Chapter 3: Turning the tables
The courtroom turned into chaos. Judge Allegi quickly reestablished order, and paramedics came to take care of Sonny. He was in pain, crouching into fetal position and holding his stomach. The paramedics examined him, before they placed him on a stretcher and drove him to the hospital. Judge Allegi declared a continuence as soon as Sonny felt well enough. But because of the circumstances surrounding his illness, Tehcnoid was not allowed to remain in custody of him. The obia moon ambassadours negotiated an agreement that would place Sonny in Dame Simbai, the snowkids nutritionist's care.
To Corso, this was good news. He'd be safe and taken care off there. But, they still needed to speak to him. Knowing Sonny would be taken to Dame Simbai at the Aarch academy for treatment, made Corso relax more. As long as Sonny was with people they knew, they could focus on what mattered. And Corso had planned to get to the bottom of this mystery. He had watched Sonny closely, from the moment he communicated the message about the little pill to use to create a distraction. Corso had seen that Sonny was feeling uneasy about something, but what? If he would have thought he'd be able to handle whatever it was, Corso knew Sonny would have left the pill there,unused. But, he had taken it, and rather fast. This indicated that something had been planned for after todays trial. Could it be that Sonny had been exposed to medical drugs without his knowledge? Corso decided to head back to the ship and look through a book they had on symptoms and cause. Perhaps he could find a plausible explanation there? Corso observed, as people started to leave the courtroom. Discression was of the essence to him these days. Sonny had thought him well in the art of sneaking around unseen. He mixed with a group of people, and silently snuck out. As soon as he found it safe, he made contact with Clamp. «Yes Corso?» said the old man. «Clamp, the obia moon ambassadours negotiated an agreement with the judge. Sonny will be placed in Dame Simbai's care, for further medical attention. Can you provide me with a safe way in? I have to talk to him». Clamp nodded understandingly. «Sure Corso, do you know if he'll be placed under watchment?». «No, but Clamp, I am going to take a major risk concerning my own safety in this. Sonny would be furious with me if he knew of this..». Clamp frowned. This coming from Corso, did not sound good at all. «Corso, think it through before you act» warned Clamp. He knew that if Sonny suspected he knew something, it would do no good trying to lie about it. Sonny had wroked closely with him, and could read him like an open book. If he tried to lie, Sonny would know. «I can't lie to Sonny to cover for you Corso, he'd read me in a minute, and probobly make matters worse for himself, in an attempt to stop you». Corso sighed. He knew Clamp was right. But the alternative, Sonny being taken back into Technoid's custody, now that they had every reason to suspect that something bad would happen, would be a disaster. Corso feared for Sonny's very life if so happened. «I'll be careful clamp, just.. make sure Sonny's ok, and protected». «Ok Corso, you be carefull» Clamp ended the transmission.
Corso leaned back in the chair, and closed his eyes. A brewing headached was torturing him. Corso sighed, and got to the cabin he shared with Sonny. He laid down on the bed, closed his eyes, and soon was sound asleep..
