Chapter 50: Bonds

Paperwork. Falco hated it. It seemed to hate him too. Unfortunately, it was crucial for keeping Star Fox in business. And since taking over as captain, Falco's signature was needed on almost everything. A day rarely went by when he didn't have a dozen different documents thrown onto his in-tray. Invoices; payslips; travel permits; licence renewals; contracts for their various jobs. It never ended, and it bored Falco out of his god-damned mind. He never realised just what Fox had to put up with while he was in charge. Over the past few years, Falco developed a new appreciation for the guy.

Recently, their work focused primarily on Fox's rescue. The last couple of months saw Falco read through everything from status reports for Andross's rocket to daily emails between Corneria and Novellon. A mercenary team had no business being involved in all this, really. However, thanks to the political fallout from the mission they lost Fox on, Star Fox found themselves stuck as the middlemen for the two superpowers. Falco guessed that no one could find an independent world interested in helping instead.

The good news was that Corneria and Novellon were both paying handsomely for Star Fox's trouble. Sadly, the extra work meant the team couldn't take on as many of their typical missions as they used to. Falco hadn't seen action in over two weeks himself. He complained to Peppy that their warship had somehow turned into a flying office building. Peppy laughed loudly and agreed.

Speaking of the devil, a knock at Falco's door pulled his attention away from the computer. Peppy walked in on his own. He appeared greyer around the whiskers compared to a few months ago. "It's time," he said.

Falco glanced at the clock. It read 5:26 pm. Surprised but grateful, Falco stretched his arms over his head until his shoulders popped. He logged off and stepped away from the monitor. Everything he still had to work on was now a problem for future-Falco. Let that sorry prick sort it out in the morning.

They made the short walk onto the bridge. Slippy sat there waiting on one of three camping chairs around the holoprojector. "I'm telling ya, Fox. Amanda and I were definitely the best dancers there. No bones about it! But the judges gave first place to the other team anyway!"

"Were they that good?" Fox asked.

"Well, they did get to the final round with us. But they made three separate mistakes during their routine. I reckon they only won because that poodle had a massive chest on her. Whatever the judges were thinking, it certainly wasn't with their brains."

"That sucks, Slip."

"They didn't even look real!"

"Oi, Slippy!" Falco squawked, annoyed. "You bloody started without us!"

Slippy whipped around. "What?! Fox was the one who called me. What'd you expect me to do? Leave him on hold until you finally showed up?"

"Speaking of," Fox cut in. "Are you guys still using that hold music my dad came up with?"

"Haven't changed it," Peppy answered, half-snorting.

"Lame!" They all laughed.

"Well, there is something funny about the best mercenary team having the worst jingle ever," Falco said. Who else would think to sing a marching chant to the tune of jazz and expect to be taken seriously? McCloud Snr must have once stood in the airlock too long without his helmet on.

"Too right," Fox wheezed. "So, how are you guys going?"

Falco opened the cooler between the chairs and pulled out a beer. He handed it to Peppy before cracking one open for himself. "Doing alright, I guess. Playing negotiator between two solar systems is doing my head in though." Falco screwed on a nozzle from his pocket onto the bottle, then shoved it into his beak. A slow trickle of Fichina Dry poured over his tongue. "What'cha you drinking tonight, Fox?"

"Kecheneda. Finest in all the land."

"Kechen-what?"

"Kecheneda," Fox repeated. "It's kind of like apple cider."

"Cider? That's weak," Falco scoffed. "What's wrong with a good, strong beer?"

"The Cerinians haven't gotten the hang of making it yet. Andross only gave them the idea a few years ago. Honestly, I've had lagers left in the sun that tasted better."

Falco swirled his drink around. "It really is hell down there then."

"Fuck off." Yet Fox laughed.

This was what they were here for, Falco thought with a spark in his chest. Getting the old team together, even if only in spirit. Just the four of them. Sitting around, drinking, and goofing off. Throw one joke at someone's expense and laugh as another was brutally thrown back. This was how they always spent their downtime, long before tragedy pulled them apart and left too few reasons to smile anymore. Mucking around with Fox like this again… It drove the darkness further away from Falco's soul.

