Rin Jeong — Family Correspondence¶
Letters between Rin (RJ) and her sister Cristina (CL), sent via coded one-time pad communications between Phobos Station and the Belt.
Letter 1: Rin to Cristina (Session Three)¶
Sent via one-time pad from Phobos Station
Ya eonni! ^^
Made it to Phobos, which is fabulously 0G!
Zure says Hi & sends his <3 to all. My friend Kai's been a busy engineer — it's really Wow! Seeing how good he is at his work!
Sis. This Big. Mars's gonna be colonized & I'm here for the assessment on how that's going down. Everybody's got drill bits ready — but the claim markers aren't set. Ye?
$$$ is what they want. Need.
Any fam/clan got a Marker and wanna set it? I get it In — before anything else is Set. Make it so nobody can touch it!
Imagine: not just being free of Them, but untouchable!? This could be IT, specially with some legal Know-How (if anyone has? Ye?)
Ppalli-ppalli!
Please pass my love along? Big scrunchy hugs to sibs!!! ^3^ I miss you. Saranghae nuna!
-RJ
Letter 2: Cristina to Rin (Between Sessions Three and Four)¶
Sent via one-time pad from the Jeong, somewhere in the Belt
Eonni,
Breathe. Jebal.
Null-G Phobos! Aigoo, I'm jealous. I've been hauling nickel-iron for three weeks and everything smells like reactor coolant. Sion says the scrubbers are fine. Sion is wrong.
Tell Zure we love him. Tell Kai eonni says annyeong and that Sion wants to know everything about the power systems (he really does, you know how he gets).
Ok. Now. Breathe.
I hear you, RJ. I hear what you're saying and I hear what you're not saying. Mars is open and you're standing right there in the doorway. Ye, that's Big. You're right that it's Big.
Now slow down.
I showed your letter to Sion. (Mian — he was reading over my shoulder before I could stop him. You know how he is.) He hasn't stopped talking since. Jinjja. He's already asking who has a ship that can make the burn, who's between claims, whether the Vasquez kid from Hygiea still has that law certification. Michael is feeding off his energy and you know what that looks like. I've got two boys ready to load the Jeong and leave yesterday and no legal framework, no supplies for a Mars surface stay, and no plan beyond "get there first."
So I need you to help me be the smart one. Like always, ye? ^^
Questions, and I need real answers:
- What's the actual legal situation? You said the claim markers aren't set — does that mean there's no charter at all? No framework? If we plant a flag, what law says we can or can't?
- Who's already there and what do they want? You mentioned an assessment. UEF? Corps? Luna? Everybody? What are we walking into? Who we pissing on?
- What do we need? Equipment, supplies, how long could a small crew sit on the ground? Can we fab what we need or do we bring everything?
- Is there anyone there who would help? Or at least not shoot us? How will that Captain of yours react?
I'm not saying no. Read that again, RJ. I'm not saying no. I can feel it too — what this could mean. For us, for everyone like us. Jal saenggakhae — I'm saying if we do this wrong, we don't get a second try, and there are people who would love an excuse to remind the Belt what happened at Hygiea.
One more thing and you won't like it. If we do this — really do this — it's not just us anymore. Uri gajok goes on the line. Sion goes on a ship. Michael goes with him because I can't stop that and I've stopped pretending I can. If it goes wrong, I can't protect them from out here and you can't protect them from in there. So when you say "make it so nobody can touch it" — I need to know you have a plan for when somebody tries.
Ppalli-ppalli, she says. Aish, this girl.
Saranghae, RJ. Neomu neomu. Be careful out there.
-CL
P.S. Don't worry about Sion. I'll hold him until you write back. But write back fast, ye? He's very loud about this. Eonni can only sit on him for so long. ^3^
(Attached to the letter is an animated doodle of Cristina, looking very exasperated, sitting on Sion and bonking him on the head repeatedly with the big tears coming out of his face while he bangs his fists on the floor)
Letter 3: Rin to Cristina (Session Four)¶
Sent via one-time pad from Phobos Station
(Animation is edited to include Sweetie-as-Rin thumping Sion's head with her feet, then giving the resulting bump a kiss that leaves a little X bandage.)
Srsly, Eonni, you think I wrote you drugged? No, no, I get it — I haven't been to visit in too long and that letter was intentionally short on info as it was the yellow alert and meant only for you! (Sion, I know you're reading this. Cool your burners. This is going "fast" as Big Bureaucracy counts it — not "fast" race-fast! I will make sure to say when you need to get hopping! Ye?) There's eom-cheong details still needing set, and I'm no law-person. Pretty sure we need that to get together the details for you! So get to that first, I'll get more to you as I get it.
