The nice hot food adorned the table, and Rito wiped his brow before tapping a button to alert the others that dinner was ready.

“Smells good, Mauve,” the Captain complimented as he, Tobi, and Slate all sat to dine on the food.

“Are we seriously eating with these guys?” Oros growled.

“Look, I know it's not ideal, Oros, but we are under a truce,” Tobi stated.

“We are peacekeepers! Everyone else seems to have forgotten the people before us, are pirates and murderers,” he pulled out his gun, aiming it at the captain, “we should be arresting them, doing our damn job, and making them pay for all they have done.”

“Don’t escalate this, Oros, please,” Tobi begged.

“Don’t you fucking start, Tobi. You know just as well as I what these scum do and have done.”

“Look, I know where you're coming from.”

“Do you really cause it seems like you have forgotten, I remember it all, the cages, the blood, the pain, and death.”

“Stand down, Oros, please do this for Rayla.”

“Why should I? His relation to Rayla is irrelevant to the crimes he’s done.”

“I said stand down, Oros, I as your captain ordered it!”

Oros glared angrily at Tobi as his eyes burned with fury before finally putting away his gun. “Fine, this is all going to blow up in your face, so don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”

“Sounds like Grubs on,” Scarlet said, looking at the blinking light. “Need help getting to the table?”

“Please,” Rayla said with a small smile. Sharp talons worked so delicately as she lifted her friend out of the bed. Rayla leaned on her head and rested gently on her arm as they made their way slowly to the table.

They entered the dining room just as Oros walked out. “What’s wrong with Oros?” Rayla asked.

“Don't worry about it, how are you feeling?” Tobi asked gently, holding her hand.

“I’ll be fine, just a bit worn out. Are we all eating together?”

“Yeah, it was Captain Shamrock's idea.”

“Hello, Dad,” she said.

“Saffron, I—”

“Look, we have some things we need to talk about, but I'm starving at the moment, so you're going to wait,” she stated aggressively, to which he nodded.

The dinner was a long and awkward silence, the atmosphere really uncomfortable until the inevitable finish. Rayla felt her heart beating rapidly at what was to happen next.

“I don’t know what to say; I think I’ve already said my piece earlier.”

Captain Shamrock, after a heavy sigh, cleared his throat as he began to share a part of his painful past. The room hushed as everyone listened intently.

"Saffron, I need you to understand something. It's not an excuse, but I want you to know why I made the choices I did. Your mother and I went through hell together. We fought side by side, but when the illness struck, it hit her hard. We watched her waste away, day by day, and it was a slow, agonizing process."

He paused, his eyes drifting away, perhaps revisiting those painful memories etched into his mind.

"I couldn't stand to see her suffer, and I couldn't do anything to help her. It felt like a dagger through my heart every time I saw her in pain. When you got sick, Saffron, it brought back all those haunting memories. I was desperate, and the doctors said you needed to be in a different facility to have a chance."

His voice trembled, and he took a moment to steady himself.

"I had to make an impossible choice. They told me we needed to leave, and you were so sick. They said you might not survive if we stayed. I had to believe that you would have a chance out there, even if it meant leaving you at some hospital. I know it sounds heartless, but I couldn't bear to hear those words again—'she's dead.' So, I told myself that you were out there somewhere, alive and well."

The room was filled with a heavy silence, each person absorbing the weight of Captain Shamrock's confession. The emotions etched on his face revealed a father's struggle with his decisions, a mix of regret, pain, and the desperation that led him down this difficult path.

Rayla, still weakened but listening intently, felt a strange mix of anger, sadness, and empathy. The complexity of the situation weighed on everyone in the room, each grappling with their own feelings about the choices that had shaped their lives.

Slate, who had been relatively quiet until now, broke the silence. "We all have our demons, Captain. We're all haunted by our pasts. It's what we choose to do now that defines us."

Tobi nodded in agreement, recognizing the shared burden of carrying past mistakes. Even Oros, though still visibly upset, seemed to grasp the magnitude of the situation.

The air hung heavy with unspoken emotions, and the room awaited Saffron's response.

Captain Shamrock looked at Saffron, his eyes carrying a mix of hope and regret. "I'm not expecting you to accept my apology, Saffron, but I would like a second chance."

Saffron, still processing the weight of her father's revelations, took a deep breath. The room held its collective breath, waiting for her response. After a thoughtful pause, she spoke, her voice a blend of weariness and newfound determination.

"Dad, I can't promise you a second chance, not right now. The wounds are too fresh, and I need time to figure things out. But I am willing to try, to see if we can rebuild something. I don't know what the future holds, and I don't want false promises, but I'm willing to explore this."

Her words hung in the air, and Captain Shamrock nodded, accepting the reality of the situation. He respected her honesty and understood the difficulty of the path ahead.

"Thank you for considering it," he said quietly.

The tension in the room began to ease as Scarlet, ever the icebreaker, chimed in. "Well, enough of this heavy stuff. Let's focus on the fact that we're all still alive and sitting at the same table. That's a start, right?"

Rito nodded in agreement, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah, and hey, dinner was great. Mauve, you're a wizard in the kitchen."

Mauve, who had been observing the emotional exchange, cracked a small smile. "Thanks. If you all are still hungry for more, there's dessert."

The mention of dessert brought a faint smile to Saffron's face. "Sure, let's have dessert. It seems like a good way to end the night."

As Mauve brought out a delectable array of sweets, the crew of the G-MERA, despite their differences and past grievances, found themselves sharing a meal—a small step toward understanding, forgiveness, and, perhaps, a chance at redemption.

As the crew enjoyed their desserts, Rayla took a moment to address her father. "Please call me Rayla. I know I said I will try, but that doesn't mean I want to embrace my old identity."

Captain Shamrock nodded, understanding the significance of her words. "Rayla it is, then."

The tension in the room continued to dissipate, replaced by a cautious sense of camaraderie. They were all aware that this truce was fragile, but the shared meal had created a momentary respite from the animosity that had characterized their interactions.

Scarlet, ever the provocateur, raised her glass. "A toast to unexpected alliances and potential new beginnings."

The crew, including Captain Shamrock, joined in the toast, the clinking of glasses echoing in the room. It was a symbolic gesture, acknowledging the complex web of connections that fate had woven among them.

After the toast, Tobi, who had been relatively quiet throughout the dinner, spoke up. "We appreciate your willingness to help Rayla. We'll make sure she gets the best care possible."

Captain Shamrock nodded appreciatively. "I want to be involved in her care. I can't change the past, but I can try to be there for her now."

"Speaking of care," Mauve interjected, "Rayla, we should discuss your treatment plan and what needs to be done to manage your condition effectively."

Rayla nodded, grateful for the concern and support she was receiving, even from unexpected quarters. As they delved into the practicalities of her medical care, the crew found themselves navigating a new chapter—one that held the promise of healing, understanding, and, just maybe, the chance for redemption and reconciliation.