Jason sat for along wile just holding the hand of his unconscious sister. She had always been a strong woman, vain and fickle at times, but never weak. To see her like this, slowly slipping away was heart breaking.

At some point soon after Elizabeth left, another Academy student arrived briefly to collect Lockhart and take him away. Weather it was to be killed or just locked up, Jason was not sure, nor did he overly care. Looking around, Jason realized he had been left alone with his sister. As aesthetically pleasing as the medical ward was, it was not the place he wanted his sister to leave the ‘Verse. Especially as there was still a dead body on the floor near by. Picking up her limp form, he headed back to his ship.

-----------------------------------------------

It was Sarah who was the first to see Jason return, waiting, as she was for him in the cargo bay of the Shire. When she saw him carrying the limp form of Emma, she quickly jumped up in alarm and rushed to his side.

“Oh my God, Jason, what happened?” asked Sarah with concern. Jason just looked at her and said nothing. When he finally got to the common area of his ship, he set Emma down on the old couch that sat against the bulkhead between the hatches to Linda’s and Rick’s bunks. Setting a pillow behind her head, he then pulled a worn quilt over her body. Finally he turned to his crew, which had by now all gathered.

“Something happened," said Jason. "I don’t know what exactly, as she insisted on seeing her friend alone. They said she was poisoned, with Paxilon. I don’t know by whom, or by what means, or for what reason,” explained Jason. Although he did not show any tears, his voice was slow and unusually heavy, betraying his emotions. “All I do know, is apparently it’s fatal.”

“Lao-tyen, bo,” said Sarah under her breath as she reflexively put a hand to her mouth.

“Bloody hell,” said Rick, unable to believe it either.

While Linda’s face remained emotionless, she pulled her son tighter against her side.