Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series

by Hystad, Nathan

  The Prime-in-Waiting was human, and Tom was still shocked at the revelation that a human had been found in a Statu suit so many years ago. He spoke again, ignoring Brax’s words. “The entire Concord structure is now under scrutiny, and to be honest, it’s long overdue. Under Prime Pha’n’s leadership, we’d grown lackadaisical; complacent. No longer.”

  Tom awaited the verdict. He half expected to end up on some distant prison world, making transport hulls for the rest of his life.

  “Captain Thomas Baldwin, you showed great courage in your altercation with the Statu. You returned a significant percentage of the Bacal people to Greblok and secured the ore, and we welcome them into the Concord with open arms. You are to retain your ship, Constantine, as well as all of your staff. We also give you the chance to change any members of your executive team as you see fit, since you weren’t given the opportunity earlier.” The Prime-in-Waiting stared at Tom, a tiny smile creeping onto his lips. The man was about ten years older than Tom, with a full head of hair and strong bone structure. It was no wonder the Concord had elected him.

  “I have no wish to change anyone,” Tom said, not looking back at his crew.

  “Very well. Consider it granted. You are in need of a commander, and we’ve compiled a list…”

  Tom cut off Harris, unable to hold back. “Treena Starling is my commander, and that’s the end of it.” He was on thin ice, but he didn’t care. It appeared like the Concord was going to treat him like a hero, so he wasn’t going to refrain from taking advantage.

  “I see. And you presume we’re going to invest in another artificial host for the commander?” Admiral Benitor asked.

  Tom fumed. He’d been over this with countless people so far, and none would give him a direct answer. “I’m not presuming anything. I’m demanding.”

  The admiral stared at Prime-in-Waiting Harris and nodded, the Prime speaking. “It will be done, but don’t expect the host for a few months. These things take time.”

  Tom had been expecting that. “Very well.” He relaxed, the verdict over, and leaned forward, letting the stress of the last two months drip away. “What news of the Concord? Are the rumors true?”

  The Prime-in-Waiting sighed, his age showing as he slumped slightly in his seat. “We’ve lost five members, yes.”

  Five planets. Tom had only heard that three had abandoned the sanctity of the Concord. Five was too many.

  “More are likely to drop out as well,” Admiral Benitor said quietly.

  “Is there anything that can be done?” Thomas asked.

  “Unfortunately, only a few things can bring together something as substantial as the Concord, and none of them are good.”

  “War and disaster?” Tom asked.

  “Something like that. We’re not panicking, but we do need your aid, Baldwin,” Jalin Benitor said, her frown vanishing.

  The tides had turned. He’d gone from a man stripped of a title for the last two months to their potential savior. He didn’t want to hear what they had in store for him. “I work for you,” was all he said, and Harris grinned at the off-hand comment.

  “The Founders need to be stronger than ever. The Tekol, Callalay, Zilph’i, and humans have never had to be more vigilant,” Harris said.

  “I agree,” Tom said.

  The Prime-in-Waiting’s face turned grave. “Then you’ll understand how important it is that none of the Founders find reason to abandon the Concord.”

  Tom crossed his arms. “None of them will leave.”

  “We can’t be so sure. We need you to escort me to Leria,” Harris said.

  “Wait. You want to use the flagship of the Concord Fleet as a diplomatic escort vessel? You do recall what happened last time you sent us on a political mission, right?” Tom laughed at the irony.

  Harris peered past Tom, his gaze settling on Ven. “The Zilph’i have expressed concern with the Concord, and since none of their people have been caught up in any of the scandals, they’re considering separating from us, leaving the Founders short for the first time in our long history.”

  “The Zilph’i want to leave? They make up a good percentage of our Academy and Concord crew members,” Tom said.

  “Among countless other roles – educational, political, and so on. Don’t forget the Ugna too,” Harris said, continuously watching Ven behind Tom.

  “Fine. We bring you to see them, and you patch things up. Then we obtain a new body for Treena and continue on our merry way. Is that about right?” Tom asked, hating that he needed to do babysitting detail so soon after getting his captaincy returned.

