She was Callie Mystic, a fearless and famous reporter. If she wanted the truth, she would find it. This determination to get to the bottom of things came with a price. And this time, nearly her own life. Callie looked at her apartment one last time. It was burning brightly. She could hear a loud ringing in her ears. And some sounds that sounded like they were wrapped in cotton, from Corso trying to make them get to safety. She felt Sonny grab her arms lightly. He had a worried look in his hazel and pointed for her to read his lips. Callie tried to focus on his lips, noticing Sonny had slowed down his speaking, to make sure she got what he was saying. His hazel eyes looked concerned with what they had just witnessed, not at all focused on the danger of being arrested by police. Corso had joined them now, signaling that they couldn't stay. The fire department was on their way and that meant Technoid would not be far behind. He handed Sonny a cloak, his goggles and gave the same kind of outfit to Callie. She looked at him, questioning why. Sonny signalled it would help her slip into safety undetected. What had happened was not an accident, it was planned. A message for the galaxy, from their enemies. You helped Sonny Blackbones and his pirates, you risked paying for it, with your life. Sonny had put his gear on and helped Callie with hers. Callie felt her heart race. She tried to breathe calmly, to slow the heart rate, and she was not doing a good job at it. Sonny took hold of her hand, and led her gently to the car that was parked in the dark shadows. As they reached the car, she started hearing again. Sonny seemed to notice, as he turned her towards himself.
"Can you hear me Callie?" Sonny asked, checking if she could hear him. Callie had put her arms around herself. The reactions was starting to overpower her. Now that the numbness of the shock gave way, she was getting into the next stage of reactions. She wasn't cold but she couldn't stop shaking.
"Yes Sonny, I-I just can't stop shaking." She said. Sonny nodded. This was a normal reaction if you were not used to it, and Callie was anything but used to it.
"I don't blame you. What you just experienced is very body is going to be in alert mode for some time yet. If you sleep, your body can better let go of the worst reactions. After a rest, we will see how to handle it" He said as he took her hand, and placed his finger atop her pulse. She could see from his face that her racing pulse worried him.
"Corso, her pulse is too high. Do you have something to help her calm down? She needs rest, this night has been adventourus enough for now" He said. Corso nodded before he handed Callie a small capsule and a water bottle.
"This works fast. But you'll get very sleepy." He said as Sonny nodded. It was safe to use, he would not offer it to her unless he knew it was not dangerous.
"You can trust it Callie. It will help. you need to rest, I will make sure your boss is notified. At the time being, you cant stay here on Genesis, it is not safe." He said before turning to Corso. "Have my cabin made ready to house an extra person. Callie is coming with us." he said. Corso nodded and sent the message. Callie swallowed the capsule with the water. It didn't take long before her vision became unclear. Sonny held her carefully with her head leaning on his chest. She could feel his calm heartbeat. She heard Corso as if through a fog.
"Where to Sonny?" He asked.
"Have everyone be ready, we'll head for Shiloh. For now, we need to lay low. This last move has demonstrated how far they're willing to go. This is also not Duke Maddox we are dealing with. We're close to the one that has taken control of Technoid. We knew it would get dangerous, but we had no idea how far they would go, now we got the first indication to what we are up against. We best prepare for more violence on their part" Sonny said. Corso nodded.
"Why do I get that feeling this will get a whole lot worse?This is only the start" He said. Sonny looked at Callie, who had fallen asleep.
"You and me both Corso. We must await their next move. Things will get a whole lot worse."
Technoid HQ
Duke Maddox was watching the video from the fire at Callies aparment complex. Before the explosion, he could see Callie Mystic make her way home, looking tired.
"She was running herself ragged, Her boss is really making her work for her paycheck. " He muttered to himself with sympathy. The last interview segment he had seen, had Sonny speaking very openly, revealing his side of the matter. Duke Maddox had paid close attention to these interviews. Sonny was relaxed and he could see Corso behind him at all times. Sonny was not being forced to disclose these things, this was his own choice to share. Corso's posture made it clear he was there to protect his leader, his friend. You wanted to get to Sonny, you had to go through Corso. Duke Maddox remembered how Sonny had once been; a young scientist. He remembered an observant young man. One who spoke only when being told to do so. But even then, he was a genius, a rising star. He would make calculations in minutes that the other scientists would take days to solve. Which was, of course, a boon to Technoid.
That was until the day General Bleylock, a person Duke Maddox had no problem admitting he did not like, turned his attention to young I'Son.
The scientists had been debating a complicated scientific problem when Bleylock made his move.
"I think you're all looking at this problem in the wrong way. This is overly complicated, when a simpler formula gives the same result. What do you think, I'Son?" Bleylock said as he turned his focus to a tall, blond young man in the back of the room. The young man looked up as Bleylock addressed him, not really having paid attention.
"I agree, it's more complicated than it has to be. Hang on, let me show you." He said, taking out his notes. Bleylock had been fascinated with the theory the young man put forth.
That small incident had been the start of the end for the young I'Son. If he had only seen what Bleylock was up to. Or maybe he could have intervened. I'Son would have been able to continue working for Technoid. But as the snake he was, Bleylock had slipped through his grip. And the result was well known. Duke Maddox shook the memories, as he paid attention to a tiny detail in the security footage. He could see a tiny shadow near the door to Callies apartment. What was that? Duke Maddox zoomed in. It was a robotic cat. It looked like one of their X22 protocol models. Duke Maddox watched in horror as the cat dropped a bomb from its mouth.
