Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series

by Hystad, Nathan

  “It’s ready. Time for our mission,” she told him.

  It felt like he’d been on this quest for ages already, but this was only the beginning. He had an objective. At this moment, chaos was beginning to ensue within the Concord, and it was his job to meet with Earth and promise them an astonishing future.

  Lark closed his eyes as Prophet started the jump clock. The computer spoke the numbers in a male voice, counting down from ten, and when it hit one, he opened them in time to see his life flash before his eyes.

  ____________

  The man blinked groggily, his mouth open halfway as Val stepped to the side.

  “You’re sure he can’t use his abilities?” Brandon asked her, and she nodded.

  “Cut off for at least an hour.” Val had been keeping him drugged, but they’d finally brought him out of his sleep state to question him.

  “You’ll pay for this,” the Invader warned, his voice drowsy. The tall pale man was strapped to a chair, and Brandon stepped a few feet in front of him.

  “That’s fine. I never expected to. I have a few questions, and you’re going to answer them,” he told the man.

  “I will do no such…”

  “How were we discovered?” Brandon asked.

  “You fools think you could hide on Mars from us? That we didn’t know about your little group?” The man spat on the floor of the room. It was empty, with the exception of a robot charging port.

  Brandon wasn’t going to let this man get under his skin. “Then why did it take ten years to make a move against us?” he asked.

  “Your president decided you were too inconsequential.”

  “And what changed?” Brandon asked.

  The Invader’s eyes narrowed, his pink irises sending shivers through Brandon’s spine. “Something’s about to happen.”

  “What?” Val blurted out. Brandon had asked her to stay silent, and she gave him a remorseful look.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “Tell us, and we might not kill you.” Brandon let his hand rest on the gun’s hilt as he took one step closer.

  The man laughed a mirthless cackle. “You really have no idea about anything, do you, human? We’re so far ahead of you, it’s a wonder we’ve let you survive this long.”

  “The president wouldn’t let that happen,” Val said, and Brandon silently chastised her. Not to mention, he hated President Basher.

  The man laughed again. “Basher… you still believe he’s human. You’re more gullible than even I suspected.”

  Brandon’s blood ran cold, and he tore the gun from its holster, aiming it at the Invader. “What are you talking about?”

  “It doesn’t matter any longer. They’ll be gone soon. I can feel it.”

  Brandon darted forward, using his free hand to strike the Invader across the cheek. Their eyes locked, and the man only smiled, blood dripping from his lip. “Basher is one of us. Have you even wondered why he caters to us so?”

  This was too much. Brandon backed up, glancing at Val, who was frozen in place. “You’re lying.”

  “I don’t think so,” the man said, a glint of hatred in his eyes. He sat up straighter, and Brandon felt the pressure building up in his skull. Val staggered toward him, obviously feeling the same thing. The Invader had broken the drug barrier and was trying to kill them.

  The pain grew, and Brandon barely felt the gun drop from his grip. His knees hit the metal floor, and Val used his shoulder to prop herself up as she lunged for the bound Invader. Brandon heard her grunt as she jammed the device into his neck, and his head hung limply, Brandon’s pain instantly subsiding.

  Brandon rolled onto his back, hands on his temples, and groaned. “He was trying to kill us.”

  Val helped him to his feet, her own legs wobbly. “And he almost managed it.”

  Carl banged on the door, and Brandon opened it. His friend peered over his shoulder to stare at the unconscious Invader. “What the hell just happened? My brain almost exploded!”

  Val hiked a thumb toward the center of the room. “It was him.”

  “Better to kill him and leave him in space. The freighter is off, traveling for Alpha Centauri. There’s only the twenty of us left behind,” Carl advised them.

  Brandon decided they would need to dispose of the Invader, but he wished there were a way to learn more from the man before doing so. “Carl, find someone to help. Toss this bastard out the airlock. We’re heading for the moon.”

