Though part of her wanted to keep the news coverage on so she could figure out what was going on, Jillian chose to turn it off. She had caught sight of the guard that had been shadowing her husband likely rushing to Telemachus' side when the camera had panned out from the candidate that had been talking. Jillian hoped that it was just precautionary. However, if it wasn't, the last thing she wanted was her children to be listening to speculation by the reporters about their father.

"Why did you turn it off?" Sirius asked, turning back to look at his mother. "I want to know what is going on?"

"I don't want to listen to speculation. All it does is increase worry," Jillian said.

"Is Papa going to be okay?"

Jillian looked down at her daughter who was sitting beside her. Before she could try to soothe Artemis' fears though, Riley spoke up.

"Papa knows how to take care of himself," Riley said, standing up from where she had been sprawled out on the floor. "He's probably helping make sense of the situation as we speak," she said, trying to reassure her little sister.

Jillian looked over at her son. Although Sirius didn't look like he agreed with Riley, he also didn't look ready to comment. For this, Jillian was thankful.

"How about I read you a story," Riley added.

"Okay," Artemis said, moving herself from her spot on the couch and into her wheelchair.

As her two daughters headed back toward their bedrooms, Jillian turned her attention back to Sirius. "Do you have any homework this weekend?"

"It's a three-day weekend? Do I have to do it now?"

"I think this is a good time to get started," Jillian said, getting to her feet. "If you get it out of the way early then you won't have to worry about it later in the weekend."

Sirius sighed but got to his feet. "You just want to occupy me so I don't say anything to worry Artemis."

"You're right," Jillian said, not seeing any reason to hide her intention from her son. "We don't know what is going on, and until we do, there is no point in borrowing trouble."

"You turned off the news coverage off," Sirius pointed out, even as he moved to the small table where his backpack rested. "How are you going to know what is going on?"

"We will be provided with information, accurate information, as soon as things are under control."

"Or when someone comes to tell us Pa has been hurt," Sirius added, as he picked his backpack up off a chair and sat down in it. He had been about Artemis' age the last time his father had been hurt during the last Kalderean raids. He remembered the men in uniform coming to the door to tell his mother what had happened.

Jillian didn't scold her son for the comment. Nor did she try to argue against Sirius statement. After all, she knew that the scenario her Son had proposed was indeed a possibility - even if it was one that she hoped wouldn't come to be.

Walking over to her son, Jillian leaned over and gave her son a hug even as she placed a kiss on the top of Sirius' head.

"It's better to try not speculating," Jillian advised him softly, wishing that she could give him more reassurance than that.

Sirius nodded, even as he unzipped his backpack and took out a school book. Turning away, Jillian headed for the kitchen. She was sure that she could find something there to occupy her. She knew that if she didn't keep busy she would spend her time doing exactly what she had just advised her son not to do.


Telemachus stared up at the ceiling of the hospital room. It wasn't the first time he had been in a room of Argosy's Medical Center. He'd had a few occasions in the past, both as a patient and a visitor. Nor did he need to count the number of tiles in the ceiling of the room. He had done that on more than one occasion as well.

However, as there wasn't much else to do, Telemachus found himself doing exactly that. There was something comforting in the process and the fact that the answer never changed. It was something that was constant in a universe that was ever changing.

Tarazed's Home Guard Commander hated feeling left out of the loop of what he knew was taking place outside. There was an investigation taking place, an investigation that directly affected him, and he wasn't a part of it. He'd like to be and right now he felt well enough to be up and about. However, the doctor wasn't about to let him go back to the debate site and participate in the investigation, no matter how well he felt. Dr. Randall was busy running and analyzing the results of the myriad of tests she had ordered done on him. He frankly felt like a guinea pig, and he didn't like the feeling.

After all, he felt fine. The spot where the dart had penetrated his leg was barely noticeable. Nor did it hurt. In fact, it was quite the opposite, the area around the penetration spot was numb. While that did concern Telemachus, as well as the Dr. Randall and her staff, he didn't see why that should stop him from helping with the investigation. Finding whoever had shot him with the dart, could answer a lot of questions about what was in the dart. Being a part of that search was much more appealing to him than laying around in a hospital room.

Dr. Randall, however, thought differently. She insisted that he stayed nearby until they figured out not only what was in the dart but what it's intended effects were.

While he saw the logic in that approach, Telemachus hated not being a part of things. He had given up watching the news coverage when it was clear that they knew even less than he did about what had happened. Their speculation was worse than no news at all.

A knock at the door drew Telemachus' attention from the ceiling. He briefly considered pretending that he hadn't heard the knock. He really didn't feel like dealing with any of the medical staff. Not that keeping silent would stop them from entering. Though they knocked before entering, he knew the medical staff would enter, answer or no answer.

"Come," Telemachus called out, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. To his surprise it wasn't any of the medical staff that came into the room but Tri-Lorn.

"Why is my arrival always such a surprise to you?" Tri-Lorn asked, a small smile on his face as he stepped into the room. Telemachus' 'Shadow' pulled the door shut behind the triumvir.

"Because you always seem to appear when I'm expecting someone else, sir."

"Fair enough," Tri-Lorn replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Restless," Telemachus answered without hesitation. "Dr. Randall won't let me leave until she figures out exactly what effects the dart might have on me."

