Chapter 37, undecicive
Sonny had struggles, coming to terms with the recent changes. He would have to take on Technoid in a new way from now.
He had expected alarms to go off, but so far, none. What did this immunity mean to them? Would they be able to live regular lives? And would the pirates, after being prisoners for so long, cope with it? So many questions, and so little answers. Sonny knew he sought answers to the past. A time he could not have again. Would it have been different if he had chosen a different path? He enjoyed the freedom their immunity gave them. Duke Maddox own way of saying thank you for doing the dirty work I didn't and saving the world from war. They were free men now, they could go looking for jobs. Sonny felt torn. Most of the pirates did not have higher education, they were men that had run away from Technoid, for various reasons. Some had left family and friends behind, young Artie, his youngest teammember was one of them. Sonny didn't know much about Artie's past, they had found him in the Akillian forrest, alone and scared. Sonny had tried to find his parents, but it soon became evident that the boy's family was either dead or imprisoned. The extend of Sonny's contact network was unknown to most. Only Corso knew of it. Some of them were paid money for the information, others required rescueservices for family and friends. Sonny would do what it took to gather the necessary information. Then, he would sit down with his team and plan how to execute the rescue. If only the plan of being a parent to a teen had been that simple.
Sonny gave up trying to sleep. There was just too many thoughts spinning around in his head. Aarch had rigged guestrooms for them at the Aarch academy. Bennet, Artie and Corso still seemed to be in deep sleep. Sonny gave up. He rose from the bed in the dorm, got dressed, and silently snuck out of the room. As he arrived in the common room, it was evident, he wasn't the only one not sleeping tonight. D'Jok was sitting in his pajamapants, on the sofa, watching a movie about the flux wars. Sonny moved closer, and put his hand on his shoulder.
«Aah.. Dad?» D'Jok struggled to calm his heartbeats.
«Oh, sorry, didn't mean to scare you» said Sonny, as he sat down next to his son.
« You might want to work on your arrival then» commented D'Jok, and turned of the tv, as he turned to his father, and hugged him. «What are you doing up this late?» he asked.
«Couldn't sleep, you know, I haven't spent this much time on Akillian in a long time, not since..» Sonny stopped, as if the memories hurt too bad to be spoken of.
«Not since mom died?» asked D'Jok, silently.
«Yes, you took the words from my mouth» said Sonny.
« I feel so torn when it comes to that» said D'Jok. His comment made Sonny look at him.
«Why is that D'Jok?» he asked mildly.
«You know, it's probobly stupid to think that, but I never knew mom. It was Maya that raised me. Do you think of me as being disloyal for saying so?» D'Jok asked and turned to face his father.
«No D'Jok. Infact, I understand very well why you feel that way. And you're entitled to. It's true, you never really knew your mother, so, in that regards, Maya is your mother. As much as I wish you knew her, I can't turn back time, and give you that D'Jok. Believe me, it causes me great pain too. Pain, because she is not here to get to know you, pain, because of my own role in what happened, you could say I am to blame for her death».
«What? Come on Dad, that is ridiculous. How was you to know what would happen?» asked D'Jok.
«What I should not have done, was to create the Metaflux».
D'Jok logged on to his fathers trail of thoughts. He knew his father had blamed himself in full for the disaster for many years.
«Dad, from how I understand it, the metaflux was a huge success in many ways. What was the wrong thing, was that one insane man, wanted to abuse it..»
Sonny nodded. «Mhm, Bleylock. And this is where I should have been more cautious D'Jok».
«What? But how could you know what he planned Dad?».
Sonny had thought it through for days, what to say if D'Jok asked questions of his past with the general. Sonny made an on the spot decission, to be honest. More honest than ever before. Sonny decided to tell D'Jok the full truth.
