Author's Note: This is the sequel to Her Sanctuary I created after playing through Second Story R. Ashton and Rena's Aftermath Tale was remastered, and now, it's time for the second and final Aftermath Tale. It won't be nearly as long as the first, as Ashton and Rena were my main focus, but I wanted to show why Claude never came back during the events of Her Sanctuary, and where his future now lies. Enjoy!
Star Ocean: The Second Story R
The Aftermath Tale of Claude Kenny and Precis Neumann
Star-Crossed Hearts
In the orbit around planet Expel, a massive starship was idling around the planet. It was a vessel of the Pangalactic Federation, helmed by a hero of the struggle against the Ten Wise Men, the greatest threat the universe had ever seen. On the bridge was that hero, surrounded by loyal crew members. One crew member in particular stood particularly close to that hero.
"Status report, helmsman." The captain of the ship, Claude Kenny, ordered.
"We're holding steady in Expel's orbit, Captain Kenny." The helmsman reported. "We're in the process of establishing communications with the planet to find a suitable location for transport to the surface."
"Very good, helmsman." Claude said in approval. "Remain on standby until the appropriate clearance has been given. Expel has only just recently been accepted into the Pangalactic Federation, and we don't want to risk creating a planetary incident by overstepping our authority."
"Yes, captain!" The helmsman exclaimed loyally.
Claude turned his attention to another member of his crew, the one closest to his vicinity.
"Dr. Neumann, this must be quite exciting for you, to finally be returning to your home planet after three years."
"Of course!" Said Dr. Neumann, or Precis F. Neumann, as she was known more informally. "I can't wait to see what my old man has cooked up at the workshop while I've been gone!"
"I'm sure Graft will be so proud to see how far you've come in your time since coming to Earth with me. The strides you've made in these short few years surpasses what some spend their entire lives on. We're quite fortunate to have you as part of the crew here on the Calnus II, Dr. Neumann."
Precis felt her cheeks becoming rather flushed and Claude's barrage of compliments.
"Oh jeez, just butter me up, why don't you Claude, errr…I mean, Captain Kenny."
"I have to give credit where credit is due, doctor." Claude said. "Ah yes, before I forget, I need to discuss your latest report on the ship. Would you mind meeting me in my quarters in a few moments?"
"Of course, captain, I'll gather my report and meet you there." Precis said.
"Very good. Helmsman, report to me when clearance to land has been given." Claude said.
"Yes, sir!" The helmsman responded.
Claude made his way to his personal quarters of his ship. Moments after arriving, there was a knock on the door.
"It's open." Claude called to the person behind the door. Precis entered the door and shut it behind her, locking it so she and Claude could have some privacy.
"Heheh." Precis chortled. "Man, Claude, you've really got this whole stoic captain act down to a science now!"
"Do I?" Claude asked. "Thanks, Precis. I sure hope I can at least somewhat live up to the reputation of my dad."
"As far as I'm concerned, Claude, you've already surpassed him. Just the same, I know he'd be proud of you for all you've done for the federation."
Claude smiled sheepishly at Precis' compliment.
"Thanks. Sorry I have to be so stuffy around the rest of the crew when we're together, but I figured it'd be best if we kept our relationship professional when around them."
"Hmmm…" Precis said, putting her hand to her chin in a motion of thought. "I suppose I'll let it slide, but I think you could probably loosen up a bit more around them. I mean, it's gotta be the worst-kept secret on the entire ship that we're together."
"Hah, true enough, Precis." Claude admitted.
Setting down her report on Claude's desk, Precis made her way over to Claude and sat down next to him. Claude put his arm around Precis, while she wrapped both her arms around his waist.
"So, Claude, are you ready for this?" Precis questioned.
"I think so…" Claude said half-reassuringly. "I knew I'd have to face the music sooner or later. I just hope she doesn't hate me."
"Oh, come on!" Precis yelped. "We both know Rena's not that kind of person! I don't think she could ever hate you!"
"But Precis…" Claude said, becoming somewhat downtrodden. "I left her there alone, saying that I would come back someday. It's been three years and I'm just now finally returning to Expel."
"Claude…" Precis said lowly.
"I wouldn't blame her if she hated me. But…I just couldn't keep it up any more. What we had during our journey, I thought it was love, but at the end of it all, I just didn't feel the same way about her that I do about you."
Precis nodded fervently, pulling Claude closer to her.
"It was the only way you could go about it, Claude." Precis pointed out. "What other option did you really have? Were you gonna tell her, after all she went through, 'Hey! Sorry about this, but I'm running off with Precis! No hard feelings, right?'"
