Sonny put him on the spot.
He knew more than Corso wanted.
But how much did he know?
Once they were back on The Black Manta, Corso felt like the walls were closing in on him.
He looked at Sonny, who was seeing right trough him it felt like.
"Looks like you need some time to think, and I have some other things to do. Just know that… you're safe. I know how Technoid works, whatever you did, won't come close." Sonny confessed, looking at Corso.
Corso nodded, finding it hard to talk.
"I'll tell you someday, when I can wrap my head around it myself. And the part I played…." Sonny's voice sounded tired as he said this.
Corso cleared his throat before he spoke up.
"It's hard to talk about him. Maybe someday. Maybe not all at once. Just give me some time, alright?" He asked, silently hoping Sonny would hear the plea in his voice, not outright forcing him to beg.
With a light tap on Corso's shoulder, he let the other man go to their cabin.
Corso closed his eyes as he sat down on the sofa in the cabin, trying to prepare himself.
He stuck his hand inside his jacket, and pulled out an old picture that was worn at the edges.
It showed him at a much younger age, before he lost his eye, still proud and dressed in a Sergeant's uniform, wearing Chissia's colors.
He remembered it like it was yesterday.
He was promoted, after years as a plain foot soldier.
He remembered being so happy.
Life with the Pirates really changed that.
Now he only felt disgust.
Aryn had felt the same way, though he never quite knew why.
Aryn eventually volunteered for the new Shadow Ops.
So secret they couldn't tell anyone.
Corso could remember his lover's innocent eyes, so trusting of him.
In some senses, Aryn was like Sonny.
Maybe that's why he fell for them both.
Then it all fell apart.
It was supposed to be a simple evacuation mission.
Just get the civilians out.
He recalled the moment they were assigned their duties.
Aryn was set to lead the extraction team, without Corso.
That angered him and he raised his hand.
" Yes, Sergeant?" The Colonel in charge said, nodding to Corso.
"I would like to be together with Corporal Aryn. To do this, we need a team that can trust each other." He said.
The Colonel shook his head.
"I'd rather lose one of my best people than two."
That's the last time he ever saw him alive.
He was killed on the field.
He managed to retrieve his body, despite protests.
It was the least he could do.
He remembered a fight.
Cost him his eye.
When he woke up, Aryn was already buried.
At least he was buried with full honors.
That was the last time Corso really showed any emotion.
To make matters worse, in the end he was blamed for the death and sent to a labor camp.
He managed to escape after months, but once he did, he didn't know where to go.
And at that point, he really didn't care.
That led him to the pirates.
And that was all Sonny needed to know.
Would Sonny believe him?
Maybe.
He knew how it sounded, and how the official records made him look.
He just hoped Sonny would look past it.
He called Sonny up.
Sonny studied his face, before breaking into a smile.
"What's the matter, Corso? You look like you've seen a ghost." He asked cheerfully.
Corso returned a tired smile.
"Just the ones from my past. Want to meet them?" He asked.
Sonny nodded.
"Of course I do. Don't be afraid, and dont hold back." He offered.
Corso nodded, psyching himself up.
He imagined Aryn besides him, smiling that smile he loved.
It gave him courage.
Corso let Sonny sit down, before taking a swig of water from a bottle nearby and sitting down next to him.
"Sit tight, this might take while…"