Solaris was silent through the conversation that took place in the living room,where paladins and pirates were debating how to go about retriving the golden armour and the terrain it was located in. Sonny had his own concerns about allowing Corso to get involved in paladin operations, but at this time, he felt like he had little to no choice in the matter. They needed the armour and if Corso was the solution to get it safely retrieved, he would have to send him for this. He did not like being pushed into anything, but since he wasnt going to Stellar Unix, he would not make the call, Corso would. Once that plan of action was agreed upon, Coran noticed Solaris lacking enhusiasm and silence.
"Solaris, are you alright? You're unusually silent. You normally throw yourself head first into debates like this. This isnt like you" Coran commented dryly. Zoonia slapped him on the wrist.
"You know which date it is Coran. Show some tact. Solaris has a lot on her mind right now, no need to add to her already way too heavy load" She said, somewhat indignant. Sonny looked over at her, sitting next to Zarind.
"I noticed you've been out of it as well. If there is anything the pirates can do to help the matter, let me know" He softly offered. Solaris nodded, but her expression was unreadable because of her visor. The mood became so tense, that Artie surprised them all by playing some music on his laptop to lighten things some.
"This song always lifts my spirits when I am down. It's from a girl group I like." He said with a sheepish smile. Corso grinned while he shook his head.
"Something tells me it's not just the music that lifts your spirits." He teased. Artie made a nervous giggle.
"That obvious, huh Corso? I figured only Sonny would notice." He complained. Sonny, with an arm over Callie's shoulder, looked at him with a grin.
"I'm not the only one who's observant Artie, dont underestimate Corsos observation skills. You would be surprised if you knew what he is capable of telling based on a little while of observation" He stated. Artie looked at him suspiciously.
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you and Corso spying on me now?" He asked. Callie laughed.
"Don't get too upset Artie. They dont spy on you, they got enough on their hands as it is. And besides, Even Sonny can get things wrong. He just happens to know how to conceal it." She laughed. Corso coughed.
"Who is this trio, Artie? I'm not familiar with this cutesy stuff. The music is nice though" He said. Artie pulled up a music file.
"Here they are; Sapphire, Opal, and Rainbow, singing The Song of Dreams." He said. Callie noticed how Solaris winced at those names. Then, she composed herself, before she spoke.
"Thanks, Artie. It's been a heavy day. It is very personal, and I want to keep it that way for now. But I'll be fine. I'm a Paladin, controlling my emotions is part of my training." Solaris whispered. "I'm sure you all have days when what happened to you in the past just… gets to you." she whispered. Sonny nodded. He could still recall where he had been when he joined the pirates. Griefstruck, set on vengeance. His anger was so deep, and the wounds so raw. If not for Corso, Zarind and the others, he was bound to have made a mistake that would have led to Technoid finally tracking him and capture him.
"Yeah, Stellar Unix isn't exactly a cakewalk, It has its pitfalls, like any planet in this galaxy" Artie said. Sonny and Corso looked at each other. That was a hint to Artie's past. Artie never spoke of this, this slip of tongue could help them get to what he was hiding. Sure, he was always the happy go lucky one of them, but that did not mean he did not have his traumas. Maybe they could help him. They had both read the updates from Stellar Unix. The trio Artie was talking about came from Stellar Unix and stopped performing very suddenly. There had been rumors but nothing was ever verified. Something about an arrest and a member of the team around the trio being lost, and this tore the girls apart. Other than that, no one knew what had happend to them. The song of dreams was their final mega hit. Artie put the audio file back on. Soft tones came from the speakers. Solaris switched to a dark visor now,and seemed to brace herself. Sonny nudged Corso when he noticed her reaction. This song stirred something in Solaris as much as she tried to hide it. As the song faded out, Artie wiped a tear from his eye. he looked at the image of the three girls.
"Whatever happened to them? At the top of their fame they just… vanished. They still had so much to give" He softly said. Bennett smiled.
"Sounds like you know quite a lot about this trio. Or maybe you were fanboying over them. With you, I never know for sure" He said. Artie smiled sheepishly.
