Ken sat in Nambu's office waiting for the man to show up. He was off base and was on his way in, now that Ken had shown up. What would Nambu say? Would he believe it was the real leader of the Gatchaman? The silence was overwhelming in the office, but the young man never noticed it.

Jinpei ran in and stopped in front of his commander. He looked hard at him, and studied him before he spoke. "Is it really you, Ken?" Ken stood up and walked over to the window.

"Yeah, kid it is me."

"Where were you? How did you get away?" Ken turned to him, and wondered if Jinpei had liked the other teen better.

"It's a long story, that I will tell everyone later." Jinpei, knew Ken was sad, and he went over and gave him a hug.

"It's good to have you back." Then the kid walked out the door, leaving Ken alone again. If only it felt good to be back. He felt different, out of place. He sat back down, lost in thought, and that is how Nambu found him when he entered his office.

"Ken?" The young man stood up and faced his mentor, and saw a smile light the older man's face. The man came over and put his hand on the boys shoulder.

"Yeah, it's me." Nambu had gotten a call from Joe, who had told him Ken was upset, that he had felt replaced by his double. But something else was bothering him, he could feel it.

"Tell me everything." Nambu sat on the edge of his table and looked at the dark haired young man. Ken returned the look, and began his tale. He only left out the home movies. Nambu listened quietly to him, and then stood up. ""Ken, you take a few days off, rest. Write up your report when you return. Do you need anything?"

"No, sir... Didn't anyone notice it wasn't me?"

"No, I wish we had. He was good, apparently he had studied you well. But Joe caught him in the mistake."

"What did he do?"

"Well, Joe ask to use the missiles, and that Ken agreed, easily."

"Yeah that would sure give a warning light to Joe. Glad he noticed it. Wish he had before...." Ken trailed off and left it at that. He turned and walked out. Leaving a puzzled Nambu standing there.

Jun stood there, looking out over the race track, with Joe standing behind her. There were tears flowing down her face, and it hurt Joe to see them. He moved up and placed his arms around her waist and hugged her to him. She leaned her head back on his shoulder. Taking comfort in his embrace.

"Jun, do you want to go with me to the race?"

"Yes, if I wouldn't be in the way." Joe looked down at her head, and lightly kissed it.

"Never that. You are welcome anytime. I will get out my big stick, keep my fellow racers from getting close to you. Should I bring the blue, or green one?"

"You're nuts, Joe." She sniffled, and tried to smile up at him. "You are the best, Joe. Never doubt that." She put her arms over his, and took a deep breath.

"Anytime, always be there for you." He meant it too, and he wanted so much to beat up a certain Eagle.

Ken was at a small restaurant with Ryu, who had invited him. A welcome home gift. Of course Ryu would think it the perfect gift. They sat there eating, he was eating pasta, and Ryu was eating several dishes of food. Though he appreciated the effort, it tasted like paper to him, but he talked to Ryu, and pretended all was well.

"You know Ken, that Joe wont be around for a few days, he probably left early this morning, he's got a race coming up tomorrow. Princess was thinking of going along, you could probably catch her." He looked at his watch. "I guess not, if she went with him, they are long gone by now. I bet you want to see her, especially."

"Not necessarily, Ryu. I know what happened while I was gone. I saw tapes of it. I saw all of you." Ryu shook his head and put his fork down.

"Ken, we didn't know. We thought the vacation had done you good, that you were feeling fine. That you had decided to do what all of us have wanted you to do... get with Jun."

"But you know better, it's not easy to be the commander. I sacrifice what I feel for the good of the team, and earth."

"But you are human, you are a guy, who's straight. You like girls, especially a certain swan. You can have both. I would if I found a girl like her." Ken looked at Ryu, and as usual found that the other teen made sense.

"But, she thought he was me. I saw..."

"You always try to be fair, but hard on yourself. Now you are being unfair to her. Would you rather he had killed her? He could have. I think you are jealous my friend. But do you really have a right to be? She is having a hard time dealing with what happened, more than you. She is the one who was the victim."

"Ryu, you are indeed a wise old owl. Thanks. I have a lot to think on. You gave me new things to think on." Ken turned to his food, more hungry now, and ate his desert, Ryu turned back to his food, and hoped he had said the right thing.