  “That’s correct,” Harris said.

  “And what about the Statu?” Brax asked, his voice booming.

  “What about them?” Admiral Benitor asked.

  “Are we going to ignore the fact that they still exist? That they have a technology that allows them to use wormholes to enter into Concord space?” Brax asked.

  The Prime-in-Waiting motioned to the man beside him, an old Tekol admiral Tom hadn’t met before. His voice was deep and accented. “We understand the wormholes take them decades to create, and we expect to have time. With the data from Constantine, we’ve been able to determine where they were last seen, and we’re in the midst of working on our plan. They will be exterminated, believe me.”

  “And what of Yephion and the others?” Tom asked.

  “The Statu you brought to us will continue to be held,” the Tekol admiral said. “They are comfortable and aren’t being harmed, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  Tom hoped this was the truth. “Can I see them?”

  The people at the bench glanced at one another before the admiral shook his head. “Sorry. Not at this time, but soon. Perhaps once you return from your mission.”

  It would have to be enough. Tom was relieved someone above his station was working on the Statu across the dissipated wormhole. He wouldn’t have been shocked to hear the Concord wanted to stick their heads in the sand about the Statu.

  Tom slipped something from his pocket and rose, walking toward the bench at the front of the room. The Concord logo of the first ship over the moon sat on the wall, reminding him there was always a start to every great part of history. He set the Link down, sliding it toward Prime-in-Waiting Harris.

  “What’s this?” the man asked.

  “It’s Cecilia’s AI Link. I’d like to request you use it on another vessel. One like Constantine.” Tom wondered if the man understood his hidden message. The Prime-in-Waiting probably wasn’t aware that Tom’s ship’s AI was much more than a simple projection. It held the entire memory bank of the Concord legend.

  “We’ll consider that. Please take the next few days for yourselves, and gather your crew again. We leave for Leria in five days,” Harris said, standing. The admirals joined him, and one by one, they filed from the stark white room.

  When they were alone, Brax walked up to the front bench and rested an elbow on it. “That went well, don’t you think?”

  “All things considered, it did.” Tom directed his attention to Ven, the tall albino. “Ven, have you heard about this? The Zilph’i wanting to leave the Founders?”

  “I have heard,” the man said, not expanding on his answer.

  Reeve gasped and slapped the man on the arm. “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “No one asked,” came his reply.

  Tom rubbed his temples. “Ven, next time something so dire happens, can you please fill me in?”

  “Sorry, sir, but you technically weren’t my captain for the past two months,” Ven said.

  “Great. I see where this one’s loyalty lies,” Brax said.

  “No, it’s fine.” Tom moved for the exit. “He hardly knows me, and he’s Ugna. They think differently. I have to earn his respect first.”

  Ven followed after him. “Well said, sir.”

  “How do you feel about heading home for a few days?” Reeve asked Ven.

  “I feel nothing about it, Executive Lieutena
nt Daak,” he said.

  “You’re so uptight. I miss Treena,” Reeve said as they all walked through the halls of the Concord’s head office on Nolix. People were everywhere, all sixty-three Concord members accounted for in staff at the building. Fifty-eight members, Tom corrected himself. Five already gone in under two months. If they didn’t plug the leak, the whole Concord might unravel, and even though Tom didn’t always agree with them, he was fully aware that they were stronger together.

  A house with four walls stands strong. Take one away, and everything crumbles. The saying from the Code, referencing the Founders, was a classic, and apt at this moment. As much as Tom didn’t want to waste time ushering the soon-to-be Prime around, he was happy to help solidify the Founders in any way he was able.

  “Take a day or two, and meet on Constantine.” Tom stopped near the exit. People bustled all around them, and he tried to stay out of their way.

  “What are you going to do?” Reeve asked him.

  “I’m going to see an old friend,” he told her, and walked out the door into the busy headquarters courtyard.

