The announcement of The pirates' pardon had set the Galaxy on fire, making headlines everywhere. Arcadia news had exclusive footage from within the Pirates' lair,with the celebration and the praising of their leader, who had worked relentlessly to make it happen. Happy pirates, meeting family for the first time in forever was some of the happy scenes that was shown. And they all took time to thank Sonny for the sacrifices he had made,and declare their lasting loyalty to him and his reign. D'Jok and Mei hugged each other when the announcement was made official. Tears of joy also rolled.
"I can't believe it's finally over. Dad isn't wanted anymore. He's a free man. This is bigger than three consecutive galactik football cup championships in a row!" D'Jok had problems hiding the tears of joy when the news broke. Mei hugged and kissed him lovingly.
"I'm so happy for him, and the Pirates. They so deserve this" She said. "He can finally enjoy his freedom, his relationship with Callie and be part of our daughter's life. Finally, he can start living again" D'Jok said, as he smiled through the tears.
"Want to call him? This must be celebrated somehow" He asked his beloved girlfriend. Mei was about to answer when there was a knock at the front door. "Are you expecting anyone?" He at her.
"No." She said, and peeked at the security cam to see who it was. A smile broke on her face,"Speak of the Devil." She opened the door to the couple outside. Sonny still wasnt comfortable in the public eye, and wore his hood, but he looked very happy. "Sonny, Callie, come in!" Mei could hardly hold back tears of joy. As soon as they were in, Mei embraced Sonny and gave him a long hug. "Congratulations Sonny. This couldn't have happened to a more deserving person," she said. Sonny returned the hug calmly.
"It still feels a bit unreal, like it could go away at any time. It will take some time getting used to" he admitted. He turned to D'Jok. He smiled as they looked at each other. "Well?" Sonny looked at his son, crossing his arms and waiting for a reaction. D'Jok took a step towards his father.
"Can you confirm that I saw what I think I saw?" He asked as he hugged his father. Sonny smiled as he hugged him back. He chuckled, and slightly pinched his son by the arm."That hurt," D'Jok complained.
"Didn't you want to know if this was real or not?"Sonny teased. D'Jok looked at him.
"Corso's not tailing you so this is real, right?" He asked. Sonny nodded with a smile."I get it son, it feels unreal to me too. But it's for real. The announcement has been broadcast to all of the Galaxy, we have it in writing, signed by Duke Maddox. I look at it myself when I try to remember this is not a dream, it helps to have it in writing" Sonny said. D'Jok nodded.
"This calls for a celebration." he said. He smiled as Mei and Callie went to the kitchen to see what could be dished up. D'Jok looked at his father. He had never been more proud of him than this moment. He had also made his decision about something else. Before they followed the girls, he stopped his father."Dad, I don't want to hide anymore. I want to reveal that we're father and son. Showing the galaxy that carrying the name Blackbones is a sign of honor." he declared. Sonny nodded, for a second, D'Jok could have sworn he saw a small tear in his father's hazel eyes. Sonny smiled as he spoke.
"Finally D'Jok, I can say, that we actually can share this with the galaxy. There might be some commotion around it, but as a Snow Kid, you're used to that. Let me know when you want to go public,I will make arrangements with Callie to have it go from Arcadia news. They have done a fantastic job so far" Sonny said. D'Jok smiled.
"As soon as possible Dad."
There were lots of happy tears when sons, daughters, husbands, and wives returned to their families and tried to start over. In the midst of all this, the Pirates all praised Sonny Blackbones, saying it was his strategies that had led to this. While Sonny was used to his people thinking highly of him, he himself remained modest and humble. Being free men again, the Pirates started the process of establishing their new lives. Corso, Bennett, Artie and Sonny's two other security teams had stayed on board the ship while waiting for the new building on Genesis, meant to house Pirates, being ready for them to move in, so they could help each other, and start of Pirates' future source of income; a company specialized in computer security and discovering malicious hacking as well as hired bodyguards and merchants.
Sonny on the other hand, had surprised them all by deciding to make a go for a normal life from the start. He and Callie had talked it over, and decided that, with her help, his son, Mei and Clamp, Sonny was able to face the challenge of moving in with Callie from the get go, starting his normal life there. A life still being the chief of the pirates, but also, a private person, and in a relationship with Callie.
The kiss on the screen that had been viewed by the entire Galaxy, had made for ongoing debate. Was it Sonny Blackbones celebrating that he had finally reached his long term goal, or was there something more to it all? Curiosity peaked even with Barry and Nork, who found the news that night to be the perfect opportunity to ask Callie more about it.
"Callie, for all our holo viewers out there wondering, tell us about the kiss between you and Sonny Blackbones, it was too passionate to just be a kiss between friends" Nork said. Callie smiled, she had expected the question to come up.
"I will happily explain things. We're a couple. Sonny Blackbones is my boyfriend and has been so for a few months. This was a decision we made while I was still reporting from Shiloh. I am very happy with it, he is now moving in with me, to start his new life in freedom there. We could not be happier. It will also help him keep his footing and make the transition to normal life a bit easier for him" she smiled.
"It will certainly break a lot of hearts too, as Sonny was just voted sexiest man of the Galaxy, and now, he is already taken of the market" Barry said as he brought up the poll. "What does he think about that title?" He asked. Callie laughed.
"He's well aware of this title given to him, and he is handling it with grace. Sonny is a very modest person by nature so this is not getting to his head, but there has been some teasing from his men. Fortunately, Sonny has an excellent sense of humor and handles this with ease. " She explained. Nork was not ready to let the subject go.
"What is Sonny Blackbones doing nowadays, having a star reporter for a girlfriend? Is he still doing pirate things, or is he considering a new venture now that he is pardoned? The galaxy really wants to know more about his plans for his new life" He asked. Callie smiled.
