Chapter 2: The Daughter

The two ships broke through the Sorta Prime atmosphere and were instantly greeted by an enormous warship, this was the Lyquon.
“Elize to Lyquon, requesting permission to dock.”
“This is Lyquon, both Katas and Sniper are cleared for docking in hanger one. Come on home at your leisure.”
“Roger that, we’re heading in.”

The two crafts flew soon vanished into a vessel that dwarfed them by many times. The ship was huge and looked like it was home to a small colony when in fact the crew compliment was only a hundred. The ship class was battleship, the second smallest class in the Sortain space fleet. The crafts passed through an energy field as they entered the hanger. Though the hanger bay doors were open, people were still working in the hanger. This was due to the energy field. It allowed fighters to pass through it but maintained air pressure and prevented oxygen loss. The ships landed on two different landing pads and the pilots left them, Elize walking over to Myrione, being the first person to exit her craft.
“We’d best report to Kurkis on the bridge.” Said Elize trying to keep a calm demeanour.
“Is he the captain?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Okay.” Elize looked towards her ship. “See you later Katas.”

The two left the hanger and started down a corridor that led to an elevator that would take them straight to the bridge.
“Is Katas you’re ATF’s AI?”
“That’s right; do you not have an AI in yours?”
“I only have a basic AI; it’s just to prevent me from breaking the firing mechanisms.”
“Breaking them? How?” Asked Elize.
“I’ll tell you later.” Replied Myrione.
“Okay.”
“So what fun do you have here? This is the first time I’ll have spent more than a few days on an interstellar ship.” Said Myrione.
“We have the standard recreation deck. Three swim chambers, games room and such.” Elize replied.
“Do you have any combat training rooms?”
“Yeah, they’re on the training deck along with the flight simulators.”
“Excellent.”

The two reached one of the many elevators on the level, after a brief wait the elevator doors opened and the two entered. The doors closed before Elize set the destination on the elevators control panel and it started to ascend. Myrione leaned on against the wall and folded her arm and it began to move, she then closed her eyes and lowered her head.
“You’re a Varlano aren’t you?” Asked Elize, Myrione looked at her sharply, surprised by the question.

Varlano was a pure Sortain word. It had no exact translation in any language, the closest translation was in Human language, they translated it as the art of the projectile but even this was inaccurate. Varlano was a technique when in a Sortain’s sight and hearing were heightened. Their muscles were also trained so that repetitive motions became faster and faster until the action was stopped. Using these skills combined with the sonic pistols, a Sortain trained in Vorlano could shoot at targets and even fired ballistic weaponry, and hit them with extreme accuracy only needing to detect them with one of the two heightened senses. The technique however was hard to learn and even harder to master so few people knew it.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Your guns, Only a Varlano’s carry them like that, and only a Varlano is allowed to carry two.”
“My mother said she wanted me to be ready to take over the Syndicate.”
“But… you’re not even my age.”
“Yeah, mother said she wanted me to be ready as soon as possible.”

The elevator slowed and eventually stopped before the doors opened revealing the bridge. This was a large room with computer consoles placed symmetrically around it. At the front of the room was a large view screen. It took up most of the wall and showed what was directly in front of the vessel. Two meters back from that were two helm control consoles. Communication security and basic engineering console were also dotted around the room. In the centre of the room were three chairs. The centre chair, the largest was for and inhabited by the ship’s captain. To his right was an empty first officer seat and the chair to his left was for the commander of the ships fighter squadrons, that chair was also currently empty.

Elize stepped onto the bridge followed by Myrione. They were watched by most of the bridge crew, and despite knowing them all it still made Elize a little nervous. Elize walked over to the Captain’s chair, she stood attention.
“Elize Thorillk reporting for duty sir.” She remarked.
“Welcome back Elize.” The captains sight moved to Myrione. “You’re our special guest I take it.”
“I am.” Myrione replied, nodding.
“Name.” He remarked. Myrione game a sly smile as Elize looked at her.
“Myrione Pinion.” Time seemed to freeze for everyone on the bridge except Myrione and Elize.
“You’re Boss Kim’s and Lady Hikaro’s daughter?” The captain stood up and straightened up his uniform.
“I’m acting captain Jeike, but please, call me Kurkis.”
“Since we’re all here why not start for Entrin, I wouldn’t want to disappoint my sires.”
“Yes ma’am, of course.” Kurkis turned to the bridge crew. “You heard her, prepare for system departure, maximum speed.”
“Aye sir!” Said the helmsmen.

