“Sir, there are three more, only detectable by the latest scan patch sent by Leria,” Tarlen told him.
“Good work. Mark them on the radar and predict trajectory,” Tom said. The commander’s chair to his left was occupied by Rene, with Reeve remaining in Ridele to work with Aimie at the R-Emergence office.
“Incoming message from our ship,” Lark said. It was surreal for Tom, seeing his enemy on the bridge wearing a matching uniform.
“On screen.” The image of the Earthlings appeared.
“Admiral, you’re just in time,” the leader said. Tom remembered his name was Brandon.
“Captain, damage report,” Tom ordered.
The other craft shook as the Ugna fired on it again. The alarms were loud, and Tom pointed at Gar Ellix. “Executive Lieutenant, please target and fire.”
The Ugna did so without hesitation, and after a handful of blasts, the enemy’s shields were down. “Do we destroy them, sir?”
Tom considered this but shook his head. “Let’s leave them be for now. Send a Sticker and kill the thrusters so they don’t get any ideas.”
“Consider it done,” Gar said.
A moment later, the Ugna ship jostled a hundred kilometers away as the device took hold on the thrusters’ cylinders, damaging them enough to ensure they couldn’t escape. The scout ship was without shields or thrusters. They were as good as prisoners.
“Thank you, Admiral. We were only out for a test flight when we happened across…” Brandon’s voice faltered and he fell to his knees, hands clinging to his ears.
“Keen, pull them out of there. They’re too close to the Ugna’s range.” Tom pictured the entire scout crew, red-eyed and floating as the drug coursed through their veins. They were up to their old tricks.
The beam shot out of Legacy, tagging the much smaller freighter, and Tom kept them on the viewscreen while they screamed in agony at the invisible force from the Ugna. He cringed at the memory of feeling the very same discomfort, but Lark’s tractor beam worked quickly, tugging them out of telekinetic range. If Reeve didn’t find a solution, they were going to be in some big trouble come two days from now.
Brandon and the others staggered to their feet, and Brandon stared at the screen, his eyes wild. “What the hell was that?”
“That was the Ugna demonstrating their power,” Tom told him. “There are two more scouts for us to take care of, so I suggest you return to Nolix at once. I’d say your test run is over.”
Brandon looked admonished for a moment but quickly composed himself. “Yes, sir. Thank you for your intervention.”
“Without your help, we wouldn’t have seen the scouts until they were close enough to cause some real damage.” With that, the communication ended, and Tom ordered them to disarm the other scouts. The first went down easier than the second, but Legacy had the firing-range advantage. The last remaining Ugna craft attempted to evacuate, but the flagship followed closely, chasing them for twenty minutes before locking in and destroying their shields.
They continued attempting to flee, and in the end, Tom could only watch as the third scout was destroyed. What a waste.
“Secure the two ships we have,” Tom said, still unsure what to do with them. They were full of angry Ugna.
“Captain, I’m receiving word from Reeve,” Lark said.
“What is it?” Tom asked.
Lark Keen grinned as he spoke. “The project. It works. She says it’s ready for a real test.”
Tom joined him. “Inform her we have just the targets for her experiment.”
____________
“High Elder, we’ve entered the Delino system. Would you like us to stop here as previously instructed?” Captain Nerlip stood nervously in front of Wylen with his hands fidgeting near his waist.
High Elder Wylen forgave the intrusion into his private office and crossed the uncluttered room to exit onto the expansive bridge. “Things have changed, Captain. Proceed toward Nolix. Where are the scouts?”
A wave of panic passed over Nerlip’s face, and Wylen knew something was wrong. “What is it? Speak, or you’ll be sweeping the floor in the storage room for the rest of your time aboard my ship!”
“The scouts have gone dark, sir. They were in position, ready to send probes forward, when…” The man stepped away, and Wylen followed, jabbing a finger at the captain. Despite the fact that the digit never landed on his chest, the man fell to the ground. “They were caught, sir.”
“Caught? By whom?” Wylen stared at the rest of the crew. They were all pretending not to watch the altercation on their bridge.
