Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series

by Hystad, Nathan

  “So to appease them until then, he offered…”

  “Booty. He stole from the Concord and claimed the losses were to pirates, isn’t that right?” Tom asked.

  Keen nodded. “He fed them supplies for thirty years, up until his death.”

  “And when the supplies stopped coming, they came to you,” Prime Xune said.

  “That’s right. I was young, in a good place with the Assembly, and was already working on gaining resources. I needed outside allies, weapons you hadn’t seen before, places to visit while I was in hiding. Luci was born on their colony ship during a visit. I brought a shipment of transmission hardware, but I never knew what it was for.”

  “That’s where they found the materials to make this communication disruptor. Add it to Keen’s ever-growing list of offenses,” Treena said.

  “I was innocent. They only claimed to be building something to assist my takeover. We had it all planned. I’d become the new Prime, and they’d get their planet and entrance into our fold.”

  Tom froze. “They heard about your failure and imprisonment, and asked for you to be freed. It sounds to me like you’re still colluding.”

  “I can’t say why they did it.”

  “I can,” Admiral Benitor started. “You promised them something, and now that you can’t deliver, they want your head. Only they’ve tricked us and left before we could hand you over.”

  “I think there’s more to it. This…” Tom pointed around the room. “It has nothing to do with the girl, or the Minon and Seeli connection to the Vusuls. It was a distraction. They were desperate once Keen failed, and they’re making their move. We saw what they did in short order to the Minon station and planet. If they put that energy behind an invasion, we’re going to have a lot of trouble on our hands. What else could they have done that brought our two main flagships to the deep recesses of space, weeks from the Border?

  “This was an elaborate ruse to drag us from the fight. The disruptor was to prevent us from sending a warning to anyone. We’re too late. They’ll probably be attacking any day now,” Tom said.

  “It makes sense, but attacking whom?” Prime Xune asked, and all eyes settled on Lark Keen.

  “It’s a nothing world. Empty. They aren’t going to attack it, just inhabit it. They figured once they took over the world in Concord space, then you’d have no choice but to accept them,” Keen said.

  Tom’s heart sped up, his palms beginning to sweat. “Lark, tell us what planet you’re speaking of.” Dread filled his gut, and by the expression on the Prime’s face, he knew what the answer would be too.

  “That world we were terraforming. Driun F49. Out of the way, no partners anywhere near it.” Lark smiled, as if everyone would be relieved by his answer.

  “Send word to the Ugna! They’re about to be under attack,” Admiral Benitor shouted to an aide behind her.

  ____________

  Treena was at home the moment she returned to Constantine in Cleo. She walked through the bridge, saying hello to Brax and Darl, getting a sweeping hug from the Tekol chief of security. Reeve embraced her brother, and everyone chatted for a few minutes as Constantine raced toward Driun F49.

  Treena was as disturbed by the news as the rest of them, but time was of the essence, and warnings had been sent to the Ugna.

  She was about to leave the bridge, anxious to find her room, when Captain Baldwin stopped at Ven’s station. “Have we received word from Fayle yet?”

  Ven shook his head. “They haven’t yet responded, but there was no direct communication link implemented within their cities yet. It was all on their ships, which are now grounded in an effort to build their communities as quickly as possible.”

  “You’re saying they need to power up a vessel to hear of the incoming Vusuls fleet?” Tom asked.

  “That is what I’m predicting,” Ven said, his tone even.

  Baldwin ran a hand through his hair and settled his hands on his hips. “Try again. Keep trying. If only we could jump ahead of the Vusuls...”

  Reeve stepped from her brother and lifted a hand. “Captain, I might be able to help.”

  “How?”

  “I was working with Chief Engineer Hans on Shu for the past few weeks, and we developed a way to create a Nek drive shuttle that doesn’t deplete the resource as quickly as the Vralon model…”

  “Reeve, I’d love to stop and chat, but would you get to the point?” Tom asked.

