Kentaro nodded. It would be interesting to see what changes had made to the G-1 in his absence. He remembered it as an excellent fighter. He had a small jet back in Huntworl, but nothing like his old fighter or Ken's jet.

Kentaro also wondered if Ken's flying had improved in the intervening years. He was a superb pilot at eighteen. He wondered if Ken had surpassed him by now. Kentaro wouldn't be surprised, but he would never publicly admit to it. He was proud of his son's ability. It was one of the few things he had helped teach Ken and he had excelled

much to his delight.

Kentaro and Nambu exited the elevator and entered a large hangar area in the complex.

Next to the Godphoenix was the Eagle fighter with several technicians moving around working on it. Ken was deep in conversation with one of them as they

walked over to the plane.

"Gatchaman, I will leave the Captain with you now."

Ken nodded at Hakase. Kentaro watched confused as both men grinned at each other.

"What are you two planning? "he wondered, but said nothing waiting.

"Sam, could we clear the bay please." Nambu ordered and then left Ken and Kentaro alone.

Ken waited for the technicians to leave the area.

"Come here." Ken motioned to his father.

"I'll show you what she can do in a few minutes, if you think you're up to it." Ken's eyes glinted with amusement.

Kentaro raised an astonished eyebrow at his son. Then his face cleared. "They actually let you fly this thing?"

Ken laughed. "Come over here, then I'll take you up and show you how to fly."

Ken had spoken so calmly Kentaro almost didn't believe what he had just heard.

"Don't get impertinent with me boy!" Kentaro growled, but there was amusement in his voice.

Ken laughed and motioned to a side bay.

Kentaro walked into the bay, looked up stunned , and quickly stopped dead. Ken almost ran into him he had stopped so suddenly.

"I figured you'd want this." Ken spoke softly pointing at Kentaro's old fighter. "We've made some improvements to it. It should be faster and have a longer range. I've upgraded some of the navigation systems. I changed some of the weaponry around, but since you'll be using her I 'll have the techs do whatever you want."

Kentaro stared at his old fighter in disbelief. "It still existed.! How?" he wondered amazed. He was surprised it wasn't destroyed along with Crescent Coral. Either that Nambu or Ken would have destroyed it.

"How did it survive? I thought it was destroyed in the Galactor attacks." Kentaro asked turning to look at Ken. "Or that you would have had it destroyed." .

Ken shuffled his feet slightly uneasy. Immediately after his father's "death", he had wanted to destroy any reminder of him. He had been so angry and hurt that Kentaro had said nothing until it was too late.

"Hakase wanted to create a memorial with it to you. I refused, and told him to destroy it.

He ignored me and placed it in storage. Later he told me where it was." Ken shuffled uncomfortably as he remembered the horrible fight with Hakase when he found the plane.

"After the end of Katse's war I took it out and fixed it up. I still wouldn't fly it the first time Hakase asked me for Remembrance Day. At the end of the final war, I finally agreed to fly it then." Ken said very softly.

Ken's voice was a little hoarse as he cleared the emotion from his throat.

Kentaro watched silently, and tried not to tear-up himself.

Ken suddenly lightened the mood and grinned wickedly at his father. "So, come on old man. Let me show you how it's done."

Kentaro laughed that full hearty laugh that Ken loved hearing. "Boy, I think it's time someone put you in your place."

Ken tossed a flight suit and the keys at his father.

Kentaro quickly changed and entered the plane.

Ken taxied into place and waited as the hangar bay doors slid open.

Kentaro looked at the interior of the plane. The stick was slightly more responsive than he remembered. Recently all his flying had been done in little jets, but nothing with the power of his fighter.

Ken took off and Kentaro was cleared for take off.

"Follow me. We're going into a restricted zone. Maintain radio silence until I say. Ken out."

"Roger understood." was the only reply until they were in a safer area.

They flew along in comfortable silence. Ken looked out the cockpit to his left and saw his father in the little red jet. Ken choked up as he realized the enormity of it all. He was actually flying with his father!

"How many times I have dreamed of this...no ...prayed for this." he thought.

Ken collected himself. They had just entered the safe zone.

"Time to have some fun!" he thought.

"We're clear now. From the mountain range on the left to the water on the coast is secure."

Kentaro was amazed how quickly it all came back. This machine had always felt natural under his hand. Ken led Kentaro on an easy game of follow the leader, while his father reacquainted himself with the fighter.

"Ready for some real flying?" Ken asked as he took off rapidly twisting away from Kentaro's plane.

Kentaro answered by strafing Ken's fighter with his plane. Ken half laughed and half cursed as his plane shook from the close pass.

"Same old half crazy rat bastard, and they let him fly a plane." Ken mumbled into the radio.

Kentaro's laughter came across the radio. "Did you say something, boy?"

"God! How he had missed this!" Ken thought as he twisted away with Kentaro close behind. Ken went into a steep climb and then rapidly flipped the plane into a steep dive. Years ago Ken had blacked out while performing this maneuver. He had perfected it since.

Kentaro followed and was quickly on Ken's tail again.

Now for a new trick thought Ken. He rapidly banked to the left trying to catch Kentaro unaware.. This move always worked, but not this time. His father countered and they ended up in an acrobatic air duel.

"Nice flying, son." Kentaro thought. Aloud he mocked "I see you've been practicing."

"A little." Ken laughed.

Ken realized his father had lost nothing in all the years away. He wondered how much flying his father had done in Huntworl. He made a mental note to ask him later.

"Time to head back." Ken radioed.

"Roger" Kentaro sighed into the radio.

Neither man wanted to return. This had been a wonderful time away for the two.

Kentaro hoped they could do it again as they brought the planes back to the base.

Both men hopped out of their planes and headed for the locker rooms. Little was said as they showered and changed into new clothes.