The Rise of Voltron: Season 1: Chapter 9 - Tunnel Vision

Breathe in…breathe out…

Sweat and dust. The scent of desperation…

Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus.

Blood pumping. Crowds jeering. Opponents screaming.

Trembling fists tightened. Lungs tensed. His heart couldn’t keep steady.

‘Patience yields focus. Patience yields focus. Patience yields—’

BANG BANG BANG

“Come on, Shiro, it’s time to go!”

Shiro jolted, then slumped with a sigh, any semblance of hope for meditation thoroughly dashed. He cringed at the next series of rapid, tiny fists making more noise than a construction site. Metallic tinks joined in. Rubbing his aching temple, he picked up his helmet and stood.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mooonn—!”

He opened the door. Pidge and Rover nearly hit him, teetering forward before regaining their balance and backing up. She then put her hands on her hips, her expression sour. Just like him, she was already in her armor.

“What took you so long?” she said. “This mission requires speed and punctuality, and you’re five minutes late!”

Shiro raised an eyebrow and checked the time on his gauntlet. “We’re not due to leave for another half hour.”

A small finger appeared in his face. “Being early is being on time, being on time is being late, and being late is unacceptable!”

Rover nodded emphatically next to her while Shiro gained a small smile. “Well, at least you didn’t inherit your old man’s sense of time.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, family resemblance, all well and good, now let’s move!”

Darting behind him, the petite girl attempted to push him through the doorway — to very little success. As in, none. Even with her whole body weight leaning against him and her drone bonking himself into Shiro’s back, he didn’t move an inch.

“Slow your roll there, kiddo,” he said, crossing his arms and smirking over his shoulder. “We still have to do our last briefing with the others.”

“Why?” she asked, pausing in her struggle. “They’re not coming with us, and we’ve gone over it a hundred times. What will another briefing do?”

“Exactly how many of our plans have gone perfectly?”

Her mouth opened and finger rose, but only for a moment. At length, she sighed. “Okay, okay, let’s just get it over with.”

“Just get it over with.”

A shred of breath hitched in Shiro’s lungs.

“Wait.” His heavy hand on her shoulder stopped Pidge as she moved around him. She looked at him curiously. He hesitated. “Just keep in mind…I know it’s the only way to get intel like this, but criminally sourced information isn’t always the most reliable.”

“I know that,” she said stiffly.

He went on. “And even if they are there…you may not like what you find.”

She eyed him for a second, the memory of when he’d crashed on Earth playing in her head. It wasn’t hard to understand what he was implying.

Even so, she pulled away from his hold and said, “What I’ll find is my family.”

Shiro knew that look; it was one the Holts were famous for. It meant that nothing — not push-back, not doubt, not even better logic — was going to stop her from completing her goal. Shiro wanted to press the matter further but he knew it would only lead to a bitter finale.

Letting out a deep breath, he said, “Alright. Last one there’s a rotten egg.”

“Wha—” Pidge barely had time to blanch before he took off down the hall. She charged after him, yelling, “Hey, no fair!”

It did get them to the bridge quickly, though, so she couldn’t complain too much, especially since she won.

“Ha ha!” she and Rover cheered as she leaped through the door.

“Aw, dang it,” said Shiro with an exaggerated snap of his fingers. “I really thought I had you there. You’re getting fast.”

She smirked. “Uh-huh. Because you totally didn’t give up that last leg.”

“What? Pfft, no, don’t be silly, I would never do that.” He ruffled her hair, making her giggle, then cleared his throat and turned to the rest of the bridge. “So, everybody here?”

“Yes, sir’ee,” Coran replied cheerfully, motioning to the others scattered about the room.

“Good. Now” — He caught Pidge’s urging side eye — “does everyone remember the plan?”

“Infiltrate, assassinate, liberate, right?” Lance rattle off nonchalantly.

Shiro blinked at him. “Uh, more or less, but where’d the ‘assassinate’ part come from?”

“‘Cause you’re gonna be taking out the warden to free the prisoners, duh.”

“If it comes to that, I guess so.”

“We will have the medical bay ready for your return,” said Allura as she stepped forward, “though I pray it will not be needed.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with?” said Keith, a tad more tentative than usual. “The base is probably heavily guarded. Having an extra set of hands might help.”

It was easy for Shiro to notice the slight rigidity of his posture and the pinch in his eyebrows. Worry wasn’t an emotion Keith felt too often, much less showed, but it was likely warranted today.

Lance seemed to pick up on his meaning and sidled up beside them, saying, “Yeah, and for a stealth mission, you definitely want a sniper, not an oversized kitchen knife.”

The two teens shot each other flat and smug looks respectively, making Shiro chuckle before resting a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“I appreciate the offer — both of you — and while I’d definitely like to have your skills with us, I think it’s best if we keep our numbers to a minimum on this one, bud.” Keith’s frown deepened, prompting the hold on his shoulder to tighten reassuringly. “We’ll check in regularly and signal you when it’s time. And if things get dicey before then, we’ll call. I promise.”

Another round of debate flickered in his eyes while Lance’s narrowed.

After a moment, Keith let out a grumbling breath and replied, “You better.”

A small smile passed between them, Shiro bumping his shoulder with his fist.

“And, hey, this’ll give us the perfect opportunity for some guy bonding time,” said Hunk, slinging his arms around his fellow teenagers.

Keith glanced between the two, then sent a somewhat pleading expression to his brother, who merely chuckled again. “I think bonding’s a great idea.”

“Okay, briefing over, can we go now?” said Pidge, running in place in the hallway.

“Being early is being on time—Being early is being on time—” Rover repeated, swirling around Shiro’s head.

Swatting him away, the man headed after her, calling back, “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”

In short order, the away team was settled in the Green Lion and lifting out of the hangar.

“Good luck to you,” said Allura over the comm as she activated the teludav, a specific look passing from her to Pidge.

“Just be ready for a truck-load of tech questions when we get back,” she replied with a grin. She could already hear Dad and Matt’s endless wonderings about the castle’s inner workings.

“Ah, yes,” Coran mumbled, recalling her doing the same. “Joy.”

“Stay safe,” Keith added.

With final nods on both sides, Green activated her cloak and slipped through the wormhole. The snap of it closing left an uneasy feeling in Keith’s gut.

‘I mean it. Because if you don’t, I’m gonna put you in a healing pod myself.’

———————————

For the most part, Planet Rahanam was unremarkable. Its fauna and flora were as diverse as any other world, and its climate varied from boiling to freezing just the same. What set it apart were the rich veins of ore running deep beneath its surface, each one an important component for the metals used in the forging of Galran ships, sentries, everything, hence the mining bases they’d set up there. Said stores were also nearly depleted, at least according to the Paladins’ intel — intel gained from a black market informant via a high-ranking smuggler.

Shiro still wasn’t too sure about that part, nor was he fully convinced of this mission. He wanted to believe they’d find the Holts there, of course, but could it really be so easy? One tip and his old crew was back? It felt too…painless. Too convenient. He refrained from sharing his worries with Pidge, though. The poor girl needed her hope, even if it was potentially about to be crushed.

‘Please let me be wrong.’

For her part, Pidge’s mind was far from such worries — far from that planet, in fact. Her thoughts were instead consumed by the idea of finally seeing her father and brother again after so long, drifting back to the last time they’d all been together…

Perfectly warm amber sunlight was streaming through the windows of the dining room of their house. They only used it on special occasions like holidays. That day in October almost exactly a year ago had certainly been special: the day before the launch of the Kerberos Mission. Pictures decorated the walls. Some of them were art Mom had bought but most were pictures of Katie and Matt through the years, usually of them getting into trouble or Matt teaching his sister, who was younger by seven years, how to do something even he shouldn’t have known. The whole house was well-worn from their antics and carried the scents of soil from Mom’s numerous plants, soldering smoke from Dad’s robot experiments, and dog hair from Bae-Bae. That evening, though, all of it was almost overpowered by the feast Mom had made.

“Eat up, Matt,” said Dad, dishing himself a healthy heaping of meat. “After tomorrow’s launch, we’ll be eating freeze-dried peas for the next eighteen months.”

“Don’t lie, you love those peas,” Matt replied with a smirk.

Both of them wore their uniforms. The family was going to the launch pad after dinner to take pictures in front of the rocket. All afternoon, Matt had looked like a peacock strutting around and showing off his brand new officer’s attire, the creamsicle orange-and-white of his cadet uniform at long last exchanged for grey like his father’s. The girls had also dressed up, Katie choosing a light, purple dress and matching headband while her mother, Colleen, wore a long-sleeved teal one — the same one she’d worn on her and Dad’s first date. Even Bae-Bae had his special collar on.

Dad chuckled. “Guilty. Those Garrison chefs really know how to genetically manufacture a delicious vegetable.”

“Which are still not getting added to my dinner table, thank you very much,” said Mom, catching the look he was giving her. He innocently glanced away and took a sip of his wine.

Katie sighed and leaned against her hand, absentmindedly rewarding Bae-Bae’s begging with scraps from her plate. “I wish I was going with you guys.”

“Hey, chin up, kiddo,” said Dad. “Something tells me that you’re going to have your own crew someday, and you’re going to fly with them to worlds so far away we can’t even imagine. Why, I’d bet my bottom dollar you’re going to be part of something that makes the whole universe sit up and take notice.”

She beamed at the idea. Her, a legendary space explorer-scientist. It was everything she’d ever wanted, and she only had one more year of middle school before she enlisted in the Garrison! By the time Dad and Matt got to Kerberos, she’d be starting her journey to join them.

That’s what she’d thought, at least.

“The Galaxy Garrison mission to the moon of Kerberos has been declared a failure, and all crew members are believed to be dead. The Garrison has said the crash was undoubtedly caused by pilot error. It is indeed a sad day for all humanity.”

For humanity? What about for them? For the two people who just lost half their family and didn’t even know until the same night the media ran the story? Katie clenched her jaw as she listened to the officer and the news anchor at the same time, both talking about how tragic it was and how their bleeding hearts went out to her and her mother, as if they could possibly understand what it felt like to have your heart ripped out of your chest.

No. No, she couldn’t accept this. She refused to accept it! Wiping her eyes, she charged back up the stairs, past the picture of them all in front of the rocket nine months before, not caring if her mother caught her out of bed. She needed to plan.

Sneaking into the Galaxy Garrison should’ve been one of the hardest things in the world. It boasted the most advanced, state-of-the-art security system ever created, the same one they’d outfitted the Pentagon with years prior. However, it became a much easier task when your father was one of the lead designers of the project.

Using his access codes (and “persuading” the system a little), Katie made her way to Colonel Iverson’s office and hopped on his computer, digging through the most recent classified files. It was stranger than she could’ve imagined. The satellite images made no sense. What could’ve possibly caused the terrain to shift like that? How could the landing site be completely untouched yet show no signs of the crew? Where were they? The answers had to be in these unusually heavily encrypted files, she just had to—

The lights flicked on. Katie jumped away from the keyboard like it had burned her.

Iverson himself was standing in the doorway, gaping. “Wh—What are you doing in here?! Get off my computer! How did you get past the guards?”

“You told us the shuttle went down due to pilot error,” she said hotly. “I saw the feeds from the satellites. There’s no evidence of a crash anywhere on Kerberos!”

His face went slightly ashen, then he glowered and stormed over. “Those feeds are classified. I could charge you with treason for hacking into them.” Iverson seized her by the arm and dragged her out of the room, heedless of her struggling.

“Where’s my family!?”

Her words fell on deaf ears as he let go, then pointed to a nearby soldier in the hall and said, “Escort Miss Holt off the premises, and make sure every guard knows she’s never allowed on Garrison property again.”

“You can’t keep me out!” Katie shouted, tugging at the officer’s harsh grip and hoping Iverson’s bandaged eye was every bit as painful as it looked. “I’ll find the truth! I’ll never stop!”

And she wouldn’t, not until her father and brother were safe at home where they belonged. Her hands tightened around the control sticks. Green purred warmly in her mind, calming it. The sound of Shiro clearing his throat brought her back to the present. They were approaching the planet, Green’s cloak keeping them hidden from scanners. Even from a distance, the clear-cut, desolate quarries scattered across Rahanam’s surface were eyesores, and painfully reminiscent of how they’d found the Balmera. The grey bases and giant mining machines stapled to each quarry weren’t helping. Only one site was still active, though.

“Okay, let’s go over strategy,” he said. Pidge barely suppressed a groan. “First, what do you notice about their defenses?” She turned to Rover and opened her mouth. “Without having a computer analyze for you.”

Though she rolled her eyes, she waved the drone away and examined both the planet and the floating specs waiting in orbit. “Sparse ships, mostly transports… They’re slowing down production, just like the intel said.”

“Good. What else?”

A few seconds passed as they entered the atmosphere and passed through a layer of bleak clouds, granting a view of the surface. It looked even worse up close.

“Surface-to-air cannons and hangars full of fighter ships,” she replied.

“Which means?” he pressed.

“If we get caught, it’ll be an uphill battle to get out.”

“Anything else?”

“Security’s tight. Patrols are everywhere.”

“And how do we avoid them?”

She smirked. “We go in high.”

Shiro sported a smile of his own as she flew over the complex, setting Green to hover in a blind spot between two cannons above the western wing, just in case. They headed into the Lion’s chest compartment, opened the large floor hatch, and jumped, leaving the safety of her cloak behind. Pidge and Shiro fired their booster packs just before hitting the roof, slowing their fall so they only made tiny thumps no one would notice. Rover drifted down behind them and spotted a hatch nearby. He used his codes to unlock it, and they dropped through one at a time into a single-man elevator. The hallway beyond was quiet.

“Don’t these guys know how to make anything look unique?” said Pidge in a hushed voice as she leaned around the doorway.

The inside of the base was nearly identical to the cruiser they’d been in before. The only difference was that, for some reason, the lights were green, despite the neons on the outside of the base being the standard purple.

‘Just like the quintessence we shipped the other day. Maybe the Galra use it for the prisons because it’s cheaper and faster to make?’ she thought. ‘No, that doesn’t make any sense. Why have a second generator with a worse power source when you could just use the same one for the whole place? Way more efficient.’