"For now,Sonny is trying to adjust to living as a free man, like all the pirates. It's not as easy as it may sound. Remember, they've been chased by Technoid for a long time and it takes time letting go of being jumpy around them, Sonny has a lot of friends too,both from the past, whom he is reconnecting with and the present, whom helps him and his men deal with this adjustment. As for the future, the pirates has a plan for how to use their skills to benefit the galaxy and themselves in legal ways, but for now, it is not yet in effect, and I am a bit protective of Sonny and his men as it is. When he is ready, he will tell you more about this himself. Till then, I would appreciate it if you would go a bit easy on him and his men, help them get used to the new lives they will lead, through support. That will make it easier to speak to them later, when they are ready." Callie said.
"As for Sonny himself in this, with this new freedom, he has more contact with his son now, and that helps him a lot. They spend time together ever so often. He's still the head of the Pirates, and that makes him spend time with them as well, trying to use their unique skills in a way that will benefit the Galaxy,and also give them an income. As of now, Sonny is doing fine and has the support and help he needs around him. He's also trying to help the Pirates in need, getting proper medical help. There is unfortunately some of them, not doing so great. Psycological help is also in high demand. Sonny has found help for some, and still search for it for some. But he is getting there" She explained.
Days earlier, Callie and Sonny had taken a walk together. This was done for Sonny to get used to moving around without his protective gear. This posed a real challenge for the Pirate chief, and Callie had stopped him from putting the cloak and goggles on as they made ready.
"You don't need it Sonny. Technoid's not chasing you anymore. You're free now,It is hard, I know, but I am with you. I will help you through" She said as she saw Sonny let out a heavy sigh and hung the cloak and goggles back inside the closet. She carefully placed her hands on his neck, feeling how there was still a lot of tension in the muscles."This is hard on you, isn't it?" She asked compassionately. Sonny nodded as he turned towards her with a smile.
"It will get better in time Callie,I have done it before, it's just a habit that has to be broken, a very ingrained habit." He smiled. Callie kissed him gently on the lips.
"You'll make it Sonny, just like you managed to pull off the miracle with this pardon,I belive in you" She said. Sonny couldn't help but smile.
"Even now, it's hard for me to grasp the fact that it has happened. Corso even made copies of the scroll and put it in every room aboard The Black Manta and his own home office. I keep catching myself picking up the scroll and read it over and over, trying to realize it is real." He admitted. Callie smiled.
"It's real, my love. Trust it" She assured him in a gentle voice. Sonny kissed her softly.
"Thank you, Callie. You're the best. I'm not sure I could do this without you." He admitted softly. Callie smiled.
"Are we just gonna stand here all day or take a walk?" She asked to change the subject. Sonny let out a small laugh.
"You re right Callie, let's take a walk around the neighborhood." He said.
The walk had been very therapeutic for Sonny. Not only had some of The Pirates' supporters come out, but Sonny was also even asked for an autograph by some fans. To be such a famous face,made him a celebrity. He remained his calm and smiling self through it, taking time to talk with his supporters and thank them for their effort to help the Pirates. The real test was when they returned and found journalists outside the house. They were like a pack of wolves. Sonny stalled for a second, not sure he wanted to do this. But Cally's calm hand on his arm made him face them head-on. The journalists had been like a pack on the hunt but Sonny faced them head-on. Callie admired his calm composure, how he answered some questions and calmly deflected others. He didn't need much help at all. He could be softspoken or a commander. And he paved the way for both of them to get back inside. As soon as they were back inside, Sonny closed the blinds. Their home was their private area, in there, there were no journalists.
Tonight,Sonny watched the news with interest. Callie held her own well when their relationship was brought into question. She was not revealing too many details on his current projects either. It took time to get used to this new freedom. He spent time with D'Jok and Mei as much as he could, helping D'Jok get the nursery together for the baby and helped Mei with the grocery shopping. With the announcement of the pardon, The Pirates had returned to Genesis stadium and started to set up more permanent homes there. Artie was in charge of the meals the Pirates had delivered to them, they called it the food bank, and had gotten helpful tips from both Tia and Mei on how to cook nutritious meals for those in need of extra care. Some of them had lived with a poor diet, so changes were needed. There were the ones that required psychological help, as many had deeply buried traumas. Duke Maddox had talked to Sonny and agreed that all the Pirates in need would get help. Life was looking good for the Pirates now that they were free people again.
Not everyone had sought out the help that Duke Maddox offered. Sonny wasn't sure if it was a lack of trust or things from the past but when he checked the list of people not showing up for their psychological evaluation, a pattern quickly emerged. His personal team, Corso, Bennett and Artie, and team two and three, all didn't show up. Sonny sighed. He could understand them. Technoid had lied before, and the Pirates didn't feel this was going to last. That didn't mean their traumas didn't need to be looked into. When an apartment building was purchased to house the Pirates, it was clear that they still needed each other for comfort, safety, and support. They weren't ready to be re integrated into normal life yet. This was the category Corso ended up in. Sonny sighed when he thought of it. Corso's reaction to the Shadow behind the throne file had alerted him to what state of mind Corso was really in. His friend and right-hand man was an expert at carrying masks. That file had revealed a crack in Corsos impenetrable defenses. Sonny thought about the many nights over the years where he shared a cabin with Corso, and woke up, finding Corso battling invisible enemies, sweating, and screaming. Sonny could recall the first time he had tried to restrain Corso when the nightmare was at its worst. It had not worked out. Corso had attacked him and threw him to the ground. And been deeply remorseful the following morning, when he saw the bruising to Sonnys chest and arms. Since then, Sonny had found another way to calm his him down only produced a fight or flight reaction, so he had to try something else. Sonny found that pulling Corso to his chest helped calm him. Corso admitted to some of those nightmares involving Sonny, various times he had been hurt on missions or raids, and the ever-present fear that he would someday not be able to protect his friend, that Sonny would die in his arms, and he couldn't do anything about it. After that confession,Sonny had spent hours that night, calming Corso down, assuring him, it was all just a nightmare, that he was fine. It had worked for a while but where they were now, it was time to release the grip these demons had on his friend.
