He was dead, or might as well have been. Behind him on the gurney where he lay, with two broken legs and three cracked ribs, stood the entire crew complement. In addition, there were many civilians who apparently loved her, the both of them, maybe even the three of them. Even though they hadn't had a chance to get to know the last of them.
They lowered the gurney as close to the deck as possible and he reached out with one hand and touched the Caprican flag that draped his wife's body. As he listened to the song they had used as their wedding march the sobs began to shake him and the tears ran down his face. For all the time they'd wasted, to finally connect with each other, to finally share the real miracle of having a child, and now it was all over.
He moved his hand to the small bundle wrapped in white that lay upon the flag that draped his wife. It rested there for several moments before he pulled it back and listened to the words so many people had to say about the woman he loved. It should have been a comfort to him, should have been.
As the ceremony concluded they started to raise the gurney to pull him back behind the blast doors which would protect them as the outer doors opened to commit the two he loved to the darkness of space. He screamed out "NO!"and reached out with both hands downward, fingers spread wide. His father looked at the men moving the gurney and nodded downward and they lowered it again.
His hands reached out, one caressing each of those he loved most. He remained still for several minutes unable to let go of them until he felt his father's hand on his arm. With a shaking sob he let go and nodded. The gurney rose, he was pulled back, and the blast door shut in front of him. He heard the sound of the air whoosing out, then all was silent.
After they had returned him to the Infirmary his thoughts remained on his wife and daughter. Another song came into his mind, not truly a lullaby, but it had spoken to him of all that his chld would see. His shattered dreams for her ran through his mind.
Her eyes will see a million wonders I can not imagine
'No her eyes won't see,' he thought, 'at least not with any recognition'.
My arms are strong, but they don't have the strength to let her go yet A few more minutes, one more whisper, one last quiet kiss
He'd wanted more. Why had he let them take him away?
And she is only mine for a little while
She'd only been his for a very little while.
He drew into himself and wept some more.
The lyrics are from the song For a Little While by Sarah Hart which can be found at spiritandsong dot com