Back in the present, Sisto was sitting on the ground with his back against the bars of his cell, and Space Ghost was sitting with his back to Sisto. Sisto had been lost in his memories, but now he spoke again.
"At first I liked that he was nicer," said Sisto. "But it came at a horrible price. He no longer knew how to plan his brilliant missions. Without him, we were nothing. I can't… I just can't look at him anymore. He's a shell of his former self."
"He's different now," agreed Space Ghost. "But maybe this is a sign that it's time to give up space piracy. Live a decent life."
"Oh, that." Sisto waved his paw dismissively. "I gave up space piracy the day you captured us. I've given up on ever living that life again."
"Then why don't you want to leave prison and come work for Ghost Planet Industries?"
"Because this is the only place in the universe that I know for sure that I'll never have to see him."
"Your sentence was only a fifteen-year one," said Space Ghost. "You're going to have to face this sooner or later."
"Later is better. I've enrolled in continuing education. I'm studying literature and history as well as learning how to build and maintain spacecrafts at a professional level. I'm also building up a decent savings with the pittance I get paid working. I've got to have a good plan if I want to stay disappeared when they let me out."
Space Ghost shook his head. "It's not right."
"It is what it is," said Sisto sharply. "I don't see you spending any time with your brother, you know!"
"That's different," replied Space Ghost, matching Sisto's hostility. "My brother is trying to kill me! Yours just wants to see you again!"
"The subject is closed, Space Ghost." Sisto stood up and moved back to his cot. "I'm going back to my book. You go back to your television program."
Space Ghost stood up and brushed his legs off. "I meant to ask, before I go?"
"Hm?" Sisto was already lying down with his book open, held up in the air with his head flat on the surface. He looked at Space Ghost from under the pages.
"How did you survive the pirannamyte?"
"I don't know," said Sisto.
"Brak doesn't, either."
"Guess it'll always be a mystery," said Sisto. With that, he stopped acknowledging Space Ghost entirely. Space Ghost tried a few more times to engage him in conversation, but to Sisto it was just the hum of television static against his ears.
"So, that's it."
Space Ghost was telling Zorak and Moltar about his meeting with Sisto over lunch in the commissary. Both of them were listening with mild interest, mostly intrigued at the drama than out of any real care about the situation. Space Ghost had his head down and his arm over it, as he usually did when he was feeling depressed.
"I never thought of Brak and Sisto as brothers," said Moltar.
"Didn't think they did, either," said Zorak. He was idly passing his empty coffee mug from one hand to the other on the table like a hockey puck.
"Brak's birthday is coming up soon though," said Space Ghost. "I have to do something."
"No, you don't," said Moltar.
"Yes, I do. I just don't know what."
"Yeah," said Zorak pointedly. "It's hard to force people to do something they don't want to do when you don't have anything to threaten them with, isn't it?"
"But there has to be something," continued Space Ghost, ignoring the commentary.
"Why don't you club him over the head and drag him to the party while he's unconscious?" offered Zorak.
"That won't work," said Space Ghost.
"No, maybe you'll be lucky and give him a brain aneurysm. Then he'll be stupid like Brak."
"I mean the guards would see me and I'd get in trouble," said Space Ghost.
"Oh, right, forgot about the guards."
"Yeah, but they don't forget about you," said Moltar. He took a sip of coffee as he mulled over the situation in his mind. "So, he really doesn't want to get out? At all? He even signed the wavier so he wouldn't be eligible for parole?"
Space Ghost looked up. "What are you talking about?"
"He's not in Omega Prison, right? He's at that other one the Galactic Patrol uses."
"Yeah, he's at Soleil Sombre, the one on the Mondufleurian colony," said Space Ghost.
"I like that one," said Zorak. "That one's nice. Not overpopulated. Easier to escape from."
"Yeah, that's why they send you to the other one," said Space Ghost
"Anyway," said Moltar. "Well, when you're eligible for parole, you either fill out a form to get a hearing, or they make you fill out a wavier to pass on it. So, if he doesn't want to get out, he just has to sign that."
"He's crazy," said Zorak. "Totally nuts."
"How long was he sentenced?" asked Moltar.
"Fifteen years."
Moltar did some math in his head. "Concurrent or consecutive sentencing?"
Space Ghost took a minute to think back to the trial. "Uh… I'm pretty sure concurrent."
"Let's see… fifteen years seems pretty low for space piracy, so I'm guessing that the defense pinned most of it on Brak as the leader and Brak got leniency due to mental incompetency. I know that they wouldn't be able to get the charges from the platinum heist to stick. Add the kidnapping and possession of illegal weapons… I'd estimate he'd be up for parole in about… eighteen months ago to four months ago. So yeah. He's signed the wavier."
"Interesting," mused Space Ghost. "Very interesting…"
"Of course, if he's been causing trouble, he wouldn't get it anyway," continued Moltar. "So, it wouldn't matter."
"No, he hasn't been causing trouble," said Space Ghost. "He's at that sweet spot where he's got a dangerous enough reputation that people looking for trouble don't want to mess with him, but he's not the toughest guy there so nobody picks a fight with him to prove something. From what I can see he's been keeping his nose clean."
"Huh. Well, at least then they should be giving him time off for good behavior."
Space Ghost stood up. "Excuse me."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to make a few phone calls. If I'm not back in half an hour, one of you needs to guest host tonight's show."
