“In the years that followed the Ananke Conference, there was a boom of communication, trade, and cultural exchange across the Seven Systems. Of all of these, it is Cheimeros that remained the most fiercely independent and in touch with their cultural history. A lot of this can be traced to the influence of one Aphra Clayborne. Her fierce drive to remember and retain the old cultural traditions of the system only had minimal effects at first, but over time she became the driving figurehead of a conservation and regrowth movement that has swept Cheimeros in the last years.

“Because of this, the Cheimeran feelings on their own culture became ones of much more fierce pride. They are as intractable as ever, but these days it is much more out of loyalty and enjoyment of their ways of life rather than out of fear of what is external. The Cheimeran Pride, as exemplified and pushed by Aphra, is now one of the defining characteristics of modern Cheimeros.”

— An excerpt from Changing Cultures in the Seven Systems.

To whom it may concern,

I have to say that I have just finished watching your production of The Times That Were, and I have to say that I am dreadfully disappointed by your portrayal of our alternate timelines. Having lived in one, and also extensively studying them during my time on the Prometheus, I know much about the horrific fates that we have all avoided personally experiencing. By trivialising and ignoring these fates you are rejecting hard and dangerous work done by the CHRONOS team, and risking plunging into greater chaos in the future.

I hope that I can expect a full apology, retraction, and fix in the very near future.

Yours,

Aphra Clayborne

The pair of women, so close that they may be twins, walk up the side of the ridge, towards the farm they have shared for nearly twenty years now. It started out as a little as a little pond, cradled next to one of the planet's telltale vents, but has grown to encompass large enough areas to feed the two of them, as well as the community which has grown up around them. For Aphra, and Aphra, the life isn't the grandest thing in the world, but it is more than good enough for them. They reach the entrance to the farm as the sun dives below the horizon, and they turn to watch the last remains of the daylight.

Inside, they turn to greet the dozen or so neighbours and friends who have come to share in their hospitality. Harvest has been plentiful this year, and what better way to bring together the community than around a table with the produce of it. There is a cheer at their arrival, and the celebration begins in earnest, bringing in the community's favourite pair.