Learning to Dance

Ranger. But believe me when I say that you have been
nothing but trouble since you came to the Bright Eye,
Lieutenant-Commander. Sulking in your room, picking
fights in the mess hall, disobeying orders at every turn –
you’re acting like a child. A reckless, lovesick child.”
Taz looked up, and her fists clenched even harder.
Lovesick? Okay, now she wanted to hit something.
Preferably the Commander.
“They always said that Up was the only one with any
pull over you, and I think I’m starting to understand why. I
believe it’s time you were reassigned, Lieutenant.”
Taz blinked in surprise.
“As of right now, you are no longer a Lieutenant-
Commander on this ship. You are hereby demoted for
insubordination, and you will consider yourself lucky that
I’m not pursuing further action on the matter. There’s a
transport heading for Earth tomorrow. I want you on it.”
It was all Taz could do to keep her voice steady. “Will
that be all, Commander?”
“You’re dismissed.”
She managed to contain herself until she was in the
corridor, and Commander Li’s door had closed behind her.
“Puta estúpido, yo te mostraré la insubordinación -” She
slammed her fists into the curved metallic wall, ignoring
the ensigns scurrying as far out of her way as they could
get. “Puta engreído, sólo espera -”
She sagged then, back against the opposite side of the
corridor, and rubbed her hands. A demotion. And they were
sending her back to Earth for reassignment, back to where
he was...
Up would be so disappointed in her.
Who was she kidding? She’d abandoned him. He
probably hated her.
Taz rubbed her face in her hands. She and Li had never