Zorak threw his hand up. "I call dibs! I'm going to try mass-hypnotizing the TV audience tonight!"
"That's not fair," whined Moltar, "you got to guest host last time Space Ghost flaked out. When do I get to guest host?"
"You're the director, not the talent," said Zorak.
"I have talent." Moltar sounded hurt.
"Look, work it out between yourselves," said Space Ghost. "I have things to do."
Sisto had no idea what was going on. The day had started so normally. He'd woken up, gotten his breakfast slop in the cafeteria, broken a guy's shiv when he looked like he was going to start something out of sight of the guards, and then went to get his work assignment. Then, the next thing he knew, he was being hustled out of the cell block by two guards who wouldn't say anything except that his lawyer had been in contact with them, and they had to get to the hearing.
He was even more confused when he got to the hearing chamber and saw Space Ghost and Dr. Nightmare waiting for him. The Examiner was one he had never seen before, a humanoid daisy alien with long petals for hair. Dr. Nightmare shoved Sisto into his seat and said, "Keep your mouth shut."
"What are you doing here?" asked Sisto. "And come to think of it, what am I doing here?"
"What did I just say? I'm your lawyer. Keep your mouth shut."
"Since when are you a lawyer?"
"Since recently. Now seriously, keep quiet, you're hurting your case."
"All right," said the daisy. "Is this the prisoner in question?"
"Yes, this is my client," said Dr. Nightmare.
"State your name for the record, please," said the daisy.
"Sisto," said Sisto.
"All right, Sisto. They tell me that you never waived your right to a parole hearing. Is that true?"
"What? Wait, is that what this is about? I told them I—"
"Yes or no, please," said the daisy curtly.
"No," said Sisto, and hoped she heard the asterisk in his voice.
"You see, Your Ladyship?" said Dr. Nightmare. "My client has been denied his rights by the Galactic Council. He has been eligible to apply for the past eleven weeks and has not even been allowed to start the process to make his case heard. This is a violation of his Right to Movement under the Imprisonment Clause and constitutes unnecessarily cruel punishment."
The Examiner turned to the guards. "Is this true?"
One of the guards said sheepishly, "Yes, technically. We don't have it on file that he submitted an application or a waiver."
"Has he asked for one?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Who would?"
The guard sucked on his teeth, which was enough of an answer.
"Regardless," said the Examiner, "it's on the prison to make sure the documents are signed. It's your job to make sure he has access to everything he has a right to have.
"My client is generally quiet and well-behaved," said Dr. Nightmare. "This should have worked in his favor, as well-behaved prisoners are more likely to get parole. It's a travesty that the very qualities that would be considered caused him to be ignored."
"This is all—" Sisto started to talk, but then he caught sight of Space Ghost. Space Ghost was just out of sight of the examiner, and he tapped his power bands. Sisto knew that he wouldn't be blasted right here in front of everyone, but he also knew it wasn't an empty threat, and he closed his mouth.
"That's why, as soon as he was able to contact me, I put in an expedited order that his case be heard. I can't risk him falling through the cracks again."
"I agree that he deserves to be heard now," said the Examiner. "But just because he's quiet doesn't mean he automatically gets parole. There's more to it than not breaking the prison rules."
"Yes, and you'll find that Sisto has gone above and beyond to better himself," continued Dr. Nightmare. "He's chosen both academic pursuits and vocational training so that he can become a productive member of society upon his release. I also have a witness statement that he has spoken of giving up piracy."
"That would be from you, then?" asked the Examiner.
"Yes," said Space Ghost. "I spoke with him just the other day, which is when I found out about this gross injustice."
"You did the right thing," said the Examiner. "From what I can see there's enough reason to let him out. I've reviewed his records while we were waiting. He looks like the kind of prisoner we like to see when it's time to release."
"Wait…" Sisto was still catching up. "Are you trying to say…?"
"I'm granting you your parole," said the Examiner. "Congratulations, Sisto."
They were hustled out of the room so the next case could be heard. Sisto was standing, dumbfounded, in the hallway.
"Thanks for your help," said Space Ghost to Dr. Nightmare.
"Anytime," said Dr. Nightmare. "I'm always happy to get one of your enemies out from behind bars." He nodded to Sisto and then left.
Sisto turned to Space Ghost. "I can't believe you just—"
"Hey," said Space Ghost, "You left it wide open. You never even asked them about the waiver. If you really wanted to stay behind bars, you should have gotten that squared away. I honestly didn't even think I would get this lucky."
"You bastard!" Sisto took a swing at Space Ghost and connected with his unusually broad chest, but it was a weak and unskilled punch, and all it did was hurt his fist. "You can't stop meddling in my life! Why do you even care so much?"
"Because Brak's my friend," said Space Ghost.
"Are you serious?" Sisto rubbed his sore fist delicately.
"Well, actually, he's more of an associate. But if I'm being honest, the ex-villains who work on my show are the closest thing I have to friends, and I want to look out for them."
"That's so sad," said Sisto.
"So, tell me you're going to come to his party tonight?"
Sisto looked up at Space Ghost, his eyes stinging as much as his fist. "If I do this, will you leave me alone for the rest of forever?"
"Unless you start committing crimes and I have to arrest you, yes."
"Fine. Whatever. Yes, I'll go."
Space Ghost beamed. "Wonderful!"