Corso went through most of the documentation they could find on the Flux Wars. It was a grim reminder of a time in his life he would happily erase from his memory. Too bad the cybernetics he had didn't allow that to be done. Corso was well aware of the damage he had sustained. His skull had been fractured, which was why the droids had figured him to be dead as well. When he thought of how he had looked like the first time he saw himself in the mirror, before he had his cybernetic eye installed, he couldn't blame them. He had looked as dead as his fallen comrades. He would have been too, if not for Aisha. She had already been a Pirate for a while when she found him. She had come to the bloody site of his platoons masacre to do what Pirates do; take whatever she needed. She found a single soldier, alive and badly injured. The Pirates had taken him with them and slowly nursed him back to health. Corso shook the memories, as he heard a knock on his office door.
"It's open," He called out. He smiled when he saw Sonny enter the room. "Sonny. How are you adjusting to life as a free man?" He asked with a smile, looking at his friend. Sonny looked at him, humored by the question.
"About as well as you are Corso, still trying to get used to not wearing a hood or protective gear to avoid Technoid is an everyday struggle. Kind of makes you jealous of those that dont have to do that" He said. Corso looked at him.
"That's how life is now Sonny, you're not a wanted man anymore. Now, you're famous for being Sonny Blackbones, the man that saved the Pirates and stole Callie Mystic's heart. Not the most wanted man in the galaxy. There is a big difference" He teased. Sonny walked up to his long-time friend.
"I wish the reason for my visit was as cheerful. Do you know why I'm here?" he asked as He looked at Corso. Corso nodded.
"I got my suspicions but go ahead, tell me.." He stated. Sonny nodded.
"I noticed you haven't had your psychological evaluation yet. The same goes for Bennett, Artie and the rest of my protective teams. Is there some kind of agreement you all made here, and forgot to tell me about?" He asked. Corso rose from his office chair.
"It's not that easy Sonny, I can't just forget everything Technoid ever did to us. I wish I could, but there is just too much damage done. You know that as well as I do" He said. Sonny nodded in agreement.
"It will take time, something we have a lot of nowadays, we will get there, in time. But until then, I still need to see to it that you get the help you need to deal with your past traumas" He said. Corso looked at him. It dawned on him what Sonny wanted to talk about.
"You're worried about my trauma from the Flux Wars. And you are seeking a solution that will work for me" He said. Sonny nodded.
"True. I'm worried about you, ever since that night, at Callies apartment. Your reaction was more disturbing than I let on" Sonny admitted. Corso sighed.
"I should have died there with them Sonny. There are days I wish I could just erase it all from my mind but my cybernetic eye prevents that." Corso said. Sonny nodded.
"I'm working on a solution for both you and Bennett Corso. Now that we are free, I can make headway with it. Be patient" He said. Corso nodded. "I know you'll find a solution, Sonny, you're just too stubborn to give up. But While we're on the subject of trauma, what about you?" He said, challenging Sonny head-on. Sonny knew it would come. And he always expected Corso would be the one to confront it. Right now, Corso looked at him, waiting for his response. He sighed.
"Same as you Corso. I keep telling myself I should go, but there is this warning that keeps stopping me from going there." He said. Corso nodded.
"What about Callie? Is she aware of your struggles? You can't keep her in the dark aboutThis. That is sure to ruin the best thing that happened to you in years. Dont sabotage yourself like this" He said. Sonny shook his head.
"I don't want to involve her in that nightmare. You saw her on Shiloh when we did the marrow extraction. I heard her cry. Even under the influence of the painkillers, I heard her. She wasn't prepared for what was happening, just how it works. I wont do the next one at home, I wont need to. I can get medical help for it in a clinic now, without having to hide. I cant do that to Callie again. I even considered erasing those days from her memory." Sonny said. Corso nodded.
"Since we both need to talk it out, do you have suggestions on how to do it?" He asked.
"If you don't want to talk to Technoids psychologist, would it be easier if you talk it out with me?" He asked. Corso sent him a long look. This could work.
"Under one condition. You do the same this back Sonny, it is all or nothing, the full truth, or no truth. You want the entire story, you dont hold back, I can read you when you do, remember." He said with a slight smirk. Sonny nodded. He had a suspicion of what Corso was getting at.
"Anything, in particular, you would want me to address?"He asked. Corso nodded. He recalled nights where Sonny woke up, screaming in terror, sweat dripping and a wild look in his normally calm eyes. This had haunted Sonny for years. If they could be stopped by Sonny talking it out, it would be worth it. Those nights had shown Sonny facing his worst inner demon, the demon he never talked about. Corso knew Sonny had his own issues to deal with, and he was going to make an exchange, his nightmares for Sonny's, maybe he could understand his friend better and put an end to it for him.
"Sonny, I need you to come clean with your relation to General Bleylock. What did he do to you? I know this isnt just a small argument. It goes deeper, much deeper. Please, Sonny, let me help you for once. Let me free you from your inner demons." Corso said as he looked at him, close to begging him to let him help. Sonny looked at his friend. A soft smile spread on his face. This was Corso, wanting to repay some of the many years of friendship. They wanted to spare Callie this, Corso was willing to hear it and help him sort through it.
"Only if you let me do the same for you. We both should have done this long ago." Sonny said in a soft voice. This made Corso grin.
"I can only speak for me Sonny, I'm a soldier. A very stubborn one." He stated. This made Sonny burst into laughter.
"That makes two of us, then." He smiled. Corso smiled as he gestured for Sonny to sit on the sofa.
