The message arrived five minutes after his shift began, and Ven read it aloud, informing them of Shu’s plan to hand off Keen.
“By the Vastness, I still can’t believe the Prime agreed to this move,” Captain Baldwin said after hearing it.
Brax had mixed feelings about it. “Maybe we can turn this into a positive, sir.”
“How’s that?”
“If Keen’s in their hands, we have a few options. Like telling these Vusuls what a rat he is, and how he tried to sell them out to the Concord. He’s tagged too. I believe we’ll be able to locate him wherever they bring him.” Brax recalled being at Wavor Manor, watching the robots embed the chip into his limb.
The captain nodded, agreeing in his own silent approach. “I’d rather shoot the guy,” he said quietly, for only Brax’s ears as he stood beside him.
“Advise Shu that we’re on the way, and give them our current location. Send a message to Nolix while you’re at it, explaining the situation,” Tom said.
“Sir, the error has returned. I cannot…”
“Cannot send the transmission. I understand. This is bizarre, is it not?” Tom asked.
“I’ve never seen something so localized, sir. Sure, random glitches, and gamma bursts affecting things, but we’ve passed through three systems, each with the same issues. There’s something bigger at play,” Brax said.
Tom stalked forward, tapping the console. “Bridge to Engineering.”
“Engineering,” Harry’s voice said through the bridge speakers.
“Any update on the comm system?” the captain asked.
“Nothing. We were thinking it was an issue with our ship, but everything checks out. It has to be an outside force, because I can’t control it,” Harry told them.
Brax wondered if Reeve would have had better luck, and guessed she’d have given the same answer as her subordinate.
“Very good. Keep working at it.” Tom returned to his captain’s chair, sinking deeply into it.
Brax glanced at Darl, who appeared exceedingly focused as he searched through the ship’s many readouts, and he walked over, leaning toward the man. “Mind if I steal Ven for a few minutes?”
“You’re the lieutenant commander, sir.” Darl smiled at him, and he squeezed the man’s shoulder.
“Captain, Ven and I will return shortly,” he told the captain, who nodded without even turning in their direction.
Ven shrugged, rising from his seat. He followed Brax off the bridge and stopped. “Where are we going?”
“I needed some air,” Brax told him.
“The air is the same here as on the bridge, Brax Daak.”
He laughed, grinning at the Ugna officer. “You’re right, Ven. Always are. I thought we could go for lunch,” Brax said.
“I am unsure whether that…”
Brax motioned to leave. “Just come and talk with me for a bit, would you?”
“Yes, sir.”
Brax led him to the mess hall, which was quiet at this off hour. There were only a couple of others inside, and he took a table at the far right of the room, opposite the buffet.
“I wanted to see how you were doing since Driun,” Brax told him, taking a seat with his back to the wall. Ven took the one across from him.
“I’m fine. Thank you for inquiring.”
Brax rubbed his temples. “I heard about the woman. Hanli?”
“That is her name, correct.” Ven didn’t elaborate.
“Do you want to talk about her?” Ever since the Ugna had saved his life, offering his own in return, Brax felt he owed Ven. But the truth was, Ven was hard to crack, and he wanted the man to feel comfortable opening up about things. He’d grown up with a hardass like Elder Fayle guiding each step, and Brax suspected Ven hadn’t had much fun before.
“What is there to discuss?”
“Let’s start with… do you like her? What does she look like? Did you consider asking her out to dinner?”
“Share a meal with her? Like we share lunch now?” Ven asked.
Brax laughed, rapping his knuckles on the table. “No, Ven. Not like this. A date.”
“I didn’t have sufficient time to discuss courtship, if that’s what you are implying,” Ven said.
Courtship. So he finally comprehended what Brax had asked. “Have you ever been on a date?”
Ven seemed to consider this with great care, and Brax rose, grabbing some food while the Ugna thought. He returned with two plates, one stacked with the Ugna’s favorite Zilph’i food. He did the same thing.
“I have not had a date, no. And thank you for the food.” Ven took the offered plate, setting it on the table.
“How old are you…”
“I don’t see how that is relevant.”
“Ven, you need to make a connection at some point. I know you’re gung-ho on this Ugna mysticism stuff, but there’s nothing against marrying or having children, correct?” Brax asked, sure he’d read that they were allowed spouses and offspring.
“It is not only permitted, but encouraged,” Ven said.
“So that’s why there are two million of your kind, somehow?” Brax scooped a forkful of the raw sea creature, dipping it into the pink sauce.
“That makes sense.”
“Do all procreating Ugna make Ugna children?” It was a good question, one he hadn’t heard the answer to before.
“Yes.”
Brax chatted with him over the course of the meal, Ven reluctantly opening up a little bit as they talked, but he clammed up when Brax asked him about Elder Fayle and her sudden change of attitude during the trip to Driun F49.
“She only wanted to help our people,” was all he said. “Brax Daak, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Do you want to find a mate?”
“A mate? Sure, I guess.”
“It is not easy when you work on a spacecraft, is it?” Ven asked.
“No, it’s not.” Brax smiled at his friend’s question. “Anything else you’d like to discuss?”
