"Why can't we go to the debate?" Sirius asked, looking back at his mother from where he was sprawled out on the floor. He had been trying all morning to change his parents' mind. "Most of my classmates were going to be there. My social studies teacher is even offering extra credit if we write a paper about the debate."
"Which you can still do by watching it," Jillian countered. "I already checked with your teacher."
"But its still not fair! My classmates will be there and their father's aren't participating in it."
"Your father is concerned with our safety if we were to be there," Jillian reminded him, though all three children had been told the reason they were staying at home today more than once. She understood their desire to see their father up on stage. If she had her way, Jillian would rather be there providing her support in person as well. However, if them being at the house would give her husband one less thing to worry about that then she was willing to let him have his way on this. "He had enough things to worry about without the added concern of our safety."
Sirius let out a loud sigh, even as he turned his attention back to the monitor which had pre-coverage of the debate.
"You would think our parents would want us to see this historical moment the media is talking about," Riley commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm, as she plopped down in an easy chair, a bowl of grapes in her hands.
Jillian chose to let the comment go. With Riley entering her teenage years, Jillian knew that there would be many battles ahead. Her own teenage years told her that. Jillian could still remember the battle of wills that she had engaged in with her mother. Sometimes her mother had won and other times, her mother had allowed her to win. Now it was her own turn to moderate those battles. Jillian could only hope she was as skilled at it as her own mother had been.
"I'm proud of, Papa," Artemis said, from her spot next to her mother on the couch.
Jillian smiled as she looked over at her current youngest. "I am too," she assured her daughter but couldn't help but wonder how Artemis would act to the news of a little brother or sister. Would she be happy to be a big sister, or would she get upset about giving up her spot as the youngest in the family? Whichever way she reacted, the one thing that was for sure, was that Artemis would keep the special spot in her father's heart. Jillian knew that nothing would change that.
Before she could tell the children though, Jillian first had to figure out when to break the news of their fourth child to her husband.
~Perhaps after the debate, ~ Jillian thought as she tried to concentrate on the news coverage of said debate. ~Things would hopefully be calmer after today, ~ she continued to muse. ~And perhaps Telemachus will feel more comfortable with the decision to run for triumvir after he puts this first debate behind him.~
At least Jillian hoped that was how things would go.
Genghis had indeed found his two 'pals' in the Arteus Pride. After buying them a round, and exchanging some small talk with them, he had subtly steered the conversation to the upcoming election. It wasn't long before they were inviting him to attend the debate with him.
It had been easier than he had anticipated really. It was clear that though the remaining members of the Arteus pride were proud, and had proved to be survivors, they weren't very skilled with dealing with outsiders. At least these two weren't.
So far, no other member of the group of Arteus had seemed to take notice of him. They seemed to take his inclusion in their group without question. Genghis knew that it was to his benefit. If they didn't question his inclusion, then no one else would either.
As he had expected, the group of Nietzscheans with the Alpha of Arteus Pride, drew little attention from security. A High Guard Captain was walking beside the Pride's Alpha, and after a short discussion with one of the security personnel, the Captain walked through a metal detector. Next, the Arteus Alpha followed the High Guard Captain, with the other Nietzscheans following suit.
Confidently, Genghis fell into line between his two 'friends' and proceeded through the metal detector. He wasn't worried about the machine picking up the small dart that was currently hidden in his left sleeve. Except for the tip, the dart was not made up of materials that would be picked up by a simple metal detector, and the little metal in the tip would not set one off. That had already been extensively tested before he was sent on this mission. His only worry was if a smaller, more generalized, hand scanner had been used. Genghis had noticed such devices being used quite extensively at other stations, and was relieved that he had gotten lucky enough to fall in with the Arteus Nietzscheans. The fact that the Commonwealth was courting the pride to join their little alliance, was playing into Genghis' favor.
With the first obstacle, getting into the event without raising suspicion, past, Genghis started discreetly observing his surroundings. He needed to commit the layout to memory. Once he fired the dart, he would need to know where the exits were. He would also need to figure out how to get a clear shot at his target without raising suspicion. Though that might mean slipping away from the Arteus Nietzscheans at a later point, right now they provided him a cover that he intended to use to his full advantage.
Though his stay on Tarazed was turning out to be longing than he had hoped, Genghis felt as if his patience was finally paying off.
As Tri-Lorn introduced the last candidate, the gathered crowd erupted into applause. As he had expected, there had been quite a turn out for this debate, and not only with the citizens of Tarazed. Reports stated that most rooms at inns and the like were occupied. There had been a high volume of incoming traffic to the planet. Citizens of the Commonwealth were interested in this first debate and wanted to be here in person.
