Bright paced in front of his desk pulling at his lips as he thought. In front of him stood his son, Hathaway, who hung his head in shame.

"Father I—"

"Hathaway don't speak."

Frustrated tears spiked at Hathaway's eyes.

"Why not? I know what's going to happen! You're going to make a decision based on your side only! You never listen—"

There was a flurry of movement as Bright punched his son in the face. The impact was huge, Hathaway sliding back in the low gravity.

"Don't you dare talk to me after what you've done! You stole a mobile suit! You fired upon and killed one of our own!"

Hathaway touched his face where his father had hit him, tears rolling from his eyes onto his hot cheeks.

"Chan was a brilliant young girl! She had a future ahead of her, and you took that away!"

Hathaway stood and rubbed his face furiously, now wasn't the time for tears.

"It's time you took responsibility for your actions!"

Bright grabbed his son by the collar and yanked him close.

"Are you even paying attention?"

Hathaway then snapped, smashing his fist into his father's face. Low gravity and inertia took hold and Bright came to rest against the wall. He rubbed his face, staring at his son in disbelief.

"You hit me… You hit your own father!"

Hathaway spat on the floor.

"Of course I did. How else am I supposed to get something across to someone as violent as you are, father."

Bright grit his teeth.

"How dare-"

'Not even my own father hit me!'

'Then he was soft on you! How is a boy supposed to become a man without being hit at least once?'

A wave of realization washed over Bright, and he slowly sunk back down to the floor.

"I had just broken through. I was finally going to take Quess home, back to the Ra Cailum and that woman, Chan, she… she…."

Hathaway's voice broke into soft sobs and it woke Bright up from his trance. He walked over and placed a firm hand on Hathaway's shoulder.

"Hathaway… my son…. we've… we've all lost people special to us today. Both the Federation and the Zeon forces."

He grasped his teenaged son's face and wiped the tiny tears away with his thumbs.

"I'm sorry for hitting you. I… I made a poor judgement."

He embraced Hathaway tightly, squeezing the living daylights out of him. Hathaway seemed unsure of what to do. He hesitated but eventually hugged his father back. Bright pulled away and kissed his sons forehead.

"I'm still the Captain of the Ra Cailum, I'm afraid my job isn't over yet."

He looked around for his hat, only to have Hathaway toss it lightly in his direction. He snatched it from the air and put it on.

"I'll be back. We'll talk this over then alright? Both your story and my story."

Hathaway nodded slightly, putting his hand back over the spot where Bright had hit him earlier. Bright opened the door and took a step out. He then hesitated, chewing on his lip in thought. He looked back to Hathaway and cocked his head.

"On second thought, why don't you come to the bridge with me? You can sit in the co-chair."

Hathaway looked up, his face brightening a little.

"Really?"

Bright threw an arm around his son's shoulders.

"Of course."

Then, walking together, the two Noa men made their way to the bridge.