Dear Les,

            Been boring since you left, really, except for Uncle Mike coming home, finally, and Davil having a meltdown that sent more than a couple ripples through the Force.  I graduated last week-wish you hadn’t missed it.  It’s okay, though.  Mac wasn’t there, either.  If my own brother can miss my graduation from med school, I guess it’s okay that my best friend wasn’t here, either.  You had your reasons.  Hope your folks are okay.
            I got my lieutenant’s bars yesterday.  Master Indiana says that I’ll probably be posted groundside here, unless Dr. Corna has better use for me elsewhere.  That makes Mom nervous, I can tell.  I think she wants to keep me within arms’ reach.
            It’s weird, thinking that I’m an officer, now.  Subject to taking orders, being sent where they decide I’m most useful–having a life that’s no longer entirely my own.  I don’t think I made the wrong choice-don’t think that yet, anyway, but we’ll see.  Mom always said that she never regretted joining up.  Then again, they don’t bother her here.
            Chance has been mopey since you left.  She knows and understands why you and your family had to go back to Atad, but that doesn’t mean she has to like it.  I think she misses you more than she lets on-then again, I also think she has a bigger crush on you than she lets on.
            Cay and Mary’s wedding was nice, if a little boring.  I didn’t stay very long at the reception.  Too much…I don’t know what there was too much of.  It just didn’t feel right to stay.  I left not long after Uncle Nylan did-he didn’t stay long, either.
            Aunt Indy sends her best and hopes to see you and your parents again soon.  I’m hoping the same.  There’s no one I can hang out with right about now.

~ Trystan

PS – No sign of your master.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for Master Katarn, but either he’s not around…or is good at covering his tracks when he is.  I’ll keep watching.

            Chase leaned back in his chair, stretching.  It was early, still dark outside.  He’d heard his mother and sisters come home hours before from his cousin’s wedding, the same wedding he’d left early by his own choice.  Something had been gnawing at his belly every time he’d looked at the father of the bride, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on what about Mike Bullian had gotten his senses boiling, but there was something there.  Given his slightly inebriated state, however, he’d opted not to meditate on it and just get some sleep.  He’d decided he would worry about it in the morning.
            Now it was morning, and he still wasn’t sure he wanted to worry about it.
            He righted himself in his chair and tapped a few buttons to send the message out across the Holonet to Les, hoping he’d get it sooner rather than later.  Military reports had been clogging the channels lately.  That, admittedly, did not surprise him in the least, given the current state of affairs.
            Datooine had fallen, and not without losses.  Things were only going to get much worse before they got any better.
            “Everything all right, sweetheart?”
            He glanced toward his mother, standing with her robe pulled tight around herself, and nodded.  “Everything’s fine, Mom.  Just writing a note before I went for a run.  I’ll see you at breakfast.”
            She nodded.  “See if Slate wants to go with you.”
            “Still worrying about me going alone, Mom?”  He stood up slowly, pushing his chair in and shutting down the console.
            Arin smiled and kissed his cheek.  “I only have two sons.  Go on.  I’m going back to bed.”
            “Sweet dreams, Mom.”  He leaned against the back of his chair and watched her retreat, shaking his head slightly.  Two sons, and she treats me like I’m the younger.  He shook his head slightly, smiling faintly.  At least I give a damn about making her worry.  Scooping up his comm and stuffing it into a pocket, he headed out to see if his uncle wanted to join him for a sunrise run.

~ Erin