Special： These three（Part 5） (第3/3页)

eshape.Followingthesigns，shewalkedintotheJimmySterns‘yard.Sheknocked，andaplacid-lookingwomanopenedthedoor.

    “I‘vecometoseeMr.JimmyStern.“Shesaid，bowingslightly.

    Jimmy‘sfamilyisnotreligious.HegraduatedfromthestarshipacademyinWashington，d.c.Hisolderfatherandolderbrotherweremembersofthestarfleet.Atthemoment，thefamilyofthreepeoplearesittingonaroundthecoffin(infact，thisisaphotontorpedoshell).Aroundthem，thephonographisplayingthescientificresearchersmostlikeclassicalmusic.Fromtimetotime，themotherwillbeontheedgeofthecoffininalowvoicetowhisper.Perhaps，thisisakindofhelplessexpectation.

    “JimmyStern‘sagoodboy，isn‘the“Mrs.SternclaspedCpt.Xuan‘shands.“he‘salwaysthebest.“

    “Yes，ma‘am.“Xiexuancansee，althoughtheothersideexpressioniscalm，seemunmoved，butinfact，herheartishidingagreatpain，whichhadneverbeenknownbyher.

    “Promiseme，captain.“Mrs.Sterncontinued，“youwillleadJimtodistantstars，ashewishes.“

    “Yes，ma‘am.“Cpt.Xuannodded.“Iwillliveuptohisexpectations.“

    “Thankyou，captain.”

    BythetimeCpt.Xuanwalkedintothestarship‘ssmallbarthenextday，thewakewasover，anddozensofJimmyStern‘sfriendshadlaidoutallthetablesandchairsandgatheredtoreminisseaboutthepastscientificresearcher

    “Heisoneofthemostdiligentstudentsinourclass.““Icanstillrememberhowhemanagedtogethisassignmentdonewhenwehidhistextbook，and，evenso，hewasstillrewardedbytheteacher，“recalledaclassmateofJim.“Althoughhefailedtorealizehisdreamofbecomingascientificofficerofastarship，Ithinkhehasrealizedvaluesfarbeyondthese，andithasrisentothelevelofaphilosophy，whichIdon‘tknowverywellandneedourdeepunderstanding，“hesaid.

    “Exactly.“XieXuannodded，infullview，shewentontothestage，althoughtwoyoungofficerssacrificedtheirlivesforthem，alltheship‘sstaffsexpressfullunderstandingandaffirmation.Theydon‘tblamethecaptain，andperhaps，withoutthem，theywouldn‘tevenbeabletoexplorethisregionsafely.“Jimmiesternwasagoodandconscientiousofficer，ashismotherbelieved，“shesaid，raisingherheadandlookingaround.“He‘sagoodboy.“Xiexuanbowedherhead.“Hesacrificedhislifetosaveus.Iwillalwaysrememberwhathedid，forever，forever...“

    Theburialwasattendedbyfewpeople，mostlyofficersandfamilymemberswithwhomtheyhadsomecontact.Bythistime，twoyoungofficers’bodieshadbeenloadedintotwoovalblackphotontorpedoes.Throughthetorpedotubes，theywouldfollowasetcoursetowardthegalaxy，towardtheirnativeland，atawarpspeedof9.9.

    Onceagain，thehonorguardcoveredthesurfacesofthetwophotontorpedoeswithablueunionflag.ThepriestLatukkissedthemonelasttime，andthenthetorpedoclosedthelidandtheirfacesdisappeared.Severalofficerssteppedforwardandfoldedtheflag，neatlyandsolemnlyaway.

    “Eyesahead.“Cpt.Xuanstoodatattention:“Perhaps，wewillneverseesomeonelikethat.“

    Asthetwotorpedoeswerepushedintothetorpedotube，sheraisedherheadandmadeastandardvulcangreetinggesture.

    “Livelong，andprosper.”

    Inthethruster‘sflame，twophotontorpedoesclearedthe100-metertube，oneinfrontoftheother，turningintotworedpointsoflightanddisappearingamongthestarsinthedistance.