"We relied on each other for so long. Let two stubborn Pirates work out the worst mess inside their head,together, like we always do" He said. Sonny nodded with a small smile.
"I can think of a better way."
Technoid Prison
Miller had come clean with his involvement in matters and explained things as detailed as possible. At least, that's how it appeared to the robot interrogators. Those tin cans couldn't keep up with the human mind if the Galaxy depended on it.
This time, there was no one to put pressure on him. It irritated him that everyone thought Monteague was the real danger. The man was nothing but a scientist too fascinated with studying the Pirates, especially their leader, his former student. If he could only get back to Genesis. Miller had realized something during the Akillian experience with Sonny Blackbones. There was an element in here, one that wasnt spoken openly about. Sonny had resisted them in ways humanly impossible. And that had to do with his own flux, of all things. It would not work to have him hunted down by a new bounty hunter pirates were fully pardoned. That would make them drop their guard some though, wich he could use to his advantage. If he wanted to amplify the Multi Flux Mix he had, he needed a fourth, fully developed Flux. Sonny Blackbones happened to have just that component. He had revealed it to Monteague. There was no way he would willingly give it to him so he had to be very sneaky about it. Possibly rehire O'Keefe. The Bounty Hunter was paid ten million for Blackbones, and Miller was not done with Sonny yet.
He needed samples of Sonny Blackbones' Flux, The seed of Shiloh. He needed to get his hands on the Pirate Chief again. O'Keefe might not want to cooperate, but he would have to. And Maurice Miller had the perfect way to go about it.
O'Keefe had a family living in the Shiloh Archipelago. Threaten to explode a flux device there, that should make O'Keefe cooperate.
As for Sonny's Flux, some machines could extract it. It could also work as a shield, keeping the Pirates away. Duke Maddox promised the pirates medical and psychological help. Maybe he could get to Blackbones that way? Then again, Sonny had a legendary sixth sense. If he smelled a trap, he would not come alone. The Pirate Chief was still seen with his bodyguard on a regular basis, so the Pirates were not relaxed yet. If he could capture him, he could use him and his skills in other ways. Force him to do the Flux mixing perhaps? When Flux had been extracted from him, Sonny would not be able to put up a fight, he would be too weakened for that. In Miller's mind, a devious plan was taking form.
"Just you wait, Duke Maddox, you haven't won yet."
Sonny had taken a seat on the sofa in Corso's office. This was where all information the Pirates had on the Flux Wars was reviewed and categorized. Since Sonny now lived with Callie, he wasn't in the same building as the other Pirates most of the time. Corso was happy he was committing to trying to get a normal life tough. Sonny was able to handle the pressure of being a free man, who was immensely popular. Callie had given him a crash course on how to handle the press and Sonny had taken the lessons to heart.
Corso had watched the evening news when Sonny was a guest commentator to Technoid's new team, former Team Paradisia, taking on The Shadows for a friendly match. The Match had ended in a three to zero victory for Technoid and Duke Maddox had been very pleased with the result. Sonny had commented on how the removal of the Multi Flux made the cyborg team play more like humans and the team improved as footballers,a cyborg learning process. Being in the studio with Nork, Barry, and Callie, Sonny had become the subject of Callies coworkers' curiosity. They brought up his team, The Shiloh pirates, and their recently discovered Flux. Sonny had calmly explained things, trying to analyze the game they watched, but found that the two had dug in the archives for things to ask him. Nork had found an old picture of Sonny from his days on Technoid's scientist football team where Sonny was the defensive right.
"Do you still play or is football a thing of the past Sonny?" Barry asked. Sonny surprised him with his answer.
"I never stopped playing Barry. I've been on the pitch in Galactik Football games more than once. The Pirates uniform allows me to remain undetected,and for me to have some fun while I am at it" He laughed. Nork got into the conversation too.
"What is the number on your back when you are playing? Will we see the Pirates play without the headgear this season?" He asked, making Sonny chuckle.
"I'm not going to give you my jerseynumber, and for question number two,Yes, if we feel good about it, if not, we play with our headgear on." He replied. Barry put in one more question.
"Sonny, You have a son in one of the football teams, could you tell us who he is?" He asked. Sonny grinned. Callie's co-workers were eager, but this wasn't a topic he would elaborate on.
"I'll talk to my son about whether or not we will reveal his identity. He's a bit busy with personal matters at the time. That said, I did once play against is fun memories." Sonny recalled.
"And what was the score of the match?" Nork asked. Sonny laughed.
"I'll keep my son's team a secret for you the score would expose too much. This is how we operate. There are plenty of secrets we're not yet ready to reveal. Give it time." He promised. He brought the conversation back to Technoid's team and how the cyborgs played more like humans than the football that development showed how advanced the cyborgs really were. Duke Maddox had nodded to what Sonny said. It was clear to the Galaxy that any hostilities between The head of Technoid and the Head of the Pirates were now buried and the two got along.
Corso returned to the present as he saw Sonny sigh heavily and close his eyes and lean back slightly in the sofa, while he prepared himself for what he had to release to his best friend. Corso was shocked as Sonny slowly, in a whisper, started to tell his story. The stories he had heard about the General were confirmed by Sonny's account of events. Corso wasnt sure if he should be angry, or just chalk it up to a series of coincidences that the two had even met.
"How did he even find you?When you were out of school, you should have been safe, impossible to locate" Corso was baffled. Sonny looked at him.
"It was a lot easier for him then it should have been," he admitted. "Technoid had far-reaching arms even then. They targeted people that stood out. I was one of old teacher of mine knew my parents address, and handed it to Bleylock. He meant well, its just the result that didnt end well. For me, it was The chance to get a head start, doing what I was passionate about,It was all the motivation I needed to take the offer on." Sonny said silently. Corso nodded.
