The round structure was windowless, the only building like it in the village. Captain Baldwin wouldn’t feel the energy emerging from it, but Ven could. The anger, the fear, the happiness, the pride.
“This way. Do not speak,” Ven said, and he entered through the front door, pressing on it with his mind to open it. He had enough stored for it to work.
He waited, letting the captain head in first, and he followed when the man gasped.
____________
Tom entered the building, unsure what Ven intended to show him. He hadn’t been expecting what he’d found.
The room was wide open, the ceilings twenty feet tall. Young, pale children sat in a circle, each bald, each with red eyes wide and staring at the floating Ugna in the center. The elder was humming, hovering with his legs crossed.
The elder began dipping, and one child, the biggest of the group, lifted an arm, his finger arcing toward the cloaked man. The elder rose again and continued humming.
“Come.” Ven walked around them, remaining silent, and Tom nearly tripped on a ball on the ground. He kicked it and it bounced, making a small racket as it hit a stack of blocks, knocking them over. A young girl shook her head slowly and stared at the wooden blocks, restacking them with her mind.
Tom had seen Ven do a few tricks, but this was pretty impressive. They exited the room, Ven ahead by a good distance, and Tom caught up to him, trying to look around at the same time.
Ven leaned in, whispering. “You wanted to learn of En’or. Here it is.”
The room was locked, and Tom watched as Ven attempted to open it with his abilities. Nothing happened. Ven had mentioned his well being dry, and now Tom fully understood.
“Should you go and ask someone for help?” Tom asked.
Ven nodded slowly, leaving and returning with a reluctant child no more than six. She was a little Callalay girl, and she glanced up at Tom with dark eyes. “You’re not Zilph’i,” Tom said.
“I am Ugna,” she replied, the door unclicking. She stuck her tongue out at Tom and raced away.
“I didn’t know other races could be Ugna,” Tom whispered.
“Now you do.”
“Are there any humans?” Tom asked.
“No,” Ven said. “Not at the moment.”
The hair on Tom’s neck stood up. “What does that mean?”
“It is as I said.” Ven entered the room, and Tom followed closely behind.
“Ven, are you saying there have been human Ugna?” Tom asked. This was huge news, something he doubted even the Concord Primes were aware of.
“That’s correct. But I do think you should retain this information with discretion,” Ven told him.
The room was dimly lit and had shelves along the near wall, vats of liquid along the opposite. The floor was concrete, the containers silver and shiny. “What’s this?” Tom noticed Ven’s hand twitch, shaking slightly as he walked toward the distillery.
“This is En’or. We produce it here, made from local vegetation. Fermented, among other things.” Ven ran a hand along the outer shell, and Tom heard the liquid inside splashing as a paddle moved, visible through a window on the lower section of the cylinder.
“What does it do?” Tom asked.
“The Talent is rare, as you understand. Each Zilph’i is tested when they are young, pale or not. Eight percent of our people are not albino, and one percent, typically, are from other races,” he said.
“But you don’t test the others. How is it you have Tekol and Callalay here?” Tom asked.
“Since Elder Fayle has taken over leadership, she’s advised the other Founders of our program. There are typically signs associated with our Talents, and if they know what to look for, they can find it in their children.” Ven was still touching the vat.
“And they parted with their children without resistance?” Tom asked. He didn’t think there were too many humans willing to give their kids away to a mysterious organization. There were many out there who perceived the Ugna as a cult, never believing there were true powers at play. Tom knew otherwise.
“They are compensated,” Ven said.
“Paid?” Tom was incredulous, but not overly surprised.
“That is correct. My parents were given a fair value, as were all the others,” Ven said.
“What does this all have to do with the En’or?” Tom asked.
“We’re dosed with a small amount at the test. It has the ability to boost any latent Talent, and some of us are more dependent on it to function. I fear I may have overdone it in the months leading up to my posting on board Constantine. I…”
“You can tell me, Ven. There’s no shame in being honest.” Tom patted the tall man on the shoulder, but Ven wouldn’t make eye contact.