Then, from the right, he saw a familiar figure storm towards Callie, clearly having seen what was about to happen, grab her and make a run away from the bomb.
He could see Callie's rescuer give it all he had,as he threw Callie and himself out of range of the blast. When debris started to fall he used his own body to shield her. Duke Maddox creased his forehead, as he looked closer at him. As he helped her to her feet, Duke Maddox froze the image. No wonder he looked familiar. They saw his face every day. Sonny Blackbones had made a full recovery, as he could not see any signs of injury or limping when they started to move. Callie Mystic was in danger alright, but not from the Pirates. Duke Maddox knew, the way things were now, that this had to be kept out of the news. If he wanted Sonny to help him, he needed to help them a little as well. He at least had some control over this situation. It did not take long for him to make a decision. He called Dame Simbai.
"Your Excellency, how may I help you?"The herbalist said as she picked up her phone.
"I need your help, I need to speak to Sonny, and it's urgent." Maddox said.
Dame Simbai looked at him.
"I believe they have left Genesis stadium at this point." she said.
Duke Maddox was not deterred by that.
"Dame Simbai, there has been an assassination attempt, on Callie Mystic. Sonny made sure it ended well for now, I need to speak to him, Sonny needs to know just how dangerous the enemy he is up against is. They are not taking any prisoners. He has to be careful" He said. Dame Simbai nodded.
"I will ask Clamp to set up a call"
At The Black Manta, Sonny had taken the sleeping Callie to his cabin and laid her on the bed. Callie was still sleeping soundly. Her clothes were dirty and shredded. Sonny smiled compassionately. It wasnt luxury suits, but they had some extra clothes on board. A quick call and Artie arrived at his cabin with a tracksuit.
"It's not much, but it will have to do." He said apologetically. Sonny nodded.
"We will take care of getting her a new wardrobe when in Shiloh City. For now, she'll get first hand experience with life as a Pirate. No luxuries, but still, we stay alive. That matters most" He said. Artie left the cabin as Sonny sat on Callie's bed and watched her sleep. Pleasant memories came to him as he recalled some of the things the two of them had done together. He was not ready to admit it to Corso yet, but Callie's presence felt a lot more natural than it should, especially considering he was still a wanted criminal. It was not triggering the usual warnings. In fact, his intuition was taking a different direction with her. Sonny had given it some careful thought these last days. It felt comfortable, pleasant and for lack of better words, it brought him a sense of inner peace. He had not felt like this since his marriage with Helena. For once, he did not feel guilty for moving forward with a new partner. Sonny smiled to himself when he thought of how Helena would have felt about this. If he closed his eyes, it was almost as if he could see her in front of him;
"I really like her, she's making you return to living again, being the man I once gave my heart to. Don't be afraid to love again." she smiled.
Sonny let go of this inner vision. He carefully rose from the bed and put the covers around Callie. He smiled as he looked at her. Callie could handle more than even most Pirates could and that showed her inner strength. Sonny silently admired that strength. There had been a time when this had been the furthest thing from who he himself was. Memories from his first training sessions with Corso came to mind. Corso did not go easy on rookies.
"If you go in the shark tank, you take care of your own hide, no one is going to do that for you. especially not here"He used to say. But something about his clumsiness and fear for using weapons had made the hard, tough Corso notice him and take him under his wing. Corso had a tough way of being but the young scientist, close to scared of his own shadow, had awakened a kind of father instinct in the former soldier. As a commander, he had taken the young scientist under his protection.
"Sonny, I can't have your back all the time. If you don't stop being a chicken, it will ultimately be the end of you. It's kill or be killed around here. And that would be a shame, as you have real potential. We don't see that often around here and Magnus doesn't want you buried in the crypt just yet." he told him. Sonny looked at him, and then at the lasergun in his hand.
"I'm a scientist Corso, my way is through science. I'm not a weapons kind of guy." He stammered. Corso shook his head with a sigh.
"Listen, Sonny, I am helping you because I happen to like you. You also got a skillset that the Pirates need, and knowledge of Technoid. Most that escape them either lose their memories, or have them erased. You're the first that has escaped them unharmed. That makes you valuable to our organization but also dangerous to theirs. It won't take long before you are on their most wanted list, with a bounty on your head. Don't worry, that's normal around here. But you have to be able to hold your own and right now you are one of the biggest chickens I have ever worked with. You need someone watching your back. I will help you out but you need to pull your share of the weight as well. No special treatment, you're not I'Son the scientist anymore. You are Sonny Blackbones, The Pirate. That might stick in your throat but that's the hand you were dealt. Play the hand the best you can, and you will find that you have a new home, and a family among the Pirates." he said, before commanding him to do the shooting practices.
Sonny shook off the memories as he heard the door open and Corso entered.
"Sonny, Clamp is on the secure line." He said. "Duke Maddox needs to speak to you. I suspect he already is aware what happened. This time, make him make himself helpful since we are risking our lives to help him sort his mess"he suggested. Sonny nodded.
"Post a guard to look after Callie, I will take care of this." He said.
