'Why did you ignore my questions? I could have found ones to narrow the possibilities!' Tai seemed genuinely upset but Sai didn't hesitate.

'Because the answers aren't how you can tell the two apart.' He tried to think about the situation, the information creating a cacophony, impossible for Tai to process it all, but for Sai, this was normal. This was how Shawn had avoided mind control, mind readers, and every other trespasser in his mind. But it was more than that. After awhile, this is just how he thought. Formless information bouncing off each other until he could see it. See the line that lead to Truth. While he had been sacrificing for so long at the direction of his crystal, but he had also been learning. Growing beyond even that circumstantial label. And if there was one thing buried in the mess, it was the truth. And once you can find that shining line of logic that pulls the truth from the noise, you can make a choice. One that finally matters. That's right...

Suddenly, Narine was in front of him, "I take it Tai told you already, but I wanted to tell you myself. Our first proper greeting." He was surprised by her smile. The joy beaming from her face. The information was gone for now, as it should be. As always, the only thing that mattered was what was in front of him. There is no time for daydreaming. She held out her hand and stated firmly, "Hello. My name is Narine. It's a pleasure to meet you."

He didn't have a heart. Not a physical one. But he knew the feeling. Like a phantom limb he could feel his beating a bit faster, a warmth and shame washing over him. He took her hand, shaking it, "Nice to meet you, Rini." She smiled even bigger, causing him to realize this must be her first nickname since the change. He then stated with a bit more annoyance, "By the way, Tai keeps calling me Father and-"

"And did you help make him?" He didn't want to respond. This was clearly a trap. Taking advantage of this, she continued, "Didn't you give him part of who you are? Wasn't it your idea to bring him into the world?" He narrowed his eyes at her and she laughed, "You need to take responsibility for your children or you will end up like my mother." She turned and walked away again, clearly more to make her point than because she wanted to. He could tell by the way she turned the corner around one of the Dragon model space fighters that she was trying to invent a good reason to come back. What was worse is that she was right.

'I'm sorry, Tai. Call me whatever you wish.'

'I appreciate it, Father. Now can you explain what you were doing?' Tai's voice carried his mother's smile. Sai briefly wondered if this meant that he and Narine were an official item, but he preferred not to ask. If it was happening, it would continue to do so without his interference. And if he was wrong, then he could take it to his grave with him.

Allowing his vast experience to spread out in front of him again, he stated, 'There is an old saying that once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever's left must be the truth. Two decades of active engagement with every aspect of the cosmos has taught me life is a little more complicated. Every event is defined by two things. The static and the dynamic. When you can find the aspects of reality that are not moving, you can figure out which direction everything else is moving.'

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'And by allowing all the facts to co-exist at once in your processing you can look for the static facts to orient yourself by. Planets being round, for example.'

'I mean, depending on your definition of round, yeah.'

Tai offered him a cup of coffee which he took thankfully... before realizing he was no longer leaning against a wall in the hanger but instead inside his... Shawn's old office. The various thoughts took the form of the all too familiar clutter that he had never bothered cleaning. He was usually too busy in the field. The young red haired man started to pick through the debris much to Sai's confusion. Tai chuckled, "I know it seems silly to take this extra step, but familiar scenery helps the mind think more clearly. And this way we can change the scenery as well as we process. Prevent cabin fever and all that."

Sai shook his head, the lights flickering some, "No, not here. I know this is where I am used to working but I-"

Tai nodded, "But that's the problem." He smiled kindly at his 'father' and stated. "You even relived that memory not more than a few moments ago. You act and think like you are alone, even when I'm right here. So I figured this would help remind you."

Sai glared, "Smartass. Don't think that just because you are half me that you can get away with being a smartass." Tai chuckled, quietly shuffling some of the clutter away from the abandoned desk before flipping him off playfully. "That is rude and uncalled for! I am going to-"

He snapped to alertness when she approached him again tapping on his head. "Hey, chief. Getting lost in thought again?"

'Yeah, father... you are.'

"I'll be fine. Just a little distracted. I have a lot on my mind." He looked at Narine and it once again grounded him here and now. He tried to explain but the words wouldn't escape properly. He could only state, "There are too many things I don't understand. Too many questions I don't have answers to." It felt dishonest there was only two options as to who was helping them. But the problem wasn't the who. It was the what and the why. Those were the only things that ever mattered in a world like this. Despite his robotic features, he could feel her looking clean through him. It almost made the problem worse.

She sighed, "Okay, but you don't need to know everything, Sai. I know somewhere in that processor you have some inkling. Why don't you lay it on me?" It was too insane. She wouldn't get it and it was too soon. Until he knew the rest he couldn't share it with her. She narrowed her eyes and knocked on his head again. "Literally anything! Spill or I'll have Tai tell me!"

Sai growled, "It isn't that simple. I don't like to disrupt something until I know what I'm doing. Mistakes are made by rushing in before you have the whole picture. The truth is a mosaic of details and facts. All I can say for now is that I know whoever that Emperor is, they are going to help us bring Doug back. I am just not sure why yet or what happens after. There are too many missing pieces." He grumbled under his breath, "I just wish I could get out of my own head. Too many memories boiling to the surface."

Narine thought for a moment before hugging him, his phantom heart pounding a slow and steady rhythm. "It's okay, Sai. I get it... I had to let all of that go myself recently. So, if you want me to weigh in, you can talk to me." He wanted to say more himself, wanted to speak, but the words weren't escaping... least of all with Tai piggybacking on this little moment. For now he just held her and embraced this moment. by the time the morning comes, he will have had the time to get a better idea of what's going on. Too much new information to put together.