  ____________

  The lights danced across her dreams, morphing into shapes: familiar faces from her past, planets she’d visited, ending with the shadowy figure of High Elder Wylen.

  Elder Fayle gasped, sitting up in bed. It was too hot and she tossed the blankets aside, feeling the cool air against her skin. She was burning up, and she longed for a shot of En’or to calm her, but that wasn’t going to help. Not anymore.

  She’d spent the day with Kan Shu, being shown around Beacon, the capital of Aruto, nestled snugly within the Boshua mountain range. It was peaceful, idyllic… deadly. The moment she’d set foot on the world, she felt the president’s disdain for her and her people, and she understood why.

  Regardless of her awareness of Kan’s motives, she had enjoyed the day in his presence. He reminded her of the good people within the Concord, the kind of soldiers and fleet crew that would be killed in the coming incursion. She needed to make a decision, and soon.

  Fayle planted her feet on the cold floor, letting them sit on it bare while she cradled her forehead in her hands. She’d been a part of it all. They would indict her, but perhaps she could save lives before it was too late. People like Baldwin, whom she’d grown to respect. Ven Ittix would be devastated by the news, but he was strong, resourceful. He’d never forgive her, but her deception would strengthen him. Maybe he could lead their people if they stopped this early.

  Another attack would be happening in two days. Here, on Aruto. That would be unprecedented, a strike against a Founder, but Wylen wasn’t aware of President Bertol’s suspicions.

  She climbed from the bed, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror across the room. The lighting was dim, the gentle glow of orange lights from outside lamp posts carrying past the bottoms of the drapery. She was old, and tired of living a lie.

  Fayle dressed, splashed water over her face, and exited her room. It was late, somewhere around halfway between sleep and rise, and she found the room at the embassy where Baldwin was staying. She knocked on the door softly at first, then harder, until the disheveled admiral answered. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and when he saw who it was, he nodded once, as if understanding why she was there.

  “Come in.”

  ____________

  Tom knew why Fayle was here. It was obvious from the first moment he locked eyes with her. Elder Fayle looked weary, exhausted from a long day, and he suspected he did as well.

  She stepped into his quarters without a word, walking past him. She sat at the cushioned couch, tapping a light on.

  “Thomas, we have something to discuss,” she said with authority.

  He threw on a robe and took the seat opposite her. Tom rubbed sleep from his eyes, wishing he were clearer-headed for the coming discussion. “I’m all ears,” he urged her.

  “Please listen to what I have to say, and try not to react too harshly until I am finished,” she told him, and Tom’s pulse quickened.

  “I’ll do my best,” he promised her.

  “I know you’ve been doing some digging on the Ugna,” she said, her tone not accusing, only matter-of-fact.

  He shrugged. “I’m sure you would do the same if our roles were reversed.”

  “True. I think we’re more alike than you’d ever assume, Baldwin. Starting with my people. I’ve always looked out for them, cared for them, even if it took some drastic measures, much as your Concord has done for centuries. You have all done horrible injustices for the sake of the partners, especially the Founders.

  “Did the presid
ent speak to you about our involvement here eighty years ago?”

  Tom remained silent for a few moments before shaking his head. “No, she didn’t. But I know about the bargain.”

  “Aruto was experiencing tectonic shifts unlike any the planet had ever seen. They tried everything, but they were at their wits’ end. We offered our assistance,” she said.

  “In exchange for a future favor,” he finished for her.

  “That’s correct. A favor Admiral Benitor obliged us with,” Fayle said.

  “I heard. I have to admit, when the Prime find out about this, I expect they’ll rescind your entrance into the Concord and remove you from Driun F49.” Tom gauged her reaction, but she was stone-faced in the dim room. She could have been a statue.

  “You think you understand what’s happening, but you don’t.”

  “So you aren’t behind these attacks within the Concord?” he asked, trying to keep his tone even. Fayle flinched, just a slight twinge of her cheek, but he saw he’d struck a blow.

