Corso was furious as Sonny held out his hand, allowing The Duke to lock the bracelet around his wrist. Now Technoid would be able to track him constantly.A big win for them, they could keep an eye on him, like they had always wanted. Corso was seething. This felt like a trap and Sonny was willing to let Technoid keep track of him at the moment. If they were stripped of their pardon, they would come for Sonny right away. They would know exactly where to find him. Corso was determined, no one associated with Technoid would ever capture Sonny.
"You better not be abusing this. I will kill you if you do. I'm still not sure I can trust you. I would never let you put your hands on him." Corso growled. "Sonny is the head of the Pirates, we're able to protect him ourselves." He snarled. Duke Maddox shot him a glare. But he also understood the pirate,and his overprotection of Sonny was well known.
"I'm very much aware of that Corso. Sonny is still a key witness to Technoid's case against these men. His account of events needs to be shared. This threat puts him at risk, and this time, Technoid will make sure he stays protected. Even if that means placing him in protective custody" He stated. Corso was still skeptical.
"Why do you want to protect me, again?" Sonny asked. Duke Maddox looked at him and explained what had been revealed that Miller had said under interrogation. Sonny got what he was thinking "You think they will go after me again?" He asked. Corso nodded.
"That possibility sounds real enough Sonny. I'm sorry I have to do this but for now, you don't go anywhere without a bodyguard, again." He sighed. Sonny patted Corso on the shoulder.
"All in a day's work Corso. I was sort of starting to miss it." He smirked. Corso shook his head with a grin.
"I figured you'd say that." He laughed.
This took care of matters for now. Maurice Miller had managed to escape his prison. He had no regard for the lives he had ended in the process. This had been Technoid as he knew it; a company that took advantage of others. Everyone was meant to be exploited. That was why they were there. Well, at least until old Duke Maddox had decided to grow a conscience. He pegged him all wrong in The Pirates matter, especially with Sonny Blackbones. Duke Maddox had even publicly announced regret that Technoid had lost the scientist I'Son. Miller had to admit that this role he now had, had been perfect for the former technoid scientist. As perfect as it was, it had been their headache for years. If they would have had more time with him, they would have turned things around. He was convinced Sonny would have cracked. But with Duke Maddox's help, he had escaped them. The data they had, had shown a man with incredible calm. If he had been on their side, the things they could have done… This wasn't the case right now.
Miller activated a code on his transmitter and sent some coordinates to his robots. Duke Maddox and The pirates may have gotten hold of and destroyed most of the Multiflux he had gathered but there was still a sizeable batch hidden with these robots. One Professor Monteague didn't even know about.
Miller grinned as he activated his autopilot, it would still be hours before he reached his destination. Meanwhile, he would lay down and watch the news, it was always helpful to know what your enemy was planning.
At Genesis stadium, Sonny was notified that Mei had gone into labor. It had started late at night, with Mei not realising what was going on, they were still a few days short of due date. But as the pain had increased and when her water broke, D'Jok had taken her to the hospital, and been told that the brith was in progress. That had made him call Sonny, since Mei wanted him present for the birth. They needed him, and as soon as smiled as he looked up from the work they conducted in the command center of The Black Manta. Sonny tried to stay calm, but everyone could tell, he was eager to make good on his promise to the expectant parents, he would be there for Mei, during this, because she wanted him there. Corso smiled as he put a hand on his best friends shoulder. He could feel Sonnys restlessness.
"Lets Get going Sonny, we will handle this. I'll drive you over there." Corso smiled. Sonny nodded thankfully. He felt unfocused and wasn't the safest driver at the moment.
It didn't take long for them to reach the hospital. Sonny didn't bother to open the door, he saw D'Jok pacin back and forth, being desperate. That made him swing himself out of the car with one arm.
"Dad!" D'Jok sounded relieved when he saw him arrive. Sonny smiled when he saw the stress on his son's face.
"Don't worry son, it will be fine." He said calmly as he approached his terrified son.
"Tell that to the person that is trying to convince Mei to have a C-section," He said. Sonny would rather not deal with this, but he at least knew what awaited him. He waved at Corso, who drove off.
"Lead the way, we'll deal with this." He said reassuringly. As they reached the delivery room, it became clear, Meis mother tried to control everything. D'Jok winced as he heard her voice.
