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Home Fires - Episode #208 (spoilers below!) (Click here for review)

The crew watches fleet training exercises with growing frustration as the Castailian's struggle to learn to fight effectively. Even as Dylan admonishes them to respect their allies Beka finds a modified High Guard courier ship heading their way. It's pilot (Lt. Jamahl) is warily brought aboard and gives Dylan a 300 year old message. The message is from his fiancé Sara who says she survived and moved on (now married and pregnant) as he asked her to.

Dylan takes Sara's message hard, but refuses Rommie's attempts to help. Jamahl tells them that Sara founded Tarazed, a refuge for families and crew associated from the Andromeda Ascendant and the Starry Wisdom. They travel through a hard to follow Slipstream route and arrive there to be greeted by slipfighters that turn out to be a honor guard. Triumvir Rekel Ben-Tzion invites them down and Rommie verifies that there is a democracy with free press and impending elections similar to the Commonwealth.

On Tarazed they are suspicious, since Harper reminds them that every encounter with "Commonwealth" ships turns out to be deadly. However, Dylan ends up at a reunion of Sara's descendants, including Jamahl (a great-grandson 9x removed). Dylan also meets Admiral Telemachus Rhade, identical in appearance to his old friend and first officer Gaheris Rhade who betrayed Dylan.

Later on the ship Dylan is skeptical of how Rhade could be "genetically reincarnated" even with the reduced genome of Nietzscheans (lacking any genetic "defects"). Tyr is not surprised, saying his father was a double of a previous Alpha and that he expects Drago Museveni to appear again. He does say Dylan shouldn't trust any Nietzschean … except Tyr. Later Rev explains the Vedran government system to Harper and Rekel begs Dylan to speak to the people since the elections (which will determine if they join the new Commonwealth) are close.

Later, Telemachus compliments Dylan on the speech and asks him to his office. Dylan has memories of Gaheris Rhade, asking him to be best man at his wedding, playing basketball and him later attacking Dylan. Telemachus asks about Gaheris who is known as a hero but who Nietzscheans say was a spy for them. He says Gaheris tried to warn him but he didn't listen. Telemachus thanks him but tells him he is leader of the Isolationist faction.

On Andromeda Rommie is impressed by the ships and arms Tarazed has, but then learns the vote went against joining. Dylan is ready to leave, but Rekel and her guard come aboard and begs him to reconsider, asking him to talk to Rhade. Dylan is upset, telling Rev it is because Telemachus is now betraying him by keeping Tarazed from rejoining the Commonwealth as it was intended to. Rev says Rhade is trying to do what is right for them having lost may people fighting Kalderan raiders.

Suddenly four Magod swarm ships are sighted and though Rhade believes they led them there he allows Dylan to command the Triumvir's guard and ships (over Rekel's protests since they only trained on simulators). However, the ships retreat, pursued by Jamahl who destroys one but is killed in a collision with debris. Dylan is suspicious and orders analysis which Rommie does and reports the ship was a dummy built and launched from Tarazed. Rekel is ready to give up saying Rhade set this up and has troops in the streets ready to seize control.

When Telemachus comes aboard Dylan agrees to meet him privately on Command deck even though he is armed with a force lance. Rhade is angry believing Dylan set it all up and they battle as Gaheris and Dylan 304 years ago. When Dylan has the chance to kill Telemachus he does not, saying they know who the real criminal is, confirmed later by proof Rommie provides. Dylan says he could have Rommie falsify evidence against him to get the Tarazed to join the Commonwealth and Rhade says it is what he would do. However they together fight Rekel's guard and she is placed under arrest.

A memorial service is held for Jamahl attended by Telemachus as Dylan flashes back to Gaheris Rhade saying it was an honor to serve with him and be his friend. Later Dylan wonders if he did the right thing, but Rommie who tries not to think of right and wrong too much thinks he did. In the end he views Sara's message again and tells her he is doing his best to move on and be well.

Synopsis 11/29/01 by Larry Kramer

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