  “May I continue my story?” she asked, and he let it go for the time being. He motioned for her to continue, and she did. “What I’m about to tell you will end my time under High Elder Wylen’s custody. I will be stripped of any title and will be alone, no longer a member of the same race I’ve devoted my entire life to protecting.”

  “Tell me what it is. What do they want?”

  “High Elder Wylen is bringing reinforcements. I know you’ve been searching for Lark Keen as well, correct?”

  Tom nodded once.

  “He’s involved. One of our ships freed him. He’s on his way to Earth as we speak, if he isn’t already there.”

  “Earth?” Tom shot out of his chair, all signs of sleepiness gone. “Why?”

  “Because the Ugna own the planet. We’ve resided there for over a hundred years, amassing a fleet,” Fayle told him, and Tom thought she seemed relieved to spill her secrets, as if the burden of holding them inside was threatening to ruin her.

  “They have a fleet on Earth?”

  “Yes. With humans on their side,” she admitted.

  “What’s their motivation, Fayle?” Tom wanted to rush and warn the others, but something was missing from her story.

  “They’re going to attack Aruto in two days, with another Concord flagship like the ones you’ve been hearing about. They’ll destroy a Founder’s home world, then sit back while the entire Concord burns,” she told him, and he felt the color drain from his face.

  “Why would they do that?”

  “To get what you have. The Ugna want to rule over the Concord.”

  Thirteen

  Her muscles ached, her feet burned, and her eyes stung from the sweat dripping over her brow, but she pushed on. “One more lap?” Constantine asked Treena, and she blurted out an unintelligible response and kept moving.

  The gym was empty with the exception of her and the AI until the door opened, revealing Dr. Nee. He was the only other person on Constantine she’d given the access code to. Treena didn’t want any others stopping by while she was in her real body. Not yet.

  Inspired by the doctor’s arrival, she drove herself even harder and finished the lap in record time, nearly falling over as she passed the green beam of light that marked the oval track. She stayed on her feet and reached for a water bottle, using her own muscles to lift it. Her hand gripped the bottle, and she sucked through the straw, the water cool as it passed through her throat. Treena hadn’t realized how much she loved water until she’d begun to drink it again. She smiled as Nee came over, his lab coat as clean and pressed as his white gloves.

  “Take it easy, Treena. You don’t want to overexert yourself,” he said, scanning her from a meter away.

  “If I don’t push it, I’ll never be the woman I was,” Treena told him, and waited for a reply, telling her she couldn’t be that version of Treena Starling.

  “I have no doubt you’ll be even more formidable than you were,” Nee said, grinning like a proud parent, even though they were close in age.

  “That’s hard to believe, but if you say so.” The water bottle slipped from her grip and landed with a thud on the floor.

  “Let me.” Nee grabbed it, setting it on the table beside them. He took her hand in his gloved palm and bent her fingers up and down. “The mobility is improving, but it will take a while for you to have full control.”

  Treena picked up the water again, as if to prove to herself she could do it, and took another drink. “Like I said, practice makes perfect. Thanks for the help today, Con.” She glanced at the AI, who was standing a few feet from her, unmoving.

  “You’re welcome, Captain. Is there anything else you need?” he asked.

  “Not today. See you in the morning,” she told him, and with a smile, he vanished from the gym.

  “How are you feeling?” Nee asked, his voice lower now that they were alone.

  “Pretty good. I only have the leg braces at ten percent today, and…”

  “Not about that.” Nee touched her elbow, helping her to the bench near the change room. “About the mission.”

  She let out a warm breath and sat. Her backside was too skinny, the flesh taking its time at filling out, but it felt incredible to feel pressure against her skin. She might be in a weaker body, but she was alive. “I can’t say. We’re risking our crew by using the Nek drive, but what choice do we have? We were sent to investigate Earth, and that’s what we’re going to do. This whole Ugna mystery has me a little uncomfortable too.”