  ____________

  The halls were all but empty, and it almost felt like he was touring it for the first time again. He’d only spent a handful of weeks on board Constantine so far, and being on-planet for the last couple months had made him really miss the freedom of being on a cruise ship. Here he felt whole; on Nolix, he was just another person among the billions.

  “Captain Thomas Baldwin,” he whispered to himself, smiling as he headed for her suite. He stopped at the door, using his code to access her room. The same beeping sounds met his ears, and he saw the familiar figure in the seat across from Treena’s body.

  “Kelli, I’m surprised to see you here,” Tom said.

  Doctor Nee’s nurse stood, smiling at Tom. “I come once a day. Nee asked me to, but I’d do it anyway.” She moved to Treena’s side, fussing with a blanket, and set a hand on Starling’s arm before stepping away from the bed.

  “Thank you for watching over her,” Tom said.

  “You’re welcome. I’ll leave you two alone,” Kelli told him.

  Tom watched her go, and when the door closed, he crossed the room to stand beside Treena’s human body. He pulled something from his pocket and plugged the tiny device into the central computer above her headboard.

  With this done, he dragged the chair over, coming to sit where Treena could see him. Her eyes moved slightly as he did so, and he thought he saw the makings of a smirk on her pale lips.

  “Hello, Commander,” he said. “It looks like we’re being permitted to retain our positions.” He leaned back, intertwining his fingers behind his head. “What do you think about that?”

  “I think it’s about time.” Her voice emerged from a speaker on the attachment Tom had plugged into the console. Her eyes grew wider. “That’s me. How did you…”

  “I can’t believe they never thought of giving you a voice in here. It was like the damned engineers didn’t anticipate their host body could fail. I’m sorry there were no processes in place for that eventuality,” Tom told her. “In the meantime, I had them create this so you could at least talk. I figured you might be going a little…” He stopped himself. “The truth is, I wanted the company. It was all selfish.”

  A laughing sound emerged from the speaker. “The great Thomas Baldwin, being vulnerable. Who would have thought?”

  “Let’s keep that under wraps. It’ll be our secret,” he said.

  “Aren’t there enough secrets in the Concord?” Treena asked, her body unmoving. He found it hard to watch her like this, but she was still the same woman inside.

  “Not anymore. It’s blowing up. After we told them about the Statu, and what happened back then, all sorts of things were dragged up, and now we have to head to Leria with the Prime-in-Waiting to convince the Zilph’i to stay in the Concord.” Tom couldn’t wait to hear her take on this.

  “Tom, be honest with me.”

  “Go for it,” he urged.

  “Did you learn what happened with my ship? Did you find out which Concord crew did it?” she asked, her voice tight through the speaker.

  “Not yet. That seems to be top secret.” Tom had done what he could, but being in the hot seat with no title, no one had been willing to divulge any information. “We’ll find out.”

  “Good. Are they going to kill me?” she asked.

  Tom nearly choked in shock. “Kill you? Why?”

  “I’ve seen how these things go. We start digging, and someone up top ends the threat before the truth gets out,” she said.

  “Treena, half of the Concord leadership is on an ice planet behind energy bars. I’m positive that when we find our culprit, we’ll determine they’re already rotting there,” Tom said.

  “That won’t be enough,” Treena said with a passion her limp body couldn’t relay.

  “It’ll have to be, Treena. Felix wouldn’t want you running around seeking vengeance,” Tom said.

  “Don’t speak of him.”

  “I didn’t mean…”

  “Am I getting a body?” she asked, this time desperately.

  “Yes. They’re working on it, but it will take a while. At least until after the Leria mission,” he said.

  “I understand,” came the reply.

  “Treena… I know this is hard on you, but…”

  “You don’t know. Thank you for coming to see me, but I’d like to be alone,” she said.

  “Can I come back?” Tom asked softly.

  A pause. “Yes.”

  He had the urge to squeeze her hand and tell her everything would be fine, but he couldn’t do it.

  He left her alone in her own thoughts.