"How did he manage to get you involved so deeply in things? You were naïve when you joined the Pirates,I admit that, but too bright to get dragged into the dealings of his like that. Something must have happened." He stated. Sonny nodded.
"I was too naive, this is true. I thought he genuinely wanted to help me progress, to become the best and reach my full potential. I never realized I was just a pawn to him. He just had to make sure I had access to the necessary information to do the work he needed me to do. He became my patron, and to some extent, my protector. He would get me all the information I asked for, or grant me access to it at his house. He would not bother me while I was working, he would wait till I was done, with my shoulders tense from studying for hours upon hours before he would act like a caring father, making sure to massage my neck and shoulders so I would feel a bit better. It was all a part of his bigger plan hindsight, maybe I should have caught it earlier, but I didnt, I focused on getting somewhere. I had heard the rumours on Technoid base off course, but I never suspected he was looking at me for anything else but my talent. I had no idea what he was going for but that is when he started… " Sonny sounded hesitant. Corso nodded understandingly.
"He was seducing you. And you were so caught up in your studies, you failed to see it." He suggested compassionately. Sonny nodded.
"That's the best description for a little while, He managed to trick me into it, into his world, as bizarre as that may sound, since you know of his rumoured past.I got myself involved with him, but It only lasted until I came across some documents that proved he lied to me. That he used my research to harm others. I heard he had done this to several other scientists but being young and naive, I never thought he would do that to me. I truly thought he cared more than that. Boy was I wrong on that" Sonny admitted, looking down slightly as if he felt ashamed. Corso looked at him.
"It wasn't your fault Sonny. You couldn't have known what he was up was known to exploit people,I am not surprised you became his victim too" Corso said. Sonny nodded.
"I confronted him with my discoveries, that's where things went wrong." Sonny sighed as he stared at the floor. Corso noticed how Sonny seemed to tense ever so slightly.
"What happened?" He asked. Sonny sighed deeply.
"I confronted him with it, He tried to deny the fact, and I was having none of it. It became a nasty argument, with plenty of hard words thrown back and forth. That was the first real fight we ever had. It ended with him hitting me, was brutal." Sonny confessed. Corso creased his eyebrows, and at the same time, his natural eye narrowed. Sonny nodded. he recognized the signs of Corso getting aggitated. If it took this little, Bleylock should really be happy he was dead now, as Corso was not even close to the worst of it, yet. Sonny knew he had to deflect it for now. He couldnt go into the details. He wasnt ready.
"Let's not talk about it Corso. I need more time." He asked. Corso nodded. The relationship had taken a violent turn that made him comply with Bleylock's demands. That much he got. But he had to push Sonny to continue to spill the beans.
"Let's take it one step at a time." He said. Sonny looked at him thankfully. Corso was thoughtful "He did a number on you clearly. I'm just happy he did not kill you. He has with others, from what I heard in various military camps. I was never long in one place. And he was never caught either. Someone was protecting him against his crimes" Corso admitted as he had his own stories about the General and what he was capable of. Sonny nodded.
"He tried Corso,and we both know that. If not for the Pirates, he would have succeeded. wich you well know. And that was not even the first attempt at it." Sonny said. Corso grinned.
"He'd be dead twice over if he did, he cant kill you. If he did, I would be in line to finish him seconds after" Corso stated. "I'm glad he's gone laid a hand on you ever again, I really would not hesitate to finish him off, and you know I am not joking" He said fiercely. Sonny knew why. Over the years, there were many times that Corso sat by his bedside, tending to his injuries. There were times Sonny felt he had seen something in Corsos eyes, an unspoken question. At some point, they had to talk about it but not right now. Sonny nodded slowly.
"He said he was sorry. I was in really bad shape then, barely conscious, and unable to stand up to him. He had much more power than me in the system, and he reminded me of it.I had no choice but to comply with his demands. He arranged for a doctor to come see me at his place, claiming he had found me outside like this. I saw a side to Bleylock that made me afraid to oppose him. If I did, it could spell the end of my career, even my life. From that point on, I did what he asked me to do. No complaints, nothing. What Bleylock wanted from me, he got. And he wanted access to my entire life. At this point, I had seen his dark side, and I had trapped myself. Maybe I would have seen the signs if I had paid more attention. I was too focused on my research, on getting somewhere. Bleylock had his issues of abandonment. He felt I was slipping away from him. He was suspicious of all my movements. We had been in a relationship for some time but it was not working out. It was based on fear and control. It was a turbulent time, I didn't feel the love I once did for him either. I wanted out but he had me cornered, claiming he loved me, that he would change if I for the sake of others peoples safety, thats what I did, I sacrificed myself for their safety" Sonny forced the words out. Corso nodded compassionately. He just had to make him continue talking.
"So you did stay with him, was it to try to keep the peace, or was there still something left that made you hold on?" He asked mildly. Sonny looked away.
"More out of habit and fear. I feared that he would take his rage out on others if I left, so I tried to protect them. When he was friendly, I was thinking we could talk it out, remain friends even. That was when his true colors showed. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something. That's when I met Helena,my wife to be." Sonny recalled with a small smile. Corso smiled when Sonny mentioned his late wife.
"That must have made Bleylock jealous,till then, he had you to himself, and now he had to share you with someone else, a woman might I add, a beautiful woman too" Corso said. Sonny smiled as he remembered her.
"She was a force to be reckoned beuatiful in so many ways. I don't even know how I managed to speak to her. My brain felt like it turned into mush when she was around. I was drawn to her like a moth to the light. At first, I didn't think I would stand a chance. She was lightyears out of reach. But somehow, I had to find a way to get to know her." He smiled. Corso grinned.
"Did your brain start functioning again when she said yes?Clearly, she noticed you, and took a liking to you, or maybe the infamous charm of yours" He teased. Sonny never spoke about his relationship with his wife. In that department, he was deeply private, even with the hear him open up ever so slightly made Corso hopeful for him.