Her mental monologue cut off when hands yanked her to the side, one of them covering her mouth. She instinctively squirmed in Shiro’s hold, but stopped when the sound of rhythmic metal reached her ears. The patrol passed by at the end of the corridor, none the wiser about the intruders. Once the heavy thumps faded, Shiro set her down and carefully peeked around the corner.

“Clear,” he whispered. Still, he couldn’t help double-checking.

They didn’t have schematics to work off of, but if the Galra designed this place like their ships, there should be terminals every so often. All they needed to do was pick a direction. In theory, at least.

After a final sweep, they moved. By calculating the most optimal spots for cameras, Rover was able to sneak up and reprogram them to loop the previous ten minutes. Two more dodged patrols later and they found what they were after. Eagerly, Pidge accessed the computer’s files, only for her face to fall the longer she read.

“What’s the hold up?” asked Shiro, noting her slowing movements.

“There aren’t any names in here, not even descriptions,” she practically growled, “just ID numbers. There’s no way to tell who’s who unless you already know.”

“What about cameras?”

“Hundreds of feeds and months of footage. I’d need the castle to process that kind of data — no way Rover could do it.”

The little bot blinked before his optic drooped with a sad croon.

Shiro thought it over. “Okay, plan B, then.”

“We have a plan B?” asked Pidge.

“We’ll talk to the prisoners. If Matt or Sam are here, one of them’s bound to have seen them.”

Pidge downloaded a map and shared it to Shiro’s suit. Choosing the closest cellblock to them, they began carefully making their way. Every hall was approached with the utmost caution, the trio going stiff at the slightest clank of metal or hum of an engine. Their progress was painfully slow for Pidge’s taste. Several times, she wanted to charge ahead just after a squad passed, but she restrained herself; setting off the alarms wouldn’t help her get anywhere except a cell of her own. Shiro, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to go slow enough. Each and every echoing noise had his head on a swivel. Memories wanted to crowd in. He pushed them back as hard as he could.

‘Five seconds in, five seconds out,’ he recited as he forced his lungs to work normally and his mind to clear. He could almost feel his grandfather’s expectant stare.

Thankfully, the cells weren’t too much farther. Choosing one at random, Pidge turned to Rover and said, “Open it.”

He warbled twice in reply, then used a coding beam like the gendopics and Paladin armor had to access the hidden panel. It beeped and the door slid up, allowing dim light to spill into the tiny cube of a room. Tiny gasps and whimpers sounded, and several shadowed figures inched away.

Pidge ducked under the opening door, too impatient to wait. “Dad? Matt?”

Six prisoners huddled near the back wall, eyes filled with apprehension and confusion. There was a chubby green guy with stubby eye stalks, a long, eight-armed, orange caterpillar-like one, even an oval-shaped, yellow-skinned one with a lone, giant eye in the center of his face. But none of them were Human.

Her gaze drifted to the floor. ‘A dead end? No, there are plenty of other cells. There’s still a chance.’

“Don’t be afraid,” said Shiro as he came up behind her. “We’re here to help.”

The aliens didn’t look reassured. They squinted at the two and edged farther away, as if expecting them to say “Sike” and run off, or do something worse. But then one of the alien’s eyes went wide. He moved to stand, but the yellow cyclops clung tighter and pulled him back, frantically shaking his head. The grey man patted his hand and smiled reassuringly. Rising on shaky, wiry legs, he took a hesitant step toward the Earthlings. He was willowy in the worst way, as though he’d been starved from infancy. Shoulder-length, crusty hair framed his noseless, wrinkled face. As he drew closer, blinking to adjust to the light from the hallway, his vision honed in on Shiro’s scar, just visible beneath his visor. He gasped.

“It’s you…” He glanced around at the others, life returning to his thin voice. “It’s the Champion. If anyone can get us out of here, he can.”

“You…know me?” asked Shiro.

The old, grey alien nodded. “I witnessed many of your battles, and many have heard the rumors of your escape. I’m glad to see they are true.”

A strange sense of elation filled him. To hear someone speak that title not with contempt or challenge but hope…it was oddly comforting.

“Wait, but that means… Were you there?” said Pidge. “Did you see my dad and brother, Sam and Matt Holt? They would look like me — well not exactly like me, but similar. Do you know where they are? Are they here?”

Her advancing steps and demanding voice made the alien pull back, his four hands lifting in fright.

“Pidge,” said Shiro sternly, holding an arm in front of her. “Let him speak.”

After taking a breath and thinking a moment, the alien replied, “I never knew their names, but I do remember the two others who arrived with the Champion. The younger was sent to the ring with the rest of us.” The large, red, lizard-like alien snarled, wrinkling the pale scars over his dead eye. “But after he was injured, he was taken away, much like the elder.”

“Yeah, we know that part,” Pidge nearly snapped, “but where were they taken?”

“I’m afraid I know not. The sentries communicate silently, you see, and the officers do not tolerate questions.” A shudder ran down his spine. “If either were sent here, it was before our time.”

Her mind raced, her blank stare drifting away. Resettling her gaze on the alien, she asked, “Are you absolutely sure — one hundred percent, without an inkling of a doubt — that you’ve never seen them here on this base?”

He gave a single, slow nod.

Shiro’s heart sank. He closed his eyes and breathed a quiet sigh, only to jolt at a harsh SLAM! Pidge was leaning her forehead against the wall, her fists still curled and trembling.

“Hey, hey,” he said softly, placing his hands on her shoulders as Rover drifted over with a solemn whirr, “it’s okay. It was one bad tip. We’ll find them.”

Guilt filled the tiny room, the prisoners sending glances at each other in hopes someone else may have better news. None of them did. However, one perked up.

“Taskmaster’s computer. It would know.” The Earthlings looked at the yellow alien in surprise.

The four-armed man nodded along, revelation growing on his face. “Yes. Yes, that may be your way.”

“Taskmaster?” repeated Shiro.

“In essence, the warden,” the alien replied. “He would have to keep a record of inmates and transfers. His computer may have the information you seek.”

Just when a spark of hope returned to Pidge, a prolonged beep rang through the air. “Did we get made? Rover, why didn’t you warn us? You’re supposed to be watching the hall!”

The drone flinched a little and sank in shame, but the alien hurriedly said, “No, no, our next shift is about to start. You must go. The guards must not find you.” He pushed the Humans out of the cell and pointed down the corridor. “The taskmaster’s office is on the north side. Hurry.”

“Thank you…?” Shiro let his words hang in silent question.

“Grunar.”

“We’ll come back for you, Grunar. Once our friends get here, we’ll be back for all of you.” Disbelief and joy warred on his face at the Paladin’s declaration, as it did on the rest of the prisoners. “Just hang on for a little while longer.”

He replied with a tired smile, “What’s a few more doboshes after decaphoebs?”

Remorse rose in Shiro chest, growing as he gave the order, “Close it.”

Rover dutifully did so and the trio rushed out of the cellblock, the echo of metallic footsteps spurring them faster. In their hurry, they neglected to check for motion sensors.

From the monitor room, Sendak observed the intruders with a cutting grin. “Ahead of schedule. How nice.”

———————————

Left.

Tap tap tap tap tap

Right.

Tap tap tap tap tap

Back to the left.

Tap tap tap tap tap

And round and round he went. Coran was beginning to wonder if all Earthlings were like this or if it was just this boy. He was pacing to and fro in a relentless rhythm, and it was unfathomably distracting; Coran’s ear was beginning to twitch in time. Keith, meanwhile, was oblivious to the constant glances, which were a hair’s breadth away from being glares. His mind was far from there, replaying the plan and any complications that could arise.

‘They should’ve checked in by now. Maybe I should go. But if nothing’s wrong, I just blew their cover. But how would we know if nothing’s wrong? They’d have to check in. I know he promised but—’

“Keith.” He jolted from his thoughts and froze. Coran was suddenly in his path, a terse expression on his face. “While I do appreciate the company, could you perhaps wear a groove into a different floor? One that’s not here?”

Sheepishly, he replied, “Well, this is the main communication room. If Shiro and Pidge try to call—”

“The entire castle will be alerted and allowed to both see and hear it,” said Coran.

“What if we need to launch quickly?”

“A few extra tics will not kill you.”

“What if—”

“No more pacing!” Coran grabbed Keith by the back of his shoulders and sped him out of the bridge. “Please go put that energy to something productive. Running, perhaps, alright? Wonderful.”

With a swish and click, he vanished behind the locked door. Keith stared for a moment, his finger still raised to speak before it fell.

‘Guess I could get some training in,’ he thought with a sigh, turning and trudging down the hall. He glanced out of the corner of his eye. ‘Why are they staring at me?’

“Why are we staring at Keith?” Hunk whispered, half of his head poking around a nearby turn.

Below him, Lance replied in an equally hushed, deadly serious tone, “Pockets.”

His friend squinted at him. “What?”

“His pockets. …Okay, so technically they’re belt pouches, but still. Don’t you ever wonder what’s in them?”

“Um, not really, since I have pouches, too.”

“Yeah, but we already know what’s in those. I’m talking about: what does a guy like Keith think he needs to constantly have on him?”

Hunk opened his mouth, then closed it again, falling silent for a few seconds. “Now that you mention it, he was the one who had those mesh bags we collected the fluuto beans in, and when I asked why he had them, he just said ‘In case.’ I mean, to be fair, they were in his ‘pic, but his ‘pic used to be in his pocket, so…”

“Exactly. Who knows what else a desert hobo would have on him?” Lance was fully expecting an inordinate number of knives, and possibly some bugs (dead or alive was up in the air).

“Okay, but why are we sneaking around instead of just asking him?”

A sly grin appeared on his face. “Where’s the fun in that?”

‘Ah. So this is a “mess with Keith” scheme.’ Hunk should’ve known.

“The fun in what?”

The boys jumped with clipped yelps and whirled around to find Allura leaning next to them curiously.

“Oh, uh, Princess, hey. W-We were just—” Lance cut himself off. One could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he regained his cunning smirk. “Have you, by any chance, ever wondered what Keith may be hiding in those pouches of his?”

She answered slowly, “I cannot say I have, no.”

“Then, if you please, ask yourself ‘What could mysterious Mr. Mullet possibly have hidden away in those things? What secrets is he hiding?’” he went on, using his smoothest voice. “Makes you think, doesn’t it?”

“Seriously?” hissed Hunk, a hand next to his mouth. “She’s a princess. She’s not gonna—”

“And his elusive nature would necessitate using indirect methods.” It was almost frightening to see Allura wear such a crafty yet innocent expression — and wear it well. “I assume you have a plan?”

Lance’s smile could’ve been seen from space, as could Hunk’s surprise. ‘Oh my gosh, there’s two of him.’

“Well, now that you’re here” — Lance plucked one of the mice from the ground and held him up — “I’d say I have a pretty good idea. Begin Operation: What’s In His Wallet!”

———————————

Door by door, patrol by patrol, the two Paladins snuck through the complex. Thanks to Rover’s codes, they were able to slip into the north sector undetected. There were more drones than sentries here, they noticed, their own pausing to stare at his lookalikes a few times as they passed. Before long, the three reached a room with two bots stationed outside. Shiro made a set of hand signals. His partners nodded.

Rover drifted around the corner, moving at the proper height and speed to mimic his counterparts. His unique blue lights caught the guards’ attention. He got just close enough to be out of reach, paused, and then played the Macarena at max volume while jovially spinning and bobbing along. The sentries looked at each other in confusion. Pidge and Shiro wasted no time taking them out with their blaster pistols. If the dance number didn’t alert the taskmaster, the bang-bang of his security dropping like rocks certainly would. Sure enough, within a matter of seconds, the door opened. He didn’t have a chance to ask what was happening before a metal fist greeted his face.

“Nice job, little guy,” said Shiro to Rover, making him chirp happily.

He then dragged the bodies into the office and tied up the taskmaster. While he and Rover went to the windows lining the back wall to keep watch, Pidge made for the computer. Connecting her gauntlet to it and finding the files was easy enough, but a heavy encryption blocked her way.

“Not a problem,” she muttered, cracking her fingers.

The question of how many offices she would have to hack into before she found her family flitted in the back of her mind, but she dismissed it in favor of concentrating. She set the Altean code-breaker program to work, only to receive an error message in return. Eyebrows knitting, she attempted to help it with her own program. A laughing cartoon version of her head bobbed about the screen for a few seconds before she got the same result.

“Rover,” she called, beckoning to him without looking up.

He dutifully flew over and connected his systems. Another error. With a frustrated growl, she began using all three methods simultaneously.

“What’s wrong?” asked Shiro, joining her, though he couldn’t understand a lick of what he saw on the screen.

“Stupid thing’s got fifteen layers of security on it,” she said.

“Can you crack it?”

“Have you met me? Of course I can. But it’ll take forever, and the Galra are gonna figure out they’re being punked way before then.” Another growl. “Their AI’s been learning my tricks.”

“Do what you can.”

Shiro’s tone may have been light but his finger started tensely tapping against the desk. Or rather, his claw did. Pidge’s eyes went wide. She grabbed his arm and began tugging it toward the console.

“Whoa, what’re you doing?” he said, instinctively pulling back.

Keeping a firm hold, she hurriedly replied, “You’re arm’s Galra tech, it could trick the computer into thinking we’re one of them.”

“Uh, okay.”

She pushed Rover out of the way as she stepped back, letting Shiro place his hand on a scanner, and waited, her gauntlet’s holo-screen at the ready. After a few seconds, the scrolling data thinned a bit. Pidge grinned. It was working! Her hands flew over the coding, byte by byte maneuvering her way to—

AAEEERR AAEEERR AAEEERR

The three intruders jumped. Red lights flashed around them and a synthesized voice rang out, “Fugitive prisoner 117-9875 detected. Security alerted. Lockdown initiated. Remain where you are.”

Shutters slammed over the windows and door, sealing the office’s every crack.

“No, no, no!” Pidge cried, mashing the holographic buttons, but it was too late. The computer shut down entirely. She pounded her fists against the desk. “Blast it!”

“Come on,” said Shiro, ushering both her and a panicking Rover toward the door and powering up his arm.

The scent of burning metal filled the air as he began carving a hole through it, his progress forced to be painfully slow to ensure he was melting through the other side, only to pause when the alarm was replaced by an unfortunately familiar voice over the intercom.

