S1E28 - Love Letters - I don't want your to cry

There is, unfortunately, no escaping physics. Bound by the speed of light, even information must take its time to get birth going. And as we move farther into the void, that time grows until the distance becomes unspeakable.

So sorry to start the call this way. I've been a little under the weather, so to speak, although in space there's really not much weather. But you know how I like some old Earth sayings. I'm going to try and get through this as best as I can. The others are trying to get me to rest, but this is important. I don't want you to wait any longer to hear my message. I'll get into why I'm feeling a little sick and why it might have taken a little bit longer for me to get back to you. But first, it's more important for me to respond to what you said because it's wonderful. As much as I miss having heard your voice and hearing what you've been up to, knowing that you got this chance, that you got this opportunity and you took it well, I think I would be upset if you didn't, if you missed this chance, I know it's something you've been wanting for so long, and I mean, I got my own chance. And it's going to take me much longer to get back to you, to get back home. I want you to do things for yourself, too. I want you to take those opportunities, those chances, you know? I want you to be happy. I want you to take these opportunities and any other that you can find. Sorry, I might be getting a little too excited, but I mean it. I want you to. Because the only thing that matters is that you are safe and happy and that you give me a message every now and then. I know it might be difficult to explain to me exactly everything that's been happening or the things that you got to see and learn about down on Earth, but I can still picture you pointing the pictures and trying to explain it to me, and it's really nice to think about. I miss you so much. And knowing that you are able to have these opportunities to get the chance to experiment and learn new things, that's all I really want. I miss earth too. It really feels like it's been so long since I was there, but I can still picture it sometimes. I miss it a little bit. Not that I don't love living on the station, it's just there's nothing quite like Earth, and I've seen a fair amount of the galaxy so far, although maybe in a way that's different than the rest. This is less a tour and more of an exploration. I'm sorry. I promise I'll explain soon what's going on? I'm so glad that you got to see your family. I'm glad that you have been able to spend time with them and that they're there for you. You need to give them all my love for me. And I understand that you can't really see my family right now, but I have been trying to keep up with them as well. It's a little bit more difficult. I have to send just one message to the entire family, and sometimes they're not all there to listen. But take the time you need. I'm sure when you see them again, they'll be happy to see you. Speaking of family, I'm glad you like the name. And I'm glad that Elizabeth also likes the name. I wish I could see her or hear her voice, but that's a little difficult, I'm afraid. She'll start trying to get at the equipment if you raise her up to the mic. Yes. What's been going on with me? Well, we managed to make it into the asteroid belt. And I know you were concerned, but everything was fine. Everything is fine, I promise. I know it might sound like things aren't okay, but I assure you, I'll be okay. We landed and we went out there. We got some samples, and we were going to examine them. And there was this dust when we were breaking apart one of the rocks that we retrieved that we believed had the sample of the alien life form. And I kind of might have breathed it in. And it's been making me feel a little sick, but I'm okay. There's a doctor on board. I've been examined. There is no weird space fungus or alien life form that's going inside my lungs. It's just that my body is not used to the foreign substance that was absorbed into it. I've been given medication. I've been given treatment. The doctor has been watching over me like a hawk this entire time. I promise you, I'll be okay. Even if I have to fight off this infection, find some magical cure. If it gets worse. I will be okay, Sage. I promise. And in some ways, it's a little exciting. I know that sounds bad, but this is something new, something that we can examine and take notes on and research the way this asteroid dust is affecting me. And there's so much else that's happening, so much else that we've been able to examine and explore. We found something. We found traces of alien life form things that aren't recorded anywhere. We're on the path to finding something amazing to will we find. I'm sorry. I can't get too excited, or else I'll start a coughing fix. But I'm so excited for what we discovered. I can't tell you much about it right now. We don't understand everything yet. And I would hate to give you some half ass explanation about what's going on, especially because I'm not sure how well I could explain it in a way that makes sense to those who don't have a PhD in xenobiology like me. But it's so exciting. And it's exactly what we've been looking for. We're really getting to what we want to do, what we are out here for. I miss you. I've listened to your message while I was in the worst of it. And as soon as I was able, I had to respond back. Hearing your voice hearing your voice in its own way, it was a kind of medicine for me, too. It was warm and soothing, and I could almost pretend that you were here with me. I remember when you got really sick that time you had such a high fever. I was so worried that I was going to lose you. And I know for a while it was a struggle, and you kept ensuring me that you were going to be okay. And it was hard watching you like that. And I know it would have been hard for you to watch me, too, as I was coughing and just a little bit delirious and struggling to breathe sometimes. And I don't want to concern you. I'm okay. I promise. Just like you promised, and you made it through. I'm okay, too. I won't leave you, sage. I promise. This may be a little grim, but when my time comes, when our time comes, I hope that we'll be together. I hope that we can be near one another. And the last thing I'll get to see is your face, unless you go first, but then I would want my face to be the last thing you see. I know we haven't exchanged wedding vows yet, but I'll mean it when I'll be there. Until death do us parts. Okay, this is getting a little grim and dark, and I don't want my message to be upsetting to you. I don't want you to cry. I'm okay. And there's good news. There's so much good news. We're discovering something amazing, and it's going to be a little risky, but I promise you I'll be okay. And I'll come home, because you are my home, my blossom. I look forward to hearing from you again. And I promise next time I'll have better news about my well being and hopefully more exciting news. Okay? The doctor is looking at me with really scary eyes that way your mother looked at you that one time when you were sick and trying to get out of bed. So I have to end the call here, but next time, I'll try and send a longer message. Okay? Until next time. Bye.

Unspeakable Distance is an actual play podcast of communication delay by audio Quinn a link to the game's. Itch IO page and credits for our players are available in the show notes linked to this episode. This podcast has in a production of the Library of Curse Knowledge podcast network.