No swords, no stones, nothing of the sort. Balthier preferred it that way... perhaps even because of the old man's annoyance. Well, he'd just have to deal with two "useless" sky pirates for awhile, wouldn't he?

"And here I thought I'd never get the privilege of seeing the good doctor's face again. I suppose I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up, should I?" He wondered if this was the same case as it was with Lord Rasler. Could this Dr. Cid have come from a point before his death? A little prying was in order in his opinion, but how to go about it would remain to be seen.

That was, unless his little friend didn't tell him everything first.