“That’s unclear, sir, but we assume it was the Concord fleet.”
“They shouldn’t have known we were coming. I wonder if our…” Wylen paused. He was about to divulge more information than these fools needed to know. “Send another, and this time don’t be so obvious. Wait here until we receive word.”
The captain lifted from the floor, setting himself upright without the use of his muscles. “Yes, sir. We won’t fail you again.”
Wylen stared coldly into the man’s red eyes, seeing the pupils dilated more than they should be. He stepped closer, his wrinkled face an inch from the younger man’s. His voice was a low whisper. “You should watch your intake of the En’or, Captain. We’re going to need you operational at the end. Don’t burn yourself out when it doesn’t matter.”
He expected some rebuttal, but the man only nodded and stumbled away. “Yes, sir. I appreciate your concern.”
Wylen was more worried about the mission than any of these people’s lives. All that mattered was ruling over Nolix, setting up camp at the old Concord offices, and one by one, forcing each and every partner to bow their knees to him. If they didn’t, they would die. The options were simple. Even a blowhard Concord Founder would see the value to living. Sure, he’d encounter the odd one like Thomas Baldwin, who would probably sacrifice himself to fight Wylen and his Ugna, and that was exactly what Wylen was counting on.
Without their leaders, the Concord would crumble in a hurry. Wylen smiled, thinking about all the people he’d put into place around their supposed infallible security. They were a joke, and the resourceful planets here deserved better. They should have a leader that would stand up for them, tell them what to do and how to do it. Because there was one obvious and universal truth about all sentient beings: they were incapable of caring for themselves. Each time one was left to their own devices, they ruined their homes.
It started with feuding villages, into battling countries, until space travel development, then they banded together to fight the next planet over. It was a never-ending cycle of destruction, and Wylen was smart enough to see that the Concord dealt with it foolishly. Instead of waiting for these civilizations to develop on their own, it was imperative to invade and advise, much as the Invaders had done to Earth. Only then could the chaos be mitigated and a sense of order be issued. Wylen would oversee it all.
Two days. They were so close to Nolix.
Wylen returned to his private office and sat at the desk, deciding now was the time to risk checking his relayed messages. He’d been unwilling to open anything that might point the Concord to his exact path, in case they mounted a defense far from Nolix.
But they wouldn’t be able to stop him. Not any longer. He launched the program, and dozens of messages appeared, chiming their arrival one after the other. He was flummoxed by the influx. His contacts were supposed to be low-key, only sending him communication if something was terribly wrong. This couldn’t be good.
He found his most important contact and opened it.
The Fleet has departed Earon. They know.
Judging by the date it was sent, the entire fleet he’d convinced to defend Earon was only three days or less from arriving at Nolix. He slammed a fist onto the desk, narrowly missing the keypad.
He checked another, a secret spy in a strategic position. The message was no better.
Constantine fights against our allies. They ar
e defending the partners.
“This can’t be. How do they know our targets?” he asked himself.
Another message, this one from a security contact at the docking station over Nolix. Lark Keen is here. He brought President Basher and is trying to negotiate.
Wylen balked at the message. This couldn’t be. Lark was his puppet. Basher was an important part of this mission, and if he didn’t arrive with his fleet of Protectors, Wylen was at a slight disadvantage. But he’d made it this far without relying on others. He had a giant fleet of well-trained En’or-dosed Ugna at his disposal. The Concord wouldn’t be able to stop him in time. He almost pitied the first batch of fleet ships that would approach them.
“Lark Keen will die by my hand, as will Elder Fayle,” Wylen whispered, reading over the messages. Most were about the same incidents, from different stations, but the picture was clear. The Concord knew he was coming, and they’d even witnessed Tebas’ destruction. Their entire fleet would be at Nolix shortly, and they had one of his allies, President Basher, in their custody. But they didn’t know his dirty little secret: that every one of their flagships had one of his people aboard. He had hidden Ugna everywhere, including the admiral’s floor in Ridele. When the time came, they would strike, making his job that much easier.