  “We have a functional Nek shuttle. We can use the jump drive to reach Driun F49 before the invasion,” Reeve said.

  Everyone on the bridge grew silent; the only noise was the gentle beeping of the sensors operating.

  “It works?” Tom asked.

  Reeve nodded proudly. Treena had heard about Reeve’s experiments, but hadn’t been paying enough attention to what the chief engineer was doing while the three of them were over on Shu. Doctor Nee had spent all his time with their doctor, working on the Minon and Seeli reproduction issue with Caalizan and Yunrio. Meanwhile, Reeve had been cooped up with Kan Shu and this Hans in a hangar, doing trials. Treena had been too preoccupied with her own quandary to be in the know.

  “We tested it, and everything is in prime working order, sir.” Reeve grinned widely.

  “There’s no choice. We need to use it.” Tom stared at the viewscreen, and Treena’s gaze lingered on the stars beyond the Border while he waited to speak. “Brax…”

  Reeve interrupted. “Sir, I’d like to go. It’s my project, and if there are any issues with it that arise, I have the understanding to modify it.”

  Ven rose, turning to face the captain. “I’d like to go as well, sir. If it’s permitted.”

  Tom sighed but relented. “Fine. You two make the trip. Send warning and see if we can evacuate the world before the Vusuls arrive.”

  “You know Elder Fayle will not leave,” Ven said.

  “Then I expect you to convince her, Ven.” Tom’s hand rested on the Ugna’s shoulder, and the albino officer blinked rapidly.

  “I will do my best.”

  Treena said her goodbyes and waited while the two Concord vessels slowed, along with the R-emergence luxury liner.

  Once they were gone, Treena slipped from the bridge, almost running toward her quarters. She arrived shortly after and stopped at her door. Whatever you do, do with a full heart. Treena opened her door and was shocked by the equipment stacked around her bed. Her body was still the same: skinny, limbs twisted as her form attempted to find the fetal position.

  There was no one else in the room, and Treena crossed the floor tentatively, standing at her bedside. There were wires and plugs in other parts of her body, and a large tank of a viscous liquid sat three-quarters full near the bathroom.

  “How are you doing?” she asked herself, taking a seat. She couldn’t hear her own words, not from her real ears, not when she was plugged into this avatar, but she wanted to talk to anyway. “I know this is going to be difficult, but we’re strong. We can reclaim ourselves, can’t we?” She took her own hand, feeling the awkwardness of it. Her real fingers were cool to the touch, but they bent around her, clutching with a newfound strength and determination. Treena gasped, sitting up straight.

  She noticed the other changes now. Her feet wiggled; her eyes flickered behind her lids.

  “You have a favorable prognosis.” The woman’s voice startled her. She’d been so focused, Treena hadn’t heard the door opening.

  “Who are you?” she asked, taking in the striking woman behind her.

  “I’m Doctor Aimie Gaad, with R-emergence.”

  “You’re the one Tom told me about,” Treena said, surprised at her lack of anger.

  “That’s me.” She came to kneel near Treena at the bedside. “I have to apologize profusely for my counterparts. I know you don’t care, but this was decades of work, and they were trying to do right by their own creations. I don’t advocate for them, but I hope you can forgive and let me help do this properly.”

  Treena sta
red into the woman’s brown eyes, and understood how Tom might have fallen for her. She almost laughed at the scenario, but the situation was too grim. “I wouldn’t have had this body if they were a bunch of selfish fools. Or been able to shut the wormhole on the Statu, or save the Bacal on Casonu One. I’ve done so many positive things because of this body.” She patted her chest, feeling emotions rising.

  “And you can continue to do them, but we’re also going to do our best to give this Treena Starling a life again, okay?” Aimie looked to the husk of the woman on the bed, and Treena followed, for a moment wishing she could cry it out.

  “Thank you.”

  “We’ve begun the muscle treatment, and even though it’s a slow process, you’ll notice that you’re stronger already. My next move is to depress you into the tank, which will give your organs revitalization. It will feed you nutrients and foster growth where you’ve lost mass over the last two years,” Doctor Gaad told her.