Clamp was feeling uncomfortable with Duke Maddox on the wait for Sonny to join. Sonny was usually easy to reach but right now, he had not been at the command post of the ship when he called and Corso had gone to find him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his friend come into the frame.
"Clamp, I heard this is urgent." Sonny said, getting to the point.
"I got Duke Maddox on hold." Clamp said. Sonny nodded.
"Put him through." He said. A few seconds later, Duke Maddox' worn face appeared on Screen. "You wanted to speak to me?" He asked as Duke Maddox looked at him.
"Sonny, I need to tell you that what happened at the fire at Callie Mystics home was caught on the security cameras. I will try to keep the footage from the board. I know you didn't cause this, but that is what the board in Technoid will insist on telling the galaxy." He said as Sonny nodded. "I was expecting that." He said. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I owe you a warning at least. I will try to withhold the information as long as I can. Be careful. this is starting to get violent" He said. Sonny agreed.
"Thank you for letting me know. I'll be careful." He said.
"How is Callie?I hope she is not hurt" Maddox asked. Sonny looked at the Duke.
"No,She is fine. she had a serious shock though. At the moment she's sleeping soundly and she'll be examined by Corso as soon as she wakes up. My question to you is, who among your employees or board members would benefit from her death? This attack on Callie is because whoever that is, can't reach me directly, so they try to hurt people close to me. Callie Mystic is an innocent party. All she has done is help me. I will not tolerate innocents being attacked for this reason. If this came from your office, I will find out, and there will be consequenses. At the moment, we understand eachother, but that can change at a moments notice, like it has before" Sonny said as he locked eyes with the Duke. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I admit the interview may not have been something I personally wanted, but I see what you are trying to do. It does give a more balanced picture when both sides speak their case. The Galaxy is listening to your side now. And that is putting you in a very interesting place. This is a first, no other pirate chief ever made this move. It makes the galaxy see you in a different light. And on that note, I know you will stay hidden for some time now, Is there any way I can send you some very confidential information?" He finally asked. This caught Sonny by surprise.
"It would have to be through a middleman. I'm still wanted after all. I will contact my team on Genesis, and see who is available to be a courier." He said. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I hoped for a personal meeting but I see why you wouldn't do that." He said. This made Corso let out a loud snarl.
"Like hell we are. Do you think we're that stupid? We have access to all your files on us, we know what awaits us but in Sonny's case I just know you're leaving things out and I don't trust it. You could have plans to have him killed for all we know. That's been the case before. You wont get close to Sonny unless we know he wont be harmed" He said. Duke Maddox looked at Corso, who was seething by now.
"I am not looking to hurt Sonny. He was once our best employee. If he was taken, Sonny would be well cared for, and he would not be harmed." Maddox tried. Corso didn't buy it.
"I don't trust you. You helped him ONCE and jumped at the chance to hunt him again. Lucky for you, Sonny is the Boss around here and not me because our meeting would end up with just one of us leaving." Corso snarled, not bothering to hide his anger. Duke Maddox nodded slowly.
"I understand your distrust, but things are different now. For the time being, we are working together. I need Sonnys help, more than he needs mine from the looks of things" He said. Corso shot the other man a glare. Sonny didn't like things started to get tense between his friend and the Duke.
"Corso, put this behind you for now. We all need to be on the same page to solve this." He said. Corso nodded slowly.
"As you wish…"
Callie yawned as she stretched. She then looked around her. Where was she? She could see someone had left some clothes for her; a pair of sweatpants and a college sweater. She quickly put them on, discarding her destroyed clothes. her shoes also being ruined, but someone had put some Technosizer shoes, her size, with the clothes. Callie quickly changed out of her destroyed clothes. This was clearly Sonnys order. She wondered if it was some of his clothes, if so, they would be rather big on her body. A discreet coughing made her look up.
"Artie!" Callie exclaimed The young Pirate looked at her with a smile.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. How are you doing?" He asked with a compassionate smile.
"Better now that I know I'm safe." She replied with a small smile. Artie was relieved.
"I'm sorry you had to experience that. That was never our plan. We figured there'd be retaliation but we never meant for you to get caught in the crossfire. I hope you won't hold this against us." He said. Callie smiled as she sat down to tie her shoelaces.
"I never thought that for a second. If anything, this shows me that Sonny is telling the truth,and someone doesn't like that. But I already knew that. To lie isnt who Sonny is" She said as she stood up from the bed carefully. Her legs were still wobbly. Artie was at her side instantly.
"Careful, if you hurt yourself, I'll be in trouble." He said. Callie smiled.
"No worries. Speaking of which, where are the others?" She asked.
"On the command bridge. Sonny had a call from Duke Maddox. The video from the fire will be withheld until we're in a safe location." Artie answered. Callie nodded.
"I need to get in touch with my channel, They need to know I'm still alive." She said. Artie nodded.
"Let's talk to Sonny about that. He will know how to do this safely."
Technoid HQ, Sublevel 9
Mister Miller was one of the board members of Technoid. The same had been the case with General Bleylock and Harris. Both were weaklings the way he saw it.
Bleylock had been megalomaniacal and obsessed with revenge.
Harris had put up a good show at first. No one had figured him out and he managed to steal the Multiflux for himself. It had been a powerful weapon until Labnor and I'Son had managed to fabricate an anti multi flux to counter it.