“I was afraid of being away from home, and the En’or… it made me feel… at ease,” Ven said.
“What now? Can you stop taking it?” Tom asked.
“No, sir. If I stop, my Talent will disappear eventually.”
“Would that be so bad?” Tom asked softly.
Ven took a moment, likely considering this. “And be what? A pale Zilph’i? Would I hold any value if I wasn’t Ugna?”
“I think so. Your Talent isn’t what helped us with the Statu; your mind did. You have a place on my crew, whatever happens.” Tom meant it, but he was under the impression that the Concord was using the Ugna’s presence on his ship as a beacon of hope and trust for the future. He also needed the Ugna’s help with their fleet, though he couldn’t imagine where they were hiding it.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Ven, I need to ask. Why does the Concord think you can help us with defending the Border?”
“I assume its because of our spacecrafts, sir.” Ven walked to a wooden cabinet and unlatched a lock, sliding open a drawer. Inside were rows and rows of tiny vials, and Ven pocketed two handfuls, placing them inside his uniform.
“I don’t understand, Ven. How can you have a fleet of ships? Where are they?” Tom asked, and he noticed Ven smile. It was a strange sight.
“Captain, you didn’t think this was all of us, did you?” he asked, leading Tom away from the room.
“I guess I did. There are more?” Tom asked.
He and Ven wound their way around the practicing children, and back outside. The evening air was hot, still muggy, but far from the heat of the day. An insect landed on Tom’s face, and he swatted it away idly. It was quiet here, the sound of running water from a nearby stream the only noise he heard, and the constant chirping of a local bug, perhaps the same kind that just flew at him. With the torchlight and the ambience, Tom had the feeling of being on a rustic vacation.
“Captain, this is but a single training facility, the closest to the Leria capital. That’s why we came here. And it’s the place where I was raised as a child, but eventually, we’re all sent to other stations,” Ven said.
“How many Ugna are there?” Tom asked, excited to hear the answer.
“I don’t have specific numbers, but somewhere around two million,” Ven said, and Tom coughed in surprise.
“Two million!” Tom started, and Ven placed a hand over his mouth, removing it a second later. He repeated, much quieter, “Two million… how can that be? And you have villages all over Leria?”
“Here and elsewhere. All of the Founders’ worlds; many of the Concord partners have hosted us,” Ven told him.
“And the fleet? How many vessels do you have?” Tom’s mood was changing. He could feel the tide shifting in his direction.
“We have over forty C-class ships, Captain.” Ven stood calmly, hands hanging at his sides, and Tom waited a moment before barking out a laugh.
“Forty… I don’t care what you need to promise to make this happen, but we need those ships. We can take care of anyone thinking of attacking Concord space while we’re in disarray, and perhaps we can fend off any leftover Statu,” Tom said.
“Ven, I imagine you’ve given away our secrets.” Elder Fayle stepped toward th
em in the dim night, walking in long strides across the pathway.
“Elder, I did not see you there,” Ven said.
“That was my intention,” she said.
“Look, it’s my fault, I was only trying to understand what the Ugna are all about…” Tom hoped this didn’t ruin their chances.
“On the contrary. We’re glad you heard. It’s a time for change, Captain Baldwin. The Ugna have resided in secret for too long. Ven joining your crew was but a single step in solidifying our future, but with the Statu, and the Concord’s subsequent issues, we feel it’s time to move faster,” Fayle said.
“What does that mean? You’ll help us?” Tom asked.
She nodded. “For a price.”
Tom had been waiting for this, but he could hardly imagine what they wanted in exchange for their services. “I’ll do my best.”
“We want to join the Concord, and we want our own planet,” Fayle said.
Eight
“Did you learn anything of use?” Reeve asked her brother.