“Well, I was expecting to confront you myself, but I suppose this will do.”

Gritting his teeth, he hastened his cutting.

“You…” Pidge’s mind instantly put the pieces together. “You set us up! Was my family ever here?!”

“No.”

The way Sendak said it — so casually, as if it wasn’t people’s lives he was toying with — made her blood boil. “You quiznacking snart bag!”

“Catherine Holt!” Shiro barked. Even in such a circumstance, the sound of her full name made her flinch.

“Hm. Amusing,” said Sendak. “Though I doubt you’ll listen, I’d advise you not to run.”

Shiro completed the hole and kicked it out. “You’re right. We won’t listen.”

The trio rushed out of the room and down the hallway just as a pack of sentries rounded the corner and opened fire. They turned down an intersection and found a second blast door. While Shiro worked on that, Pidge drew her blaster, and the second she spotted a grey helm, she pulled the trigger. Unfortunately, her hands were better suited for coding than aiming, and she was forced to hunker behind her shield, Rover joining her. The moment Shiro finished cutting, he turned and threw a disruptor grenade, disabling their pursuers.

Ducking through the makeshift doorway, the three resumed running as he activated his comlink. “Away team to base, requesting backup!”

Static.

“Base, do you read? This is away team requesting assistance, please respond!”

Nothing.

“The lockdown must’ve jammed the comms,” said Pidge. “Look out!”

A small swarm of drones blocked the end of the corridor, unleashing a wave of stun blasts. Shiro shoved his partner into the cover of a doorway, doing the same for himself on the other side, and returned fire.

“These things are armed?!” said Pidge. “Rover, take them out!”

The little droid’s optic light shrank into a panicked dot and he shook his “head”.

“What, you can’t do that?”

A second shake.

“Ugh, useless.”

She turned to do it herself, missing the way Rover’s optic narrowed at her before looking away. Shiro raised a brow at the scene, but focused on destroying the swarm. By some grace, they did so in short order and were moving again. However, upon reaching the corridor which led to the cellblock, they found more sentries waiting for them, forcing them in the opposite direction.

“Do we know where this goes?” called Shiro over the barrage of lasers whizzing past his ears, occasionally repaying them with shots of his own.

Checking the map, Pidge replied, “Looks like it funnels into the mines.”

“Guess we’re joining Grunar’s shift.”

He tried to sound lighthearted, but the thought of tight, dingy tunnels ahead and the rumble of drones and sentries behind thoroughly dashed his efforts. His only comfort was imagining that the winding caverns could provide both a way to ditch their pursuers and a hiding place to wait for their friends. Hopefully, they got there soon.

———————————

Duck, slash, parry, block.

Slash, slash, duck, parry.

Parry, block, spin, slash.

Each sound and movement blended together so completely, Keith almost didn’t register the thunk of the training bot’s severed halves dropping to the ground behind him before the floor opened to swallow it.

He let out a gruff breath and straightened, wiping sweat from his brow, then called, “Start training level three.”

A new guardsman dropped from the ceiling. Its lone eye flared upon spotting its opponent, and it didn’t hesitate to charge, picking up the pattern where its predecessor left off. Frankly, the endless clanking was making Keith’s ears go numb.

“Go faster, blast it,” he found himself growling. “Come on!”

To its credit, this bot did push him harder than the last one, even managing to nick his shoulder, but that only served to exacerbate his frustration. When it brought down its sword for a heavy strike, he slipped out of the way, turned, and sliced its arm off. It only got a second to reel back before, with a savage snarl, he ran into a leaping spin and kicked it across the room. It looked up just in time for his blade to fill its vision.

Heavy panting filled the following silence. Keith glared at the dissected training bot, wishing it were a Galra sentry instead. He was certain his knuckles were turning white beneath his gloves, and he’d probably need to see a dentist if he clenched his jaw any tighter, but he didn’t care.

‘They’re overdue. They should’ve checked in by now. Where are they?!’

A clipped shout tore from his mouth as he kicked the severed head like a soccer ball off of the wall, watching it bounce to a stop. He tried to take a breath; it came out more like a growl.

His second attempt was more successful and he called out again, “Start training leve—”

“Making the most of the training deck, are we?” Keith gave a start and turned to see Alfor regarding him with a small smirk. “Though I dare say the poor robot did not deserve that.”

“How long have you been there?” he asked.

“I am part of the castle’s systems,” Alfor replied. “Technically, I am always ‘there’.”

Keith couldn’t help rolling his eyes a little. ‘Zero privacy. Great.’

“But as for why I have taken form” — He held up his palm, summoning a flash of light, which he then fashioned into an elegant broadsword with a theatric twirl — “I thought perhaps you might prefer a proper opponent. Plus, we are long overdue for those lessons I promised.”

Surprise emerged on the young man’s face. After thinking it over for a moment, he nodded. “Alright. Thanks.”

Alfor settled into a ready position, his free hand tucked behind his back. His sparing partner took a more aggressive, crouched stance, and made the first move.

He swiftly proved himself a worthy duelist, easily keeping up with Keith and then some. Several times, he pushed him onto the defensive and kept him there for a while. Parrying a strike, Alfor got in close, giving him scarcely a second to raise his blade before delivering a powerful blow and sending him tumbling a good distance away. Mid-roll, he pushed up and slid to his feet, taking the opportunity to catch his breath.

“Old king’s still got some moves,” said Keith with a grin.

Alfor raised an amused brow. “As does the young knight. You should watch your left foot, though. You put too much weight on it.”

“Got it.”

The clash of metal and energy rang out once more, growing faster as the match wore on.

“You should pace yourself,” said Alfor when their swords locked. “Pressing too hard will quickly wear you down.”

“You don’t win battles by pulling back,” Keith replied, leaning more of his weight against his blade.

“Perhaps not. But it lets you live to win the war.”

In a bright flash, the king’s form warped around his opponent, leaving Keith lurching forward. He pivoted, but instead of cutting the hologram down, his blade went flying from his hands, deactivating upon hitting the ground. He’d just registered what happened when he felt the ghost of a sword tip against his throat.

Putting his hands up, he huffed, “Okay. Point taken. Pretty sure that’s cheating, though.”

“Oh, no. I could do that when I was alive.” Alfor’s smile was triumphant yet humble as he pointed his weapon to the ground and rested his palms atop its hilt while he watched the young man get his breath back. “Keith, why are you really in here?”

Indigo eyes blinked open, dark brows slightly scrunching at the man. Then he remembered the little comment about always being around. Keith strode to his fallen bayard and picked it up, replying, “If this is going to turn into some pep talk because of what I said on the bridge, don’t. I’m fine.”

He could feel the look Alfor was giving him. “Hence you isolated yourself and thrashed three training robots in a row — four, had I not stepped in.”

“Yup.”

He let out a deep, worn sigh, and gradually drew closer. “Your worries are not unfounded. However, I cannot help feeling they may be a skosh overblown.”

“Overblown?” Keith echoed hotly. “Shiro and a Holt going on another solo mission would be bad enough, but this time they’re infiltrating what is basically a prison, which are built specifically to keep people in, and meanwhile, I’m supposed to just sit here on my hands hoping they’re able to call before something goes wrong—”

A chuckle had him stopping and turning away with a grunt.

“My apologies,” said Alfor, quelling the small outburst. “I am not laughing at you, my friend, it is simply… I see a bit of myself in you. In my youth, I could never sit still either. But my long decaphoebes as king, and certainly my time with the Vanguard, taught me an important lesson.” He placed a gentle hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Even with all my talents and training, even with the most powerful weapon in the universe, I could not do it all. Not alone. Being part of a team means relying on each other, both to have your back and take care of themselves. Would you have them worry so if it was you who journeyed into danger on your own?”

Keith’s eyes flickered to the ground, as if searching it for an argument, and crossed his arms. His reply wasn’t as strong as he wanted it to be. “That’s different.”

“How so?”

“Because they can’t do what I can. Th-They can’t—they’re not—” He hated how his voice faltered, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Not as strong?” Alfor finished. Keith ducked his head. Though it wasn’t the word he would’ve used, it was close enough. “Being able to rely on others is a great blessing, but forcing others to rely upon you is a path which will lead only to undue pains. They are Paladins, too. Trust them, my boy. Trust them to find their own strength. They will call upon yours when they need it.”

‘So, what, I’m supposed to let them get hurt in the hopes they might learn something from it?’ Taking a deep breath, Keith forced his body to relax, his fingers unclenching from his arms. ‘No. He’s right. As much as I want to — and I’m still going to try — I can’t save them from everything. I learned that a long time ago.’

He lifted his eyes and gave a solemn nod. Alfor returned it, then motioned with his hand, summoning two drones over. They were similar to the ones the Galra used, only spheres instead of pyramids. One was using its levitation beam to hold out Keith’s jacket while the other hovered expectantly. His fingers tightened around his bayard before he gave a quiet sigh and held it out. The little robot took it, and its counterpart moved closer in an almost encouraging manner.

Alfor’s smile reappeared watching the boy don his cropped coat. He opened his mouth then, almost hesitantly, like there was something more he wanted to say but couldn’t find the words. There was a strange look in his eye. After a moment, he shook his head slightly and cleared his throat. “I do believe you have some visitors.”

Following his gaze, Keith saw the mice scampering toward him.

“Uh, hey, guys, what’s—” They immediately began crawling up his legs and chest, sending a shiver up his spine at the rapid patter of their tiny feet all over. “Whoa—where are you going?”

The quartet paused, staring up at him; he stared back, mostly at Platt, who was on his shoulder. He went to speak, and all at once, they struck. Platt latched onto Keith’s face, making him stumble a little and squawk in alarm (a feeling Alfor shared), while the other three jumped into one of his belt pouches and fished something out before darting away again. Wrenching the little rodent off, Keith spotted what they were carrying.

“Hey—” he tried to say, his distraction allowing Platt to slip from his grasp and join the pack of thieves.

They bolted down the hallway to the corner where their partners in crime were waiting.

“Ho-ho-ho, nice job, little buddies!” said Lance as Allura applauded, plucking the spoils and holding them up high — and freezing. “It’s a…granola?”

Indeed it was. A standard, bargain-bin chocolate chip granola bar laid in his hand.

“Huh,” said Hunk flatly as he turned it over.

“Is this good or bad?” asked Allura, having no idea what it was.

“YOU!”

Startled yips resounded from the group. They looked up to see a very unhappy Keith charging full speed toward them.

“Bad-bad-bad very bad!” Hunk cried.

“Run for your lives!” screeched Lance.

With the mice clinging onto whatever they could, the trio fled, screaming all the while. Unfortunately for them, the Red Paladin must’ve shared his Lion’s affinity for speed because he pounced on them faster than a cheetah on a gazelle — aka Lance. The two tumbled head over heels, Lance’s screams becoming veritably ear-splitting until he was pinned, knocking the wind out of his lungs.

“What is your problem?” said Keith, tugging his teammate’s arm back to retrieve his property.

“Me!?” wheezed Lance. “I’m not the one who broke the sound barrier over some granola!”

“It’s not about the granola, it’s about you stealing it.” Pocketing the bar, he leaned back, then whipped around and pointed. “Don’t you try to sneak away!”

Like a pair of deer in headlights, Hunk and Allura froze, their tip-toeing feet hanging in the air. They tried to play it off with innocent, oversized grins, but it was beyond too late. He was about to demand an explanation when a girlish squeal rang out.

“You jerk, look what you did!” Lance, now able to sit up, held out his arm, clutching the torn shoulder of his jacket. “This is my favorite hoodie! What am I supposed to do, go around with one sleeve?! No, no, I should burn it. That’s the end it would want.”

His words devolved into dramatic sobs and sniffles while his friends watched on in blank disbelief. A fierce twitch began in Keith’s eyebrow. He was only able to restrain himself for a few seconds before snatching the jacket off in a single swift motion and slapping a hand over Lance’s mouth, silencing the grating sounds.

“If I fix it, will you shut up?”

He nodded.

Sitting down criss-cross, Keith pulled the damaged sleeve inside out, then took a black parcel from one of his pouches. The others gathered around in interest as he opened it, revealing a miniature sewing kit. In two shakes of a mouse tail, he grabbed a needle, threaded it, and stitched up the severed seam good as new.

Lance gawked and took it back while Hunk asked, “How’d you know how to do that?”

“Stuff breaks,” replied Keith with a shrug, like it answered everything.

“Fascinating,” Allura muttered as he zipped up and pocketed the kit. Ever so slightly, she leaned closer. “So…might there be any other curios squirreled away in there, perchance?”

He squinted at her, then the guys, and back, the gears in his head turning. “…You’re all very bored, aren’t you?”

They suddenly grew rather sheepish.

“W-Wha—pfft, no, wha-ha-hat? Like, why would I be—”

“I-I mean, mostly I was just following them—”

“Perhaps, yes, a tiny smidgen.”

Rolling his eyes with a sigh, Keith stood, prompting the others to do the same, saying, “Don’t you have better things to do, like training?”

“Ulgh, we train every day, you workaholic,” said Lance. “No way am I spending my free time getting tossed around by bots.”

“Funnily enough, more training might help with that,” said Allura, making him deflate a little. “Although, I must concur on its lack of appeal. Surely there must be something else we can do.”

“I’ve already tried out all the recipes I wanted to this week. I’m tapped out,” Hunk replied.

Even the mice were at a loss. Ideas passed through each of their heads, but none of them were supremely compelling.

‘Whatever. Guess I’ll go for a walk,’ thought Keith, moving to leave when Shiro’s words surfaced in his mind, both recent and long past.

“I think bonding’s a great idea.”

“Hanging out’s part of building friendships, buddy. You gotta embrace it.”

He paused. ‘Like I know how to do that. …Okay, I guess I could invite them to join me. But just walking around probably isn’t appealing, even to Allura. But maybe…’

“Hey, so,” he began, rubbing the back of his head and stiffly turning to them, “um…do you guys wanna see something? It’s kinda…neat.”

An air of puzzlement swept through them.

“‘Neat?’” repeated Lance. “What are you, eighty?”

Keith crossed his arms and looked away, both in annoyance and in an endeavor to hide the dust of color on his face. “Mr. Holt said it a lot.”

“Proving my point, dude.”

