They sat there, chatting about nothing and everything for hours, and only moved when the sun began setting. As they neared camp, empty-handed, Reeve heard the content sounds of the villagers eating and talking.
They found Tarlen and his sister with Treena Starling, Admiral Benitor, and the Prime, who looked like everyone else as he sat around the fire, talking amiably with an older Bacal woman. Even Ven was smiling, the fire dancing in the reflection of his eyes.
Reeve would want to be tucked away in her boiler room eventually, but for now, there was no place she’d rather be.
____________
After three weeks, Tom had grown very tired of walking the corridors of Earon Station. He’d decided to spend a few days on Earon, opting to visit a quaint seaside town along the north edge of Vanosh, but with each rotation of the planet, he was more anxious about their progress.
Tom checked his tablet, seeing no incoming messages from Zolin, and he dropped it to the couch, disappointed. Still no updates. He’d planned on coming to this place to cool his head and take a short break, but Tom couldn’t bring himself to return to the station, where they waited on the processed Greblok ore shipment.
He sensed the engineers were annoyed with his persistent questions, and he took the hint. No, he’d stay here until they told him otherwise.
Tom walked through the rustic cabin, heading for the wide doors that slid open at his arrival, revealing the wavy sea beyond. This morning was rainy, a rare downpour for the time of the season along the northern coast, but he didn’t mind. A good rainstorm cleared out debris and dust, and he wished it would also absolve his worried thoughts.
Were Zolin and Yephion keeping something from him? Admiral Molan had suggested they’d have the resources to power the wormhole generator in two weeks, and they were way past that now.
Tom glanced to the sky, as if he could see distant space beyond the clouds. A thunderclap boomed across the sea, lightning forking through the cool air. His balcony was wooden, as long as the cabin, and he walked along the wet surface in bare feet.
He missed his ship. He hadn’t been captain very long, but he already yearned for his captain’s quarters. He wanted the recycled air and overly simple cuisine that came with a cruise ship. He’d also begun to grow accustomed to the crew and their habits, and wished to be among them again.
Most of the anxiety he felt was related to the unknown. Had they all survived? Were they waiting there, or had they resolved to give up hope of a rescue? There were too many questions regarding his people, and he hated the fact that he was on this side, rather than with them.
The rain seemed about to slow, and Tom almost saw the sun peeking through the thinning clouds when they turned dark once again, matching his mood. They unleashed more precipitation, and Tom stood there, leaning over the thick wooden railing, getting soaked as he stared at the waves hitting the rocks only a handful of yards from his cabin.
A green creature he didn’t know the name for bounded over the slippery rocks and into the water. Tom saw another following it into the sea, and smiled. If only life were so simple.
A beeping sound shook him from his reverie, and he sprinted inside, careful not to stumble on the wet deck. It was coming from his tablet, and he ran to the couch, dripping on the floor.
The message was from Zolin, and it said three words.
We are ready.
He was back at Earon Station six hours later, jogging toward his ship, Cleo. A veritable fleet had been assembled to return through the wormhole, in case the Statu had won or brought reinforcements, but Tom hoped they wouldn’t need any of them.
Zolin and Yephion were in the modified cruiser with the generator built in, and Tom sent them a message as he powered his expedition ship to life. Is everything in order?
The reply came promptly. Waiting on your word.
Tom grinned and strapped in, smoothing a hand over his uniform’s chest. It felt good to be wearing his captain’s red collar again after a few weeks without it. It was almost like he’d lost his identity wearing normal clothing.
He eased from the hangar, moving toward the location of the pending wormhole’s arrival. The other Concord vessels were there, and he acknowledged the fleet through his viewer. “Hello, Captain Dannlo and our esteemed Ugna escorts. Thank you for the support.” Dannlo was in a ten-year-old cruise ship, one of the newest models created before Constantine broke the mold.
