"That Mina," Jack shook his head, "What a character. Who'd of thought she would have come up with a whopper like that to save her sorry behind." Crusher chuckled to himself, unmindful of the wary glances passing between the others. He was too blinded by his love to have any doubts about his view of the truth. He turned to Beverly and smiled, "What's the matter, Bev? You look upset. Cheer up, there's no way she can win this thing now, not after Tafton's performance. Let me get you some hot tea. Does anyone else want anything?" The others chimed in their drink orders and Jack trotted off happily to get them.

"So, Beverly, is it true what Mina said? Did you really have an affair with Captain Picard." Scott whistled under his breath. Walker glared menacingly, but Scott only shrugged. "Sorry man, but you've got to give her credit for cracking the old burrhog even if what she did was wrong." He smiled slyly and added "Besides, she may be the only reason you and Crusher have jobs."

"I thought she was lying." Korbin looked as though Beverly's indiscretion had been against her. "That day, when we were heading for class and she cut you off…I would have never thought to believe anything that came out of that monster's mouth. I guess I should have."

"Beverly, you have to tell Jack. It just isn't right. If you don't, I will." Lennie's resolve was evident in his firm timbre. Walker sensed impending doom. He knew Lennie's heart was in the right place, but the other boy didn't know Crusher the way Keel did. He was just about to elicit damage control when Tafton stepped in.

"Oh come off of it, all of you. While Mina was eavesdropping she failed to understand the most important part of the conversation. I was the person Beverly was talking to."

"Yeah, so?" Lennie's scowl deepened to include both girls, as though he now counted Tafton as a traitor as well.

"Don't you get it? It was me, not Beverly that had the little fling with Picard. I was discussing it with her because I felt so terrible and guilty over what I had done. The Captain and I just got carried away. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but later I realized I hardly even knew the poor lonely man." Tafton curled her lip out in a pout and sniffed.

"SO Tafton got you and Crusher your jobs, Keel. Way to go, Taft," Scott thumped the brunette amiably on the shoulder. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be posted to the Ellipse after I graduate." He gave her an exaggerated wink, and she smiled wanly back.

Beverly looked around at the faces before her, noticing they had grown measurably less chilly. Walker looked relieved. She nodded ever so slightly to Tafton, who smiled warmly in return. Beverly had a new definition for friendship and loyalty.

Jack returned momentarily, carrying their beverages. "Well, what did I miss? You all look so cheery all of the sudden."

"Oh, Tafton just revealed the secret of the universe to us," Walker said casually.

"Really," Jack tilted his head slightly. "Are you going to fill me in?"

"Let's just say you and I owe her a drink in honor of our new commissions. She helped, erm, procure them for us."

"So Mina's not as big a liar as we thought," Jack smiled knowingly at Tafton, who shrugged.

"No, Jack," Beverly said ruefully, though Crusher missed the subtlety, "She's not."

* * *

"Be seated," Parsons bellowed above the milieu. "I have reached a verdict. Once the decision is read, it will be final, and all punishment prescribed will commence immediately."

Beverly felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She knew that a win by her side had already been secured, but there was still just a touch of nagging doubt. Perhaps they had overlooked something. Or perhaps Parsons had been wiled by Mina's charm. In a moment, she would know for certain, and the whole terrible ordeal would be over, one way or another.

"Cadets, I see gathered before me group of young people with tremendous potential. You have all earned your way here through hard work, dedication to the task at hand, and raw talent. Each and every one of you was hand selected at our testing centers because we felt that you had the potential to embody all of the things that make Starfleet what it is: dignity, integrity, character, honor, loyalty, and honesty." He said the last word with an impending urgency that enraptured even the Cadets that had been uninterested before. Parsons cleared his throat softly and continued. "The hearing we have just participated in started as a question of honesty, the word of one cadet against the word of another. I believed the facts were clear cut and simple. I now stand corrected." He nodded slightly to Beverly and her friends, and continued. "Though I have known for a long time now that nothing is ever as it seems, I fear that we often forget to incorporate this knowledge into our daily lives.

"What started as word against word became something deeper as it was allowed to stew and fester. It became the classic vendetta of wrongly accused versus falsely innocent. When the integrity of Cadet Howard was questioned, she dug deeper for answers. Cadet Coldwell became nervous. She had come though the ordeal as it was first presented without a blemish, but deep in her heart, she knew that one day her demons would come home to roost. So she was careful. She hid who and what she was beneath an exterior of charm and confidence. Many of us were fooled. We saw her as she wanted to be seen, and though some of us did not like her, we thought no real ill of her. Cadet Howard and her friends knew otherwise.