“Well, I’d like to see it,” said Hunk. “If you think something’s cool, then it’s gotta be.”

Lance side-eyed him. “That’s a leap—”

“Been exploring the castle, have you? Well, I am glad that you have been taking an interest,” said Allura, gathering her pets on her shoulders.

“Yeah, totally, let’s go,” he abruptly said and headed off, flashing a smile at her as he passed.

“Um, Lance?” Keith called. “It’s that way.”

Despite not being able to see his pointed finger, Lance spun on his heel and walked back through the group, his stride unbroken. “I knew that.”

Sharing various looks, head shakes, and eye rolls, his companions followed, filling the space with sparse conversation as they went. It was a bit odd, but nice.

‘Does this count as bonding?’

———————————

“Really starting…to regret…avoiding…PE…at the Garrison.”

Pidge was certain her legs would fall off if she ran any more, but they couldn’t afford to stop. The din of robots pursued them relentlessly, nipping at their heels like a pack of starving wolves. Shooting back slowed them down too much with too little to show for it, so all they could do was keep moving.

“Hang in there,” Shiro panted, a few steps ahead of her, “just a little longer.”

A master of timing, he was not.

Turning a corner into a wide cavern, the trio skidded to a halt. Grunar’s group of miners and their sentry wardens stared back at them. There was a second’s pause before blasters were raised. The Paladins dove behind adjacent boulders.

“I am so done with these guys!” said Pidge as they returned fire.

The prisoners scattered with frightened shouts, knocking over carts of ore in their attempts to dodge the hail of lasers. It made Shiro hesitate and duck, then gingerly peek out, scanning for anything he could use to their advantage. A tiny crumble of rock caught his eye. He followed the trail to the ceiling and saw a myriad of hairline cracks near a cluster of stalactites.

“Heads up!” he called.

With several well-placed shots, a shudder sent stone tumbling down. It crashed atop two bots, the rest either leaping out of the way, or were too far to begin with, but a diversion was all he needed. Shiro boosted from his cover and cut their ranks in half — literally — before rolling behind an overturned crate as a new volley struck. Pidge threw a disruptor grenade at their backs, sending the rest of them twitching to the ground.

“Yes!” she cheered, jumping to her feet, Rover doing backflips and whirring merrily. Deja vu gave them pause at the pounding of metal feet. Their pursuers had found them. “Oh, come on!”

Rover knocked her over a rock just in time to save her from being turned into a laser sponge, albeit a tad harshly.

“Ow!” She sat up and rubbed her head. “What is your problem? Can’t you be actually helpful for once?”

He stared at her. Then he glared as best his lone optic could, and flew around their cover, straight toward the enemy.

“Rover, wait,” Shiro called, “what are you doing?”

Weaving through the blaster fire, the drone drifted up to one of the sentries, which paused to look at him. It reached to grab him, and was instantly frozen; a wide beam sprang from Rover’s optic, ensnaring the larger bot and preventing it from moving. Everyone stopped to watch as he slowly, delicately lifted it up, and proceeded to slam it into the ground and its fellow robots repeatedly. Left, right, up, down — he just kept going! A final, powerful WHAM sent a damaged drone bouncing across the ground. It twitched and sparked, trying to fly — possibly to safety — only to have a heap of metal thrown at it, completely crushing it.

Paladins and prisoners alike gaped at the carnage. The bots were so mangled one wouldn’t be able to tell they were supposed to be humanoid. Possibly more troubling was Rover, who floated in the center of it all, still glowering and bobbing slightly, almost mimicking heavy panting.

Inching over to Shiro, Grunar, not daring to take his eyes of the drone, whispered, “Your little friend is terrifying.”

Shiro sighed and stood. “I’ve heard that before.”

“Wow,” said Pidge, moving to stand beside Rover. “Was that zero-point energy? How come you didn’t use it earlier?”

He sharply turned away with a clipped, high-pitched huff.

“Wh—Are you sassing me?”

Another huff.

“Don’t you take that attitude with me, mister! I programmed you into this world and I can program you out of it!”

“How come you didn’t do that earlier?” He altered the recording to warble mockingly, complete with a derogatory wobble as he finally looked at her.

“That’s it!”

She lunged, but before she could reach him, Shiro grabbed her and lifted her off the ground, pinning her arms down. “Okay, that’s enough. Let’s end this now before someone gets hurt.”

“Oh, I’ll end it alright!” shouted Pidge, prying a fist free to shake it at Rover who glared back. “And the only one getting hurt here is—Agh!”

Images flooded her psyche: Galra fighter ships getting closer; their scanners locking on her; no pilot to help as they fired.

“Pidge? Pidge, what’s wrong?” said Shiro, lowering her to the ground. “Are you—”

A violent rumble shook the cavern, sending fissures up the walls and making the prisoners cry out in alarm.

“They found her,” she replied, a hand on her head as she shook off the spell. “Green’s down!”

“Snart.” Shiro wasn’t one to curse but this certainly warranted it. He began pacing and tried the comm again. “Black Paladin to castle, come in. Anyone, please respond.”

“Forget it, they’d never get here in time anyway,” said Pidge. “We should just get Green and get out of here.”

“All these prisoners won’t fit in one Lion.”

“I didn’t say ‘with the prisoners.’”

His stride faltered. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Grunar and a few others watching the pair with shaken expressions. He nearly swore again.

Grabbing Pidge by the back of her shoulders, he shot them a quick smile, saying, “Would you excuse us for a moment?”

While they disappeared down a side tunnel, the aliens glanced at each other uncertainly, along with the Galra drone hovering next to them. Rover didn’t pay them any mind, his attention instead drifting to a ray of light shining through a small fissure in the upper corner of the wall. He flew to it, having to wedge himself in a little in order to get through, and peeked out, finding a near-perfect view of the facility. With an excited beep, he started scanning.

Meanwhile, after ensuring they were far enough away, Shiro fixed Pidge with an unusually severe look, his arms crossed.

“What?” she asked tersely.

“I thought we agreed yesterday that regardless of finding Matt and Sam, this was going to be a rescue mission,” he replied, speaking slowly and deliberately to make sure his words sank in.

Unfortunately, it seemed they didn’t. “They’ll slow us down. And besides, how would we even do that? There’s probably thousands of miles of tunnels and at least a hundred or two workers. How’re we supposed to get them all out?”

“By contacting the others and taking the base.”

“Which we can’t because step one is impossible.”

His eyebrow rose with a touch of amusement. “Really? A tech problem a Holt can’t solve?”

As expected, Pidge’s glare deepened and her cheeks gained a little indignant roundness. “The tech isn’t the problem, it’s this entire mission! We got set up! And now we have to deal with a bunch of dead weight who are gonna make it ten times more impossible to do anything! Doesn’t that bother you?”

“What bothers me more is your attitude,” said Shiro sternly. “You’ve been snappish all day, especially with Rover.”

“Wh—No, I haven’t!”

“So calling him ‘useless’ was supposed to be a compliment?”

Her retort caught in her throat. Had she really said that? It didn’t sound like something she would say, but the race to the cavern had gone by so fast, honestly, she found it hard to remember most of it.

She crossed her arms, her tone a tad subdued. “I…I didn’t mean it.”

“I know,” Shiro replied with a sigh, placing a hand on her shoulder. “But that’s no excuse to say it. We don’t insult our friends, regardless of our mood, and we don’t leave people behind.” His grip tightened ever so slightly. “Not anymore.”

Guilt was clear on both of their faces. They lapsed into a strange quiet.

Eventually, Pidge managed a small smirk and said, “You might wanna tell Lance and Keith that first part.”

He smiled, pulling her into a side hug. “Yeah, well, with any luck, that situation will be better after today. But for now, as impossible as it is, how about we find a way to get comms back up?”

She nodded and thought for a moment, tapping her chin. “The jammer would need to be broadcasting from a powerful enough tower to reach this far from the base and through miles of rock. With that strong of a signal, it should be easy enough to locate, but blocking it—”

“Uh, pardon me?” The Paladins looked up to find the blue, frog-esque alien peeking around the corner and pointing over his shoulder. “I believe your robot has something it wishes to tell you.”

They glanced at each other in curiosity, then followed him back to the main cavern, where speedy trills and beeps could be heard. Rover, dusty and bearing tiny chips in his plating, was practically bouncing in the midst of the prisoners as he projected a hologram.

“What’s going on?” asked Shiro, joining the circle.

At once, Rover whirled around and began excitedly nudging the image toward him: a depiction of the compound.

“Well, my binary isn’t the best,” replied Grunar tentatively as he neared, “but I think he’s located the problem with your comlinks.”

One of the buildings flashed rapidly before enlarging, the rest of the hologram fading away to make room. The glow shifted, narrowing in on the topmost section where a thin, antenna-like tower resided.

“The signal jammer! Nice work, Rover,” said Pidge.

A huff and averted gaze was the only reply he gave. She deflated, rubbing her neck.

“Can you disable it?” asked Shiro.

Grateful for the distraction, she answered, “Wouldn’t bet on it. Judging by its build, it’s a long-range communications tower, meaning it’ll have just as much, if not more security than the office, and we both saw how well that ended.”

“So, we’ll need to destroy it.” He scrutinized the hologram, as if the answer would be as obvious as the structure itself. “Rover, how deep of a scan did you get?”

With a series of warbles — which sounded very proud of themselves — a wave swept up the image. In its wake, it left a fairly detailed blueprint of each layer in the tower, even including sentries and drones moving in real time, represented by red diamonds. Any gaps were supplemented by the map they’d snagged earlier.

“Patrols are tight. Same trick’s not gonna work twice, especially with the lockdown. Smashing our way through would take too long and draw too much attention. The generator’s clear on the other side of the facility, so how…?”

“That’s how.” With a tap of Pidge’s finger, a set of lines within the hologram became highlighted. Sprawling the entirety of the tower, they were too small to be hallways, yet just big enough to allow those of certain stature to slip through.

Shiro smirked. “The vent system. Oldest trick in the book. I probably won’t be able to fit, though, so somebody else will have to go with you.”

It took a few seconds for Rover to notice the man was looking at him. At once, he shot a glare at Pidge who ducked her head.

“You just have to get along for a little while and then you can go back to hating her.” She gaped Shiro in dismay.

Rover considered it for a little while, then, reluctantly, he gave a single, curt nod.

“But how will you reach that side of the base?” Grunar asked.

“Ooh, ooh!” the yellow alien from before said, raising his hand. “Tunnel! We could make big tunnel right to it!”

Glancing at the heavy machinery behind him, another prisoner chimed in, “We do have all these drills laying about.”

Paladins and prisoners grinned at each other before Shiro said, “Alright, then. Rover, plot a path. Everyone else, let’s get digging.”

———————————

Tap, tap, tap, went Haxus’s claws against his gauntlet. He’d improved in holding his tongue these days, which made him a sight easier to work with, but it seemed to come with the side effect of him being more creative in making his disapproval known, hence tap, tap, tap.

It was times like this Sendak wished he’d not been blessed with such astute hearing. He fared better than Taskmaster Ryn’gan, though, who was still nursing the massive green bruise on his cheek, the ice barely taking the edge off. They’d lifted the lockdown on his office and gathered around his desk, monitoring the security feeds. The more dobashes passed, however, the louder Haxus’s tapping grew, and the more violently Sendak’s ear twitched.

“I still don’t understand why we don’t take them now,” said Ryan’gan, his words slurring a bit thanks to the swelling.

“Because letting the enemy think they’ve won is the best way to ensure victory,” Haxus replied shortly.

Sendak put tremendous effort into not smacking them both. This tactic was the most basic of Galran strategies, one they learned as children. The only thing it lacked currently was any amount of competence in executing it.

“And because someone didn’t alter the security measures as I told him to two quintants ago.” Ryn’gan tensed under Sendak’s pointed side-eye and looked to the floor in shame. “So, now we must let them do their little song and dance to lure the rest of them here — without realizing our trap.”

He added the last part before Haxus could so much as take a breath to speak. As expected, it was followed by faint grumbling and shifting.

If comms suddenly returned for no reason, it would undoubtedly tip their hand, and if the Humans were too suspicious to make the call, the entire scheme would be pointless. Three out of ten targets might as well be nothing, especially after all their recent blunders. Sendak could not afford to fail again — which was what made his plan so clever. If everything went accordingly, once the rest of the Paladins arrived, frantic and unaware, the High Priestess’s new beast would finish the job. Before this day was done, his honor would finally be restored.

He returned his focus to the tower’s security footage, anticipation mounting with every tic. ‘How will they do it? Fight their way through? Climb the outside? Or could they manage to find a way past security altogether? Each tactic brings its own risk. Which will it be, Champion?’

A quiet, cautious cough interrupted his thoughts, then Haxus spoke up. “When should we expect its arrival?”

“Once the tower is down, I’ll send word for launch.” Sendak’s wolfish grin glinted in the dim light. “Their victory will bring ours.”

———————————

Two sentries turned the corner of the outer base, their heavy footsteps in perfect sync. There was no sign of the intruders, so they continued on. Until, that is, an odd sound reached them. They paused and scanned around, attempting to locate the source. The ground cracked. They scarcely had a moment to glance down and back up before they dropped; then the only sound to be heard was metal being caved in.

“Okay, clock starts now,” said Shiro in a hushed voice as the energy in his arm dissipated.

Grunar and one of his companions placed rectangular devices against either wall, which quickly transformed and connected into a metal brace to stabilize the new cavern.

“You ready to do this, buddy?” Pidge asked. Her forced cheer did nothing to change Rover’s reaction of a low warble, brushing past her to the opening. Her shoulders sagged.

Shiro patted her back gently, saying, “Good luck.”

A floppy thumbs-up was the best she could do for a reply. She glumly headed after Rover, using her booster pack to first leap out of the tunnel, then up to the grate on the wall. Using her gauntlet cable to hang next to it, she pulled out her bayard and sliced it in two. Rover’s levitation beam took care of the rest. He popped the damaged metal out of the way, allowing the pair to slip into the tower.

Shiro kept his eyes on them until the last, apprehension gnawing in his chest. ‘Sam would strangle me if he knew what we were doing.’