"Novellon and Eulethra have finally agreed to help us with the rocket," he said. "That should cut the construction time down by half or so."

"That's great," Fox replied. "We can finish the test model a lot sooner then."

"I know it's risky, but I still say it'd be faster if we just skip straight to the real flight," Slippy grimaced.

"Me too," Fox sighed. "But Andross wants to make sure we won't lose control on our way through the dust layer."

Falco grumbled. "With all the damage he did in Lylat, I'd never peg him as the cautious type."

"Maybe so, but careful is the only way we're going to pull this off without any problems," Peppy counselled. Falco shrugged and took another swig.

"Anyway, life is boring, and a bunch of bureaucrats are always putting me to sleep. That's the way things are with us now."

"Glad I'm stuck down here and don't have to deal with that then," Fox cackled.

Falco flipped his middle finger at the projector. "Fuck you, man. Maybe I'll tell the Balvenish to shove it and leave you there for good."

"Aww. But then I won't get to see the movie they'll make about me," Fox pouted.

"If anyone makes a movie about you, I bet you'll be played by someone like Mutt Reynolds."

"What?! Bullshit! That guy was terrible in Black Hole Sniper! There's no way he could play me."

"That movie was only bad because of the script," Slippy muttered, sipping at his beer. "The CGI was kind of amateur too."

"Yeah, well, Reynolds still would be a lousy choice for me. They should at least get an actor from Papetoon."

"As long as I'm played by that Buck Aldrin fellow from Last Man on Katina, I'll be happy," Peppy remarked. "But enough of that. How are things going down there for you, Fox?"

"Same old thing, mostly. Winter's coming up soon, so I'm working overtime to get enough firewood stocked up."

"Want us to send you down some blankets and winterwear?" Peppy offered.

"I'd love some good thermals to wear," Fox chuckled. "But I reckon I'll be fine. Krystal made me this magic amulet as a Christmas present last year. When I put it on, it feels almost like summer again."

"I don't know which I want to ask about first; the magic thing or how you can celebrate Christmas down there," Falco grumbled.

"The second one's easier to explain. I told Krystal about Christmas a while ago, and last year she planned a huge party just for me."

A huge grin plastered Peppy's face. "Sounds like a keeper, Fox."

"I know it."

It went on like this for at least an hour. Falco went through two more bottles while they swapped stories from the last 3-4 years. Most of Fox's were beyond belief, though Falco was getting drunk enough to enjoy them anyway. When their last mission on Fortuna came up, he decided to milk it in front of Fox for all it was worth.

"…And boom! Katt took out Oikonny's engines just before the cyclone hit him. I tell you, Fox. That thing was brutal! I thought Dash and I were going to fly away with how hard the Landmaster was shaking. But we held tight and made it out no worse for wear."

"Damn…" Fox responded, completely in awe. "So, was that it? Oikonny's gone?"

"Well… No," Slippy answered. "We crashed Oikonny's ship, but he got away."

"So, you didn't catch him."

"That doesn't matter! We kicked his ass good. And it was way cooler than how you took down Andross back in the day," Falco argued.

"Yeah, but you were fighting Andrew Oikonny. That's not really much to boast about."

"Well, you can't boast about killing Andross anymore, because he's alive again."

"The fact that I killed him once hasn't changed. It still counts."

"Alright! Knock it off, you two," Peppy intervened sternly. "I swear, neither of you have changed one bit after all this time. Still a couple of punks who have to one-up each other over everything."

"And we wouldn't have it any other way," Fox replied with a jovial ring in his voice.

Falco agreed. Even with all the time that had passed, even after being so far apart, even with how he failed to stop events from happening the way they did, nothing ever changed between him and Fox. Their friendship was still the same. Falco was grateful for that. It meant he hadn't screwed up badly enough to ruin it. There existed a chance for things to go back to normal once they got Fox off that planet. Well… maybe not exactly normal. But close to it at least.

That was all Falco needed to finally forgive himself.

Everything hurt right now. Her shoulders were sore. Her wrists ached. Her stomach throbbed. Her eyes felt strained. Actually, it was easier for Lucy to name the parts of her body that didn't hurt to some degree.