"I suppose not…" Claude admitted.
"Rena was going to be hurt either way, Claude, so I think you chose the path of least resistance to it all. I'm sure she probably does harbor some resentment, but that's why we're going to Expel in the first place. It's time for you to own up to your actions and apologize."
"Is it really going to be that easy, you think?" Claude asked, looking into Precis' eyes.
"Easy? Hah! Not even a little!" Precis exclaimed. "But that's why I'm going with you, Claude. I'm going to shoulder some of that burden, and do you know why?"
"I can't say that I do, Precis. Why?" Claude questioned.
"Because I care about you, you big dummy!" Precis said, stealing a quick kiss on Claude's cheek. Claude blushed a bit at Precis' impulsive action, but quickly returned a kiss of his own on Precis' cheek, causing her to blush just as much as Claude.
"Captain Kenny." A voice came over the communication system. "We've established contact with Expel and coordinated a landing point. As per your instruction, you'll be dropped off just outside the town of Arlia. When you're ready, please proceed to the transporter."
"Thank you, helmsman." Claude said. "Ready, Precis?"
"You know it! Don't forget though! We gotta go to Linga afterwards, because you have a very important question to ask my dad!"
"Of course, Precis, I definitely couldn't forget something as important as that. I admit, I never expected you to be so old-fashioned as to want me to ask your dad for permission to marry you."
"I'm just full of surprises!" Precis said with a coy wink. "Don't you worry, it's just a formality, I'm marrying you regardless of what he says!"
"You don't know how happy that makes me." Claude beamed. "With how this is all happening, it sure sounds a lot like how my mom described how she and dad got married, and I wouldn't want it any other way for myself."
"Ahhh…" Precis mused to herself. "To think that I'll soon be Precis F. Kenny! How lucky for me to be with such a fabled hero, and a dashing ship captain on top of that!"
"And I'm with one of the greatest minds in the entire universe, it's quite humbling." Claude admitted.
The two of them shared a quick laugh, before they finally got to their feet.
"Alright, let's get down there and meet with Rena." Claude said as he left his quarters, with Precis in close proximity.
The two of them made their way to the transporter and stepped inside it. Within moments, they were once again on the surface of Expel, a place that held great significance for both of them.
For Claude, it was where he began his journey. Going across the entirety of Expel in his quest, he met many dear friends along the way. One of those was Rena Lanford. Throughout their journey, the two grew close, and it looked as though their paths would forever be entwined, even after their journey was completed. However, fate had different plans for the two, and Claude's heart was shifted away from Rena and over to that of Precis F. Neumann, the brilliant inventor from the town of Linga.
For Precis, this homecoming was one of great importance for her. It had been three years since she snuck aboard the ship that had retrieved Claude from Expel after the defeat of the Wise Men. Wanting to learn more about the universe outside her own planet, Precis went with Claude back to Earth. Once there, she enlisted in the Pangalactic Federation, becoming one of their top scientists within such a short frame of time.
Along with her desire to learn, Precis also had a secondary motive for leaving Expel. She harbored secret feelings for Claude, and seeing that he was leaving Expel without Rena, Precis decided to put it all on the line and try to win Claude's affections for herself. During their campaign against the Wise Men, Claude and Precis did have some moments between them, but they never truly had the opportunity to really get to know each other. Now, with no looming threat of total destruction, Precis was able to focus on claiming the heart of the man from Earth. Her efforts proved fruitful, as Precis' boundless energy and thirst for knowledge ultimately won Claude over, and only a few weeks after Precis arrived on Earth, she and Claude began dating.
Not only did Precis' expertise earn her a full scholarship in the federation, it also earned her a seat on the ship that was commissioned after Claude's return. The Calnus II, named after the ship Claude served on under his father's command, the ship that was lost with all hands due to the machinations of the Wise Men. It was Claude's own ship, and one he commanded with great honor and dignity. Now a ranking officer in the federation, Claude oversaw the admittance of Expel to its ranks, acting as ambassador to the planet. At his side was the brilliant Dr. Neumann, one of the comrades from Claude's journey, and the one who ultimately won his heart. As the chief scientist onboard the Calnus II, Precis ranked just under Claude himself in the chain of command. Now, she was returning after three years to settle her affairs and begin the next chapter in her life, that of being the wife of her captain.
As Claude and Precis stepped into Arlia for the first time in over three years, they were met with a very familiar sight of the peaceful burg. People went about their daily lives, and all was well with the world. Making their way through the town, the two stopped at one house in particular.
