"Who the fuck knows how the Admiral's thought process works?" It comes out a little rough, and she blinks back a hot prickle in the corners of her eyes. A part of her is tempted to turn and walk right back out the door, like if she's not here, he can't say goodbye, can't go back to his own world and kill himself all over again for something that isn't his fault.

But only the first part of that is true. If she walks away, it won't stop him from leaving. It will just leave them with everything unsaid. So she swallows hard past the lump in her throat and says, "Put those down for a minute."