The large warship started to pull away from the planet, Myrione sighed unfolding her arms. She looked at Elize who could see she was hiding how nervous she was.
“I’d like to go to a training room; could you come with me Elize?” She asked.
“Elize is leader of her ATF unit; she must prep her unit until we’re inside the transwarp tunnel.”
“Oh…” Elize saw that this disheartened Myrione.
“Kurkis, Jana can do that. I’m pretty sure you don’t want someone as important as the daughter of Boss Kim wandering the ship alone. Imagine what Boss Kim or Lady Hikaro would say if they found out.”
“Oh… I didn’t think about that.”
“Okay then, I’ll look after Myrione, once we’re in slip tell Jana and the others to find me okay.”
“Okay Elize, but just this once.” Both Elize and Myrione smiled.
“Come on Myrione.” The two re-entered the elevator before the doors shut.

Once again Elize set the destination on the control panel and the lift started to descend. A moment of silence passed as Myrione returned to leaning on the wall.
“Thank you.” She finally remarked.
“It’s okay; I wouldn’t want to be left alone on a ship like this either, especially if you’re not used to it.”
“I don’t understand you.” Said Myrione sharply.
“What?”
“You fainted when you first saw me. Now though…” Elize lowered her head and chuckled.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Lady Hikaro I can deal with, she’s the one who fast tracked me on the Lyquon, but Boss Kim, and her request. I just couldn’t take it.” Explained Elize. “As for now, well I’m still a little nervous, I mean who wouldn’t be. Now though I make myself see you as a Sortain, not the future leader of the Syndicate.” Myrione smiled.
“Thank you, must people can’t seem to get past my sires.”
“It helps that I actually know Lady Hikaro, she doesn’t scare me as much as the first time I saw her.” Myrione chuckled at the comment as the elevator slowed to a halt and opened.

Meanwhile in one of the Lyquon’s hanger bays, a woman with red hair that stopped just above her gills, and red eyes quickly climbed into a fighter. While it looked similar to and ATF in shape in looked bigger with more armour and larger weapons. It’s laser cannons were larger that the standard ATF cannons, and instead of a plasma turret at the front of the fighter, the barrel of an ion cannon rested against the right side of the ships belly. This was a Heavy Advanced Tactical Fighter; it was as the name said a heavy version of the regular ATF’s, bigger weapons and more armour, sacrificing speed for power. HATF’s were used as support in ATF’s squads with two HATF’s to every four ATF’s.

As the canopy of the fighter closed and a cockpit shield activated, appearing then fading into invisibility, as the landing pad to descend. A hatch closed above the HATF replacing the pad. The ship descended down a long, lightly lit, tube. Upon reaching the bottom the centre circle of the platform turned one hundred and eighty degrees until the HATF was facing a small tunnel just big enough for it to fit. The platform slid underneath the tube delivering the craft into it. Once settled, a hatch closed behind the fighter, locking it into place.
“Jana to control, Glaw is in place.”
“Roger that Jana, the Talyn’s are set.”

The name Talyn was the name of a large Sortain predatory fish. Sharp spines along its back and sharp teeth identified the creature. The insignia of the group of pilots led by Elize was a picture of the fish. They were the Lyquon’s best squad. Back on the bridge and Kurkis was just informed that all ATF’s, twenty in all, were ready. He looked at the view screen in front of him.
“Good, move the ship to a safe distance then get ready.”
“Yes sir.” Replied one of the two helmsmen.

The Lyquon flew away from the planet, quickly gaining speed. As it did, Elize’s squad sat, in their ATF’s conversing over their leader’s absence.
“She didn’t even talk to us; it was control that told me I had command for this.” Explained Jana.
“Well rumour is she came on board with someone, the engineers said she docked with a second ATF.” Said a voice over the communicator.
“What about Katas, anyone of the AI’s interfaced with him yet?” Asked Jana.
“Kata’s hasn’t interfaced with the mainframe since returning.” Replied Jana’s AI.
“Great, Bale, the engineer say anything else?”
“No but we were meant to take on a guest for this mission.” Replied the same voice as before.
“Okay fine, we’ll just have to track her down once we enter the tunnel.” Jana commented, folding her arms.

Back and the bridge and the helmsman reported that the Lyquon was beyond safe distance from the planet.
“Are the co-ordinates set?” Asked Kurkis.
“Destination set: Aquila system, ETA: ten days.”
“Excellent, activate trans-tarp stage two.”

Trans-warp stage two generated the second fastest form of interstellar travel. The engine created a point to point sub-space tunnel that allowed quick and uninterrupted travel. The Lyquon trans-warp discharged and a tunnel of warped space appeared before the ship. The Lyquon flew into the tunnel mouth before it closed. The main viewer of the screen showed swirling warped space as the ship experienced a brief bout of turbulence. The ship calmed then the helmsman on the left console looked at Kurkis.
“Tunnel entrance complete sir.”
“Good, inform the ATF pilots that they may stand down.” Said Kurkis.
“Yes captain.”