Tieria was a beautiful building, as round and wide as it was tall, with massive windows stretching over it. The Zilph’i temple was built on one of the five hills of Ulia, and it overlooked the city from its elevated perch. The moment Tom was out of the hovercar, he walked toward the hill’s peak, engrossing himself with the view.
“It’s breathtaking,” Harris said quietly. The man stared forward.
“Remember this, Prime-in-Waiting. This is an ancient culture we’re visiting. They have strong beliefs and are a good people. There’s more to the Concord than meets the eye. You’d do well to consider their side, as well as their history,” Tom told the man.
Harris glanced over, squinting against the bright afternoon sky. “You speak well of them. How is it you have such a connection?”
Tom sighed, opting for a lie, or more a half-truth. “My grandfather liked the Zilph’i. They had many friends from the capital city, and we often had visitors at home.”
Prime-in-Waiting Harris smiled. “Then maybe you should be sticking around with me, not running away on some fool’s errand.”
“I don’t think my mission is any…” Tom stopped as Delegate Xune stepped near.
“Quite the sight, is it not?” he asked.
Tom reflected on his view: the spires protruding from the circular structures, the dozen or so outdoor gardens around the city. His gaze settled on one, and he shook the memories of her away. It had been twenty years, but to him, at this moment, it felt like far less.
“If you’ll follow me inside, we can begin the meeting,” Xune said.
Tom glanced at Ven and saw the man staring into the distance. It was time to make contact with the Ugna. Seeing the peaceful world around them made it easy to forget the strife occurring around the Concord, specifically along a distinct quadrant of the Border. They needed the Ugna’s assistance, and it was up to Tom to ensure they received it.
____________
Reeve was glad when the meetings were over. They began with a string of introductions, all seventeen delegates formally announced before they let Prime-in-Waiting Harris speak. The discussion was done behind closed doors, and Reeve had listened with interest for the first hour. After that, it was clear the delegates saw no need for the Concord any longer. They spoke as if they’d already disbanded the Founders, and it was clear Prime-in-Waiting Harris had some work to do.
At hour three, they broke for the day, and Reeve made sure she was the first to evacuate the stuffy room full of wooden benches and ornate abstract art.
“That wasn’t good,” Brax said, leaning toward her ear.
“No. This is dire. I hope the captain has better luck on his mission,” Reeve told her brother.
“It looks like we have some free time. What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t say we have free time. We have to do some digging of our own, remember?”
She and Brax stood to the side as the long line of Zilph’i delegates streamed out of the room, none of them speaking. They were each expressionless, their uniforms dark as if they were in mourning.
When they passed, Reeve whispered, “Something happened. They learned a piece of news that they aren’t able to live with, maybe. I’d guess it has to do with the Concord’s secrets. We need to find out what it was.”
“You’re probably right. How are we going to do that?” Brax asked.
“Just like the captain said. You talk to the barracks, I’ll head to their engineering team, and we can visit the Concord Academy together. Someone’ll have the details we need,” she told him.
“Why would they tell us?”
“Because we’re going to be their best friends, use some of that Daak charm you keep telling people you have, brother.” Reeve clapped Brax on the shoulder, and he rolled his eyes.
“Fine, but we need to have dinner in the square later. I heard there’s a place that makes the freshest Cronski in the universe.” Brax patted his stomach.
“Food. You’re mentioning food at a time like…” She paused, thinking about it. “Okay, fresh Cronski sounds pretty great. Let’s meet at the academy in four hours.” She sent a note into the computer strapped to her wrist, and Brax did the same.
“Talk soon,” Brax said, striding away. The barracks were within walking distance, and with the weather so nice here, she was confident her brother would enjoy the stroll.
“Are you set?” Baldwin’s voice asked, and Reeve spun to see the captain, with Ven lingering behind him.
“I’m set. I’ll learn what I can. This is going to be a long shot,” she cautioned.
Thomas Baldwin nodded, and she could tell he was tired already. It was in his posture, his eyes. “Ven’s made contact. They’re coming for us soon.”
Reeve didn’t blame the captain for the look on his face. As far as she knew, no human had ever visited the Ugna’s training facility. She’d heard of the odd Tekol and Callalay being granted access, but recently. “You’re going to do fine. Trust your gut and win their favor.”
He smiled, losing five years in the process. Reeve sensed there was more going on with him on Leria than he was letting on. It was the way he didn’t seem at ease, like he expected to see someone sneak up on him.
“Captain, they’ll be picking us up some distance away so the delegates don’t catch wind of our transgression. Come, we must depart,” Ven said. He surprised Reeve when he turned to face her. “Executive Lieutenant Reeve Daak, may the Vastness guide your mission.” He bent at the waist, leaning over to speak in a hushed tone. “If you encounter any trouble while in the city, visit Keja at the Sanctuary.”
And with that, they were off, Tom following behind the long steps of the albino Ugna.
Reeve peered around, seeing she was alone in the hallways of the Tieria, with the exception of two female guards, each of them smaller than her. “Have a great day,” she said, smiling at the women as she headed outside into the bright late afternoon.