"I know pretty much everything about them. Come to think of it, It all started on this very date, fifteen years ago. This day.. it was the day the galaxy learned they had stopped touring, that the song of dreams was their last ever hit" Artie said softly. Corso exchanged a look with Sonny. They had some digging to do. The Paladins on the video link also looked down. Solaris as well. She was hiding her emotions
"Solaris, how long are you gonna keep punishing yourself for something you couldn't help? You'd only put yourself and your bloodline at risk. You have to let go at one time, move forwards" Zarind said, somewhat commanding.
"Don't you dare try to tell me anything about my duties or who I am Zarind. This will be dropped. Now." Solaris snapped at him. As she looked up, Callie saw the tears that escaped her eyes. Solaris quickly withdrew from the situation, realizing all eyes were on her as Sonny and Corso looked at her, searching for a sign as to what had set her off. If anyone would be able to identify her, it was them. She excused herself, and went to the yard, to clear her head. Sonny wanted to follow but he was stopped by Callie. Callie put her hand on his chest.
"Leave it to me, Sonny. I got a feeling she needs female comany this time. Also,I suspect you may push her too far, that wont help her." Callie said. Sonny nodded.
"Alright Callie. Just don't push her, okay? Let her come to you. If anyone can make her talk, I believe its you" He said, looking at his assistant. Artie nodded.
"I can help with the story of the Trio, for Solaris, let her just tell whatever it is that upset her, in her own time." Artie offered. Sonny nodded.
"I attended a concert they held at Akillian with Helena. She was a fan of theirs." He said. Artie grinned.
"Are you familiar with their music then Sonny?" Artie smiled. Sonny nodded.
"A bit. If memory serves, quite relaxing. Something Helena reminded me to do on a daily basis, and since I was a workaholic, I probably needed it too" He admitted. Corso looked at Artie with a grin.
"Artie the Pirate, a fanboy. Who would have thought?" He mused. Artie grinned.
"Oh come on Corso. Don't you have a hero?" He asked. Corso's normal eye darkened.
"I did once. It did not have a happy ending. Lets leave it at that. Anyway, what can you share with us? I'm sure the Paladins can fill in some blanks." He said. Coran nodded.
"The Paladins could pretty much tell the whole story except for some issues." He confessed.
"Wich issues?" Corso asked. Coran sighed.
"The story of The Trio from Stellar Unix is closely tied to Solaris. We can only tell with her permission. Artie can probably tell you more than us." Coran explained. Sonny nodded.
"Artie, tell us what you got."
Solaris wished she could just run from it all. Things wouldn't get better. She had tried, for fifteen years. She should have been able to prevent what had of her feud with the Bleylock family, an innocent person was jailed or worse, dead. It should have been her. Not Zoltar. This was General Bleylock, Sonny Blackbones' nemesis, doing. To punish her. For what? Her family having rejected him as a suitor to her? Because they knew what her destiny held? Because her royal bloodline would allow Bleylock power to control their planet, and their resources. Solaris placed her hand on her neck and touched the mark all royals had. Her parents had paid for her safety, when they attacked Abraxor. They were never seen again. She had been touring with the Trio when the message came, even Zarind had been called home. They now knew he had been captured while she took the role as a paladin, their leader. All in an effort to run away from her true responsibilities. Once a Paladin, always a Paladin. She let a tear roll down her cheek as she sighed.
"Zoltar, I'm so sorry. I never wanted all of this to happen.I wanted to have a simple life, an quiet life, with you. I should have stayed away from you. I failed you, my love." She whispered. She heard soft footsteps in the grass beside her.
"Solaris?" Callie's voice was soft as she sat down beside her. Solaris looked down, away from Callie.
"There's no reason for you to get involved Callie. There's nothing you can do. Even if you knew, it's too big a risk. People can get killed. I won't let him do that. This is something I should do. And I don't know if I'm strong enough. I just have to find the strenght, but I dont know how" She whispered, pulling her knees up.
Callie felt her heartache. Solaris looked completely devastated.
"Solaris, Sonny will do everything in his power to bring the truth to the surface, and have the ones opposing justice taken down for it. Also, this Zoltar means a lot to you?" Callie said softly. Solaris nodded.
"He was my sun, I was his moon. We would have married if it wasn't for General Bleylock. They... took him, on charges of espionage. I don't know what happened to Zoltar. All I know are the charges against him. All of them false. Zoltar would never do what he's accused of. I still hope that he's alive, and if not, that I can at least visit his grave" Solaris said softly. Callie nodded. She recalled how she had felt when Sonny had been taken by Keiran.