"As she should," Tri-Lorn replied calmly. "Until we get a handle on what is going on, this is the best place for you. Not only on the medical front, but for security reasons as well. There is no reason to have you out there providing the suspect another chance at carrying out their plans."

"Do you have evidence I was the intended target? What about any suspects?"

"No suspects, yet," Tri-Lorn reluctantly said, wanting to provide the Home Guard Commander with some positive information. However, he had never been one to hand out false hope. "Nor do we have any evidence pointing to you as the intended target. There have been no new threats. However, unless the suspect is a horrible shot, I have to believe that he hit the person he was aiming for. You guys weren't exactly standing close to one another up on the stage and only one shot was fired."

"Another way to get me to drop out of the race?" Telemachus speculated.

"Or they had a different motive altogether. People like us don't get to the positions we hold without making some enemies on the way. Sometimes without even knowing it."

"Is that your way of reminding me that dropping out of the race doesn't necessary guarantee my family's safety?"

"It's my way of saying that for all we know this could be happening even if you weren't running for triumvir. Or perhaps whoever fired the dart didn't have a specific target in mind, they simply wanted to created chaos surrounding the election. We simply don't know at this point, and until we do, you should make any quick decisions."

Telemachus nodded reluctantly. He had been prepared to tell Tri-Lorn that he was dropping out of the race, however, the triumvir made some valid points.

"In the meantime, I've had this wing of the hospital secured. The only facility staff allowed on this wing will be the ones directly involved in your care until such time that you are released. Your family will be brought here, and giving accommodations. It might not be the best scenario, but they'll be with you and it will be easier to keep them safe."

"Thank-you," Telemachus said, feeling a little less anxious about getting out.

"Captain Falcon has been informed to keep you updated about the investigation and as soon as your family is here at the medical facility, I'll make an announcement to the press about the incident this morning. For now, there is no reason for you to have to deal with them."

"So, all I have to do is sit around and think," Telemachus muttered.

"At least for now," Tri-Lorn said. "Let's see what the doctor's prognosis is before you start trying to jump back into the middle of everything."

"Yes, sir," Telemachus replied.


Once again, being in with the delegation from Arteus Pride had proved beneficial. Giving their status as diplomatic guests, as soon as people started realizing that something was going on, the Nietzscheans of Arteus Pride had been escorted away from the crowd. Following directions from Captain Rangor, they had been led away from the debate site and to safety.

Genghis had stayed with the group at first. He still blending in with them without question and it kept him out of the scrutiny of the Home Guard. It was only once they were a couple of blocks away from the debate site that he discreetly separated himself from the group.

Having fallen to the back of the group, Genghis slipped down an alleyway when he was sure no one was watching him. As the group continued toward where they were staying while on Tarazed, Genghis moved quietly into the shadows provided by the alley way. He refrained from putting up his hood, less it attract attention in the city in the middle of the day.

Reaching the other end of the alleyway, Genghis casually stepped out onto the sidewalk. Strolling at an unhurried pace, he made his way to the next cross street. Turning left, he stopped heading toward the government buildings in the center of the city while still heading away from the debate site. His plan was to stroll to the city edge and then set out for the ship he still had hidden out in the middle of nowhere. Though it would take him awhile to reach, the time would hopefully allow things to calm down because although he had accomplished his objective the hardest part of this mission still lay ahead of him.

He still had to get off of Tarazed undetected. This time around, Genghis would not have the assistance of the Sabra-Jaguar fleets. There would be no distraction to help him slip quietly away from the planet. He knew that if his ship was detected, there would be questions asked.

He could only hope that the uproar over a Nietzschean running for a Triumvir position would give these Commonwealth fools someone else to pin the attack on.


After this morning, Tri-Lorn knew that the chances of Telemachus Rhade dropping out of the race had increased. The Home Guard Commander's participation had already been reluctant to begin with. Not that Tri-Lorn could blame him. After everything Rhade and his family had been through the last few years, more than anything they deserved a break. Perhaps it had been unfair for him to ask Rhade to get involved in the first place.

Except that Tri-Lorn believed that Telemachus Rhade was the man who could help them restore order after all the arrest. He believed that the only way to assure that the Nietzschean Prides that were still a part of the Commonwealth remained was to let them see that they did have a voice in the government.

Granted, there were other Nietzscheans that could fill that role. As Telemachus had pointed out, retired Admiral Khalid was one. However, while Khalid was a hero to the people of Tarazed, he wasn't well known off this world. That was what made Rhade a better choice. His association with Dylan Hunt meant that Telemachus Rhade was known by a wider audience of people.

Keeping Rhade in the race wasn't going to be easy. However, Tri-Lorn intended to do just that, all the while doing what he could to protect the Rhade family.

As the triumvir entered the small office he had commandeered in the hospital for the time being, Tri-Lorn knew that he was going to need help to accomplish his goals and there was only one person he truly trusted.

Sitting down at the desk, Tri-Lorn opened a channel with his office.

"How may I be of service, sir?" his secretary asked as her face appeared on the screen.

"Send a courier over to the medical facility," Tri-Lorn instructed. "I have a message to send."

"Right away, sir," she responded.

Closing the channel, Tri-Lorn found a message recorder. He wanted the message ready when the courier arrived as he wanted the intended recipient to get it as soon as possible.