Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series

by Hystad, Nathan

“A mutation?”

  “The Vastness is out there, an energy within the universe. We’re learning about it all the time, and for most of my life, I’ve believed in it, but as more of a religious guidance than a physical reality. Now I understand. The Ugna have bred this into their people for years, the impairment that allows the mind to funnel this energy. Generally, En’or is used, a drug that controls the acolytes as well as stimulates the proper part of the brain. Is any of this sounding familiar?” Tom asked.

  Basher swallowed, his cheeks flushing. “It may.”

  “When Wylen decided to breach our Concord, he began expanding his searches to those outside the Zilph’i boundaries, though we know for a fact that the Ugna were already hiding on Tebas, building a large population from scratch over the last thousand years or so. At this point, their relation to the Founders of Leria is distant by blood. They share some similar features, but are, by all accounts, different races.

  “When they discovered other races could touch the Vastness, it gave Wylen a window of opportunity. They mutated some children, returning when their abilities showed. They became saviors. They broke families apart, just to wedge their foot in the door of the Concord. They helped the Callalay at Aruto, and another favor was garnered. Soon there was nothing that would stop the Concord from accepting them into our ranks.”

  Basher grinned at this. “Then it sounds like I’ve partnered with a patient and cunning man.”

  Tom changed the subject, wanting to keep Basher on his toes. “Do you recall anything of your life before all this? Your childhood? Did you once run in the fields, chasing glowing insects? Did you long for something other than a trivial existence?”

  It was evident from the glossy look in the man’s eyes that he was thinking of another time, before he was chosen to lead the humans as their president. The first Ugna human, meant to make the population of Earth comfortable with their leader. “What are you getting at?”

  “The Ugna took an innocent boy, administered a genetic mutation, and forced you into a role you never asked for. Didn’t they?” Tom’s voice rose in volume, shocking Basher.

  “I accepted the role. Don’t put this on the Invaders.”

  “Invaders. There it is. ‘Invaders,’ by every definition, holds negative connotations. To enter without invitation. To subjugate the population. To occupy foreign land. Yet you allow the Earthlings to give you the title without a care in the universe. Why is that?” Tom asked.

  President Gordon Basher looked dumbfounded, his composure gone. “This isn’t going to work. I will not turn on my people.”

  Tom sighed, letting the tension visibly deflate from his shoulders. “Then we’re on the same page, because I’m not asking you to. I’m inviting you to protect your people. Humans. Invaders. Whoever you feel aligned with, because you’re not with Wylen and his Ugna. We have our own collection of Ugna here, a subsection that believes in their alliance with the Concord. When we win this war, they will return home to Driun F49 and a new leader will emerge, one that will bind the Ugna to our alliance forever, and will do remarkable things with his people.”

  Basher sat in silence, the air thick with questions. Only one emerged from his lips. “You’re asking me to side with you?”

  Tom nodded once and knocked on the door. It opened a moment later, and in walked Ven Ittix, followed by the newly named High Elder Fayle. Tom introduced them and grabbed Lark by the arm, guiding him from the interrogation room. He didn’t glance at Basher, but Tom was sure he had him. At least after this meeting, there would be some dents in the president’s armor.

  “How did you do that?” Keen asked. “It was like watching my grandfather at council meetings. You crushed it.”

  Tom laughed, letting the stress of the last twenty minutes go. “I had to impress a few things on him. You don’t live with men like Constantine Baldwin without picking up some tricks. You understand what it’s like.”

  “What are they going to do to him?” Keen asked, pointing to the room where Basher sat with their two strongest Ugna representatives.

  “Nothing. Talk. Tell him their plans.”

  Lark seemed disappointed. “That’s it?”

  “If he doesn’t bite, that’s on him. We’ll have to use him as bait—which, as you know, can work at times,” Tom said, remembering doing the same thing to Keen with his daughter.

  “I’m glad I’m on the right side of this conflict. You’ve impressed me, Baldwin. You’ve come a long way from that idealistic teenager I used to hang out with. What happened?”