“Good day, Baldwin. Glad to be of assistance. Is there anything we should know that the admiral may have left out?” Dannlo asked. He was a skinny Tekol, and his Zilph’i commander leaned in, whispering in his ear. “Commander Zyler tells me you think the Statu are gone.”
“I’d put all the credits in your account on it,” Baldwin said, winking at the captain.
He laughed in return. “Small wager, then. Let’s hope you’re right about this.”
The image vanished, and Tom slowed Cleo, reaching out to Zolin. The engineer’s face appeared on the viewer. “Okay, Zolin. Tell me, do you have enough ore to do this again?”
“Again? More than just the once?” Zolin looked petrified.
“Relax, we won’t need that. Open the wormhole,” Tom ordered, pressing his back into the pilot’s seat in anticipation.
The colors spouted from the generator, shooting past Cleo in a kaleidoscope of bright hues. It wasn’t long before the wormhole was open, and Yephion sent a message saying it was fully operational. Tom had been waiting for weeks for this moment, but something held him back. A growing worry for what might be on the other side filled his mind, and his hand froze on the throttle.
“Until we meet in the Vastness,” he whispered, and sent Cleo inside the swirling entrance.
____________
Treena Starling was bored. The executive crew was taking turns sitting on the bridge, and for now, it was only her and Lieutenant Darl filling out the seats. She thought she heard him breathing heavily and guessed the man was dozing off. Any other time, that would be a fireable offense, but since they’d done nothing but sit here, being lulled by the constant chimes of the computer scanners for hours, she’d cut the man some slack.
He was doing a good job replacing Zare, and she’d told him as much before their shift began.
She’d been enjoying their little camp life below on Casonu Two, but she was fully aware they’d have to leave at some point. Brax seemed the most at home down there, and she was considering ordering him to remain behind to lead the colony during their mission to return to Concord space.
It had been too long for the wormhole not to have appeared again. It meant one thing. The Concord thought them a lost cause and a danger, meaning they wouldn’t be reopening it any time soon. They’d speculated endlessly about the fact that another fleet might be arriving to fend off any Statu, but the Prime was clear on one thing: they didn’t have the resources. Not with the recent Border attacks and concerns with the Assembly.
Treena could only hope for the best, but she was pragmatic. They’d have to do this themselves.
She checked the radars again, doing this process with each passing hour, more as a device to keep her concentration, and she saw the nearest Ugna vessel out from the planet in the direction of the wormhole’s initial location. There was another ship, Andron, a couple of hundred thousand kilometers past the Ugna, in an effort to relay messages should the rift return.
So far, it had all been quiet. Treena was about to stand and walk the bridge for a moment, when the message came in from the Ugna.
The image of the pale female captain appeared, and she spoke in a rush of excitement, rare for her race. “Commander Starling. We have received word from Andron. The wormhole has returned, and a Concord fleet has arrived in-system.”
Darl jumped in his seat as the voice carried through the bridge, and Treena watched him wipe a string of drool from his mouth with his sleeve. His eyes darted from the screen to her, and Treena stood, walking to the center of the viewer. “Is Captain Baldwin there?” she asked, listening as the que
stion was dispatched.
“Yes. Captain Baldwin is among them.”
Treena tapped the communicator and couldn’t hide her elation as she reached out to the crew on the surface of Casonu Two. “Bridge to the executive crew.”
“Brax here.” Of course he was the first to reply.
“We have word that the captain is back.”
“We’re going home?” Reeve asked over the speaker.
“Yes, we are.”
Twenty-Four
It felt right to be reunited with his ship. Constantine’s AI walked alongside Tom as he strode through the corridors, moving with purpose for the meeting room, where the others awaited his arrival.
“Con, glad to see me?” Tom asked, not expecting an honest reply.
“Actually, I am, sir.”
“Truthfully?” He stopped outside the entrance, facing the AI.
