The silence of the command room was deafening. Jack sat at the head of the table, his hands folded tightly, his eyes fixed on the sleek hologram of a weapon system that glimmered with a faint blue light. Around him, his most trusted crew members exchanged uneasy glances, each acutely aware of the storm brewing within their commander.
"This isn't just a weapon," Mira said, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, measured. "It's a game-changer. If we use it, we could turn the tide of this war."
"But at what cost?" Tariq interjected, his brow furrowed with concern. "A weapon that powerful doesn't discriminate. Civilians, innocents they could all be caught in the crossfire."
Jack leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The weapon a newly developed planetary disruptor had been offered to them by a mysterious benefactor, a shadowy figure claiming to share their hatred of the dark force. It was capable of obliterating entire fleets with a single pulse, but it was untested, and its collateral damage was unknown.
"It's not just about the weapon," Jack said finally, his voice low. "It's about what it represents. If we use this… if we rely on it… are we any better than the enemy we're fighting?"
Mira leaned forward, her gaze intense. "Jack, I know you're worried about the moral implications. But we're outnumbered, outgunned, and running out of options. This might be our only chance to level the playing field."
The decision weighed heavily on Jack as he made his way to the observation deck later that night. The stars stretched endlessly before him, a canvas of light and hope that now seemed impossibly distant.
"You look like you're carrying the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders," a familiar voice said from behind.
Jack turned to see Zeke, the ship's engineer, leaning casually against the doorframe. Despite the gravity of their situation, Zeke's usual smirk hadn't entirely disappeared.
"Isn't that my job?" Jack replied dryly, though the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Zeke joined him at the window, his gaze thoughtful. "You're not the only one with skin in this fight, you know. The crew hell, the whole fleet they believe in you. They'll follow your lead, whatever you decide."
Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "That's what scares me. What if I lead them down the wrong path? What if I make the wrong choice?"
Zeke clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder. "The fact that you're asking those questions means you're the right man for the job. Just don't lose sight of who you are, Jack. Don't let this war take that away from you."
The next morning, Jack called a meeting with the leadership team. His decision had been made, though his resolve still wavered under the weight of it.
"We're testing the disruptor," he announced, his voice firm. "But under strict conditions. Mira, I want a full analysis of its capabilities and risks. Tariq, you'll coordinate the fleet to minimize civilian exposure. If there's even a hint of unnecessary casualties, we don't deploy it. Understood?"
The room was silent for a moment before Mira nodded. "Understood."
The others followed suit, though the tension in the room was palpable.
Days later, the test was set. The target was an uninhabited moon used by the dark force as a staging ground for their fleet. The crew gathered in the command room, watching the countdown tick away on the main screen.
"Five seconds to discharge," Mira announced, her voice steady. "Four… three… two… one… firing."
The disruptor pulsed, and for a moment, the screen went white. When the image returned, the moon was gone, replaced by a cloud of debris and energy. The dark force fleet had been obliterated, but the sheer force of the weapon had sent shockwaves rippling across nearby star systems.
"Impact analysis coming in," Mira said, her hands flying across the console. She frowned as the data poured in. "The good news: the fleet is destroyed. The bad news: the shockwave destabilized a neighboring planet's orbit. It's uninhabited, but if this had been near a populated system…"
Jack's stomach churned. The weapon worked, but the cost was staggering.
In the days that followed, word of the disruptor spread. Some hailed Jack as a hero, a leader willing to do whatever it took to win the war. Others whispered doubts, questioning whether such power should ever be wielded by one man.
Among the dissenters was Tariq, who confronted Jack in the war room one evening.
"I know you think this is what's best," Tariq said, his voice tense. "But where does it end, Jack? First it's the disruptor. Then what? Biological weapons? Genocide? How far are you willing to go?"
Jack's jaw tightened. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect the galaxy. That's my job."
"And what about protecting who you are?" Tariq shot back. "Because I don't recognize the man standing in front of me right now."
The words hit Jack harder than he expected, but he didn't let it show.
The tipping point came during a mission to rescue a colony under siege. As Jack's fleet approached, they discovered the dark force had taken hostages and used them as human shields. Deploying the disruptor would ensure victory but at the cost of innocent lives.
Jack stood frozen on the bridge, his mind racing. He could hear Mira and Tariq arguing behind him, their voices blending into a cacophony of doubt and urgency.
"Jack," Mira said finally, her voice cutting through the noise. "What are your orders?"
Jack closed his eyes, the weight of command pressing down on him like never before. When he opened them, his gaze was clear, his resolve firm.
"Stand down," he ordered. "We're not using the disruptor."
The bridge fell silent as the crew processed his decision.
