"Princess, good to see you", said vice-admiral Nyathi warmly facing princess Elantra.
"It's good to see you too vice-admiral", she replied. The royal presence is grateful for your intervention.
"You are welcome my princess", said vice-admiral Nyathi with a warm smile.
His face seeming less troubled by the sight of captain Maguire holding hands with princess Elantra.
"I just wanted to say to the crew, the mission accomplished. All invasion forces have been effectively neutralised. The threat to no longer exists. All starships will therefore set course for the return trip to Earth. Captain you will make sure princess Elantra is returned to her palace before proceeding to Earth. The rest of Deep space fleet sets off immediately for Earth. Vice-admiral Nyathi out".
The image of vice admiral Nyathi was promptly displaced by the images of the Deep space fleet departing from the planet's atmosphere.
"Pilot set course for the space port", captain Maguire ordered lieutenant Tashinga at flight control.
"Your seat captain", said captain Lucinda. Rising from the commander's chair and moving to the seat next to it.
"Thank you", captain Lucinda he said.
"Princess", he said gesturing towards the vacant seat on the other side of the commander's chair.
The glow was completely gone and princess gracefully settled herself in the indicated chair as captain Maguire assumed his normal position on the commander's chair. All traces of the powerful amazon glowing with power were gone. She was once again the delicate looking princess. Everything about her exuded an aura of delicate feminity, from her graceful neckline encased in the tall collar of her gown which was open at the front, to the sweeping hem of her royal robe which swept her at her feet when she moved.
Everything about drew attention.
Her heart shaped shaped face with the acqualine nose. Those almond shaped eyes which seemed to see beyond the person and right into their soul. The mattered hair from which beams of light radiated.
When she touched his hand, captain Maguire felt she had opened herself up to him, accepting him in a way which was completely alien to him. Yet completely beautiful and amazing.
The short flight to the space port was endured in complete silence.
"Starship landing procedure initiated", announced lieutenant Tashinga at the flight control console.As the Sandawana descended gracefully out of the Bydanian sky. "Landing pods deployed
"Touch down in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, touch down".
A convoy of vehicles coming from the direction of the terminal building sped towards the starship as it set on on the landing pad at the space port. Bydanian soldiers stood in two files facing each other beyond the landing ramp which descended from the Sandawana' underbelly. Watching the proceedings on the bridge's main screen, captain Maguire was still holding hands with Princess Elantra.
"This is it princess, it's been an honour to serve your royal person", he said warmly.
"Why do you speak as though it is over", challenged princess Elantra.
I return to my world", replied captain Maguire.
"You are not released from royal service", said princess Elantra.
"Duty?", said captain Maguire.
"Do you not feel it, I opened myself to you. We are one. Two bodies one conscience, do you not feel it?
"When I touched your hand...", captain Maguire began.
"I shared a lifetime of experiences with you. I also experienced your last", said princess Elantra.
"My duty...", again began captain Maguire.
"Is to your heart, that organ that makes you feel alive. Just as my life switch makes me feel alive".
"I can not do this", said captain Maguire
"What can you not do, stay with me?" asked princess Elantra gently.
Space command requires that I return to Earth", said captain Maguire.
"They only want their starship. The female can command. Your heart, my life switch merged into one. Your place is by my side. You will be a prince of Byda", said princess Elantra.
"I have a duty...", he began again.
"To your heart.", she countered Life is not in the battles you have, it is the one conquest you made when you snatched my life switch out of that monster, Gomalux's grip, I felt you then".
"Princess your subjects await you", said captain Maguire", said princess Elantra walking out of the bridge.
"I have one last request before you leave", said princess Elantra.
"See me out ", said princess Elantra. "Please?".
"Off course", captain Maguire gladly obliged.
A ramp slid down to the surface from a closed hatch ahead of the doors opened. There was loud cheering as princess Elantra appeared in the open doorway with captain Maguire at her side. Wild cheers arose from a crowd of onlookers that had gathered at the space port to watch the princess.
Two rows of soldiers stood the foot of the lowered ramp facing each other.
Princess Elantra walked through the lines of soldiers. A vehicle drew up at the end of the two rows of soldier. A door on one side of the vehicle
slid open and Kydo stepped out. Princess Elantra stopped walking as Kydo approached her.
"Kydo, I can tell you are troubled. What is it?", asked princess Elantra.
"Your majesty there is a complication", said Kydo.
"Tell me?", princess Elantra urged.
"We captured Gomalux but he said he could help us get your parents back", said Kydo.
"I thought my parents died when their starship was attacked returning from visiting the moon bases", said princess Elantra.
"Gomalux said that was what they led us to believe. The king and queen were taken, they are being held on the Drachalians homeworld, Dracha.
"What!?", exclaimed princess Elantra, departing from her dispassionate way of speaking and displaying emotion for the first time.
Captain Maguire watching on the bridge's big screen could tell by the pained expression on her face.
"There is something wrong ", captain Maguire said. "I am going to find out. Captain Lucinda you are in command.
"Getting up from his commander's chair", he quickly walked off the Bridge.
He arrived just in time to hear Kydo say, "Gomalux offering the safe return of your parents in return for his release along with the other chaldarian officers who were captured along with him".