hoshizora

Dear Friend,

Despite what the press would have you believe -- they seem hellbent on spinning my desire for respite and solitude as "reclusion" -- I am not a shut-in, and I do read the news. Yes, my compound on Phobos does have a laser-link to the data-silos on Mars; in fact, now that I think on it, weren't your algorithms part of the first orbiting optical communications infrastructure? Well, no matter; we both became wealthy from our work together, even if our paths ultimately diverged.

It is of that divergence that I would speak to you now. You see, in the news that I read -- and I do a lot of reading -- I see that you have joined the ranks of the Sol Society. Old friend, you cannot know how much this pains me. Indeed, as I was having tea with Wei-ling the morning the news broke, I believe she tried to distract me from seeing the story, so obvious it was that you would be breaking your old friend's heart.

I cannot help but assume that this is -- at least partially -- in reaction to those outlandish rumors. Yes, naturally in the course of diversifying Quantum Dynamics I became acquainted with various individuals involved in the manufacture of a variety of energy weapons, but to then conclude that I played a role in the sale of Areophany's proton-surge array technology to the Lunar Confederacy is simply nonsense. Undoubtedly the conspiracy-happy net has already spawned a dozen or more theories as to why my involvement would benefit me, but even _if_ Quantum Dynamics stood to profit from such an arrangement, surely you'll believe me when I say it simply isn't the case.

Part of me knows you'll never come back to Quantum, but I hope you know your research post is always open should you wish to return. You're as free as any citizen of the Geostationary League to do as you will, but I'll thank you not to lend credence to the wild-eyed speculation of the press as to my positions on interstellar realpolitik. I'm every bit the simple businessman I was when we founded Quantum together, trying to make an honest EuroShekel.

Sincerely,

Q. Tristan Ellison