Dearest Ma,
Hope you’re keeping busy with those garden pods. Did that new strain finally take root, or is it still being stubborn like last time? We’ve been a tad out of range with the jumps, but I figured I’d squeeze in this note now that we’re through the fuzzier bits. The whole getaway was a treat, as I mentioned before, but you always ask about the ride home, so here’s the scoop: Smooth for the most part, no big hitches, just one silly pause that had us chuckling after.
We pushed off right after that stunning glow finale at the nebula’s rim. The colors were even brighter than the holo-vids make out, and the sprout was mesmerized the whole time. Kid’s still buzzing from all those zing drops we let them indulge in; you know how they get, all energy and no off switch. Zorath was in good spirits too, humming those old lane tunes while plotting the route.
But about midway on that long empty leg, the one with nothing but void and the occasional stray particle, disaster struck in the form of a fizzer can. The little one was juggling it like a toy, and bam, it slipped, popped wide open, and sprayed that gooey mess everywhere. Controls got the worst of it, seats were sticky, even Zorath’s favorite nav pad ended up with spots. He grumbled a bit, something about “next time, no snacks mid-jump,” but it wasn’t serious, just enough to make the drives whine and force a quick stop before it turned into a real hassle.
Scanned for the nearest spot and lucked into this unmarked quiet wet rock. Blue tones, lots of liquid surface, no tags or beacons on it at all, like it was tucked away for folks like us needing a breather. Zorath eased us down by the edge, right where the waves met the soft ground. We all hopped out for a stretch; the air had a fresh tang, gravity easy on the joints after ship life. Water wasn’t the crispest we’ve seen, kind of tepid and murky up close, but it did the job cutting through the gunk without any extra effort. I handled the interior wipe-down while Zorath rinsed the exterior panels. The sprout, of course, turned it into playtime, giggling and splashing in the shallows, kicking up little clouds of muck and stirring whatever was down there. Those pesky flitters were out in force too, tiny things darting around like they owned the place. We just brushed ’em off or ignored them; no bother, really, just part of poking around a raw spot like that. Ground felt a touch squishy under us, giving here and there like it wasn’t used to visitors, but we were in and out quick, no lingering, just enough to get everything sparkling again.
Back on track now, drives purring clean as ever. Zorath’s already talking about tweaking the snack storage for next time, and the sprout’s begging for your famous spin stories when we swing by. Says no one tells ’em like you do, with all the twists and glow effects. We’ve got a short layover coming up at the depot for refills, then straight home. Miss you heaps; let’s sync a full holo-chat soon and catch up proper. Tell the kin we send warmth.
All my warmth,
Lira
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