- We'll talk number of people, ships, drills, etc. after we assess the number we need. And that won't happen until we get down there and do our evaluation. Time measured in minimum 1-2 weeks. We have multiple potential sites to start with, and we have to go down there to make sure even one of those is usable, which may not be. You know this game — might get lucky, might take long.
- Captain basically says that if I think y'all are good for the contract, she'll hire ya. But I need to go down and get the proof that we need you, still. Detail work mining will be the official selling point for hire — like the jewel and rare mineral mining we used to do. (Sucks that you're hauling nickel-iron! UGH!) They're scientists and archaeologists.
- Once that happens, which will take a while, these not-Belters are prolly gonna keep treating main base as Phobos, Mars as temporary. They get supplies delivered to Phobos fairly regularly, seems. Through Mars Consortium. Let's see if we can get Kirsten here on one of those? They have hydroponics here, I know she's good at that. Or if it has to be grunt work, we got that need doing, ye.
- Framework isn't set! We're working on influencing that, because we only just found out yesterday! And from what Sweetie says, and the (Luna University) Captain here confirms, it's all super tangled up in politics & legal BS. Luna needs this to work, so does UMS. And us? Ye. Eom-cheong.
- SO: The same space law that governs how/why Belters set claims governs who can do what here on Mars. Luna has that foot in the door. Unofficially (at the moment) they'd love more allies. Like Belters. Not Earth. Not UEF goons. Not Corporate control. Freedom.
Who's interested?...
- Dept Colonial Affairs/(UEF civvies) Given the DCA is bin-full of "retired" UEF brass who like to wear their uniforms to simple civvie meetings. Assholes. Dangerous. We just got Director Yaw to back off; Victoria is SO good at saying things using nice words and mean tones! He'll try again, but that's not gonna be your job to deal with.
- Corporate: Mars Consortium. They want to supply all the stuff, not claim all the resources. *sideeye* I'm gonna dig into that more. Director Elias Vance is here, definitely gonna look into him more. If you got tea, go ahead and spill. Some huge-ass ship of theirs just showed up and I am NOT liking it here. Again, not really your job to deal with, though you may end up tangling with these guys more than DCA just because Mars Consortium controls the logistical lines, right now.
So, ye, this is going to take time and a lot of back and forth.
Moving on…
Ha, yeah, head of Security here is from Hygiea — Kamaka Hygiea. I think I want to be her when I grow up, :D We're started sparring practice! I got my ass beat down so hard!! Worth. It. Learned a lot just in one session. Also got to hear her story of Hygiea! Told her about y'all. She'd heard of us! So weird when that happens. I told her the bits that were wrong and fixed it up. We're working team, now. Is nice!
Told Kai he's adopted. This is a sketch of the look on his cute little face: (silly anime style drawing of Kai's face, emphasis on eyes/ears) He's super stressed, got put on light duty from an injury. Poor Kai!
Sion, fix the damn scrubbers. Aish! Not worth the cheap saved! Don't be an ass, don't play Chicken. I know how tough you are; I know how mature you are. You don't need to prove it. Please don't play fast and loose, Sion-ya, okay? Sallanghae. I We had to fix the scrubbers here on Phobos as soon as we arrived. Took hours. The scientists were arguing about if it was broken! Aiya, stupid, stupid, stupid!
Been working hard. Being Security head for this trip is Not Simple or Easy. Too much sus. But! I think I don't suck. Anyway…
Ya. Other big things… I know this one is complicated, but? You will want to work to get comfy with Talent. I've been practicing. My closest friends are all Talented, ye? Zure you know about, but I haven't mentioned Kai because I only had a hunch. Kai just discovered he's a kinetic! (I'm super happy for him because he's going to love using it, I'm sure. He's already been using it without realizing, when he lifts heavy things — LOL, silly sachon!) My new friend, the Dr, Victoria, is like me, an empath. And a bunch of other people here are, too. I think maybe that was deliberate on the part of the UMS? Dunno.
That's it for now.
Sarangae nuna,
- RJ
Letter 4: Cristina to Rin (Session Six)¶
Sent via one-time pad from the Long Jeong, somewhere in the Belt
Eonni,
I read your briefing three times. Michael read it twice and started looking up flight times to Mars. Sion read it once and started packing.
I am not letting either of them pack.
You paint a clear picture and I trust your read of the players. The colonial affairs man worries me most — Luna's war is recent enough that "UEF veteran watching Mars" could mean anything from institutional momentum to something with teeth. The Consortium man sounds like he believes his own idealism, which is either rare or dangerous. I'd like to know which before we commit to anything.