«D'Jok, I hope you won't hold it against me afterwards, it would hurt me immensely if you did. But I'll be truthfull on the subject. I must ask of you, not to ever share this with anyone, it could pose a great danger to me personally, and also, to yourself. Know that I would never put you in danger on purpose D'Jok, I am only human». As he said that, Sonny put his hands to his son's shoulders, and pulled him close. D'Jok placed his hands round his fathers neck. «I know dad, I am truly happy I found you» he whispered. « Me too D'Jok» whispered Sonny.
Then, he freed himself from D'Jok's grip, and started telling D'Jok of his knowledge of the allegedly diseased General...
D'Jok had thought of that conversation, time and time over in the months that had passed. It had been hard for Sonny to tell. D'Jok, who had come face to face with General Bleylock, personally, now realised where the hatred he had seen in the green yellow orbs that made General Bleylock's eyes, came from. General Bleylock had hated his mother, hated her with an intensity that really was fearful. He had blamed his mother, a kind, and loving humanbeing, whom he barely knew, for the loss of his love. It had felt surreal to D'Jok, hearing Sonny telling him the facts of life on that. Sonny had made his voice more mechanical as he spoke of that part. How Bleylock had lured him away from his home, and family, to fullfill his education elsewhere, through the schollarship programs of Technoid. Sonny told him of the bond he had developed with Bleylock, and how Bleylock took advantage of that. D'Jok could imagine that most people would have given up, trying to pierce that shield of his. Sonny, had gradually come closer and closer, by carefully breaking down his walls, pulling the general from his confinement, and into the world of the living. The general had learned to like football. Maybe not at the same levels as Sonny, who, like all the pirates, loved football. Sonny had admitted to D'Jok, that even during rescuemissions, the pirates would still follow the matches. If they couldn't wiew it, they would use the radio. But, the pirates were in a special state when it came to the football. They had organized their own team, the shiloh pirates, for the sole reason of their love for the game. The same team that D'Jok and the snowkids had defeated. It had been nice to meet these players without their masks. D'Jok remembered how it had felt to meet Stevens, a young man in his early twenties, at the party. Sonny had introduced him. «D'Jok, I'd like you to meet someone that you have faced before. This is my team's deadly striker, Stevens». Stevens had shook his hand, and deliberately held it in a firm grip. «It's nice to meet you D'Jok. We might be enemies on the pitch, but on this occassion, I'd say, I love being friends with you». «The same» stoddered D'Jok. He had been introduced to all the pirates players. They too were a young team. But without a flux. D'Jok had asked Sonny about that. «Even Shiloh has a natual flux D'Jok, but we don't use it, for various reasons». D'Jok was confused. «Why not Dad? Wouldn't that give you an advantage?». Sonny looked at him with a smile. «Yes, it would, but it would also give an even greater advantage, to our enemy». «How come?» asked D'Jok, his confusion was growing by the minute. Sonny looked at him, with a smile. «D'Jok, you know as well as I do, that the flux society can trace the use of flux, all over the galaxy. What do you think would happen, if we really need to lay low, and undetected, if we didn't regulate the use of that flux?» he asked. D'Jok seemed to get the idea.
«You mean, they would use the flux to track you down? To capture you?».
«Yes D'Jok, in a case where Technoid could prove us guilty of anything major, they would have the right to access those exact coordinates we were in..»
«But Dad, why don't you spread the team on different ships in your fleet? That would raise confusion».
«That's true D'Jok, but then we got the next set of problems that would follow. It would involve more ships from the fleet whenever a match would be played, and thereby pose a serious risk to the lives and freedom of more men. One ship is sufficient, and that's why our team is a member of the staff onboard my ship» Sonny stated with a smile.
Micro- Ice walked up to them at this point.
«Sir? Ehr, Mr Blackbones?»
Both D'Jok and Sonny turned to Micro- Ice. «What's up Micro – Ice?» asked D'Jok surprised.
«I hope I don't sound rude or anything, but there is one thing I've been wondering about the pirates team for a long time, I asked Artie, and he told me to ask you» he said and looked at Sonny.
