The thematic tension doing what's morally right takes priority over doing what feels emotionally right is shown in this short story by Tom Godwin.
After the pilot learns what he has to do, he assures the girl of her unfortunate fate when he says,
"I'm sorry," he said again. "[The girl will] never know how sorry I am. It has to be that way and no human in the universe can change it” (5). This quote shows how the pilot wishes he could change the way things have to be, but he must follow orders and complete his mission as given by his commander. The pilot also shows that doing the morally right things take priority over what he feels personally right when he is given the information on how to handle the girl. Shortly before telling the girl there is nothing he can do to save her, the pilot tells the girl, "I'm sorry...I should have told you before...but I had to do what I could first; I had to call the Stardust. You heard what the commander said”. In which the girl responds with, "But you can't—if you make me leave the ship, I'll die." Finally the pilot replies with, "I know" (5).
This evidence shows that the pilot, although sorry that he could not do more …show more content…
After giving the identification disk of the girl to a distant ally, the pilot explains what will happen, should he do what feels emotionally right. "This ship is carrying kala fever serum to Group One on Woden. Their own supply was destroyed by a tornado...The fever is invariably fatal unless the serum can be had in time, and the six men in Group One will die unless this ship reaches them on schedule...and if you stay aboard your added weight will cause it to use up all its fuel before it reaches the ground. It will crash...and you and I will die and so will the six men waiting for the fever serum"
After the pilot learns what he has to do, he assures the girl of her unfortunate fate when he says,
"I'm sorry," he said again. "[The girl will] never know how sorry I am. It has to be that way and no human in the universe can change it” (5). This quote shows how the pilot wishes he could change the way things have to be, but he must follow orders and complete his mission as given by his commander. The pilot also shows that doing the morally right things take priority over what he feels personally right when he is given the information on how to handle the girl. Shortly before telling the girl there is nothing he can do to save her, the pilot tells the girl, "I'm sorry...I should have told you before...but I had to do what I could first; I had to call the Stardust. You heard what the commander said”. In which the girl responds with, "But you can't—if you make me leave the ship, I'll die." Finally the pilot replies with, "I know" (5).
This evidence shows that the pilot, although sorry that he could not do more …show more content…
After giving the identification disk of the girl to a distant ally, the pilot explains what will happen, should he do what feels emotionally right. "This ship is carrying kala fever serum to Group One on Woden. Their own supply was destroyed by a tornado...The fever is invariably fatal unless the serum can be had in time, and the six men in Group One will die unless this ship reaches them on schedule...and if you stay aboard your added weight will cause it to use up all its fuel before it reaches the ground. It will crash...and you and I will die and so will the six men waiting for the fever serum"