Stepping into the room, Harper stood there quietly for a moment taking in the scene. Like she had during most of the time aboard Andromeda, Jillian sat by her husband's side. She held one of Telemachus' hands in her own. The only sound in the room being the ones that the machines made as they kept Telemachus alive.
It was a scene that Harper hated to intrude upon, though here he was. Both Dr. Neff and Trance felt it best if he go into quarantine a day before the procedure. He had one day of the immune booster therapy that Dr. Neff had told him of, behind him and one more day to go. Arguing with either Dr. Neff or Trance wasn't an option at this point. However, he had to see Rhade one more time before going into the quarantine chamber.
Jillian looked up and noticed Harper standing there. "Hello," she greeted him.
"Hi," Harper replied hesitantly, not sure how to make the request to have some time alone with Rhade. This would have been much easier if Dylan or one of the others had been sitting at the bedside. In the end, Jillian solved the problem for him.
"If you're going to be here for a while, I think I might just go lay down. Even if I don't sleep, laying down will feel good."
Harper wasn't sure what to say or even if he should say anything, so he just nodded. It seemed to be enough of an acknowledgment for Jillian, as she rose from her seat and headed toward the door Harper was still standing near.
Alone in the room, Harper walked slowly forward, his gaze glued on Rhade's still form. It was still a strange sight to see him so still and so vulnerable. Rhade had always seemed to be full of energy and strength. So full of life, even if he was scary at times.
Yet somewhere along the way, Rhade had become a friend. Harper couldn't really pinpoint when. All he knew for sure was that when Rhade had first come aboard Andromeda he had been determined to hate him. To make sure the Nietzschean knew that he at least didn't want him on the ship.
Over the years, he had said some pretty rotten things. Things that he had meant at first, but that overtime had become more habit than anything else. Yes, he still insulted the Nietzschean from time to time, but then Rhade insulted him back. It had become a part of their unique friendship. Like the comment about the universe falling back into the chaos of The Long Night if a Nietzschean ever got elected as a triumvir.
He hadn't really meant it. Well at least not entirely. If it was a Drago-Kazov being elected then yeah, it would be worse than The Long Night. However, Rhade wasn't a Drago-Kazov. In a lot of ways, he wasn't even your typical Nietzschean. When he thought about it, Harper believed that Rhade could make a good triumvir. Perhaps if he was elected triumvir, it might start to heal wounds between some of the Nietzschean Prides and the other species of the Known Worlds.
Harper doubted prides like the Drago-Kazov or the Sabra-Jaguar would even happily be a part of the new Commonwealth. He doubted tribes like them could ever be a part of a civil society, given the atrocities he had grown up experiencing and witnessing.
That wasn't the world that Rhade had grown up in though. Up until the last few years, Tarazed had existed away from the chaos the rest of them had known. Harper had seen the peaceful society that existed on Tarazed. Multiple species had found a way to live together in peace and prosperity under the laws and values of the Old Commonwealth.
At times, Harper wondered if it was really possible to have that on a large scale or if the tales of the Old Commonwealth were just legends. As for Dylan, well Harper knew first hand that if you loved some place you were able to overlook its flaws, just like he had done with Earth.
As Harper stared down at the still form, being kept alive only by machines at this point, Harper no longer saw one of the Nietzschean monsters of his childhood. All he saw was a friend. A friend that he was guilty of saying terrible things to on more than one occasion. A friend who had ignored those early barbs sent his way, the ones he had meant when he said them, and still held out the offer of friendship.
The friend that he now had a chance to save, even if it did mean putting his own life at risk. It was a risk he was more than willing to take. What kind of friend, hell, what kind of person, would he be if he didn't after all the time Rhade had risked his own life for him?
"This is going to work, Rhade," Harper said, now standing at the bedside. He knew the unconscious Nietzschean couldn't hear him. Still, he had to say the words, even if it was only to try convincing himself of their truth. "It's going to work because I refuse to allow the first time I fail at solving a problem to be at the cost of a friend's life. I've done some pretty stupid things in my life, but I think the stupidest thing I ever did was fight against the branch of friendship you kept holding out to me simply because you have a few bones sticking out of your forearm."
Reaching out, Harper took a hold of Rhade's hand. He had been through a lot of tough situations during his life. By some miracle, he had survived them all. With the exception of watching his home world explode in front of him, this was probably the worst of those experiences. At least when he had lost his parents, he knew that his parents had died knowing that he loved them. If Rhade died, Harper couldn't help but wonder if he'd know that Harper considered him not only a friend, but part of the new family that he had found.
With everything ready with the quarantine chamber, Trance turned to Rommie whom Trance had called. Andromeda's Medical Officer knew of Dylan's promise to Rhade not to leave him alone. She wasn't about to let that promise get broken, and right now, Harper was the only one with Rhade. Trance was sure that Jillian would come back if called, but as she had said she was going to try laying down when she left Med Deck, Trance preferred not to disturb her. Jillian could use any rest she was able to get, especially considering the baby she carried.