Miller shook his head. Those were their old names. Nowadays, it was Clamp and Blackbones. Clamp clearly wasn't a threat. Blackbones, on the other hand, was a big one. Even as the most wanted man in the galaxy, it didn't slow him and his Pirates down. Miller knew that the actual piracy, if any, was minimal. The Pirates as an organization had different motivations then sheer greed. Bringing Technoid to its knees was one of them. Understandable given the decades of lies, that they now wanted the truth out there.
But Miller knew the truth couldn't get out. Not without exposing himself. Like Harris and Bleylock, he also sought the power that Multiflux could give. Bleylock had the Metaflux that I'Son and Labnor made. It was a lot weaker but powerful enough to cause a lot of harm.
That said, not even Sonny Blackbones was going to get in his way and neither was the Flux Society. Duke Maddox wasn't even on his radar. An old man unaware of the power struggles that went on in his own company.
Miller had a dark grin on his face when he looked at the security camera from the vault where he had stored his own Multiflux; the Shadows' Smog, The Sandpeople of Memnor's whispering curse, and The Gyros' Dark Wave. This mix would take out the Flux Society and if needed, the Pirates. And no one knew what he had planned. As for Sonny Blackbones, he knew things that could be useful to his plans. If he could find him and have him taken alive, he could, with some of Technoid's new inventions, put the man under his control. With their chief under his control, the Pirates wouldn't interrupt him. They would not do anything that could hurt their leader. But how to find him? The Pirates had avoided capture for years. Their usual solutions were not going to work.
Miller smiled. There was one thing he hadn't tried. It felt strange that it hadn't been used before since it would solve so many problems with the Pirates.
Miller grinned again as he made the arrangements.
"Let's see how well you will deal when the professionals join the hunt." He said with a laugh.
D'Jok was on his way home from practice with The Snow Kids. It felt good to meet up with the old team and play. The suggestion from the League to play against the All Stars in an exhibition match felt like a great opportunity.
Mei would not be partaking due to her pregnancy, so Mark would fill her place.
Rocket was also going to act as a player and had asked their old trainer, Aarch, to Coach.
Dame Simbai and Clamp had agreed to help out.
Even Artegor Nexus had sent a good luck wish.
Sinedd also joined them to fill the substitute position.
So far, the team looked strong.
D'Jok felt so much more at ease. Playing made him stress less about the upcoming birth.
Tia, along with Mei, had organized a baby shower. D'Jok hoped Sonny could attend but his father being who he was, he knew that could be difficult, but he still kept hoping.
There was a line on his way home so D'Jok watched the screen of a holo tv through a shop window while he waited. Something came on that shook him to his core. Images of Callies apartment complex, ablaze. This made D'Jok worried. Had someone figured out the Pirates hid there? Was his Dad ok? D'Jok felt his heart race. He checked around if he was alone, then he called his father.
"Come on Dad, Pick up."
The Black Manta
Sonny was looking at the video file from the fire at Callie's apartment complex that Duke Maddox had sent him. Duke Maddox made sure to keep the presence of the Pirates secret but that did not mean it was unknown within the Board of Directors. The news of the fire had broken, but as promised, the pirates presence, was being hidden. Sonny understood that Duke Maddox stood alone against the Board, and that something needed to be done fast. But how to go about it?He needed more information on who he was dealing with. Sonny was going through a list of people he could ask for help. A name popped into his head.
"Of course." Sonny muttered to himself as he made a mental note to put together a team of non Pirates who worked well together and had the skills to pull this off.
His transmitter beeped.
"D'Jok?" Sonny answered. He could tell his son was stressed.
"Dad, I just saw the news on the way home. Is everyone alright?" his son asked, sounding worried.
Sonny saw the anxiety in his son's eyes.
"We're fine, don't worry." He said in a calm and mild voice. That made D'Jok relax.
"Where's Callie?" He asked. Sonny decided to be honest.
"Callie is not safe on Genesis Stadium right now. She's with us and we're heading to Shiloh. We will have to wait till this passes over" He said. D'Jok nodded.
"That's a shame. We have Mei's babyshower coming up. We would really like for you to come." he said.
Sonny smiled.
"What's the date? I will do my best to make it." He asked. D'Jok smiled and gave the date.
"Let me know in advance if you will be there or not Dad, no surprise visit"
He added. Sonny chuckled.
"I'll try. See you soon." With that, Sonny ended the call.
"Problems?" Corso asked as he approached him with a worried look. Sonny shook his head.
"D'Jok saw the news about the fire. He was just caught off guard." He explained. Corso nodded.
"Maybe we should be bringing him and Mei to Shiloh too? They're prime targets for our enemies." He suggested. Sonny nodded slowly.
"I agree, but with Mei's pregnancy, I don't want to put too much stress on her. I'm not going to put anyone in danger if I don't have to." He said. Corso nodded.
"You can check her health to consider it. I mean, what's the risk?" He asked as Sonny grinned
"Mei's mother. for one. We would be accused of kidnapping. I accept blame for a lot of things but I don't plan to add this to the list." He said. Corso nodded.
"You're the Boss."
Genesis Stadium, Astroport
Miller had put on a cloak to hide who he was as he went to the kind of place that he felt was beneath him to visit. He had an important meeting with the man that would stop the Pirates and Sonny Blackbones from foiling his plan.