"I can't do this Dad. Mei is stressed out too. And her mother..." He said. Sonny nodded.
"We'll end this now. A natural birth will allow Mei to bounce back to her normal self a lot faster. I know her mother is trying to help but she goes about it the wrong way. Its not good for Mei either. I will see what I can do" Sonny said. He knew he had to take the lead in the matter. Sonny moved to enter the delivery room Mei was in.
"Who are you?" One of the doctors asked as he entered the room.
"I'm the grandparent the expectant mother asked to be present for this delivery," Sonny stated, as the doctor looked through his papers and nodded.
"Sonny Blackbones. Former Pirate. I'm a bit of a fan. Relative of mine's Pirate." He stated with a smile. Sonny nodded.
"If you let me know the identity of your relative, I'll make sure they're notified that you want to see them. It is safe for all pirates to step out of hiding now, Some may still need some loving care and support while they adjust to this new life" He replied. The doctor nodded.
"Please enter." He said and opened the door to the delivery room. Sonny nodded.
"I'll do my best to help." He said. The Doctor nodded and opened the door for Sonny and the expectant father to enter. Inside, Mei was laying on a bed, sweating from the pain of pushing the baby out and her mother standing next to her bed, trying to help her in her way." Plastic surgeons can fix everything Mei, there will be no marks. You will be back modelling in a matter of weeks" She tried.
"No Mom! I am going to have a natural childbirth. It's better for the baby." Mei was on the verge of tears. She winced as a new wave of pain washed over her. D'Jok tried to stand back. He was making sure her mother did not turn against him. Mei looked up and saw who had arrived.
"Sonny, you're here." She smiled.
"As promised." Sonny smiled back as he took in the scene. Mei's mother was not happy with how things evolved."Who let this wanted man in here?" She asked. This made D'Jok step up.
"My Dad is not a criminal, he is pardoned and a free man. Mei and I want him to be here." He said firmly.
"Its true mom,We want him to be here. He's as much a grandparent as you are." Mei said between the breaths.. D'Jok had taken her hand as Mei made another push. Sonny nodded. He looked at Mei's mother. "Let's just make sure the baby and the mother will be fine. That's what we all want." Sonny said.
"How do you know whats best?I know my daughter, she needs to bounce back as soon as possible" Mei's mother asked, looking at Sonny.
"Let's first calm things down. You're worried, I understand that, but that doesn't mean your way is the best. Mei is making the best decision for herself and the baby. Lets respect her decision and help her through it" Sonny replied. Mei's mother looked away.
"I don't want my daughter to be in pain." She said. Sonny shook his head.
"She chose this Eve. She may be your daughter but she's also an adult. She knows what she's doing. Be proud of her, as this miracle is one only the female body is capable of pulling off. I would say she is courageous for chosing a natural birth" Sonny said before he turned to the midwife.
"How far along are we?" He asked.
"The head is already in the birth canal Sonny. It's too late to do a c section now. We have to carry through with a natural birth. If Mei could relax a bit more, it would help things" She said.
"But what if there are complications?" Mei's mother asked. D'Jok looked at Sonny.
"Here she goes again." He sighed. Sonny could tell that her behavior affected both the expectant parents in a bad way.
"Eve, listen carefully," He said as he turned to her, "You are going to exit this room, calmly and quietly, as the young mother is under enough stress as it is. I have the education of a professor, this is part of what I had to learn in the medical field to gain my degree. Mei will be fine, as will the baby, I promise. I will personally make sure of that" Sonny commanded in a calm voice. Mei's mother opened her mouth, before closing it again sadly.
"Please make sure my baby's alright." She whispered before exiting the room. Sonny sighed. He hated to do this but he didn't want things to escalate.
"Let's help Mei deliver her baby shall we?" He smiled as he took on a pair of gloves and a facemask to assist the midwife.
Maurice Miller had seen the news. He was wanted for the things he had done within Technoid, and Duke Maddox had also put abduction of Sonny Blackbones on that list. Miller had a plan. Now that Akillian wasn't safe anymore, he needed to find a new way to get the former scientist under his control. Miller knew Sonny would be alert to danger and with the new alliance he had with Technoid, it would be impossible to get close to him. He had to go about it more subtly.