"Everything is ready," Trance said.
"I'll go send Harper in and remain with Rhade," Rommie replied.
"Thank-you," Trance replied.
Rommie left the room, leaving Trance alone.
Trance took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let it out slowly. She could see many different outcomes. In some Harper died. In others, Rhade died, while in a few they both died. Like in all things though, there was that one perfect possible future. That was the one she concentrated on now. That was the one that she wanted her actions to help bring about. After all they had gone through, Rhade couldn't die like this. Besides, if the Commonwealth was to survive, then Telemachus Rhade needed to survive to help stabilize the relations between Nietzschean and the other species of the universe. That was the one thing that she was sure of.
"Rommie said you're ready for me," Harper said in his usual upbeat, loud voice.
Trance opened her eyes and turned toward her friend. Despite his outward calm and nonchalance, Trance could see her friend's uneasiness. However, she could also see the determination on Seamus' face. Trance knew she didn't have to go over the risks with Harper again. The engineer knew them and nothing would change his mind. He would see this through no matter what
"I am," Trance said with a smile as she closed the distance between them.
Reaching Harper, Trance reached out and put her arms around him.
"Tell me everything is going to work out, Trance," Harper said as he returned her hug.
"By taking this action the future does look brighter," Trance replied, not wanting to speak a lie but wanting to impart hope. Their future still was unclear. The only thing she was sure of was that they were on the right path.
"I guess I'll take what I can get these days," Harper said as he pulled away from Trance. He tried to force a smile but didn't succeed. "Especially given how bleak things have been."
The holographic image of Andromeda appeared beside them.
"Don't worry, Harper. I'll keep you company during quarantine," the hologram told him.
"You'd do that for me, Andromeda?"
"Of course," the holographic Andromeda replied. "It's the least I can do under the circumstances. Five years ago, when you first came aboard, I would've doubted I'd ever see you do something when there wasn't something in it for you, especially for a Nietzschean. You've changed, Harper, for the better."
Harper was finally able to find a weak smile. "Thanks, Andromeda. I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
"Don't get use to it," the hologram replied.
"I won't," Harper replied, then looked at Trance. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
Finishing the report, Tri-Lorn placed the data pad unto his desk. He stared at the device for a bit, mulling over what he had just read. Captain Falcon had finally gotten their prisoner, Genghis Bolivar, to talk. The Sabra-Jaguar Nietzschean had agreed to reveal his mission for the promise of not facing the possible punishment of the death penalty for his attempted assassination. Not that they ever would have gotten a jury to agree to that punishment, anyway. Tarazed hadn't sentenced anyone to the death penalty in more than two hundred years. Not that Bolivar needed to know that.
~Threaten a Nietzschean with possible death, and they would turn on one another simply to save their own skin, ~ Tri-Lorn mused. ~Well, at least certain prides, ~ he amended silently. The Majorum Pride and the other Nietzscheans who claimed Tarazed as their home had claimed a different set of values.
A set of values that men like Telemachus Rhade fought to protect while other prides like the Sabra-Jaguar and the Drago-Kazov sought to destroy.
Reading the details of the Sabra-Jaguar's plot to destabilize the recovering Commonwealth reinforced Tri-Lorn's belief that he was doing the right thing by backing Rhade for triumvir. They may never be able to win all the Nietzschean Pride's over to the cause of the Commonwealth, but it was important that they kept the prides that were already a part of it with them. It was important that they made those Nietzscheans feel like they were equal members of the New Commonwealth. Assure them that they did have a voice in the government.
A Nietzschean triumvir would do just that. It might even be something that would convince some of the smaller Nietzschean Prides that they were better off as part of the New Commonwealth then on their own, or at the mercy of the more powerful prides.
Getting to his feet, Tri-Lorn walked to the window and looked out over the city. A city damaged by the recent battle, its people confused by the civil war.
Tri-Lorn wanted Telemachus Rhade by his side for more than those reasons. Reasons some would call simple political games, Dylan Hunt among them. The Commonwealth's triumvirate, needed a soldier among their ranks. A soldier that wouldn't be swayed by such political games. Someone who could see the danger that threatened their government before that threat got a foothold.
Telemachus Rhade was such a person. He had proven that time and again while leading Tarazed's Home Guard. The fact that he was a war hero after the recent battle, and a comrade to Dylan Hunt simply made him popular enough among the citizenry that getting him elected might just be possible.
If he survived this attack on him.
Even if he did, there was still the question of whether he would continue to run. Tri-Lorn knew he wouldn't fault Telemachus for deciding politics put his family in too much danger.
Right now, all he could do was wait. Having grown up in politics, it was a situation that Tri-Lorn was use to.
