departure for the Alpha Centauri system on the horizon.  Six additional months delay is not much to ask in order to feel whole at the end.  I see now the extra time I have to finalize my preparations here slightly make up for my separation from you.

My thoughts travel to the end of our journey and where we will both be in three years’ time.  Your will have been a Neo Britannian for over a year by then, creating incredible pieces of interactive media and I will just be starting my work at the new lab on the Phycodurus 8. Completely immersed in a years worthof accumulated data on the Anomaly and multitudes of letters from you.  I can just picture myself sitting in the observation lounge with a mug of coffee finally in hand, starring out at the incredible sight of the Cosmic enigma hanging in the blackness of space.  I will hold on to this vision over this next year of isolation.  Knowing that at the end we will once again be together.

My Love always,

Annalis