When she envisioned becoming a mercenary, Lucy never accounted for the long, gruelling hours spent training between missions. She expected some effort required to keep up with Falco and the others. However, her father pushed her harder than ever before in her life since joining the team. His change in attitude towards Lucy's dream became less of a blessing and more like a curse. Even so, she was still serious about this, so Lucy gave it her all.

Dealings with Corneria and the Balven System worlds occupied most of Star Fox's time. That led to a set training regime for Lucy to follow whenever she wasn't helping with either Fox's rescue or the Great Fox's upkeep. Every morning, before breakfast, she worked out in the gym. As soon as Lucy washed and fed herself, she spent an hour on the flight simulator. Next came firearms training on the AR range.

After that, Lucy could rest through her lunch break. Then she attended to her duties. If there was time later in the afternoon, and she could find a partner, Lucy would finish her day sparring hand-to-hand. More often than not, Slippy volunteered to be her opponent. He was surprisingly good at fighting, it turned out. Better than Lucy at least.

Now she nursed the ache in her guts acquired from a well-placed kick on Slippy's part. Lesson learned: never drop your guard around a frog. Lucy knew she'd feel it for the next few days. Thankfully, this one was over. She could heat up some soup in the kitchen, get out of her sweaty clothes, and curl up on her bed with a heat pack pressed against her belly. Then she'd waste the night away with soap operas and reality dating shows until sleep finally released her.

Lucy was too tired to see or hear the door open on her right. She and the other person yelped as they collided. "Crap! Sorry!" Lucy exclaimed quickly. In front of her, Katt staggered for a moment, fighting to keep a hold of the box rattling in her arms.

She muttered her own string of curses. Katt then looked to Lucy. "Are you okay?"

Lucy bowed her head. "I'm fine. I'm so sorry about that, Katt. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

"Neither was I," Katt sighed. "Don't worry about it."

Seeing Katt lately felt like being around a completely different person, if Lucy were honest. After she stopped dying her fur and its natural colour grew out, it gradually created a clash in her pallet. Katt later resolved the issue by shaving the pink out, leaving behind a very shorthaired, grey feline who Lucy almost couldn't recognise. It was a good look for Katt, truly. However, it would take a while longer for Lucy to get used to this new style of hers.

Realising that she was staring, Lucy shifted her gaze to the contents of Katt's box. "What's all that?"

Katt, too, glanced at the half-dozen bottles and canisters inside. "Oh… I was holding on to the last of my fur dye in case I wanted to switch back. Since I haven't planned on it yet, I decided to finally dump it all in the trash."

"How much did you have left?"

"Most of these are still unopened. I always bought in bulk since I rarely knew when I'd get the chance to restock." Katt expelled a sullen breath.

"That seems like such a waste," Lucy remarked.

"Yeah, it's about $200 down the drain altogether."

"Isn't there something else you could do with it?"

Katt shrugged. "I don't know anyone who'd be interested in taking it." After a moment, she turned a sidelong glance at Lucy. "Unless you want to…?"

Her suggestion put Lucy on the spot. She took a moment to think and felt a thrill rise through her spine. As a teenager, Lucy always wanted to try dying her fur like some of her classmates. Sadly, she never had the courage to ask for her parents' permission. Now that the opportunity presented itself to her face, Lucy wondered whether she should take it.

"I've… never used that stuff before," she replied in lieu of an answer.

Katt's brow flicked up. "You want to give it a go?" Lucy didn't want to say no. But still, she hesitated. "I can show you how to apply it," Katt added.

Oh, what the hell? It's practically a free trial. "Okay. I guess I could try it out."

Katt's face lit up in excitement. "Oh my god! Great!" Her tail whipped wildly behind her. "Let's do this in my room!"

Lucy suddenly seemed to lose all remaining choice on the matter. In five minutes, she found herself perched on a chair in Katt's quarters, feeling somewhat like prey in a lion's den. Katt hummed as she prepared her tools of transformation. Something told Lucy that it was now far too late to back out.

"So, just letting you know. Pink is all I've got. Is that okay, Luce?"

"That's fine," Lucy answered, jittery with nerves.