His gaze looked around the restaurant. A man with a light meal, sitting in the darkest corner, signalled him to come over. The man was not the kind of company Miller usually kept.
This stranger had an appearance that made him feel uncomfortable in his presence. He was tall, broad-shouldered with brown hair and blue eyes that told you, even from a distance, not to mess with him.
"You're late." The stranger stated as Miller reached the table and sat down.
"I contacted four Bounty Hunters to help me with my problem. You're the only one that replied." Miller stated matter-of-factly. "Which of the four are you?" The Bounty hunter looked at him.
"The one with inside knowledge of the Pirates' lair. If it is anyone of them you seek to get your hands on, I am your man" He boasted.
"I was asking for your name." Miller said.
"Kieran O'Keefe. Who's my mark?" Kieran asked, wasting no time. Miller pulled out a photo of Sonny and handed it to Kieran. Keiran studied it.
"Now I understand why you need to hire Bounty Hunters. Sonny Blackbones himself. That's not going to be easy. Getting close to him is close to impossible. Five million won't be enough. Maybe if it was his second in command, Corso, but not Sonny himself. That is too risky. And it is ballsy to even attempt to capture him" Kieran said. Miller was already on that.
"Name your price." He said. Kieran looked at the picture again. "It is a considerable risk for me to take. I was exiled by Magnus Blade. Not Sonny's fault, to be fair. Magnus sent him off on a mission, to keep him out of the way during the process. If he had been there, Sonny would have taken my side. They erased part of my memory to keep me from returning. If Sonny is hiding in Shiloh, I will have to wait until he resurfaces. After that, I will just need to tail him. But I am not going to harm him, and neither are you" Kieran looked at Miller. "I know you represent Technoid, and I know your deal. I haven't spoken to Sonny in a long while but I still consider him a brother in arms. If I turn him over to you, what will happen to him? If there is a risk you will kill him or otherwise harm him, you are really entering dangerous waters.I am not going to hand Sonny over to someone wanting him dead" Miller looked at him.
"We want him imprisoned to keep the Pirates in check. I want him alive. He could be useful to Technoid. We might attempt to re assimilate him to our company" He explained. Kieran looked at him.
"I always wondered what would really happen to him in captivity when Technoid had the chance. There are files that is still not decrypted. Its a reason why the pirates keeps a tracker on him all the time" He said. Miller shrugged at the comment.
"He was our best scientist. We would want him back in a laboratory, where he could use his knowledge. It is hardly any surprise that Technoid would want him back. We didnt want him to leave in the first place" He explained. Kieran nodded.
"I may not be a Pirate anymore but I happened to know Sonny quite well. He served as one of my crew briefly, I found him an excellent conversation partner when it came to science. There was never any doubt that he would go far." Kieran said thoughtfully as he looked at the picture of Sonny again.
"I'll take this on but I won't turn him over unless I am given guarantees that he will not be harmed. Anything happens to him, I'm not able to stop the Pirates from coming after you. Then there's Sonny's right hand man; Corso. It's easier to deal with Sonny than it is with him. Corso has a military background, you don't want to know the many ways he can kill you. You hurt Sonny, he'll go after you. I need guarrantees Sonny stays unharmed and that he remains alive, if not you are setting things in motion that can not be stopped" He said. Miller nodded.
"How much do you want to hunt him down and deliver him to us, unharmed?" He asked. Kieran thought for a moment.
"I'll have a few requests; no harm comes to him while in captivity. If you really intend to use him as insurance against the pirates, do so unless you want to get disintegrated. Also; Ten Million Standard Credits. It carries a major risk to go after him. I will need it to be worth the trouble that will follow" He said." Mr Miller smiled a sly grin.
"Deal."
At Mei and D'Jok's house, Tia was helping her friend organize the Babyshower. Mei smiled when she saw the crib D'Jok had put together in their nursery.
"Are you looking forward to this? A little baby version of you." Tia asked. Mei Laughed.
"Or a baby female version of D'Jok, can you imagine?" She said. Both of them laughed at the inner visions they had of this.
"Or my mom." Mei joked. "Maybe, she'll inherit traits from D'Jok's mom." She added silently. Tia looked at her.
"I always keep forgetting Maya isn't D'Joks real mother. Have you ever seen a picture of her?" Tia asked. Mei nodded, taking a picture from the top of the fireplace. It was a young, red haired woman with a beautiful smile.
"Who got you this?" Tia asked Mei smiled sadly.
"Sonny gave it to us. There isn't a whole lot of pictures of them, but Sonny has copies of the ones he could find." Mei explained before she sighed. "It still hurts Sonny to see these. Sometimes, I wonder if he blames himself for her death." she said.
Tia nodded. Mei looked at another picture; Sonny and his wife at their wedding day. Tia smiled.
"He was a very handsome man even then." She said. Mei giggled.
"That's my father in law we're talking about." She tried. Her face softened as she looked at him. "But you're right. He's good looking,then and now. Whoever is with him is very lucky. If he ever allows for that to happen again. I'm not sure. Sonny is a kind and loving person but he's also very private. It's hard to really get close to him. If he ever tries to start over, it has to be with a very special person. He deserves it." she said. Tia nodded.