  Nee squatted, taking a seat to her right. “Same with me. I only wish Ven knew more, but he’s as upset about the revelation as anyone.”

  “I was hoping we’d have some idea of what we were getting into,” Treena said. “Do you think Tom would have made the same decision?”

  Nee patted her knee gently and nodded. “I think you two are cut from the same cloth. His choices would be similar, and if it helps, I think the entire crew agrees with your decision.”

  “And you?”

  He looked surprised she’d asked him that, but he recovered quickly. “One hundred percent.”

  This pacified Treena, and the tension she’d been carrying since they’d arrived near Planet X started to wash away with her sweat. “Thank you, Nee.”

  The handsome Kwant waggled his eyebrows. “You know, we do take a few psychology classes during our lengthy educational process. If you ever need to talk about anything, I can be the ear to listen.”

  Treena let him help her to her feet, and she clicked the braces up to forty percent, aware her fatigued muscles wouldn’t carry her to the room without the assistance.

  Nee stayed with her, using a private lift from the end of the corridor to the officers’ quarters, and when they arrived at her suite, she turned and thanked him. “See you on the bridge nice and early? I’m assuming you’d like to be present while we become the first Concord fleet ship to intentionally use a Nek jump.”

  “I’d like that very much. Have a good night, Captain.” Nee gave her a slight bow of his head before walking toward his own suite a few doors down.

  Treena entered her room, barely recognizing it anymore. Most of the training machines had been moved to the private gym, but there was the healing tank and a few exercise units in case she felt the urge to train between quick shifts.

  Treena’s clothing was drenched in sweat, and she removed her sports bra, letting it drop to the floor. She caught her reflection in the bathroom, and she walked over, her skinny legs limping slightly. The face that stared back looked happier than it had in some time: the cheeks fuller, the hair thicker. Her eyes shone, a glossy expression that replaced the sad look lingering within deep sockets few months ago.

  Could she do this? For real? She glanced behind her, at the closet, and walked over to it, tugging the door open. Inside sat the android she’d been using since destroying the first one inside of the Statu wormhole during Constantine’s maiden voyage. This was a perfect specimen. She ran a finger over her ava
tar’s nose and shut the door.

  For some reason, Felix’s face entered her thoughts: his goofy smile, his callused hands, his natural scent. She’d loved him so much. Treena sank to her bed, and the image changed into a different man. She pictured Conner Douglas instead.

  “What would you do, Felix?” she asked out loud.

  When no one answered, Treena went to the steam shower and let the warmth soak into her aching muscles. Tomorrow, she’d return to the android, but tonight, she was the real Treena Starling. She resolved to begin working even harder to ensure her return to form.

  After a light dinner and plenty of fluids, Treena’s head hit the pillow. Despite the monumental morning ahead of her, she fell asleep faster than she had in weeks.

  ____________

  One second, Lark was one place; the next, their shuttle was near an unfamiliar space station. Dozens of large vessels lingered near a moon. He balked in surprise, and Prophet cheered beside him, the noisy reaction catching him off-guard.

  “You want to warn me when you’re going to yell in my ear?” he asked, but she only wagged a finger at him.

  “We did it. Can you believe it? We made it,” Prophet said, a laugh attached to her words.

  “Did you not expect to?” He suddenly felt sick to his stomach as he realized they’d just traveled an astronomical distance in mere moments.

  “Sure. I trusted the Zilph’i technology. Come on, we have some work to do,” she said, unzipping her jumpsuit. Beneath it was a different uniform, one he’d seen before.

  “Isn’t that an Ugna symbol?” he asked, pointing to a crest on the arm of the gray garb.

  “It is.” She opened a communication, and Keen tried to assess what he was seeing. The ships were almost familiar, and his eyes widened when it clicked.

  “These are similar to the Ugna vessels that assisted Baldwin when they came after the Assembly,” he said as a statement, not a question.

  “That’s right. They’re remarkably close,” Prophet said.

  “But how? The Ugna are here?”