Pidge and Rover carefully crept through the vents, pausing every time the clunk of metallic feet rattled the tiny space. Funnily enough, it wasn’t the tightest place she’d ever been in, though it was still plenty cramped. It reminded her of the cardboard mazes Matt would build for her to navigate while he timed her, only there would be far worse consequences than no ice cream for not solving this one.

Coming to a vertical section, she consulted her HUD and found the branching tunnel they wanted — several stories above. She groaned. While intellectually she’d known the target was on the top of the building, physically having to squirm onto her back so she could boost up, running the risk of a very painful fall if she wasn’t careful, put everything in a very different perspective.

‘Could use the grapple,’ she thought, studying the seemingly endless hexagonal tube. ‘Or not. How long did Coran say they were? Ten, fifteen feet? I don’t know, it was all Altean. Either way, it’s definitely too short for this.’

She cut off Lance’s voice in her head before it could make the joke.

“Well, here goes,” she muttered, inching out until it was only her legs in the vent. Her arms trembled a bit as she clung to the lip of the opening and leaned back, taking a long, shaky breath. Rover watched with a rather flat optic.

‘Three…two…one!’

On command, the pack activated. She shot up the duct, her legs slipping surprisingly seamlessly out beneath her, and Rover followed. She passed the third level, then the fourth, then—

EEEEERRRRR!!!!

Both Human and robot blanched at the blaring noise. There was no time to question what it was before the branching tunnels slammed shut and a strange cloud surged into the vent. Pidge instinctively held her breath, only to feel silly for it when her lower helmet appeared. However, it was not the effect on her she should’ve feared. Her booster, already failing from being pushed to its limit, abruptly sputtered and shut off when the gas touched it. There was the briefest moment of weightlessness, then the jolting of her stomach into her throat as gravity dragged her down.

She was going too fast; her brain was coming up with a million and one options, and she couldn’t focus on any of them. Think, think, think—

She wasn’t falling anymore. Pidge blinked her eyes open to find herself suspended in midair, a bright blue aura around her body. For a moment, a part of her wondered if she was dead and would haunt this vent system forever, but the idea dissolved when she began rising through the now-thinning orange mist and spotted a triangular figure above. The biggest sigh of relief in her life squeezed out of her lungs as Rover pulled her close, though before she could say anything, the sound of a small door opening drew their attention. Even obscured by the fog below, the form of another drone was clear.

“Upupupupupupup,” Pidge frantically whispered.

They promptly flew to the top level, popped off the vent cover, and slipped inside before putting it back into place. Once they’d traveled far enough from the intersection to not be spotted, Pidge took a moment — a long moment — to catch her breath.

Speaking of which, the orange mist was in this duct, too. Seizing the opportunity to think about something other than her latest near-death experience, she scanned it with her HUD. The chemical structure wasn’t one she recognized, but luckily, her suit did. It was a flame retardant.

“Vex, how did I not think of that? Air vents are the worst places to have fires, of course they’d have heat sensors and countermeasures! And then the drone to make sure it’s put out, and then…” Her rant turned incoherent for a little bit before she started lightly smacking her forehead with her fists. “…stupid, stupid, stupid.”

A sharp chirp snapped her back to reality. Rover was tilted in confusion and perhaps concern, and in an altered voice, he asked, “Okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, buddy, I’m okay,” Pidge replied, finally getting her lungs to work normally again and offering a small smile.

“‘Kay,” he said shortly, and turned around to continue on.

“Wait.” He paused, though he only half looked at her. She fidgeted a bit, having spoken without thinking. Eventually she settled on saying, “Thanks. For the save, I mean. I owe you one. Or, really, two now, y’know, after your rage-out back there — which was awesome, by the way, and kinda terrifying — not that that’s a bad thing, i-it’s just, um…”

It seemed he’d grown bored of watching her fumble for words and drifted down the tunnel. Despite being hunched over, her shoulders still managed to sag, and with a dejected sigh, she followed, although her mind lagged behind.

‘What is up with me lately? I usually never miss details like that.’

When she’d snuck into the Garrison, she’d spared no detail nor potential roadblock. Of course, part of her success was owed to her insider information, but it was still impressive for a fourteen-year-old. The only thing left unaccounted for was her own ability to lose track of time.

On that note, she looked up to discover they’d reached the end of the vent. Pulling out her bayard again, Pidge sliced the cover open so Rover could pop it out. They only dared to crawl into the hallway once they were certain no guards were nearby. He then flew up to mess with the security cameras while she leaned back against a support ridge in the wall, watching.

Losing track of time…

Slowly, she took off her helmet and turned the visor toward herself. A stranger stared back at her. When had she last looked in a mirror? Really looked? Probably before all of this, back when she couldn’t imagine what her investigation would lead to — or what it would lead her to do.

Iverson was true to his word and then some. Katie couldn’t so much as get close to the fence before she was forced to turn around. To make matters worse, the security system ran on a closed network; it could connect to outside servers, but not the other way around without clearance from the top brass, which could take months to fake. Every conceivable route was cut off.

Except one.

“First day of school,” she muttered to herself. “Time for a haircut.”

She picked up the scissors from the bathroom counter and held them up to a fistful of hair. Her hand stiffened, trembling slightly. Once she did this, there would be no going back — no way to explain to her mother when she found out. She could still call it off. Erase the paperwork, get rid of the uniform, pretend like it never happened. But that wouldn’t find her family.

She opened her eyes. The first lock fell away.

It was some months later when crew flight simulations began. Fantastic. Yet another thing for her to have to plan around. Whatever, she’d deal with it. Others, though, were far more enthusiastic about it, like the guy standing at the assignment board the day after the announcement came.

“Alright, I made it, I’m a fighter pilot!” said Lance. He did a funky little celebration dance, then gave a mocking two-fingered salute. “Hasta la later, Keith. And look, you’re my engineer.”

“Cool,” Hunk replied. “Uh, can I do that from the ground?”

The lanky teen gave him a flat look, then went back to the crew listings. “And our communications officer is… Who the heck is Pidge Gunderson?”

“Right here.” They turned to see a short boy with spiky auburn hair and large round glasses.

“Welcome to the team, Gunderson,” said Lance as he and Hunk walked over. “I’m Lance, your fighter pilot.”

“Hey, I’m Hunk.”

“We’ve got a lot of great times ahead, so we should probably start bonding now. What do you say we sneak off campus…”

His voice faded away, replaced by Iverson’s, who was speaking to one of the majors at the end of the hall. “…security for our mainframe is our first priority. It’s already been breached once, and by a teenager no less.”

She bristled.

“Not to mention the glitches we’ve been getting recently. It will not happen again,” he finished, silently dismissing the professor.

Crud, he was heading this way now, and she was staring!

Hastily, Pidge threw up her hand to cover her face, hoping it would be enough to shield her as he passed. Even with her new name and look, he was one of the few people who could potentially ID her, and there was no telling what he’d do if he found her there again.

What she didn’t expect was for Iverson to tiredly say, “Wrong arm, cadet.”

The boys snapped to attention at his voice and saluted. She mimicked them, still a bit slumped, but she sighed in relief nonetheless as his footsteps faded. Her cover was safe.

“Hello?”

Unfortunately.

“Pizza? Girls? Astronauts?” Lance went on, bending down to her eye level.

She gave him a blank stare, then marched past him, saying flatly, “Sorry, I don’t have time to mess around with you guys. See you in the simulator.”

“What’s his problem?” he asked, eyeing the younger teen before heading in the opposite direction, Hunk close behind.

Upon reaching the corner, though, Pidge paused, casting a look the pair’s retreating backs. Honestly, it sounded like fun (well, aside from the “girls” part), and they seemed like decent enough guys. Maybe…maybe she could hang out, just for a little while.

No. She had a mission and she needed to stick to it, no matter what. Clearing her head with a shake and steeling herself with a breath, she started for the faculty offices.

Who knew those chuckleheads would turn out to be her fellow Paladins? And the first best friends she’d ever had besides her brother.

‘Guess I missed a lot more details than I thought.’

Her vision returned to Rover as he flew over and gave a double beep, his code for “all clear.” The clipped tone wasn’t lost on her. Again the urge to say something swelled within her, but what? Would he even listen? Judging by the way he was pointedly keeping his back to her and starting to drift away, she guessed not. However, if she didn’t try, and he resented her forever…

“I’m sorry, Rover.”

He paused.

Taking it as encouragement, Pidge kept going. “I never should’ve talked to you like that. I just… I was so frustrated, y’know? One second, I’ve almost got my family back, and the next, they’re a million miles away again.” He drifted closer. She looked up with glassy eyes, then threw her arms around him, pulling him tight. “But you’re family, too. I’m so sorry I forgot that. Can you ever forgive me?”

Seconds passed in uncertain silence, his optic darting around a bit in thought. Just when she was about to let go and accept his judgement, warm metal pressed against her cheek, nuzzling her as he let out a happy croon.

“Forgive—you,” he said.

“Aw, thank you, buddy.”

She wrapped him up once more, and the duo stayed there for a short while  —longer than they should have. Clanking footsteps echoed down the corridor, shaking them to attention.

“You ready to do this?” asked Pidge, her signature smirk returned as she donned her helmet.

Rover nodded confidently and showed the map of the tower, pinpointing their targets.

“Then let’s move.”

They slipped down the hall, ducking behind another support ridge and letting the patrol pass before jogging to the first mark and planted a grenade. Two more were soon in place, hidden in different corners of the tower, before more clunks of sentries had them freezing in their tracks. They turned around to duck back the way they came, only to hear a second squad marching from that direction. Head darting between the ends of the hallway, Pidge flipped through her suits’ functions on the holo-screen, wracking her brain for any possible escape route.

Well, technically there were two routes, they just had some roadblocks in the way.

“Forget it.”

She boosted down the hall, Rover on her heels. The sentries had barely rounded the turn before she was upon them, leaping over their heads and bouncing off the wall, stumbling a little. She nearly tripped over herself taking the next turn, which was mercifully close, lasers pelting the wall behind. Checking the map on her HUD, she saw that they were one bomb short. Whatever, it would have to do. Right now, they just needed to stay alive and get outside.

Easier said than done.

From a branching corridor came another patrol, blasters raised. Instinctively, Pidge threw her weight backward, knocking herself onto her butt. She slid to a halt at the sentries’ feet. The two parties stared at each other for a second, then she summoned her bayard and sliced one of their legs off. At least, that was the plan. It slipped out of the way, leaving her brandishing the small blade at nothing. She chuckled nervously; it brandished a taser baton pulled from its energy storage.

Panic shot through her. ‘Grapple grapple grapple grAPPLE GRAPPLE!’

Right as the robot went to bring it down on her, a strange noise caught both of their attention. The etch lines on Pidge’s bayard lit up, power surging toward the tip. Suddenly, it burst off, flying down the hallway and lodging in the far wall, an energy tether connecting it to the base.

“Uh…”

There was no time to ask questions before the line pulled taught and dragged her between the bot’s legs at a breakneck speed. She let out a fearful cry and tried to dig in her heels but it was too strong, pulling her faster and faster, almost skating through a hail of lasers. Rover, pushing his engine to its limit, slammed into her side, knocking her into the adjoining hall before she could become a bug on a windshield.

They tumbled to a stop and she wheezed, “Thank you.” Rover whirred in relief. Blaster fire cut off their reprieve. She scrambled to her feet, having to yank her new grapple free of the wall before darting off, the cable reeling itself in automatically. “Since when could it do that?”

Rover let out an alerting beep: the vent was within reach. Ducking through the violet plasma, she leapt to the right, then boosted into it, sliding the rest of the way. She laughed at the sentries behind — until she slid over the drop-off. Rover let out a sigh and went after her.

At the mouth of the tunnel, Shiro and the prisoners stood stalk still, their weapons at the ready. The already anxious air had turned panicked the instant the alarm had sounded. It was only a matter of time now before they were discovered, but they refused to abandon their young friends, so they waited.

‘Come on, kiddo.’

No sooner had Shiro thought it than a petite, green-and-white-clad figure slipped out of the vent above, alleviating the building pressure in his chest. Albeit a bit clumsily, Pidge dropped into the hole with a bouncing flourish, Rover close behind.

“Miss us?” she said cheerily, much to the others’ relief.

“You okay?” Shiro asked instead, moving closer to give her a once-over.

“Thanks to this guy,” she replied, tilting her head at Rover, who seemed quite pleased with himself for it. Activating and reversing her holo-screen, she held it up to him. “Care to do the honors?”

He whooped and eagerly booped the button with his “face.” The ceiling of the tower combusted. Metal groaned as the antenna tilted, slamming through several floors of the compound before disconnecting altogether and smashing into the ground below. Hearty cheers arose from the crowd.

Pidge checked the comms. “And we’re good to—”

“Halt!”

Three sentries stood over them, blasters primed.

“Go!” Shiro finished.

They didn’t have to be told twice. Everyone bolted, a rain of plasma on their tails. The bots jumped down after them.

“Now!”

While Shiro powered up his arm, the large red alien readied his fist, and together they took out two of the support beams, as well as part of the wall. Stone came crashing down upon their pursuers, taking them out of the running nicely.

Moving next to him, Grunar panted, “What’s next?”

“Next we call our friends,” Shiro replied. “And hope they get here in time.”

———————————

“Now?” Haxus asked.

Sendak grinned. “Now.”

With the push of a button, his transmission hurdled through space until it reached Central Command. The newest Robeast, already sealed in its coffin, prepped for launch. From an observation room, the Emperor and Priestess watched.

“Do not fail me, Drazil,” she said. “For if Voltron does not destroy you, I shall tear you apart myself.”

She made certain her will was felt across the burgeoning bond, and while higher comprehension was new to the creature, its fear signaled its understanding.

“Are you certain of this one?” Zarkon asked, having caught her words.

“Unfortunately, I can be certain of nothing.” She folded her hands together, fiddling with the bangles on her wrists. The gems on two of them glinted. “Our enemy has proved unpredictable, even with power they do not comprehend.”

The deep hum which rattled from his chest blended with the roar of the coffin’s engines as it surged along the track. In a sharp burst, it left the confines of the station.

“Then, regardless of the battle’s outcome, this should be quite illuminating.”

“Indeed, Sire. Indeed.”

———————————

“Are we there yet?”