“Elder Hamesly left the Ugna and started a temple on Earon,” Ven said in a sudden shift of direction.
“Yeah, you mentioned that. Temple of Sol, right?” Brax asked.
Ven nodded. “Have you ever heard of Sol before?”
Brax pondered this. “I think so, but I can’t remember where or when. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve been dreaming of it. I have changed since…”
“Since you saved my life?” Brax finished.
“Yes. I see things in my sleep and during meditation. Sol feels important.”
“Then how about we do some research? I was always more of the hands-on guy, and Reeve was the paper slayer, but since she’s not here, I’d be happy to help.” A month-long trip with no stops was going to drive him a little crazy, so this would be a good distraction.
“I’d appreciate that, Brax Daak.”
Brax noticed Ven had only eaten half his food, and a piece of Cronski sat untouched. He jabbed it with his fork. “Are you going to eat that?”
____________
Her suite was nice, meant for dignitaries traveling with Constantine. Since Aimie had demanded to join them for the mission, she’d taken Tom’s offer to come aboard his ship, rather than bringing her luxury cruiser on the dangerous venture. She’d grown excited at the prospect of moving beyond the Border, like it was a mystical realm on the other side, rather than a dangerous vacuum with enemies at every corner.
“Not all of the planets are bad,” she told Tom.
“That’s true. There are hundreds of worlds within a couple months’ travel, and we’ve really only encountered resistance and attacks from ten or so.” Tom stood, stretching his back. “Do you want to take a walk? It doesn’t take much to make me restless.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Aimie agreed. They left her place, and he smiled as the door closed, leaving them in the corridor. It was a deck away from the officer’s quarters, but she still had the wonderful courtya
rd view. It made the trips to visit one another simple after his shifts.
“What would you like to see?” he asked.
“The medical bay. I’ve heard wonderful things about Doctor Nee from some of the other crew since I’ve boarded Constantine. It’s too bad he’s not here.” She kept a cool pace with him as they moved toward the elevators.
“Then the medical bay it is. They’ve had to deal with a lot in our short tenure.” He spoke of the virus the Statu had attempted to use against them, and how the Kwant doctor’s persistent studying had paid off once again.
It didn’t take long to arrive, and Tom opened the door, motioning her inside. Kelli was with a young woman, administering a shot into her arm, and when the nurse saw Tom, she grinned from ear to ear.
“Captain, this is an honor. How are you doing?” Kelli asked.
“I’m doing great. The more important question is, how are you handling things alone? Is there anything we can do to help?”
She shook her head. “Doctor Nee has trained me exceedingly well, and I’ve only been dealing with a few easy things, like tonsillitis and minor cuts. We had a sprained ankle yesterday. Nothing I couldn’t handle.”
“Good. This is Doctor Aimie Gaad. She’s with R-emergence,” Tom said.
“Excellent. It was a pleasure working with Doctor Nicci on the Bacal project,” Kelli said.
“That’s where I’ve heard your name from. She spoke highly of you,” Aimie said, making Tom wonder if that was true or merely praise to make her feel good.
“I did what I could. Captain, I’m sorry, but I haven’t been able to check on Treena as often as I’d like,” she said.
"Treena Starling, right?" Aimie asked.
“That’s the one,” Tom replied.
“Can we? I don’t mean to be rude, but I was on the team that finalized the specs on her latest model. Would I be able to see her?”
“Treena’s not here, but we will be rendezvousing with her soon. In a couple of weeks or so,” he told her.
“Her body is, though. Can we check on her?” Aimie seemed quite interested.
Tom was hesitant to let anyone inside with Treena. That was a little too personal. “Why don’t you escort me to her room, and I’ll have a quick glimpse. Kelli, any issues with her system are being relayed to your office, right?”
“Yes, sir. I check it twice a day. So far, no issues.”
“Good. Thanks for seeing us. Keep up the good work.” Tom grinned at her and set a hand on the small of Aimie’s back as he led her outside.
“Nice woman.”
“She’s the best,” Tom agreed. They walked and chatted, heading up to Tom’s deck, and passed Ven in the hallway.
“Ven Ittix, meet Aimie Gaad,” Tom told the tall officer.
“Greetings, Doctor. How are you finding your stay?” Ven had a tablet in his hand.
“It’s wonderful. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The Concord has really outdone itself on these new flagships, don’t you think?” She stepped closer to Ven, and Tom saw him move away.
“Yes, I suppose they are state-of-the-art,” Ven said.
Tom pointed at the tablet. “Doing some work?”
“Brax Daak and I are meeting up. We’re researching in our off time.” Ven shifted on his feet, retreating from them.
“On what?” Aimie asked.
“I’d rather not say.”
Tom raised his eyebrows, but it was Ven, so the odd conversation wasn’t overly surprising. “Okay. Have fun. We’ll see you later.”
Ven stalked off silently, and Aimie turned to him. “You see why I had questions about the Ugna?”
“I’m sorry you weren’t able to see your brother while we were on Driun. I guess it would be difficult to track one person down in a day like that,” he said.