But how? Through his son? He was one of the few who knew who it was, unless they chose to share it. It wasn't hard to see the family resemblance when they stood next to each other. D'Jok would, if he decided to join the Pirates, become every bit as dangerous as his father, and if trained the right way, perhaps even surpass Sonny himself. Mei, D'Jok's girlfriend, was she a possibility? Doubtful. She was a footballer, a Model, and now a mother. The baby? Miller grinned. The level of protection that the baby would have, would exceed anything the parents, even Sonny himself had. He touched that baby and he'd be dead, Pirates not killing be damned. There were people among them, former soldiers, who had killed. Miller thought of something. Maybe this was the way to break down Sonny. He found an old file, with a picture of a young man, a sergeant at arms. The story was simple.
"Congratulations Takashi, you will be the scapegoat once more."
"Congratulations. It's a healthy baby girl." Sonny said with a big smile as the midwife cleaned the crying baby. He took off the facemask and gloves and placed it in a nearby bin. It had been very long hours where Sonny had helped D'Jok stay calm through Mei's pains, and encouraged the young woman, giving birth to her first baby. As a first timer, it took time, but now, they had a healthy baby. Now, the midwife cleaned up the crying baby before she was placed on Mei's chest wrapped in a beautiful pink blanket. Mei was exhausted but happy.
"Thank you, Sonny. she is perfect" She said gratefully, looking at her newborn daughter. Sonny smiled and looked at his son.
"That ends a chapter of your life where you can be irresponsible and play around son. You now have a daughter that depends on you. As does Mei. They need you to be a father and partner. Its a major task. I suggest you make your best effort Son" He said mildly. Mei smiled at him.
"Sonny, I want you to hold her, and tell us what her name is. I want you to meet your grandchild, the next generation Blackbones" she said. Sonny smiled.
"It would be my pleasure." He said as he sat down on the chair next to the hospitalbed. The midwife carefully lifted the baby from Meis chest, and placed her in Sonny's hands. He looked at the little miracle he held. Ten tiny fingers, a small face with closed eyes. He missed this with D'Jok but he would not with this baby. His grandchild. The little one surprised them all by opening her tiny eyes, looking straight at Sonny. It was like looking into Helena's eyes. Sonny could hardly believe it. It made him inhale sharply. He was prepared for many things, but this reminder was intense. It almost felt like she was in the room with them.
"Sonny, are you ok?" Mei asked slightly worried, she had noticed his reaction.
"I'm fine Mei," Sonny assured her. "Her eyes just remind me of Helena, D'Joks's mom." He said, voice thick with emotion. D'Jok had to wipe a tear.
"It will be like a little piece of her that's still with us, right Dad?I am happy about that, even if I never got to meet her, well, at least not in a way I can remember" He asked silently. Sonny nodded.
"Yes D'Jok, it will, and I wish you had memories of her too. But never forget, Maya raised you as her own, and took care of you like you were hers. Never take that away from her. Or stop loving her as your mom. She was, in every sense. Helena chose well when she gave you to her. I will forever be grateful to Maya for taking care of you when I couldnt. I would not have felt good about raising you alone with the pirates. For personal reasons." He said. Mei looked at Sonny.
"Do you have a name?" She asked softly. Sonny smiled as he lifted her. "Iris Helena Blackbones, welcome to the galaxy, and welcome to our family."
Corso was reading through the old files that the Pirates had located and secured from various databases concerning Ascaron and the incident there. He felt tired but knew he had to keep looking to tie up the loose ends. When they would get the Shadow behind the Throne, his past was going to come back up again. The choices he had in the matter, were scarce. Either face them or take the fall for something he didn't do.
Corso let his mind wander, seeing the droids out on the field, marching towards his platoon.
"We're under attack!"One of the young soldiers under his command looked at him, terrified.
"We will stop them kid, we won't be taken." Corso had yelled, firing his rifle. Even now, those words haunted him. He had failed to protect his unit. Corso had become a master at not dealing with his inner turmoil but time was running out. He had made a deal with Sonny to talk it out. He looked up as the door opened and Sonny entered the room. He looked tired but happy.
"Are congratulations in order, granddad?" He smiled. That made Sonny smile too.
"Yes Corso, tell everyone that tonight, we will celebrate the arrival of the next generation Blackbones, she is perfect" He said. Upon hearing this, all the surrounding Pirates cheered. Corso could not resist teasing his friend a bit.
