The life of Lily Mardock

	Lily was not a very notable child to start with. private Grade school came and went without note, paid for by her father and his work for The Company.  She was assessed with magical ability, like many children of her world. Her teachers told her mother that she was a quiet child.  She kept a small group of friends, but never spoke much, they said.  In class she would answer questions correctly if called upon, but never volunteer information on her own.

	It wasn't until her twelfth birthday that she showed any real signs of interest in...anything really.  The birthday itself was a quiet affair.  Once again, her father was working overtime at The Company.  Lily didn't mind, she had long gotten over the desire for attention or praise.  That's what she told herself as letters from relatives came and went, and a cake was brought in.  It was just as she was about to blow out the candles that the door to the apartment opened and her father walked in.

	He wore a sad smile on his face and carried a small box under his arm.  "Happy Birthday" was the first thing he said.  The second was "We did it, honey."  Lily understood what he meant, as did the man's wife.  Three years ago, The Company had decided his research wouldn't pan out.  For various financial reasons, they had decided to spin off the company, so that it became His Company instead.  That was when her father surprised everyone...but to explain that, we'll have to rewind a bit, won't we?

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Three years ago.....

"What's wrong, Daddy?"
He hung his coat up on the hook on the wall.  Rainwater flowed from the folds of the jacket onto the floor, and his eyes followed it down into the drain, set into the coat-room for just that purpose.
"It's a long story Princess." "I like your stories though!"
Sighing, he entered the kitchen and fixed a cup of coffee.  He'd always done his best to explain his job to his daughter.  She seemed to like to hear about it, and he figured it could only help her in the future...but how to explain this to a child?
"Lily, do you know what 'Corporate Sloughing' is?"  "Sloughing?  Miss Jones says snakes's skin sloughs off when they get bigger!"
He rolls his eyes, careful to hide it from the child.  Well, she always was a smart one.  Was he this smart at that age?
"It's like that.  Sometimes, a company needs to get rid of parts of it in order to grow.  They've decided that my research needs to be removed from the company.  They've created a separate corporate entity..." "En-tet-ee?" "...a separate business to take care of that."
Somehow, her confusion is a relief.  It would have been worse if she understood everything, somehow he knew that.
"So they didn't fire you?"
He winces.  Too perceptive.
"Not...exactly, princess.  I'm in charge of the new company." "Well that's good then!  Do you have a new office?  Can...can we visit it sometime?" "Maybe."
He sat down on a chair and she hopped up into his lap.
"Princess, it's looking like the new company...my company...will fail.  I didn't get fired, but I might have to fire a lot of people."
Best to be honest, at this point.  Set a good example and all that.
"Maybe?  So there might be a way you don't have to?"  "Well...I..."


"You can find it, daddy."


"What?" "You can find a way to not fire people.  You're good at your job."
He stood up and she slid off his lap.  That's right.  That's what they always told him.  His ideas were good, he was a good manager, a good researcher.  He had good instincts...
"Princess, can you get me my work computer?"  "Sure thing!"
She scampered off, glad to help.  He watched her go.  The project was a good idea, and he had some emails to write.
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Lily's eyes opened wide as he placed a box on the table in front of her.  This was it.  What he'd been working on for the past how many years.  She looked up at him and he nodded.  Tearing through the wrapping paper and ripping open the box, she slowed down to carefully remove the Styrofoam inset.  Removing the top piece, she looked over the amber-coloured crystal inside.

Lily took to testing the device instantly, becoming a favourite of The Company's development team.  She wasn't the best at finding major flaws, but she was a perfect test subject for day-to-day usage.  Lily, for her part, enjoyed being able to help in what little way she could.  That's why, when the recruiters for the TSAB came to her school, she surprised everyone by asking to take the entry examination...and then surprised them even more when she accepted the position.  Lily had found something she enjoyed doing more than anything.  Just being there to help, however she could.