"I can't imagine what he must have been through." She said. Mei smiled sadly.
"I really hope our daughter inherits some of his strong character traits." She said. Tia nodded. She looked at another picture on the fireplace. It was Mei, D'Jok and Sonny all together, the day D'Jok had asked Mei to marry him.
"It feels so long ago that he saved all our lives when the Metaflux was making us sick. I've wondered several times if there's anything we can do to pay him back for what he has done for us." She said silently. Mei smiled.
"You know, I was thinking the same thing myself. I asked Sonny about it once and his answer was a real surprise." She said. Tia looked at her.
"What did he say?" She asked. Mei smiled as she looked at Sonny in the picture. "He said we gave him back his son and for him, that was all he ever wanted." Tia could not help her eyes getting slightly wet from hearing that.
"He means it Mei. I spoke with him on my trip with them to save my parents. Sonny doesnt say things like that at random. D'Jok is lucky to have him as a father and your daughter to have him as a grandfather." She said.
"She truly is lucky." Mei smiled. "I was skeptical at first, but now that I know him, I have grown to love Sonny." she admitted. Tia smiled.
"He sure is handsome. I think most of us would have loved to have Sonny as a relative. " She said as she looked at the picture of D'Joks mother again. "Do you know her name?" she asked. Mei nodded.
"Helena. Sonny's real name was I'Son while he worked for Technoid. Their last name was Danvers" She answered. She looked at Tia. "What are you up to Tia?" She asked as Tia smiled.
"I would like to find some answers for Sonny, and help him close the book on some of his past." She said. Mei smiled.
"That might happen sooner then you think. He went on a date not long ago." She said. Tia looked surprised.
"Another Pirate? I never thought he was the type" She asked as Mei laughed.
"No, he was on a date with Callie Mystic." She said as Tia hid a smile.
"They would make a great couple. Callie is intelligent, and I know Sonny would want a woman that can challenge him a bit intellectually, make him use that genius brain of his. Those ones that is not up to par on that, would bore him to death" She said. Mei smiled and showed her a polaroid Sonny had given D'Jok.
"He looks happy and a lot younger. Quite hot too. I would not have recognized him, in that get up" Tia said. Mei Smiled.
"If we really want to give Sonny something special, how about we help things move forward with Callie?" She suggested. Tia smiled.
"That would be great but I don't want to meddle too much. Let's work on that. Maybe we can finally help him the way he helped us."
The Black Manta had reached Shiloh, The Black Manta was docked at her home port. Now Callie watched the Pirates started to disembark the ship and head to different destinations. she went with them outside, to take in what world the pirates lived in. Inside, Corso was also getting ready to leave as they had ordered an overhaul of the ship now that they were in the safety of their lair. Sonny looked at him.
"Corso, could I have a word with you in private?" He asked. Corso was surprised.
"Sure thing Sonny, but why?" He asked as Sonny smiled.
"Just something I would like you to know." He said. Corso nodded, as he followed Sonny to his cabin. Sonny closed the door and turned to Corso. "I've been thinking. I know you have asked me this before, and I was not really listening to you then. I think it's time." he said. Corso looked very confused.
"What are you trying to say?" He asked. Sonny smiled as he placed his hands on Corso's shoulders.
"You've asked me to be more conscious of my own safety before. To stay out of the line of fire and in hiding, so you knew I would be safe." He said. Corso looked at him. He immediately understood what Sonny was trying to say.
"I don't know what to say. I've hoped you would see it this way for so long." Corso's natural eye filled with tears. Sonny smiled.
"I thought you would see it that way." He said as Corso embraced him.
"Thank you. That takes a lot off the weight off my shoulders." He said as Sonny nodded.
"It's time, there have been so many changes coming and it's time I start to think of others, like Mei and D'Jok, and the baby. If I'm going to get to know my grandchild, I need to adjust my life in a way that makes it possible." He said. Corso nodded, a small smile on his face.
"She really changed you, didn't she?" He said as Sonny laughed.
"Is it that obvious?" He asked as Corso smiled.
"I'm happy she entered your life when she did. I know there is now hope to keep you safe and out of the line of fire. she has done you real good. Remind me to thank her for that." He said as Sonny smiled.
"Yes, she deserves something special." He said. Corso nodded, then he chuckled
"She already has one of the most valuable things this Galaxy has to offer. I am surprised you dont see it" Corso said. Sonny looked at him, confused.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Corso grinned.
"You, dumbass. She won your heart. I have the honor of calling you my best friend, and someone I can't picture being a Pirate without." He said. Sonny smiled shyly.
"I guess you're right. I've fallen in love with her." He said. Corso smiled.
"Helena would be proud of you. I may never have known her, but from what you have told me about her, she would want you to be happy. Everyone here does. We love you for who you are. The two of you will be great together. I love how she makes you laugh and relax. " He said. Sonny smiled.
"We have things to do if this kind of life she deserves is going to be an option. Also, for her to declare me as her boyfriend can get risky." He said. Corso nodded.
"She'd take the risk. It's not one sided. I've seen it." He said. Sonny nodded with a smile.
"Looks like I need to step up my romantic game." He said. Corso smiled.
"Shiloh is a magical place. Take her on a trip, and show her how things really look like here. She will fall in love with it, just like we did." He suggested. Sonny smiled.