Wylen waited apprehensively for word from the latest scout ship, and he typed one message, hoping it made it through. What of Ven Ittix? He sent it to his contact, eager to find Fayle’s protégé.
Fourteen
Ven searched for signs of life but felt nothing of the sort in the vicinity. He’d never been so alone as when he arrived mid-system, millions of light years from Concord Space. How Fayle had ever visited this planet, he didn’t know. They’d only had the Nek technology for a couple of years now, and it would have taken her many lifetimes to make the trip. It was a question he was angry at himself for not having posed before he’d departed. He suspected Fayle would have recited an elusive response in case he’d inquired. That was how she operated.
Ven closed his eyes, focusing on the flame before calming. The shuttle was a tiny speck in the extensive space between the local planetary designs. His target was closer to the system’s icy blue star, and he peered toward it, letting the tint of the viewscreen adjust the brightness.
Once again, Ven found himself far beyond any Concord-mapped regions and realized none of the star formations were familiar. He used the computer to scan them, marking every detail into the memory drive as he did so. If Fayle hadn’t come here before, how had she obtained the coordinates? It was a conundrum he wouldn’t solve any time soon.
The engines whirred behind him, and Ven peered over his shoulder, seeing a slight trail of smoke rising. That wasn’t a good sign.
He unclasped the restraints, noticing the fried coupler the moment he stepped into the rear of the shuttle. Ven used his mind to tug the component free, causing the mechanics of the Nek drive to stop moving. The shuttle went silent, the white noise gone.
Had someone left replacement parts behind? Ven wished Reeve was with him. This was beyond his area of expertise. The compact storage area only had enough room for a handful of crates because of the extended Nek modifications, and those were filled with survival supplies. Ven searched inside the two cabinets along the far wall, finding various tools, but nothing resembling another coupler.
There was no use panicking yet. Ven decided to use the thrusters to reach his destination, if they still operated.
Once returned to his pilot’s seat, he flicked the shuttle drive on, finding it still operational. He took a deep breath, slowly releasing the air caught in his lungs. You can do this, Ven Ittix.
The shuttle moved forward, flying for the planet that was too distant to observe. He judged the time it would take to arrive at this speed and estimated it at seventeen hours. These shuttles were meant for trips to docking stations or ventures from the surface of a planet to a spaceship’s hangar, not for cross-system exploration.
Ven started the timer, the numbers counting down. He tried to guess where Earon was in proximity to Nolix and assumed they were on a similar clock. The Vastness tended to lean into irony.
____________
“You’re telling me these two spacecraft are full of Ugna at the moment?” Doctor Aimie Gaad asked.
Rene stood close to Tom, as if staking her claim, and Tom wanted to be anywhere else at the moment. “That’s right. If this device is ready, we can proceed with testing.”
Elder Fayle was there, staring through the viewscreen at the two black Ugna vessels tethered to Legacy by a tractor beam, her hand reaching for them. “I feel nothing.”
Reeve walked over to the woman, putting an arm around her waist, and guided her away from the screen. “We tested the ray on High Elder Fayle, and as you can see, it worked.”
“Perhaps too well,” Rene muttered.
Tom watched Fayle and noticed the changes. Her chin dropped, her eyes without the fire they normally held. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked her.
Fayle raised her head, and he noted her desperation. “I fear the device has rendered me useless.”
“Useless? You can still move your body, right?” Rene asked.
“I do, but without…”
“Without the En’or, you’re like the rest of us. Closed off from the Vastness flow?” Tom finished.
“I meant no insult. Had I known what I was volunteering for… I suppose I would have done it regardless, but it is difficult to explain. As I said earlier, it’s almost like losing your sense of purpose. As if you’re devoid of all meaning.”
“Are we willing to test this on the ships?” Aimie asked, looking at Tom for the answer.
“We have to be. This is why we created the tool, to defend against their powers. If it works this well, we can salvage our Concord and defeat the invasion. Or at least put ourselves on level playing ground,” Tom said. “What do you think, Fayle?”