«What is it you want to ask Micro- Ice?» said Sonny in a friendly tone. After all, he owed his life to this kid, and the kid obviously had stuggled asking him.
«Well, all teams has a coach, and mostly, they're found in a booth nearby at the games. Artie told me, that the coaches box in any pirates match is always empty, and I was wondering why?»
Sonny smiled at Micro- Ice.
«That, Micro- Ice, is a very good question. There is a reason for that, and it has to do with security. The team's coach is Corso, and, like myself, he's a wanted man too. I know, you probobly find it strange that he doesn't have a wanted poster, but the way Technoid is constantly looking to get me, it's not necesary. They know,that if they manage to capture me, they will also get Corso, unless we plan for one of us to get captured».
«You plan for things like that Dad?» asked D'Jok.
«Sometimes D'Jok, it all depends» replied Sonny.
He told them of the standard pirates way to handle situations with Technoid. It was evident to all that listened, that the human brain would always conquer the mind of a droid. But D'Jok had one more question. Now, Clamp had also joined them. «Dad, why do they chase you really? What is it that makes you so valuable to them?» he asked.
Sonny was about to give a response, when Clamp intervined. «D'Jok, the reason they are looking for him, has nothing to do with the looting. Remember Sonny once worked for them, along with me, many years ago?».
D'Jok nodded. «But that still doesn't explain why they are offering two million standard credits for his capture? Looting isn't all that bad is it?» he asked.
Corso placed a hand to D'Jok's shoulder. «Kid, they will never stop hunting Sonny, even now, when we're at peace with them, they are looking for him. Duke Maddox made a call to the onboard unsecured line last night, to talk to Sonny. It's standard protocoll that Sonny would not be alone in that call, it's a safety mechanism for us. Duke Maddox wants Sonny to come back to Technoid, to work for him again».
«WHAT?» D'Jok yelled.
«Calm down D'Jok, it won't happen. For many reasons. But mainly, because many things need to change within the company, before I would concider the offer» assured Sonny his son.
«But, Technoid would definately try to get Sonny back anyway. He posesses knowledge that makes him extremely valuable to them. And one could say they are sort of protecting their investments».
«Investments?».
«Didn't your father tell you?».
«Told me what?» D'Jok's confusion reached a new high. Corso decided, after a silent nodd from Sonny, to tell the kid of his father.
«D'Jok, Technoid paid for Sonny's education, and they trained him as a scientist».
Sonny nodded. « Or, more so, Bleylock was in charge of my training» he said with a hardened voice. For a little while, Sonny was lost in memories, memories of a past time, of good things, that somehow turned sour. He brushed them off. Then, they headed over to the table to eat...
It was months ago now, since D'Jok had seen his father. But Sonny made sure to call from the Black Manta's secure line, often. But as much as he enjoyed the conversations with his father, he missed seeing him. Then, Mei invited him to come with her to Genesis for a commercial shoot, she didn't want to bring her mother along, and D'Jok being her boyfriend, she found it natural for them to spend some time together. D'Jok agreed to go, it would be nice to get away from the eternal Akillian snow every now and then. After hearing how it came to be like that, D'Jok knew that Sonny had expected to be blamed, even hated, for that. So, never happened. The snowkids thought that he had done all he could to prevent his invention from falling into the wrong hands, causing a new war. They secretly adored the pirates. Since no one knew, they felt it was majorly cool to be friends with the pirates, and especially, the most wanted man of the galaxy, D'Jok's father, Sonny Blackbones. D'Jok had made contact, through the open line to his fathers ship, and told him of the plans of going to Genesis with Mei. Sonny had been all smiles when he heard of that.
«We'll be on Genesis too D'Jok, setting up our own little operation there, I'll get together with you and Mei, and have some fun in between her shoots» he suggested.
«That depends if she's put in any breaks» commented D'Jok, and told his father of her plan.
Sonny listened carefully. «It's not a good thing she's doing there D'Jok, I understand her need to make a career, but I would be concerned about the consequenses to her health too» he expressed to his son.