Dame simbai prepared a spare room in the aarch academy. Judge Xandra Allegi had given her a call about her case. Dame Simbai had confirmed the obia moon ambassadours testimony. Technoid was not playing with open cards, and there was reason to believe, that Sonny Blackbones was in danger, if he remained in their custody. This made Judge Allegi appoint Dame Simbai the task of guarding Sonny throughout the ongoing trial. «Is there any restrictions as to whom he is allowed to talk to?» Dame Simbai asked. «Keep him away from the press, but the pirates and D'Jok may talk to him and spend time with him». «You do know that Corso Takashi, Sonny's right hand man, is wanted for 3 million standard credits right?». «I know Dame Simbai, and it is a huge disadvantage to Sonny's case. Corso is the one keywitness that could contribute to clear him of all charges». «I agree, but don't you think it is possible that they made him a wanted man the minute they captured Sonny, to prevent him from testifying?». Judge Allegi rubbed her chin when she heard this. «Dame Simbai, you are definately on to something on that. I do want to speak to Sonny myself, will you notify me as soon as he is strong enough?». «Off course I will. Sonny has helped keep the galaxy safe. He deserves some help in return». The two friends agreed to stay in touch. Dame Simbai looked around. This room would serve as Sonny's prisoncell from now. Technoid had demanded he be cuffed to the bed, but Dame Simbai refused. Sonny posed no risk to anyone, and deserved being treated as a humanbeing, not a dangerous criminal. A knock on the door made her turn. «Yes?». It was Clamp. «They're here with Sonny Dame Simbai, he doesn't look good». The old man seemed worried. «Clamp, you keep D'Jok out of here untill he is better, he has enough to worry about. Seeing Sonny like this, will only add to the pressure». Clamp nodded. The paramedics carried Sonny on a stretcher. Carefully, they placed him on Dame Simbai's examination bench. Sonny's attourney had followed him. «Dame Simbai, i need you to sign these forms, stating that you are legally responisble for Sonny now, take good care of him will you?». She smiled. «Don't worry Mr. Winters, I know Sonny, he'll recover safely here». Mr. Winters nodded. Sonny was awake, but still held onto his stomach. He felt nauseous. Dame Simbai gave him a scompassionate look. «oh Sonny, this seems to pain you a lot?» Sonny couldn't answer. It hurt too much. Dame Simbai mixed some herbs into a tea and handed it to him. «Drink this, it should make you feel better». Sonny took the cup, and carefully, like he was worried it was poisoned, he drank. Meanwhile, Dame Simbai examined his abdomin. Sonny curled up, when she put pressure on his abdomin. Dame Simbai knew it hurt. She carefully placed cold packs on him, to help ease the cramped muscles. Sonny slowly relaxed. Dame Simbai scanned him. Then, she ran a toxicology test on him. «Well?» Sonny's voice was weak, and he struggled to get the word out. «Sonny, you need to rest. All my tests show that you have been deprived of sleep the entire week». Sonny laughed «I wish it was that easy». Dame Simbai looked at him with a strange look in her eyes. «Sonny, can I ask you to be perfectly honest with me?» she asked the pirate chief. Sonny coughed, but he carefully pushed himself up on his elbows. «It depends on what you wish to ask me» he replied. Cautious as ever, thought Dame Simbai to herself. She knew Sonny never let his guard down, not for long anyway. Over the years, working together on matters that involved Flux, she had gradually befriended him, but she always felt that he held back. There was things he felt comfortable telling Clamp, that he didn't tell her. Dame Simbai knew she was pushing the boundries on this, but what choise did she have? Judge Allegi had asked her to try to find out what Sonny knew, and there was only one way to do so. She sat down on a chair next to his bed. She felt his hazel eyes was watching her, carefully, alerted. Looking for anything out of bounds. She carefully weighed her words before she spoke. «Sonny, have Technoid threatened you in any way?». It hit home. Just for a brief second, she saw the shock in Sonny's hazel eyes before he hid it. He looked away as he replied. «Not me directly, they know that wouldn't help, but my men, and it's my fault they're able to do so». Dame Simbai was shocked. Sonny seemed sad to admit this, like he felt ashamed over letting Technoid get the better of him this time. «Sonny, please, explain to me, what has happened?» she asked. Sonny looked down. «They took my transmitter when they captured me. They told me that they modified it, now, anyone that would call my number, would be a subject to tracing from Technoid». Dame Simbai understood the seriousness of the situation. It was a horrible situation for Sonny to be in. «Have they used the modified transmitter yet?» Sonny shook his head. «No, as long as they held me prisoner, they used that possibillity to put pressure on me, forcing me to cooperate. Now, I'm not sure what they'll do». Dame Simbai placed a hand on his arm. «Sonny, Corso is coming here to see you tonight, tell him this, he is worried sick». Sonny nodded. «I know» he said silently. He had seen his friend in the audience. Corso