“Hit them. They are with Wylen, and we have to find out if the device will work at extensive ranges,” Fayle agreed.
“Then we have a test. Reeve, set it up. Thank you for your dedication to the project, Aimie,” Tom told his former fling, trying not to sound too interested. With pregnant Rene at his side, he didn’t want to anger the woman, though she didn’t seem to care at the moment. Tom knew she’d been in contact with Shu, and that they were only a day or so away from arriving at Nolix. He could see the eagerness in her eyes at the idea of rejoining her ship.
“Sir, the secondary fleet is ready to be debriefed,” Lark told him, entering Legacy’s bridge.
“Good. Tell Kan Shu we’ll join him on the replica shortly.” Lark exited, and Reeve took the weapons console over.
“I’ve attached the device and linked it here. We’ve concluded the Ugna can penetrate our shields from twenty and a half kilometers, based on this size of vessel. We estimate that number will change with a vessel like Wylen’s colony ship, but without determining the exact number of Ugna on board, we can’t be sure. Once we incapacitate this crew, we’ll board and do a head count, making our math easier to calculate.” Reeve got to work, and Tom stared at the ships caught in the tractor beams.
He glanced toward Fayle leaning on his chair, and at the ships, almost bringing himself to feel bad for what was about to happen. Almost, but not quite.
“Target one acquired.” Reeve aimed the weapon created in the R-Emergence laboratory at the first scout vessel. “Initiating the beam now.”
The console beeped, a buzzing continuing as an invisible ray of energy cascaded from the bowels of Legacy, advancing for the enemy ship. They didn’t have a chance to defend themselves, but Tom imagined they were writhing in pain at the assault. “Hit the second ship,” he said without passion.
She did, and they all watched silently as the process was repeated. “Fayle, can you tell if we were successful?”
She shook her head. “I have no connection. Gar Ellix, what do you sense?”
Gar had remained q
uiet this entire time, his feelings on the subject obviously conflicted. He’d seen what the device had done to his leader, Fayle, and it probably pained him to think about doing the same to countless of the Ugna people. The tall Ugna officer approached the viewscreen, and they all waited for a response. Finally, after a tense minute, he turned to face them. “Nothing. It’s as if they’ve been wiped from existence.”
Tom nodded, hitting the communication tab on the arm of his chair. “Send the troops. Secure those ships and detain the prisoners. Do not harm any of them unless it’s necessary.”
“Yes, sir.” The team was on standby, and Tom watched as the boarding vessel shot from Legacy’s hangar toward the Ugna. His gaze drifted to the right, seeing the entire reclaimed fleet from Obilina Six arriving with two of the flagship replicas. Things were looking up, but Tom wasn’t going to count his victory before the battle truly began. He didn’t suspect Wylen would give in so easily.
“Keep this between us. No one outside this bridge will hear of what transpired today,” Tom cautioned.
“Do you fear traitors?” Fayle asked.
Tom thought about Zare, and the fact that she’d infiltrated their crew with such ease. And of course, she’d worked for Lark Keen. “Always. We must remain vigilant. Be trusting when you’re able, and cautious when you must. Power creates a biosphere of deceit, so be wary.”
“Well said, Admiral.” Fayle lost her balance and Aimie reached for her arm, guiding her from the bridge, and the rest of the crew arrived, taking their seats while Tom motioned for Rene to follow him into his office at the rear of the area.
The door closed behind her, and she set her hands on her hips. “What is it, Baldwin? Here to remind me you have no feelings for the doctor any longer?”
Tom leaned in, kissing her before she had a chance to say another word. She was resistant at first, but a second later, she joined him in a passionate embrace. When they broke apart, she stared him in the eyes. “What was that for?”
“Rene, I’ve never been great at this stuff. I’ve been a loner, with few close friends. I’ve focused on my job for the last twenty years, not worrying about relationships, and I know you’re much the same. We’re about to fight Wylen and the Ugna, and we won’t be on the same ship. Be careful.” He loosely held her by the upper arms, and she set a hand on his chest.
Baldwin's Legacy: The Complete Series Page 151