"Yeah, I reckon it'll work nicely on you. How much do you want to colour?"

"I… I don't know…"

Katt combed through the tuft between Lucy's ears. "We could start with just your hair here. See how you like it. What do you think?"

"That's fine." Lucy became aware of how much free reign she was giving Katt through her uncertainty. She couldn't bring herself to stop though.

"I recommend we go with the lighter tone then. It'll look better with the darker shade if you want to go full-body like I did."

"Do… people usually do that?"

"I can't speak for most people. Some just colour the parts that show the most, like their head and arms. Personally, I think if you want to go that far, you might as well do everything. Last thing I ever wanted was to take a guy to bed and look like I was wearing a leotard or something ridiculous."

A blush almost did the dye's work for Lucy. Curious as it made her, she didn't want to discuss that topic any further with Katt. "Now, if you do want to go full-body," Katt went on, "you might want to leave your white fur as it is. Some people tone those parts too, but I'd say your natural colour will work best there."

"You think so?"

"Bunny girl, I know so." Katt started to bounce on her toes. "Ooh! This is so exciting! It's been so long since I've gotten to do this with someone. You're going to look great after this, Lucy. I promise."

She started with a narrow strand of hair as a test. When Lucy saw the colour in her reflection, idle curiosity became keen intrigue. Lucy's reservations began to melt away as she imagined what the shade would look like across her head. She soon shared Katt's enthusiasm for this.

Over the next half hour, Katt walked Lucy through every step as she administered it. How to section her hair. What state it should be in before colouring. Where to apply the dye first. How long to let it soak in, and how to factor the length and amount of hair being coloured into the timeframe. There was so much information for Lucy to absorb. She worried that she'd forget most of it later. Luckily, there was a good chance that Katt would happily teach her all over again, given how much fun she was currently having.

This was nice, Lucy had to admit. Despite being friends for years, she and Katt rarely spent much time alone together. It was a shame given how much Lucy admired Katt. Chatting about mundane things like their youths felt bizarrely normal after her day so far.

"After the gang broke up, I took up a bunch of odd jobs as a mechanic," Katt said. "One of them was with this couple of bounty hunters. They used to have a third person with them, but they walked off on their own a while earlier. The war was ramping up around Zoness, and I got fed up with Venom and pirates both throwing their weights around. So, I asked the hunters if I could join them. They said yes and taught me how to fly a starfighter. We had a lot of fun making Andross's troops miserable together."

That was the most unusual story that Lucy ever heard. Then again, most cadets who enrolled at the Academy did so because they wanted to join the Cornerian Army afterwards. So, there wasn't much variety in their experiences or ambitions. "How long did you stay with them for?" Lucy asked.

A faint sigh brushed Lucy's ears. Katt's hands stopped moving. "About a year or so. But… Mary and Jill both died on a job. I made it out… but moving on was hard. The best I could do for their families was use the reward money to cover their funeral costs."

Lucy lowered her chin. "I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago now. After that happened, I chose to work solo. I was pretty good at bounty hunting by then. Eventually, I ran into Falco and the others and helped them out on their way to Venom's home base. Then I went back to doing my own thing until Star Fox needed new pilots. The rest is history."

"Would you ever go back to working alone?"

"Nah," Katt said. "It's been fun being part of a team again these last few years. Star Fox is my home now. I don't see myself leaving anytime soon."

"I see." Lucy felt a flash of relief. "That's good to know."

Katt checked the dye's progress. It was still a little damp. "I'm glad you joined the team too, Lucy."

"You are?"

"It's nice to finally have another girl on the team. Well, I guess Vixy's always been around. But since she's not a pilot, it ends up being me and the boys a lot on missions. Plus, she's old enough to be my mom."

Katt hummed to herself briefly. "Actually… Come to think of it, she's been more like a mom to me than my real one ever was. Funny, that."

"Auntie's always been like that," Lucy giggled. "I grew up feeling like I had two moms instead of just one."

"So, it's not just me. But getting back to what I was talking about. I'm glad that you finally got to be a mercenary like you wanted. This line of work needs more women in it, and it takes a lot more for us to stand out and get the same respect as everyone else. I mean, I still meet clients who act like they're undressing me with their eyes." Katt sniffed in distaste. "A few times they'd even offer me a completely different kind of job while they do it."

