SEASON 3: EPISODE 03

THE ONLY THING NECESSARY: Prologue

  Defence Chief Qual took a seat in the secure communications room deep under the Echlan Totality’s Defence Headquarters.  Inside the room was the most advanced communications device on the entire planet and one of his government’s closest guarded secrets.  He sat down and pressed the required buttons to send out a signal.  He did not have to wait for long for a reply.  The monitor before him came to life and the image of his contact appeared.

  “How goes the preparations?”

  “They are complete,” he replied.  “We have scheduled the launch for three hours time.”

  “The device?”

  “The device is in place and as far as we can tell it is operational.”

  “Is the pilot aware of our arrangements?”

  “No, he has no knowledge of them or the device in his vessel.  I have taken the added precaution that should the device fail the mission will not be a waste.”

  His contact gave him an unsure look. “Do you expect the device to fail?”

  Qual tilted his head slightly to the right.  “I have no idea.  It is a technology that we don’t understand.  I would be a fool not to prepare a contingency plan.”

  “This plan would not be at an unacceptable risk to the pilot would it?”

  “He is expendable,” he dismissed.

  “We do not want to have to deal with casualties, defence chief.”

  “Of course not, I am just stating that if there happens to be one that it will not have any major bearing on the rest of our plans.  What is one life when we are dealing with the very future and survival of my people?”  Qual’s question was not completely rhetorical.  He was dealing with a people that in his estimation were too concerned about the lives of people with little importance or worth.  He could understand why some might see it as an admirable trait but he saw it as a weakness, one that he could exploit.  In fact he had already done so and it had started them down the path they were currently on, a path that would secure his people and would see him as a hero for all time.

  His accomplice reluctantly nodded in agreement.  “There is indeed much more at risk then one life.  This is going to be a historic day.”

  Qual smiled.  “It will indeed.  Coming generations will look back on this day as when the Totality took its first step in its long and prosperous relationship with the United Federation of Planets.”