looked like he hadn't slept, wich was most likely the case. Sonny knew that Corso hated being in charge of things, especially for an extended undefined period of time. This, had all the signs of becoming just that. Sonny looked forwards to this visit. It would break the monotony that had occured during his stay with Technoid. Sonny knew he could relax now. There would be none of Technoid's plans for him tonight. But still, he felt that he could tell Dame Simbai of it. «Dame Simbai, canI trust you with knowledge concerinig Technoid?» he asked. «off course you can Sonny, what is it you want to tell me?» Dame Simbai looked intensely at him. Sonny took a deep breath, it still hurt doing this, after all the vomit, but he had to, to calm the nerves a little, «Technoid..someone should check how they treat their prisoners...», Dame Simbai, unknowingly clenched his arm. «Do you know something about this Sonny?» she asked. Her reaction indicated to Sonny, that what he had endured, was infact known, but lacked documentation. He looked at her. With an intense look, he started talking. «If any of those prisoners may have had an changed behaviour, it is due to Technoid giving them a treatment. I am very thankfull that I was not taken back to the prisoncell they kept me locked up in, if so, they would have done so to me tonight». «What would they have done Sonny? What is it that happens when this change occurs?» Dame Simbai was more intense than ever before. The issue that Sonny adressed, was one that had worried the flux society for some time. They had seen it in other prisoners, but could never explain why they changed so suddenly. They had to have told Sonny, only, he was the one that got away. Now, it was up to her, to make sure he stayed safe. «They use a small chip, that alters the way the prisoner thinks. The problem is, you become a living Zombie. You forget all the close ones around you, while you're under the effect of this, and act strange because of the changes that's forced upon you. They.. they planned to do this to me tonight, it's a small surgical proceedure, with grave consequenses» Sonny hid his face in his hands, Dame Simbai realised what kind of stress he had been under. The fact that he had made it this far without breaking, showed his immense strenght. She carefully held on to his arm. «Sonny, thank you for telling me this, I will have to let the judge know of this. You may just have saved the lives of many others, by telling this. Now, I will give you something to sleep on, you need rest. I'll wake you up when Corso gets here» she said, and brought out a syringe. Sonny felt weak, putting his entire bodyweight on to his arms was straineous, and he felt his powers slip away, he said nothing when she injected the syringe in his arm, carefully, she wrapped the sheets around him, and minutes later, Sonny Blackbones was sound asleep. Dame Simbai smiled, as she walked to contact Judge Allegi..
Duke Maddox was furious. How could this happen? They had everything planned, they had prepared to have the proceedure conducted on Sonny, and then what happened? He got sick during the trial. Normally, he would have been left in their care, but nothing about this case was normal. Judge Allegi, thanks to the Obia moon ambassadours testimony, had felt insecure as to wheter Sonny would be safe in their care, and had ordered him removed from their custody. Instead, she had turned him over to Dame Simbai's care, a person known to be in contact with the pirates, and his son. There was no doubt the pirates would get to talk to him now, and Corso would get warned to be on alert. Duke Maddox didn't know wheter they knew about the wanted poster for the second in command, but he assumed they did. All pirates seemed to be up to date as to whom was wanted and not. Duke Maddox knew the system had been hacked, and information regarding the punishment that lay in store for each and every one of Sonny's men, had been extracted, the only file they had been unable to crack, was Sonny's file. Duke Maddox ground his teeths, Sonny Blackbones was perhaps a menace to Technoid, but he was also quite skillfull. There was good reasons why he wanted him back in the company. They had planned to work on him to achieve that goal. When the proceedure was completed, Sonny would be ready to be handed back to the company, but he would be controllable. Duke maddox wanted the truth on the metaflux, he wanted Sonny to producee more, but Sonny had so far refused, stating that he would never under any circumstance, again, create that fluid. He knew the dangers, and was not going to run down that path again. They had been left with no choise. They had taken his transmitter. And modified it. If you couldn't force Sonny Blackbones into cooperation, then surely a little «persuation» would help? Duke Maddox had seen Sonny's reaction when they made the threat towards his men. There had been an untamed and uncontrollable fury behind his hazel eyes. Duke Maddox feared that the pirates would counterstrike, now that Sonny had been brought to a safe place. But at the same time, he knew that the leader of the pirates would do anything to keep his men safe, including sacrificing his own life. It made him absolutely frantic to think of how these plans of his had been spolied.