"Pics or it didn't happen. you dont get to cheat us out of that" He stated. Sonny grinned and pulled up a hologram on his transmitter.
"Meet Iris Helena Blackbones. She screamed when she came into this galaxy. She has a great set of lungs, she may become a future commander. I sm sure she will be the queen of the house, with Mei as a good second" The proud grandfather stated.
"Are she and her mother alright?" Artie asked. Sonny turned to his young assistant.
"Yes Artie, they are fine,but they're tired," Sonny smirked. Corso grinned.
"You're going to help them out, right?Newborns are a handful for untrained parents" Corso asked with a smile. Sonny laughed.
"I'm going to have to Corso. He's in well over his head. Mei too and I dont think her mother will be all that much around for it" Sonny chuckled. Corso laughed. In no time, a celebration came together.
There it was, the destination for his new empire. The planet Stellar Unix; a green oasis to the far east of the Zaelion Galaxy. The planet was in many ways lost in an old-time, where knights still ruled and a King and Queen held power. The planet was self-sufficient, and far away from others. The people here were peaceful farmers, protected by the planet's famous Paladins; the protective force ordered directly by the King. Despite the Paladin's fierce reputation, Miller wasn't worried. He had his small army of technoid robots, state of the art, and upgraded well beyond standard level. Paladins should not pose a problem. Miller chuckled. Stellar Unix sounded like a great base of operations. He only needed to get the King and Queen under his command.
At Stellar Unix, the leader of The Paladins; Solaris, had been called in on her day off. It was a rarity to even have a day off for her. This had to be important. As she exited her sky bike, she activated the uniform of The Paladins. The security guard scanned her retina and palm.
"Welcome Solaris, you're expected in the briefing room." He informed. Solaris nodded as she put on her visor. Coran and Zoonia looked up as she arrived.
"Sorry to end your day off but we may have a problem," Coran said with a serious look. Solaris looked at her second in command, a tall man, who could look very frightening, but had a heart of gold, and her other second hand Zoonia, a thin girl, who looked like the wind could blow her over but was one of the most resilient fighters she knew.
"Coran, you better have a good reason for calling me in like this." She said, in an annoyed tone. Coran nodded.
"Pardon me again Solaris but this ship, it reads as a threat on the Flux scan we did." He informed. Solaris creased her red eyebrows. "A ship carrying Flux? This is odd, the Flux society banned the Fluxes from being put into liquid form," Solaris said. Zoonia nodded.
"The ship seems to be headed for our orbit. I have a bad feeling about this." She said. Solaris studied the map.
"I agree. Observe and if it asks permission to land, inform me. I will be at the headquarters, training with Aaraya." She said before turning to exit the room. Coran nodded.
"You're preparing for the final rites to take on the legend of the golden Paladin then? I never thought King Aldoor would ask you to do it." He admitted. Solaris grinned.
"He wasn't going to until the mark of the Paladin's heart appeared on my neck. Whoever gets that mark, has to try to retrieve it." She said. Zoonia nodded.
"It would show at some point. I think King Aldoor secretly hoped you would be spared after what happened to Zarind." She sighed.
Solaris winced when she heard the name. Zarind had gone to seek help out in the Galaxy. He'd heard of another group, much like themselves, who fought for justice. He'd promised to come back with help to fight off the ever-present threat of Technoid and their allied. Abraxor. Zarind had learned of an operative from their ranks, Bleylock, had gone to Technoid after being exiled, where he had once again used his evil ways to trick others.
One of Zarind's last reports before he went missing had been about a connection between two names; A professor I'Son, who had escaped Technoid unharmed and the head of the Shiloh Pirates; a man named Sonny Blackbones. Solaris considered sending a new Paladin to establish contact when all contact with Zarind was lost but King Aldoor had said no. Zarind had been one of his closest confidants, and he didn't want to lose another of his own to a fate unknown. There was too many such stories already.
"Go, get the workout with Aaraya done. King Aldoor might call you to the council very soon." Coran said with a smirk.
"Always the council is a boring task" Solaris smiled.
"I'm just glad we don't have to go there." Zoonia said as looked at Solaris. Aaraya entered the room with a smile.
"There you are. Lets get a move 'll have to go high today, think you are ready, little Paladin?" She chuckled.
