"I wasn't certain I believed it either," Cassandra agrees, "but it was brought up at the bridge, and neither of them denied it. And ... again, whether it's true or not I couldn't begin to say, but they both seemed to believe that if either of them were to be destroyed, it would destroy the other as well. Along with this entire reality and everyone in it."

A beat. "Which, if true, means that Sparkles's desire to destroy the Captain is ultimately a wish for self-destruction rather than freedom. And I can't say I blame him for that either."