"This is it…" Claude mumbled to himself.
It was the house of Westa, mother to Rena and where Claude's journey throughout Expel truly began.
"You can do this, Claude." Precis said reassuringly.
With a swift knock on the door, the two waited outside for a few moments, before it finally creaked open. They were greeted by none other than Westa herself.
"Goodness me!" Westa exclaimed. "Is that Claude and Precis?"
"It is, ma'am." Claude said. "It's great to see you doing well."
"Hi, Westa!" Precis beamed.
"It's been quite a while, you two. What brings you all the way back here to Expel, and to Arlia of all places?"
Steeling his nerves, Claude finally began his road to penance with the young Nedian girl he had left behind three years ago.
"Is Rena home? We need to speak with her." Claude asked.
"Rena?" Westa poised. "I'm sorry, Claude, but Rena no longer lives here. She moved out a little over a year ago."
"Oh?" Claude said. "Would you mind telling me where she lives now then?"
"Of course, Claude, it's not far." Westa said.
Raising her hand, Westa pointed behind Claude and Precis to the house directly adjacent to Westa's.
"Mayor Regis' house?" Claude asked. "Rena lives there?"
"Mayor Regis retired last year, Claude. He now lives in Krosse with a relative. It was only natural that Rena live in his former house, as she's the mayor of Arlia now."
"Rena's the mayor now?!" Precis shrieked.
"Yes, that's correct, Precis." Westa said. "Regis personally asked that Rena succeed him, as she was the best possible candidate for the position. He gifted the house to her upon her acceptance of the job. His instincts were well-founded too, because Arlia is just as wonderful as it was when he was the mayor."
"Wow…" Claude said in amazement. "To think that Rena's the mayor now, and she's doing it all on her own."
"Oh, she's not alone, Claude, by any means." Westa said with a playful grin.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Claude asked.
"Go over there and see for yourself." Westa said.
"We will, thank you very much, Westa."
Claude and Precis both waved to Westa, then made their way over to Mayor Rena's home. They knocked on the door, and before long, it opened, with a small child no more than the size of Claude's arm greeting them. She was a young girl, hair as blue as the pure water running through the streams of Arlia. What also set her apart was the distinctive ears of the Nedian race, a trait that only a small handful on Expel had, one of whom was the current mayor of Arlia.
"Hello!" The child said excitedly in greeting. "Are you here to meet my mommy?"
"W…we are…" Claude said, astonished. "Is she home right now?"
"Who is it, Rhima?" A familiar voice was heard behind the child. "I didn't think I had any appointments today."
Coming from around the corner, the source of the voice stopped in their tracks upon seeing the visitors.
"Oh my. Claude? Precis? Is that you?" The voice asked.
"It sure is!" Precis yelped. "Good to see you, Rena!"
"Hello, Rena." Claude said sheepishly upon seeing his former comrade. "It's been a while."
"Yes, it certainly has." Rena said.
Though she was three years older, Rena still retained that same sense of grace she had when Claude had first met her. Her attire had changed to something much more maternal, consisting of a plain white dress and simple boots. Her hair was slightly longer now, stopping just at her shoulders. She still wore her hairpin and pendant, however, and that was something that never seemed to change. Rena's face, while once aglow with naive, childlike vigor, had matured somewhat, appearing closer to Rena's birth mother the group had seen footage of during their sojourn to Energy Nede.
Making her way over to the pair, Rena knelt down next to the young girl and patted her head.
"Rhima, why don't you go over and see your grandmother for a while? These are mommy's friends, and we've got some catching up to do."
"Okay!" Rhima exclaimed, giving her mother a hug before she darted past Claude and Precis. Rena watched lovingly as her daughter ran up to her grandmother's house. Westa was still outside, and eagerly welcomed her granddaughter into her home, shutting the door behind the two.
"So, that's your daughter?" Claude asked.
"Yes, that's right." Rena replied. "As you heard, her name is Rhima."
"Rhima?" Precis thought aloud. "Wasn't that…"
"That's correct, Precis." Rena continued for her. "It was the name of my birth mother. I wanted to have some way to remember the woman who gave me life, and I could think of nothing more fitting to do so than name my firstborn after her."
"That's so cute!" Precis squealed happily. "You're so wonderful, Rena!"
"Thank you, Precis." Rena said sheepishly. "I must say, being a mother is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. It helped me develop a newfound respect for both my birth mother, and my adoptive mother."
"I'd say you're doing a great job so far, though! Rhima seems like such a little bundle of happiness!" Precis said.
