After a much needed break in the after math of the action orientated tour of the Shaduha, the first ever such mission into another dimension, captain Maguire arrived at Space command headquarters. He was feeling rejuvenated thanks to the one week break the crew of the Sandawana had been given. It had been a badly needed break for both crew and equipment after marathon missions which had come one after another.
The doors of the elevator smartly slid open once it arrived on the twentieth floor. Captain Maguire stepped out looking resplendent in a freshly pressed dress uniform. He made his way to admiral Gwangwa's office and almost bumped into captain Lucinda who was approaching from the opposite direction outside the door.
"We meet again", he remarked.
"Indeed we do", said captain Lucinda, "You look quite dashing in your dress uniform.
"Thank you", replied captain Maguire
"I have an appointment with admiral Gwangwa", said captain Maguire.
"As do I", announced captain Lucinda.
"Could we be attending the same meeting, do you think", suggested captain Maguire.
"I 'll be making a presentation", said captain Lucinda.
"That confirms it", said captain Maguire, putting aside any pretence at civility changing his tone.
"Must I remind you captain that we are both officers and ask you to maintain decorum as befitting your rank", captain Lucinda subtly rebuked him.
"That's not going to be very easy to accomplish with you around", said captain Maguire.
"And just what is wrong with me?", asked captain Lucinda.
"To begin you are a perennial liar, who can't seem to tell the truth. Last time I associated with you I almost lost my life not to mention my command in another dimension!", captain Maguire charge angrily.
"It was a gamble that eventually worked out", countered captain Lucinda staring into the captain Maguire's eyes.
They were so caught up in their little exchange that neither one of them heard the door to admiral Gwangwa's office open softly.
"If you two are done you may come inside", said admiral Gwangwa admonished lightheartedly.
Quickly turning to face him, they both quietly followed him into the office. They remained standing while he walked round to assume his seat on the high backed chair behind the large desk, which dominated the office. He gestured with his hands towards the leather chairs on their side of the desk for them to be sitted.
"I want to congratulate the both of you on a high successful mission", said admiral Gwangwa.
"If you mean your rescue, it was nothing. It was only natural that we come for you, sir", remarked captain Maguire.
"I 'm not talking, just about my rescue, though I am grateful to you make no mistake", said admiral Gwangwa.
"I 'm talking of the mission being a success in the broader sense of destroying the Shaduha shadow fleet and disabling Shaduha shadow from carrying out another attack on Earth".
"Sir...?" began captain Maguire.
"That was always the primary objective", said admiral Gwangwa.
"I don't understand ", said captain Maguire.
"What we are about to discuss must stay within the four walls of this office", admiral Gwangwa cautioned before he proceeded.
"Chasing the Shaduha shadow back into their dimension would have only meant they would come back to attack Earth at a later stage. We needed a compelling reason to strike them within their own dimension. The idea being to disable their ability to carry out any future incursions on to Earth. In the very least we wanted to show them that Earth was not to be trifled with and scare them so bad they would think twice before ever thinking of attacking Earth again".
"Ok", said captain Maguire.
"There was just one setback with that plan. There was no way the admiralty would give unequivocal support for such a risky action. A powerful compelling reason was needed to push the admiralty", said admiral Gwangwa.
"And that reason was the abduction of a senior officer of the admiralty, you?", reasoned captain Maguire.
"Under the emergency regulations protocol, all starships, all the resources of Space command would be mobilised to lend support in any rescue effort. All starship captains would be automatically authorised to take independent action without consulting command", explained admiral Gwangwa.
"Why put your life at risk?", asked captain Maguire.
"Because I am a Space command officer. It is my duty to defend this planet and I will do my duty whatever the cost. Even if it means it I have to put my life on the line. That is what it means to be a space command officer. It is a calling, a life style dedicated to serve, to make the hard decisions that need to be made for the sake of humanity".
"I understand", said captain Maguire, "thinking of the numerous occasions where he had taken unorthodox decisions in the same course of service to Earth and humanity.
"There was no way I was going to allow those monsters to get another shot to threaten Earth again".
"If roles were reversed I believe I would do the same", admitted captain Maguire.
"I 'm glad we understand each other", said admiral Gwangwa there is something we want to discuss with you. Go ahead captain Lucinda".
"In the face of the constant threats from outer space ranging from astroids that could end life on Earth as we know it, to hostile aliens civilizations, the science directorate developed a the ultimate defence mechanism".
"The Zwilink connector", annoinced admiral Gwangwa.
"A computerised probe armed with a solar ray, a powerful laser that is generated from the focusing the energy of the sun into a powerful beam of energy. It can destroy anything from a mass of solid rock in deep space to a fleet of starships".
"It sounds perfect", said captain Maguire.
"It would be the perfect defence system if it was under our control"
"What are you saying?", asked captain Maguire.
"Something went wrong and we lost control of its computer, and it launched itself nto space.
"We fear its computer may have been hacked by aliens", explained captain Lucinda.