"I was told that she asked around about me. If there was any spark at all, I was going to act on it." He grinned. Corso nodded. He could relate.
"Did you tell Bleylock before the first date?" He asked. Sonny shook his head.
"No, it felt like something that we needed to keep to ourselves. With his temper, I wasn't sure I put her in danger by telling him, so I continued to meet her in secret, claiming I had lectures and football practice to get out on my own. Eventually, Bleylock found out about us tough. At first, I was able to convince him she was just a friend but on our third date, I realized how good I felt with her, how she just got me, in a way Bleylock never did. The nights spent over books, the playful cuddling, even just holding hands, smiling at each other and kissing. I knew that I wanted her. I felt complete. She made me feel appreciated and loved for who I was, not what I could do. I had to end my relationship with Bleylock. A relationship that felt forced, and was based in fear. It had an eerie feeling of danger to it. I knew his explosive temper but I also knew I couldn't stay. I wasn't in love with him anymore. It was not going to be easy." Sonny nodded.
"Sounds like a real headache. Did you know what to do?"Corso asked carefully. Sonny sighed heavily.
"Bleylock is difficult to read and has an explosive temper. It's part of why I let it go to the point it did. To keep him calm. I knew this would make him explode, I just didn't know how bad it would be."he aadmitted. Corso nodded. Things between Sonny and Bleylock had come to a violent somehow, that didnt surprise him.
"What happened?" He asked carefully. Sonny closed his eyes.
"I came to his apartment after having been out with Helena to find him having checked the security cameras, and found us to be on a date. To him, she was not worthy of my wanted for me to meet the girls groomed to be the wives of professors and high ranking Technoid employees, all to hold on to what he felt we had." He admitted. Corso was shocked. He knew Bleylock was focused on goals, but this was too much. This was not a relationship based on care and love. This was based on control.
"He thought all you sought was physical gratification? That if he would let you have that with a female,maybe a couple of kids, you would stay with him?" He asked. Sonny confirmed it with a nod.
"He felt threatened by her. Possibly because it was obvious how I felt about her. His worst nightmare came to life when I told him it was over and I was leaving him." Sonny said silently. Corso looked at him.
"Why was he so afraid?Someone like him would have found someone new " He asked. Sonny nodded.
"He was afraid of being left alone Corso. Abandonment is something that happens early on his planet. He told me this was the way of his people. I always had a hard time understanding how parents could abandon their child. If I had known about my son earlier, I would have been there, despite the risks" Sonny explained. Corso looked at Sonny, feeling very uneasy.
"What happened when you came to him that night?I got a feeling this was not pleasant" He asked, bracing himself for what would come. Till now, Sonny had been calm and composed when he spoke of the past with Bleylock. It surprised Corso to see Sonny tense up, very sudden and very deeply.
"Sonny?" He asked. To see his friend like this was unusual. Sonny put his head in his hands. As he spoke again, his voice a mere whisper, he told what had happened in Bleylock's apartment that night. Corso's mouth fell open in shock.
"How did you get out of it?" He asked in a state of horror. Sonny hid his face.
"I have no idea Corso. He just… he just went completely feral."Sonny recalled. Corso nodded, the images racing in his mind with what Sonny had revealed.
"He damn near beat you to death Sonny, don't even try to deny it..And I dont want to even think what else he might have done to you while you were unconscious" Corsos voice was shaking with emotion as he spoke. Learning what Bleylock had done to his friend only added to the anger and the fear of something ever happening to his best friend. Sonny nodded.
"I managed to get to my own quarters after leaving,where I must have passed out. Helena and a friend found me the following morning. When they realized I was hurt, they took me to the emergency room. The doctors patched me up and notified Duke Maddox. What kind of information he received, I don't know but it was helpful. I was put on sick leave, and since Helena and I had decided to move forward together, she made arrangements that allowed us to be transferred to Akillian where we settled on the Technoid Campus. I thought I had escaped him but… " Sonny sighed.
"He followed you, didn't he?" Corso asked, sounding anxious. Sonny nodded.
"I should have known that he would. I naively thought, if we relocated, it would be over." He said. Corso could see how Sonny tensed again.
"How did Helena take it? I can imagine the sight must have been horrific" He asked. Sonny sighed.
"She used her contacts, especially her direct contact with Duke Maddox, to make arrangements to hide me from General Bleylock, for my being a nurse herself helped me heal faster" Sonny looked at him. "Helena had a good heart. She tried to protect me, keep him from finding me. I was still not ready to go back, after the injuries from Bleylock's attack. She managed to negotiate with Technoid, making sure I would be helped with my work but with a new mentor. I was put under the supervision of professor Monteague, to remain off his radar. But Bleylock didn't give up. He knew what field of expertise I worked in so he decided to create a project, designed to pique my interest. I didn't know about it at first. I was happy working with Professor Monteague and living with the girl of my dreams. I took a chance and proposed for her to marry me as soon as I had healed enough." He remembered with a smile. Corso smiled too.
"You must have felt like the luckiest man on Akilian when she said yes." He said. Sonny smiled.
"It was like winning the lottery for sure and the bracelet… " He raised his right hand, "Was the sign of our eternal love. I finally started to heal from the trauma as Duke Maddox had me talk with a psychologist about the attack. At this point, my life was finally looking up,and we were as happy as only newly weds could be, when she told me she was pregnant with what would later become my son" he recalled. Corso nodded.
"I'll retrieve that file Sonny. It's not something I feel comfortable with being in Duke Maddox's hands." He stated. Sonny nodded.
