“Perhaps you’re right,” Iliandra said.
Rene stared at Treena, as if trying to read her thoughts. “Get me Admiral Benitor in my office.” She spoke into her wrist comm. “Treena, care to join me?”
____________
Tom had never witnessed something so intense. The hair on his arms stood up, despite the sweat beading off every inch of his body. Fayle had regained consciousness ten minutes after she’d killed those creatures with her mind, and Ven was walking uneasily as they entered the city lines.
Fayle was groggy, so Tom refrained from grilling her too hard, but he wanted some answers. How was this city half-erected already? Drones and robots of all shapes and sizes scattered around the base of the nearest building, this one at least forty stories high. It was a matte silver, narrow and tall. Beyond it were a dozen smaller places, almost like the huts in the Leria village, only metal. He began to see the similarities between that place and this, with the pathways between the abodes, the training facility down the road.
Ven must have seen it too, because he actually smiled. “This is quite the sight.”
“I’d say. Elder Fayle, do we have somewhere we can rest inside?” Tom asked.
“They’ve done a good job,” was all she said in reply.
Tom noticed the doorway to the training facility, and he led them there, waving for the soldiers to bring Fayle near it. Stacks of girders and metal materials sat in neat, organized rows at the edge of the street. They lowered Fayle onto a pile of flat wall pieces, and she blinked quickly, her wits appearing to return.
Tom noticed Fayle reaching into her pocket, pulling out a vial of En’or. She injected herself and passed it toward Ven, who shook his head, leaving his hands at his sides. “Son, it will help restore your mind and body sooner.”
“That’s okay. I will be fine.” Ven staggered, and Tom saw the look of consternation cross her face at his reply.
“Fayle, what in the Vastness is going on? You were under specific instructions in regards to the handoff of Driun F49. We were to escort you here, along with a minor contingent. Then you were to begin your colonization, strategically bringing your people here as you were able to support them. Instead, we arrive, after being bossed around by you on my own ship, and find out all two million are present, along with this!” He pointed at the tall high-rise buildings up around the new city limits.
“We were instructed not to set foot here until you brought us,” she said, as if that was answer enough.
“And these buildings?”
“They were created by our programmed robots, nothing more. Not one Ugna set foot, as you called it, on the surface until I did an hour ago.” She had the audacity to grin at him.
Tom was growing tired of this woman and her politicking. “Fine.” He turned on a heel, stalking away. He reached out to the bridge, and Brax’s voice carried through the speaker seconds later.
“Captain, what news?”
He glanced over his shoulder, but no one had followed him. He explained what had happened, more or less, to Brax, and the chief of security paused. “He was a good officer,” Brax said in response to the death of one of his men. “I wanted to talk to you. I dispatched the probes, surveying the planet, and we’ve found another ten cities like the one you’re in now. Identical layouts. It appears they’ve already begun occupying the continents. Significantly, along the equator.”
“Yeah, they like it hot, apparently. Okay, and the ships, have they broken through the atmosphere?” Tom asked, glancing to the clear sky. He thought he saw a speck lowering toward them.
“Yes, sir. I asked them to wait, but no one seemed to care,” Brax told him.
He’d expected as much. “Any word from Benitor or the Prime?” Tom asked.
“None. We’re experiencing some kind of radiation pulses from the system over. Nothing worrisome, but our communications are being affected. I can’t reach Cleo or Shu either,” Brax said.
“Of course you can’t. Okay, Ven and I will return with Kurt as soon as we’re able. Stay vigilant,” Tom told his lieutenant commander.
“You too, sir.”
____________
The primary ship landed nearby, on a dug-out concrete pad the robotic colony crew had already created for this purpose. The Ugna began filing out of the Vastness, the lead vessel in their impressive fleet. There Ven spotted Hanli among the crew. She was a first officer, which was equivalent to commander aboard Constantine. She outranked him.
