No Man Is an Island

"Commander we had a little situation with Volge here, and they appear to have killed Major Nangala's contact, so please hurry!....However that isn't why I am contacting you. The reason is that I...I...I kind of forgot Vo wasn't my own stupid brother for a moment as he is kind of acting like him, and because of that I yelled at Vo for being so insensitive. I don't know what happened between him and Miss Starr, or what his problem is, but that is NO way to treat a person and especially NOT a friend or loved one! I already apologized to him and do mean it completely, but it still needed said! However given Vo's strange behavior since we left the mines I thought it would be a good idea to have my EGO record any conversations I have with Vo until you could talk to him in person. So my EGO recorded the conversation between Vo, Belle and myself, in case you want to review it. However at the moment, as Vo's friend and team mate, I suggest that once we are back on the Vigilant that he gets a checkup. If he and Command agree that is."

"Got it, we're on our way," Taffer replied to Atika as his team had boarder the riot from the truck and it started to rise in the air, "Thanks for being thorough, I’m sure the recording will indeed help us get to the root of his strange behavior."

Atika's next message came when the Riot was halfway to them and it was much more urgent, "Taffer, we need an immediate EVAC NOW! Belle has blinded herself and needs immediate medical attention! She claimed it was for redemption according to some religious scripture! She kept quoting a "Mathews 5:29"! So notify Medic Jameson to be ready!"

"Roger that," he shortly replied as he rushed towards the medical part of the Riot to inform Joy that her help would be needed immediately after landing and injures to be cared for would likely include severe eye trauma.

"Let's hope she doesn't share my view on that scripture," Taffer added to the information he told Joy as he was going to turn around.

"May I hear what your view on it is then?" She asked, while not really waiting for a reply as she already got busy with preparations.

"That the only member that can cause you to sin is your brain. Unfortunately, it's the same and only member that can cause you not to as well," Taffer voiced as he glanced at her over shoulder before entering the cockpit and taking the seat next to Poe Dameron to supervise the landing. As they were landing the Riot, he noticed Atika and Vo had already laid Belle into the Raptor and readied he vehicle to be driven into the cargo bay of the Riot. Upon noticing that, he asked Poe to turn the Riot with its cargo bay door towards his team members, and once they landed and he remotely opened it he was waiting for confirmation that the Raptor was successfully loaded. The confirmation was received it the form of Atika's voice over the Riot's comm., "We're on Commander! Let's go!"

So Taffer immediately ordered Poe to take them back to the Vigilant. As they headed back, Vo and Atika got Belle to the Riot's tiny infirmary so Medic Jameson could help her. Then Atika returned to the cargo bay and secured the Raptor in the way that Taffer had instructed her to do weeks ago, after officially welcoming her and her brother Attila into the team.

As Poe was flying the Riot towards the Vigilant, Taffer left his seat and visited the medical chamber where Vo was sitting next to Belle's bed.

"Don't start Taf," Vo raised his hand with his open palm towards his friend, "I've already seen and heard enough to know I screwed up royally."

"We all did," Taffer replied, "That of course includes me as the Commander. But I see you making a steady progress if you admit it because it sounds much more like Vo who I know. But that's not what I'm going to talk to you about. You see, our EGO units are almost identical. It means when it comes to your device's memory, my EGO unit is the best one to perform and independent scan and restore session. This of course also means Dash will see all the memories of Shirra she managed to restore but I can assure you she will be discreet about them."

Vo visibly winced when Taffer said about the memory restore procedure, but then he said, "I have the feeling that I already had something like this performed on me and I've already agreed on that. I also feel it's connected with Ms. Starr… Belle somehow."

"You're almost right Vo," Taffer replied with a slight smile, "But it was the other way around." At the same moment a holographic image of Shirra appeared next to them as she said, "If it helps me get my memories back and if it makes me more effective in restoring Vo's memory in turn, then I agree on the scan. That is if Vo agrees on that of course."

"We'll do it Taf," Vo finally said, "But first, I must make sure that Belle is safely transported to the infirmary."

As the Riot docked the Vigilant, Vo simply said "I'll take it from here," as he rolled still unconscious Belle to the infirmary leaving Atika free to visit her twin brother and Taffer to return to his commanding duties.

Meanwhile on the Bridge Kaj had received Taffer's order, "Alright Kaj, take us home!"

Kaj responded with, "And what of Archer sir?"

Taffer replied with, "She took an extended medical leave, and knows how to contact us later, if she needs anything. Now we have wounded that require special attention. So take us home."

Kaj replied with, "Of course Commander. Home it is."

Then he turned to the officer at navigation and said, "Set course for home...and....ENGAGE!"

With that the officer headed the Vigilant back towards the San Francisco Bay area and home at Fortress Kshaa.

As the spaceship was heading home, Taffer was already making mental notes on what he was going to do at the Fortress once they arrive. First, make sure all wounded are accommodated in the infirmary of the Fortress and all diagnostics and related information is given to Dr. Orion. That included all information on the discovered virus and especially its effect on Lieutenant Maas and some other Elysium residents who failed to wake up from comatose. Second, inform the families of the deceased soldiers and organize their funerals. It was going to be a sad task, but Taffer felt it was his duty since Belle and Atticus were both on medical leave. Third, continue his investigation of the possibility that the cause of Maas's condition might be connected with Skarr's experiments at the beginning of his synth project. This could be rather difficult to carry through as it might require visiting different places all over the world and his duties at Fortress Kshaa might prevent him from being able to travel freely.

His hailer beeped shortly and Taffer saw on its screen that his mental notes became written ones.

"Thanks Dash," he mentally said to his EGO, "You're always helpful. Now please add another one and mark it red — help Vo and Belle with their issues. They are a strong part of our team and both are my friends. I have a very egoistic wish of having my team in its strong and healthy condition and my friends smiling and happy."