The legal question keeps me up at night. You're right that the charter is unsettled and the precedent favors first presence. But "first presence" for a Belt family means something different than it does for a Consortium or a government. We don't have warships. We don't have lobbyists. We have the Long Jeong and each other. If we stake a claim and someone decides to contest it, what exactly do we do? File a brief?
Michael says we show up and dare them. Michael needs to be reminded that daring people is not a legal strategy.
Here is what I need from you — not because I doubt your read, but because you're asking the family to move, and I need to ask the right questions of people who know more than I do:
- A timeline. Not "soon" — when. When does the legal framework get decided? When does the window close?
- An honest assessment of how dangerous this is for us specifically. Not "the Belt" — us. The family. The kids.
- Your read on whether Luna would back a Belt claim or throw us under the shuttle the moment it became politically inconvenient.
I talked to 이모. She said — and I am translating loosely — "your sister found a planet and you're asking me permission? Go."
Aigoo. Auntie is not helpful.
I miss you. Kai sounds sweet — tell him he has a whole family he hasn't met yet, and we're loud. Tell Kamaka I want to spar her someday and she can feel free to laugh at that.
Don't do anything stupid. That's Michael's job and I have enough to manage.
사랑해 — CL
[attached: animated doodle of Cristina physically sitting on Sion, who is trying to reach a packed bag, while Michael is visible in the background checking flight schedules]
Letter to Grandmother: Rin to Hana Park (Session Five)¶
Queued in Sweetie to send over regular channels once within normal communication conditions. On digital stationery that mimics beautiful paper. Written entirely in Korean. Attached: Rin's most recent photos of herself and of Sion.
Dear Grandmother,
I'm not good with words and right now I wish I was.
I know I screwed up — a lot — after mom and dad died. I'm aware that teenagers do that a fair amount. The Therapy, as well as the time since it, definitely taught me that. Though, I'm sure I'll learn more as I go. I'm well aware I'm still basically an overgrown teenager, at this point. My coworkers are gracious about not smirking or anything when I'm so very obviously so much younger than them. I really appreciate that. Especially since they're such amazing people. It gives me a lot to become, if that makes sense.
(You can skip this part. It's probably a little boring.)
University Mare Serenitatis taught me a lot, not just class teaching, but the chance to be on Luna and learn about people there and how they are and aren't like people in the Belt. I met a few good friends who are so incredibly talented at what they do. Some days, I think, "Wow, you want to be friends with me?! But you're so smart and skilled. People in your fields really respect you! I'm just a starting out kid..." But, there are other days, especially on the job, when I know we're friends because we work so well together. Maybe I'm not a genius like they are — they're all Doctors! A medical Doctor, a Doctor of Psychology, and a Doctor of Engineering. However, I am solid and cheerful, and that's what they need. We're on an archaeology assignment for UMS, which is really exciting to be a part of. I make sure the scientists stay safe, which involves a lot of reminding them of the safety drills and checking equipment.
(If you didn't skip it, I hope it was interesting. This next part is what I'd meant to write, besides the apology.)
I have this friend who says really profound things a lot, like it's the easiest, most natural thing for him. Maybe it's because he's a Psychologist. Being friends with him does more for me than any of the Therapy ever did — I'm working on myself more now that I can see how to be a better person. Talking with him is what made me want to write you. He knows how much my family means to me, how much I think about everyone and miss everyone. How everything I do is so I can do right by them. It made me think how in all of that, I didn't do right by you. I really, really regret that.
I have another friend, Victoria, who is from Earth, too. She likes talking about the water, about lakes and oceans, and how when someone is swimming in water it surrounds and connects everything so that a person is a part of it. That from where that person is, the water reaches everywhere and anywhere so that no two things are actually separated because they can be easily reached via the water. Space is like that for me. It doesn't separate me from Ceres or Earth or Luna — it connects me to all of those places and all of the people on them. So even though I miss my family, it's not like I can't just connect to them through Space. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but hopefully it does, since you know about water. Because you see, I want you to know that I don't think of you as far away, now. And, maybe, you might think of me, or Sion, as far away either.
With love and wishes for your very best health,
Your Granddaughter Rin
Letter from Grandmother: Hana Park to Rin (Session Seven)¶
Sent through regular channels from Earth to the UMS Carl Sagan relay. On plain digital stationery — no embellishment, clean formatting. Written entirely in Korean.
My dear girl,
I did not skip a single word.
You wrote that you're "not good with words" and then you wrote me the most beautiful letter I have received in a very long life. Your friend Victoria is right about water. And you are right about space. I am keeping this letter where I can read it again, and I will.
