Admiral Rhade rubbed the back of his neck. Given the lack of Nietszchean activity in the system the past forty-eight hours, he had lowered the alert status. He still had a patrol out, but he had reduced the number of ships in the patrol and was keeping most of their ships near the planet. Thankfully, Tarazed's Pride was one of the ships still in orbit of the planet. Though Captain Rangor had returned to the ship, as negotiations with the Arteus Pride were still ongoing Tri-Lorn and Tri-Laurent wanted the Nietszchean captain, whom Sigmund had seemingly made a connection with, nearby. Giving that the Andromeda had been sent to deal with some Drago-Kazov activity near other member worlds, Rhade was appreciative of any excuse that kept Tarazed's most powerful battleship in system.
Adding to the stress was the growing number of offworlders who were joining the protests outside the conclave. It wasn't an unexpected outcome. Nor would it had bothered him if not for the written threats being sent to him at work. Though he had shared the fact that he had received threats with Jillian, he hadn't let her read any of them. He was also thankful that nothing had been sent to the house. He wanted to keep his family as far removed from the political fallout as he could, though if Jillian watched the news there was no doubt she had seen the incident from this morning, where a couple of human teens with the protesters had thrown a few small objects at him. Though the teens had been removed from the group by Home Guard soldiers, as not to do so would have encouraged more behavior of the like, Rhade had made sure the teens had just been giving a warning and released. He wasn't about to be the reason a couple of teens had an arrest record for throwing a few objects that, other than a couple of bruises, hadn't hurt.
"Isn't it time you called it a day?"
Rhade glanced toward the direction of the door to find Captain Falcon standing just inside the door.
"Especially as the first candidate debate is in a couple of days," Falcon added, when he saw that he had his bosses attention.
"I'll be leaving soon," Rhade assured him, knowing that Jillian would already be holding dinner for him, given the time.
"You know, if you wanted to take the day off tomorrow, I can hold down the fort," Captain Falcon said, walking over to the desk and sitting down in the chair across from his boss. "You haven't taken a day off since your return. I think you're due for one."
"Trying to get rid of me," Rhade replied easily as he leaned back in his chair.
"No, just trying to look out for you," Falcon countered. "Someone has to, because as high as the standards you expect from those who serve under you, you still somehow manage to have higher standards for yourself. You always have."
"Jillian has been trying to get me to take a day off," Rhade admitted.
"She's a smart lady. You should listen to her."
Rhade smiled at his second's comment. Captain Jeremy Falcon was probably not only one of the few people on Tarazed that would make a casual comment like that to him, but he was also one of the few people Telemachus would allow to say it. He wasn't close to many people outside of his family, and never had been. Still, he couldn't deny that both his second in command and in his wife were probably right. He probably could do with a day off.
"Look, I'll even call you tomorrow after the morning briefing to give you an update if it'll make you feel better."
Rhade raised his hands in defeat. It wasn't like he wasn't entitled to a day off now and then, even with being the head of the Home Guard. Even the Senate members and the triumvirs took time off, though everyone had been working long hours since the last battle with the Nietszchean. However, things did seem to be quieting down and it wasn't as if he would be far away if something developed if he stayed home and spent some quality time with his kids.
"Fine," Rhade relented. "I'll take tomorrow off but I'll be expecting that update."
"You'll get it," Captain Falcon assured him. He paused a moment before continuing, a cautious tone in his voice. "There is one other thing I should probably give you a heads up on."
"And that is?" Rhade asked, holding the captain's gaze across the desk.
"Well, the men have been concerned about the protests going on and they've heard rumors that you've been receiving threats and they've been discussing a plan to rotate a watch on your house. After the incident this morning, I couldn't talk them out of it any longer. They've organized a schedule with volunteers using their off duty hours, so that two men will be at your house at all times."
"It isn't necessary," Rhade insisted, although privately he had to admit he was touched at the loyalty his men were showing.
"Maybe not, but they want to do something and we know you won't let us post a guard officially."
"There has been no physical threats. It's all just words."
"And this morning?"
"A couple of teens being teenagers," Rhade replied. "Are you trying to tell me you never did anything stupid when you were a teenager?"
"Maybe so, but things aren't dying down either. Let the men do this for you. At the best, they lose a few hours of off duty time every other day or so and if something does happen, then somebody is there to help you handle it immediately."
"So, when does this 'guard duty' begin?" Rhade asked, accepting that it would be harder to try to talk his men out of it then to just allow them to go along with it.
"They've already implemented it. I called Jillian and told her what was going on so that if she noticed the men outside they wouldn't alarm her. I also told her I would inform you what was going on before you headed home tonight."
Rhade nodded. "I think you're all making a bigger deal of this than it actually is, but I won't make a fuss over this, as long as they're spending their off duty time. I can't really control their actions when they're off duty anyway."
"No, but it is your property."
"So, what? Are you suggesting I arrest my own men for trespassing? That would go over really well with the press, and you know it."
Captain Falcon chuckled at the suggestion, knowing his boss had a valid point. Tarazed's press would eat him alive if he removed the off duty Home Guard officers from his property by arresting them.
"Yeah, that wouldn't bode well for your bid for triumvir, which means I wouldn't get the promotion that I've been eyeing," Falcon joked, as he got to his feet.