Solaris' silent tears, made Callie let go of the memories and pulled the young Paladin into a hug. Solaris' soft sobs touched her deeply.
"I know you have your doubts Solaris, but trust Sonny. If there's anyone that can help you set this right, it's him."
Duke Maddox looked through the transcripts of the interrogation of both professor Monteague, and Maurice Miller. It was clear they were not behind the hostile takeover. These two didn't have the guts to go about it. He thought about the stolen version of the re-assimilation program. In its current state, Sonny had fought it successfully. If it wasn't for Bleylock, Sonny would still be at their side. Duke Maddox sighed as he took I'Son's old medical file, Technois copy of it, and looked at the content. It contained X-rays, showing the injuries to his back, from when Bleylock had attacked him. He heard stories about what Bleylock had done out in the field, under the guise of being a Technoid operative. Could he have done this to I'Son as well? And what if Bleylock was behind the glaciation of Akillian indirectly, through forcing Sonnys actions that fatal day, like Sonny claimed he was? He needed to speak to both his former scientists. He needed to know the truth about what had really happened back then. Just how deep had Bleylock reached into the project? Duke Maddox called his secretary.
"I need to speak to both Sonny Blackbones, and professor Clamp. It concerns the safety of the Galaxy."
Solaris looked at everyone. Gone were the tears. The talk with Callie made her make a decision. This was not just about her, it was about Stellar Unix and the entire Galaxy. She needed to come clean. Zarind was right. She had to stop running from her past, and face her ghosts.
"It's time you step up to the plate Solaris." She told herself. Now, she looked at her second in command through the screen.
"Coran, I grant permission for the Paladins to tell how my story connects with The Trio and Zarind. We can't keep the Pirates in the dark about this. If we are to ask for their help, they need to know the background for it all" Solaris started. Zarind pulled the Paladin leader into a hug.
"I know Solaris. If I survived captivity for all these years, there is a chance that he did too. We will find him either way. Then, we will handle it from there, once we know for sure." Zarind whispered.
"It keeps replaying in my mind. It never stops but it's so unclear. So much I dont know..." Solaris said. Sonny looked at Corso, who nodded.
"We have a solution for that Solaris, The pirates has devices we can use to trigger memories locked inside your head. we'll find the answers," Sonny said reassuringly. Corso looked at her.
"First things first; we need all the information we have available. If you got anything to tell us, now would be a good time to do so" He said. Sonny nodded in agreement.
"Solaris?" He asked, looking at her. Zarind shook his head.
"Solaris, do you think, you can use your projector to show the first part of this story,while I tell the story?To ask you to speak it, it is asking too much at this moment" he asked mildly. Solaris nodded, wiping her tears.
"His name was Zoltar and he was my betrothed. We would have married if it wasn't for Bleylock." Solaris managed, fighting back the tears. Sonny nodded. Corso also nodded slowly, seemed the paladin, desipte her training, still could show emotions.
"Tell us about Zoltar," Sonny said.
Clamp was nervous. For years, he and his partner had kept this information from Technoid. If they told, they risked Bleylocks recalled his partners frantic messages, once they had left the base for the day. Bleylock had shown too much interest in their work. His research papers had been left in the laboratory.
"Labnor, we need to take precautions. Something is going on and if we're not careful, we might get caught up in something that could destabilize the galaxy. Bleylock pays too much attention to our work, and I dont feel good about that" He remembered I'son saying.
"What makes you think that I'Son?Bleylock is our boss, he is just checking our progress" He asked. I'Son turned his back towards Labnor.
"I know things about Bleylock and his real motivations Labnor, things he keeps very well hidden, For your own safety, dont ask. Its enough that I know what he is capable of. I will find a safe place to deal with the metaflux, find a way to destroy it. But it cant fall into Bleylocks hands" I'Son said through gritted teeth. Labnor nodded and followed his friend's suggestions silently. They took extra precautions everywhere to avoid Bleylock gaining access. He had noticed I'Son, keeping a watchful eye on the door. Something was going on between him and Bleylock, and I'Son was not sharing what that was.
