Private Good Things Come in Threes

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

A trifurcation.

It was something that was initially thought to be only possible in theory. Rarely had it ever happened outside of a controlled environment, especially under the chaotic conditions of a battlefield or as the patients’ files had shown, a giant magnet owned by a Scar Worlds gangster. In reading their case files, it hadn’t taken Calligenia long to realize why so many of her sisters envied her for being chosen to examine Percival and Prescott Io. However, even in medicine, too many cooks in the kitchen was a bad thing and no one wanted to make the two Chaplains feel like they were being gawked at like research monkeys.

Unfortunately, the third “Percival” was still being held by the mysterious Scar Worlds gangster, though they had received assurances that he was alive. But healthy? That was another question, which Calligenia hoped to get some clues to from Percival and Prescott. However, a full examination would undoubtedly still be necessary when he returned.

Pertaining to the matter of furcations in Bio-Organic Nuetralizers, Calligenia had heard of more than a few double furcations which had occurred under chaotic, uncontrolled conditions. However, there were many Nuetralizers who chose to furcate voluntarily for various reasons, personal and practical. In these cases, the furcation was done in a controlled environment, where the Nuetralizer was cut precisely down the middle along the coronal plane or an identical body was grown and a copy of the Nuetralizer’s memory was created, then implanted into the body. Both were safe and effective methods, which warranted no fanfare or specialized knowledge. However, it was trifurcations of Percival and Prescott’s situation, where the copies were generated from a single body, that the controversy began.

In the event that a Nuetralizer wanted a trifurcation, typically what happened was that two bodies were grown and implanted with a copy of the Nuetralizer’s memory or, an initial coronal bifurcation was done, then after the bodies finished regenerating, a second coronal bifurcation was done on either of the bodies, to finish with two “new” Nuetralizers. However, no safe, practicing Medical Nuetralizer would attempt to cut a trifurcation from a single body under controlled conditions, even if it was possible and perhaps, not dangerous in theory.

The interest in Percival and Prescott Io was derived from the fact that such a trifurcation had occurred under chaotic conditions, cut from a single body.

To say that Calligenia was excited was an understatement.

Outside, the nurse on duty, Esala, would enter the waiting room and glance down at her wrist holopad. Confusion briefly manifested over her features at seeing two Bio-Organic Nuetralizers on the list, since things rarely, if ever went wrong with them and males were virtually unheard of, she nevertheless swiped the holographic away and closed the display, before calling out their names in a melodic soprano.

“Percival and Prescott Io!”

Once they responded, Esala would flash the two a soft, almost-flirtatious smile, before scanning their measurements and escorting the twin Chaplains to the examination room.

"The doctor will see you now."

 

[Percival Io]

Eager to resume his duties, Percival had hoped there would be no controversy or fanfare surrounding his trifurcation, but that swiftly proved to not be the case. The unheard-of nature of the event had generated quite the stir; that it had happened to Percival, already an unusual individual among Chaplains, only made it all the more intriguing. At least with the Medical Neutralizers, he was confident that their scrutiny could produce something positive and productive from the whole mess.

Scott, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the attention. As soon as they were called in, he stood up and strolled over to the door, his gait casual and unhurried, his eyes fixed on the nurse. Percival, who had been meditating, was slower to rise. He didn’t quite catch what Scott said to the nurse while the two stood in the doorway, but the brief exchange ended with Scott grinning and playfully slapping her behind. Bewildered, Percival looked at the nurse, then back at Scott’s departing form, then back to the nurse again before he slowly entered the exam room.