"It seems that true character can only be found through the trials of adversity, and though I am ashamed to say that it was I who incriminated the fine Cadet standing before me, a part of me knows that she will be a better person for what she has found inside of herself. She knew that the hand dealt to her had been unfair, but rather than moping about it, she chose to pick up the pieces and do something. In accomplishing this, she found her real friends, the Cadets who stand behind her today. She used her strength of character to convince them that Cadet Coldwell was indeed a fake, and that she was who she claimed to be. As the Cadets organized themselves to rally against their common enemy, Cadet Coldwell grew overconfident. Though she knew that Cadet Howard and her followers knew the truth, she felt that she was above and even immune to the suspicions of others. Eventually her overconfidence lead to sloppiness, which led to a mistake, which lead to a discovery that will heal many wound, even if it cannot truly right any wrongs.

"Cadet Coldwell, Cadet Howard, please step forward." The room grew silent, and all eyes fell on the two girls. Beverly could hear the heels of her boots echoing of the marble floor, but felt a new confidence growing inside her. The truth had at last reared its ugly head. When the two young women reached the podium, Parsons continued. "Before me stand two Cadets whom I falsely judged. I weighed the word of one against the words of another, and came to the wrong conclusion.

"Cadet Coldwell began her Starfleet career at the beginning of this semester. To me, she was just another name on the roster of incoming students, another young person who had earned her place in our great organization. A CMO of tomorrow. Cadet Howard had already been with us for a semester before this one. She had a history of rule-bending, and I used this and what seemed like concrete facts to impart my judgement. I found her guilty of cheating. I was wrong. Today, I retract this verdict.

"Cadet Coldwell, you have been found guilty. You failed your first Academy Entrance Exam. Though most fail their first time, you felt cheated, and, rather than showing maturity and dignity as any Starfleet officer would, you cheated those more deserving than you out of their rightful place in this institution. We need only to listen to the recording procured by Cadet Hosgerb to find numerous examples of you serious lack of integrity. Any person with character would never be able to find it within themselves to perform the rituals of manipulation, degradation, and annihilation that you practice daily. Someone with honor would have studied longer, pushed harder, and become better, rather than taking the easy way out. Had you any feelings of loyalty, not only to this organization, but to yourself, you would not be standing before me today. As for honesty? Many of us are wondering if you have ever had a notion of the concept.

"I find you guilty of conduct seriously unbecoming a Starfleet Cadet. You are hereby dishonorably discharged. Never again will you have contact with this organization, or find solace in its service. I only pray that you have learned a lesson here today. May whatever God you believe in have mercy on your soul, if it is right that He should do so." Parsons nodded to a burly pair of security guards. "Get her out of my sight."

The room exploded in raucous celebration. Parsons let it continue for a moment, then raised his hand for quiet. "I would go on the record to say that the Cadet before me, Cadet Howard, is a fine example of everything that a Starfleet Cadet should be. We are all better for knowing her. Dismissed."

Beverly sighed, letting her shoulders drop from attention. She turned toward her friends and smiled with unabashed joy for the first time since the beginning of the semester. She embraced them all in a tight hug, resolving herself to be everything she had ever dreamed of and more. She promised to be better, and to live up to the honorable words which had just described her. Her eyes met those of her friends, taking each of them in in turn, and she whispered softy, "I'm better for knowing you."

* * *

Two days later, Beverly caught Tafton by herself in a corner of the cafeteria. The brunette girl smiled warmly as Beverly slid in the seat opposite her. "Tafton, I never got a chance to thank you for what you did for me on the day of the trial. You're amazing. Not one person in a thousand would have that sort of loyalty for a friend."

Tafton shrugged. "It was nothing. You would have done the same for me. I knew you and Picard hit it off the night of the reception. The way he was looking at you…" She frowned slightly, and tears welled in her eyes.

"What is it," Beverly asked gently.

"You're so lucky. You have two men who would give anything to be with you, and I have no one. The one I want wants nothing to do with me. I thought of what I would have done if I were you, and I knew that the choice wouldn't be an easy one to make. Jack and Picard are so different. I think you chose the right man, though. A starship tends to be a jealous mistress. Believe me, I know."

"You mean Walker?"

Tafton nodded. "Yeah, him."

Beverly reached across the table and grabbed her friend's hand. "Tafton, if he didn't really love you in some way he would have led you on and made you believe there was a future for the two of you. He cares for you enough to tell you the truth."

"That's right," said Keel, who had been steadily approaching Hosgerb from behind as Beverly distracted the girl. He handed the brunette a single yellow rose, and sat beside her. "Tafton, I do love you, just not the way you want me to, but that's okay. I'm not good enough for you anyway. What you did for Beverly was incredible. I am so glad I can call you my friend. No matter what happens, no matter where we are, I always want to call you my friend."

Tafton said nothing, she just leaned forward, embraced Walker tightly, and cried some more.

* * *