The Final Expedition

Day One Hundred and Forty-Four

We had all gathered in the Zvezda module at Morrison’s request. Morrison waited at the far end, his bible tucked under his arm and a US flag folded into a tight triangle clasped in one hand as he waited for everyone to file in through the hatch.

“Thank you for attending.” He began once we had assembled, his eyes sweeping around the room before settling on me. “I know some of you have good reason to have stayed away. It didn’t feel right not to mark Flynn’s passing, so I just wanted to say a few words. As we all know, he was a deeply troubled man at the end, so I would prefer to remember Chuck as I knew him from before his recent episode.” Morrison’s eyes dropped to the folded flag in his hands. “I knew him pretty well from Astronaut training and knew him to be a dedicated and driven individual who was fiercely passionate about the Space Programme. He was a loving husband to his wife, Caitlin and a devoted father to his daughter, Sarah and I know that their probable loss on that terrible day weighed heavily on his soul. At least now he is at peace and reunited with his family, who he loved so very much.” Morrison paused for a moment and opened his bible. “I’m no preacher, but I know there’s a passage from the bible which is traditional in these circumstances. From Psalm 23: ‘Though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and staff, they comfort me…’” As Morrison continued his reading, I glanced at Natalya, who was discreetly wiping a tear from her right eye. I wondered how she could weep for a man who just a week earlier had attacked her and almost raped her. Morrison closed the bible, bowed his head and recited The Lord’s Prayer before looking up. “It means a lot to me that we could all gather together for this.” He said. “Thank you.” The ceremony over, we filed out of Zvezda in silence.