| Baby | |
| |
| Biographical Information | |
| Real Name | Baby |
| Gender | Female |
| Class | Alien |
| Alien Species | 'Ishb'kaukab |
| Alien Traits | Flight, laser, telekinesis, telepathy, vacuum support, pressure support |
| Social Information | |
| Place of Birth | Takis |
| Citizenship | Property of Dr. Tachyon |
| Occupation | Personal transport and companion to Dr. Tachyon |
| Base of Operations | Takis |
| Allies | Dr. Tachyon |
| Origin | |
| First Appearance | Wild Cards |
| Creator | Melinda M. Snodgrass |
Baby is Dr. Tachyon's sentient spaceship. She carried him to Earth in 1946, where she remained with him during his self-imposed exile. Baby looks like a giant seashell with running lights and is very beautiful. Like her master, Baby is telepathic. She is completely devoted to Tachyon and has a childlike mentality.
History[]
Baby is Doctor Tachyon's personal, sentient spaceship. All Takisian nobles have them. She was bonded to him from an early age. When Tachyon came to Earth in 1946, it was aboard Baby. When Tachyon engaged in battle with his relatives to stop the release of the wild card virus, Baby was damaged and lost her capability to travel at faster-than-light speeds. Stranded on Earth with her master, the US military impounded Baby soon after Tachyon's arrival, even though they were unable to enter the alien spaceship. Baby remained in government custody for decades. It was only in the 1970s that Tachyon managed to have Baby returned to him.
For the next two decades, the spaceship remained in a warehouse close to Tachyon's apartment in New York City. Tachyon occasionally took her flying so she wouldn't feel lonely. Baby was instrumental in a few of Tachyon's adventures, particularly when he fought the Swarm and his own returning relatives in 1986. Following the WHO world tour, Dr. Tachyon returned to America with his grandson, Blaise, who was occasionally left with Baby because she was secure and could resist the boy's powerful telepathy. During these times Baby would entertain the human-Takisian hybrid with tales of his alien ancestors. In 1988, Baby's ghost drive finally healed, making her capable of faster-than-light travel again. Still, Tachyon decided to remain on Earth out of his sense of duty to wild carders.
In 1990, the ship was stolen by Blaise, now completely psychopathic and guilty of numerous heinous crimes against his grandfather, who used her to escape to Takis. Having the unconcious "Dr. Tachyon" with him, Baby allowed Blaise entry and obeyed his commands. The Great and Powerful Turtle managed to temporarily halt Baby in mid-flight with his telekinetic powers, but was soon almost towed into space along with the ship. Accompanying Turtle, the real Dr. Tachyon, trapped in the body of a pregnant teenage girl by Blaise, tried to mindlink with Baby but the psionic powers of her new body were insufficient to the task. Shifting into ghost-drive, the ship disappeared. Somewhere in space Baby telepathically discerned an imposter, Kelly Ann Jenkins, occupied Tachyon's body upon regaining consciousness. Attempting to bolt back for Earth, Baby was cowed into submission by a combination of telepathic control and threats to kill Tachyon's body on the part of Blaise. Tachyon managed to follow aboard a Network spaceship.
Upon reaching Takis, Durg at' Morakh instructed Blaise to take control of the ship lest Baby bolt for House Ilkazam territory. Landing in Vayawand instead, Blaise assumed control of that House and began the Taksian world war, keeping the ship out of site during a later armistice festival. After the colossal battles that almost destroyed Takisian society, Tachyon defeated Blaise once and for all, and recovered Baby.
Powers[]
Baby is a sentient spaceship, and has the mentality of a child. She can't speak, but communicates telepathically with other Takisian ships and psi lords. She can't use her telepathy to talk with the mindblind, those devoid of psionic ability. Baby also can join her telepathy with Tachyon's, boosting his powers and allowing him to communicate over much longer distances.
Baby can fly at extremely high speeds with no propellers, rotors, or any other visible means of propulsion. Apparently, she flies by use of a potent telekinetic ability. Even though she is not a combat vessel, she is quite agile and maneuverable. Baby can also use this telekinesis to manipulate objects close to her, in a way simulating a tractor beam. She has a special gland that allows her to travel at faster-than-light speeds, called her ghost drive. This same gland allows Baby to detect the use of other tachyon drives or tachyon-based weapons. She doesn't require fuel or conventional food, being able to draw sustenance from dust.
Baby's main weapon is a powerful laser.
She is also capable of rearranging her interiors somewhat. She can extrude new benches, write messages on her walls, project video screens, and other minor changes.
Appearance[]
Baby looks roughly like a grey seashell covered with growing amber and purple lights. Her outer skin looks like coral or porous rock, covered with whorls and spurs. The inner walls and floor glow like polished mother-of-pearl, casting opalescent light. A large canopy bed dominates the control room.
Personality[]
Baby has the mind of a girl-child. She is completely devoted to Dr. Tachyon, taking orders only from him, and thinks he is her father. Like any child, she can become lonely or scared, and has to be comforted by Tachyon. Baby also can be playful and even mischievous, but is always good-hearted. She is jealous of Tachyon with other women, but at the same time wants to see him marry well and procreate, one of the tenets of Takisian society. Baby is also competitive with other sentient ships.
Selected Reading[]
- Wild Cards Volume I: Wild Cards "Prologue" (Dr. Tachyon arrives on Earth aboard Baby)
- Wild Cards Volume II: Aces High "With a Little Help From His Friends" (Baby is instrumental in helping Tachyon and Captain Trips save the Earth)
- Wild Cards Volume III: Jokers Wild (The Astronomer tries to steal Baby to escape to outer space)
- Wild Cards Volume V: Down and Dirty "Blood Ties" (Tachyon recounts the history of how a famous member of the House Ilkazam first tamed the 'Ishb'kaukab)
- Wild Cards Volume IX: Jokertown Shuffle "Lovers" (Baby is stolen by Blaise who escapes to outer space)
- Wild Cards Volume X: Double Solitaire (Tachyon follows Blaise to Takis and recovers Baby)