Reeve grinned ear-to-ear at this. “You’re right there. We picked a good one.”
“As if we had any say.”
“Either way, I love this posting.”
Brax laughed. “You and me both. Unfortunately, I’ve only been on board for a few days so far. I’ve spent more time on this warship than on Constantine.”
“Nothing like starting it all off with a bang,” Reeve said.
“Let’s hope we’ll all be together when we return. The Founders will have a lot to say about what happened,” Brax told her.
“They better reward us with a medal and a pat on the back,” Reeve said.
“Somehow I doubt it will be that easy.” Brax took a deep breath, trying not to think about the wormhole they were traveling through. Treena had an immeasurable task on her shoulders, and he silently wished her success.
Twenty-Seven
Treena took a deep breath. I should have died two years ago.
Why had she asked Thomas to let her die? She’d spent the last week helping save what was left of a friendly race and was capable of doing so many things no human was able to do. Was eternal rest in the Vastness really what she wanted?
She witnessed their huge Concord cruise ship enter the center of the colorful, swirling wormhole. Surrounding the display of illumination, the middle was dark, an ominous portal that was welcoming and off-putting at the same time. A balance of fear and hope poured through her.
Treena tapped the viewer to show a feed from behind her fighter and saw a warship begin to explode from the top down. Tubers sprang from the thick arms of the vessel, evacuating Statu. The other five warships moved past the destroyed Cecilia. At least she’d managed to destroy one of them.
Treena waited there patiently, counting to sixty before urging her vessel into the wormhole. She’d already made the trip inside Cleo only a day before. It felt like much longer.
She reached out to Constantine, but there was no response, not that she’d expected one. She was all alone, and with the detonator. The Concord was relying on her to destabilize the wormhole, to send it crashing around the incoming warships, and to cut their path into Concord space off with the press of a button.
Even though her real body was safe on the cruise ship, a wave of nervousness coursed through her. It was a very human reaction, and Treena clung to it. The fact that the Concord scientists had allowed her to feel these impulses was what kept her moving each day.
The fighter slowly moved forward, and Treena only accelerated when a Tuber came within firing range. The warships were directly behind the incoming enemy fighters, and she gently urged her ship into the wormhole. It was time.
The ship shook as she entered, the lights flickering, dimming, shutting off, then flashing brighter than ever. She strained against the straps as the ship was tossed around for the first minute inside the void. Once it settled enough to move properly, she activated the rear cameras, not seeing any of the enemies behind her. That didn’t mean they weren’t there; she truly had no idea how the fold worked. It might be a matter of perception, and the Tubers could be right on her tail.
The first trip had taken about ten minutes, and she’d given Constantine a decent head start, leaving her about five minutes to traverse through space in the tunnel of light. This might be it for her. She’d asked Thomas to let her rest, but now she wasn’t so sure.
Treena closed her good eye, the other one torn from her face from a blaster to the head by a hiding Statu. She was transported to that day.
____________
Treena had woken to the alarms ringing throughout the ship, and Felix had instantly sat up on alert. He’d told her to stay put, but she wasn’t going to obey, and he knew it. Seconds later, Felix was racing out the door, only the lower half of his uniform on, his feet still bare.
Treena hastily dressed and followed after him, until he crouched in a doorway, grabbing hold of her arm and shoving her against the wall. It hurt, and the wind blew from her lungs.
“There’s too many of them. We need weapons.” Felix’s voice was a breathy whisper.
Something was on fire, maybe everything. They moved down the hall quietly, and saw the dead crew sprawled out in the middle of the bridge. The smell of burning hair filled her throat and lungs, and Treena gagged as she crawled away. The hole in the hull had been sealed, but only after the invaders were on board. It must have happened so fast, they hadn’t been able to react. There was nothing out of the ordinary on this Border run, and then, as if from thin air, the Reepa pirate ship had detached itself from the asteroid.
She knew this now, but not then. Then, she’d only felt panic and the fear of death. She’d seen her captain’s lifeless face, dead eyes staring at nothing.
Felix must have sensed there was no hope, and he went with Treena to the hangar two decks below. Even here she heard pulse blasts, followed by the screams of her crew. They spotted a gang of the pirates as they reached the hangar doors. The men were armored, well armed, and vicious in their attacks. They walked casually through the corridor, one turning and heading in their direction.
“We need to leave,” Felix said.
“But the others…”
“It’s too late.” He opened the door, the hiss and sliding of the slab far too loud in the corridor. Treena was confident she heard bootsteps following behind them, and they ran for the nearest fighter, opening the cockpit. Felix leaned over her, strapping her in and turning the engines on.
“Get in!” she yelled, not worried about noise any longer.
He grabbed a PL-30 from beside her seat and shook his head. “You’re the better pilot, and there’s only enough life support for one, long-term.” He flicked the shields on, giving her an added layer of protection.
“I don’t want to do this without you,” she told him, tears streaming down her face.
Felix leaned in, kissing her quickly. “I’ll wait for you in the Vastness.” He hopped away, shutting the cockpit door behind him.