"She is, Precis. She is my pride and joy...well, her and a certain someone else." Rena said.
"So, about that..." Claude started to say.
"You're wondering who the father is, Claude, I can tell." Rena said as her eyes shifted over to Claude.
"Yeah, kinda. I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but I really do want to know."
"Who do you think it is?" Rena asked. "Take a guess."
"Hmmm…" Pondered Claude. "Is it…Allen?"
Rena's face went sour upon Claude mentioning that name.
"Claude, I told you years ago that Allen was just a childhood friend of mine, nothing more. That hasn't changed. It's not him."
"Could it be…Dias then?" Claude asked once more, earning a disgruntled shake of Rena's head in response.
"Wrong again. Dias is like a big brother to me. That also hasn't changed. I will say this though, Rhima has changed Dias completely."
"Oh really?" Claude said. "How so?"
"When Rhima was born, I think Dias saw some part of Cecille in her, and has since returned to Arlia so that he's always near so he can protect her. He's always coming to check up on her, taking her out on trips, buying her presents, everything you can possibly imagine. He adores his niece, as I think it's finally given him some semblance of closure on the loss of his family."
"Wow…" Claude said in amazement. "It's hard to picture Dias like that at all."
"It's the truth, Claude. Rhima has truly been a blessing for all of us. But enough about that. You still haven't guessed who her father is."
"Rena!" A new voice chimed in from down the hallway. "Have you seen Rhima? I was going to take her to Salva today."
"She's over at my mother's, dear." Rena called back to the voice. "Why don't you come here? We've got some familiar faces at our door."
"Be right there!" The voice responded. As the source of the voice joined Rena at the front door, both Claude and Precis' face lit up in shock.
"Ashton?!" Claude and Precis yelled at the same time.
"Oh wow!" Ashton said as he took in the sight of his two former comrades in arms. "If it isn't Claude and Precis! I haven't seen you in ages!"
"Ashton, you're Rhima's father?!" Claude said in a complete stupor.
"Uhh, yes?" Ashton replied, sounding somewhat offended. "Is it that much of a shock?"
"Not nearly as much as you not having Creepy and Weepy on your back!" Precis intervened. "You didn't exorcise them, did you?!"
"Of course not, Precis! Rena would never forgive me if I did something so cruel!" Ashton shot back.
"Claude, Precis, why don't we all talk over some tea?" Rena proposed. "Please, come in."
"Good idea, Rena!" Ashton said. "Come on in, you two! Our home is your home!"
Rena stepped to the side and motioned the two of them to enter. They obliged, and before long, they were all seated at the dinner table, each with their own cup of tea, specially prepared by Ashton himself.
"So then…" Ashton began, setting down his cup. "We've got a lot to catch up on, don't we?"
"We sure do!" Precis exclaimed. "First of all, where are Creepy and Weepy?! I wanted to say hello to them too, and here I find that they're not attached to you anymore, Ashton!"
"Creepy and Weepy now reside in the Sacred Forest, it's their home. They're guardians of the forest, keeping it safe from anything that could threaten it or Arlia." Rena chimed in.
"That's right." Ashton continued for Rena. "Between myself, Rena, Dias, and those two being here, I'd say that Arlia is probably one of the safest towns on Expel nowadays. Dias and I are actually the two main members of the town guard. It's simple work, but we take pride in making sure the town is safe. We actually deputized Creepy and Weepy too, if you can believe it!"
"Claude, can we go see Creepy and Weepy before we head out? Pleeeeease?" Precis inquired of her captain.
"Of course, Precis, I want to see them as well."
"Awesome!" Precis exclaimed, pumping her fists in excitement.
"So…another question…" Claude started again. Precis immediately calmed herself, as she knew what was coming next.
"What is it?" Rena asked.
"How did you and Ashton…well, how did you two come to be together?"
"Hoo boy." Ashton said, tugging at the collar of his attire nervously. "That's a bit of a loaded question, Claude."
"It's alright, Ashton." Rena said, clearing the air of any tension. "I don't mind explaining it."
"Are you sure, Rena?" Ashton asked, a hint of worry painted on his face.
"Of course I am, dear, don't worry." Rena reassured Ashton, lovingly clutching his hand.
"Rena…" Claude mumbled. "Listen, I'm sorry for just up and leaving three years ago. What I said was true, I wanted to tell my mom about my dad's death, and I did, but then…"
"Claude, if you think I'm angry with you, you couldn't be more mistaken." Rena said, not a hint of doubt in her voice.
"You're not?" Claude said, somewhat caught off guard.