Sterile and metallic, the Colossus’ medbay was filled with top-of-the-line technology. House Io certainly didn’t skimp when it came to the health of its citizens. The brothers stood together in solidarity, their positions identical, and for a moment Percival was so assured that Scott was his doppelganger, he wondered if the incident with the nurse was a fluke. Maybe something she'd said made him act that way, and Percival would’ve done the same thing…

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

A high-pitched, feminine squeak traveled a short distance through the halls in response to Prescott’s slap. It wasn’t overly loud, but it carried enough that it penetrated the door leading into the examination room, the sound itself preceding Esala’s arrival by a few seconds, with Percival and Prescott in tow. Standing up from her desk and giving her older sister a nod, Calligenia smoothed the transparent skirts of her dress just as the two Chaplains entered the room.

For a brief, slip of a moment, she seemed to go frozen, her features wide with curiosity and something more unprofessional as the door slid shut behind the twin Chaplains. It was as the diminutive Nuetralizer’s programming had skipped a line. To an unaugmented human, the lapse would have simply failed to register in their senses. However, if Percival and Prescott were healthy, they would have perceived it in slow motion, from the dilation of her photoreceptors, the flaring of her nostrils, and the slight twitch of her lips.

Seeing it, Esala let out a soft, nearly inaudible giggle, before departing the examination room without another word, her features red with bashfulness, secondhand, and firsthand embarrassment.

“Thank you for arriving on time, gentlemen. I am Doctor Calligenia Io.” The diminutive HRD began, having long since reset herself. “Please take a seat on the beds and change into the gowns.” She said, gesturing to the garments at the rear of the beds. “There is a shroud field activation button in black on the left side of the bed frames, should you need them.” Calligenia added, a part of her curious as to whether the twins would want privacy from each other. Regardless, pressing the button would activate a solid-state hologram field around the bed that would prevent anyone from seeing inside or entering without the patient’s clearance.

“I will return momentarily.”

Then, without a further word, she left the twins to change.

 

[Percival Io]

With her two-toned hair, heterochromatic eyes, and diminutive height, Dr. Calligenia Io had obviously been customized. Customization among Neutralizers wasn’t necessarily intended as a mark of status, but because it was more common among Neutralizers that had been around for longer—and thus were more likely to have ascended to a higher rank—it tended to carry connotations of authority. Percival felt more assured by her appearance, knowing that he was likely in excellent hands.

Yet Calligenia had a markedly unusual reaction to Percival and Prescott. Percival registered all the minutiae of her expression and body language, finding it… ambiguous. There were some facial tics associated with surprise, curiosity, and attraction. Of course, she might also simply be performing a preliminary mediscan, checking them for signs of ill health or injury.

Either way, they were directed to change into medical gowns and ready themselves for a thorough examination. Once the solid-state hologram was active and the two brothers were left alone, Percival turned to Scott and asked, “Why did you do that to the nurse?”

Scott shrugged. “She was cute.”

“But you can’t just do that. She doesn’t know you, it could be interpreted badly.”

“Oh, I knew she’d like it,” Scott replied confidently. He had already begun to strip, not bothering with the shroud field.

Still puzzled, Percival also began to change, removing his customary plain ascetic robes. Before he could put the gown on, however, Scott remarked, “Did you see how the good doctor looked at us when we walked in?”

“I imagine we are a highly unusual occurrence for her. It is not surprising that she would be curious.”

“I don’t think that was just curiosity.”

Sighing, Percival sat on the bed. “Even if there was more to it, I have no interest in pursuing the matter. It is irrelevant.”

“Irrelevant for you, maybe,” Scott muttered, taking a seat on the other bed. “But not for me.”

“Then we are already developing along different paths?”

“Of course. You still have all the trappings of Percival Io. I don’t. Neither will our other brother, so don’t expect him to be just like you, either.”

Musing over this realization, Percival fell silent, awaiting the doctor’s return.

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Theme: Every Summertime
Tag: Percival Io

“And you’re sure that there isn’t a male Medical Nuetralizer or even just a regular…male doctor, anywhere on the Colossus?” Calligenia asked the nurse for the second time in the last thirty seconds, clearly flustered with how the initial meeting had gone with the twin Chaplains.

