Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series

by Hystad, Nathan

  “Wavor. Class Six world. Not inhabited, but it there are suggestions it once was.” Tom saw there weren’t many details about the planet, but that added up. If the Concord had a secure prison there, they didn’t want any red flags surrounding the system.

  “And from there we travel to Earon, correct?” she asked.

  “That’s right.”

  “Any word on Zovlip?” she asked.

  “The Ugna and the cruise ship have been sent to investigate,” he said.

  “Is that so? Have you heard anything else about the brand-new cruise ship?”

  Treena had a smile on her face, and he assumed she knew something about it. “What is it?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I just think it’s amusing that Constantine is so shiny, and yet already old news.” She continued to grin at him, and he laughed at her commentary.

  “It feels like we’ve been at this for years, doesn’t it?” Tom powered the projection down with the press of a finger.

  “We have done a lot in a short time. Do you think we’ll really be returning to the Statu?” A look of fear crossed Treena’s face, and Tom didn’t blame her for feeling that way. He had no desire to traverse another wormhole, and he hadn’t exploded inside one like she had.

  “I think it’s coming. Reeve is confident in the schematics she’s been shown, and Yephion insists that with the processed ore from Greblok, they can and will be operational within the month.” Tom was suddenly thirsty, his throat dry, his collar too tight. His crew had been through a lot, and he kept telling himself there would be a break after the next thing, but it seemed there was always another immeasurable task to come.

  “We’ll be prepared,” Treena said, not elaborating.

  “Let’s hope so.”

  “Is there anything else?” she asked.

  “No. You’re dismissed.”

  She left the office, and Tom brought the image of the moon up once again. He would be glad to have Lark Keen off his ship once and for all.

  ____________

  Ven Ittix sat in the courtyard, staring at the vines that snaked along the walls: an intricate balance of life and hope in space. He felt a little like the plant as he observed it. The vines moved toward the lights, designed to promote growth as they simulated sunlight for the topiary surrounding the open room.

  He hadn’t taken any En’or in days and no longer felt the constant desire for the enhancer. Ven saw a short offshoot of the plant ten feet above his head, and it had grown twisted, with a larger, more vibrant vine. He concentrated, using his Talent to unwind the smaller one cautiously so it didn’t snap. He moved it with his mind, setting it on top of the more established vine, where it would have the opportunity to thrive once again.

  Ven couldn’t help but feel connected to it, for he felt he had another opportunity to grow.

  “That was a kind gesture,” someone said from behind him.

  Ven slowly turned in his seat, seeing the large form of the Tekol chief of security. “To be true to oneself, one must be true to every living thing.”

  Brax took a seat on the bench beside Ven and looked toward the vine. “I don’t recall that one. From the Code?”

  Ven shook his head. “No. It’s a saying from my Elder.”

  “I like it. Look, Ven. I’ve said it many times, but I want to thank you for what you did out there near the Belt.” Brax’s hands were fidgeting in his lap.

  “Think nothing of it,” Ven assured him.

  “Nothing of it? You were dead. You saved my life and stopped your own heart. I just want you to know I consider you a true friend, Ven, and if there’s ever anything you need from me, all you have to do is ask,” Brax said, and Ven felt the rush of sentiment peeling off the Tekol. He tried to close the walls around his Talent, but the man’s insistence still sneaked through.

  He wasn’t used to having such strong Talent, and a thought came to him. Was this why the Elders were all so powerful? Had they gone through a similar experience as him? Perhaps it was the way of the Ugna to die, only to be reborn stronger than ever. He’d have to meditate on it later, because there was no one around to ask.

  “Did you hear me?” Brax asked.

  “Yes, Brax Daak, I heard you. As I said, I only wanted to help you in a time of need. I acted as I was taught by my Elder.”

  “Either way, you’re stuck with me now, buddy,” Brax said, and Ven sensed his energy shift.