But, as he opened the drawer of his desk, all wasn't lost. Sonny's transmitter was still in his posession. Duke Maddox picked it up, and grinned an evil smile. Perhaps, time had come to show the pirates just how vulnerable they really were? Duke Maddox called on his assistant. Then he told him, what he wanted him to do, the two men laughed evil. «There is a price to defy me Sonny Blackbones, you should not have done the things you did today, now, you will see just how i can proceed to get even with you and your men. Nothing is ever gonna be the same again» he grinned. The assistant was sent off to effectuate his plan...
Corso sat next to Sonny's bed. He looked at him. Sonny looked peacefull, as he was in deep sleep. «How is he Dame Simbai?». «He is fine Corso, I managed to stop the vomit reflex and hydrate him a bit. He's been under a lot of stress lately, he'll need to rest» she said as an answer to his question. Corso nodded. He carefully put his hand to Sonny's chest, feling his strong heartbeats. «All that's happened lately..there is something in this that doesn't ring right. I just hope Sonny can shed some light on things» he said, more to himself than anyone else. Dame Simbai said nothing, she didn't need to. Sonny slowly opened his eyes. «Corso..» his voice was a mere whisper. Corso couldn't take it. He pulled Sonny into a hug. «Sonny, I'm so sorry..this never should have happened..I..» Sonny cut him off with a smile. «So, you think I should still have been locked up in Technoid's prison cell, is that it?» he teased his second in command. «That's not what i meant Sonny..» Corso puffed a bit annoyed. «But time is limited, what have you got to tell me?». As Sonny started telling of the weeks technoid had kept him imprisoned, Corso gradually went from a state of shock into the one of a deep and boiling fury. «HOW DARE THEY?» he yelled when Sonny told him about the transmitter. «Calm yourself Corso. It's wartactics. You're the fluxwar veteran, all the rest of us learned from you» stated Sonny. But he knew where Corso was coming from. «Remember Corso, they could actually be bluffing» he warned his friend. Corso looked at him.
«You don't believe that anymore than me Sonny. Technoid is up to something. I'll make sure everyone is aware of what has happened» Sonny nodded it, «Organize a team, to break into Duke Maddox office and find the transmitter, then, have it permanently destroyed. That thing, in it's current state, is dangerous» Corso nodded it. Anything that could be used to track the pirates down, was to be concidered dangerous. But Corso quickly started talking of what had happened in the courtroom that morning. «Those pills of ours should not produce that effect Sonny. Vomit and stomachcramps yes, but not coughing up blood». Sonny agreed. «I'll have to admit, that was scary, I suspected it was the wrong pill at first». Dame Simbai saw this as a que to interupt the two pirates. «Sonny, your body reacted that way for a reason. Remember i had a toxscreen preformed earlier?» she asked. Sonny nodded. «Is the results of that one ready? He asked. Dame Simbai handed him the sheets. «I think, with your background, you should be able to figure out what this means» she said. Sonny looked at it. His mouth nearly fell open when he saw the result. «That no good..» he handed the papers to Corso. Corso read it, and slammed in the floor. «This is a declaration of war Sonny, we can't accept them doing this». Sonny agreed. But before they got a hold of themselves, Clamp came running into the room. He looked terrified. «You have to see the news Sonny, and, I'm sorry to be the bearer of such sad news». Sonny frowned. «Clamp, you're making no sense, what are you talking about?» Clamp didn't respond. He just turned on the holotv. The pictures that emmerged made all three of them sit there gaping. A small asteroide on the outskirts of Shiloh, had been bombed to pieces by technoid. Duke Maddox appeared on screen. Something was definately changed with the old man. «Sonny Blackbones, this is just the first. Either you cooperate, or I will target Shiloh Nebula as the next bombtarget, using your own invention, the metaflux against you. The choise is now in your hands. Surrender, and no one will be harmed, you got 24 hours»...
Oh oh, now the Duke has finally lost it. The pirates are surely not going to sit around and not retalliate this time, not now that they've been attacked. What will Sonny do? And will his mighty and powerfull friends come to his aid? Is this the end of the peaceful years in the Zaelion galaxy? Is a new fluxwar on the steps? Keep reading, and you will learn the truth.