  “I had to grow up, Lark.” Tom glanced at the interrogation room, and his attention was taken when his tablet chimed. He read the message and cursed under his breath.

  Lark tried peering over his shoulder. “What is it?”

  “Trouble.”

  Eleven

  The sounds of Constantine’s bridge were refreshing after a few days in Ridele. Treena’s body remained in her suite, but it was getting more and more difficult to plug in to this android. She knew the crew wouldn’t care. Most of them had seen her in her real body at this point, but she was still scared to take the plunge. Soon, she told herself as the rest of the crew filed onto the bridge.

  Pol Teller was helped to his seat by Missy, who remained behind him, staring at the viewscreen, her face pale and her eyes red-lined. Executive Lieutenant Conner Douglas took his seat, and Lieutenant Commander Brax Daak grinned at Treena as he got into position. She hadn’t spent much time with Brax since he’d been off on other missions, doing favors for Baldwin, but it was good to have some of the team together.

  Chief Engineer Harry was in the boiler room, and Treena was glad Baldwin had someone of Reeve Daak’s caliber on Legacy’s crew. It didn’t help the fact that she already missed Reeve’s positive energy. Lieutenant Darl was at his helms position, completing the roster.

  Treena walked toward the viewscreen, turning to face everyone. “We have word that the Nus’az have attacked Sunko, our latest supporters. We will not let the traitors who have elected to side with Wylen get away with this type of bullying. The Nus’az were always on the edge of the Concord, only barely adhering to our rules and guidelines, rarely sending representation to our meetings. Now they dare draw blood from their neighbors.”

  Pol Teller cracked his gnarled knuckles. “I’ve had a few run-ins with these flakes over the years. Cocky little things. Let’s go put ‘em in their place.”

  “You read my mind, Commander,” Brax said.

  Treena tapped the arm of her chair as she returned to the captain’s seat. “Harry, are we loaded with sufficient Nek?”

  “Captain, we’re well stocked and ready to roll. The drive is charged. I’ll defer power to the shields the moment we arrive at the destination and have the reserves prepped for the switchover, should the enemy prove able to dismantle our barriers,” Harry said succinctly.

  “Well done, Chief.” Treena ended the communication and glanced at the viewscreen. Legacy was the only other giant starship nearby, and she sat docked and dark. Treena knew Baldwin would have preferred to make this trip himself, but he had pressing matters, like getting Ven launched in the Nek shuttle, and waiting for the massive fleet only a few days away.

  Treena hadn’t been updated with the En’or experiments, but in this case, no news was bad news. She could only hope for a solution before Wylen arrived. “Douglas, are the coordinates loaded?” she asked.

  “Yes, Captain. We’re set for Sunko.”

  The Pogaltheens were a newer inclusion into the Concord, and Treena wasn’t going to let these Nus’az harm them in any way. Constantine Baldwin’s AI projection surfaced beside her, a slight smile on his lips.

  “Why are you so happy?” she asked him.

  “Because we’re doing what I was built for. Defending our people.”

  He was right. Leading Constantine on a valuable mission had her excited again. It wasn’t the same as waiting for a terrible outcome while defending Nolix. This was a clear-cut mission with a s
olid objective.

  “Make the jump.”

  Constantine appeared in an entirely different place, halfway across Concord space. Treena had never seen Sunko before and was shocked at how white the system’s star was. She hardly noticed their destination planet as she beheld over fifty vessels engaged in battle between Constantine and the world beyond.

  “Brax, who’s who?” Treena asked.

  “On screen.” Brax sent the radar image to the left side of the viewscreen, red dots indicating the Nus’az, and green showing the Pogaltheens. The defenders were vastly outnumbered. One of the green dots disappeared, and fury tore through Treena. She’d seen smaller people being picked on her whole life, and now there was infighting among their own planets because of Wylen.

  “Would you like me to parley?” Conner asked, but Treena shook her head.

  “No. Attack the Nus’az. We make a point today,” Treena said.

  Conner spun around to face her, as if to question her command, and she indicated the screen. “That’s an order!”