And now, after all these years, Duke Maddox called them to a meeting about those days. He just hoped Sonny knew how to handle this. He needed to speak to his friend and see if he had received the Duke's message. And make a plan of action for this meeting.
Coran and Zoonia looked at Zarind, then Solaris.
"Are you ready, Solaris?" Coran asked. Solaris sighed before she nodded silently. She pressed a button on the projector on her arm. She took a small memory pen from inside the compartment.
"We'll use traditional Paladin methods for this. First, Zarind will tell the story of The Trio." Solaris said as she handed the pen to Artie. Zarind nodded and started telling. Three girls, best of friends and an incredible gift for music. As soon as the three friends realized what gift they had, they wanted to share it with the Galaxy. They were peace-loving and tried to bring joy and happiness to every corner of the galaxy. They quickly became famous. Despite trouble at their home planet.
Rainbow. one of the three girls, had an unwanted suitor, who would not accept her repeated noes. Rainbow was also in love with someone else. His name was Zoltar. Rainbow and Zoltar kept their relationship a secret due to the suitor being very influential and powerful. Zoltar acted as security guard for the touring trio. The other suitor found out about Rainbow and Zoltar. It infuriated him as he saw Rainbow as a source to gain power and influence on Stellar unix, a marriage would have been most beneficial to a family lusting for power. After a Galactik tour came to an end, Zoltar was seized by the military of The Bleylocks family's home planet, on charges of espionage. Rainbow was devastated, and her other suitor had tried to force her family to force Rainbow into marriage with him. This was when Rainbow's family had to seek help from the Paladins. She had been taken to them, The paladins,while her mother and father took part in an attack on Abraxor. They were never heard from again, ans Solairs later learned, their ship had blown up just off of Abraxor.
At the time, Zarind had been called back home from having been with the pirates for some time, as the King, Aldoor, needed his advice to help Rainbow in her training. He never made it home. Zarind had been taken prisoner, and his Pirate ship blown to pieces. The wreckage had been taken by Bleylock, for later use. Sonny and Corso looked at each other. The puzzle pieces started to fall into place. Sonny had to have his suspicion confirmed.
"Solaris, the other suitor in this mess was General Bleylock, wasn't it?" He said. Solaris nodded.
"You're right Sonny, it was him." She said. Sonny tensed up. He knew a lot about the battle between father and son Bleylock.
"He was probably forced by his father to do it. They were traditionalist like , that wasnt what he himself wanted" Sonny said. Corso looked at him.
"Don't their people abandon their children at young age and see homosexuality as a sin Sonny?" Corso asked. Sonny nodded.
" Yes Corso,On his home planet Abraxor, emotions are seen as weakness, not too different from chissians, if what I have heard is to be believed." Sonny said. Corso nodded again.
"Abraxor is a military nation. They're known for their coldness. Bleylock's part of them. Starts to make sense now why he is who he is" He muttered. Sonny agreed.
"He wasn't cold when I met him. During his time with Technoid, he showed emotions and love. He could have chosen a different direction in life, he just wasnt strong enough to opose his father." Sonny said. Corso nodded.
"Don't make excuses for him Sonny, despite what he went through, we all have a choice on how to act, he chose to give in." Corso said. Aaraya started talking.
"Fear of his father, of his family and their demands on him, made him go down a destructive path Sonny. Unfortunately, Rainbow was caught in the middle of it." She said. Solaris spoke up.
"Artie, can you please play the content on the memory pen." She said. Artie nodded and put it into his laptop. A beautiful song accompanied the images.
"Rainbows voice," Artie said, amazed. Sonny smiled as he realized it was Solaris singing. She punched a code on her arm projector. In front of their eyes, she started a transformation. Artie looked away from his computer. A sad smile formed on his face when he saw the transformed Solaris.
"You're Rainbow, aren't you?" He said. As Solaris ended the song, she turned to Artie, with a sad smile.
"I am Artie, or rather, I was. When The Bleylocks framed Zoltar, it was the end of Rainbow. I fell into a deep depression until my grandfather, the king, contacted the Paladins. They brought me to them. I was trained since I was a young child in various forms of martial arts. With the Paladins, I didn't have time to think of Zoltar, I was spending every waking moment trying to build strength and trying to forget. This was about the time Opal and Sapphire were informed that I wasn't coming back. I'm not sure where they are now. I just wish I could tell them I'm sorry." Solaris sighed. Artie looked strangely moved. Corso and Sonny exchanged a glance. Sonny turned to Zarind.
