Dear Alara,
I hope our encounter wasn't too startling. I wish we could have been in contact sooner. But you know what the van Bergen nobles would do if they knew I was on board.
Myself and a few other stowaways have been keeping track of our progress out here. I think it's clear at this point that, once again, the nobles don't really know what they're doing. This was supposed to be Elisabeth's vanity project, not something the whole future of the house depended on. They're out of their depth. And talk in the plaza these days is pretty dire; people are getting tired and hungry…
Anyway, we've been reviewing some of the records—where we can get access to them. We found something particularly interesting in the outer wall maintenance logs. The wall's constant need for repair isn't just a fluke of its alchemy. Apparently the space between the heavenly bodies isn't as empty as we had assumed!
We managed to identify the compound causing the reaction:
Matter, in the emptiness of space! If we could build an autonomous alchemical measurement apparatus, fueled by this compound, think about what more we might discover! There is real alchemy to be done out there, if we can just get a few more resources.
If you're interested, address a letter to 315 Greenrow Way off the plaza, and we'll get back to you with more detailed plans.