She saw blasts heading toward him and watched as he killed two enemies before a stream of energy struck him in the center of his bare chest. She screamed, her hands shaking as she lifted the fighter off the deck and through the bay exit.
It had been a routine Border patrol, as always. This shouldn’t have happened.
She moved the fighter away, the loss too fresh, too confusing to comprehend quite yet. There were ships nearby. Not just the Reepa ship, but another one.
____________
Treena snapped to inside the cockpit of her fighter as she coursed through the wormhole. She recalled seeing the pirate ship, and then nothing as her ship was hit. The next thing she recollected was waking up locked into a body full of pain and despair, unable to communicate with the exception of a few grunts and groans. By the time she’d been connected to this android form, the memory of that day had been all but wiped clean, but now she remembered seeing the other ship.
It was a Concord cruise ship. They’d been set up.
Treena fumed, wishing she had a way to relay this message to Baldwin. The Concord’s deceptions ran deep. Her entire crew had been killed, and for what? Why had she been spared?
She looked to the console and saw it was time. Constantine should be clear of the wormhole, leaving her with the task of destabilizing the wormhole. Fresh grief for the man she loved flooded her, and it took all her will to unstrap from the cockpit seat and crawl around it, to where the detonation box sat.
Treena had joined the Concord with hopes and dreams of making a difference. Her life had almost been cut short, but now she had the chance to really help. Not the Concord specifically, but the innocent lives who only went about their days on their home planets, never aware of the true dangers lurking around the universe.
She hoped the Statu were close behind her and prayed to the Vastness that their ships had cleared the other end of the wormhole. Treena pictured Felix one last time: not the image of him being shot down, but the memory of the first time they met. She grinne
d and pressed the button.
Everything vanished.
____________
Captain Thomas Baldwin watched through the viewer as the wormhole began to break apart. It was nothing like he’d expected: the swirling stopped instantly, the colors turning into a hot orange glow before vanishing into nothing.
The bridge crew cheered, but Tom couldn’t bring himself to join in the celebration. They’d won the battle, that was for sure, but they’d also lost a lot in the process. His confidence in the Concord had been infallible leading up to this posting. Even though nothing was perfect, he hadn’t comprehended how deceptive and troubling the leadership was.
“Captain, we have no signs of Statu in the system,” Ven told him, and Tom nodded his understanding.
“Thank you, Starling,” he whispered. He considered her last wish and knew this was something he had to do personally.
The huge Statu warship lingered nearby, and he heard Reeve Daak’s voice carry over the bridge speakers, signaling everyone was intact on her side. This brought another cheer. This was what many of the crew had signed up for when they’d joined the Academy, a real chance at heroism. Tom only wished it wasn’t so bittersweet.
“Captain, the Concord cruise ships Bartok, Hallivan, and Troo are here, and hailing us,” Ven said.
“Tell them what happened. I’ll return shortly. Set course for Greblok at once,” Tom ordered.
The Zilph’i smiled, a rare sight, and turned to obey.
Tom headed for Treena Starling’s quarters with a heavy heart.
____________
Alarms echoed around the ship, and the woman moved with purpose. She’d managed to cut the cameras on the brig deck but didn’t have time to wait around. They’d be emerging from the wormhole any moment, if they already hadn’t.
She chided herself for not bringing more members on board. She’d been so confident in Yur Shen’s abilities that she’d been blinded to the possibility of failure. To truly learn, one must be taught a lesson. The old Code saying rolled through her mind, and she grinned bleakly.
She’d been unable to prevent the destruction of the wormhole, perhaps, but there was something she could do to ensure her Assembly didn’t lose footing.
The brig was plainer than one might expect. Rarely were there cases of insubordination any longer on board a Concord vessel, but it still happened on occasion. She stepped forward confidently, and the single guard on this level stood near the brig entrance, a tablet in his hand.
He was human, short, with a bored gleam over his eyes. “Business?” he asked, barely looking up at her.
“The captain asked me to check on the admiral.”
“Is that so? I don’t see anything…”
“We don’t have time! The wormhole is collapsing around us,” she said. “Only Hudson might be able to assist us. Do you want to die?”
That got his attention, and since the alarms were active, it helped her cause.
“Sorry. Right this way.” He opened the door, and she reached into her pocket before jabbing out with the device. The man crumpled to the ground, and she left him there, holding the door open. It pressed against his ribs, trying to close.
She stalked through the hall, trying to keep her excitement at bay. She’d always been a fan of Admiral Hudson, and had even met him on occasion. Today would be another interaction she’d never forget.
She neared his cell, one of three, and he sat on the bed, head resting in his hands. He glanced up at the sound of her approach, and she caught a smile.
“It’s you. I didn’t know you were stationed on Constantine.” The admiral looked ten years older, his hair disheveled, his eyes puffy.
“Come closer.” She stepped to the glowing bars. “I’m here to free you.”
“To free me? Did Baldwin finally come to his senses?” he asked.
