“We also have eyewitnesses confirming the presence of an Arcturian cadet wearing your bandolier in the vicinity of Rakatheema’s apartment.”

“Then they’re lying. What is this, some kind of plot to discredit us? Prove we’re as savage as they say we are?” She looked up at Kirk. “How are you part of this, Admiral? You said you were our advocate.”

Sh’Deslar went on relentlessly. “We also looked more closely at the DNA evidence from the murder scene. Arcturian genetics are… complex, but once we filtered out Rakatheema’s own DNA, we found genetic traces consistent with an Arcturian female, with the epigenetic configuration unique to the Warborn. The only female Warborn cadet whose recorded DNA profile is consistent with those traces is you, Portia.”

The young Arcturian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s impossible.”

“Do you deny that you’re capable of killing?”

Portia glared. “Of course I can kill. That’s what I was designed to do. But I wasn’t there.”

“Eyewitnesses say you resented Rakatheema. That you believed he wanted to exploit the Warborn.”

“He did. He as good as admitted it.”

“So he was a threat to you and yours. And as you said, you were designed to eliminate threats to Arcturians.”

“You’re twisting it!” Portia took a deep breath, gathering her wits. After a moment, she spoke more carefully. “I may not have approved of all of Rakatheema’s goals for us, but his support still benefitted us. I didn’t have to like him in order to go through the doors he opened. He got us off Arcturus, worked to convince people to give us a chance to be more than just cannon fodder.”

She looked up at Kirk with a touch of pleading in her eyes. “I’ve enjoyed that chance, Admiral. I’ve only just started to explore the freedom to become who I choose to be. I don’t want to lose that. You know the first thing I thought when I heard the commander had died? That we might not get to stay at the Academy without his advocacy. That all the new possibilities I’ve discovered could be taken away.

“If people think one of us killed him, that will just strengthen their belief that we’re too dangerous to be in Starfleet—or even to be let out of our cryopods. His murder could cost us everything we’ve gained. I’d have to be crazy to kill him. Any of us would be.”

Kirk wanted to believe her. As strong as the evidence appeared to be, he recognized the mentality of a soldier in Portia. She was capable of violence, he was sure, but in a disciplined, directed way, with purpose and precision. It was a tool to her, one to be wielded where it would do the most good.