The sidelined observer.

[Nika]

CRUISER SCHWARZWALD, COLOGNE SYSTEM, HOUSE OF RHEINLAND

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The sickbay Yusef found herself situated in was abuzz, the area of Schwarzwald perhaps most ripe with activity right now. The atmosphere was one of somber celebration - their freedom was won, their own, unjustly detained, had all the chances to walk among her friends and comrades again, and the mongrels from Kusari have joined their distant elders in their irrelevant solitude. Fiery speeches, casual chatter and genuine congratulations with the background of packed infirmary, even the most inspired ones donning light injures.

Rana instinctively winced from medic's touch, but her mind was elsewhere; lucky enough to get away with just light injures of small shrapnel with no vital damage - just in a bit too many places.

Pilot looked back several hours ago, while Schwarzwald's contingent was still in space and first Kusarian escorts from Darmstadt started pouring into Cologne. The ensued dogfight was brutal, but gradually distanced from Stuttgart anomaly. Rana could only helplessly watch it happen: just moments after the fighter forces clashed explosion rocked her Sichel, the ship combusting moments before another explosion that destroyed the ship; Rana managed to pull the trigger and eject, leaving herself stranded in space until distant chatter of fierce combat fell quiet and Schwarzwald's SAR returned her to solid floor of rebellious cruiser. Her best wishes went to her friends who still fought.

For Sabina, for herself, for all of them.

As they returned triumphant, Yusef quietly rejoiced, for these people now looked to an uncertain future, but as their own masters.
Her only regret was her own minuscule contribution to it - that of a sidelined observed to unfolding history.

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