"I should have known Bleylock wouldn't give up. I learned about the new project from Professor Monteague and also who was set to be in charge of it. I'd already gone to some of Professor Labnor's lectures, and I was one of the junior Professors. Professor Labnor reminded me a lot of myself; a bit naive and trusting. He just wanted everything to be as good as it could be, constantly tweaking things." Sonny grinned. Corso smiled at this as he too had seen Clamp at work.
"He always came across as a perfectionist." He said, making Sonny smile.
"He hasn't changed a bit as Clamp. I knew, letting professor Labnor work alone with Bleylock was a bad idea. It was throwing a good man to the wolves. When I learned he needed a lab partner, I was willing to risk it all, to try to avoid disaster." Sonny explained. Corso nodded slowly.
"You were both played. Bleylock knew what he wanted and he didn't care who would get hurt in the process." Corso said, sounding thoughtful. Sonny agreed.
"He was already on his way off a cliff. Seeing me, recently married, did not make things easier for him. He knew he'd lost me." Sonny said, tensing up but Corso noticed.
"What did he do about that?Dont hold back. He did something, and I got a feeling this one was really bad" He asked, encouraging Sonny to continue. Sonny seemed to close off from him, Corso placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sonny, let it out. Its safe." He said calmly. This was really going to be bad. Sonny looked at him for a second, before a scene took place that Corso would have a hard time forgetting. Sonny hid his face in his hands.
"I should have stayed back home. He should have known he hadn't changed… " He whispered, hiding his face in his hands.
"You went alone?" He asked carefully, pulling Sonny into a careful embrace, meant to support. Sonny just nodded.
"Next to creating the Metaflux, that was my single biggest mistake. I'm still kicking myself mentally, for not letting her know what I was about to do. It could have been avoided." Sonny whispered, still shaking from the sobs he tried to suppress. Corso held him tightly to his chest. He felt tears in his real eye, feeling his best friend finally letting the dam break.
"That Monster never deserved you." He whispered as he pulled Sonny close to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around him, letting him cry.
Callie got home from a long day at the channel. There was an endless list of interviews and other chores before the upcoming cup matches. As a result, she picked up food on the way home. Sonny was just as bad as her at forgetting to eat so she made sure to get a portion of one of his favorites, Akillian shrimps.
"Anyone home?" She called out.
"I'm in the living room." Came the answer. She found Sonny, going through a file in the Pirates library.
"What's this about?" She asked as she looked over his shoulder. Sonny sighed.
"Nothing this time. We're looking into the Shadow behind the Throne file." He explained. Callie nodded.
"You and Corso both get bothered by that file." She said. Sonny nodded.
"Corso still has some inner demons to confront when it comes to this. I agreed with him. He's getting a few days to prepare. We decided on an exchange on the matter. I already took care of my part. Not the most pleasant experience but I'm glad it's done. Maybe I'm able to close the book on at least one night terror of my life." He mused. Callie looked at him with compassion.
"Sounds like you had a rough day and it's not going to get easier. Corso's going to have it rouch. I hope you are prepared to really see his pain this upfront and personal." She said softly. Sonny nodded. Callie placed her hands on his shoulders. She could feel the tension in his muscles. Whatever he had been up to, it was harrowing. Callie suspected Sonny had volunteered to tell Corso first, to get things going. She knew Corso didn't show up for his evaluation appointment and this caused Sonny to worry. He made the call to go about things in a way that would make things progress better.
"You'll solve this. I'm sure of it. How about you take time to eat, and relax tonight?" She suggested. He needed to get his mind off this subject for now. She also wanted some time alone with her boyfriend. She smiled when she thought of just how adventurous he could be. Mei was right, he was good looking. Maybe she could use her charms to have him relax even more. An idea formed in her head. Sonny looked at her with a smile. He hadn't caught on to her plan, just yet. Good, that gave a little more time to work on a few details.
"That sounds like an excellent suggestion." He said. Callie nodded. His schedule was full.
"It's time to conduct the test on Multiflux that was found, right?" She asked. Sonny nodded.
"Brim Balarius will also be present. I've been asked to use the Seed of Shiloh as a protective shield if something goes wrong. Clamp and I will work together to conduct the tests to see how powerful this Flux is. It's difficult to work under the watchful eyes of both Duke Maddox and Brim Balarius." He admitted. Callie nodded as she made a table for two. Sonny silently opened the bags and smiled as he noticed his favorite dish. "Is there an underlying cause for this treat?" He smiled while unpacking the bags. Callie chuckled as she placed her hands around his neck, caressing him slightly. Sonny turned and pulled her in front of him, so she could hug him.
"Two reasons. One; we both won't eat if I don't pick up food. Two; because I'm the luckiest woman on all of Genesis and I am with the most amazing guy I ever met, and I love you." She smiled with a small wink. Sonny smiled back.
"Did I mention that I love you Callie? That never gets old." He smiled as he pulled her into an embrace, and kissed her. Callie closed her eyes, feeling that hunger in herself rise again. She laughed.
"Tell it to me anyway, I love hearing it." She said, as Sonny playfully lifted her into his arms.
"The food can be reheated. Let me show you just how a Pirate treats his lover."
In the laboratory, Corso, Sonny, Clamp, Brim Balarius, Dame Simbai, and Duke Maddox were behind protective windows. Sonny and Clamp were dressed in technoid lab coats as they were the ones with the knowledge to handle this.
"All is set, we can start." Clamp turned to look at Sonny and the others, who put on goggles. Sonny removed his inhibitor bracelet, ready to use the Seed of Shiloh, should it be needed. Brim Balarius took place next to him. To ensure maximum safety, a technoid robot was used to place the flux samples in a device placed at a safe distance for testing. Sonny looked at Clamp.
"Are we ready?" He asked. Clamp nodded. Sonny activated the Seed of Shiloh just in case.