  Pol Teller smiled in agreement. “They deserve worse.”

  Treena didn’t reply as Brax began to target the enemy from a thousand kilometers away. This was wartime, not for the faint of heart.

  The Nus’az had over thirty small ten-person vessels that packed enough punch to pose a threat to most crafts—but not to Constantine. Treena let Commander Teller take over the instructions, and she listened intently, impressed with his keen mind for battle. He even took on some of the weapons controls himself, while Douglas operated the basics and Darl kept a close eye on the shields.

  The Pogaltheens sensed their savior was here, and many of them retreated behind the Concord flagship, unashamed to hide rather than die. The enemy’s attention was solely focused on the newcomer, but in the matter of two minutes, over thirty percent of their crafts were destroyed or damaged, and they realized there was no hope of victory.

  “I bet they didn’t wake up this morning expecting to have Constantine intervene like this,” Brax said solemnly.

  Treena stared at the planet in the distance, where massive plumes of smoke rose into the atmosphere. The Nus’az had attacked the world, likely killing a lot of innocent locals.

  “They’re retreating, Captain. Do we let them go?” Brax asked. She could tell he’d prefer that: not because he didn’t like a good fight, but because this one felt so one-sided. Treena considered it, stared at the floating debris of the damaged ships and at the burning world, and shook her head.

  “No. We fight. Their actions will not be allowed within the Concord. We let them go, and they’ll only return to aid Wylen’s forces. Target the enemy. Kill them all.” Treena watched stoically as they did just that.

  It was all over in ten minutes, with each of the Nus’az being destroyed. By the end, the entire bridge crew were silent, even Teller. They’d protected their own today, but it didn’t change the fact that they’d killed hundreds in the process.

  Conner was the first to speak, and it came at the right time. “We did the right thing, Captain. Good call. They were about to do far worse to the Pogaltheens.”

  “Get them on the communicator. Inform the locals we’re here to assist in any way possible,” Treena said.

  “I don’t think that’s an option for us.” Conner played an incoming message relayed from Nolix. Another of the Concord’s partners had been hit, and there was no one else to protect them.

  Treena’s stomach sank as she made the order. “Send our apologies to the Pogaltheens.” She hit the communication link to engineering. “Harry, prepare the drive.”

  ____________

  The stars twinkled in the distance, and Ven stared at the darkness deeper into Nolix’s system. He was departing from their capital soon, and this was his last chance for a moment of restful solitude before taking the shuttle.

  So much had happened since an innocent Ugna man, barely more than a boy by most standards, had left Leria in search of the Concord Academy. He’d spent a few years being trained in their ways, but never forgetting the teachings of the Ugna. Now, everything felt tainted. There was a smear of blood over his memories of growing up in the village. Almost all of the Ugna from that place were on the other side of this conflict. How could they have been raised at the same place, in the same environment, and by the same Elders, yet he was the only one to see clearly?

  As Ven watched the depths of space from Legacy’s guest suite, he considered something. What if Fayle was the false one? What if Wylen was the true leader, and Ven was going to burn in the pits of the Vastness for eternity for failing to see that? Could he be wrong about this?

  He closed his eyes, his breathing taking on a long inhale followed by a longer exhale as he floated, cross-legged. The Vastness enveloped him, taking form in the shape of bright lights, just out of reach. It was like he could smell a cooking stew but not find the source, leaving him starving. Or feeling the mists of a waterfall, but not being able to seek out the supply, going thirsty on a hot summer day.

  He would find the Vast stone. Ven Ittix would be the first Ugna since Elder Fayle to visit the source of everything. What he would do from there was another story. His advisor had offered no suggestion as to how he’d be able to turn the faucet of power off when he arrived, and he understood the journey would be tumultuous and lonely.

  Ven settled to the floor, opening his eyes. He rose, leaning against the wall from a sudden bout of dizziness. He yearned to stay here, on a starship, where he’d be able to fight the Ugna fleet from a helm console, rather than on a distant mission that sounded like it was out of a fable rather than rooted in fact.

