Chapter 3: The Talyn’s

Jana’s HATF rose up and returned to the hanger from which it left. She removed herself from the ship and headed out of the hanger only to be greeted by the remaining four members of the squad.
“That ma’tet better have a good reason for brushing of off like that.” Jana remarked with a frown.
“Calm down Jana.” Remarked one of the men, his voice revealing him to be Bale. He had black hair just long enough to be tired into a mini tail at the back of his head. Jana looked at the armlet on her arm.
“Computer, locate Elize Thorillk.”

A bird’s eye view of the Lyquon appeared on the screen of the armlet, the top of the ship peeled back revealing a detailed floor plan. Floor after floor start to peel away until it arrived at a training floor. The image then zoomed in on a training room where a blip of light was flashing.
“Training room three? What’s she doing there?” Asked Jana looking at the mini screen.
“So instead of manning her station, she’s in a training room?” Said Bale.
“Let’s go see what’s so important.”

The team journeyed through the ship until they arrived at the door to the training room. They entered just as the simulation started and arrived in time to see Myrione pull the guns from the holsters at the small of her back. Targets started to appear around her, making a ticking sound as they appeared. As Myrione moved from target to target, taking each one out in a single shot her movements to each new target got faster and faster, reaching close to inhuman speeds. To the untrained eye her arms just appeared to be randomly flailing, however she knew exactly where her shots were going. Ninty-eight targets later and Myrione pulled her guns back to a neutral stance as the final two target appeared and vanished a second later.
“You missed the last two targets.” Said Elize.
“I fired two shots off this morning, my clips are empty.” Myrione replied before sliding the guns back into the holsters.

Myrione turned around to finally see the rest of Elize’s team; they all sat dumbstruck at Myrione’s skills.
“See this is why I practice alone, who are… wait… Bale?” Myrione walked over to Bale and shook him from his near catatonic state.
“You know Bale?”
“Myrione? Oh wow, I didn’t realise it was you.” Bale hugged Myrione lifting her clear off the floor before placing her back down.
“How do you to…?”
“Mom and Lady Hikaro are childhood friends, so…” Said Bale.
“I see.”
“How is Kasumi anyway, I haven’t seen her in a while.” Asked Myrione.
“She’s good, said she’ll be heading planet side next lunar cycle.” Elize looked at the two strangely as they spoke and found herself questioning why she was chosen by Lady Hikaro. Myrione knew Bale, so surely he would have made a better choice than someone she didn’t know.
“Last time I saw you Boss Kim said you were going to go to the Varlano academy.”
“Yeah, so, pilot on the Lyquon? I knew you were a pilot, but didn’t realise it was THIS ship.” Said Myrione.
“This is your first time on the Lyquon isn’t it, that’s probably why.” Bale replied.
“So, who are the rest of these statues?” Asked Myrione, folding her arms and looking at the others in the room.
“These are the Talyn’s my flight team.” Elize quickly replied. “You know Bale, that’s Jana. Alikz and Farike.” Elize gestured to Bale and Jana then to the eldest on of the group and the remaining male. “And that is Yeven.” Elize pointed at the last female, she had short green hair only slightly shorter than Myrione’s.
“Nice to meet you all.” Said Myrione to the still stunned group. “They really are statues.”
“We have ten days to kill, what do you want to do?” Asked Elize.
“I’m a little thirsty to be honest, how good’s this ships Koruga?”
“Lousy, but I can make a pretty descend bowl. Come on, I’ll take you to the Talyn private rec room.”
“Lead on.” Myrione followed Elize and Bale out the room and were followed minutes later by the rest of the squadron.

A more mobile group sat with Myrione on a room furnished with lavish and comfortable furniture. A large flat television like screen hung on the wall above a large entertainment system that faced the furniture. Attached to the room was a small kitchen like preparation area. Elize stood in the area preparing a green fluid.

Soon Elize carried a tray over to a table in the centre of the room. On the tray was a large pot a a stack of small bowls. Each bowl had a small inch wide lip from which to drink from. These were drinking bowls. Elize separated the bowls and poured the green fluid from the pot to the bowls. Myrione picked up one of the bowls and smelled the fluid before sipping it.
“I know it’s nothing compared to Lady Hikaro’s Koruga, but what do you think?” Asked Elize.
“You use a little too many leaves and you need to stir as you pour not after, apart from that it’s just fine.” Critiqued Myrione. “How do you know what mom’s Koruga tastes like?”
“I told you, Lady Hikaro fast tracked me onto the Lyquon, we’ve had Koruga a few times.”
“Yeah, she got fast tracked here and we got stuck with her.” Remarked Bale playfully.
“Mom does not fast track lightly. You must have some skill.”
“Well after we’ve had our fill why don’t was go see.” Asked Elize.
“Fine, how about you and I against the rest of your team in a most kills game?” Said Myrione before finishing off her first bowl of Koruga.
“That’s a little unfair.” Jana remarked. “You’re a Varlano, AND trained by Boss Kim, you can take down armies solo.”
“In an ATF things are handled a little differently but fine, how about if Elize and I have a high number of targets say… one thousand.” Elize almost spat out her Koruga at the number. “And you only have about two hundred and fifty.” Continued Myrione as she poured more into her bowl.
“Isn’t that unfair to you two?” asked Bale.
“Actually it should be a good match.” Myrione replied sitting back with the bowl of Koruga in her hands.