Lucy's skin crawled thinking about it. "Is it really that bad?"

"It's a lot better in state militaries. Most have decent gender equality, and harassment doesn't fly well with them. But with freelancing, there's not always someone to back you up. You either have to have a good team of friends with you or show people that you can beat the shit out of anyone who gets too handsy."

"Oh… wow…" That sounded terrifying.

"You're in good company though," Katt reassured Lucy. "If you want to be a big name as a mercenary, then more power to you. It's just nice seeing another woman who's striving for that other than me."

Lucy's tension subsided. She then smiled. "Thanks, Katt. It means a lot coming from you."

"Anytime." Katt soon picked up a mirror. "So, what do you think?"

Looking at her reflection, Lucy's jaw dropped. "Oh, wow!" It might not seem like much, but the soft pearl shade in her hair made Lucy feel like a brand-new person.

"I knew you'd like it," Katt smiled, leaning over her shoulder. "Now, you're going to want to give the dye as much time to set in as possible if you want it to stick. So, hold off on washing your hair for a few days." However, she sniffed the air. "Though maybe just leave it overnight this time."

Lucy's face burned red. She knew she was a little musky after her last training session. "Y-yeah… Okay…"

"All in all, that went well." Katt began packing her kit away. "If you want to keep using these, I can give you a list of good products and where to find them. Or if you want to get your fur done at a salon, I've got a loyalty card I haven't used in a while."

Still admiring her new style, Lucy barely heard Katt. "Hm…? Oh, yes. That'd be great, thanks."

"Anytime, Luce." Wiping her hands clean, Katt quickly snatched Lucy's. "Now, let's run over to the mess hall and show everyone your new look."

She pulled Lucy onto her feet and dragged her out into the hall before she could even speak. Like everything else between them that night, events sped through like a rollercoaster. Yet after having seen the results of taking a plunge, Lucy didn't mind anymore. She enjoyed this spontaneousness that came so naturally to people like Katt. It was fun and exciting, and Lucy couldn't wait to see everyone's reaction either.

The work was hard here on Star Fox. However, being on a team with friends like these made it all worth it.

One tonne of aluminium. Another of copper. Half that of iron. Two hundred kilograms of gold. Or perhaps only one hundred? What was this month's market price again? Andross scratched his memory and tried to calculate how it would fit within their budget. Best to start off conservative, he decided. He could always ask their supplier and adjust the order when he went to procure the next lot of materials.

The rocket's construction now proceeded better than he ever anticipated. Earlier that day, Andross learned that the other powers in the Balven System would soon help with manufacturing parts. In exchange however, they wanted samples from Cerinia for study. That request would be simple enough to fulfill. There were plenty of titbits left over from his own research lying around the lab. So long as Andross accounted for their weight during launch, there shouldn't be any serious concerns.

What did trouble him was what came after the flight. No matter what he pressured Cornelius Pepper to swear, there was no guarantee that Corneria would let him walk freely. The moment that Fox McCloud left his reach, Andross could find himself in handcuffs at best and a body bag at worst. Naturally, Pepper would also expect betrayal from him and prepare countermeasures. Andross contemplated how he would work around those ploys, and whether the Cornerians might plan contingencies for that as well. It became an intricate and deadly game of chess, where every tactic was planned out before the first piece was even moved.

'A bit like the Lylat Wars. Eh, Cornelius?' Andross smirked. Curiously, he found fun in this conundrum. Perhaps psychiatrists would have something to say about that. Several made their fortunes psychoanalysing him after all, despite him having never met them.

A sudden beeping interrupted his thoughts. Andross turned to gaze at the radio that McCloud donated to him from the spare care package. Thene walked in with the laundry at the same time. "Quite late for a call, don't you think?" she commented.

"There certainly wasn't one scheduled for this hour," Andross replied. He moved to receive it. "Good evening. This is Doctor Andross."

"Grandfather. It's Dash."

Andross smiled. So, this was a social call. "Ah, Young Dash. Hello. How is your leg healing?"

