Water running from the shower.

" ... This is such a strange place," Lesa said, sitting outside.

" It's nice. People get along well, and regardless of the circumstances of your birth, if you work hard enough, you can do anything you want," Neda said.

" ... I wonder if that's such a good thing. What about people who can't work hard, or do good enough?"

" DASS has a variety of social welfare programs implemented across the ten star systems with precision and care towards every culture's social norms," Neda rattled off. " But, personally... Being from Thera... Things there immediately got better after the Commodore General liberated it. I'm grateful for him. I know he let Lyena onto our ship, and I still dislike Lyena for how he handled us... But I'm still grateful. I love this, and I wouldn't want to do anything else. The fact that a woman like me could be on equal footing with all those other people... That I could stand in a room with someone like Lyena or the other Starka men here and not be afraid... I would never give that up, for anything."

Water shut off.

" ... I got you a towel."

" Ah, you didn't have to do that, Lyeha! I'm embarrassed..."