“I learned that the Zilph’i don’t like strangers poking around their business.” Brax grinned at her from across the table, rubbing his right shoulder. “How about you? I leave your side for a few hours and you already found a date?”
“Shengin isn’t my date. He’s just a man who offered me a ride and asked to join us. He’s nice.”
“I see that grin on your face. Don’t try to fool me, sister,” Brax said, and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Cut it out. He’s on his way.” She glanced up at the handsome man as he settled to the table, sitting beside her.
“Sorry about that. I needed to make a quick communication.” Shengin tapped the table, the menu projecting three feet from him.
“Shengin, what do you do here?” Brax asked, and Reeve cringed at the incoming interrogation.
The Zilph’i man smiled at her brother, appearing younger than she guessed him to be. “I run a few businesses.”
“Oh, yeah? What kind of businesses?” Brax shoved a piece of cracker in his mouth.
“My family owns a portion of most everything in Ulia. It would take hours to tell you about each of them,” Shengin said.
“I have time,” Brax told the man, and Reeve kicked him under the table.
“You’ll have to forgive my brother. He’s chief of security for a reason.” She pointed to her bicep, then her head, whispering, “And it’s not for his brain.”
Shengin laughed at her joke, and even Brax smirked. “I can see why you were both placed on Constantine. Not only the first Tekol siblings to be on an executive crew, but twins.”
“I’m lucky I have the looks,” Reeve kidded.
“And the brains, didn’t you say?” Shengin asked.
Brax took it all with a thick chin, but Reeve hadn’t expected anything other from her brother.
A server arrived, and when she looked at Reeve’s dining partner, she stood up straight. “Sir, we didn’t know you were coming tonight. Would you like the private room?” Her voice held a waver.
“No, thank you. We’re fine,” Shengin told the girl, who nodded profusely.
“I’ll return with your favorite drink,” she said, hurrying off.
“So you weren’t lying about being a big shot around here,” Brax said. “Are you some sort of royalty?”
Reeve thought her brother was onto something. The girl had been scared, or maybe just nervous. Shengin didn’t appear dangerous, not in a physical kind of way. And so far, he’d been nothing but kind to them.
“Nothing quite so illustrious as that, I’m afraid,” he told Brax.
When the server returned, they found themselves with full glasses of a warm red liquor, and Shengin ordered for them, requesting sample platters.
Reeve wanted to get a sense of their host’s political standings, so she took a sip, the liquid warming her insides. It gave her the energy needed to begin the conversation. “Shengin, you’re obviously a smart man. What do you make of the rumors?”
He took a drink and settled his glass to the table, holding it still. “There are so many. Of which do you speak?”
“The Concord. We’re under the impression the Zilph’i might leave us,” Reeve said.
“From what I heard at the barracks, it’s as good as a done deal,” Brax told them.
Shengin swirled his drink. “I don’t believe anything is done until it’s done. Even then, there are ways to reverse such actions.”
“So you do think they will leave?” Reeve asked him.
“I imagine they’re considering it.”
Reeve let out a deep sigh. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She’d grown up in a peaceful time, an era to be grateful for, and yet it was all vanishing. “Now is a time we need to band together, not separate. We can’t do this without the Zilph’i. Add in the Statu and the attacks on the Border, and we’re in way over our heads.”
“What of the corruption, the sweeping under the carpets, the fact that your own Prime was stripped of her title, and half the admirals demoted?” Shengin said, and Reeve was well aware of his phrasing. He’d said your Prime instead of ours. That was a bad sign.
“And what of the people? Do all the other Concord partners deserve to be punished because of a lapse in judgment fifty years ago? There are people out there dying, and it’s only going to get worse,” Reeve said, feeling a passion for the cause she hadn’t had to worry about before.
“And what makes their fates the Zilph’i’s problem?” Shengin asked.