"Well, sir. It should fully mend in another few weeks."

"Excellent. I hope that all goes well. Bear in mind that a persisting ache when you start walking will be normal. However, if the pain lingers after two weeks, go see your doctor. But if they tell you there's nothing more that can be done, find someone with better credentials. Any surgeon who's opened a book in the last 30 years should know how to reconstruct a faulty union."

"Yes, sir… Thank you."

Over the few occasions Andross spoke with his grandson, he developed a liking for the boy. His demeanour and intellect set him leagues above Andrew as a relative. In Dash's position, Andrew would have feigned bravado over his wounds when it suited him, usually to impress Andross, then whimper for sympathy from everyone else. Dash, however, was cut from a different cloth. Humble; straightforward; open; and above all, if the story behind his injury was anything to go by, reliable and self-sufficient. Certainly enough to not louse up a delicate mission within the first six hours. Truly someone worth calling Andross's own blood.

"If it's alright, there's someone here who wants to speak with you," Dash said.

This garnered Andross's interest. "Hm?"

He heard a faint "You ready?" from the other end. Seconds passed, giving Andross more time for his mind to churn with anticipation. A deep intake soon breathed. It released just as slowly.

"Dad…?"

Every conceivable thought fled from Andross in an instant. That one word struck him like a fist, leaving him stunned, numb, and breathless. He didn't expect this. Nothing could have prepared him for it… For him to hear this voice… which sounded so grown up after so many years. A trembling hand clasped over Andross's lips. Slowly, with force, he pried them away.

"Ashley…"

A little girl's sharp sob pierced deep into his heart. What choked her strangled him as well. "You're alive," his daughter whispered. "You really are still alive."

Andross felt Thene's hand come to rest atop his shoulder. A small comfort to tether him against this surge of emotions. They rose like a geyser through his sigh. "Oh, little one. I've missed you so."

"I thought I'd never get to speak to you again," Ashley wept.

"Neither did I." Time passed but neither of them said another word. What could he say? Andross decided to start small and simple. "How are you?"

"I've… I've been well," Ashley replied. Andross wondered. What did she look like now? Like her mother, most likely. "And how about you?"

Andross grunted. "Life on this planet leaves much to be desired. The highest mode of transport is a drawn carriage, and most people's education is at an elementary level at best." He glanced briefly at Thene. "Still… there are exceptions, and it is a comfortable life here."

"I see… That's nice at least…"

She fell quiet again. Andross suspected the reason and dreaded broaching it. However, it would be pointless to try avoiding the subject. "I imagine there are things that you wish to get off your mind."

"Just one, mostly." Ashley spoke so softly. Hurt crept its way into her voice. "Why? Why did you do it, Dad? All of it?" A sob escaped her. "I want to know. I have to. I need to hear it from you."

Yes. That was exactly what Andross expected her to say. He subconsciously reached for his shoulder and laid his fingers atop of Thene's. He drew much-needed strength from them.

"There is no answer I can offer that will give you peace," he said. His heart grew heavier. "I will not make excuses or lie to you. What I say might hurt you even more. Are you sure that you still wish to know?"

For a moment, all he heard were shallow breaths over the static. "Mom…?" Dash murmured.

"I do."

Her response saddened Andross. In a way however, he was proud of his daughter's resolve. "The first thing that you need to understand… is that the Catalyst was not my fault. Everything else after my exile was my choice, but that one incident was caused by a mechanical failure."

"What?!" Dash exclaimed.

"Oh, God…!" Ashley matched his horror.

"The millions dead and countless homes destroyed? All of it because of an accident. There were no evil experiments or plots of treason. Just top-secret military projects that went horribly wrong. And I was made to bear the blame."

Did they believe him? He supposed they had little reason to from his word alone. Yet Andross dared to hope. After all, Fox McCloud did, even if he rejected the truth at first. "Enraged, I sought vengeance for everything that the Cornerians took from me. Then when your mother made it clear that I was no longer welcome at home, I felt like I had nothing left to lose." He sighed. "However, none of that justifies the harm I wilfully inflicted upon so many more innocents. I am conscious of that much."