  “In there?” Treena stood, walking to the tank. It glowed gently from recessed lights under the liquid, and the doctor turned the console on, the device chiming as it woke. “For how long?”

  “A month. Maybe longer.”

  “And you’re optimistic that I’ll be able to use my body again?” Treena asked, almost wanting her to say no. She’d been through so much, and starting again seemed like a more difficult path than continuing with this android form. But the idea that she could be herself again was going to be worth the effort and time.

  “I believe that with my assistance and a year or two of rehab, you’ll be able to go home.” She pointed to Treena’s real body, and Treena could only stare at herself, nodding absently, unsure how to take the news.

  Nineteen

  Elder Fayle was quite happy with their progress. High Elder Wylen would be coming in a few weeks, and she needed everything to be prepared for his arrival. They weren’t even close, but considering how much work needed to be done, she was proud of her people.

  She walked to the window of her penthouse, casting an eye over their small city. Two million Ugna lived on this planet, spread across twenty or so regions. It was more than she’d ever dreamed about. All those years preparing, Wylen claiming they could become a force and find a home, she’d be remiss if she said she hadn’t doubted his optimism on a few occasions. Now it was coming true.

  Their city had expanded once the entire one hundred thousand trained Ugna had been brought to Aleria, an homage to the Zilph’i home world. She watched as the sun set beyond the valley’s ridges and her people moved fully-erected walls with their minds, teaming up to successfully and quickly create rows and rows of residences, warehouses, and manufacturing plants. Beyond the town, she spotted their growing fields, where hundreds of acres of land had already been dug up, tilled, and planted by programmed drones.

  Livestock were kept farther down the valley, constantly blowing fans preventing the smells from entering their city. Fayle was glad to be out of hiding, tucked away in a bug-infested swamp on Leria. This was her home now, and she stood atop her castle, ready to dig her claws into Driun F49.

  She glanced at the next high-rise, through the floor-to-ceiling panes of glass at people walking about with urgency. Their power grid was being finished, but so far, all the energy from the giant solar cells in orbit was being routed to feed the hundred thousand or so robotic construction drones. Any other use of power, short of general lighting, was banned until the cities were finished, which would be another month at least.

  Most of the Ugna were used to residing in huts, living off the land, so none of this was new to them, but Elder Fayle did long for the day when they could finally show their technological prowess and be right up there with the Tekol on Nolix or the Zilph’i on Leria.

  She thought about heading to Vastness to check if Wylen had relayed any messages, but the last time they’d attempted it, the transmission had failed. She’d decided it was a sign from the real Vastness that she needed to focus without the distractions of the outside world. As of that day, she’d ordered all communicators off and had seen a five percent increase in efficiency since then.

  Fayle strode across the room, the floors shiny and white, the furniture woodsy with thick cushions. Her table was long, made to seat a group of twenty, and she ran a finger over its undulating surface. She’d had it fabricated from the very trees those monsters had hung from, trying to kill their exploratory party.

  She passed the kitchen, glanced toward her bedroom, and thought about taking a hit of En’or. In the end, she did, feeling the rush of the drug course through her veins. She floated toward the far window, overlooking the other end of the valley, and stared at the river on her right side. It was flowing, and she could almost feel the liquid rushing over her body. Her stare shifted to the forest beyond, and Fayle smiled as she recalled using Ven Ittix’s strength to fend off the attackers. He’d been so strong.

  One of the strongest she’d ever met. She’d spent years hiding this truth from the others and was glad he was gone. If High Elder Wylen ever guessed there was one as powerful as Ven, he’d have the Concord officer killed. Power threatened the High Elder, and he would stop at nothing to remain in charge.

  Fayle guessed she’d be killed too, if Wylen learned she’d trained Ven, aware of his Talent but not advising anyone. But Ven wasn’t just an acolyte to her; he was like a son.

