002

[Begin recording // Location stamp: Persephone - 12°48′N 45°02′E]

[A middle-aged woman. Red hair. She's tired, her face drawn. Her left shoulder is bandaged, her arm in a sling.]

Paige. I hope your father will let you see this. I know he probably ain't told you the kindest of things with regards to me. But, it occurred to me of late, should I die, you should at least have some idea as to why. You should at least know it happened.

First off, it weren't your fault. Life didn't play any of us fair, and we all did what we could to see us through it. The medicine was expensive. We didn't have money enough to heat the house, much less the pills you needed, so I did the only thing I knew how. It was never supposed to take as long as it did. It weren't supposed to be forever.

It ain't an excuse. I know.

I've fallen into rough times of late. Rougher times, I should say. Last job I took went South. I lost two of the people I was workin' with. The first died. The second ran off the moment we landed in a safe enough port. Now I'm stuck with a busted ship and no crew to fly her--and only enough coin to solve one of the two problems.

I'll see my way through this. It ain't the worst bind I've been in. I just wish I weren't so tired.

[End recording]