“That’s fine. They’ve assured me Brion will be in touch, and that’s enough to keep my hopes up.” The lovely Tekol doctor glanced around the corridor and set her hands on Tom’s chest, leaning in. “Plus, I had an adventure to follow. How many of those are we able to say yes to?”
Tom laughed out loud, kissing her on the forehead. “If you’re me, too many. Come on, Treena’s room is over here.”
He stopped at it, wondering what had kept him from visiting her for this long. Seeing her before had been no big deal, but now he was hesitant. Tom had an idea why, and used his access code to enter.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Are you sure I can’t come in? I’d love to see my work in action,” she said.
“Your work is far from here. This is my friend, and her privacy is important. I won’t be long,” he said. “Then we can open that Vina and get to know each other better.”
She smiled coyly, and he felt what he’d been missing in his life. Happiness. Not that he was depressed, usually, but having intimacy with someone special was something he’d hardly noticed he was lacking, until he’d found it again.
He entered, leaving her alone in the hall, and heard the familiar beeping of Treena’s machines. She was in the same position, and he walked to the edge of her bed, sitting on the chair near her. He watched her closely, grinning as he remembered she was connected to an android body aboard Shu at that very moment. Her eyes were closed, but he saw them shifting behind the lids.
She was a great woman, and she was going to make a top-notch captain. It was unfortunate they hadn’t been able to work together longer, because they were an admirable team. And then he realized why he hadn’t come to see her. The idea that she was leaving was too hard to take, mixed in with the notion that he might be losing Constantine, and it was a difficult scenario.
“Wherever you are, I hope you’re doing well,” he said, taking her hand in his.
Her fingers closed around his for the first time ever.
____________
“Mind if I join you?” Treena stopped at the Guardian in the courtyard. She noticed Iliandra was speaking with Caalizan quietly inside the café, and her protector was never far from her side.
“Sure thing.” He kicked out the chair across from him, and she took a seat.
He was a bit of an enigma. A Guardian. Not many people knew of them, mostly because the Minon didn’t deal in the political field. They primarily stuck to themselves, working closely with their cousins, the Seeli, which made sense, since they were in the midst of dying off.
“What’s it take to be a Guardian?” she asked him.
The man’s hair was long, streaked in gray to match his spotted but trimmed beard. He secured it into a ponytail, and had the kind of casual confidence that reminded her of Thomas Baldwin. “Why, looking for a career shift?” He laughed.
“Maybe. Would that be a problem?” she asked.
“Not for me. Just for the thousands of years’ worth of Minon customs.” He sipped from his cup and stared at her over the rim.
“Some cultures do adapt their rules as they grow more progressive,” Treena said, surprised to see sexism so blatant in the Concord. It had been a long time since the universe had been male-dominated, but pockets remained in their old-world beliefs.
“The Advisors have thrice attempted to rewrite the rules, but each time, they were met with an overwhelming amount of dissent. So what? Guardians are men. Half of the Advisors are female, and that doesn’t seem to bother anyone.”
“I don’t even know your name,” she told the Guardian.
“I know yours. Commander Treena Starling. Quite the reputation too,” he said.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said quietly. She was beginning to like the guy.
“The way I heard it, you didn’t ask one.”
“Since you know so much about me, how about you fill me in? Starting with your name.” She leaned away in her chair, crossing her arms and lifting an eyebrow.
“Dorthan.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“How long have you been a Guardian?”
“Technically?”
/>
“Sure, whatever you think the best answer is,” she said.
“We’re born into the role but have to be trained. We spend twenty years in the reeds, learning everything we can before we’re tested. Only then can we become a Guardian,” he told her.
“How many Guardians are there currently?”
“Tough to say. We had fifty before the attack. I assume that number has dwindled. We lost five of our Advisors and our entire fleet.” His gaze shifted to the table, where he wrapped his hands around an empty cup.
“I’m sorry. We’ll help by any means possible,” Treena said.
“I only want revenge, Miss Starling. No matter how it happens.”
“Tell me about the Guardian with Charlan. Is he familiar to you?” Treena asked.
This seemed to catch him off-guard, and his sullen expression glowed for a moment. “Gotran was given the task because he’s the best we have to offer.”
“Better than you?”
He nodded slowly, without needing to consider the question. “As I said, he’s the best. If there’s anyone more suited to protecting the asset, I haven’t met them. He’ll take good care of her.”
“Iliandra seems concerned. Have you worked with her long?” Treena asked, and the man’s eyelids narrowed.
“She has every right to be worried, don’t you think? We’re dying off. The problem with something like this, everyone else sees you have a fairly healthy population, and when you tell them it’ll take only four, three, even two generations before your population is at risk of extinction, they don’t seem to hear you. It’s not as pressing as an epidemic, or a supernova, or a looming asteroid racing for your world. It’s a slow death. A sad and terrible fate for a good people,” he said.
He spoke with more passion than she’d expected, but the moment was gone, and the cocky version of Dorthan returned. “But enough about that. How is it living through a robot?”
Her jaw dropped in shock at his comment. It didn’t sound malicious, only curious. “I’m… how did you know?”
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 99