She’d been here once, when she’d been close to graduating at the top of her class. She’d been offered a visit to the esteemed Zilph’i engineering hub, where so many ground-breaking technological advances had been created over the centuries, even the millennia. The Zilph’i were the first race to make contact with her people, the Tekol, and this gave Reeve a feeling of connection to them.
Their people shared too much history, along with the Callalay and humans, to break up the Concord now. This was a time when they needed to be stronger, and they could only do that by reinforcing one another. If they spread themselves thin, the chains would snap, the entire Concord becoming at risk of constant threats.
Reeve had witnessed what transpired with the Bacal, the people of Greblok, and from what the captain said, something similar had recently occurred along the Border, this time at the hands of raiders, not the Statu. Threats came from every corner of space, meaning the Concord falling apart was only going to mean countless deaths. Reeve couldn’t have that on her shoulders, even though the logical part of her brain told her none of it was directly her fault or within her control. Yet she could help their cause, and she’d do that no matter what it took.
The engineering complexes were on Anjer, the third tallest hill surrounding Ulia, and she stood outside, staring toward the distant structures. Footsteps carried across the paved stone walkway, and she glanced behind her to see a handsome Zilph’i man grinning at her. “Can I help you?” she asked him.
“I saw you out here and thought you might be lost,” he said, his voice calm and polite. His hair was cut short and brown, his eyes an exact match in color. He wasn’t as tall as Ven, but still a good foot above her.
“I was planning on heading to Anjer, but it looks like quite the hike,” she told him.
“I can find you a transport, if you wish?” he asked.
She eyed him warily, but she had no reason to be so distrustful. The Zilph’i were usually honorable, until they weren’t. “That would be appreciated. So, what do you do here? Are you the formal greeter?”
Reeve laughed, and he nearly smiled in return.
“Something like that. My name’s Shengin.” He nodded his chin in customary greeting.
“I’m Reeve.” She touched her chin to her chest and stayed there for two breaths before meeting his gaze again. He did have kind eyes.
A compact shuttle lowered from behind the Tieria, landing a few meters from their position. “That was fast,” she told him.
An armed guard emerged, and Shengin waited as she climbed onto the vessel. Once inside, the guard sat in the pilot’s seat and waited for orders. When Shengin remained silent, Reeve told the man her destination, and the transport lifted, carrying them away. They’d only been on the surface for a few hours, and already the four of them were spread apart. She wondered if they would have been smarter to stick together. Resilience and courage can be obtained alone, but true strength comes in numbers.
Reeve tried to think of happier things as the transport descended toward the far hill.
____________
The Academy building appeared far more dilapidated than the one he’d trained at in Ridele, but the logo was still plastered in enough areas for it to be distinguishable. Brax wiped his brow as he walked toward the structure, smiling at a few students along the way.
He stopped a whip-thin local girl, her focus on a silver tablet as she walked. “Which way to the barracks?”
She didn’t even glance up. “Head around the main campus to the right, cut through the training center, and you’ll find it.”
“Thanks,” he said, following her instructions.
There were some other races here, and he nodded to a Tekol boy with thick brows. The youth shifted in his stance, likely nervous at seeing a full-fledged Concord lieutenant commander. Brax suspected he was the highest-ranking officer in the city, after his captain. His violet collar told everyone what rank he held, and the students were taking notice, some nudging and pointing for friends.
As the girl had suggested, he found the training facility, and the doors were closed. A middle-aged man kept guard, looking bored at the entrance.
“What’s going on here?” Brax asked.
The man stood straighter. “There’s a simulation in play, sir. Final-year students.”
“Which one?” he asked, wondering if it was a familiar mission. The Academy would run operations every few weeks, involving the entire class. In Ulia, that would be around two hundred final-year students. Only half would pass and enter the system.
“Sandsin’s Revenge.” The man smirked as he said the mission name.
“That’s a good one. Any chance there’s a role left open on the invader’s team?” Brax asked.
The man moved to the side. “Be my guest. I imagine that would be a lot of fun for the kids,” he said, opening the door.
Inside the foyer, there were rods full of uniforms. If Brax recalled this simulation correctly, most of the students wore the Concord uniforms, and twenty or so wore the black cloaks. He slid one over his clothing and lifted the hood over his bald head.
The instructor passed him a PL-30, only this was slightly lighter than the real thing. He aimed it at the wall and pulled the trigger, a red flash of light indicating damage.
“How far are they in?” Brax asked.
“Almost the end. Sandsin should have made it to the bridge. They’d be prying it open now,” the man told him.
Brax nodded, knowing what he had to do. “I’ll try not to skew the results too much.”
The foyer was bright, the ceilings high, but when the doors to the training facility spread wide, he was transported onto an old ship. Sandsin was a bad man, the leader of the Marlee, a dangerous and spiritual race from deep outside Concord space. It was rumored that his people had tried to join the Concord but weren’t accepted. He’d taken offense and attacked Juniper, killing half of the crew before being executed.
The students wouldn’t know what mission they were participating in until it happened; the ones playing on the Concord side would already inhabit the fake ship before the invaders broke in. Brax had played the role of commander in his final-year simulation of this, and had managed to keep eighty percent of his people alive. A current record, as far as he knew.
