Some of the text in this chapter is not my own work. I reference a speech by William Safire, speechwriter for President Nixon, and a poem by Cecil Spring Rice.

"Prepare for short-range jump to slingshot position," ordered Spyglass. "On my mark."

"Jump drives online!" reported the jump technician.

"Copy that. Drives ready for jump. The Strongarm is coming with us, too." reported the Queen of Spades.

"We're ready too," said the Captain of the Queen of Diamonds. "Preparing to accelerate the Dreamgate."

"The IMS Rorschach will be in our Jump wake, Admiral," reported the Queen of Clubs.

"Then the Pillar of Winter will jump with us," said Spyglass. "Jumping will commence in 30 seconds."

The four warp-capable ships – the three remaining logistics cruisers and the Hercules – jumped a few kilometres forward.

"Radiators at 96%," informed Spyglass. "Beginning slingshot around the asteroid. 96.5%. Now in asteroid's shadow, radiators cooling. 95%."

Six minutes later the entire fleet had swung around the asteroid, draining the asteroid's kinetic energy and adding it to their own. They now faced the opposite direction – headed straight for Outpost 207 -

And going faster than Graves will expect, thought Blisk.

"Radiators at 97%," informed Spyglass. "We are now in a position to jump to Outpost 207."

Which we would have been in, had we stayed in orbit around Hephaestus. But now we're a few million kilometres to the side – and we're travelling fast.

"All ships, move into position behind the Hercules, prepare for long-range jump. Charging jump drives. Radiators at 97.5%. Jump drive flywheels at 70% capacity."

"Spyglass," Blisk said suddenly. "We're still jumping to Outpost 207, but I want to cut the warp drives and cruise through space when we are at our closest to the militia."

"Why?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Very well, Commander."

"Woah, Sir! The enemy fleet just jumped away from Solhephaestus!"

"What?"

"They've dropped out of jump a couple light-seconds away from us!"

"Prepare for battle, but hold fire. I can't think of any good reason for them to stop here."

"Field Commander, incoming message from the enemy fleet."

"Patch it through."

"Spyglass," Blisk said, "We need to perform the Burial of the Brave."

"Commander, the Burial is but a pleasantry. It does not give us any strategic advantage."

"And yet, Admiral, performing it will raise our crew's morale, inspire them to make sacrifices for us in the future, and undermine the Militia's efforts to stop our return to Outpost 207."

"And you believe that making such a broadcast would... I already know what you are going to ask me. Very well commander. We shall perform the Burial, but we will jump if we detect incoming fire."

"Then begin the broadcast."

"Fate has ordained that the Captain of the IMS Queen of Hearts will forever rest in peace in orbit around Solhephaestus," began Spyglass, speaking pre-written words from an archive. "This brave man, Captain Edmond Wensley, lay down his life for the good of mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding, for peace and prosperity.

He will be mourned by his family and friends; he will be mourned by his nation; he will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send one of her sons into the unknown.

In his service he stirred all those who knew him to feel as one; in his sacrifice, he has bound us more tightly together.

In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood."

"Commander," Spyglass said to Blisk separately, "detecting negative emotional response from the crew. Tell me why I should not abort."

"They're crying because their comrade died, Spyglass. It is a mercy to give them closure. Better they weep now than hurt for the months to come."

"Others will follow his example," continued Spyglass to the crew. "Others will find their way home through his sacrifice. But this man was the first, and he will evermore remain foremost in our hearts. In mine, too."

"A necessary lie," explained Spyglass to Blisk. "I thought it would be a nice touch."

"For every human," Spyglass continued, "– no, for every living, thinking being who looks up at this star in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind."

Spyglass stopped.

"Detecting an incoming transmission from the Militia fleet. Patching them through to the bridge."

"Spyglass," came Graves' voice. "Have you grown a heart?"

"That would be impossible, Graves. But I have developed an appreciation for those who go above and beyond their duty for the sake of others, especially when I am one of those who benefits."

Graves' reply came back 16 seconds later – they were 8 light-seconds apart, after all.

"Very well. And you are performing this ceremony for Wensley because of that?"

"It eases the pain of the crew, so I am told."

"They won't feel any more pain if you surrender. Nor will anyone else."

"That I cannot do, Graves."

"ALL STAND FOR THE ANTHEM!" bellowed Blisk, slamming his hand upon the fleet-wide intercom button.

"I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,

Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;"

A thousand crew members broke into song, as was IMC tradition from days of old. They sang loudly, softly, through faces dry and eyes wet with tears.

"The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,

That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;"

Wensley was well known within the fleet. He'd saved many a destroyer pilot's life with a well timed firing of his jump drives to whisk them out of danger. He'd endured many a punishment for 'wasting' a flywheel's worth of energy engaging said jump drives.

"The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,

The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice."

Some of them felt nothing but gladness that a man was being recognized for his sacrifice, others felt their hearts being wrenched from within their chests as they continued into the second verse.

"And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,

Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;"

Some wondered what a country was, others decided that it mattered not.

"We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;

Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;"

Spyglass hoped that the hymn would make his crew more faithful. Blisk hoped that, if he did die on the battlefield, such a hymn would be spoken about him. He was a mercenary, he fought for money. Nevertheless, he didn't want to die without being called a man of honor at least once.

"And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,

And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace."

The Hercules fired it's main cannon once and promptly re-engaged it's jump drives, continuing to Outpost 207.

"COMMUNICATIONS PROBE FIRED FROM THE HERCULES!" Screamed the chief of intelligence. "Preparing to intercept! NOW!"

"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Roared Graves.

Three months later a communications probe plowed through the Solar System. Its message was picked up by the receiver satellites in high orbit about Earth and they relayed it to the appropriate authorities.

A day later, a school boy wept for his father, a woman wiped a tear from her eye for her ex-husband.

A week later seven cannons mounted atop the last green hill on Earth fired three times - seven blanks the first time, seven blanks the second time, six blanks and one brass bullet the final time.

Three words were graven upon the bullet:

"Captain Edmond Wensley."

As it soared into the stratosphere a chemical charge within it accelerated the bullet to orbital velocity.

Wensley was not the first to be honored in such a way, nor would he be the last. But from now until the end of time, his name would soar high above the Earth.

Author's note: no, that's not the end of the story. There will be more. That final section was to illustrate what happens to people who are given the heroic burial procedure; not to conclude. I haven't forgotten about Aisling, she's still the main character here.