"Captain, the object is asking for permission attempting to download information to the Sandawana's computer", reported lieutenant Tanaka reported.
"Permission granted", replied captain Maguire consenting to the download.
"Captain may I?", asked captain Lucinda walked over to a vacant computer monitor along a bulkhead on the bridge.
"Proceed", captain Maguire consented. Captain Lucinda pulled up a chair and sitting down just the download began to study the information as it came.
It was tons and tons of information describing in detail everything the Zwilink connector had observed over the years. That included observations it made during its journey across star systems, universes, parallel realities and overlapping dimensions. It gave new star maps that the Zwilink connector had charted in its travels.
It showed shortcuts between galaxies where distances between places were reduced by literally folding space. It detailed images of distant nebulae (star) no human eye had seen before. It gave a detailed historical account of the cosmas, tracing it right to its foundation.
There were accounts of contact with alien civilizations at various stages of advancements. Details of several earth like worlds some containing simple life that were almost similar to the flora and fauna on Earth. Worlds with breathable atmosphers perfect for human settlement. Others were ocean worlds covered with sparkling crystalline water.
There were worlds that resembled Earth, but during a prehistoric period, teeming with endless forests, dinosaurs and other prehistoric fauna such as saber tooth tigers. The skies were dominated by flocks of terraductus. Gigantic monsters navigated the oceans below in a perfect balance of nature untainted by the hand of man.
Everything about the worlds spoke of newness. The sunlight reaching the surface of each planet, was neither too hot or too cold, it was just perfect. The ozone layer on each world was still in tact. There was just a lot of information coming through and captain Lucinda was could not read it all at once. She was only able to catch snatches of the download and let the rest of it go into the starships' data banks.
She would have more time to study it in detail back at space command headquarters. The information they had received would taken have manned vessels ages to gather and with great risk. Captain Lucinda was only too aware of the far reaching impact the information would have.
It was going to forever influence the pattern of human civilization allowing to expand across the cosmos at an accelerated pace.After making a mess of Earth's atmosphere humanity, would get a chance for a fresh start on virgin worlds ushering a new age of development and prosperity for all mankind.
It would also justify extending Earth's frontiers further out into the cosmos.
After what seemed a quite while the download was complete.
"Captain, audio transmission coming through from the Zwilink connector", reported lieutenant Tanaka at community.
"Put it through", confirmed captain Maguire.
"Captain of the Sandawana, You must leave the sector immediately, you are in danger. I shall leave in different direction and create a distraction to enable you to escape", announced the Zwilink connector its computer generated voice coming over the giant monitor's speakers.
"Wait!?", screamed captain Lucinda. "We have come to take you back to Earth with us".
"Captain Lucinda of the directorate of science we can not leave together. I must create a diversion for the Sandawana to make a successful escape. Goodbye Sandawana".
The Zwilink immediately took off at break neck speed.
"Pilot proceed on course to the point where we emerged from the Oblivion zone", captain Maguire ordered lieutenant Tashinga at flight control.
"Captain, aren't you going to pursue?", quired captain Lucinda.
"And why should I do that?", asked captain Maguire as lieutenant Tashinga steered the star ship towards the point on the wall of silverish mass known Oblivion zone from which the Sandawana had emerged.
"Our prime directive is to bring back the Zwilink connector", insisted captain Lucinda.
"Didn't you hear what it said?", remarked captain Lucinda. "I 'm not in a hurry to tangle with those astroid things again".
"But what of our mission?", challenged captain Lucinda.
"As captain of the Sandawana I have to prioritise the safety of my crew", announced captain Maguire without emotion.
"Captain, we are being pursued by an astroid, it is gaining on us rapidly", reported lieutenant Tanaka at the communications console.
"Pilot how much further to our designated entry point into the Oblivion zone", captain Maguire asked lieutenant Tashinga.
"We 'll be entering the Oblivion in seven seconds".
"Com, how far is the astroid", captain Maguire asked watching the rapidly growing image of the astroid coming up fast being the Sandawana.
"5 seconds captain", reported lieutenant Tanaka at communications.
"Enter Oblivion zone now!", captain Maguire ordered lieutenant Tashinga at the flight control console.
The starship entered the Oblivion zone just as a powerful beam hit the astroid shattering it into fragments. Fragments from the exploding explosion hit the starship with the force of a tidal wave causing the to shudder violently.
"Huh!, that was close", sighed captain Maguire", with relief. "That's the second time the Zwilink connector has saved us. Now do you understand why I decided not to pursue?", he asked captain Maguire.
"Captain", we are emerging into normal space", reported lieutenant Tashinga.
"That's faster than it took to emerge the first time went in the Oblivion zone", remarked captain Maguire.
"How is that possible?", he asked captain Lucinda.
"It's not", she replied calmly."We might have been affected by the explosion", suggested captain Lucinda. "It was rather powerful".
"Are you suggesting that we might have been knocked off course by the force of the explosion?", asked captain Maguire.
"It's just speculation for now, I can't think of any other reason", she replied.
"How much do you people know the Oblivion zone?", quizzed captain Maguire.
"What are you suggesting captain?", captain Lucinda asked.
"I 'm suggesting that maybe the zone is unstable. Think about it, it is squirming mass. Maybe it doesn't not have fixed proportions. I 'm putting forward the theory that maybe the Oblivion zone is like a huge piece of dough in space", said captain Maguire.
"Are you suggesting that it is unstable and keeps changing form?", asked captain Lucinda.
"That's exactly what I 'm saying", affirmed captain Maguire.
"That's not it", captain said Lucinda dimissing the theory.
"Who is to say", captain Maguire challenged.
"The directorate of science said captain Lucinda. "We explored that possibility and discovered that the zone has a definite form. Which it has had for the several billion years".
"That leaves only one other possibility", concluded captain Maguire.
"Which is that we may have re-entered normal space at a different point to where we entered the Oblivion zone", proposed captain Lucinda.