The group sat chatting for almost and hour, going through several pots of Koruga the recipe of each pot being slightly adjusted by Myrione’s direction. Several of the group had reached they limit of the fuild and were sitting back allowing the intoxicating nature of it fade. They sat laughing as Kurkis entered the room.
“Captain!” Elize stated loudly with a large Koruga intoxicated smile on her face.
“I thought I’d come and check in on our guest.” He remarked.
“Come sit, have some Koruga!” Said Bale.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Kurtis walked over to the group and sat down near Myrione picking up an unused bowl he place it in front of him and reached for the pot.
“Hmm, looks like there’s only enough for one more bowl.”

Kurkis suddenly froze as he felt the business end of a sonic blaster resting against his temple, the smile on his face gone and a look of fear in his eyes. Myrione finished the bowl in her hand while holding one of her guns to Kurkis’s head with the other.
“Put the pot down.” She remarked slowly. Kurkis complied and place the pot on the table. “Good boy.” Myrione placed the weapon back into its holster and poured the remaining Koruga into her bowl.
“I didn’t know you’re inherited Boss Kim high level of Koruga addiction.” Bale remarked. Myrione didn’t reply she just drink the fluid straight down without stopping. She then placed the bowl on the table then sat back and sighed. Her body had finally had it’s fill of the green fluid.
“Hey Kurkis.” The ship captain had not moved since placing the pot on the table. “I think you broke him.” Said Elize waving her hand in front of the captain’s face.
“He’s fine; it’ll teach him to ask if anyone wants the last bowl before taking it.” Said Myrione, trying to act lady like but failing due to her intoxication.

Having all had there fill of Koruga the group talked until the effects of the drink had lightened enough to walk.
“Okay, let’s get to the simulators.” Said Elize unsteadily rising to her feet. Leaving Kurkis who was starting to come on of his fear induced paralysis, the Talyn’s and Myrione left the room and headed to the nearest elevator. Moving to a different floor they soon found themselves as one of the flight simulator rooms, the groups intoxication now fully faded. They entered the huge room containing ten ATF flight simulators. The ATF cockpit shaped machines were positioned in a circle around a central command console. A Sortain woman was sitting at the console.
“Elize, come for some fun while we’re in the tunnel?”
“Oh yeah.” Said Elize with a smile. “We need a custom match, full squad plus one.”
“That is not a problem, who’s the victim?” The female asked.
“No victim, new guest, that reminds me.” Elize turned to Myrione. “You have an ATF data card?”
“Yeah… I think so.” Myrione started to pat herself down and search her pockets.

The data card was a small storage device that allowed an ATF pilot to configure a simulator to their personal specification. All pilots carried these cards so they could train on any simulator with there own specific system.
“Ah-ha!” Myrione pulled a slim back and blue data card from her back pocket. “Rare I use this thing; only carry it because Mother said I should.” Myrione handed it to Elize who passed it to the Sortain at the console.
“Okay, why don’t you guys pick your pods and I’ll transfer you AI’s.”

The group headed for the pods as the woman slid the data card into the console. She looked at the read out with confusion.
“Wait, what configuration is this? The MA-SAL mode… I’ve never seen anything like this before. Laser pistols stored at the lower spine, extra sensory receptors around the cranial armour, and re-enforced movement system in the arms.”
“It’s the standard Varlano ATF configuration; just make sure my AI’s transferred.” Said Myrione as she climbed into the cockpit of the second pod.
“Varlano?”
“Fereel, don’t worry, I’ll explain later okay.” Said Elize and she climbed into the second pod.

Once all the pilots were in a simulator the cockpits closed and faded to black before the machines rose up on hydraulics.
“Choose team’s terrain and game.” Said Fereel at the command console.
“Numbers game, team uneven, team one: Myself and Myrione. Team two: everyone else.” Said Elize over the radio.
“Game and teams inputted, set victory numbers.”
“Team one… one thousand, team two: two fifty.”
“One thousand? Did I hear that right?”
“Yes you did Fereel.” Replied Elize, sounding a little nervous about the number herself.
“Okay, setting targets now, good luck.”
“Varlano’s don’t need luck.” Myrione remarked.