“Callie, I’m sure. There might be a male Medical stationed on another ship, but I’d have to process the databases.” Esala answered with the gentle, pseudo-maternal patience of an older sister. “And even if there were male…regular doctors, he wouldn’t know anything about Bio-Organic Nuetralizer anatomy. If he’s unaugmented, he’d have to study it for years to get an understanding of it.” Esala continued, as she moved towards the door leading into the labs.

“But…why me? There weren’t better options available? A Nuetralizer more experienced?” Callie groaned.

“I don’t know, sis.” Esala sighed. “Maybe you’re not experienced but…I bet they think you’re the best Nuetralizer here.” The nurse finished, giving her younger sister a reassuring smile before she entered the labs.

Left alone, Calligenia sighed in frustration. Nevertheless, turning on her heels, she headed back to the examination room, moving at a slower pace than usual to give herself time for the blush to fade and to allow the twin Chaplain to finish changing. Once she arrived, the HRD rang the bell. Then, upon being given the signal to enter, she stepped inside to find the twin Chaplains waiting patiently on the beds.

“I apologize for the wait, gentlemen.” She began, as she moved towards the desk and picked up her datapad. “I trust everything went smoothly in arriving?” Calligenia asked, though she didn’t linger on the small talk for too long, before moving on.

“So, I think both of you know better than anyone that there has been a great deal of controversy since your returns.” She began. “Some of it was warranted, but I imagine that it has gotten to the point of being intrusive, for both of you. That said, today, I will be running a few tests and scans to ensure that the regeneration did not result in any malformations or malignancies that might need to be addressed. The loss of or in your case, separation of such a large percentage of brain matter, can be dangerous. Fortunately, there isn’t a big chance of it happening and more often than not, the issues will fix themselves. However, the incident rate does increase the greater the percentage brain matter lost, which in both of your cases, was likely quite high. Fortunately, at a glance...I do not anticipate that there will be any major issues.” Calligenia finished.

“Are there any questions or clarifications any of you would like addressed, before we begin?”

 

[Percival Io]

The doctor returned, and Percival was swiftly caught up in what she was saying about the effects of the trifurcation. A large percentage of brain matter had been lost, there was a greater chance of malignancies or malformations, and the entire process was extremely dangerous. Sounded about right.

Scott, meanwhile, reacted mainly to what Calligenia said about the amount of attention being intrusive. “I don’t mind it,” he said, leaning back on the bed and folding his arms behind his head. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been enjoying all of this fuss…” His thoughts strayed to the nurse, his picture-perfect memory allowing him to continue admiring her even in her absence.

“No questions,” Percival said. He wanted to return to his parish, to his congregation, to… to who?

He couldn’t remember.

“Actually, there is one thing,” he added. “Would it be possible for us to join back together again?”

Scott sat up at once, looking at Percival with wide eyes. “You’re kidding.”

“I am missing key memories,” Percival countered. “The trifurcation is the obvious cause. Loss of brain matter, leading to loss of memory, and by extension loss of personality. I have been missing pieces of myself ever since we were torn apart, and I want them back.”

“You can’t force me to be you,” Scott snapped. “I’ve taken a new name already. I’m nobody but myself.”

“You’re part of me, and so is our brother. We’ll have to get him back regardless, but the sooner the better—”

“No, damn it! I want to live! What happened to you enjoying having a brother Chaplain for once?—”

From there the two began to argue as vigorously as siblings could, their heated words overlapping.

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

“Actually, there is one thing,” he added. “Would it be possible for us to join back together again?”

“Oh, I was going to address that option after the scans were-” Calligenia began, her photoreceptors shifting towards Prescott as his voice, laced with disbelief, cut in. Her programming was such that she had a nigh-limitless patience, so Prescott’s interruption didn’t faze her. However, she was alarmed when Percival spoke up once more.

Clearly, her initial assessment of the twins' health was in error.