Now. You listen to your grandmother.
You were a child whose parents died, and then your grandmother left. I know how that felt to you. I have always known. You do not need to apologize for being angry about it — you were right to be angry. A child should not have to lose her parents and then watch her grandmother walk away in the same year.
I want you to understand why, not because it changes what you felt, but because you are old enough now and I think you deserve the truth. I was too old, Rin. Not too old to love you — never that — but too old to raise you and the others the way you needed. You could give each other what I couldn't. And I needed to come home. I had been away from Earth for so long, and I could feel my years, and I was afraid that if I waited any longer I would die in space having never seen my home again. That is a selfish reason. I have made peace with the fact that it is selfish and that it is also true.
I have been here, waiting. Not because you owed me anything but because I love you, and love is patient even when the person you love is not ready. You are ready now. That is all that matters.
Your Psychologist friend sounds very wise. Thank him for me — not for what he said, but for being the kind of person who made you want to reach back. I know the type. Your grandfather was like that. People became better near him without him trying.
Your Doctor friend, your Engineer — I can hear how much you admire them. Good. Let yourself admire people, Rin. You always thought you had to be strong alone, and that is the Belt talking, and the Belt is wrong about this one thing. Strong people need other strong people. That is not weakness. That is how bridges are built.
I am glad you are on an archaeology assignment. You are making sure scientists stay safe. This is a very good job for you. You have always known when something was wrong before anyone else did — even as a small child, you would look at someone and know. That is a gift, my girl. I hope you are taking care of it.
I want to tell you something, and I am telling you because you have that gift and because you are far from home and I think you should know how things are here.
The world is changing. I do not mean the usual changing — there is always change, and at my age you learn to let most of it wash past. This is different. There is a feeling I recognize, and I do not like recognizing it.
There is a young man in my building — Jinho, Mrs. Pak's grandson. You don't know him, but you would like him. Quiet, polite, works for the transit authority. Last month someone found out he is Talented. I don't know what kind — I didn't ask, because it isn't my business and it shouldn't be anyone else's. But the way people reacted. Not angry, not violent, nothing like that. Just... different. Careful. The woman in 4B who used to leave food at his door stopped. People in the lobby smiled the same smiles but their eyes were somewhere else. Jinho hasn't changed. He is the same person he was the month before. But the space around him changed.
On the news they talk about registration as though it is a simple question with a practical answer. They talk about "public safety" and "reasonable precautions." There was something at a transit hub — a kinetic, they said, though the details keep changing depending on who is telling the story. No one was badly hurt, but it is all anyone has talked about for weeks. There are people on the programs who say things that sound measured and are not. I have lived long enough to know the difference between someone asking a question and someone building a wall out of questions.
I lived through the war, Rin. Not as a soldier — as a person who watched her neighbors become strangers over things that used to not matter. Before the fighting, before the politics, before any of it — there was a period where everyone was polite and nobody was honest. Where the distance between people grew by centimeters every day and nobody named it because naming it would make it real. I remember that feeling. I am feeling it again.
I am not telling you this to frighten you. I am telling you because you should know, and because you are the kind of person who notices things before they arrive. Pay attention to the people around you. Take care of your friends. Take care of yourself.
And Rin — be careful about who knows what you can do. I know the world is supposed to be better about these things now. Maybe it is. But "supposed to be" and "is" are different words, and your grandmother is old enough to know which one she trusts.
The photos are wonderful. You look healthy and fierce. Sion looks like Sion — I could not be prouder of either of you if I tried, and I try constantly.
I do not think of you as far away. You were right about that, too.
With all of my love,
할머니
Letter 6: Rin → Cristina (Session Six — Transit to Deimos)¶
Composed and sent during the Annie Jump Cannon transit from Mars to Deimos. Circles was a 5/5 successful roll.
(The background "stationery" is of space, with Sweetie floating in a silly little space helmet next to Rin's signature. Her tether twists into a little heart and the Korean character for "Rin".)
Ya Eonni,
I wish I had guarantees, but I don't. I will give you the best I've got, ye?
Legally, you're not wrong about the show up, defend claim, it yours. But clearly, that's not good for us. Not worth the risk! Especially since you're right to be concerned about Yaw. I don't know what kind of bad news he is. Yet.
Disgustingly, I'm pretty sure Mr. Consortium is legit. 🤮 (You're right. I just don't like the idea of a legit Corporate.) Plus, he has a F-all big ass "totally not a warship" in orbit right now. Named Spice Road.