  His door chimed, and Ven used his gifts to press the access code. Admiral Baldwin entered, his uniform crisp and clean. Ven smelled the fresh gel the admiral used after he shaved his face. He didn’t want to confront his former captain. It only meant he’d be sent away soon.

  “Ven, are you okay?” the admiral asked.

  “I will be.” Ven motioned for the Concord’s brightest to have a seat, and Baldwin took the offered chair.

  “You did well with President Basher. Fayle thinks it possible he’ll heed our advice and cooperate,” Baldwin said.

  That surprised Ven. He didn’t think the man had been overly receptive to their stories. “I would be cautious with that man.”

  “Why’s that?”

  Ven tried to articulate himself. “He is Ugna and is not familiar with our customs. Basher’s human also, meaning he has never seen what it is to be Ugna. He’s also of Earth and was given the mutation by the Invaders. They have only taught him what they wanted. I have a distinct feeling Wylen had some say in his training, even if he was not aware of it. Basher may be willing to discuss working with the Concord, but he also holds within him the power to turn on you in a heartbeat. If you elect to trust his word, do so with great prudence.”

  Admiral Baldwin let out a laugh, the sound foreign in Ven’s suite. “Ven, I always knew you were special, but now you really do sound like a High Elder.”

  Ven balked at this but quickly refrained from reacting.

  “I caught that. Speak your mind, Ven. It’s me. We’re friends, right?” Baldwin was perceptive, for a human.

  “I am unsure of my path, Admiral. Part of me wishes to stay behind so I can be part of this battle, but I realize how imperative High Elder Fayle considers this mission. I only wish she would embark on it rather than me.” Ven hated how shameful he sounded, but Baldwin didn’t flinch. Instead, he relaxed into his seat.

  “Believe me, that’s a feeling I understand too well. Do you think I wanted to sit behind a desk while you guys sent off for Earth? Ever since they gave me this new role, I’ve been itching to leave it and return to a starship. Somehow I was granted Legacy, which won’t last after we win,” Baldwin said.

  Ven took pride in the man’s faith. “You do believe we will outmatch Wylen?”

  Baldwin nodded, a smile crossing his handsome face. “We will do more than that. We’re goi
ng to make them wish they’d stayed on Tebas for good.”

  “I heard the news,” Ven said. “I am sorry I have yet to offer my congratulations.”

  “The baby?” he asked.

  “Are you happy?”

  Admiral Baldwin set his hands on his knees and leaned forward. “You know what? I never expected to be charging into battle, but nothing surprised me more than the day I learned Rene was with our child. I’ve been so focused on the Concord for the last twenty years, trying to forge my own path—one outside the shadow of my grandfather—that I’d given up on a family. Now that I’m on the brink of a new start, it seems unreal. But to answer your question… yes. I am happy, Ven. Very happy.”

  This warmed Ven’s heart. “Then we will be sure to defeat Wylen as quickly as possible, so you can continue your path.”

  “That’s the plan.” Baldwin stood, moving toward the door. “Is there anything else you need before you leave?”

  “Only one thing.”

  “Name it.”

  “When Captain Hanli arrives with our Ugna allies, tell her I miss her,” Ven said, no longer caring about formalities. Admiral Baldwin’s confession had roused something dormant inside of Ven, and he didn’t want to keep it buried.

  Baldwin grinned at that but didn’t comment. “Consider it done.”

  Once again, Ven was alone, and he glanced at his pack near the bed. It was time to leave.

  ____________

  Five days. That was all they had until the Ugna fleet arrived in system. In six days, they’d be in proximity to fight. Lark Keen was new to the team, but he was surprised at how few of the Nolix population had actually evacuated. It was like they didn’t believe a real war was brewing.

  Tom had expressed his opinion to the Prime about forcing their retreat, but so far, he’d been reluctant to agree. It was unprecedented for the capital, and the Prime wasn’t about to shake things up. In Lark’s opinion, history be damned. If Wylen won, they’d all be dead or enslaved by the man, so what would it matter?