“I’m listening, Percival. Can you tell me-” She started, but things devolved from there, as Prescott cut in once more, his tone now more aggressive, confrontational. From there, she could only watch as the twins proceeded to argue, each doing so as if their life was at stake.

Perhaps, it was.

Shaking that horrible thought out of her mind, the Nuetralizer attempted to end the argument. “Gentlemen-” She tried, but the Chaplains didn't cease. “Guys, we need-” It continued on, without rest. Then, for a moment, Calligenia closed her eyes, revving up her confidence.

“Brothers!” She called out, at roughly half of her organic vocabulator’s volume. In human terms, it was effectively a shout.

This time, she would not be interrupted.

“We are going to take this issue one step at a time.” She spoke clearly and with all the authoritative force she could muster. “I understand now that things are more pressing than they initially appeared, but we are not nearly at the stage for arguing or resorting to desperate action. I need you both to buy in here, but any arguments will not only waste time, but may also lead to further issues down the line.”

She knew what those issues were and they were the ones that scared her the most. If the Chaplains continued to argue, then she would have to break her own advice and take desperate action to end it.

If not, then certain incompatibilities could emerge that might put the entire treatment plan in danger of failing.

 

[Percival Io]

The twin Chaplains fell quiet as Calligenia interrupted their argument. Silence still reigned after she had said her piece. Percival sat very still, a strange look on his face, while Scott’s gaze darted from his brother to the doctor.

“Do the scans, then,” Scott finally said, returning to his supine position—though he remained tense rather than relaxed. “I feel fine, I’m sure I am fine.”

“What about your memories?” Percival asked quietly.

“My memories don’t matter.”

“Then you should have no problem returning them to me.”

Scott side-eyed Percival, but didn’t respond as they both submitted to the medical exam.

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

“You are not fine and your memories do matter. That goes for both of you.” Calligenia corrected, in a gentle, yet firm tone. “But, that is why we are here. Right now, you are in exactly the place you need to be.”

Her datapad had been held at the ready, primed for her to make the desperate play if the situation demanded it. Fortunately, the twins were cooperative and peace was restored, for the time being. Setting the datapad down on the table with a simulacrum of a relieved sigh, Calligenia moved to the control terminal between the two beds and activated the scanning machines, once the two Chaplains were lying down.

“The inside of the scanner may be a claustrophobic experience.” She warned. “If you would like, you may shut yourself down for the duration and I will reactivate you upon its conclusion.”

Then, without another word, the beds began to move inside the scanning machines.

All the while, wiping away the coolant which had formed on her brow, Calligenia messaged her older sister, asking her to return from the labs.

 

[Percival Io]

As Scott disappeared from view inside the scanner, so too did he recede from his brother’s mind. Scott… his brother… a missing third of himself…

Percival was bathed in the light of the scanner, first blue, then purple, then red as the machine switched modes. Listening to the hum of the machine, he prodded at the limits of his mind, feeling for gaps. But how could he know what he had forgotten—what had been removed from his brain with the trifurcation?

He ran through subroutines designed to upkeep his systems, but they detected no errors. The pieces of his brain that had been ripped away had grown back healthy, but the information contained inside—that puzzling, enigmatic gray matter, nature’s bio-organic computer—was lost.

Not lost. Taken.

Scott claimed his memories didn’t matter, but Percival suspected he too was thinking about the cracks and crevices, trying to see how far and how deep they stretched into his mind. What about their other brother, still trapped on New Alderaan? Did he have fragments of psyche, half-remembered, the neural pathways hastily reconstructed, their information lost? Was he lying there affixed to the magnet, wondering how many pieces of the puzzle he was missing?

Eventually, the lights fell dark, and the bed slid back out of the cramped machine. Percival remained still, green eyes staring up at the white ceiling.

“Pizza’s done,” he heard Scott quip as he too was released from the tube. Both of them had displayed no abnormalities that the scanner could pick up. Their bodies and brains were physically identical, even if the data written into their neurons was scrambled.

