In the end, he couldn't do it.
Makoto still believed his father was coming home, and Ken just couldn't take that away from him. iI share his story./i Like Makoto, he was the son of a disappeared pilot, and like Makoto he still believed his father would return someday. He'd hated it when he was little and people would try to tell him otherwise.
"I'm sorry, Makoto. If there was some way I could make it true, I would..."
"Well, you can't. You're Gatchaman, not God."
Ken turned to see Joe standing in the doorway, somehow managing to look both concerned and annoyed.
"It wouldn't take God to make sure that little boy's father got back safe and sound," Ken grumbled. "Seeing how devastated he was brought back too many bad memories for me."
"I feel the same way everytime I see Galactor tear a family apart," Joe said, walking over and placing a hand on Ken's shoulder. "But even an elite team of ninjas can't fix everything and we all know it. Our job is to keep Galactor at bay and the world safe, not take care of every lost little boy or reunite every broken family."
"I know that." Ken sighed, turning to face his friend. "But I still wish we could, especially at times like this."
"Ken, you know better than anyone else that you can't let your personal feelings get in the way of a mission."
"I'm only human, Joe."
The Condor sighed, wrapping his arm around Ken and smiling sadly.
"Aren't we all."