"You're right. Nothing ventured, nothing gained".
Callie was amazed at how Shiloh really looked. Having only been here for football matches before, she had no idea of the Lair or how a City was hidden underneath the barren rocks. Sonny just smiled as they drove to his living quarters here. Callie couldn't believe how the beautiful city she saw was and how it could remain hidden from View.
"How did The Pirates keep this gem hidden?" She asked. Corso grinned.
"Let's put it this way; We borrow the technology and expertise from other planets that have adapted to harsh surroundings. This is the result." he said. Clearly the pirates was proud of their home, a home they seldom, if ever, got to show to the galaxy.
"This city looks old." Callie said. Sonny nodded.
"It is, it predates Magnus Blade. When I read up on the history, it predates my last 5 predecesors as leader. It's also where our most well kept secret is." He said with a sly smile. Callie grinned.
"You pirates and your secrets." She teased.
"Only because it's necessary. If the galaxy knew of this, it wouldn't be good for us." Corso explained. Sonny agreed. He pointed to a large building that looked very old, but well kept.
"That would be the real football arena of The Shiloh Pirates but since it's within our hidden city, all matches are played in the one you see at the Shiloh Nebula. That is Shiloh stadium" He explained. Corso nodded.
"This city is the only place where a Pirate doesn't have to watch his back all the time. Here, it's safe for us to be ourselves. Even Sonny can walk around freely without having to watch his back all the time." He explained. Callie was astounded as she looked around. The city had parks, waterfalls, and even shopping centers. Sonny and Corso exchanged looks. She was falling in love with their home. This could set the stage for Sonny courting her.
Soon, they reached a modern building that had a security man at the gate. He smiled when he saw Corso and Sonny.
"That's a rare sight, seeing the two of you at home." He said.
"Well, that's about to change. We need to lay low for a while, before we get back at it" Sonny said. The guard looked at him, then he looked at Callie. A grin formed on his face.
"That's a new one. I hope this is good news." He joked. Sonny nodded.
"Has everything been taken care of?" He asked. The guard nodded.
"Everything is prepared. Have a nice rest. I made sure your meals include some fresh fruits and shellfish deliveries. It is well known what your favourites are." He said. Sonny nodded as he led Callie to an elevator. Sonny used a palmprint to command what floor he was going to. As soon as Sonny activated it, the elevator moved upwards.
Soon after it stopped and they entered a very light hallway. Corso smiled as he split up from Callie and Sonny.
"I'll be at my quarters, doing some research on the Flux War and those files you gave me." He said. Sonny nodded.
"Let me know if you need me, I know how this feels for you." He offered mildly. Corso nodded.
"I have to confront my demons some time Sonny. I will let you know if I need help" He said. Sonny nodded.
"You know where to find me if you need me." He said. Corso nodded. As soon as Corso was in his apartment, Sonny used a retinal scan to open the door to his own quarters. It came as no surprise to Callie that Sonny had his place next door to Corso. Those two were thick as thieves. Sonny signalled for Callie to enter.
"Wow." Callie said as she looked around. The apartment was fit for a bachelor but tastefully decorated. A large holo tv, two black leather sofas, a steel coffee table with storage space under it and a balcony with a view of the inner mountain, the waterfall and a forest in the distance. Over to the left hand side she saw a desk with a computer and a filing cabinet. There was a box containing what looked like memory sticks and a notebook, along with a few pens, all neatly arranged. The kitchen had black tiles and steel. Callie could see how it all was kept simplistic. The bathroom held a large bathtub with white and blue tiles and a large mirror. The bedroom had a calming blue color with black blinds and a large king-size bed. On the nightstand she saw an alarm clock and a few Pirate gadgets. A small cupboard stood at the right side of the wall where Sonny kept his clothes.
After a few weeks of living with Sonny, Callie felt more relaxed than she had been in a long while. Sonny assured her everything had been taken care of and her channel had been informed by Aaron so Callie actually could fully concentrate on the interview. She looked up as she heard him enter from having been over to Corso.
"How did things go?" She asked. Sonny smiled as he logged into his computer.
"Smoother this time. Corso had some test results from the old Netherball Sphere. We now know what we're dealing with on that end. I'll have to ask Clamp for help. I'll be dealing with the snake within Technoid. We will just wait till they think they are safe, then its on again" He said. Callie nodded.
"Should we put this in the interview segment to smoke them out? It seems to provoke them, not to say, quite a lot" She asked. Sonny looked at her with a smile.
"I was thinking of something like that." He admitted. Callie smiled.
"We think alike, at least on that." She said. Sonny nodded with a smile, as he turned off the computer.
"We've both been working a lot since we got here. It's time you get to see Shiloh in its full glory." He said.
"And this has nothing to do with the fact that it's your turn to cook?" Callie teased. Sonny laughed as he rose from his chair.
"I think we can go for something else than home cooking today. There's a nice restaurant near the forest. My treat." He offered. Callie laughed.
"I can't say no to that. Forests hold fond memories." She said with a smile. Before they left, Sonny sent a message to Corso, letting him know of their plans.