That was how it should be, though Tri-Lorn had to admit that he was relieved that so far there was no large group of protestors gathered for any reason. Of the signs he had seen people carrying, only a few were anti-Nietzschean in nature. Though he suspected the Home Guard personnel running security would be doubly vigilant of people carrying those signs, so far there had been no security incidents.
As he stepped away from the podium to make way for Tri-Laurent who would be serving as moderator for the debate, Tri-Lorn hoped things stayed that way. He didn't want any trouble at this debate. Getting the third triumvir position filled was a key part to reestablishing the Commonwealth. Accomplishing that with as little violence as possible, was key to showing people that the spirit of the democracy had not been destroyed by the Civil War that Phish and his fellow collectors had managed to bring about.
Stepping off the stage, two of his guards flanking him, Tri-Lorn turned so that he could watch and listen to the debate himself. Even though he wanted Telemachus Rhade to join Tri-Laurent in running the government, Tri-Lorn knew that the upcoming election could go some other way. One of the other candidates could get the needed votes, and Tri-Lorn wanted to be sure he knew what kind of person he would need to work with. These debates would reveal a lot.
From his position, the crowd was no longer visible. However, he knew that a few of his guards, as well as Tri-Laurent's guards, would be positioned to watch the crowd. Any potential threats should be spotted and taken care of by either those guards or the Home Guard personnel.
However, for some reason, that didn't make Tri-Lorn feel any easier. Things were too quiet. It was as if this was the calm before the storm.
But there wasn't much that Tri-Lorn could do about his feeling. He had seen that every precaution possible had been taken. Now, it was simply a matter of trying to stay vigilant and react quickly to whatever transpired.
Question after question was asked. Some candidates fielded the questions better than others. The crowd let their feelings about the candidates answers be known vocally but peacefully. It was exactly how a debate should unfold.
Tri-Lorn felt that Telemachus was making a decent showing. Though he claimed to not be a politician, Rhade had picked up a few tricks over the years. His time serving with Dylan Hunt had taught him some diplomacy skills to temper his blunt honesty.
Things seemed to be going well. Tri-Lorn was beginning to think that his worries had been for nothing.
However, then the trouble he had felt in the air found them.
It unfolded slowly. The attention of most gathered around and on the stage, including Tri-Lorn, was on the candidate currently speaking. It was the candidate farthest away from Rhade.
Movement on the stage was what started shifting people's attention. As he focused on the movement, Tri-Lorn realized the guard he had assigned to Rhade, who had been standing discreetly toward the back, was now standing in front of the Admiral. Rhade was bent over though from his vantage point, Tri-Lorn couldn't see what was going on.
Tri-Laurent's own guards had also moved and were surrounding the other triumvir. Even if he wanted to go to Rhade, Tri-Lorn knew his own guards would hold him back. Not far away, Captain Falcon was issuing orders to the Home Guard even as Tri-Laurent's personal guards were ushering Tri-Laurent and the other candidates off of the stage.
"Admiral, are you okay?" Captain Falcon asked, meeting Rhade and his guard as they came off the stage into the wings.
With his guards still flanking him, Tri-Lorn moved in their direction.
"I'm not sure," Rhade replied, holding up his right hand. "I got hit with this," he added, showing those gathered a small dart. "It hurt at first, but the pain is already starting to fade away."
"It could be poisoned," Falcon said, reaching out to take the dart from his commanding officer.
"Has anyone else been hit?" Tri-Laurent asked.
Captain Falcon shook his head. "It doesn't seem like it. I've got the Home Guard doing crowd control and they're keeping people from leaving until we get a better idea of what is going on."
"Very well," Tri-Laurent replied. He looked in Tri-Lorn's direction. "I'll stay here with the other candidates while order is restored. When things calm down, we'll get them back to their hotel. Meanwhile, why don't you and your guards escort Admiral Rhade to the medical center"
"Very well," Tri-Lorn replied with a nod. "Captain Falcon, someone needs to go get Admiral Rhade's family and bring them to the medical center."
"I'll see to it," Falcon acknowledged with a nod in Tri-Lorn's direction even as he clapped a hand briefly on Rhade's shoulder. With his other hand he held out the container he had placed the dart in, to the guard still at Rhade's side. "The doctor's need analyze this. Nietzscheans may be immune to many poisons but if Rhade was the target we can't just assume that's it is one of those conventional poisons."
"I'll make sure they get it," the guard replied.
Falcon nodded even as he listened to a radio message before addressing the group. "My men in the back report that the transports are secure."
"Then let's get going," Tri-Lorn said, half expecting Rhade to protest but to his surprise, the Home Guard Commander remained silent. The triumvir wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
With one of his guards leading the way, Tri-Lorn led his small group toward the back entrance the candidates had used when they had arrived earlier this morning as Tri-Laurent moved to where the other candidates had gathered. The confusion Tri-Lorn felt was mirrored on their faces.