The battle that followed was brutal. Jack's fleet suffered heavy losses, and the colony was only saved by a last-minute maneuver that left them vulnerable to a counterattack. But they won without the disruptor.
As Jack stood in the aftermath, surveying the wreckage and the survivors, he felt a strange sense of clarity. The price of power was too high, and he wasn't willing to pay it.
"Zeke was right," he murmured to himself. "I can't lose who I am."
Mira approached, her face weary but determined. "You made the right call, Jack. It wasn't easy, but it was right."
Jack nodded, though the weight of his decisions still lingered. The war was far from over, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he was on the right path.
And as the stars stretched out before him, Jack vowed that no matter how dark the journey became, he would hold on to the light within him. For the galaxy, for his crew, and for himself.
Terjemahan Indonesia:
Keheningan di ruang komando terasa begitu mencekam. Jack duduk di ujung meja, tangannya terlipat erat, matanya terpaku pada hologram ramping sistem senjata yang berkilauan dengan cahaya biru redup. Di sekelilingnya, kru kepercayaannya saling bertukar pandang cemas, masing-masing menyadari badai yang berkecamuk dalam pikiran pemimpin mereka.
"Ini bukan sekadar senjata," kata Mira, memecah keheningan. Suaranya tenang, terukur. "Ini adalah pengubah permainan. Jika kita menggunakannya, kita bisa membalikkan keadaan perang ini."
"Tapi dengan harga berapa?" Tariq menyela, alisnya berkerut penuh kekhawatiran. "Senjata sekuat itu tidak pandang bulu. Warga sipil, orang-orang tak bersalah, mereka semua bisa terkena dampaknya."
Jack bersandar di kursinya, mengusap pelipisnya. Senjata itu penghancur planet yang baru dikembangkan ditawarkan oleh seorang dermawan misterius, sosok bayangan yang mengaku berbagi kebencian terhadap kekuatan gelap. Senjata itu mampu menghancurkan seluruh armada dengan satu pulsa, tetapi belum diuji, dan dampak sampingannya tidak diketahui.
"Ini bukan hanya tentang senjatanya," Jack akhirnya berkata, suaranya rendah. "Ini tentang apa yang diwakilinya. Jika kita menggunakan ini... jika kita mengandalkannya... apakah kita lebih baik daripada musuh yang kita lawan?"
Mira mencondongkan tubuh ke depan, tatapannya intens. "Jack, aku tahu kau khawatir tentang implikasi moralnya. Tapi kita kalah jumlah, kalah persenjataan, dan hampir kehabisan pilihan. Ini mungkin satu-satunya kesempatan kita untuk menyamakan kedudukan."
Keputusan itu sangat membebani Jack saat ia melangkah ke dek observasi malam itu. Bintang-bintang terbentang tanpa akhir di hadapannya, kanvas cahaya dan harapan yang kini tampak begitu jauh.
"Kau terlihat seperti membawa beban seluruh galaksi di pundakmu," suara akrab terdengar dari belakang.
Jack berbalik dan melihat Zeke, insinyur kapal, bersandar santai di ambang pintu. Meski situasi mereka begitu berat, senyum khas Zeke belum sepenuhnya hilang.
"Bukankah itu tugasku?" Jack menjawab datar, meskipun sudut bibirnya mulai menunjukkan senyuman kecil.
Zeke bergabung dengannya di dekat jendela, tatapannya merenung. "Kau bukan satu-satunya yang terlibat dalam perang ini, kau tahu. Kru, bahkan seluruh armada, mereka percaya padamu. Mereka akan mengikuti keputusanmu, apa pun itu."
Jack menghela napas, mengusap rambutnya. "Itulah yang membuatku takut. Bagaimana jika aku memimpin mereka ke jalan yang salah? Bagaimana jika aku membuat keputusan yang salah?"
Zeke menepuk bahu Jack. "Fakta bahwa kau bertanya hal itu menunjukkan bahwa kau orang yang tepat untuk tugas ini. Jangan kehilangan dirimu sendiri, Jack. Jangan biarkan perang ini mengambil itu darimu."
Keesokan paginya, Jack memanggil rapat dengan tim kepemimpinan. Keputusannya telah diambil, meskipun keyakinannya masih goyah di bawah beban itu.
"Kita akan menguji penghancur itu," dia mengumumkan, suaranya tegas. "Tapi di bawah kondisi ketat. Mira, aku ingin analisis penuh tentang kemampuan dan risikonya. Tariq, kau akan mengoordinasikan armada untuk meminimalkan paparan warga sipil. Jika ada tanda-tanda korban yang tidak perlu, kita tidak akan menggunakannya. Jelas?"
Ruangan itu sunyi sejenak sebelum Mira mengangguk. "Jelas."