She nodded. “He wants to have a discussion. We’re free of the wormhole, and he and the Prime are in his office, waiting for you.”
The man stood, dusting his pants off. “It’s about time he realized his error.”
He walked over to the cell’s edge, and the woman smiled, reaching out toward him. She poked his hand with the apparatus in her palm, and his eyes went wide. He clutched his chest and staggered away, falling onto the bed and rolling to the ground.
She didn’t wait to see his last breath. He was dead.
The woman returned to the guard and dragged him with her down the corridor. She’d dispose of the body, and no one would be the wiser. They’d blame the guard for the power outage on the camera feed, and think he was hiding.
Chaos. In Chaos comes opportunity.
____________
Treena’s eyes snapped open.
Everything hurt, and she tried to breathe but couldn’t. A machine pressed air into her lungs, and she lay there, unable to move. It had been so long since she’d returned her mind to this body, and she’d forgotten the fear and terror that came with being trapped inside.
Her room was empty; the soft sounds of machinery wheezing and beeping were the only noises surrounding her bed. The straps underneath her body lifted her, moving her muscles and limbs to prevent atrophy.
Her moment of panic didn’t vanish, but it did subside slightly, until the door opened. Her vision wasn’t perfect, but she sensed it was the captain.
“Treena, you did it,” he said quietly, coming to sit in a chair parked beside her bed. His hand was rough and warm, and it tenderly squeezed hers. She tried to move her fingers but failed.
Don’t kill me, Thomas. I have too much to live for. The Concord did this to me. You have to hear me! she screamed internally, no words escaping her dry lips. She managed to move her tongue, but it rested on the roof of her mouth.
“You surprised me. I took this posting without a second thought. They offered me a new flagship, one named after my grandfather. Did I ever tell you how much I despised the old man? He was terrible to live with, especially once Grandmother passed on. He was so angry, so bitter, that I told myself I’d never end up like him. And guess what? I didn’t.” His hand was still on hers, and she calmed at his story.
“I figured out why I didn’t become him. Because I didn’t give love a chance, I didn’t start a family, and subsequently didn’t have the opportunity to lose anyone close to me. You did. I never said it, but I’m sorry about how things turned out. I know you and Felix were happy. I don’t blame you for your request, Starling, I really don’t, but I’m not sure I can honor it. You’re special. You survived the attack when no one else did, and look at all you’ve accomplished this past week.
“Selfishly, I have to keep you around. I have to find you a new android to occupy, because the truth is, I can’t do this without you. I need my crew. You, Brax, Reeve, Ven… everyone. You’re going to be angry with me, but one day you’ll understand.”
His words warmed her heart, and her eyes blurred as a tear rolled down her face.
“I’m sorry.” Thomas leaned over and wiped it. “You deserve better than this, Treena.”
He was misconstruing her emotion, and she struggled to get it out but managed two simple words, hardly more than a whisper.
“Thank you.”
____________
Tarlen soaked it all in. The sun was bright and hot, and he took off his boots, letting the warm sand slip between his toes. He was home. Malin, Greblok’s capital, was as it had been when they’d left; piles of rubble and half formed buildings. The smoke was all gone, as was the terrible noise of the warship’s mining. He couldn’t imagine the fear the people had felt when they saw the immense enemy vessel returning into the atmosphere, but they had no way of defending themselves.
The captain had lowered first in Cleo, trying to locate the largest group of survivors. He’d given them a heads up and asked them to seek out others, and spread word that the warship was safely in the hands of the Concord.
Now everyone had disembarked, and already groups were forming, sad reunions were transpiring, and Tarle
n could only watch it all with a sense of unease. His parents had never been found, but that meant they were gone. His sister lived, but what would he do with her? She was a Statu slave without direction.
He suddenly wished he hadn’t left her on the ship with the doctor. He watched his people celebrating, the crew of Constantine already assisting as they erected temporary shelters.
“Tarlen,” a voice called from behind him as he watched the assembled people working hard to set up camp before nightfall.
He turned to see the chiseled features of Thomas Baldwin. “Captain.”
The man came to stand next to him, overseeing the workers as well. “I wanted to ask you something.”
Tarlen peered up at him, seeing a smirk forming on the captain’s face. “What is it?”
“The Bacal have been through a lot. We’re trying to determine who’s in charge of Greblok, but I want to ensure you really do become a Concord member,” he said.
“That would be good. We’re going to need the support.” They’d been devastated, and Tarlen didn’t think they’d ever fully recover from what transpired.
“Would you like to become the first Bacal Concord crew member?” Captain Baldwin asked it slowly, and Tarlen still had trouble keeping up.
“Did you say… as in… you want me to join…” The words rushed out in a hurry.
“That’s what I’m asking. You’d be a JOT. A junior officer in training, and you’d have to take Academy classes on board the ship. Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to be a lot of work, but I saw how you dealt with things, and I’ve read the reports from Brax. You’re exactly what we need. You exemplify what the true Concord is made of,” Captain Baldwin told him.
Tarlen couldn’t believe his words. “What about my sister?”
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 30