Cheers echoed in his ears; the entire command hall had become a sea of joy.
Everyone was jumping, shouting, embracing. Whether they were officers and men of the bandit army or of the Phantom Fleet, at this moment there was no barrier between them. These men who had fought side by side slapped hands hard in celebration, hugged hard, pounded each other's shoulders, hammered each other's chests.
This was not a successful bid in peacetime, not a successful acquisition... this was victory in war, a great triumph bought at last with blood, life, and will.
For hours they had roamed the edge of death, threading their way through blazing spheres of explosions, firing into the Unhindered Stride of killing light. With utmost unity they worked in concert, racing against time to charge the main gun, eyes bloodshot as they locked onto their foes, drenched in sweat as they rushed emergency repairs. They regretted every mistake, exulted at every hit......