  “I am glad. To… have a friend.” Ven had never considered anyone a friend, even back home as a child. Sure, there had been other children his age at the village, but they’d rarely had fun, and all they did was train their minds and bodies in the ways of the Ugna. If it didn’t relate to the Talent, there was no place for it in their days.

  “If you’re done playing with the vines, are you ready for our meeting?” Brax asked.

  “Meeting?” Ven asked. He didn’t recall seeing anything on his schedule.

  “Reeve and I have been talking about wanting to have weekly meetings to discuss the ship, the missions, and the crew. You know, the chiefs all in one room for an hour a week.” Brax rose from the bench.

  “And you would like me to be included?” Ven stood too, stretching his back. He hadn’t realized that he’d been sitting here for hours on end already.

  “You are the chief of crew, aren’t you?”

  Ven had to pause. Some of his memories were still blurry, but it came to him quickly. “Yes. The captain has reminded me of this role that I haven’t fully begun to explore. I would be happy to meet with you and your sister.”

  “Good. I’ll bring her a coffee. You know how she is without a cup,” Brax said.

  Ven followed the chief of security to the ServoBot at the bar and watched him order the beverages. “Do you want one?” Brax asked.

  “I’m unfamiliar with the beverage,” Ven admitted.

  “Never too late to start.” Brax added another to the order, and soon three insulated cups of steaming coffee were placed on the bar top by the robotic hand.

  Brax passed one to Ven, and he accepted it, smelling the pleasing aroma. “Beans and hot water.”

  “Nothing better.” Brax led him through the corridor, toward the meeting room on Deck Five.

  ____________

  Reeve smiled as her brother arrived, two cups of coffee in hand. “I love having my own personal ServoBot.”

  Brax started to pass the beverage over but pulled his arm away. “Take that back, or I’m drinking both.”

  She grabbed it anyway and motioned for them to have a seat around the table. It was meant for large meetings, but since it was the nicest meeting room on the ship, she’d decided it was as good a place as any for these new gatherings.

  “Welcome to the first of many discussions. I’m glad we’re doing this,” Reeve said before blowing on her coffee. She watched as Ven did the same, awkwardly taking a sip. “As I was saying, if we’re going to be a successful crew, we need to be on the same page.”

  “I agree,” Brax said. They both glanced at Ven, and he set his coffee on the table.

  “I also think they are a good idea. What would you like to talk about?” Ven asked, his tone monochromatic as usual.

  “I thought we could share the state of our crews, and where we think we could improve ourselves,” Reeve said. When no one spoke, she kept speaking. “I’ll go first. The boiler room is running smoothly, and after the incident with Yur Shen, I’ve been working with Brax’s team closely to ensure nothing threatens the safety of the ship and our crew again.”

  “And do you find my team is doing a good job?” Brax asked, his eyes hopeful.

  “Yes. We have shifts, with over ten guards taking turns watching each deck below Four,” Reeve told him. “On my staff side, I rely on Harry a lot. He’s taking on more of the leadership role as I’ve been spending more time on the bridge, and that won’t likely change in the near future.”

  Reeve divulged more details, perhaps going overboard, but they both listened with rapt attent
ion. When it was Brax’s turn, her brother talked about naming a human as his deputy chief, mostly because he didn’t want to be looked at as playing favorites by giving the title to one of his top Tekol officers. The man’s name was Kurt Trevling, and Reeve had met him on a few occasions. He seemed a great selection, and she said so.

  Reeve understood his reasoning, and told him she supported his decision.

  When it came to Ven, he sat silently for a minute before saying a word. “I understand the role of chief of crew, and know that it’s a traditional role, but I do feel as though it would be better suited to the ship’s AI, perhaps.”

  Reeve snickered, and Ven stared at her. “What is funny?”

  “Ven, most of the scheduling and issues are dealt with at another level. The chief of crew has to consider things like who does what in a time of emergency. The captain will have his hands full if we’re in a full-blown battle, right?” Brax asked.

  “That is accurate.”

