Ginny's court martial was the next day. Admiral Arguella had set up a Kangaroo court in the main restaurant on the promenade. Normally such proceedings were Starfleet only, but as it was an "emergency circumstance" the entire station was there. In fact, Mike was sure half the quadrant had shown up. He sat on the dais with Rachel, Oscar, and Al. Crossing his arms, he glared at the assembled crowd. A bunch of vultures, all hungry to see if the Romulan would break. As if they had a right to pass judgement on Ginny.

"Captain Lawson."

He looked over at Rachel. She was frowning. "Are we going to have a problem?"

"What do you mean?" He growled.

"We need impartial judges." She said.

"Well then all of you need to recuse yourselves." He snapped. "Because I'm pretty sure no one of Romulan heritage could ever get a fair trial from you."

"Lawson." Oscar warned. Mike was about to retort when a strange hush began from the back of the room. Ginny was being led in. The entire room looked at her approach with bated breath. She held her head up, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, exposing her ears and forehead to the crowd. She wasn't hiding.

Ginny walked into the hall. The whole station had turned up to see her in her misery, hoping to see her tried, beaten, humiliated. She wasn't going to let them win. In the back of her mind her father's voice ordered her; back straight, head high, never see you cry. Evelyn, Blip, and Cara were in the front row, each with varying degrees of worry and encouragement on their faces. Evelyn shot an angry look at the dais. Ginny sat in the accused's seat. Looking at the panel, she refused to let them see her betray any sort of fear.

"State your name for the record."

"Genevieve Baker." She replied.

"Species."

Ginny blinked in surprise. Around her, she heard the buzzing of the crowd as they shushed each other and jostled to lean in closer.

"That information is in her starfleet records." She glanced along the panel. Mike's jaw was clenched and he was glaring at Admiral Arguella. "Asking her is unnecessary and prejudicial."

"Captain Lawson." Rachel Patrick looked over at him. "Do we need to remind you that you are here as a courtesy. Unless you have a valid criticism, allow the proceedings to continue."

"You're turning opinion against her." Mike growled. "Her species has no bearing on this-"

"No bearing?" Admiral Arguella sounded annoyed. "A Romulan spy tries to assassinate the president of the Federation and you think that having a Romulan officer on the station where the delegation of spies stayed has no bearing-"

"She was no where near the attempt." Mike snapped. "And there is still no evidence that anyone else in the delegation had a role in this." He glared at the other officers. "I looked over the transcripts of the interviews. All of them consented to mind melds overseen by a betazoid. All found innocent." He leaned back in his chair. "This witch hunt is an attempt to find someone to blame because, even though the crazy person who did this acted alone, you need someone to drag through the streets." He glared at them. "So you've singled out my officer. You're right. Her species is important. It's important because it shows that she's being unfairly discriminated against."

Ginny felt his burning protectiveness over their bond. Her throat welled up. She'd never had someone stand up for her in the way he'd just done since her father died.

"Half Romulan." She said, turning the attention back to her. Mike looked at her in surprise. She made sure that he felt her gratitude before continuing. "Half human." She tilted her head. "Not that anyone in here didn't already know that."

Mike seemed to bite back a laugh as everyone around them seemed taken aback. Evelyn, however, had less restraint. Ginny heard her whisper. "That's my girl." Mutters broke out around the audience.

"Ensign Baker, you stand accused of treason against the Federation." Admiral Arguella said, his voice loud so that everyone quieted down. "What is your relationship with Ambassador Son'ra?"

Ginny swallowed, feeling heat rise to her face. Looking straight ahead, she murmured. "She's my aunt."

There was a collective gasp, but it was nothing Ginny wasn't prepared for. What shocked her was the surprise that emanated from Mike. She hadn't told him about Son'ra.

"Your mother's sister." Rachel said. It wasn't a question, they already knew. But if what Mike had said was true, then she didn't have anything to worry about. Son'ra hadn't done anything wrong...had she?

"Yes." She replied.

"Your mother was in fact the mate of a Romulan captain who is currently in custody of the Federation." Admiral Arguella said.

Ginny glared at him. "He's in custody because he tried to rape me." She said. "I don't see-"

"The accused will be silent until she is asked to answer a question." Admiral Arguella snapped. Ginny clenched her fists. "The Tal Shiar agent could not have acted alone. Perhaps that attack was strategic. Perhaps you wanted to establish a rift between yourself and the Romulan delegation in order to avert suspicion when the assassination took place."

"That's enough." Mike growled. Everyone gasped. Mike seemed to remember himself, because he ducked his head. "I just meant-"

"Let's stick to the facts." Rachel cut him off. Ginny was surprised to see that she was frowning at Admiral Arguella. Clearly she hadn't appreciated the Admiral's question either. "I think we've had enough for one day. The accused can be returned to her cell-"

"Actually." Mike interrupted. "I checked Starfleet regulations and it seems that until guilt has been established, if the head of security of the station has no objections, she can be held in her quarters, rather than a cell." He motioned behind Ginny. Amelia stepped forward, her hands clasped behind her back. "This is Lieutenant Commander Slater, my chief of security." He looked over at Amelia. "Any objections, Lieutenant Commander?"

"None." Amelia's face was stone, taking the scrutiny of the panel unflinchingly. The Admiral seemed annoyed and Rachel...Rachel was looking over at Mike. He seemed slightly ill, keeping his eyes on Ginny.

"Well then." He said. "Please escort Ensign Baker to her quarters."

"Miss Baker." Admiral Arguella corrected. Ginny's heart stopped. "Until such a time as we've proved her innocent, her Starfleet commission has been suspended."

The walls closed in on her. Ginny heard a ringing in her ears. Behind her, Evelyn was shouting. Mike was glaring at him. Livan was cursing in SpanishEven Amelia betrayed emotion in the form of a vein jumping in her neck. She was pulled up to her feet. Dimly she registered moving as she was marched out of the room. Amelia led her to her quarters. The doors closed behind her. She stumbled numbly to her couch, sitting and looking around her room.

Suspended.

Everything she'd worked her entire life for. Everything she'd suffered. Everything she'd sacrificed, that her mother and father had sacrificed. It was over. She'd lost it all.