«Well, I don't see myself sitting there, day after day, watching her shoots, it's boring» stated D'Jok.
Sonny laughed at his son's obvious frustration. «There will be sometimes, where you don't have a choise in that matter D'Jok, not if you really care about her. But, I'll make sure to save you from some of the boredom. Here».
Sonny asked D'Jok to write down a number. D'Jok looked at it.
« This is a temporary number on wich you can reach me directly D'Jok, it will be disposed of later, but for now, you can use it, if you need to talk to me, ok?».
D'Jok felt his throat clogg up, and tears was visible in his eyes. «Thanks Dad, this means a lot to me».
Sonny could see his son's struggle through the screen. He had never thought he would ever feel like this, but Sonny felt a new kind of feeling from within. As a pirate, he would do good things for people, not asking anything in return, but this time, with his own son, it became important to him, to have a response, to make a connection, have a growing bond to his son, and start his life on a new chapter. Sonny cleared his throat.
«I'll see you soon, on Genesis D'Jok. Have a safe journey, both of you, we'll meet you at the astroport there».
He ended the call. Corso, who had been watching him during the call, walked up to him. «Are you ok Sonny?» he asked with his hand to Corso's shoulder. Sonny rose and nodded. «I'm fine Corso» he stated.
«Things really have changed for you my friend, ever since you found him..» said Corso quietly..
«Yes, but this change is of the good Corso. It's a chance to make up for lost time..»
«Sonny, you know you can't have the time you lost with your son back, right?» asked Corso.
«I know Corso, but I got a future with him now».
«Do you plan to make him a pirate?» Corso had a feeling as to the answer, but he chose to ask.
Sonny looked to think it through for a few seconds.
«You remember what I told Micro- Ice, when he wished to join us Corso?».
«Yes, but this is a little different. Micro-Ice did save your life Sonny, without his help, Technoid would have captured you that day, and who knows what they would have done to you?» Corso didn't like the thought, but he felt he had to voice it.
«Different in some ways, but still, simmilar in others» said Sonny, and continued to explain. «I tolf Micro-Ice that he would not become one of us, as long as he had better things to do with his life. And that goes for D'Jok as well. There are very few exceptions to that rule. I won't let any of the snowkids join us, unless it's a threat to their very lives, to remain where they are. And it's not a permanent solution, only untill we can come up with a way to protect them where they are».
«And how do you intend to help D'Jok that way Sonny? Him being your son, surely calls for some protective measures doesn't it? And who is to tell, if your instincts are right, how long this immunity will last?» asked Corso.
Sonny rubbed his chin. Corso was pointing to something vital. All of a sudden, Sonny smiled.
«As much as I'd like to spend a lot more time with D'Jok, I'm not forgetting who I am and my responsibillities. I do have a plan as to how to protect D'Jok, but it needs be done without his knowledge. Also, it is a safetyvalve for me, to make sure he's ok, without sounding overprotective».
Corso had to laugh. Clearly, Sonny took on his new role as a father, with the same intensity as everything else. Corso wanted only the best for his friend. At the same time, his new role, posed more work for Sonny.
«Whatever the outcome Sonny, you'll make a great father to your son, I could see how much he appreciates you. Just make sure to be there for him, as much as possible» he said.
«Thanks Corso» smiled Sonny.
Then, he bid his confidante and closest teammember, sit down. Sonny had a pan to protect D'Jok, and he needed Corso's help to execute it.
A short chapter, but it shows progression for both father and son. The next chapter takes place in genesis, when D'Jok meets Sonny again, and a new talk of the past is to take place. Maybe you think Sonny is telling his son too much? Not really, he holds his son to a stricht code of silence. And for D'Jok to truly understand who his father is, and where he's coming from, it is necessary. Mei will also be brought more into things now, as she will be forced to stay friends with Corso. How things will develop, just keep reading, and please rewiew.