  “So what happens when we’re under attack, and half of our ship is shut down, sealed off because it’s been compromised? Who commands the crew to different tasks during a crisis?” Brax asked.

  “That would be the commander, or you, Lieutenant Commander,” Ven told him.

  “I’m sorry. Ven, a lot of those decisions will be made by you,” Reeve said. “You know from experience that Brax is usually off-ship when disaster strikes.”

  Brax frowned. “Okay, you have me there, but that won’t always be the case.”

  “Regardless, the chief of crew is there to pick up the pieces when needed. They need a strong and analytic mind that puts the crew’s lives ahead of their own. We already know you believe in that, Ven. You proved it when you saved my brother’s life,” Reeve told him, her face and tone serious.

  “And in the meantime? When there is no disaster?” Ven asked.

  “Then you get to ensure the scheduling roles and software are running optimally, and talk to the department heads when needed,” Brax said.

  Reeve remembered something important. “Ven, I forget this is your first posting. Most of us have grown up in the Concord, and Brax and I have been in this since we were teenagers. Baldwin, even longer than most of us. You’ll learn it all and do a wonderful job.”

  Ven nodded. “Thank you. I can only hope that is true.”

  Brax shook his cup, and it sounded empty, so he set it on the table. “Since we’re all here, why don’t we discuss the upcoming and inevitable return to the Statu system?”

  Reeve cringed, thinking about the battle they were destined to lead. “We can do that.”

  Brax had come prepared, and soon they were observing images of the warship they’d brought with them, working over weaknesses and opportunities they’d have to take once across the wormhole.

  Reeve noticed that Ven remained silent for most of this part, but she could tell by his red eyes following along that he was paying close attention.

  ____________

  Ina woke to a beam of sunlight hitting her eyes. Until this week, she’d never slept above the surface, not once in her twenty years. The buildings were made of stone, poorly insulated, and she found herself too cold in the nights, too hot in the daytime.

  They’d been put through some testing that first day, and now everything was clearer. She needed to help the Adepts in any way she could. It was in the name of the Adepts that she did everything. The words of her ranting mother repeated in her mind, but she realized that her mother had been sick. The Adepts loved and cared for them, and it showed with every task they set the Group upon.

  Carl was rising from the bunk next to hers, and she watched him stretch his arms into the air. “How did you sleep?” she asked the young man.

  “Well. And you?” His feet hit the ground, bare soles slapping on the cold stone.

  Ina had already changed; her work overalls were dirty still, but she’d managed to scrub a layer of dust from them. “I’m rested.” That was all she said. They’d been told to remain quiet, and with so many of the Adepts nearby, she wasn’t here to make waves.

  Their first few days had involved receiving tours on one of the Saviors. That was the name the Adepts had for their large space vessels. One hovered outside the building they slept in, its presence adding a constant hum and vibration to the ground and structure. It had taken two nights before Ina had grown accustomed to the strange feeling in her teeth.

  Ina loved being onboard the Savior. She imagined the rush as they headed to space, prepared for battle to defend their home against the evil invaders. She wondered what the enemy looked like, and she pictured ten-foot-tall eight-legged creatures; more ominous versions of the poisonous insects that lived below ground.

  Ina smiled as the rest of the room awoke. One rising member seemed to rouse the next, and so on, until all one hundred of their Group were up and dressed, ready for the day. Soon Ina was following Carl out of their sleeping chamber and into the gray-skied morning.

  Light drizzle fell on them, but Ina didn’t mind, not one bit. It was a welcome respite for the girl who’d spent over ninety-five percent of her life under artificial lights, doing menial chores.

  A few of them whispered softly as they lined up for their morning orders, and Ina’s gaze drifted to the flat hovering stage lowering from an extending arm of the ship two hundred meters away. Everyone hushed at the sight, and in a few minutes, five of the Adepts were stepping off the platform, walking toward their Group.

  The leader was the same Adept, his robe no longer brushing the ground, so no one scurried behind him, ensuring it didn’t dip into the dirt. The four behind him chanted lightly, and he came to approach their Group, as he had with the rise of each day’s star.

