"Why?", captain Maguire asked.
"Do you really think that Space command is unable to explore more of space beyond the known regions?", challenged captain Lucinda.
"What are you trying to say?", asked captain Maguire.
"I 'm saying there is a reason why starships are kept busy patroling 'the borders' of known space. You see captain, there are forces out there far greater than just your odd alien encounter".
"You 'll have to do better than that to do better than that to convince to deploy the shield", said captain Maguire.
"I can give you one thousand seven hundred reasons", countered captain Lucinda.
"The complement of the Sandawana's crew", just how low can you sink?", charged captain Maguire.
"Captain we shall be leaving known space in exactly 20", reported lieutenant Tashinga at flight control.
"Perch me through to the Sandawana's public address system", captain Maguire ordered lieutenant Tanaka at communications.
Lieutenant Tanaka's fingers moved over the console before him to execute the order.
"Done captain", lieutenant Tanaka reported.
Captain Maguire raised his hand held communicator to his mouth.
"Attention, all personnel. This is the captain speaking", he began.
"We shall shortly be entering unchartered space. This is a historic tour as we shall go where no other starship has gone before. It also presents opportunities to make new discoveries as well as unknown risks".
"It is to that end that I am putting the Sandawana on priority one alert. All personnel are to report to battle stations and await further orders".
"Thank you lieutenant", said captain Maguire turning to lieutenant Tanaka and ending the broadcast".
"Weapons', he said to lieutenant Alex Bara, "activate all weapons systems, we are going in hot. We want to be prepared for anything".
"Uhm", exclaimed captain Lucinda audibly enough for him to hear.
"Also deploy the electro magnetic repulse shield", he ordered lieutenant Alex Bara at the weapons control console in a concession to captain Lucinda.
"Happy?", captain Maguire asked turning to face captain Lucinda.
"It's not about my being happy or not but taking every caution. As I was saying earlier it's not that Space command ever lacked the capacity to explore the unknown regions of space. But sometimes you just need to know where to draw the line".
"What's really out there?", asked captain Maguire.
"I promise not to tell any lies if you promise not to question my advice", declared captain Lucinda.
"Deal, though I never accused you of telling lies. My challenge with you is this knack you seem to have of telling half truths", said captain Maguire.
"Fair enough we can start by respecting each other's mutual intergrity", agreed captain Lucinda
"And full disclosure?", proposed captain Maguire
"There are issues of professional confidentiality but I promise to share with you everything I know pertaining to this particular mission", offered captain Lucinda.
"I have a feeling that is the best I can expect from you. So I "ll just have to settle for that concession on your part without asking you to compromise your professional intergrity", conceded captain Maguire.
"Thank you captain for appreciating my position", captain Lucinda conceded captain Lucinda with a sense of gratitude.
"Captain we are now exiting the boundaries of unknown space", reported lieutenant Tashinga manning the flight control console.
"Navigation, make sure you mark our route from here on. We shall create an extension of existing star charts", ordered lieutenant Anesu at navigation.
"Captain something very odd. There are no stars to be seen", reported lieutenant Anesu.
"You mean we are just passing through darkness?" asked captain Maguire.
"No captain there is not even darkness", reported lieutenant. "Look", she said pointing at the screen on the giant computer monitor", drawing everyone's attention to the image on it.
"Extraordinary, like some sort of substance, but nothing at the same time", remarked captain Maguire trying to explain what he was seeing on the big screen.
"We entered into the Oblivion zone", stated captain Lucinda. "Here the concepts of time and substance do not exist".
"I thought oblivion was just a state of mind?", exclaimed captain Maguire.
"It is", confirmed captain Lucinda, "but for lack of a better description that's what it is referred to officially. There is nothing tangible on in the region to study. It does not even have quantifiable dimensions".
"Are you saying we may never emerge from this thing, place whatever it is?", asked captain Maguire anxiously.
"Not exactly", said captain Lucinda, "we have been able to ascertain that depending on the point at whicj you enter the zone at you can emerge on the other side in totally galaxy or the same galaxy you left. You can also emerge at the same as you left or a totally different time zone".
"Granted that you travel in a straight line", reasoned captain Maguire.
"That's right captain", confirmed she confirmed.
"Changing course in the Oblivion zone is definite no no. There would be no telling where one might emerge if they are able to leave the zone at all", said captain Lucinda.
"You mean they might be stuck here?", quizzed captain Maguire.
"Look around you captain", she said drawing captain Maguire's attention to the image of the silverish mass of emptiness. "We navigate through space using stars as points of reference. If someone is to begin changing course it is likely that they will keep going in a circle as there is no reference point to change course against".
"Are you saying the person won't be able to tell whether they effectively initiated a change of course", observed captain Maguire.
"Because every direction looks the same. There is no telling West from East once you break off from your original flight plan", explained captain Lucinda.
"So where are we likely to emerge according to our current flight plan?", asked captain Maguire.
"I will not lie to you", said captain Lucinda, "I do not know, but whereever we exit from is as good a point to begin our quest from as any since we do not know the present location of our query".