Keith ignored the question for the millionth time. Lance had been a broken record for the last several minutes and showed no signs of fixing it any time soon. Stopping, he made a mental note to never go on a road trip with him and replied, “Yes.”

“Are we there yet?”

Hunk glanced between the others, confusion on all of their faces. “Um, dude—”

“Are we there yet—”

“Dude!” At last, Lance went quiet and opened his eyes, finding the others staring at him. They had stopped in front of a door. “We’re here.”

“Oh.” He blinked vacantly, then turned to Keith. “Why didn’t you say something?” Such levels of furious disbelief had not been seen in the universe since the time of the old Paladins, let alone from three people and four mice at once. “What?”

Practically rolling his whole head, Keith opened the door and stepped inside. His companions’ gazes darted every which way as the lights came on. The pristine chamber was about the size of the training deck, only more circular, with rows of wide pillars filling the space in a neat pattern.

“Whoa, what is this place?” Hunk asked, eyes trailing down one of columns.

Upon getting close, it let out a small beep, and the paneling shifted, collapsing upward. Within was a shelf covered in countless strange objects; some organic, some mechanical, all arranged with precision so they maximized the space without touching.

‘Boo, I was hoping it would be something more interesting.’ Nonetheless, Allura straightened from her disappointment and joined him, replying as more units opened, “It is one of the storage rooms. Mostly, they house tools and spare parts, though Father stuffed half of them with baubles from his adventures.” She took a stone and held it up, giggling. “He kept this simply because it looks like a face.”

Hunk laughed. “Oh, hey, yeah, I can see it.”

“Wow, yeah,” Lance droned, poking a random item on a different pillar, “dusty junk. Super neat. Totally worth the walk.” His gaze wandered up, up, up to where the columns connected to the vaulted ceiling. “How do you reach that stuff?”

Keith replied, “I’m guessing with these.”

Turning, the trio saw the row of objects hanging on the rack in the wall that he was jutting his thumb toward. Long, flat, sleek, with a small engines and stabilizer fins on one end; there was no mistaking it.

“Dude…” Lance began, creeping closer almost hesitantly. “Are those…”

There was a beat of silence, then both he and Hunk surged forward with stars in their eyes, bellowing, “HOVERBOARDS!”

“Heck yeah, alien tech rules!”

“It’s all I’ve wanted for so long!”

“Look at it, it looks so cool!”

While they continued shouting and fist-pumping, Allura sidled up next to Keith and quietly asked, “What are they so excited for?”

“I guess because we don’t have these on Earth,” he said, his expression mirroring hers.

“Really?”

“Yeah!” said Hunk, practically bouncing. “I mean, we have mag-lev trains and stuff, but hover tech’s still years away!”

Lance slung his arm around Keith’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell us about this sooner, Mullet?”

“I…didn’t think you’d be this interested,” he replied, seeming almost concerned with this newfound intensity.

“Dude. They’re hoverboards. Yeah we’re interested!” Lance nearly screeched in his ear. “Now gimme, I wanna try one out!”

While he and Hunk grabbed for them, nearly knocking each other over in the process like little kids set loose in a grocery store, Allura and her mice stared on blankly. ‘They are the universe’s only hope. Ancients help us.’

“Ho-ho, this is gonna be sweet,” Lance laughed, turning his board this way and that. “Now, how do you turn ‘em on?”

“Simple.” Retrieving one, Allura held it flat and let go. It’s neons automatically lit up, filling the room with a pleasant hum as it rested in the air at just the right height for her to sit down on it side-saddle style.

“Also, just so you know,” she added, “they are properly called air-planks.”

The Earthlings blinked at her.

“What?” said Hunk flatly.

Her smile faltered, clearly not having expected the reaction. “Air-planks. That is their proper name.”

“What kind of name is that?” Lance couldn’t help asking.

“A direct translation?” suggested Keith.

“Yeah, probably…” said Hunk.

They shared a look.

“So hoverboards?”

“Hoverboards.”

“Mm-hmm.”

A certain deflation came over the princess’s countenance, and she turned her head away a bit.

‘Is she…pouting?’ Keith thought, noticing the subtle puff of her cheeks. For some reason, it made him smirk. Setting his board low, he mounted it alongside the others, though they chose to stand.

“Whoa,” Hunk gasped as the lights on his board flared and the metal widened. “I think it just grew to fit me.”

“Well, of course it did,” said Allura, a hint of haughtiness coloring her tone. “It is Altean technology, after all. It shifts just as we do.”

“Wait, does that mean…” Lance screwed up his face, fingers pressing against both temples.

“Uh, you okay there, budd-eyyy—” The word dragged out as Hunk watched tiny neon pentagons wash over the fins and central plating of his hoverboard, leaving them as blue as his Lion. “Hold up, you might’ve just done something.”

While Lance whooped at his success, his companions followed suit. Within moments, their new toys shared their Paladins’ colors. All except for Allura’s, of course, which instead gained a lovely shade of light rose.

“Pink?” asked Keith.

“And what of it?” she said, even the mice growing a bit defensive.

“Uh, nothing, I just… I thought you’d be more of a blue-type gal.” He nearly hit himself. ‘“A blue-type gal?” What does that even mean?’

Thankfully, she seemed more amused than offended (though he wasn’t sure if that was better). “Royal blue is the color of my family, true enough, but a princess is allowed to have favorites, would you not agree?”

Hiding a sigh of relief, he replied, “Yeah. It looks nice.”

“Well, thank you,” she said, surprise hiding in her voice. She hadn’t been expecting a compliment from the standoffish Keith, and it made her smile just a touch. ‘So you can be cordial.’

Lance’s narrowed eyes darted between them. “But blue’s a close second, right?”

She opened her mouth to reply—

WOOAP-WOOAP-WOOAP-WOOAP

Everyone jolted. Flashing red lights filled the air and a holo-screen appeared on the wall above the door, showing the bridge.

“What’s the situation?” Fear of already knowing the answer curled in Keith’s stomach.

“Pidge and Shiro have activated their distress beacons,” Coran replied.

And there it was. ‘Blast it, I knew I should’ve gone!’

Shaking off the guilt for now, he said, “We’re on our way.”

Lance gained a sharp grin. “And the last one there’s on dish duty for a month. Ready-set-go!” He shot into the hallway, cackling like a hyena.

Keith groaned and rolled his eyes, but took off after him, Hunk and Allura close behind.

“Are all Earth boys like this?” she asked.

“For the most part, yeah,” Hunk answered somewhat tiredly, having resigned himself to such shenanigans long ago.

Up front, Lance wove to and fro, whooping as he careened around corners and slid up the wall for a double flip like he was surfing a wave.

“That’s right,” he said, puffing out his chest, “you’re looking at the four-time champ of the Chris Orcan Youth Surf Challenge. Top that!”

In no mood to engage, Keith kept his focus on not crashing, pulling on every ounce of skateboarding experience he had. He couldn’t help a smirk as he scraped around a tight corner as if it were a stair’s railing, though.

Thanks to the hoverboards, they reached the bridge in record time, the Paladins practically lunging onto their respective elevators while the princess took her position at the control columns. Upon having his civvies exchanged for his armor, however, Keith noticed his board was still in his hand. He supposed it made sense; it wasn’t clothing, so the computer wouldn’t register it as something to be removed.

‘Guess it’s coming with,’ he thought, scanning it into his suit’s storage. He couldn’t reach Red soon enough, and he didn’t hesitate to launch, the other boys joining him in the sky with matching promptness.

“Before you go, I took the liberty of packing your cargo holds with several of these.” Coran brought up a diagram of an egg-shaped device, the shell opening and forming legs. An energy core glowed within.

“Uh, great. What is it?” asked Lance.

“Biothermal life indicator point technology.”

“Oh, BLIP tech.” Everyone stared at Hunk. “What? It’s an acronym.”

“Okay, but what do they do?”

Appearing next to the image, Allura answered, “Once placed, they will be able to tell you where any prisoners and troops are within the mines. We cannot have you accidentally hitting civilians, now can we?”

“Understood,” Keith said rather abruptly. “We’ll drop them as we fly over, now let’s get moving.”

Though slightly put-off by his tone, she nodded and reached out with her magic. The teludav activated. “Wormhole established. I placed it behind the moon in case you have company waiting for you.”

“We already have people waiting.” Keith’s voice held a quiet edge.

As one, the three Lions headed through the vortex. They came out on the dark side of Rahanam’s moon and peeked around to the planet.

“Looks like there’s only a handful of ships,” said Lance.

“Nothing on long-range scanners,” Hunk added.

Keith said, “Keep your guard up. This could still be a trap set for all of us.”

“Ooh, wow, look at Mr. Tactician over here.”

Pointedly ignoring Lance, he steeled himself with a breath, opened the comms, and called, “Red Lion to away team, do you copy? Shiro, are you there?”

“…We’re here,” came the relieved reply. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yours, too,” Keith practically sighed. “If you can, sit tight. We’re coming.”

The sound of lasers hitting stone rang over the comm. “Not an option. The Galra are swarming the tunnels, and we’ve got a group of prisoners with us.”

“Can you make it to the surface?”

“If you guys cause enough of a distraction, maybe,” said Pidge. “But we’ve already seen additional mining groups and there could be more deeper in. This place is huge!”

“Never fear, Pigeon—”

“The heck you just call me?”

“—that’s why we got these bad boys,” Lance went on, sending the diagram, “bio-life-laser-pointer-something.”

“Biothermal life indicator point technology,” Hunk deadpanned.

“BLIP tech?”

He sent a rather smug look to the others.

“I always thought there was something funky about our radars,” she continued. “Our suits must have these things built-in. That’s how we have the auto-map feature.”

“Okay, fantastic, good for us, woo, but does anybody have a plan?” asked Lance. “‘Cause I say we—”

“We go in fast and hard,” Keith cut in, much to his teammate’s chagrin. “We’ll drop the BLIPs and take out the Galra’s defenses simultaneously. If Shiro and Pidge can’t come to us, we’ll go to them. Move out.”

Without waiting for confirmation, he took off. His partners were quick on his tail, despite the annoyed grunt from one of them, and they shot through the planet’s atmosphere before the nearby cruisers could react. The ground defenses were much better prepared, unleashing a thick volley the second they were in range. The trio nimbly wove around the lasers. Blue fired back every chance she got, nailing them all, while Yellow took the more direct approach of ramming through the turrets. Along the way, they dropped BLIPs into every hole and fissure they could find; the map on their screens grew with each placement. The greatest threat, however, was an odd-shaped cannon perched atop a tower, its spinning flats of sharp plasma nearly taking them out several times.

Red Paladin and Lion alike growled. “We don’t have time for this!”

Ducking low, he activated the magma beam and melted through the base of the towering weapon. A purr of victory rumbled in his chest. It died when what remained of the metal gave way, the top of the cannon coming down directly over a small train of ore being carted into waiting transport ships. Workers, at first in awe of the battle, now cried out in terror.

“Quiznack!” Keith dove for it. To what end, he wasn’t sure yet, and it turned out, he didn’t need to be. Yellow got there first, bracing the structure on his back.

“Not today,” Hunk grunted cheerily, despite feeling the strain through his and Yellow’s bond.

“Comin’ through,” said Lance, quickly using his freeze ray to ice over the entire weapon, his friend getting clear just in time. Keith let out a breath of relief as they set down on a small ridge. “Ha ha! Take that, ya dumb flower tower! You totally owe me one, Mullet.”

“Hey, hey, what about me?”

“Okay, fine, he owes both of us. But I get top bill.”

Keith stared at them.

“They are Paladins, too. They can learn and grow just as you have. Trust them.”

He’d accepted Alfor’s words before, but only now did he truly understand them. ‘He was right. I can’t let my emotions get the best of me and I can’t do this alone. They just had to cover for my mistake. That won’t happen again.’

“Yeah, I do owe you. Thanks, guys,” he said with a small smile. Hunk returned it ten times bigger, yet Lance appeared to grow a bit sour for some reason. “Now, are all the sensors planted?”

“I think so,” Hunk replied, bringing up the newly-created map detailing the sprawling tangle of caves.

“Good. Break time’s—”

CRACK-BOOOOMM

The trio jumped, their heads automatically jolting toward the sky. Something big had broken through the atmosphere, and it was headed straight for them. Their Lions growled in a horribly familiar way.

“…over.” Keith’s dread switched to alarm. “Hunk!”

“On it!”

Yellow leapt in front of the other two, and with a mighty stomp of his front paws, he activated his shield, surrounding them just in time. The flaming object crashed into the planet, kicking up a harsh, dust-filled wind, and sending a massive quake through the ground felt by even their friends and the prisoners far below.

“Rescue team, report,” called Shiro the instant the tremor died down.

“Something just landed, but we lost visual,” Lance said, almost waving his arm to clear the air before catching himself.

“Wait, I-I think I can see it,” said Hunk.

At first, it was a mere shadow peeking through the reddish cloud. Then, as it settled, the silhouette of a gargantuan coffin greeted them.

“Holy frijoles…”

“What? What is it?” said Pidge impatiently. Not taking his eyes off of it, Keith sent a visual to their gauntlet holo-screens. It was identical to the one from Arus. “Crud.”

“Please let there not be a giant monster in there,” said Hunk. “Please let it be empty. Or full of space candy, one of those two. I’m good with either.”

“I don’t think it’s a piñata, Hunk,” Lance replied gravely. However, a confident grin spread on his face as he rolled his shoulders and sat back. “But if it’s the same big-bad from last time, we got this.”

Keith went to point out they had all five Lions and thus the ability to form Voltron last time when a hiss cut him off. A blast of steam released from the coffin and its three segments fell away, unveiling the beast within. Red and grey plating armored long, flat limbs and a skinny torso. Its bony head, likely carrying the only bit of ashen skin it had left, lifted stiffly. Optics slid on a track around a wide band of metal wrapped around its skull until they faced forward (yet remained slightly ajar) and came online in a burst of green light above a snaggle-toothed mouth that stretched well past where its ears would’ve been.

“You were saying?” said Keith.

Lance might’ve made a retort had a glow of matching sickly lime not began building in the center of the monster’s breastplate. In a piercing flash, the laser fired, slamming against Yellow’s barrier and actually pushing him back in spite of how deeply he dug in his claws. It wasn’t until a massive web of cracks had nearly splintered the shield and left Hunk panting that the onslaught stopped.