"Ok Clamp. Go!" he said. As Clamp initiated the test, they got to see how unstabile this mix was. The blast was enormous. The glass window shattered and the shield Sonny held up was the only barrier they had against the flux that was released. Corso placed his hands against Sonny's back, helping him to steady himself and hold against the blast wave. Corso could see Sonny's face away from the blast, sweat dripping down his forehead.
"Hang in there Sonny, you can do it." He said encouragingly. Sonny and Corso could still recall Bleylock's version of Multiflux and the strength of that blast as The Black Manta had been in very close presence. Now, they didn't have that distance at all. Sonny let as much energy as possible flow into the shield as he could. "Are you okay?" Corso was slightly worried, as he looked at Sonny, who was still catching his breath from the strain.
"I'm fine Corso, I used all of my Flux to maintain the shield." He explained. Corso nodded.
"That means no training for you tonight. You'll need to rest. I'll bring what is needed over to you and Callie's place, so we can take care of things." Corso promised. Sonny smirked. They would be working well into the night anyway. Corso would bring some food from Artie's food bank.
"I'll have Artie prepare a light meal for us all and have it delivered," Sonny said. Corso grinned.
"Tonight, I'm making house calls as the Pirates' medic. And my favourite patient will receive some loving care" He joked before trying to assess the damage. Duke Maddox was baffled.
"This mix..I have no words." He said, shocked at the devastation. The entire laboratory had been decimated. Brim Balarius nodded.
"It's too dangerous to exist. It must be destroyed." He stated. Sonny nodded.
"We got most of it handled, Grand Master. If we can find out when the sphere became active in collecting Flux again and who was down there, we may be able to calculate if we got all of it destroyed. If it isn't, the Galaxy is in danger." He said. Corso nodded.
"We saw what happened at Paradisia and it almost destroyed Akillian. Compared to this, those mixes were weak." Corso looked at Duke Maddox as he said that.
"I've always wondered, why did you blame the Pirates for that explosion on Obscuriantis? You knew Sonny and I came to the match that night, do you think we would have been there if we were guilty of this crime?" Corso asked. He had a look on his face that demanded the truth. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I know that it felt odd. The very fact that you left as soon as the Shadows lost their flux, rose suspicion," he explained. Corso nodded.
"If we stayed, we both would have been arrested. We know how you operate. We had no choice in the matter and it still stripped us of our immunity. Just because you felt it looked suspicious. That makes no sense. Then again, we can't see eye to eye on everything." He stated. Sonny chose to remain silent, but the look he gave Duke Maddox made it clear he and Corso were on the same side and an explanation would help matters. Duke Maddox was looking a bit indignant.
"You would have been taken in for questioning as we found the wreckage of a Pirate ship near the Shadows' all that would have happened" He said. Sonny and Corso looked at each other.
"Wreckage of a Pirate ship? That's a new one. There weren't any Pirates around that part of the galaxy at that time for as far as I know." Sonny said. Sonny was puzzled by this information. Corso agreed.
"There was no Pirates in that area Sonny. I checked." He said. "All Pirate ships in that part of the galaxy were taken out of service too at the time,they were in for maintenance and overhauls." Corso said as he looked at Sonny with a pained expression. " what If it's someone taken prisoner Sonny?" He let the words hang in the air. Sonny rubbed his chin. That was a grim possibility.
"It's possible one of our own may either be imprisoned by General Bleylock or killed. We'll need to go through the list of missing Pirates again. If there's anyone we don't know the fate of, I want all leads chased down." Sonny sighed heavily. Corso nodded as he placed his hand supportively on Sonny's shoulder.
"I'll have Bennett and Artie on it, looks like it will be another sleepless night. Just like we're used to." He grinned. Sonny nodded, he was drifting into thought while Corso discussed the matter with Duke Maddox. If he could get the ship's wreckage serial number, he would know who he needed to look for. Duke Maddox received a message on his communicator. As soon as he had ended the call, he looked at the Pirates.
"We have a problem, Sonny, Maurice Miller just escaped prison. He killed two of my men." The Duke stated. Sonny and Corso looked at each other before Sonny looked at the Duke.
"That will complicate matters." He stated. Duke Maddox nodded.
"He will be out for revenge. He's already charged with the hostile takeover attempt, Abduction, and attempt to cause bodily harm." He stated. Sonny nodded.
"He'll claim he was acting on behalf of Technoid. Given I was a wanted man at the time, I'm not sure we can call what happened with the bounty hunter an abduction. He acted on a contract." Sonny said. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I agree but no board member had authority to hire a bounty hunter and double the price on your head. I'm the only one that can do that." Duke Maddox stated. Sonny nodded.
"Are you going after the Bounty Hunter? For using a false contract?" Sonny asked. Duke Maddox nodded.
"There's more to it. You're in danger, as he threatened you directly." Duke Maddox stated as he pulled out a thin bracelet from his pocket.
"Until he's found Sonny, you'll need to wear this bracelet at all times, allowing Technoid to track you. If not, I'll have to put you in protective custody."
A/N: For now, let us end the chapter.
I've been writing a lot on this story as of late, and now, I need to plan out the next chapters.
We will get to the baby first, Sonny will love this new role.
The Pirate wreckage is from season two and I always wanted an answer to that. I never figured the Pirates as being so careless that wreckage could be found.
Who operated the ship? Is someone held in captivity? Will they be found and freed?
And what about Maurice Miller? Is he a danger?
This and more will soon come.
To take on the shadow behind the throne, we will need to learn Corso's story and also one of another Pirate.
They might need some help and they can find it in a very unexpected place.
All I can say is a new planet and another group, much like the Pirates, but with a different function will come into play.
I can't wait to write it all out.
As always, thank you Paranoidgirl, your beta reading is still the highlight of the day.
Happy reading.
These were some slower chapters. Sometimes it's necessary to build momentum and a foundation for the story.
I hope it has been to your liking so far.