The doors slid shut behind him, and Brax crouched, staying close to the shadows. The lights were dimmed, the corridors smelling like fire. There were unmoving people on the floor, mostly in Concord uniforms. Once you were shot with the PL-30, you were out and couldn’t engage. Gazes followed him as he stepped over a young woman and toward the bridge.
He didn’t want to disturb too much; he only wanted to witness a simulation on Leria. The Zilph’i were legendary in the Concord, and he wondered if there were any differences in their academy and the one on Nolix.
Brax pressed against the wall as a cloaked Marlee ran toward him, the young man stopping at his side. “We’re almost on the bridge!”
Brax jogged after him, spotting more victims on the Concord’s team. They were sprawled out every which way, and some of the black cloaks were on the floor among their ranks, so it wasn’t completely one-sided.
His teammate led him to the end of the corridor, and Brax glanced around. “This isn’t the bridge.”
The kid nodded. “I know. We’re regrouping here. Go this way.”
Alarms rang out loudly, more academy-generated smoke poured through the ventilation grates, and Brax peered into the room, seeing almost all of the cloaked Marlees within. Something was wrong about this.
“Get inside,” the young man said softly, almost a whisper in his ear, and Brax saw the gray uniform beneath the cloak. It was a trick!
Brax grinned at their ingenuity but refused to enter.
“What’s going on out there?” someone from inside the room asked. “Are we heading to the bridge? Let’s finish this. They can’t stay hidden there for…” He was cut off as four armed Concord uniforms raced past Brax, firing into the room where the Marlees were being held.
“Good move. Using a fallen enemy cloak to trick the others. I’ve never seen that before,” Brax said.
“Who are you?” the kid asked, their guns aimed at one another.
Brax flipped back his hood. “Your worst nightmare.” He fired at the kid, but his target was already moving. Brax ducked and rolled away as the red flashes beamed against the wall. He spun, firing at the cloaked boy again, but the wind was pushed from his lungs as the kid ran into him head-first. His gun clattered to the ground, and Brax jarred his shoulder into the wall with a crack.
“I don’t think so, son,” Brax said through clenched teeth, and he wrapped a thick arm around his adversary’s neck. He lifted the kid easily and flipped him over, using the momentum to press on his chest. Brax pried the PL-30 from the student’s grip, and grunted as the boy finally went slack.
The lights came on, the alarms stopping. “Congratulations, Juniper crew. You’ve successfully fended off the Marlee invaders.”
With the training exercise over, Brax stepped off the fallen enemy and helped him to his feet. “What’s your name, son?”
The Zilph’i boy removed the hood from his head and stared at the ground. “Brinlar.”
“Brinlar, was the deception your idea?”
He nodded as the rest of the students began through the corridors, returning to the foyer.
“Very intuitive.” This caused the young man to finally smile. “How did you think of it?”
Brinlar shrugged. “I guess it was easier to make someone think you’re working with them, than to face off head to head with hostility.”
Brax patted him on the shoulder. “Well said. I suppose it is. Let’s go find your instructor and tell him what a well-deserved victory that was.”
“Who are you?”
Brax introduced himself, and the kid grinned wider. “Now I don’t feel so bad for losing. Is it true?”
They were nearly out of the recreated corridors, and Brax paused, turning to face Brinlar. “Is what true?”
“That we’re going
to leave the Concord.”
Brax shook his head. “Not officially.” He decided to press for news. “What do you think about the rumors?”
“I think it’s a terrible idea. I’ve been training for years. What happens if Leria leaves the Founders? Can I still join the Concord?” Brinlar asked, his bright eyes pleading. “No one around here can answer that question, but everyone’s curious.”
“Things have yet to be determined, Brinlar. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Brax said. “Come on. How about you freshen up and show me around campus?”
The boy brightened in response and started for the exit with a fast stride.
Six
Tom was sweating by the time they found the parked vessel. Ven appeared no worse for the wear in the heat, and it annoyed Tom to no end. “Couldn’t they have met us on the beach?” he asked.
“Sir, I don’t think that would have kept their mission hidden from…”
“I was only joking, Ven. Are all Ugna so tense?” he asked.
Ven seemed to consider the query. “I’d say I’m a little less reserved than most.”
Tom barked a laugh. “Great. Just great.”
“We wait here,” Ven said, resting a hand on the side of the ship. It was sleek and curved, built for two or three, judging by the appearance.
The door clicked open and Ven stepped away, making room for the hinging section. “Where are they?” Tom asked.
“This is controlled remotely,” Ven said.
“So they aren’t even here?” Tom asked. “Is it controlled by their…” He tapped his head with an index finger.
“Computers. They’re controlled by computers,” Ven advised.
“Of course, that’s what I meant,” Tom said, following Ven onto the vessel. There were no windows or viewers on board, and Tom took a seat on a basic bench. No strappings or belts were visible either.
“Kind of like blindfolding someone so they don’t have a clue where you’re taking them, isn’t it?” Tom asked.
Ven nodded. “I understand the analogy, and it is apt, sir.”
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 37
