"Princess, I know that you can hear me", captain Maguire said . "I know that you are unable to respond due to your concerntration on the battle", said captain Maguire. The live footage on the big screen portrayed an intertangled mass of Bydanian, chaldarian and Drachalian starships, squaring up against each other. Charging at each other, lasers blazing.
"Space command 's Deep space fleet is coming to land support me. The royal Bydanian fleets are requested to disengage so that the starships of the Deep space fleet can take out both chaldarian and Drachalian fleets in sweeping counter attack".
"I hear you captain of the starship Sandawana. It is not that easy to disengage without risking incurring losses", replied princess Elantra standing in the middle of the bridge, her entire being glowing with energy.
"It is not the royal desire that any Bydanian lives should be lost in this conflict", princess Elantra remarked speaking dispassionately.
"The Sandawana will fire missiles at the invaders, your ships should be able to withdraw safely under cover of the explosions", said captain Maguire.
"If your starships do not disengage, the Deep space fleet will not be able to target the invading vessels. Our battle plan is based on the element of surprise. The idea is not to allow the enemy forces time to organise a response to the sudden arrival of Deep space fleet. Once we lose that window of opportunity, it will be dangerous for us all. A delay or error on our part can be very risky as the invading fleets may detect the presence of the Deep space fleet and open fire on our starships at will.
"At the same time we will not be able to respond swiftly as we will be having to take care to avoid hitting the Bydanian ships which are currently engaged with them in battle", said captain Maguire.
"It is not easy to get the Bydanian starships away from the invading fleets. The invading vessels closely mirror every move I try to make. I 'm sorry. I will not risk exposing Bydanian starships to direct enemy fire", said princess Elantra.
Captain Maguire noticed that the aura around around princess Elantra was slowly diminishing. It was no longer as bright as it had been when she had used her power to transport them from the cave on mountain peak directly to the bridge of the Sandawana.
"You seem to be growing weak", observed captain Maguire with concern.
"I am, that is why I am trying to finish this battle before I become too weak to direct the operations of the Bydanian fleets", princess Elantra admitted.
"Captain, Deep space fleet is emerging out of neutral space", reported lieutenant Tanaka.
"Princess, starships of the Deep space fleet approach.You still have time to pullback your Bydanian starships".
"I am sorry", princess Elantra replied with a sincere tone.
"Then we die together", said captain Maguire. The starships of the Deep space fleet are as super sized vessels and just as powerful as the we are currently on", captain Maguire said making reference to the Sandawana. "Those starships have just one mandate, and that is to prevent the invaders from proceeding beyond Byda. They are authorised from to do whatever they must to prevent the enemy forces from proceeding to Earth, including the use of deadly force. Everything in their way including me and you will be obliterated.
"Very well", said the princess finally relenting. I grow weak", said princess Elantra as the glow around her further diminished. "I will need your help to focus enough telepathic energy to move the ships. Give me your hand", said princess Elantra looking into his eyes.
"Captain Lucinda, you will assume command", said captain Maguire.
"Of course", confirmed captain Lucinda.
"Thank you", he said.
Captain Maguire held out his hand to princess Elantra. As she took hold of his hand, the feminine softness of her touch, ignited something deep inside of him setting off an explosion of stars in his mind. It was as if he was being transported bodily. Then he was looking from outside. He saw the Sandawana fire several volleys of missiles at the chaldarian and Drachalian vessels at the same time setting of massive explosions around the ships. Starships of the Bydanian royal fleets, disengaging from the battle under the cover of the explosions. The Mwenezi descending into Bydanian atmosphere at the head of a fleet of gigantic starships of the Deep space fleet. The starships from Earth opened fire in a massive bombardment striking both the chaldarian and Drachalian fleets with a fierce barrage of missiles tearing them apart in a massive combination of explosions, that lit up the sky. As the starships from Earth stopped firing burning hulks fell crushing to the Bydanian surface below.
The glow around princess Elantra was feint, but she was smiling as she stood in the middle of the bridge with captain Maguire, looking lovingly into his eyes. Captain Maguire was admiring her beauty as he looked into her eyes. He felt as though he had shared a lifetime with her in that amazing space in time where something he could not explain had just occured. The beautiful smile on her face told him, she felt the same. That a special connection had been made between the two of them. In the madness of battle with enemy starships exploding. There had been a moment of a beauty, of innocence that he could not explain. Despite the world going up in flames around him, he had enjoyed a special moment. Somewhere beyond understanding. In a special space in time so beautiful that nothing else seemed mattered but that one moment of undescribable beauty.
He heard, lieutenant Tanaka at communications report as though in dream, "Captain, message from the Mwenezi".
"On screen", ordered captain Lucinda sitting in the high backed commander's chair with the head rest.
The scene of destruction was promptly displaced by the image of vice-admiral Nyathi sitting on the bridge of the Mwenezi with the starships' officers flanking him. Seeing the scenario on the bridge he seemed a bit confused. Vice-admiral Nyathi looked from captain Maguire holding hands with the alien princess, to captain Lucinda of the science directorate sitting on the commander's chair where captain Maguire should have been.