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Tam shakes his head. "No, but they all crave something... energy mostly... that's how ye get raveners... their cravings for stuff over takes them... I'd far rather ye have a sweet tooth, iffin ye ask me. It's a lot easier to live with. Besides... I once made yer older self a promise... and it's one I pray I never have to keep.""

Tam flashes him a tired smile. "Let's just say it was a special promise... one that was a whole lot easier to make before all this started. I'd rather not go into it, Taro... it involves something I rather not think about."

Bez's voice floats across the surface of Kero's mind. "He would find it hard to ever hurt you, Kerobian... now that he's gotten to know you so well... He loves you far too much... he'd die now before he carries it out... whatever it is...trying to reverse what caused it... And as he says... it upsets him... I can't see clearly what it is... and refuse to pry, but if I were you, I'd drop this subject..."

Bez shrugs and Tam nods.

"Sure... what is it, Brat?" says Bez reaching for another bun to ice.

Bez threatens him with the spatula, growling while not trying to laugh. "Didn't I tell ye he was going to say something like that sooner or later?"

"Dun be siwwy..." laughs Salunia with her mouth full of food. "Auntie Ai is yer dama... Bez is... weww... Bez."

Tam eyes her with a secret smile. "What gave me away, Princess?"

Salunia wrinkles her nose. "Ye smewl wike her noff hiwm." she replies licking the icing off her paws.

Tam looks at Bez and shrugs. "That is between the two of you. I stand by my duty to raise you... only now it's not so much an obligation as a delight. I am honored to be called your parent... How Bez fits into this picture will have to be based on what kind of relationship you wish to have with him. We talked about that last night, actually... and he agreed to abide by whatever you want... but realize this, iffin you do wish him to fill that role... he will fill it fully and not just be a fair weather sira. If you do something wrong, he will correct ye and his methods don't always match with mine."

Tam grins. "He's a warrior... like my father. Yer liable to find yerself running laps around a practice field and already he's giving me hell for not teaching ye how to fight properly."

"Like I said, we look at things differently. I did that because I wanted you to think about what ye did... I thought it was important enough to warrant it... fair enough?" says Tam softly shaking his head.