If the survey comes back the way I think it will, the Timeline will be: [Describe Option 1, give timeline.] [Describe Option 2, give timeline.] [Describe Option 3, give timeline.]
Option [_] is the most likely, meaning the timeline is a minimum of [____]. Expect some fluctuation, but know that this would be the most likely plan.
Luna would definitely back a Belter claim or partners. But. They do not have the liquid assets for doing that right now. What's really needed is starting money. If family can invest in the colony start, not only will that be a more significant claim than just a marker in the rock, Luna would absolutely have our backs! Maybe Mr. Ho? Or Auntie's extended clan? Familia Vasquez, maybe even! I know they all run the kind of biz that keeps capital — unlike mining clans like ours. And I know Auntie keeps a lawyer on tap.
About Danger: That's what I'm actually currently evaluating. I'll tell you what I know, when I know it. I would say that right now and until indicated otherwise, only working adults would be safe here. So no kids, no elders. Investors and workers.
Gotta bounce — I'm writing while I'm in transit from Point A to Point B on a shuttle, and we're starting our landing on Point B!
💖RJ
P.S. I nearly forgot! I sent a letter to Grandma Jeong, so if she sends something, it's not totally random, okay? Without getting into it, I just figured I would let her know that I love her still and didn't mean to hurt her, y'know? Ai! It's complicated. Sorry. Just heads up. In case. Bouncing! 💖
Letter 7: Rin → Cristina (Session Six — Post-Deimos)¶
Sent via one-time use pad. Short.
Ya,
Looks like it'll be Option [_], largely. You're ON for work setting up a colony! We're going to be starting a colony for all the scientists that are going to be needed here to study the discovery that's been made.
Mr Batty had some kin. 💜
Captain Iyer, who is heading the mission here, says she wants help here within [time span], and she's confident in my assessment of the family's skills. She's asked me to get you here soon, so we can have functional teams, ready to go.
What I wrote in my last letter is still 100% true. Definitely get those balls rolling, ok?
Love you bunches! Hopefully see you soon!
Rin
Letter 8: Cristina → Rin (Between Sessions Seven and Eight)¶
Sent via one-time pad. Longer than usual.
Uri dongsaeng,
Sit down.
So you know how I said I'd get those balls rolling? The balls are rolling. The balls are rolling downhill and I am running behind them.
Mr. Ho said yes before I finished asking. Familia Vasquez said yes and then asked if they could bring a fabrication team. Auntie's network on Ceres — you know how she knows everyone — half of them called me asking how to get on the list. I didn't have a list! I was making calls! Suddenly I have a list and it's three pages long!
Then the Jarviis heard. I don't know who told them — I suspect Michael, because Michael cannot keep his mouth shut about anything exciting, but he swears it was the Vasquez cousins. Anyway. Half the Jarviis. Half! You know how many Jarviis there are!
Then the Hygiea contingent. They carry their own Favor, eonni, from the Riots. People remember. The Mispahk name and the Hygiea name together — I couldn't have stopped it if I'd tried. And by the time I realized I should try, it was already too late.
I told them what you said. Working adults only. They smiled very politely and then loaded their children onto the ships anyway. You remember what it was like leaving Ceres? Neither do I, because we have never left family behind when we move.
About that.
When it all started getting out of hand, I couldn't just leave you to deal with the mess. We both know you can't do it without me. And besides — this is Mispahk Favor on the line. If it goes wrong and we weren't there, we'd never hear the end of it. Sion would actually combust.
The Long Jeong is en route. We're coming.
Now the practical part, because one of us has to be practical and we both know who that is:
Auntie's lawyer — you know, Sooyun's brother's wife's entle, Mx. Park — they're on the Hygiea contingent. They say we have standing under pre-UEF territorial precedent. I didn't understand half of what they said but they seemed very excited. They're bringing two clerks. I think they've been waiting their whole career for a case like this.
I found Mrs. Pak's grandson — Jinho, Transit Authority, logistics coordinator. Offered him a job and he said yes before I finished the sentence. He's on the second wave. You're welcome.
Investors, construction families, mining clans, a lawyer with clerks, a logistics coordinator, and more children than I can count. It's a flotilla, Rin. An actual flotilla. I'm sorry. I'm also not sorry. This is what Favor does.
Mr. Batty had some kin.
Rin-ah, I told the kids. Itumeleng asked if they look like his plushy. Kago went very quiet and then asked if the kin are safe.
I said their 언니 is making sure of it.
Don't make a liar of me.
사랑해 너무너무,
Cristina 💜
P.S. Sion says hi. He also says, and I quote, "tell her she owes me a reactor inspection." He's fine. 💜