"This happened at the same time that you were meant to return to Stellar Unix, Zarind. It's time you tell us what happened on your side. That might be the key to stop all this."
Stellar Unix, The Royal Castle
Maurice Miller sat on the throne. All had gone according to plan. He hadn't heard back from O'Keefe yet. Blackbones would be hard to get close to this time anyway. Attacking Sonny directly would not be smart. An internal note from a person he had under his thumb at the board of directors, had informed him, Duke Maddox and Technoid also kept close tabs on the Pirate Chief through a tracking bracelet. Sonny was expecting a counter strike and he was cooperating with authorities to remain visible to them, so they did not risk loosing their pardon. But there was a way to get the upper hand still. Maurice Miller used the computer system to send an extended file off to a military email. Seconds later, a man in a military uniform, and a scar across his face appeared on the screen.
"Tell me where I can find the fugitive Corso Takashi."
Sonny was looking at the dagger Keiran had left after their encounter. Beautifully decorated, pure abraxian steel,made to last centuries, but with an eerie message. Sonny was debating whether he should tell Callie about it or leave her out of it. It could put her in danger. Sonny recalled how scared she was when he was captured. He recalled Corso's reaction when they were back at the ship after the rescue. His raw emotions shining through like that was unusual. And then Callie wanted to stay close to him all the time. He looked at the dagger again. The dagger had two emblems. One of the Pirates and the other was the family emblem of The Bleylocks, a prominent family on the planet Abraxor. Sonny had been there once as Bleylock's guest. He recalled Bleylock having pulled him aside, telling him that they could not express their love in front of his father.
"At some point, you'll have to tell them Bleylock. What do you expect me to do?" He asked, slightly hurt. Bleylock kissed him softly, sliding his hands through his hair.
"You should move on from me. I hate that I have to tell you this but I don't have a choice. As much as I love you, I am also putting you in danger. Find one of the women here, and have a nice time with her while we are here. Please." Bleylock stammered. Sonny nodded.
"As long as you don't get jealous, okay?" He asked.
"As long as you tell me, even if it hurts more than words can ever tell..." Bleylock stammered, with his yellow eyes strangely glittering, he suspected from tears.
Those words haunted him as he looked at the dagger. Once it represented a token of gratitude, as he had saved Bleylock while at Abraxor. A landslide at a mine they visited had taken place, and Bleylock was caught in it. Sonny's relentless digging saved him. Bleylock's father had given him the dagger, as a token of gratitude. After Sonny left Technoid, he took the dagger and engraved the Pirates emblem on it. It became a reminder of the past. Did Keiran know about this story? He shook his head. doubtful, as he never spoke of it with the pirates. Besides, he was not his problem anymore. Corso would deal with him. Suddenly, Sonny felt Callie's lips on his cheek.
"Still with us Sonny?" She asked softly. Sonny smiled as he looked at her.
"Just thinking of the meaning of this dagger." He said. Callie looked at it.
"I still recall that night we found that thing. I've never seen Corso so defeated. Or scared. We all were." She said softly. Sonny felt a sting of guilt.
"That was no one's fault but my own Callie. I should have let Corso and D'Jok handle it. My capture was my own doing. The dagger could mean two things. It might be a sign that he cut all bonds with the Pirates or a sign of impending betrayal. a third option, a clue to the master mind behind the hostile take over of Technoid. I dont know who pulls the strings yet, he has avoided me coming into direct contact with him. Especially since he went behind Maddox's back." Sonny said. Callie was baffled.
"Duke Maddox didn't approve the ten million standard units on your head then?" She asked, sounding surprised. Sonny nodded.
"Turns out the five million bounty was also just an act, just Duke Maddox passtime." Sonny admitted. Callie was intrigued.
"Something tells me you're worth more to them." She mused. Sonny chuckled.
"If they wanted me taken, it would be a lot higher. True that." He smiled. Callie hugged him.
"Your worth can't be described in money Sonny. Surely they know that" She smiled. Sonny laughed.
"Duke Maddox thinks otherwise." He said. Callie smiled.
"So, how much are you worth to him then?" She asked, curious.