The captain had been angry that Ven had asked to wait for the first incoming delivery of the Ugna, but had relented, nonetheless. Ven was still tired, not as much physically as emotionally drained from whatever Elder Fayle had done to him. He’d seen someone kill with the Talent only once before. When he was a child, a classmate had asked about the very concept, and the instructor had assured them it wasn’t possible.
Later that night, the child, a bullish Zilph’i boy twice Ven’s weight, was outside past curfew, and Ven had followed him into the jungle beyond their village borders. He found the boy crouched over a snake, the creature writhing in agony as he used his Talent to try suffocating it. Seconds later, it ceased thrashing, and the boy peered up, red eyes wide, a smile on his face.
Ven had run and told Fayle, and no one ever saw that child again. Now he’d been part of the deaths of all those animals, but they’d been trying to harm their group. They’d struck first, and Ven couldn’t find compassion for them, but it left him with a gnawing in his stomach. It was more than the image of the dead attackers in the forest… it was becoming abundantly clear that the Ugna Elders had lied to him from a young age. They still lied.
But sometimes a lie could be more important than the truth; in that, he was a firm believer. The truth held too much power at times, and often caused more harm than good. He would meditate on it later, hoping to find peace with the outcome of this day. He wanted to feel the happiness spreading from the others of his kind as they departed Vastness. Already another ship, and another, had landed, people pouring from the ramps toward their camp.
He peered to the sky, finding the long dark shapes of other vessels moving toward another destination. Driun F49 was theirs, and they weren’t wasting any time in claiming each city around the planet.
“I heard you have your always have your head in the clouds.” Hanli’s voice carried to him, and he turned, finding the fetching Ugna officer smiling at him.
“Was that a joke?” he asked, uncertain.
“It was. Apparently not a very good one. Did you not have jokes when you grew up?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Not many. Elder Fayle didn’t see it as a necessary extracurricular activity.”
She laughed again, this time touching his arm as she stepped closer. “Ven, you’re too much. What do you think of our new home?”
The manner in which she said our made him wonder if she was implying that he was to stay behind as well. He decided to be circumspect in his reply. “They were sneaky going around the Concord’s back like this, but I guess they didn’t break any rules.”
“Could we bring everyone and sleep under the stars?” she asked, hand warm on his forearm. He moved away, just enough for it to drop to her side.
“I can’t make that call, but the structures are sound. It appears as though the antennae have already created a link in the network.” It was growing dark, and he thought he saw the blinking lights of a distant satellite drone. “And satellites already? They didn’t waste time.”
“Show me to the residences?” she asked. Ven had only seen them from the outside, but he nodded, happy to be distancing himself from the incoming throng of Ugna. He’d never seen so many of them in one place, and likely neither had they. Most were like him—bald, pale, red-eyed—but not all. To his surprise, it might have been around sixty-five percent; the others were human, Tekol, Callalay… he even thought he saw a gloved Kwant nearby, and it made him think about Doctor Nee and his mission with the commander.
“Follow m
e.” Ven walked along the pathways, which were curved and molded concrete. Tiny lights were embedded inside them, creating guided markers. The robots had squished a lot of the greenery, but Ven could already picture the end result. If he knew Fayle, she’d have lush green jungle flowers planted along the paths on either side. In their village at home, she’d adored the fragrant pink teledors that were native to the Lerian southern hemisphere.
“It’s so wonderful here. I haven’t spent much time on a planet, not in the last decade. What do you like best?” she asked.
He thought about the strange, violent attackers that had claimed Elder Barip’s life and the security officer from Constantine. “The valley we’re in is beautiful, but I must warn you. Be vigilant outside these city limits.” And within them. The thought didn’t feel like his own, but it had to be. A shiver crept up his spine as they continued toward the second prebuilt high-rise. This one was near the left edge of the city limits, in the middle of the region.
The river along the hillside ran past them only forty yards away, and Hanli smiled as she heard the rushing water. “Come, we have to see it.”