Yang lain mengikuti, meskipun ketegangan di ruangan itu terasa nyata.
Beberapa hari kemudian, uji coba dilakukan. Targetnya adalah bulan tak berpenghuni yang digunakan oleh kekuatan gelap sebagai tempat pangkalan armada mereka. Kru berkumpul di ruang komando, menyaksikan hitungan mundur di layar utama.
"Lima detik sebelum pelepasan," Mira mengumumkan, suaranya mantap. "Empat… tiga… dua… satu… tembakkan."
Penghancur itu berdenyut, dan sejenak layar menjadi putih. Ketika gambar kembali, bulan itu hilang, digantikan oleh puing-puing dan energi. Armada kekuatan gelap telah dihancurkan, tetapi kekuatan senjata itu mengirimkan gelombang kejut yang mengguncang sistem bintang terdekat.
"Analisis dampak masuk," kata Mira, tangannya bergerak cepat di konsol. Wajahnya mengerut saat membaca data. "Kabar baiknya: armada hancur. Kabar buruknya: gelombang kejutnya mengacaukan orbit planet tetangga. Planet itu tak berpenghuni, tapi jika ini terjadi di dekat sistem berpenghuni..."
Perut Jack mual. Senjata itu bekerja, tetapi biayanya sangat besar.
Dalam beberapa hari berikutnya, kabar tentang penghancur itu menyebar. Beberapa memuji Jack sebagai pahlawan, pemimpin yang bersedia melakukan apa pun untuk memenangkan perang. Yang lain berbisik tentang keraguan, mempertanyakan apakah kekuatan sebesar itu harus dimiliki oleh satu orang.
Salah satu penentang adalah Tariq, yang menghadapi Jack di ruang perang suatu malam.
"Aku tahu kau pikir ini yang terbaik," kata Tariq, suaranya tegang. "Tapi di mana akhirnya, Jack? Pertama penghancur ini. Lalu apa? Senjata biologis? Genosida? Sejauh mana kau bersedia pergi?"
Rahang Jack mengeras. "Aku bersedia melakukan apa pun untuk melindungi galaksi. Itu tugasku."
"Dan bagaimana dengan melindungi dirimu sendiri?" Tariq balas menyindir. "Karena aku tidak mengenali pria yang berdiri di depanku saat ini."
Kata-kata itu menghantam Jack lebih keras dari yang dia harapkan, tetapi dia tidak menunjukkannya.
Titik puncaknya datang saat misi menyelamatkan koloni yang sedang dikepung. Saat armada Jack mendekat, mereka menemukan bahwa kekuatan gelap telah mengambil sandera dan menggunakannya sebagai perisai manusia. Menggunakan penghancur akan memastikan kemenangan, tetapi dengan mengorbankan nyawa tak bersalah.
Jack berdiri terpaku di jembatan, pikirannya berpacu. Dia bisa mendengar Mira dan Tariq berdebat di belakangnya, suara mereka bercampur menjadi kekacauan keraguan dan urgensi.
"Jack," kata Mira akhirnya, suaranya memotong kebisingan. "Apa perintahmu?"
Jack menutup matanya, beban komando menekannya seperti belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya. Ketika dia membukanya, tatapannya jelas, tekadnya kokoh.
"Tahan," dia memerintahkan. "Kita tidak akan menggunakan penghancur itu."
Jembatan itu sunyi saat kru memproses keputusannya.
Pertempuran yang terjadi kemudian sangat brutal. Armada Jack menderita kerugian besar, dan koloni itu hanya diselamatkan oleh manuver di menit-menit terakhir yang membuat mereka rentan terhadap serangan balasan. Tapi mereka menang tanpa penghancur itu.
Saat Jack berdiri di tengah reruntuhan, mengamati kehancuran dan para penyintas, dia merasakan kejelasan aneh. Harga kekuasaan terlalu tinggi, dan dia tidak bersedia membayarnya.
"Zeke benar," gumamnya pada dirinya sendiri. "Aku tidak bisa kehilangan diriku sendiri."
Mira mendekat, wajahnya lelah tetapi penuh tekad. "Kau membuat keputusan yang tepat, Jack. Itu tidak mudah, tapi itu benar."
Jack mengangguk, meskipun beban keputusannya masih terasa. Perang ini masih jauh dari selesai, tetapi untuk pertama kalinya setelah sekian lama, dia merasa berada di jalan yang benar.
Dan saat bintang-bintang membentang di hadapannya, Jack bersumpah bahwa tidak peduli seberapa gelap perjalanannya, dia akan tetap memegang cahaya di dalam dirinya. Untuk galaksi, untuk krunya, dan untuk dirinya sendiri.