"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's get to the top of the wall today." Solaris replied. Aaraya smiled as she activated their Flux; the Sound Wall.
"You'll have to move fast. I will overtake you if not" She teased.
"Just try and keep up.I am unstoppable" Solaris chuckled as she put on her blue visor. Aaraya smiled as they started the workout.
Coran noticed the ship approaching even more. It was close to infringing on their territory. Zoonia looked at him.
"Should we inform Solaris?The ship does not repond when contacted and has no call code" She asked. Coran shook his head.
"I'll try to contact the ship again, and see if we can get further not, we send out the scouts" He said. Zoonia nodded. All of a sudden, she noticed something.
"Coran,The unidentified ship..look at their canons, they're aiming at us." She sounded insecure. Coran rose from his had a panic striken look on his face. They had not caught the threat in time, and now, they were being targeted. he could only guess as to where the attack would be aimed.
"Everyone, get out! We're being attacked!" He yelled as the headquarters was hit by a blastwave. Zoonia screamed in fear.
"It's a Flux explosion. Get hold of Solaris."
Aaraya and Solaris had just landed after an intense workout as they felt the vibrations. Solaris felt her uniform's warning system go off.
"We're being attacked! Coran, Zoonia, reply!" she yelled. Aaraya could see the Paladin leader step into command mode. Coran got through first. "We're okay. We'll take care of things here, You and Aaraya go secure the King and Queen." Solaris nodded."We're on it."
King Aldoor and Queen Marica heard the news when they arrived. Solaris looked very serious.
"This attack was unprovoked, Your Majesty. I insist you leave for a safe haven now, while the Paladins sort this out," she said. King Aldoor nodded.
"Zarind warned me this day would come." he said. Solaris knew Zarinds opinons was valued by the king.
"Zarind has been proven right so far." she said. That was all she was able to say before a laser hit the wall behind the king. Solaris activated her weaponry in her uniform. A small army of Technoid robots entered the throne room.
"Your Majesty, King Aldoor and the fair Queen Marcia, it's an honor," Miller said, using a hologram. Solaris prepared for battle.
"Who are you and what do you want?" She asked, hand on her vapor laser.
"Calm down Paladin, I'm not here for you," Miller said with a smirk. Solaris felt anger boil inside.
"If you want to get to the King and Queen, you have to go through me first!" she said. Solaris was blocking the path to the King and Queen, who were helped by the Paladins behind her.
"Very well, you're as stubborn as Zarind. Not really a surprise" The hologram said. This made Solaris waver. How would this man know that?
"What happened to Zarind?you better speak fast, as my patience is wearing thin" Solaris asked as she approached the intruder.
"What happens to all who oppose Technoid and help The Pirates; even Sonny Blackbones could escape that." He laughed. Solaris launched at the hologram.
"Solaris, watch out!" Coran yelled. A laser blast from a robot hit Solaris in the shoulder, causing her to be thrown back. Aaraya had taken refuge behind the throne. The robots opened fire.
"Coran, get the King and Queen out of here! We need help!" Solaris yelled as she held her injured shoulder. Aaraya and Zoonia stepped up.
"We will hold them off. Get the injured out of here," They said. A new blast cut the King and Queen off from their escape.
"Solaris, help!" Aaraya pleaded.
"No one is going anywhere,I give the orders around here" Miller said through his hologram. Solaris pulled back. Her shoulder still bled, but they were running out of time. Aaraya managed to open a portal to the coordinates they knew was set for the pirates main ship, The Black Manta.
"It's a long shot, but this is the coordinates I once got from Zarind for the Shiloh Pirates. We need their help. Go." Solaris nodded.
"If I can't find Zarind, who do I look for?" She asked. Aaraya looked at her.
"Seek their leader. His name is Sonny Blackbones. He will know what to do. Find him."Aaraya said. Solaris nodded.
"We should bandage this shoulder first." She said. But the throne was shot at again.
"There's no time, you have to go. Find Sonny. hurry." Aaraya said. Miller heard them.
"You're not going anywhere." He yelled. Solaris ran towards the opened portal.
"We'll see about that," She said as she leaped into the portal.
"No!Stop her!" The hologram yelled. All Solaris could see as she turned, was a bright light.