“Yes. As you know, I do have your grandfather’s memories, and you’ve become somewhat of a routine…”
“I get it. I’m routine, so a computer program appreciates it,” he said with a laugh.
Constantine smirked. “Something like that, sir.”
Tom pressed the meeting room doors open and saw it was half full. Commander Starling stood as he entered, as did the others. Reeve was the first to arrive, and she threw her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace.
“It’s good to see you, Captain,” his chief engineer told him.
She broke away, and her twin patted Tom on the shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Thank you for coming back.”
The commander nodded to him, while Ven remained standing near the table. Nee walked over, saying he was happy to see the captain, and Tom mirrored the sentiment.
“I can’t say it was fun waiting for the ore to be replaced, but here we are,” Tom said, and Reeve’s jaw dropped.
“That was the problem. We didn’t calculate the energy drain to use the destabilizer and reboot the system. Zolin must have been kicking himself,” Reeve said, running a hand over her face.
“No. He blamed you and took no responsibility,” Tom joked.
“Really?”
“I’m kidding. It was fine. I was on pins and needles wondering what happened here, but I see you survived the last of the Statu. How many losses?” Tom asked, and Brax gave him the rundown of destroyed vessels and a total body count. It was too many. “I’m glad it’s over. All were welcomed into the Vastness, of that I’m sure.”
Prime Xune and the admiral greeted him, Benitor actually smiling at him. “Captain, you did well.”
“Thank you. From what I could see, so did you. Haven’t lost your touch?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“Fill me in,” Tom said as they all took their seats. He sat beside Ven and patted the Ugna on the arm. “Ven, are you feeling okay?”
“I’ve been dreaming a lot lately,” he said, his words slightly cryptic.
“About what?” Tom asked, glancing around the room. It didn’t feel like the right time to be talking about his sleep patterns.
“The pattern of lights.” Ven blinked a few times and turned to look Tom in the eyes. “But perhaps we can discuss this later.”
“Very well. Are we prepared to bring the Bacal and others onto our cruise ships?” Tom asked.
“Yes, we are. Captain, there’s a group of them that have chosen to stay behind,” Treena told him.
“Really?” He was a little surprised to hear this. “Why is that?”
Brax answered for them. “Mostly the older ones that have lived here for nearly all of their lives. They don’t feel like there’s a place for them back home any longer.”
“Surely we’ll help assimilate them into…” Tom peered at Admiral Benitor, whose lips were pursed.
“We’ve made the offer, but they’ve declined,” she said.
“Okay. How many?”
“Three hundred in total, counting the ones from the warship we’ve held prisoner. We’ve asked the others, and they’ll accept them into their community,” Prime Xune said.
“And Ina?” Tom asked, knowing he’d offered her something else.
“She’ll return to the surface,” Xune said.
Tom shook his head. “I told her I’d bring her to Earon after it was over, if she helped me. She did.”
“Tom, I don’t think…” Benitor began, but Tom cut her off.
“I’m sorry. I’m a man of my word.” He said this while staring her in the eyes. It had more than one meaning, and Benitor appeared to comprehend it.
“Fine. She can stay.”
“Good. We’ll bring the Bacal home, and escort Doctor DeLarose and the R-emergence team to Greblok immediately,” Doctor Nee said.
“Then it’s settled. Now, how about I see this little village before we leave?” Tom asked.
____________
Ina had been in her suite for days on end, weeks, but she was learning so much about the Concord in the meantime. A man named Constantine spent hours at a time with her, teaching her all about the Founders, the Code, and the many partners around Concord Space. It was the most exhilarating experience of her life.
She still didn’t know what was to befall her, and the flickering computer program wouldn’t answer her ceaseless inquiries about her eventual fate.
Ina showered, enamored at the wonderful technology, and dressed in a plain white jumpsuit. She dried her growing hair, using the brush afterwards. She stared in the mirror, barely recognizing her reflection. Her eyes were brighter, her cheeks not so hollow. The Adepts had lied about everything, and she was finally getting a chance to learn the truth about her people. Constantine was honest about it all, as far as she could tell, and humans didn’t always do the honorable thing. But, truthfully, no one did.