Corso saw Sonny's message. He smiled. Here on Shiloh, there was no one coming in or out, unless they were on an approved list of names, Sonny would be safe without him guarding him. He was also with Callie, who would be of great help in the event something would happen. Corso was thinking of asking Sonny if the bodyguard program for Pirates would be an idea for Callie. Sonny had made the call to lead from the shadows, putting him in command of The Black Manta. That meant Corso would not always be around Sonny to protect him, but Callie would. Corso had seen some old news footage of her, sliding down ropes like a professional. If she could adapt to things like this and still be around Sonny all the time, it would be a good idea to ask her to protect him.
Corso also saw how things were developing between them. How much more relaxed Sonny appeared and it was clear that he had a good rest and enough sleep. To see the dark rings he usually had under his eyes vanish made Sonny look his true age. Even though he was the leader, he was still a young man.
Corso smiled when he thought of the many times he had seen the two of them take a late walk in the nearby park. Sonny was courting Callie and she fell deeper for him every day. Corso knew there was a real chance. Sonny could be saved out of the fate many pirate leaders had met before him. Corso hoped this courting would lead to a full relationship. He never saw his friend this happy. Corso knew Sonny was ready to put his inner demons to rest and finally start over.
Corso's thoughts were interrupted by a call. It was Tia.
"Corso?"She sounded stressed. Corso frowned. He knew Sonny had asked Micro Ice, Thrann and Tia to do some hacking and underground work in regard to the mission with Technoid,
"What is it?" He asked. Tia looked at him.
"You know how Sonny asked us to snoop around in the emails for the board members of Technoid, to find out more about who the traitor is?"She asked. Corso nodded.
"What did you find?" He asked. Tia looked worried.
"There's a big problem. Sonny needs to stay in hiding. He's in serious danger. This time, from someone that knows you." she stated.
Corso frowned.
"This sounds explain" He stated. Tia nodded.
"We checked all over the emails, and we came across this one."Tia sent the mail to Corso. As Corso opened and read it, he grew pale.
"I'll call Sonny right away and make sure he is under constant watch." He said. Tia nodded, and ended the call.
Sonny and Callie were walking hand in hand in the park, after a walk to one of the nearby seafood restaurants. Callie knew it was Sonnys favourite. And the shellfish was fantastic. To walk around with him like this..get to know him as a private person, see the more playful side of him, it was memories she would remember forever, even after she had to return to Genesis. But every minute with him, she would enjoy. She would wake up next to him in the morning, kiss him, and cuddle. To walk hand in hand, like a couple in love, it felt like the most natural thing to do. They were just on their way back to the appartment, when Corso, Bennett and Artie came to meet them. They all looked worried. Sonny could tell from Corso's face that something was up. he gently let go of Callies hand.
"Corso? What is it?" He asked.
"Trouble with capital T." Corso said, looking worried. Sonny frowned.
"Tell me." He ordered. Corso sighed.
"Remember Kieran,Sonny?" He asked. Sonny nodded.
"Tall guy, muscular but extremely fast for his size. Exciled for taking more than his share of the raids. He had his memory erased, and has not been seen around here since. I used to be friends with him once." He recalled. Corso nodded.
"He was exiled by Magnus when it turned out he had stolen more than his cut of the raids. But that isnt the problem now. its worse. This time, he is a threat" He said, Sonny nodded.
"I remember. That was one of the few times Magnus held me away from the process, knowing I was friends with him. Something must have changed dramatically since you are all looking so tense" He said. Corso nodded.
"It was not pretty. The real problem is who he is now. or rather, his new profession." Corso said.
"Explain." Sonny asked as Corso sighed.
"Kieran is a bounty hunter now Sonny,and Maurice Miller, a board member of Technoid, put out a contract for your capture. It's not the regular price on your head either. Kieran is going after you for ten million standard credits. With the request that you'll stay unharmed. I checked his merrits. He is dangerous Sonny, very effective, always gets his mark. Not one failed attempt as of yet, And now, he has his eyes set on you, to have you captured, and delivered to this Miller, under the pretence of representing Technoid. Since he is a former pirate, it causes a great risk for you. He actually could be the one to pull off having you captured" He explained as he looked at Sonny. It was rare to see his friend shocked. They had dealt with bounty hunters before. But none that knew them like an ex pirate did. This really was a problem. As soon as Sonny had the whits about him, he made his call to have security measures put in place.
"Corso, have the lair locked down. And check all that entered the lair, secret identities and real identities. We need to make sure he has not already returned. All his former known aliases are to be flagged" Sonny ordered. Corso nodded.
"Already taken care of. From now on, you will be under twenty four seven surveillance Sonny. He knows this place, and he is a master at disguising himself. He could be right behind you, and you would not even know it until it was too late to act. I dont think he will stop if he gets on track of you. So lets not make it easy for him" He said. Sonny nodded. He then took Callies hand again, noticing how worried she looked.
"Let's get out of here." He said. Callie silently observed how Sonnys main team encircled the two of them. Sonny was in danger in the safest place he could be.
This didn't feel good.
I decided to end it like this to show there is no real place Sonny or anyone else that is a Pirate would be safe until matters with Technoid are resolved.
I also wanted to show how security works within the Pirates' home.
As for the romance, it will progress slowly.
Another part that I'm working on is Corsos background and eventually also more on Bennett and Artie.
I also plan to have Sonny confront some demons of his own.
As always, thank you to Paranoidgirl for the beta reading and her helpful suggestions.