"About twenty million standard units, that would have attracted far more bounty hunters, and limited my movements" Sonny said with a smile. Callie laughed.
"Technoid doesn't appreciate you enough. I would double that amount any day" She smirked. Sonny smiled as he saw a glimpse in her eyes.
"It's not like they can capture my heart as you do." He smiled.
"I better make sure you're treated right, then. Like the valuable prisoner you surely are" She smiled. Sonny felt amused.
"Now you got me curious. How would you treat me in captivity? Should I be scared? " He laughed. Callie pretended to be deep in taught.
"What did Pirates do in the good old days with their captives?" She mused. Sonny chuckled, this could get interesting.
"From what I've read,they were being held for a mighty sum of money. Not much different from today. " Sonny mused. Callie pretended to think.
"If I were to capture you, I wouldn't even let you go." She said. Sonny was struggling not to laugh.
"You wouldn't be a very good Pirate that way. You still need to make a living as a pirate" Sonny teased. Sonny put his hands into the pocket of his new sweater. Now that he was not a wanted man anymore, he decided to wear more casual clothes. The black pants and boots had been put away, replaced by comfortable black jeans and technosizer shoes. He put his hand around a small item in his pocket. This felt like a good time to carry forth with his plan.
"Callie, I've been thinking about this since we buried Helena. If I was going to start over, I had to let the past go. Corso helped me with something I didn't want to drag you into. I know how you struggled when we did the marrow extraction." He said. Callie looked at him.
"We need to find another solution for that Sonny. Corso's almost hurt as much as you are. We both worry this could weaken you in the long run" She said. Sonny nodded.
"I'm working on a better solution. When we buried Helena, both D'Jok and I gave our bracelets back to her. I also left my wedding ring with her. It felt like the right thing to do. Helena wouldn't have wanted me to remain alone." He said. Callie smiled.
"If she'd survived the disaster, she would have still been your wife." She said. Sonny shook his head.
"No Callie. Birthing our son would have been the end of her. She knew, when she was pregnant, that our time was running out. She had a disease she didn't tell me about then. Carrying D'Jok to term was killing her. But birthing him was more important to her than her own life. She wrote this in her letter to explained everything to me, over twenty five years after her death." Sonny confessed. Callie felt a tear roll down her cheek. Sonny wife had been so brave, to give him a son, was her legacy. Her unborn son was more important to her than her own life.
"She had courage Sonny. Giving birth to her son was the most important thing to her. You must tell me about her some day. I wish I could have met her" She softly said. Sonny nodded.
"She wanted for me to move on from… other things as well. Things I'm not ready to tell you yet. Not because I don't trust you but because it will hurt you. I need to come to terms with it myself, before I can tell you" Sonny whispered. Callie nodded.
"Corso knows this, I am sure of it. Can I ask him?" She asked. Sonny seemed to think it over.
"Let me talk to him first. He is still very protective of me, even with you, he would protect me if he felt that to be the best call" He said. Callie nodded and smiled.
"You said something about me not being a good Pirate. I object.I happen to be a very good pirate" Callie stated. Sonny laughed. The game was back on.
"You need a better last name, for one, Mystic is not a pirate name, its too common" Sonny said as he looked at her. Callie taught it over. The challenge glimmered in her eyes as she challenged him.
"Since you brought it up Sonny, do you have any suggestions to what would fit?" she asked. Sonny smiled, taking out the small box.
"I was thinking Callie Blackbones has a nice ring to it." He smiled. Callie was completely caught off guard. Did he mean what she taught he meant? Sonny went down on one knee and opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.
"Callie, Since we met, you've helped me accomplish things that I taught were only possible in my dreams. You made me feel things I never thought I would feel again and I can't imagine my life without you. You already hold my heart in your hands. I am not good with this, but,Callie Mystic, will you marry me?" He asked, heart racing. Callie felt her eyes tear up. Her heartfelt like it would burst.
"Yes Sonny, I will."
A/N: That ending felt so good to write. I've literally been itching to write it for some time.
There are a few things that will have to happen before the wedding takes place. But this will be a reason for celebration.
As always, Thank you Paranoidgirl for all your help with the betaing and all other helpful hints and suggestions. And thanks to all you out there reading the fic, has it been to your liking so far? Please leave a review.