  ____________

  Ven Ittix stared out a window of the skyscraper, watching the transport ships rise and lower from the orbit, moving supplies to and from the Concord’s capital. Nolix was strange to him, but oddly familiar. Ven found most metropolis worlds were built in the same vein: too many people crammed in, with nothing but buildings, technology, and never-ending issues arising.

  The more he was out in the universe, the more he longed to return to his home world, under the safety and tutelage of the Ugna school. There he could breathe clean air, walk barefoot in grass if he so chose, or meditate by a flowing waterfall. On Nolix, it was constantly noisy, even within the suite he currently occupied.

  He was supposed to relax for another few days, but he only wanted to head for Constantine, knowing he’d have the chance to see his home again soon. He stared at the vessels while he recalled the events of the Statu battle, and he analyzed his own role. He’d done nothing exemplary, mostly following orders from his human captain, but he’d learned a lot. The Ugna were rare, yes, and their training extensive. He’d spent three decades under their protection, honing his skills, understanding the universe, but they’d never prepared him for the real existence beyond their four walls.

  Ven often stayed awake at night, considering how he’d become a Concord crew member. He wondered if the Ugna had offered him because of his limited abilities, so that they didn’t need to fret over him, or if it was part of some grander plan to challenge him. Perhaps it was random, as things in the universe often were.

  None of this mattered at the moment, though. He moved from the side of his room. “Computer, dim windows eighty percent.” The light from outside darkened, leaving just enough to guide Ven to the bed. He sat on the soft mattress, wishing for a harder bed like the one he’d slept on back home. He leaned over, opening the drawer recessed into the wall, and pulled out a plain black box with his mind. It hovered in the air, settling in his open palm.

  The lid flipped open. Only he would be able to access the contents of the box, and he was relieved. There were many secrets of the Ugna, and this was one they didn’t want shared with the rest of the universe. Inside was a vial, and it floated out of the box, directly before his eyes.

  Panic coursed through him as he noticed it was nearly empty. Wha
t had happened to his supply? When was the last time he’d used it? Ven tapped the vial with a long finger, finding there wasn’t even enough left for another injection.

  Ven fumbled with the vial, setting the box on the bed and prodding through it, hoping there was a second tube stashed away. He came up empty. Ven tried to calm himself using practiced lessons on meditation, but fear was the only thing he could envision when he closed his eyes. What was he if he didn’t have his Talent? He’d be nothing more than the rest of them.

  He needed to find a supply, but how could he procure such a rare substance so far from home? He moved to the door, reaching for his jacket, and stopped. Surely there was enough to get him through the next couple of days. Then he’d be on board Constantine, and he could feign illness until he made it home, not that much deception would be needed.

  His fingers wrapped around the vial after dropping his jacket to the ground, and he flicked the cap off. Ven rolled his sleeve up, sat on the bed, and pressed the needle into his pale skin. The contents of the vial disappeared into him, blue coloring pouring through his veins before vanishing.

  Relief. Ven levitated from the bed, floating horizontally, and he fell onto the soft cushion, his jacket now lifting along with an empty cup. He closed his eyes, and they clattered to the ground. Life filled him, his senses extending to feel emotions from the rooms surrounding him. They were all distant, fleeting, but he soaked them in, becoming more alive himself. His senses were heightened, his fingertips tingling, his heartbeats loud in his head.

  It wasn’t enough to sustain him for long, but it was enough. It would have to be.

  ____________

  The Tekol capital city never slept, and Ven strode through the dark alleys sometime between sunset and dawn, at the peak of the planet’s moon in the night sky. Here the lights were dim, no one on the block wanting others to see what transpired in this part of the city when the regular folks were in bed.

  The entire notion of crawling to the dredges of the city disgusted Ven in every part of his body, but En’or was an important part of his culture. Without it, his powers would remain mostly latent, rendering him ineffective. The En’or was used to test each child of a certain age, whether they were albino like him or not, though the odds of a normal Zilph’i child being born with Ugna Talent were far less than for one like him.