Sonny and Corso just returned after having met with Duke Maddox to see the Pirate wreckage in question from the attack on Obscurantis. It had been a grim sight. Sonny had paid attention to the identifying numbers, telling him which Pirate had operated the ship. Corso had a disturbed look on his face when he showed Sonny what his data showed, after they had the number.
"This was Zarinds seems he didnt make it back. That explains why we never heard anything back. Bleylock must have gotten to him" Sonny sighed. Corso nodded.
"He tried to bring information to Stellar Unix and the Paladins so we could stop the Flux Wars from progressing. Now we know why they never came to our aid."Corso said. Sonny nodded.
"We still have to find out what happened. We owe it to his loved ones." Sonny said softly. Corso nodded.
"I never really got it. Was he a fellow Pirate or Paladin when he was with us?" He asked.
"He was both Corso. An important ally to end the Flux War. We have to find out what happened." Sonny said. Duke Maddox approached them.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked. Sonny nodded.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. We can bring an end to a fellow Pirate's family suffering from not knowing." He said. Duke Maddox nodded.
"That's a lot of your work nowadays. Cleaning up my the messes of my disloyal employees" The old man sighed. Sonny felt a bit sorry for him.
"Some of these tragedies can be blamed on other Technoid operatives than you Your Excellency. We're not so different when you think about it. When I joined the Pirates, I was only going from one shark tank to another," Sonny said. Duke Maddox looked at him.
"Tehcnoid's always been a pit. I just hope I will be able to turn it around and make it prosper and do right for once" He sighed. Sonny nodded and reached out and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.
"The Pirates will help as much as we can when the trial starts. I would be lying if I said the Flux Wars will not be part of may not be the one that started it, but some of your employees did. That is enough to stain Technoids name,however, we will try to limit the damage as much as possible" Sonny said. Corso nodded.
"Sonny's right. These issues must be addressed. For what it's worth, I am not exactly looking forward to reliving it either. The wars had a lot of suffering, and some of it, still has not met its end" He said. Duke Maddox nodded.
"So, it was true, a soldier on Ascaron survived and joined the Pirates?I thought it was just a rumour" He asked. Corso nodded.
"Yes, one sole survivor who has lived with guilt and shame since that day. Maybe he would have been better off, joining his mates" He said softly. Duke Maddox nodded.
"It was you, wasn't it?" He asked. Sonny noticed his friend's hesitation. Duke Maddox looked at him. Corsos silence said it all, in painful clarity.
"For what it's worth, Sergeant Takashi, I'm sorry for your you have lived through, I have no words to express my sadness for" He said. Corso nodded. It made sense Duke Maddox knew what had happened, the devestation of it all. Corso cleared his throat before he spoke.
"All I ask for is justice for my fallen comrades. I was adrift for a long time before I found a purpose with the Pirates." He said, looking at Sonny with a smile. Duke Maddox nodded.
"A purpose?Tell me more about that, what purpose saved your sanity." He asked. Sonny smiled, as he knew exactly what Corso meant.
"The purpose being To protect the young scientist whom joined your new family, whom lost as much as yourself, and keep him safe for as long as you would be able to. A noble cause" Sonny said. Corso smiled and nodded.
"Sonny became my new purpose. My friendship with him is the most important thing I have and as long as I'm alive, I'll always be there to protect him, no matter the cost. I have it my way, when my time is up, Sonny will still be alive, to avenge the wrong doings in this galaxy." Corso smiled.
The two had reached the black Manta and were set to make contact with the Paladins. A frequency that had not been used for a long time. Sonny was not sure how to go about this. As they got ready to start, a sharp light appeared in the command center. Corso reacted on instinct and pushed Sonny behind him, out of harms way. A person was thrown out of the light. It was a young woman, dressed in a familiar uniform. Sonny signalled to stand down. The guest was a Paladin. The portal closed seconds later. Corso still had his laser drawn. Sonny approached the Paladin, who appeared injured. She fell back on the floor, clutching her shoulder.
"Please. I need to find Sonny Blackbones..." Was all she managed to say before she lost consciousness. Corso moved up next to Sonny.
"Who is she?" He asked, looking at his friend. Sonny had crouched down next to the unconscious Paladin, cheking her uniform for a rank. Seconds later, he found what he was looking for.
"Not just any Paladin Corso. She's their current leader. Why would she come here all by herself" Sonny wondered.
"How do you know that she is their leader?"Corso asked.
