Medal of Honor

A lone scout pilot drifts through the endless void, his tiny craft a solitary speck against the dark canvas of space. Captain Don Mathes finds himself repeatedly grounded by mysterious engine troubles, drawing suspicion from his superiors and stirring a quiet dread that only the emptiness of the stars can amplify. The story opens with his tense debriefing, revealing the thin line between duty and the creeping isolation that haunts anyone who spends weeks alone beyond human reach.

Back on a dim, off‑world bar, Mathes seeks a brief respite, only to hear the tragic news of the last holder of the Galactic Medal of Honor—a symbol that supposedly renders its bearer infallible. The conversation hints at a society that reveres heroic myth while ordinary men like Mathes grapple with the stark realities of space patrols. In this blend of military routine and personal anxiety, the narrative explores how far one can trust reputation when the void itself seems to conspire against you.