“Get out of there!” Shiro shouted over the noise of the second shot charging.

Yellow dropped their broken cover and the Lions spread out. The creature dragged the next beam through the sky, determined to hit them as they darted around, and only narrowly failed.

“Where does Zarkon keep getting these things?!” Hunk cried. “Monsters-R-Us?!”

“Doesn’t matter. We need to stun it so we can get Shiro and Pidge.” Keith scanned the creature’s body. ‘Eyes. Neck. Chest laser. All viable targets, but the head’s the most exposed.’ “I’ll draw its fire. Lance, aim high. Hunk, go low.”

The younger pilot scoffed. “Yeah, like that’s gonna work—”

“Just do it!” snapped Keith, already blazing ahead.

Though he grunted his annoyance, Lance surged upward while Yellow ran around to the enemy’s back.

Red barrel-rolled past the next attack and countered with the magma beam, aiming for the source. Its armor was tougher than it looked; while it did gain a glow from the heat, it didn’t melt. Frustrating but fine. He broke off in a backflip to avoid the next shot as Blue came swooping down, her freeze ray at the ready.

“Alright, ya toothy freak, let’s see how you look as a snow cone!” said Lance.

He loved to jinx things.

One of the beast’s eyes suddenly slid around its track, instantly spotting him and firing a beam of its own. With a shriek he would forever deny, he swerved out of the way.

“Oh, come on!”

Hunk, his throttle on full, charged at the back of its legs, mentally chanting, ‘Please work, please work, please work!’

A final push and he was there — but his mark wasn’t. Yellow zipped clear under the monster’s now-hovering feet. There was hardly a moment to register what happened before it spun, flinging out an unnaturally long arm and batted him away. He careened across the ground with a terrible cry from both Lion and pilot, tumbling to a harsh stop. Green light engulfed them in a flash, an explosion rocking the ground. Yellow’s shield shattered.

Lance seethed. “Oh, you did not just do that!”

With a burst of Blue’s engines, he leapt onto the creature’s back and turned its head into an iceberg. He jumped away to admire his work with a triumphant laugh. For a moment, there was silence. Then green plasma burst through its prison, shattering it, and struck him down next to his teammate. Both boys groaned as they righted themselves, only to be met by the sight of the beast charging up one more time — possibly the last time.

Keith refused to let that happen. He darted up, gaining altitude before surging back toward the ground, he and Red roaring, “HEY!”

It turned a single optic and prepared to fire. He took a deep breath. Everything else faded away. His only focus was the building light before him.

Three…two…one.

His eyes snapped open. In a flash, he twisted out of the way, leaving mere feet between his Lion’s armor and the plasma, and as he whipped around, he threw his jawblade. The beast let out a screeching howl, clutching its sliced eye and sending its chest laser into a distant hill.

Rushing to his friends’ side, Keith asked, “You guys alright?”

“Mostly,” Hunk groaned as they finally found their feet. “I think we’re even now, by the way.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” said Lance grumpily.

A second cry split the air, far more furious than the last. The monster would be back on its feet soon.

He went on, “So, we’ve got laser eyes, flight, and no blind spots. Any more bright ideas, genius?”

“We make a break for the tunnels,” said Keith.

“What about our Lions?” asked Hunk.

“We can send them to hide in those outcroppings.” He jutted Red’s muzzle toward a nearby gully. “We’ll drop out as they go.”

“Okay, but how are supposed to reach the others and get back before that thing finds them? We can only go so fast on foot.”

Lance’s eyes went wide, then narrowed with a sly grin. “We don’t have to be on foot anymore.” Realization dawned on his friends’ faces. “You boys thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”

They smiled, Keith replying, “For once, we just might be.”

With an enraged slam of its fists, Drazil threw its head back and bellowed its fury, eye sparking and leaking precious mutated blood. Even with its impaired vision, it could see those responsible for its pain. The red one was exceptionally infuriating, having its back turned like that. Did it think the Robeast beneath its notice? It would regret it. It would regret hurting Drazil! It would regret defying the Masters’ will! IT WOULD REGRET—!

The Lions were moving. The monster went to fire, its power having been building with its wrath, but they beat it to the punch.

“Now!” Keith shouted.

Red and Blue unleashed their elemental beams, though not on the creature. Instead, they collided midair, creating an explosion and a smokescreen of frosty mist. While the titan staggered back, the Paladins zipped around it. The instant they cleared the cloud, and with an entrance to the mines in their sights, the Lions’ mouths opened, letting their pilots drop. They weren’t falling for long, though. Laughter echoed as the boys summoned their hoverboards and blasted into the tunnels. They wove back and forth, up and down and around the walls like it was a huge, high-powered waterslide.

The others were having a far less enjoyable time.

“Everyone, stay together and keep moving!” Shiro yelled over the ruckus of the monster’s blind wrath, avoiding falling debris while attempting to guide the others to a safer section of tunnel. At this point, he wasn’t sure where to go, though. Cave-ins had already forced them to make several detours, and rerouting was growing more difficult by the second. Stripped mines were structurally unsound on a good day; earthquakes made them death traps.

Pidge must’ve been thinking the same thing. “We’re getting nowhere and this place is gonna come down on our heads any second. We need a better plan.”

“Working on it.” He turned to their guide. “Do you have any more of those braces?”

“None strong enough to stop this,” Grunar replied, his voice straining to be audible.

Grumbling something under his breath, Shiro called out as they entered a chamber, “Okay, looks like heading for the surface is our only option. If we move fast, we should be able to—”

A new — or rather, old — din rose above the others and the group skidded to a halt. Three squads of sentries emerged from other caverns, blasters primed and ready.

“Blast it!” was all Shiro managed to say before a hail of lasers forced the Paladins behind their shields, then a stone pillar, the prisoners doing the same with whatever they could find.

“Looks like we’ll have to,” Pidge quipped, pulling out her pistol and returning fire.

She and Shiro did the best they could, but they could hardly take one or two bots out before being forced behind their pillars again. Under such an onslaught, not even Rover could make a move.

Ducking with a grunt, Pidge replaced her pistol with a grenade and held it up. “Last one.”

Shiro nodded. “Do it.”

She nodded back and cocked her arm back, taking a moment to calculate the trajectory so it hit the group on the upper level, the most difficult to shoot. She checked and rechecked the math, stepped out, and—

“…wooOOOO!”

All movement in the room ceased, including the blaster fire. Every head turned to the cavern behind the upper sentries. In a blaze of primary colors, Lance, Hunk, and Keith burst into the fray, crashing through the higher bots and diving toward the lower ones. Bayards sliced and blew apart every machine in sight until only their sparking husks remained, the trio hovering above triumphantly. The miners smiled in awe.

“Someone call for a ride?” said Lance with a flourish of his rifle onto his shoulder.

Pidge gaped for a good while, then flung her arms out at them. “Where did you get those!?”

“Keith found them,” Hunk began.

“And then didn’t tell us until today,” finished Lance.

“WHAT!?”

Keith cringed at her pitch, leaning away. “Geez, I get it, I’ll tell y’all when I find stuff, but I’m pretty sure there’s still a giant monster to fight, so can we go now?”

“Right.” Shiro turned to Grunar. “I’m sorry, but we have to go. Will you all be alright down here?”

Before he could reply, a final batch of sentries arrived. Unfortunately for them, the miners no longer cowered like they did before. The second they stepped into the cavern, the red lizard smashed one to bits, the orange caterpillar tripped three more, whereupon the blue frog and green guy crushed their heads with large rocks, and the little yellow cyclops used a pair of handheld drillers to shred the rest. He was a tad too excited about it, actually, standing atop their bodies and revving the drills with a wild war cry.

“…I think we can manage,” said Grunar, smiling at Shiro’s gaping face.

He shook himself from his stupor and the two shared a firm nod, then he joined his team. Pidge was eagerly examining the hoverboards, Rover scanning them with exited chirps.

“So, do we get ones?” asked Shiro.

“Honestly, we brought them on accident,” said Keith, helping him mount his.

Once Lance had done the same for Pidge, Rover securely tucked under her arm, the five began rising to the upper level, consulting their HUDs and bonds to find the shortest path to their Lions. The cheers of the miners followed them.

“Take that thing down!”

“Kick its butt for us!”

“Better, kick it in yulschtrix—!”

“Olphar!” the others shouted.

The yellow alien tapped his pointer fingers together sheepishly. “Sorry…”

Chuckles rose from the Paladins as they waved goodbye, then turned and shot through the mines.

“Whoa, wait, hold up,” said Hunk as they flew, “what about your family?”

Pidge looked away. Her voice was tight. “Sendak set us up.”

Looks of pained sympathy passed between the guys, Rover crooning in kind.

“Man I really hate that Furby,” Lance growled.

“We’ll need to contact Manset, let him know one of his sources might be compromised,” said Shiro.

“Got it.” Keith was nearly drowned out by the echoing roar and explosion that shook the cavern.

“Sounds like tall, dark, and toothy’s getting antsy for round two.” Lance settled into a firmer stance, determination etched into every muscle.

The rest of the team did the same, Shiro replying, “Well, we’d hate to keep him waiting.”

———————————

The little blips on the screen mocked Haxus. Once more they waited on a lengthy scheme to come to fruition rather than taking what was rightfully theirs from the start.

He must’ve growled a touch too loud because Sendak’s voice sounded terse. “We hold position.”

“If I may, sir, this plan is needlessly…” He struggled to find a respectful enough word. “Involved. Can’t we simply take the four Lions, seize the castle, and leave the Humans here to rot?”

“We could, if we were” — The pair staggered as the complex lurched with a monstrous cry yet again — “able to get to them.”

Apparently, this new Robeast didn’t handle pain well. Since realizing its prey had vanished, it had gone on a tear looking for them, not caring who or what was in the way. It had even destroyed the fighter ships they’d sent to retrieve the Lions when they’d gotten too close.

“Blasted beast,” Haxus snarled, glaring at it through the feed from the northeastern section of the base, half of which had already been obliterated. “At least the last one had some battle sense. A flock of Serrap’ic gulls would be more helpful at this point.”

“There’s no use bellyaching now. If the best we can do at the moment is secure one Lion, then that’s where we must focus our efforts,” said Sendak, ever patient despite his furrowed brow. “Is it ready for transport?”

“Nearly, sir.”

“Let’s make it ‘fully’ before the Paladins can pull another impossible stunt.”

Haxus quietly ground his teeth at the reminder of their previous failures. Of course, not all of them had been their fault alone, and this one was stacking up to go much the same way.

‘I warned him trusting those shadow-dwellers was a bad idea. Time and again their “help” has turned out to be the worst misstep in every plan they’ve forced themselves into, but sure, let’s keep employing them instead of exterminating them like we should’ve done decaphoebes ago!’

Alas, such talk was practically outlawed within the empire, mostly owing to the witch holding a place of such power. It made everything a bit more irksome. However, the past few movements had taught him this was the time to execute his orders, not question them.

Sendak kept an eye on his officer as he saluted and headed out to oversee the securing and transport of the Green Lion. While he’d certainly been doing well to curb his temper lately, it was an arduous task; every clench of his jaw and hidden stomp in his stride told the general as much. Still, progress was progress. All he could hope for now was that nothing disrupted it. Though, as another tremor shook the base, he was beginning to doubt such a thing was possible.

‘By the Voice, at least let us have something to show for today.’

As if in answer to his prayer, an alert sounded from his gauntlet: a message containing a live feed from a platoon of sentries showing the Yellow, Blue, and Red Lions waiting in a small canyon just deep enough to keep them hidden from the Robeast.

Sendak grinned. So, extraction was possible after all.

“Be swift. And keep watch for—”

The video cut to static.

“Quiznack.”

———————————

“Y’know, you’d think a universe-conquering empire would make these guys tougher,” said Lance as he sniped another bot.

“Eh, mass-production usually leads to inferior product,” Hunk replied, finishing off two on the perimeter of their Lions’ hiding place, a task his cannon was well-suited for.

“Not necessarily,” said Pidge, “so long as you’ve got decent materials and blueprints.”

While he and Keith cut down three more with sword and arm respectively, Shiro said, “Less critiquing, more shooting — like at that one on your six, Lance!”

He pivoted not a moment too soon, the violet bolts whizzing past his head close enough for him to feel their heat. He immediately returned the favor, nailing the sentry with a headshot. It let out a mechanical wheeze and crumpled.

“Whoa-ha-ha!” he cheered, his passengers letting out matching sighs of relief behind him. “Did you see that? It was all like ‘pew-pew’ and I was like ‘Not today, pal!’ And then BOOM! Ha ha!” They all rolled their eyes good-naturedly. “Ain’t nobody messin’ with the Master Blaster! Hey, maybe that should be my nickname—”

A blood-curdling screech echoed through the ravine, rattling the ground — and getting closer. Their hearts jumped into their throats.

“Time’s up,” said Keith darkly.

“Everyone, in your Lions,” said Shiro.

In short order, the boys were strapped into their chairs, their passengers secured behind them in the secondary seats.

“I’ll get Shiro back to the castle,” said Keith. “You guys good here on your own for a bit?”

“Oh, no, we could never survive two minutes without you,” Lance drawled, nearly rolling his head along with his eyes.

“What Miss Manners is trying to say,” said Pidge, leaning around to be seen, “is we’ll be fine.”

“Do what you gotta do,” added Hunk with a thumbs up.

That niggle of anxiety tried to crop up again, but Keith blocked it out. ‘They’re not little kids. I don’t need to babysit them. But I can still help.’

“I’ll get its attention, give you guys a head start,” he said, then leapt into the sky.

The others were quick to follow, and almost immediately they were greeted by the monster. Its piercing roar was met by a laser to the face, and though it did little more than annoy it, it was all Blue and Yellow needed to slip by while Red booked it into the upper atmosphere.

“That thing is so much freakier up close,” said Shiro, daring to glance behind as they veered and rolled out of the way first of flailing arms, then of the massive green lasers furiously chasing them.

“Tell me about it,” Keith muttered.

While the creature’s range reached much farther than either would’ve liked, it didn’t get beyond the mesosphere, and as soon as they were past it, they opened a comm channel.

