 What is the irony in Ben's contempt for a single action destroying "a man's life and his dream?"
With never a moment to rest, the pursuit through space felt like a game of hounds and hares ... or was it follow the leader? You can defeat him or submit to him or ignore him, and the matter is over and done. You can give yourself up, and that's what a good officer would do. Under interplanetary law, that would mean ten years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. They don't want new men over thirty-four for officers on rockets or even for third-class jet-men on beat-up freighters—they don't want convicted killers. So , Ben reflected, you can take a beer-and-pretzels tale seriously.
 He'd just done the same to a man by striking him without thought, and is now running from his guilt.
 If he had stayed and made the decision to confess, he wouldn't have ruined his life.  He'd just deliberately ended a man's life, and his running from what he's done.  It's against the morals of what he claims to stand by.  He'd just done the same to a man by striking him without thought, and is now running from his guilt.