"So let me get this straight", said captain Maguire sitting in one of the two visitors' chairs in admiral Gwangwa's office."You people created a smart probe of some kind. You went on to arm it with the most powerful weapon known to mankind. Then it's computer went haywire and it launched itself into outer space if I understand you correctly?"
"Ah kind of ...", began captain Lucinda hesitatingly.
"Yes captain, that's exactly what happened", said admiral Gwangwa cutting off captain Lucinda in mid statement, "and I am ordering you to go after the that probe and if possible bring it back in one piece".
"And if not?", asked captain Maguire.
"The probe does not just carry a powerful weapon which Space command wants back, it also contains other sensitive items of technology. The onboard computer contains information relating to our entire defensive network. It is vital that the probe does not fall into alien hands".
"Admiral, on case you are not aware there has been alarming increase in alien activity in the further regions of outer space since our dance with the purple monstrosities".
"Shaduha shadow", corrected admiral Gwangwa, "I am very well aware of the development. "Space command is sized with the matter and starships of have been deployed to patrol to monitor the activity. What is your point captain?"
"I respectively wish to point out to the admiral, that is the Sandawana is needed and not chasing some rogue probe, sir", captain Maguire said taking care to keep his tone formal.
"This mission is equally crucial to the security of our planet. As for the probe having gone rogue, we don't have substantial evidence to indicate that", said admiral Gwangwa.
"Assuming the probe is not in one piece by the time we reach it, how will we identify the components that must be salvaged?", inquired captain Maguire.
"You mean the items of technology that must be brought back if for some reason you are unable to capture the probe intact, is that what you are asking, captain?", asked admiral Gwangwa.
There was a brief silence before admiral Gwangwa proceeded, "that is why you shall be going with captain Lucinda.
Captain Maguire and captain Lucinda eyed each other unhappily.
"I take it you two are acquainted?", remarked admiral Gwangwa. The statement being more of an observation than a question.
"If that is all, you are both dismissed", said admiral Gwangwa. "I have a lot of work to get through". I
The two officers walked out leaving admiral Gwangwa busily going over reports and other various other documents scattered all over his desk.
After a change of attire back into his working clothes and a short flight by shuttle to the starship, captain Maguire was sitting in his commander's chair on the bridge of the Sandawana.
"Why fit powerful weapon such as the solar ray on to a probe, look that well that experiment turned out?", Captain Maguire was remarking to captain Lucinda occupying the seat beside him. It should have been placed in a starship where it could have done maximum good".
"You are right captain. In fact if you to study the designs of our starships you will see that they were designed to incorporate the solar ray in their arsenal", admitted captain Lucinda.
"And then what happened?", quired captain Maguire.
"There was a technical oversight that we had not anticipated in the design of the solar ray. You see the weapon while powering up reaches a core temperature that would endanger the lives of starship crews. We were unable to come up with a cooling system efficient enough to compensate for the design flaw. It was simply too dangerous for manned vessels".
"Bravo so you geniuses at the science directotate decided to mount it on a machine instead", remarked captain Maguire.
"We needed the weapon, so rather than destroy it and start afresh it was decided to mount it on a probe where it's high temperature would not be dangerous".
"And you put it in this Zwilink connector?"
"You see the Zwilink connector was supposed to be our eye looking out into deep space and intelligently selecting threats it encountered. The solar ray would then go into action and obliterate the target with its powerful beam.
"So you combined the eye with the sword but you gave the eye a brain. And the brain ran away wit the eye and sword. Does the rhyme sound familiar, isnt it like that nursery rhyme we were taugh in kindergarten where the cow ran away with the fork and knife", captain Maguire ramarked with a hint of sarcasm.
"Only this one carries a very deadly possibility that could be lethal for Earth. Imagine if it fell into the hostile hands. It could be use against us, and what's worst is we don't have a defence against the solar. We don't have anything in our arsenal to match it's range or power".
"We would just be sitting ducks".
"Not if we find that probe first ", said captain Maguire. "We are going beyond the akelta quadrant where it was detected. It's as good as any place to start searching for it".
"Pilot take us to the co-ordinates from Space command, we have a probe to catch", captain Maguire ordered, lieutenant Tashinga sitted at flight control.
Lieutenant Tashinga's went into action inputting the co-ordinates and sending the Sandawana streaking into deep space from its orbit around Earth.
"Is there anything else I need to know about this Zwilink connector that might help with its capture?", asked captain Maguire.
"Only that there is a reason why the region of space why the region of space we are going to remains largely unknown", captain Lucinda pointed out as the Sandawana sped through the vast emptiness of space. The view of the space from the giant computer monitor gave the impression of stars shooting past the superstructure as the starship sped on into deep space.
"Which is?", captain Maguire was asking.
"Previous attempts at mapping the region have been unsuccessful. Our long range radio telescopes kept giving feedback of interference", captain Lucinda explained.
"Could the interference have been artificial", asked captain Maguire.
"Captain if you are suggesting some kind of alien interference you couldn't further of the mark. In fact there has been no evidence consistent with any possible alien activity in the region", pointed captain Lucinda.
"I take it this mission therefore naturally takes a secondary role to find out what it is happening there?", guessed captain Maguire.
"Naturally", confirmed captain Lucinda. "This will be the first time a manned vessel will be the visiting the region. It will provide us with an opportunity to find out up close and personal the nature of the interference we pick up on Earth. One more thing captain, I would advise you to raise the shield just before we enter the region", advised captain Lucinda.
Captain Maguire looked at her in surprise.