....he can't really believe that he is going to have to do
what he knows he has to do. When he first discovers that there is a stowaway on board,
he sets out to deal with the problem quickly and efficiently. However, when he realises
that it is a young girl, who, what is more, is completely unaware of her necessary fate
and the seriousness of her actions, he is completely torn by the inevitable. Note what
it says when Marilyn is first discovered:
He stared without speaking, his hand dropping
away from the blaster, and acceptance of what he saw coming like a heavy and unexpected
physical blow.
He
deliberately delays telling her the truth and even calls his superior officer to see
what can be done, even though he knows that it is a "vain hope." He says he will not
place her in the air lock until he has exhausted all possibilities. However, when he has
received his expected answer, he does what he can to help Marilyn accept her fate by
letting her speak to her brother and giving her a bit of time and space to accept the
inevitable. At the end of the day, we need to accept that Barton's decision to let her
live until the last possible moment reveals more about his compassion than anything
else.
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