"From this." Sonny showed a mark on the chest of the uniform. Corso nodded.
"She needs help then. her uniform indicates some kind of battle,and that shoulder indicates trouble" Corso pointed to her bleeding shoulder.
"A Paladin leader is even more protected than me, her coming here is no coincidence. They are the only ones that knows our set frequenzy for the ship" he said. Corso raised an eyebrow.
"Zarind's stories stuck with you. He must have told them the coordinates" He commented. Sonny nodded.
"I learned a lot from him during my first years as the Pirates' leader. I wish he could have stayed, but he was always a paladin first. We only got to borrow him for a time. I wonder what happened to him after his ship was seized." he said. Corso carefully lifted Solaris from the floor.
"Do you know her name Sonny? she has no nametag"He asked. Sonny nodded again.
"Her name is Solaris Stellar Paladin. Take her to the infirmary and treat her wound Corso. Dont remove her protective visir. I'll contact the Paladins and see if I can find out why she's here. Paladin Leaders don't travel alone. Something must have happened at Stellar Unix. We may need to prepare for a trip." He said. Corso nodded. Then, he came to remember something.
"Hold it Sonny, the trial against Technoid is coming up in a few weeks. We need to stay put until then. You are their star witness, you have to be here for that" He said. Sonny nodded.
"We'll work around it. For now, tend to Solaris. I'll see what additional information I can get from the Paladins."
At Arcadia news, Callie was ready to head home when Aaron, her boss asked her to take an exclusive news report. Aaron looked worried. Callie looked at him,
"What happened?"She asked. Aaron looked around.
"Much of this news is Pirates intel but I've checked with Technoid and Duke Maddox. It seems that our escaped prisoner, Maurice Miller, has found a new base of operations. He launched a Flux attack on planet Stellar Unix." He said. "I thought the Pirates destroyed all the Flux that was collected." Callie frowned.
"That's what we all thought. Someone must have managed to store something somewhere we did not find. Have you spoken to Sonny yet? He might know more." She said. Aaron nodded.
"Duke Maddox and Sonny Blackbones will both appear on this special broadcast. They are both on their way here. Duke Maddox will share what Technoid has so far, and Sonny will inform more about how Flux works as a weapon. It's possible Brim Balarius also will make a statement. this one may take some time" He said. Callie nodded.
"I'll get ready. This can't wait. Do we know anything about what happened? Are there casualties?" She asked. Aaron shook his head.
"Not at the moment. When Sonny arrives, tell him to come to my office.I will brief him on what I got" He said. Callie nodded. As she sat down at her desk to read the news story, she sent a message to Sonny and in a matter of minutes, she heard her transmitter give the signal for an incoming call. She opened the hologram. Sonny looked very serious when his hologram appeared.
"I take it you have bad news?" She stated. Sonny nodded.
"You're right Callie. One of the Paladins, the guardians of Planet Stellar Unix, has managed to reach was injured unpon arrival. Something is going on, and I am not surprised if it ties to Miller. Is Duke Maddox present?" Sonny asked. Callie shook her head.
"He's on his way, should I let you know when he arrives?" She asked. Sonny nodded.
"I'm on my way too. I should be there in a matter of minutes." He said. Callie nodded.
"I'll be waiting for you. I want to share this news with the Galaxy. Aaron has requested you to come to his office when you get has some updates for you" She told him. Sonny nodded.
"He has information from the Council of Pirate Elders then. He'll be well informed." He said. Callie nodded and went to the main entrance of the building to wait for him.
At the Black Manta, Corso was tending to the injured Paladin. He looked at Solaris, who seemed to slowly wake up.
"Ugh." Solaris rubbed her head as she slowly sat up.
"Careful. You injured your shoulder pretty badly. You'll have to wear a sling for some time." he said. Solaris nodded, then she smiled at him.
"Thank you." She looked at him. "You're the ship's second in command, Sergeant Corso Takashi, of the 44th battalion, platoon 33, right? Stationed at Ascaron, lost during the Flux Wars." She asked. Corso nodded.
"You've done your homework," Corso said silently. Solaris nodded.
"You've told no one, not even Sonny Blackbones of this?" She asked. Corso nodded.
"I'll have to, soon. Sonny told me all he knew about General Bleylock. He expects me to come clean. We just need the time to get it taken care of." he said. Solaris nodded again.