The path ended here, and she stepped onto the grass, Ven on the lookout for any nefarious local wildlife. There were no trees, so he assumed they were safe from those droppers, at least. Who knew what else awaited them?
The grass was damp, and it tickled his knees as they strode toward the water’s edge. Once the sun had descended past the distant valley range, it had grown dark quickly, and already the hot air had a cooler tinge to it. They arrived at the riverbank a minute later, neither of them speaking for a moment, soaking in the sight.
Life can be akin to a river. It flows at different speeds, and has many turns and drops, the sea you spill into is the Vastness ending it all. It was one of his favorites, but now that Ven had been dead and returned, he wasn’t sure where that put him in the river of his life. Perhaps he no longer flowed.
“I like this. Too bad I’ll be returning to Vastness so soon,” she said.
“Why is that?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“We have to stay vigilant. Protect the colonies.”
“In Concord space?” he asked lightly.
“You know that things are tumultuous out there, even here in Concord space. We will not be caught off guard, as you witnessed. There are many who do not think we belong on Driun,” Hanli told him.
“That is fair.”
“And you? When will you leave?” she asked.
“Today. Soon.”
Hanli nodded, averting her eyes to watch the river in the moonlight. Ven saw the reflection of the stars, streaks of light, in the rushing water.
“I can return. See how things are going. Perhaps stay a while.” He felt the urge to tell her this, unsure exactly why.
“I would like that, Ven Ittix.” Hanli turned, leading him back to the path. Others had arrived at the structure, and a cloaked Elder was passing on instructions about their quarters. Hanli stepped toward them, but Ven stayed away, waving when she paused to search for him. She waved too, giving him another smile, and he left, seeking out the captain and the others. It was time to help the commander with her mission.
Their work here was done. The Ugna had been delivered to their planet.
____________
Tom smiled as he stepped onto his bridge. He was only going to make a quick stop, check in with Brax, and hit the sack. Every inch of him was exhausted after today, and there was nothing he wanted more than a steam, a drink, and a pillow.
“Captain,” Brax said, standing as he arrived.
“At ease, Daak. What’s the word?” he asked.
Brax vacated his captain’s chair and moved to his own seat at the edge of the bridge. Ven was right behind Tom, and he stood behind Darl, who was in his helm position.
“Not much. There’s a veritable army of Ugna here, and they’re not wasting any time making their way onto Driun. What was it like on-planet?”
“Too soon to tell, but I think they have it all figured out. Can we depart posthaste?” Tom asked.
“Yes, sir. On your word,” Darl said.
Tom stared at the radar, and noticed one non-Ugna ship was still lingering behind. “Is that Doctor Gaad?”
Brax grinned. “The one and only.”
“What’s she doing here?”
“She asked to come to Talepen with us. She’s curious about the Minon predicament and wants to see if she can help. At least, that’s her cover story,” Brax said quietly.
Tom frowned, shaking his head at the casual jab. “Tell her we’re leaving.”
“Yes, sir,” Brax said, returning to his console.
“And, Darl, consider that my word. We move for Talepen. What’s the ETA?” Tom asked, knowing full well it was too long.
“Six days, sir,” Darl replied.
“Wake me when we’re clear for transmissions, Brax. Ven, get some sleep.” He patted the Ugna on the shoulder, and Ven nodded, following him from the bridge. They entered the elevator, and as soon as the doors closed, Ven turned to face him.
“Captain, I hope you realize I’m fully with you and the crew of Constantine.”
“I know that. What makes you think I’d ever question your loyalty?” Tom asked, even if he had wondered at times.
“The commander told us.”
Tom forced a grin. So the word had spread. “She’ll make a wonderful captain, won’t she?”
“She is admirable. Anyone would be lucky to serve under her, sir,” Ven said.
“And you?”
