[She hears the story and she wonders about herself. Were it not for her friends, would she still be the person that she was now? If the worst thing happened on that... that day, would she not consider the possibility?]

[She shook her head at the thought. She acknowledged that the potential was there, but then so were her ideals. Her justice. A world without free will was not just. It couldn't be, no matter how pleasant the words were used to justify it. As she was thinking that, Hunk popped her reverie with a question.]

[She smiled, almost laughed even. No matter where she is, she just had to continue as she always did.]

Makoto-san. [She smiled.] You don't have to say that, though. I've gotten used to people not using the right honorifics. I just do because... well, its how I was raised and so it was a part of who I am.

Actually, if I were to tell you the truth, you're supposed to call me Niijima-san, since we only just met. But... I think we can let that slip.

You have a commanding officer who is Japanese? Shiro... huh.

[Her mind drifted to a vision of the future where there were Japanese intergalactic spacemen. It was a happy thought.]