"Bleylock is not a popular name on my was exiled from Stellar Unix. The reason we knew about Sonny is a journal he left after the Flux Wars. We sent one of our best, Zarind, to find out more. He failed to appear before our Planet's Council when he was scheduled." She said. Corso nodded.
"We just learned why; Technoid found the wreckage of a Pirate ship. The ship's identification number was still was Zarinds. Sonny took this news hard. He hoped Zarind made it back safely." Corso told her. Solaris looked down.
"At Stellar Unix, the Paladins are divided on the matter. Some believe Zarind deserted us while others believe something bad happened to him. Seems the latter is the case then." She said. Corso laid a hand on the young Paladin's shoulder.
"I wish I could tell you what happened but we don't know either. We'll do our best to find out." He promised. Solaris nodded slowly.
"Can you tell me where I can find Sonny Blackbones? It's urgent. I need to get back to Stellar Unix as soon as possible." She told him. Corso nodded.
"Sonny isn't here at the moment. We're aware of the attack on Stellar Unix. He'll speak to you as soon as he returns. First, he'll address the Galaxy alongside Duke Maddox on Arcadia News." He informed her. Solaris grinned when she heard that.
"The most wanted man in the Galaxy, standing next to the head of Technoid? Never taught that day would come." She said. Corso nodded.
"Sonny finally managed to turn things around. We're pardoned and we work with Technoid to track down a fugitive; Maurice Miller." He explained. Solaris nodded.
"I know where you can find him." She said. Corso looked at her mildly.
"Good, he'll have to pay for what he did to Sonny." He stated Solaris looked interested. "Hiring a bounty hunter, using illegal funds from Technoid, to have Sonny tracked down. All the while he had a grandkid on the way." Corso explained. Solaris looked confused. "Grandchild? His pregnant wife died. Has something happened that we did not catch?" She asked. Corso smiled.
"Time to update your information Solaris." He smiled, giving Solaris a datapad with information. Solaris nodded as she started reading it.
"What about the grandchild?" She looked at him. Corso laughed.
"All taken care of." He said. Solaris looked at him.
"Zarind's hopes for him came true." She said Corso nodded. "Including a girlfriend." he smiled.
"She's really good for him. I have not seen him this happy and relaxed in years" He smiled. Solaris nodded.
"I'm happy it all turned out well for him. I only hope this will be the case on my Planet too." She said. Corso nodded.
"Tell me about it. We'll inform Sonny when he arrives."
At Arcadia News, the story was shared with the galaxy. Callie found herself flanked by a serious Duke Maddox and a worried Sonny Blackbones. The threat was very real.
"Stellar Unix has been attacked by a mixed Flux," Sonny said, not attempting to hide how serious this was. He explained how this mix was far more deadly than any lasers or other weapons. Aaron had spoken with Sonny and Duke Maddox privately. It sent cold shivers down her spine when she saw the looks on their faces. Duke Maddox spoke up.
"At the moment, the trials that have been prepared within Technoid will be postponed until Maurice Miller can be apprehended." Duke Maddox looked at Sonny.
"Perhaps you can describe this man's methods to the Galaxy?" He asked. Sonny nodded and gave a quick description of Maurice Miller and the way he would behave.
"He's a very dangerous man. Do not engage but call in the authorities should he be seen." Sonny advised. Duke Maddox nodded.
"I never thought I would have to do this to my own people, but the danger he poses has left me with no choice. I offer eight million standard credits for the capture of Maurice Miller, former executive director of Technoids military program. He must be taken alive. This bounty is open to Bounty hunters. Maurice Miller is now the most wanted man in the Galaxy."
A/N: Slight turn of the tables, I know. There's a reason that will become clear soon.
She's finally here; Sonny's grandchild. She'll appear in later chapters as well.
We got a new player in the mix, my characters; The Paladins. I will also describe the new planet Stellar Unix more in later chapters. They're a solitary planet, like Hectonia. Being far from other planets, they have been kept out of the Flux War conflict. Don't think for a moment that Brim Balarius is any less a villain with what has been discovered so far. More information is needed before the Pirates can act.
I hope you like the story so far. Is there anything missing? Something I should add? Let me know in a review or send me a pm.
I 'm all open to suggestions that can make the story better.