Flight of honour

Captain Maedza of the super lifter, Vessel of Zimbabwe, Horizon watched the split screen footage of the flurry of activity in the enormous starshiper's various cargo holds, on the flight deck's big screen.

Adding to the hustle and bustle were the starship's officers and crew directing the various shuttle craft to lending pads, helping with the unloading and storage of hardware, armaments, lending craft, fighters, supplies for both military and civilian use. Caught up in the confusion was Maidei, who was beginning to feel intimidated almost intimidated watching the Horizon's crew purposefully going about their duties, bringing a semblance of order to the scene in the spacious cargo hold where she had disembarked from a transport shuttle. She had almost lost the enthusiasm with which she had grabbed at the opportunity to cover the breaking story of this maiden flight to a distant human civilization in some far off galaxy. She had jumped at the opportunity literally, she had practically volunteered to cover the story, literally stealing the assignment from a more senior reporter. Maidei had brushed aside the editor in chief's threats of damnation, all manner of hell and literal blue murder which were just a lot of bluster, if she messed up the assignment. She had been confident she could justice to the assignment, but now standing in the middle of all the organized chaos around her confidence began to wane.

The media boss plug in, in her ear rang and she swiped it to receive the call.

"Who have you talked to?", the abrupt straight to the point question gave away the caller's identity as none other than the editor in chief of the Galaxy Times.

"I haven't ..., Maidei began to reply but was unable to finish as the, editor in chief cut in.

"Why not, just talk to someone, anybody in authority! get the picture !?", the editor in chief shouted into her ear, disrupting even her, thinking. That just shredded the remnants of the little bit of confidence she had been holding on to. It still amazed her how her boss was able to intimidate her even from his office far away in distant Harare.

The photographer with whom she had come, busied himself taking pictures of the bustle of activity around them.

She tried to think of whom else could effect her that way, then Takunda's name popped up in her manner and she began to get angry. Thinking of how he had made a joke of her love that day when she watched some star ship break through the clouds and disappear into the sky above. Remembering that day when she sat with a colleague from work enjoying lunch on a park bench at Harare gardens roused her anger, more so that the intimidation she had begun to feel suddenly gave way to burning rage on the inside of her.

She wanted to do was to get even with the two timing cheat. That was going to begin with her nailing this assignment. She was going to show Takunda that she didn't need him in her life. She was doing great without him. She was going to hurt him the way he had hurt her.

Maidei stubbornly made up her mind she was going to make history by conducting the first ever interview with beings from another world. She was going to do it her way, and not according the dictates of her boss or that lying cheat, Takunda. It had been all that had been dominating the various media boss channels. For the past 24hrs following the announcement of military intervention on that distant world there had been a lot of excitement. The various media boss entertainment channels were inundated with dedications to spouses, relatives and friends in the armed forces on standby, by their loved ones.

"Standby for a special address by his excellency the president". The announcement came over the super lifter's speakers.

"Citizens of our great nation. It is with a sense of humility that I address you on the historic occasion of this voyage to make contact with beings on a distant world. I can not sufficiently emphasis my excitement this makes m feel. As I am sure you must also feel"

"I want to express my gratitude to you all for your support. I want a special thank you to our gallant young men and women in the defence forces, who are even now on standby to do duty on a Plaska, in a mission whose scope has expanded from being national but to being a mission on behalf of humanity".

"I thank you", concluded the president and the broadcast ended.

"Navigation set course", for Plaska", called out captain Maedza to the officers seated at the control consoles on the flight deck.

Fingers moved swiftly across a navigation console punching in co-ordinates.

"Co-ordinates set, captain", the officer called back to captain Maedza who was seated a couple of meters behind him".

"Get us under way", Captain Maedza ordered.

The super lifter which was visible from earth as a disc shot out of Earth's orbit in a blur of light.