Captain Falcon took a step to the side, and grew more serious as he assumed an at ease position. "Is there anything else, sir?"
"No, Captain. Although, why don't you call it a day yourself, since you'll be filling in for me tomorrow. I'll locate Commander Fennel and turn things over to him until the night commander get here."
"Very well, sir. I'll talk to you tomorrow then," Falcon replied, giving his commander officer a quick salute before leaving the office.
After logging out of the computer system, Admiral Rhade got to his feet. Though he could call the commander to his office, Rhade preferred to go find him instead and take the opportunity to visually check things out around Argosy Station before going home for the night.
Strolling down the street, Genghis contemplated his options. He had spent quite a few hours with the protesters outside the Conclave looking for openings that the group might give him to carry out his plan. After seeing the quick actions security took with the teenagers this morning, the Sabra-Jaguar had quickly dismissed all scenarios he had been considering. Even in a crowd of protestors, there was too much of a risk at being caught. Security was just too tight so close to the conclave.
What he needed was either a more private setting or a larger crowd. He could make either work. The upcoming debates for the triumvir candidates would provide the later opportunity. That would however require him waiting a couple more days. He had been hoping to be off the planet sooner than this already. Therefore, after some discreet inquiries to a couple of visiting Arteus Pride Nietzscheans that he had remained chummy with since meeting them in a bar, Genghis had figured out the location of his target's home. Though there was a high likelihood that security would be too tight there as well, Genghis figured it was worth a look.
Besides, it wasn't like he had any other ideas other than waiting for the debate to take place and he wasn't one to just sit around and do nothing.
"I thought the idea of taking a day off was to relax," Jillian commented as she walked quietly into her husband's home office to find him staring at a flexi. The plate that had contained a sandwich earlier sat empty on the desk, which told her that her husband had at least taken the time to eat.
At the sound of his wife's voice, Telemachus looked up. As soon as he saw her, a smile spread across his face. It was moments like these that he had missed the most during his time away from Tarazed.
"I was trying to take advantage of the quiet around here while Riley and Sirius are at school to prepare for the upcoming debate."
"And are you prepared?" she asked as she sat down in her husband's lap and slipped her arms around his neck.
"I'm getting there," Telemachus replied softly before pressing his lips against Jillian's.
The couple shared a deep passionate kiss before breaking for air. Leaving her head leaning against Telemachus' forehead, Jillian spoke quietly.
"Artemis is about done with her lunch. I usually read to her afterwards, but I thought maybe since you're home, you might like to spend some time with her."
"Is this your polite way of telling me to forget about work for a little while and pay attention to our daughter?"
"You could say that."
"Then I guess I better take your suggestion before you try kicking me out of the house," Telemachus replied lightly.
Getting to her feet, Jillian slid her hand into her husband's. Following her lead, Telemachus snatched the empty plate from the desk as he walked with his wife to the kitchen.
Reaching the kitchen, the two parents found Artemis where Jillian had left her, sitting at the small table by the window, finishing her lunch. Placing the dirty plate in the sink, Telemachus let go of Jillian's hand and headed over to the table.
"So, how about I read to you this afternoon and we let mama take a rest," Telemachus suggested to his daughter.
The five-year-old nodded happily in agreement with the suggestion as she finished the last bite of her lunch.
Having retrieved the book she had been reading to her daughter, Jillian returned to the kitchen and handed the thick fairytale to her husband.
"Taking a rest while the older two kids are still at school, sounds like a very good idea," Jillian admitted as Telemachus took the book.
"Then you do just that," Telemachus told her, kissing her forehead, noticing that Jillian looked tired. He wondered if she was just having a rough day or if he had just failed to notice the look. "Why don't you go lay down for a nap, and I'll take Artemis outside and read to her in the hammock so we don't disturb you?"
"You'll make sure I'm awake in time to start dinner."
"Don't you trust me to get dinner?"
"Not a chance. You'll just order something, just like you tended to do before we got married," Jillian replied.
"Fair enough," Telemachus admitted. "I'll wake you. Now go take a nap."
Jillian nodded, and then headed down the hallway to their bedroom. Telemachus watched her until she disappeared from sight. Though worried, he hoped a nap would help Jillian feel better and that she wasn't getting sick.
Turning his attention back to his daughter, Telemachus placed the book on the table. Clearing the little girl's dishes first, he placed them in the sink with the plate. He made a mental note to make sure he cleaned them before waking his wife up, though right now he planned on spending some time with his daughter. Going back to table, he reached down and picked the little girl up out of her wheelchair.
"Ready to go relax in the hammock and hear your story?"
Artemis nodded excitedly.
Retrieving the book from the table, Telemachus headed through the livingroom and out onto the back patio. He ignored the out of uniform Home Guard Officer who had stationed himself at the far end of the backyard as he carried Artemis over to the hammock. He assumed the other man was probably out front with the guard Tri-Lorn had assigned to him. As much as he hated to admit it, giving the threat that had appeared at the house this morning, Telemachus was grateful for their presence even as he intended to ignore them as much as possible. He wanted as little disruption in his personal life as he could manage.
Laying down in the hammock, Telemachus settled Artemis down beside him. As the little girl used his shoulder for a pillow, Telemachus opened the book to the place Jillian had left off the day before and began reading.
