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"That's right, Ensign, you're out. Or rather, Ms. Valentine."
Tara stared at the Admiral in shock, his words falling like lead on her ears. "You can't be serious! Sir."
He stood and, with deceptive gentleness, reached out and removed the rank insignia from her uniform. She flinched. "You've got six hours to retrieve your belongings from Taggart. After that they'll be consigned to the recyclers. Hearing adjourned." Before she could muster another protest, he and the other officers of the judicial board were gone.
The young JAG officer who'd served as her defense counsel gave her an apologetic look; she decided after a moment not to throttle him. "Go." Tara's voice was low and dangerous, and he took her suggestion to heart, quickly gathering his papers and leaving.
Other than the Security officers ("goons" in her private terminology), that left precisely one person other than herself in the stark room. Slowly Tara turned her head, her eyes narrowing as they focused on him.
Captain Riley Addison paused as he stepped into the aisle leading to the doors. "Take your time." She was surprised to notice he sounded tired, but strove not to let it show as he continued. "We'll be in port for a few days. Good lu-"
Tara didn't let him finish. "Shove it, Addison." Oh God, she'd been wanting to say that for so long. There were some advantages to being cashiered. "If it weren't for you, I'd still have my commission. So just... shove it." Tara realized she was on the verge of tears, but she'd be damned before she let him know that.
"No," he replied quietly, "If it weren't for me..." The Captain trailed off, seeing the anger barely controlled in her, and he realized his former officer wouldn't hear him. Suppressing a sigh, he merely repeated, "Good luck," and took his leave.
Staring after him, Tara felt her fury bloom abruptly into outright hatred. Before, it had all been a game. No matter what he threw at her, she'd proven she could take it. And now that he knew he couldn't win the game, he'd cheated and destroyed her dreams in the process. "He'll pay for this," she whispered as the tears came. "If it's the last thing I ever do, I'll make you pay, Riley Addison."