  “We are pleased to see you all again,” the Adept said, his gray mandibles clicking as he spoke. “Today we begin with telling you about your enemy.”

  Someone gasped beside Ina, and the Adept glanced at the boy, his small mouth curling into a smile. “I know you’ve all read our texts, but they do not explain the magnitude with which we despise our enemy.” He stepped closer, walking the long line of their Group. He stopped in front of Ran, a thin Tekol girl Ina often talked with. “The Concord are wraiths. They feed on the souls of justice. They destroy worlds with the tap of a button and zero remorse. They must be stopped. We were once a proud people, filling two planets.” His finger lifted as he pointed to the sky. The delicate outline of their neighboring planet hung over the horizon.

  “We were fine staying here amongst our own kind, but the Concord, in their never-ending desire to expand their clutches, came and waged war. What you see now are the remnants of this war. You have been spared, your souls cleansed in our underground cities. You are pureborn, no longer tainted by the evil in your predecessors. You will help us in this final call to erase the demons from the universe.” The Adept walked along the line, and he stopped at Ina, staring into her eyes once again.

  “My father said they were good. He told me the Concord was…” The Adept shot a device aimed at the boy, and the human youth fell to the ground, slumped over. Ina and the others stayed motionless as two of the Adepts came to gather the fallen member of their Group, dragging him onto the platform.

  “As I was saying, you will each play a great role of this war. Today we are going to show you how to use our weapons.” He broke his gaze with Ina and kept walking. A bead of sweat dripped down her back as she stared toward the unconscious boy.

  Six

  “This is good.” Luci ate the vegetables; holding the fork like an adult, she pressed more of the legumes into her mouth.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” People had begun to wonder why Baldwin was spending so much time in his suite eating alone. He was looking forward to arriving at Earon so he could pawn the child off onto Treena’s mother.

  “Why aren’t you eating?” Luci asked. Treena had come by to visit a few times, and Tom could tell she’d taken to the child. She was right about one thing; kids were resilient. This tiny gi
rl was already doing far better. She’d spent the first few nights crying out in her sleep, asking for her mommy, but that had already stopped. She was almost used to her new surroundings.

  Tom glanced at his plate, and poked a piece of salad with his fork. “I’m eating. See?” He chewed, and Luci giggled.

  “We’re going to be visiting a new planet soon. We’ll be dropping you off for a while,” he added, not wanting it to be a shock.

  She kept chewing, her eyebrows rising. “Will I see Daddy and Mommy there?”

  Tom took a drink of water and set the cup down, unsure how to answer her delicate queries. She was a smart one, far more intelligent than he’d first suspected. He could see the way she tiptoed around questions, trying to sound like she wasn’t worried one way or the other by the answer. He needed to bite his tongue around her. “Maybe. I don’t know yet.”

  “Okay,” Luci said, not adding anything else.

  A light flashed near his door, and Tom pushed his plate to the side. “Go ahead, Constantine.”

  The AI appeared, causing Luci to giggle again. She was enamored with the projection of Tom’s young grandfather, and Tom was more than thrilled to let the computer program read her stories before bed.

  “Story time?” Luci asked, and the AI only smiled politely at her.

  “Not yet, sweetie. Captain Baldwin, it’s time. We’ve arrived at our destination,” Constantine said.

  “Good. Will you watch over Luci? Contact Commander Starling if anything should arise?” Tom asked of him.

  “Very well.” Constantine crossed his arms, grinning at Luci, who continued to eat her food.

  “I’ll see you later, Luci,” Tom told the girl, and left his suite, careful to ensure that no one was in the hall outside his room.

  If they’d arrived at Wavor, then Brax would be bringing the last remaining prisoner to the hangar, where they’d accompany Keen to the surface of the planet’s solitary moon. Brax had already moved Cleo to the hangar, so they didn’t have to walk Keen through the bridge. Tom didn’t want the man anywhere near his crew.