Spiral Portrait Hall

Henry stood in one of the spiral hallways, rubbing his finger over the golden dollar sign embedded with blue gems that now hung from a golden chain around his neck. His eyes swept across portraits of Chiefs past. Dusty, Cloudface, Randy Radman, Reynaldo the Brute, Jaques Kensington, Sir Wilford IV, Terrence Suave… Reginald Copperbottom… Sven Svensson. Henry's eyes lingered on Reginald's plate. He grinned into the camera, a sly smile some mistook for a taunting smirk, the fingers of one hand twirling his mustache like a classic movie villain. Henry had always found amusement in the action. His father did that on occasion, mostly in tense situations involving a massive obstacle that Reginald managed to get on top of. Chief Sven stared, unamused, into the camera. It wasn't too bad a reflection from his normal mood. Even when they were alone, Henry sticking with him far more than most others as his right hand, Chief Sven looked perpetually exasperated. Though, whenever he and Burt met up, he looked a little less annoyed.

Dad Reginald.

Dad Right's portrait was nowhere to be seen. No deputies who didn't become chiefs had dedicated portraits in this hall. A shame, but Dad Right did have a picture of himself, one that hung next to Dad Reginald's. Together in death as they had been in life.

A pang cut through Henry's heart at the thought. They had lived just long enough to see the rocket complete and to start to take off, but never did step foot inside and look out the window to see the Earth far, far below. Henry would gladly trade his title and position if he meant the previous chief was alive. He'd have given his own life for them, which he nearly did. But Ellie and Howie wouldn't have let that happen. Because of those government goons, Henry was robbed of his parents. And now, as he looked at the portrait of his late father, he found so much more had been lost than he previously realized.

They didn't see Sven's ceremony, or Henry's appointment. They didn't see the Toppat rocket become a thriving station. They didn't see Henry's wedding day, nor would they see their grandchild. But… Henry saw it, he lived it. One day, Henry would come to take his last breath, too. But that day was not today, nor would it be any day soon. With Ellie and Howie at his side, with the Toppat Clan living in the station, he doubted that day would come any time soon.

"Ah thought Ah'd find ya here."

Henry didn't need to look behind himself to see Howie approaching him. "Yeah."

"It's been a long few years," Howie said with a small shrug. "With your and Chief Sven's guidance and caution, far fewer people've lost what you have."

"I don't know how to feel about that."

"Heh. Not good, probably," said Howie. "Not that ya'd want people to lose more. If ya did, we'd see it and Ah'd probably have ta toss you out the station! But Ah get it."

A short silence spanned between them.

"So, Ellie sent me."

"Oh?" Henry looked back at him.

"Ah don't understand women," Howie sighed. "She sounded 'bout ready to kill ya, but she asked me to make sure you were okay? Oh, and somethin' about, eh… shopping or…?"

"Ooooh." Henry nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I promised I would go pick out some clothes and colors. Can you believe she's changed her mind on what color the walls should be three times?"

"Women are crazy, Ah'll give ya that."

"Pfft." Henry turned away from the portrait completely and made his way to a ladder going up. "You only say that because you managed to marry the craziest woman I know."

"She ain't that bad."

"…"

"A'ight, she has her moments. But Ah love her."

"And we all know that."

Mission Complete

Angel and Not-Angel. It's been a while.

Executive Promotion