Tears wracked inside his ears. Each one hammered nails into Andross's chest. "I am sorry, Ashley. I'm sorry for the heartache that I've caused you, and for adding so much to your hardships. As a father, it's unforgiveable."

"And what now?" Ashley wept. "You lost your war and already died once. Dash told me about your cloning experiments. Now you're stuck on that planet, and the only people who can help you want to either arrest you or worse. What am I supposed to look forward to when it looks like I'm going to lose my father a second time?"

Andross's heart broke a little wider. "I wish I had an answer to that." Truly, he did. "As much as I would like to make up for the time that we lost, I know that's not possible. Corneria believes I'm too dangerous to imprison, and I cannot return to Lylat without more conflict arising."

"She could come with us after we escape the Cornerians," Thene intruded Andross's thoughts. He'd be lying if that suggestion didn't tempt him.

"I will not drag my child into a life aiding a fugitive." Keeping his distance was the one good thing that he could do for her.

"I figured as much," Ashley relented. "All I was hoping was that you wouldn't live the rest of your life for more violence. I just want to know that you could choose to help people instead, like how I used to remember you."

'I see… So, that's what matters to her.' Andross leaned back into his chair. "There was an epidemic here, not too long ago. The cause was unknown, and over a thousand people perished. I imagine things would have become far worse had I not developed a cure."

"You mean you saved the natives?" Dash piped up.

An oversimplification of what it took to overcome all the hurdles that arose, but yes. "I did."

"With help, don't forget," Thene butted in crisply. "As I recall, I'm the one who made the antifungal agent and retrieved all the ingredients for the antibiotics."

Andross quickly muted the line. "Yes, dear. I haven't forgotten."

"Who was that, Dad?" Ashley asked.

"Uh…" Drat! He should have anticipated this better. Andross considered how to respond, yet it felt so awkward to put into words. Subconsciously, he glanced up to Thene. She lifted a brow to him, waiting. That woman was ready to cause trouble if she didn't like how he answered. Damn it!

"Ashley, dear…" he began carefully. "There is someone who I would like to introduce you to. This is Thene… My partner."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Thene greeted easily. "Your father has many fond memories to share about you."

"Oh…" Understandably, Ashley sounded taken aback. This was hardly news she'd expect to receive. "It… It's nice to meet you too… As best as we can at the moment, I suppose…"

"Thene has more or less been my one true companion during my stay here on Cerinia," Andross elaborated. "Not many others from her kind trust me wholeheartedly."

"Oh, I'm sure that's no longer the case, darling. You did cure the nuhmryg after all. That's earned you more than a few new fans among the masses," Thene smirked. "Your father has been quite busy here with us, Ashley. He has taught us many things to improve how we live, including how to better make medicine, grow food, and supply water throughout our city."

Although all statements were true, Thene's tone made Andross's face burn for some irritating reason. "There's no need for you to advocate me, Thene," he muttered. Her response was a playful flick of her tail upon his back.

"Dad… That makes me happy to hear," Ashley said softly. "I'm glad that you used your time there to help people again."

A smile formed upon Andross's lips. "It was mostly a matter of necessity, though I'll admit that it was not unpleasant," he conceded. "I suppose that over the years since I was framed, I lost sight of what was worth fighting for. Living among the Cerinians feels like it's reminded me somewhat."

"That's wonderful, Dad."

Lest this conversation turn to things that he did not wish to discuss with her, Andross asked Ashley about her life. He lit up with pride upon learning that she was an accomplished robotics engineer. Recent improvements to medical AI were largely her design. Using her talents for the health sector pleased Andross. It would have been easy for someone with the same skills to develop technology that could be weaponised. He felt at ease knowing that Ashley would unlikely misuse her gifts as he had.

Soon, Andross stepped back from the discussion as Thene spoke with Ashley and Dash directly. Theirs would be an interesting dynamic. One that might've been scandalous under more common circumstances. By his estimate, Thene was younger than Ashley would be now. Yet Thene got along well with her. Something rare indeed. Andross smiled. He might never get the chance to see his family enjoy a moment like this in the same room. However, if this was the closest that they'd ever get, then it would still be more than enough for him.