  She used her mind to push off the wall, sending herself toward the couch that centered the suite. She lowered to it, dimming the lights at the same time, and settled to the soft fabric.

  Wherever Ven was, she hoped he was safe and far from here.

  ____________

  Ven was skeptical about taking the shuttle as far as Driun in the first jump, and told Reeve as much.

  She stood in the cockpit, arms crossed over her chest as she frowned at him. “Ven, you don’t trust me?”

  “Don’t misconstrue my worries, Reeve Daak. I trust you. It’s the Nek drive I do not have full confidence in,” he told her.

  Her brow softened, and she motioned for him to take a seat on the passenger bench. “I understand. It’s fine to be concerned, Ven. You were almost killed in a shuttle like this, and you saved my brother’s life. There’s obvious trauma left over.”

  Ven didn’t know what to say. “I did die.”

  Not everyone believed him, but the evidence had been there. Doctor Nee had labeled him deceased, and he didn’t have his first breath for days, until Elder Fayle revived him from the Ugna trance in his childhood village.

  “What was it like?” Reeve asked.

  “What, dying?”

  “No. The Vastness.”

  “I don’t know.” He closed his eyes, still seeing the never-ending lights cascading behind his eyelids. They only dissipated when he succumbed and took En’or, but he didn’t want to rely on the drug, so he lived with the effects. He was growing used to it.

  “You don’t remember anything?” she asked.

  “The truth is, I was on the shuttle, sealing the ship with one last pull of the Talent, and then I was waking up on Leria.” He left out the rest about the lights and the strange feeling, the draw to meditation where he felt like he was floating in a pool of energy.

  “That’s too bad,” Reeve said softly, but perked up. “Are you going to be able to make the trip? You asked to come, remember.”

  “I do, and yes, I will make the trip. To see death is to see life for the first time.”

  “A very fitting Code saying, though I’d prefer you don’t jinx our mission,” Reeve told him.

  The two of them were going alone. A spark of happiness spread over Chief Engineer Hans’ face when he was told he didn’t need to make the journey to Driun F49 in their shuttle. That told Ven a lot about the reliability of the ship. But Reeve was a great engineer, and a friend, and Ven was fully aware she’d never intentionally allow them harm. So he put his faith in her invention.

  “I’m ready to go when you are,” he said.

  “Great. Now
if I could remember where I put the keys,” she said, her hands searching over the pilot bench. “What? Don’t like jokes?”

  “I do appreciate them, but they have to be funny,” Ven retorted, bringing a smile to her face.

  “Well, look at you, being a kidder yourself. Come on, let’s power her up and do another system scan.” Reeve activated the ship with the press of a button, and Ven peered behind them at the massive drive attachment. It hummed smoothly, clear lines filling with a blue liquid. The Nek was processed into this state, as well as lining the inside of the sealed generator.

  Ven understood a little about it, but not enough to make it not seem a little like magic. He contemplated the fact that some people considered the Ugna to be magic users, and thought that he and this jump drive were somewhat alike: both hard to imagine, but created by science. His people through evolution and breeding; the drive through ingenuity of intelligent scientists and engineers.

  Ven sat beside Reeve, using his Talent to scroll through the system check, finding it passed the initial tests. “All clear.”

  Reeve plugged a finger-sized device into her console and glanced at him. “One more thing. The Nek at this volume can be dangerous when we demand too much out of it. This will alert me of any upcoming trouble.”

  “What if that occurs while we’re in the middle of our jump?” Ven had the answer but wanted her to say it.

  She shrugged, still smiling. “Then we’ll never know the difference, because we’ll be soaring in the Vastness.”

  “I’m not eager to return,” he said, which was only partly truthful. A small piece of him did long to be there, to see the lights and feel the freedom. In the Vastness, there was no worry, no pressure in the chest, no shallow breaths when fearful, no tears, and no aches. You became one with the universe and it absorbed everything that you were, purifying your essence. At least, that was how he looked at it.

  “We’re going to be fine.”

  “Shouldn’t we suit up?” he asked.