"No, I put that behind me long ago. It's true that when you left, I was devastated. I continued to wait for you, but you never came back."
"I'm sorry…" Claude said, lowering his head in shame.
"But seeing you here now, with Precis, tells me that I was right to let go of that anger and move on with my life."
"Y…you knew about us…?" Precis stammered.
"I've known since we first met in Linga, Precis." Rena said. "At the time, I didn't think much of it, but seeing you two here, I know I was right to move on."
"Rena…" Precis started to say. "So, you don't hate us?"
"Of course I don't." Rena said. "I could never hate either of you. You're my dear friends, and nothing will ever change that. On the contrary, I'm quite happy you two found each other. In a strange, roundabout way, I was able to realize my feelings for Ashton because of it."
"Aw heck…" Ashton said, covering his face sheepishly. "I didn't do much."
"You did everything right, Ashton, and I'm so glad you're here at my side. Isn't it amazing that we're all in the same place where our journey started? There were many hardships along the way, but we persevered. We found our way to where we are now on our own power, finding love at journey's end, it's so romantic, don't you think?"
"It sure is!" Precis chirped. Moving on to the next subject rather abruptly, Precis began her next question.
"So, since you two have a kid together, I think it's safe to assume you're married?"
"Well yeah!" Ashton said, bringing his left hand up. On his ring finger was a beautiful gold ring of the highest quality. "Rena had this made just for me!"
"And Ashton had mine made from the purest piece of star ruby he could find." Rena said as she raised her own hand. The jewel within her ring reflected the light of the room, showcasing its jaw-dropping beauty.
"Wow…" Precis said, awestruck. "That's so awesome!"
"Since we're on the subject, we're actually heading to Linga after we're done here to see Precis' father." Claude chimed in. "We're going to ask his permission to marry."
Rena smiled as brightly as she could at that revelation, as did Ashton.
"I'm so happy for the two of you." Rena said warmly. "I hope that your marriage is as healthy and loving as ours is."
"I'm rooting for you guys!" Ashton said excitedly. "I can probably get rings like ours made for you, if you'd like!"
"We just might take you up on that offer!" Precis said. "But, for the time being, we really must be going! Come on Claude, we've taken up enough of Rena and Ashton's time! We need to get going if we're gonna see my dad before nightfall!"
"Sure thing, Precis." Claude said, finishing the last of his tea. A huge weight finally lifted from his shoulders, Claude could now move forward with his life with Precis, knowing that there was no animosity between him and Rena. On the contrary, she had found true love with Ashton, and now, it was Claude's turn to find his own happiness.
"Ashton, Rena, I wish you two all the best in the world, and then some." Claude said with a smile.
"And you and Precis as well." Rena replied with a smile of her own. "Be sure to let us know when your wedding is, we'd love to attend."
"That's right!" Ashton boomed proudly. "We'll bring the whole family along! Me, Rena, Rhima, Westa, heck, even Creepy and Weepy!"
"Ashton, I don't think Creepy and Weepy would like to be put on a starship, do you?" Claude said with a nervous scratch of his head.
"Oh yeah, haha." Ashton replied with his own nervous chuckle. "Either way, we'll find some way to attend, you can count on it!"
"Please take care of yourselves, and I hope we'll see you soon." Rena said as Claude and Precis made their way back outside the house.
Bidding the two of them farewell, Claude and Precis made their way towards the Sacred Forest to say hello to Creepy and Weepy. After paying a short visit to both the dragons in the Sacred Forest and Dias at his home, the two began their long trek towards Precis' home town of Linga. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon as they finally neared its front gate.
Taking a quick glance at the sunset, Precis stopped, tugging on Claude's jacket.
"Hey, Claude?" Precis asked aloud.
"Yeah, Precis?" Claude asked, stopping to turn and look at her.
"I love you." Precis said out of the blue, smiling so brightly at him.
Once again, Claude's face lit up bright red, caught completely off guard by Precis' boldness.
"I love you too, Precis." Claude shot back immediately, not wanting to be the only one caught lacking.
Precis' own face matched Claude's now, the two of them lost in each other's affections. They stayed like that for a few moments before entering Linga, making their way to Precis' former house to meet with Graft. With the knowledge that two of their dear friends had found happiness, the captain of the Calnus II and his top scientist decided it was their turn to fully cement their own. Linga would be the start of the rest of their lives. The star-crossed hearts of Claude Kenny and Precis Neumann were set upon their path, no longer plagued by any doubts or fears. They would walk that path together, hand in hand.