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

“Just…trust me Esala. It got ugly. Maybe nothing is wrong with them physically but…psychologically, in terms of their memory banks, it doesn’t look good.” Calligenia said as she walked down the hall from the labs. “They’re like two different people and it's only been a few days since the trifurcation. We need a Chaplain and a Fixer. Can you call Alessandra and Akemi Io ?"

“Callie, it really couldn’t have been that bad. Plus, you just picked literally the worst possible combination of names. They’ll be more busy hooking up conduits like rocket-rabbits than tending to patients. Did you hear what they got up to in the-”

“Essie, please! If you won’t believe me then…”

“Fine. Send me the memory.”

Upon emerging from the scanners, the twin Chaplains would find that Esala had entered the room sometime during the scans, a somewhat more serious expression borne across her features as she worked the terminal at the corner of the room. All the while, Calligenia tapped away at a datapad, before setting the device down on the desk, a soft, cordial smile coming over her features as she turned her attention back to the twins.

“I trust the scanners were not too daunting.” She began, making small talk in part to defuse the tension in the room, though Prescott seemed to have already regained his easy manner. “That said, the news is good.” She continued. “Physically, you are both in ideal condition. Your regenerations seemed to have gone smoothly and the scanners detected no abnormalities. If there were no other issues, I would be ready to authorize both of you for full combat duty.” She paused. “Unfortunately, I can not give that clearance at this time. However, what I can offer is a set of treatment options, to set you both on that path.”

Her gaze moved between the twins, as she assessed their reactions.

“Are there any questions before I continue?”

 

[Percival Io]

“No questions,” both said in unison. They exchanged wary glances with each other, then shook their heads.

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

One Week Later

Now, there were three of them.

Calligenia had spent the last few days focused almost exclusively on this case, working with Sayuri Io to recover Percival’s memories. A massive amount of trust and faith had been placed in her and she did not intend to fail in her assigned task. Nothing short of Perfection had been her goal, a full recovery of Percival’s memories, so that the Chaplain could return to his parish and continue nurturing his flock. Calligenia had no shortage of respect for what the Chaplains did, acting as psychologists, priests, advisors, and spiritual leaders in one, saying nothing of their assignments on the battlefield, facing down dangerous Force Adepts and enemy elites.

And yet, in pursuing this case, Calligenia realized that she might need a Chaplain of her own.

Try as she might, there could be no perfect outcome with neuro-psycho-memory surgery of this nature. Too much time had passed since the trifurcation and by now, the two-no, three Chaplains were entirely different people with their own unique psychological profiles. She had initially sought to find a clever workaround for the incompatibilities, but Sayuri had warned her against it, citing the risk of creating more profound issues.

At some point, Calligenia had to accept imperfection.

It was the best she could do, right? Surely, no one else could have found a way to make the pieces fit together, right? The lingering thought that another Nuetralizer would make a breakthrough where she had failed had kept her from deactivating for an entire week while she worked. And yet, Calligenia struggled to be satisfied with the result, forced to swallow the bitter pill of imperfection, before eventually putting the final touches on the copies and loading them into Percival’s digital-biological cognition systems.

Was it a failure? A success? Calligenia hated the fact that she could not conclusively determine the answer to such questions.

“Welcome back, gentlemen.” Calligena began, nodding to Prescott and Percival as she entered the examination room, before turning to the third figure. “And Galahad, the scans came back clear. Your chassis is in ideal condition.” She smiled softly.

Immediately, she could see how different Galahad was from his brothers. His appearance was prim and ascetic, his manner tempered and polite, lacking the playful edge of Prescott and the firebrand passion of Percival. Perhaps, if Percival and Prescott broke into a war of words again, he might be able to mediate.

“Now, before we begin…” The Nuetralizer paused, taking out her datapad as she did. “I must state clearly that the memory modifications were not…perfect.” Calligenia swallowed. “I make no excuse for it. There were certain obstacles that were either beyond my capabilities or were impossible to transcend to begin with.” She continued uneasily. “Now, umm…”

“Percival, how are you feeling?”