Brax took this one, his fork gripped tightly in his palm. “It’s not your responsibility; it’s all of ours. We’re the Founders, and we’re in the Concord Fleet, which makes us doubly accountable. If your people don’t understand that, then I say to the Vastness with them. Come on, Reeve, I don’t think we need to sit here.” He stood, and Reeve shook her head, frowning at him.
“Sit down, Brax. This is the problem with today. No one can have a real conversation without everyone overloading.” Reeve pointed at his seat, and Brax relented.
Shengin watched them with interest, and Reeve tried to gauge his strategy. “And what do you think should happen, Reeve?”
She touched her chest. “If it were up to me, we’d all stop bickering about the past, and move on. We’re stronger as a whole, and we can unite through this. The Concord will prevail, the admirals will sort themselves out, the Prime position will be filled.” She took a deep breath, continuing. “We’ll fight the Statu, ending them once and for all, then we can look forward to years of peace and prosperity.”
The Zilph’i man smiled, his hands clasped around his beverage. “You’re a wise woman. Is this the right time for the Prime-in-Waiting Harris to lead?”
This was a loaded question, and one Reeve had been considering long and hard today. She glanced around and lowered her voice. “No.”
Brax lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t think he’s the right man for the job?”
“Basically, they’re trying to make a point by instituting a human Prime. From what I’ve heard, they’d considered Constantine Baldwin years ago, but Pha’n obtained it because she’s Callalay. It shouldn’t be a human, though. Not yet, not now. We need someone strong, someone with pull, with ties and vision. I think the new Prime should be Zilph’i.”
Brax grinned at her, and she was glad he’d finally clued in to what she was doing.
“Very interesting. Do you think your captain would agree?” Shengin asked.
Reeve shrugged. “I can’t begin to answer for him, but I bet he’d see the logic in the move. If the position was offered to a Zilph’i, there’s no way they could turn it down and, subsequently, they wouldn’t leave the Concord.”
“Perhaps you should bring this up to the delegates,” Shengin said.
“I don’t think I’m the one to offer the role.” She laughed. “I mean, come on, I’m only the chief engineer of a cruise ship.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. Perhaps Admiral Benitor would listen. She h
as connections, and I suspect you’re accurate in your assumptions. If they make a Zilph’i Prime, we wouldn’t leave the Concord,” Shengin said.
“And you know this for a fact?” Brax asked.
“I can’t say that, but your sister made valid points.”
Reeve saw a glimmer in the man’s eye and took another sip of her warm beverage. If they could guarantee the Zilph’i stayed in the Concord, then their mission was a success. She hoped the captain’s side quest was going well.
____________
Tarlen tossed and turned in bed, the covers feeling too heavy, the room hot. His interaction with Basel had shaken him, and he felt stupid for not speaking up about it to anyone. With a frustrated grunt, Tarlen flung the bedding free of his body and placed his bare feet on the cool ground.
He needed to find security and tell them there was something wrong with Basel. He didn’t trust the man, even if he had no proof of his suspicions.
Tarlen slipped into his uniform, seeing that it was two hours into the night shift. Most of the crew he was familiar with were gone, so he decided to go to the only member on board he fully trusted. The walk was quick, the halls mostly empty at this hour.
Tarlen went fast, his mind warning him that Basel might step in front of him at any moment and drag him into his ship. He arrived at the medical bay. The doors locked when he tried to enter.
He used the keypad to buzz inside, and after a few frantic presses, the doors slid open. Doctor Nee was standing there, his hands ungloved. For a moment, Nee didn’t seem to notice, but Tarlen had heard enough mutterings from the crew about the fact that a Kwant’s touch was poisonous to most beings.
“It’s not like I’m going to grab you, Tarlen,” Doctor Nee said, frowning at him.
“Sorry to bother you like this.” Tarlen glanced around the medical bay, wondering what the doctor was even doing here so late.
“It’s no bother.” The doctor walked away, selecting gloves from a nearby table. “If you’re here to check on your sister, there’s no change.”
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 40