If people could forgive the Concord’s indiscretions, she hoped they’d forgive hers as well.
There was a chime, indicating someone was at the door, and she told the computer to let them in. None other than Captain Baldwin strode through, tall and handsome, looking much better than the last time they’d spoken. She supposed she did as well.
“Ina.” The single word nearly brought tears to her eyes.
“Captain.”
“We’re leaving Casonu now,” he told her, standing near the door. She peered over his shoulder, expecting an armed guard ready to escort her to a shuttle.
“I understand. I’ll gather my…”
“Would you like to stay with us? I did tell you I’d bring you to Earon. I asked around while I was there, and used the surname you thought might have been your mother’s. Turns out you have some cousins back home.” The captain even smiled, his eyes growing bright as he delivered the news.
She stood speechless, but nodded, not trusting her voice.
“Then feel free to wander around.” The captain called for Constantine, and the AI appeared. “Please escort our friend Ina if she wants to see the rest of our cruise ship.”
“Yes, sir.”
And with that, Captain Baldwin left Ina alone to contemplate her unknown future.
____________
Thomas Baldwin sat on the bridge of his cruise ship, Constantine, as they traveled out of the wormhole and into Earon’s system. The trip had been uneventful, and Tom let out a sigh of relief as the other vessels trailed behind him.
The AI stood behind his chair, and Commander Starling appeared pleased with the entire venture. Ships lined a pathway for them to return to Earon Station, and Tom was shocked by how many of the Concord fleet, as well as private crafts, were in attendance.
“It looks like word spread,” Treena said, and Tom laughed, thinking it was probably the loose lips from Gideon’s Grill that told everyone the war with the Statu was finally over for good.
“A guy could get used to a return home like this,” Brax said from his weapons station.
Prime Xune and the admiral were on Shu, and they remained behind Constantine, letting the now most-famous vessel in the Concord take the lead as they neared Earon Stat
ion. The wormhole collapsed behind them once they were sure all of their fleet had emerged, and Tom breathed a little easier after it was closed.
Instead of docking in their usual spot, Ven guided what remained of the retired fleet toward the archives, and they waited in anticipation as Andron, Persi, and the other few headed for the warehouse entrance.
Tom’s attention drew to the viewer when Prime Xune’s face appeared, Captain Rene Bouchard beside him, and Commander Kan Shu to his left. He spoke with a soft and caring tone, and drew everyone’s attention. “We have been remiss in retiring some of these vessels prematurely. With recent discoveries, we realized that some of these moves were made without the best interest of our people at the heart of them. With that being said, I’m hereby bringing Andron and Persi out of retirement, along with a few other capable vessels. This will create some new opportunities for our hard-working Concord fleet crew members, but also a superior sense of peace along the Borders.
“The Statu have been vanquished, but we must focus on the positives, and deal with anyone from outside Concord Space trying to fight what we’ve just sacrificed many lives to uphold.”
Tom leaned forward, aware this conversation would be heard around the Concord, and for years to come.
The Prime spoke again. “We have word that the Ugna home planet has been chosen, and they will be escorted to their new home in a few weeks. We’ve also heard the petition of five more worlds that would like to enter our fold, and we expect to have our decision shortly. The Concord has been through some tough times, but we’re on the right track. Together, we’ll ensure a bright future for all Concord members.
“Without the past, there is no determining the outcome of the future. We take this saying of the Code literally, and are confident that we can make our alliance stronger than ever.”
The communication ended, and Tom’s crew beamed at the Prime’s words. With his grandfather’s old command floating through space, no longer heading for the archives, Tom asked Ven to return them to Earon Station, where they would debrief with the rest of their fleet before being given another mission.
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 83