My Dearest Keef,

Your concern for me is quite wondrous. I should have you know it was 6 minutes not 4, but the mall’s floors were mopped adequately: my shoes indeed found purchase. The struggles of being an Erissan Erudite are quite preferable to that of being an acolyte on a deep space voyage.

I must say being on board the “IWS Ghost Star” was quite an adventure. I traveled with two different prisms (I know the news only reported one – you will find out why soon) assigned to the division of the military titled “Imperial Radiant Affairs and Shipbuilding” (IRAS in case you were unfamiliar). The sailors moving around with their black jumpsuits were nothing compared to legionnaires in their blue service uniforms with the patch of a golden number 1 upon a starfield shining on their jumpsuits; it was quite stirring – I learned this was the emblem of the Astral 1st Legion. There was a young man who caught my attention – you’d have teased me as you’ve always said I’m attracted to those who share my natural good looks. As it was, a few of the knights with us did that job for you – our nickname was “The Twins” due to the aforementioned similar appearance and habit of constantly being around each other. The man was a lieutenant who served in the engine room; he would give me late night tours often.

Our travels were not all the romance of pulp fiction, in fact life aboard the Ghost Star was rather tedious most times. A battleship that had been modified for deep space exploration, we had lost two of our four hangers for research space and additional storage. We also had two of the ship’s main spinal cannon emplacements replaced to house additional sensors. All was going well until the second month. I am glad we are using our encrypted channel otherwise I could not share with you what I am about to.

While we saw many fantastical things on our one-and-a-half year voyage, the major incident I want to discuss with you began about 6 months into the journey. We had strayed deep into a sector which contained a bizarre formation of marble-like asteroids, each containing most of the raw resources needed to forge Vyllah Steel. The floating rocks shone with bright white, gold veins, and blue inlays. This mineral was both visually fascinating and so intensely dense that one asteroid would amount to a small fortune. However, on the third day into surveying and preparing to stake a claim, three ships dropped out of FTL around us. The claxons indicating battle stations sounded, and my new close friend rushed from my bed to the engine room.

The moments that followed were tense. I accompanied Master Ro, of Ordo Medicari(a Koleon whose real name is a mystery to me) to the bridge with his Prism. The Captain of our vessel, a rather unpleasant but not unattractive Shumi, who I sadly never got to know beyond some choice insults at my person. My favorite of which was “Vain little brat whose light was bright but revealed little” which was insulting but not unwelcome, and a wonderful turn of phrase. They were already deep in negotiation over comms with a white uniformed and caped (tacky!) human who bore the badge of Lurio!

The gist of the conversation was simply that we were in Lurio’s outer arm colonies and invading sovereign space. Per the identified Lurian leader’s request we would need to submit ourselves to immediate search and seizure of any Lurian property discovered, a tithe for passage, and an immediate exit or seek to be destroyed. Master Ro spoke quickly to our captain – his immediate fear being that they would seek to confiscate the Crystal Sabers. During this time the Lurian ships fired warning shots and the captain screamed that he would not be ignored. Of course fearing for my life I had a good idea. As you know, I was chosen for this mission due to my extensive knowledge of the outer arms and Lurian customs – there was always a fear that we would run into the Kingdom’s forces since there were attempts at expansion being well known to the Empire. I calmly and -without screaming or a voice crack no matter what you hear- stated that Lurian law recognized a form of honor duel between radiants known as the “Vainu Mecha ” that would be applicable here. If Lurio won, we would be forced to submit and leave the space as quickly as possible giving them all titles and honors; if we won, the reverse.

A collective horror spread over those gathered on the bridge, except Master Ro’s prism. When upon request of a “Vainu Mecha” the Lurian captain smiled as if he had just won a high stakes game of Tahmek on Lassar. His head was replaced with a femme presenting individual who stated she accepted and she would be honored to duel an imperial prism in honorable combat. Master Ro protested and stated that it was improper – the woman cut him off and her words, which I will forever remember in my soul, were as follows: “I am Honorable Commander 27, it would be like an adult hitting a child for me, who wields all facets of Metu, to fight someone who knows but one sixth of it and knows it incorrectly. These are my terms.” She cut the view screen feed.

The dueling site would be a nearby asteroid, and Honorable Commander 27 would accept no other terms than last radiant standing. Master Ro’s prism was confident in their five-on-one odds, truth be told we all were. We were wrong.

The duel was broadcast across the ship, and after due rites were performed HC-27 spoke clearly “Ceolfhoireann Weakness” and a bare perceptible wave went out. The Venefari and Master Ro seemed to shrug it off but the Ouiori, Bellati, and Vindor all seemed to suddenly be moving through gel, sluggishly advancing. I won’t describe the next moments for it still makes me ill to remember. Just know it contains an extreme brutality and cruelty, and ends with a pristine white armor and 5 broken sabers – however Master Ro was able to break HC-27’s arm, and the bellati knight was able to land a solid right leg cut right before being defeated . The Shumi Captain had us out of there quickly. I don’t think anyone truly recovered after that. I believe Imperial intelligence and IRAS seized all records of the encounter.

My next letter I will try to keep more cheerful and tell you about some more of the whimsy of the journey.

At your service,

Acolyte Hastakon