“Who’s to say what will happen to me if you and Commander Starling are no longer on Constantine?” Ven’s hands sat firmly on the sides of his legs as his arms dangled down his body.
“I haven’t accepted the promotion, Ven.” Tom smiled at Ven’s disbelief.
“But, sir, that’s the highest rank you can achieve in the Concord. You would be reaching the precipice of your career,” Ven said.
“At forty years old. Can you imagine? All downhill from there. I don’t know if I’m built for an office job, Ven. Could you see yourself doing it?” Tom asked as they walked through the corridor toward the executive crew’s quarters.
Ven stopped outside his door and pondered. “I suppose I can see what you mean. There is far too much out there for us to discover, is there not? I was promised exploration missions, and helping other races survive the harsh realities of our universe. So far, we’ve done a lot of good, but I long for more. No, I cannot imagine myself being content with my experiences so far.”
Tom clapped him on the arm again. “Then you understand how I feel. Have a good night, Ven. Sleep soundly.”
Tom began to exit the room but stopped, turning to Ven before the Ugna entered his quarters. “Ven.”
The man’s red eyes stared in his direction. “Yes, sir?”
“Don’t let what happened in the forest today affect you. It was them or us.”
Ven made a slight tuck of his chin. “I know, sir.”
“And, Ven?” Tom couldn’t help but smile.
“Yes?”
“Who’s the girl? She’s quite the looker.”
“That’s First Officer Hanli, sir. She’s…”
“Go to sleep. See you tomorrow,” Tom said. Ven seemed so adult sometimes, and yet it was like he’d never had any of the normal life experiences necessary to cope at times.
He entered his room, and after pouring a liberal amount of Vina into a glass, he cranked the steam shower, washing the latest mission off his skin.
Eleven
“An entire day! It took her that long to respond?” Rene was furious and paced around her office, scowling the entire time.
“She oversees a lot of things. Like everyone in the Concord now, she’s spread thin,” Treena told her, using a calming voice.
“I know that, but…” Rene blew a strand of red hair from her eyes and plopped into her seat. “Let’s get this over with.”
Treena was beside her at the desk,
and Constantine’s commander brought the projection to life. Admiral Jalin Benitor’s face materialized. Stress and tension emanated from her as she ran a wrinkled hand over the bald ridges on her head.
“Captain Bouchard, Commander Starling, I apologize for the delay. We’ve been having issues with our communication,” she said.
“That’s interesting, because we’ve struggled to contact Constantine for the past few days. Can you identify what’s causing it?” Treena asked.
“It’s unclear, but we’ve encountered something similar in most of our systems since last week. Spotty communication isn’t good, and we fear we may lose it entirely.” The one-foot-tall projection flickered.
“Yin, can you…” Rene started, and the youthful visage of Tom’s old Callalay captain arrived in the room with them. “Can you analyze our comm system, please?”
“Yes, Captain.” Yin Shu remained where she was, standing still. “It seems as though our software is running at optimal parameters.”
“Attempt to send a message to the nearest partner world,” Bouchard ordered.
“I have sent a greeting, but sensors indicate the message didn’t deliver,” Shu said.
Benitor nodded. “It reads like a radiation cloud, but when we sent probes to investigate, there was nothing of the sort near Nolix.”
“Do you think this is the handiwork of someone trying to mess with us?” Treena asked.
“It could be. We’ve estimated the Assembly might have a rogue faction out there. This would be right out of their playbook. If you block our method of staying connected, a lot can happen before we can react,” Benitor told them.
“Perhaps it’s nothing more than an unexplained phenomenon,” Shu’s AI projection said.
“It could be, but I don’t think that’s what we’re dealing with. Anyway, we should get to the point, in case we lose the transmission.” Benitor flickered off and on again.
“Did you make a decision on our request?” Rene asked.
“I’ve seen nothing come through from you,” Benitor said, and Treena clenched her jaw. They’d need to explain the entire situation to her.
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