Hoping against hope, Calligenia prayed that the Chaplain might offer her answers where she had precious few.

 

[Percival Io]

Percival was left alone while he processed the transfer. There was a great deal of “new” data to sift through. Some matched existing gaps in his memory, falling easily into place like the pieces of a puzzle. Others had jagged, unreadable edges and had to be digested manually in order to find their proper space. It was time-consuming work that required Percival to shut down all other systems, wholly focused on the task.

He returned to full consciousness hours later, restoring his processes gradually. Only when he was back to optimum performance levels did he open his eyes. In the meantime, he heard low voices speaking somewhere close by.

“So, did our wicked evil stepmother bring you up to speed?” Scott asked.

There was a lengthy pause before Galahad answered in a whisper, “Should we be talking about that here?”

“Relax, it’s not like the place is bugged. The hologram field keeps things silenced for outsiders.” Leather creaked as Scott leaned forward. “So, do you know about…?”

“Yes, of course,” Galahad hissed. “This is neither the proper time nor the proper place to have this discussion.”

Scott chuckled. “Come on, Gal. Don’t be a…” The pointed pause that followed suggested he had made a square in midair with his two index fingers.

Percival opened his eyes to find Galahad and Scott sitting by his bed. Scott was casually dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket (with jeweled rings on his fingers—gifts from the Countess), while Galahad wore a full old-fashioned suit: white shirt, waistcoat, jacket and matching pants. He’d also cut his hair noticeably shorter than either of his brothers—Percival had a head of wild curls, while Scott’s was shaggy and long enough to cover his ears.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything more, Dr. Calligenia arrived. The trio immediately grew tense. Scott jiggled his leg nervously, Galahad gripped the sides of his chair, and Percival sat very still, listening intently to all that the Medical Neutralizer had to say. It wasn’t necessarily anything he didn’t already know, having absorbed the memories himself post-surgery, but hearing the prognosis out loud drove it home. The restoration wasn’t perfect, but it was functional.

When she asked him how he felt, Percival nodded his head. “Better,” he said, in a tone that was meant to be reassuring. He had most of his memories back, and to his knowledge nothing of importance was lost. The trouble with memory, however, was that if you did forget something vital, you wouldn’t know it.

He glanced over to either of his brothers, observing their reactions. Scott looked like he was eager to leave—though perhaps he only wanted to get as far as the lobby, where the cute nurse could be found. Galahad was stiff, but not uncomfortable. Percival would find out later that he had spent much of the waiting time after his surgery administering to the dying in the Colossus’ critical care ward.

“Well enough to travel,” Percival added, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. “I suppose you will want to conduct tests to prove that all went well?”

Calligenia Io​

 

[Calligenia Io]

Location: Examination Room, Medical Bay - Colossus of Shadows
Attire: Medical Nuetralizer Dress
Tag: Percival Io

Calligenia felt on the verge of tears.

Nevertheless, the Nuetralizer kept herself stoic and professional, though her programming strained to keep it that way, enough that it might have been possible for either of the triplets to sense a tiny, millisecond-long twitch in her features. It was an imperceptible lapse for an unaugmented human, but a Nuetralizer could perceive it with relative ease, if focused. All the while, Calligenia set her datapad on the desk behind her, a hyper-focused, yet almost exhausted glint in her photoreceptors as she shifted her attention back to Percival.

“There are no more tests to run.” She answered. “You, Prescott, and Galahad, are now clear for full combat duty. From here, I can only suggest that in order to aid in the further restoration of your memories, you let your trusted associates and confidants assist you in the process. Be forthright with them regarding your condition and they can help you fill in the gaps that I could not.” The Nuetralizer finished.

“If there are no more questions, Esala will escort you out. It was a pleasure to work with you, gentlemen.”