Honor, the bearer of which can do no wrong.”
Don Mathers gaped at him.
The president smiled, albeit a bit sourly. “It would hardly do for human morale, in this period which will shake our concepts, to find that our supreme symbol of heroism was a phoney. Colonel, there will be no trial and you will retain your decoration.”
Don was still gaping. “But it will have to come out that the Kraden cruiser I supposedly destroyed was already a derelict. Otherwise, no one will believe that the Kradens were not hostile. Otherwise, everyone will believe that they came back again. Otherwise, all our people will believe that the so-called war must go on.”
The president shook his head. “I think I have that figured out. At the same time that we announce that the original battle was a terrible mistake, and that the Kradens were a peaceful fleet of spaceships, we will announce that our technicians, examining the Miro Class cruiser which you destroyed, found it unarmed and obviously a spaceship sent to attempt to reopen negotiations with us, in spite of our initial attack upon them fifty years earlier. No blame will be placed on you, who, in good faith, went in to the attack, believing that you were fighting an enemy. It was all a great mistake, but your courage and gallantry were still there. You deserved the award, in spite of the tragedy. Meanwhile, we shall immediately put our tight laser beams on Luna to working trying to contact the Kradens—wherever in space they may be located—and utilizing the most recently developed methods of attempting to communicate with extraterrestrials—to apologize for our mistake and to reopen contact with them.”
“You mean, I am to retain my medal?”
“Yes, the human race would be hard put to bear the psychic upset if you were to be stripped of it.”
“But, I don’t want it!”
The president rubbed a weary black hand over his short, kinky hair. “I am afraid that is the cross you will have to bear the rest of your life, Colonel Mathers. I do not suppose it will be an easy one.” His eyes went to a far corner of the room, but un-seeing. He said, after a long moment, “However, I am not so very sure about you not deserving your award, Colonel.”
