Talosian Chronicles 2: Star Dancer (50 page)

“Today we are gathered to honor our fallen and say a final farewell. We have come from many different backgrounds and many different beliefs. Yet we lived together in harmony. I don’t know what awaits the spirits of our loved ones, but I do believe they have, at last, found peace.”

He swallowed the lump in his throat, and continued. “As we prepare to begin a new phase of our own lives, I cannot help but think how much our fallen would have wanted to help us. Instead of a town, Elias could have helped us build an entire planet. Little Andreya would have loved to grow up there.” His emotions were getting the best of him, so decided to finish what he wanted to say, while he could.

“The last biers are for members of the United States Military, they were not members of our community in life. However, they gave their lives trying to protect us and so we honor them as well," Ian said. He straightened to attention. “Ghost Squadron! Salute!” he raised his eyes to the monitors placed along the walls for the ceremony. He watched as the ten ships of Ghost Squadron, running lights on so that people in the bay could see them, slowly flew away from the Star Dancer. They flew in V formation with a ship at point, five ships on the left and four on the right. Corvis’ voice, as flight leader, directed the squadron, “Ready! Fire!” and each ship fired one laser cannon into deep space. Corvis repeated the command twenty-one times.

Ian remained at attention. “Honors!” he called and saluted.

In the nexus point of the maglev tubes, Crewman Conner McBride began to play ‘Amazing Grace’ on the bagpipes. With all maglevs disabled and all access doors locked open, the song carried, un-amplified, throughout the ship, it was also relayed to the
Prometheus
, parked below, and to starboard of
Star Dancer
.

As the song played, Ian dropped the salute. Remaining at attention, he stepped up to the control panel and pressed the button initiating the launch sequence. “Andreya Stavros, we return your body to the stars. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," he spoke as the casket closed and slid into the launch tube. Ian stepped formally to the next and repeated the process for every casket, the last one launching as the song died. He then stepped past where it had been, to where Star waited and did an about face. His tears no longer contained, he stood there at attention and silently cried. Goodbye Andreya. Goodbye Elias, you will be missed.

After a few minutes, he dismissed the ceremony. As the congregation broke up, Beth and Jenny moved to be with him, to comfort him, but Serena stopped them. “Don’t. He needs to do this alone. He will find his own way back. This is a duty that cannot be shared.”

He remained standing at attention long after everyone else had left, tears of grief and pain staining his formal uniform.

Silently, standing to his right, and one step to the rear, Star remained at attention, a look of pain on her face.