———————————

“Red Lion to castle, come in.”

Allura popped upright from where she’d been laying on her hoverboard, breaking concentration on levitating the mice and sending them tumbling onto her.

Coran replied, “Castle he—”

“Paladins, we hear you,” she interrupted, now fully on her feet, hands already on her podiums. “I take it you are ready to return?”

“Yes and no,” Shiro replied.

“What does that mean?”

“We’ve got a situation: the Galra made another monster.”

Images appeared on the main screen, making her gasp.

“Groggery’s shorts,” said Coran. “What is that?”

“Don’t know what they’re calling it,” replied Keith hurriedly, “but we need Black on the battlefield now.”

Pushing away her disgust at the sight of the creature, Allura said, “Yes, of course.”

The second the portal opened, they bolted through and made for the center hangar. The switch was remarkably smooth, Shiro jumping from Red straight into Black’s waiting maw.

“Keep us informed.” She could barely get the words out before the pair vanished back into the vortex of energy and it automatically shut off. She found herself staring after them for a long while, her stomach uneasy, then sat on her board with a heavy sigh.

———————————

“Hurry it up already!” Haxus snapped. “Sloth is the last thing we can afford right now!”

Another explosion sounded then, far too near for his liking. Yet one more inconvenience caused by that infernal creature: they were having to move the Green Lion via a set of oversized hover-carts — strapped down as tightly as possible, of course — out of the Robeast’s line of sight before they could use the fighters’ grapple beams, so it wouldn’t attack like the mindless creature it was and undo all their progress. Thankfully, they were almost there and the ships were at the ready.

And then they blew up. The Voice hated him, didn’t He?

The small convoy screeched to a halt, the debris missing them by mere yards. Had Haxus not heard the hum of an engine and ducked behind his cargo, he would’ve joined his sentries as smoldering piles of waste. The Lions landed and easily bit through their comrade's restraints. Pidge wasted no time hopping from Blue to Green, Rover ever faithfully on her tail, and slid into her chair.

“Hey, girl,” she said, her Lion’s systems coming online with the welcoming snikt of the seatbelt. “Sorry for making you wait so long. And, y’know, getting shot down in the first place.”

A warm rumble was the reply, as if to say it was no trouble. At least, no more than usual.

“You ladies ready to roll?” asked Lance.

“You bet—” She stopped just when she’d stood, her head tilting toward the ground. “Wait, is that Haxus?”

The boys looked down, too. Sure enough, there he was, practically cowering just behind one of the hover-carts, little more than a speck from this distance. The two sides stared at each other a moment, then the Lions smiled, their fangs glinting as they and their Paladins let out dark laughter through the external speakers.

Without another glance, they took off, leaving the Galra gaping after them. He couldn’t move; he could hardly breathe. But as that horrible sound replayed over and over and over in his mind, his eye began twitching. His fist clenched, claws digging into skin. After sucking in a harsh breath through clenched teeth, a long, infuriated roar tore from Haxus’ throat, matching the Robeast as it smashed the last of the ice holding it in place.

It whirled around, eye darting every which way, hungrily searching for the enemy. A distant boom caught its attention: two black and red blurs were shooting through the atmosphere. Instantly, it opened fire. The Lions weaved around the blasts, returning the favor a few times before breaking away and darting behind sparse outcroppings for cover.

“Guys, do you have Green?” Shiro called.

The others slipped into formation with Black and Red, Lance smugly replying, “C’mon, Shiro, who do you think we are, a bunch of amateurs—Ah!”

In his boasting, he’d failed to notice the stone pillar everyone else had avoided. Blue tumbled head over tail a good few times before he was able to stabilize her.

“You really want me to answer that?” asked Shiro wryly.

“No,” said Lance in a deflated tone, glaring at the rest of the team as they snickered.

An unearthly screech cut it short.

“Contact rear!” Shiro shouted.

The five scattered just before a green laser struck the ground below. They had to push their engines to avoid the long arms striking out in feral swipes, and quickly put some distance between themselves and the creature.

“Okay, boys, give us the run-down.”

“Ice can’t hold it, magma takes too long to melt it, and we can’t get close,” Keith replied. “The only vulnerable parts are the eyes.”

“The parts actively shooting at us. Swell,” Pidge deadpanned.

Shiro took a beat to think. “Alright, listen up. The rest of us will distract it while Pidge uses her cloak to go in for the kill. When you have a shot, take it.”

“Yes’sir.”

“Ten-four!”

“On it!”

“Let’s do this!”

In bright streaks of light, the Lions began a dangerous dance. All through the sky they wove, moving in to attack a few times, then darting out of range again. In the midst of the chaos, Green pulled back and activated her camouflage. Then, the moment she was certain the creature had forgotten about her, she charged.

‘Once its eye’s gone, we’ll take out the unibeam and—’

WOOP WOOP WOOP

Pidge nearly jumped out of her skin. The creature snatched Black in a large hand and tossed him out of the way. At the same time, it twisted its head, its good eye locking onto her. It could see her. She yanked the controls back just in time to avoid being blown up.

“Oh, don’t tell me it’s got x-ray vision, too, or something,” said Hunk as he pushed Black upright. “Now what’re we supposed to do?”

Their alarms went off, signaling another attack.

“Evasive maneuvers!” Shiro cried. He and Yellow hurried out of the way and rejoined their teammates. “Scatter and hit it with everything you’ve got! It can’t shoot all of us at once!”

It appeared to be a day for theories to be proven wrong. After only a few seconds of Plan B, the monster decided enough was enough. It threw its arms out wide, revealing long rows of yet more “eyes” lining the undersides, and it didn’t hesitate to put them to good use, filling the sky with twenty more lasers.

“Okay, nevermind. It can do that, too.”

The others might have laughed at Shiro’s flat tone, but then the monster began spinning, becoming a veritable tornado of sickly green plasma that either forced the Lions to the ground or sent them there in smoking heaps. While the uninjured helped their friends up, their sensors sounded.

Hunk leaped in front of the others. “Get down!”

A horrible deja vu hit the boys as the enemy’s fire pummeled Yellow’s shield for a second time, only now he was already exhausted and the monster had five times the cannons. Their concentration on a single point was already creating cracks. Larger and larger, wider and wider they spread, until at last the beam stopped. Hunk panted heavily, his Lion’s weariness pouring through their bond.

“Is everyone alright?” asked Shiro.

“Aside from the internal bruising, yeah,” Lance replied, rubbing his head.

“Why’d it stop?” said Pidge. “We’re basically on our last leg, it could’ve had us. Still does, actually.”

Keith’s eyes narrowed as he zoomed in on the monster’s optics. Each one was emitting a faint red glow that distorted the air around them. “Guess even alien weaponry can overheat.”

“Unfortunately so.”

Shock swiftly gave way to scornful anger as a certain face appeared on their holo-screens.

“However, it does give us some time to talk.” Sendak’s smug smile made them bristle.

“We have nothing to talk about,” Pidge snapped.

“You tell him, Pidge,” said Lance.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Sendak replied smoothly. “You see, I’m here to make an offer, one I’ve already given your comrade.” Keith’s glare deepened as their eyes briefly met. “He spurned it, but I trust the rest of you are more sensible. I’ll call off the Robeast if you swear fealty to the Galra Empire. Join our noble cause and you shall all be treated not as prisoners but honored warriors. Heroes. And your fellow humans will be returned.”

A heavy silence filled the Lions. For the rest of them, it was an offer easy to refuse; for Pidge, it was a chance to make her family whole again. Several of them wanted to tell her not to take it, that they couldn’t count on him to keep his word, but then a quiet chuckle sounded over the comm.

The young girl’s grin was quietly strained yet cutting. “Sensible? Us? Ha! Would’ve thought you’d learned better when we first met.”

Relief filled her friends, Lance adding, “Yeah, and like we’d ever trust an overgrown hyena anyway.”

“Ooh, nice,” said Hunk, “‘cause lions versus hyenas, yeah.”

“Uhh, right, yeah.”

Sendak narrowed his organic eye while the cybernetic one flared. “You would reject the opportunity to free your family?”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m going to save them, but not at the expense of my other family.” Pidge cast a smile to Rover; he chirped in happiness and determination. “Or anyone else’s. We’ll stop your ‘noble’ empire for all our families.”

Warm pride filled Shiro’s chest. ‘That’s my girl.’

“So be it,” said Sendak with a sigh that sounded genuinely tired — disappointed, even. “If it’s any consolation, I’ll ensure the Robeast doesn’t kill you. My liege still wants an audience, after all. Speaking of which…”

His image vanished, tinged by static and a lime green glow that was quickly growing brighter.

“Move!” Shiro cried.

Not a second too soon. The instant Yellow’s shield fell and the five shot away, the blast turned the spot where they’d just been to rubble. One beam split into twenty and resumed their chase.

“Por el bien de los Antiguos, we’re going in circles!” Lance shouted, barely dodging the relentless attacks. “Please tell me we have a plan!”

Keith zipped behind a ridge, though it was swiftly being turned to dust behind him. “We need to take out all it’s eyes at once.”

“Uh, yeah, I meant a real plan, Mullet.”

“No, he’s right,” said Pidge, “disarming it’s the key, but we can’t do that split, and even if we form Voltron, we’ll have more power but fewer cannons.”

“Laser eyes, numbers, cannon…” muttered Hunk, his brain split between working the problem and avoiding death. “Laser eyes, numbers, cannon…laser eyes, numbers—” Movement broke him out of his daze; a section of his console was sliding up, revealing a circular slot with a glowing pattern inside. He let out a quiet gasp. “Guys-guys-guys! I think I’ve got it, I think there’s a way to take out all the laser eyes at once!”

“Are you sure?” Shiro asked.

“Yeah! Or, well, maybe. Remember when we fought that first monster — what’d Sendak call it? A row-beast? A-And Keith made a sword with his bayard? I think I can do the same thing with my bayard!”

“Seriously!?” the two youngest exclaimed.

“Well, what’re you waitin’ for, man? Go for it!” said Lance.

“Alright” — Hunk summoned his weapon, and with all his might, thrusted it into the port with a firm twist — “here goes nothing!”

And “nothing” was certainly what happened. The energy in the cockpit flared for a moment, then died away just as quickly, leaving its pilot blinking in confusion.

“It didn’t work.”

“Because we didn’t form Voltron yet,” said Shiro.

“Oh, right. Yeah, I know.”

He allowed himself a small smile before schooling his face once more. “Lance, Keith, make us some cover.”

“Copy.”

“No problem-o.”

Shooting upward, the pair banked around, catching the creature’s attention. It let out a wrath-filled snarl, remembering its last encounter with the duo, and made to fire its unibeam.

“No, you don’t.” Black surged forward, summoning his jawblade and slicing the side of its knee.

The Robeast hissed, its attack forgotten in favor of swatting at the Lion, who nimbly darted away, giving his teammates room. For a second time, the dusty air snapped with frozen heat, the boys making sure it was twice as big as the first, sending the monster stumbling. Through the murk came its infuriated roar and a wild smattering of lasers.

Shiro led the others out of the cloud. It proved difficult to dodge something they could barely see coming, but they managed, and soon had put at least a mile between them and their opponent.

“Alright, Vanguard, on me. Form Voltron!”

The sensation of shifting and merging still left the Earthlings reeling; it was as if their own bodies were going through the transformation. Yet, as their bond swelled and crackled into place, becoming something deeper than any of them could explain, it felt right.

“Remember: one unit—”

“One goal!” the team finished.

Long, flat arms swung manically through the fog, clearing it away just enough to let the creature see the great titan descending upon it. At once, it fired every cannon it possessed, all focused on a single point. Pidge brought out the shield. Voltron’s engines strained against the force.

“It won’t hold!” she said, her screen alight with warnings.

“It won’t have to.” Shiro yanked his controls, tilting them and letting the beam deflect into space while they dashed away with a burst. “Okay, Yellow, let’s see what you can do. Form—”

Hunk twisted his bayard again; energy burst through the Lions; a name resounded in their minds.

“—Titan Buster!”

Yellow planted himself on the ground, the pulse surging up Voltron’s body to his shoulder, making the air around it ripple. Gold and blue light converged in a burst, condensing into a giant, hexagonal cannon. A new targeting system appeared on Hunk’s screen and automatically locked onto every one of the Robeast’s optics.

“Whoa, are you guys seeing this?” he said in equal parts shock and excitement.

A flood of similar emotions returned to him as Shiro said, “Let’s put it to good use. Fire!”

Red and Green held the barrel steady in newfound instinct; energy gathered within, and before the monster could mount a proper counter, it released. However, it was far from what the five expected. Two dozen lasers shot forth, curving and weaving through the sky in a dizzying display. Every last one found their marks with immaculate precision. The monster stumbled back and dropped to a knee, groaning and sparking all over.

“Woot-woot, yeah, ha ha!”

“That’s how it’s done!”

“Not so tough now, are ya!”

BOOOM

“Eh?”

The Robeast slammed its other hand against the ground, ribbons of green and violet energy clashing as they cascaded down its arm. Then came its foot with a third tremor, and very slowly, it stood. For a moment, that’s all it did. Its arms were limp, its optics dark, head hung low.

“Maybe it’s surrendering?” Hunk’s suggestion would’ve been weak even without the pinch in his voice.

Pain rippled through Drazil’s body at even the smallest movement, a hundred times worst than its first taste, fueling a burning, writhing hatred for those who’d inflicted it. Beneath it all, however, there was something else — something primal.

“…I shall tear you apart myself.”

Her frigid words rippled through its mind; her gaze pierced it still. To be unmade by her hand… No, no, no, no, no—No that could not happen! This battle was lost, and so, too, would Drazil be.

Just when Voltron took a tentative step forward, the monster’s head snapped up with a horrible CRACK, bent at a strange angle as its screeching roar rattled the land once more. The mismatched quintessence seemed to vie for dominance as it flung its arms out, though not as it had before. They curled in a semi-circle, the energy surging off them into a single point, leaving scorch marks and broken armor in its wake.

Shiro called, “Brace yourselves and prepare to return fire!”

“Wait!” All eyes turned to Pidge in confusion.

“What d’you mean ‘wait?!’ Wait to die?!” shrieked Lance.

“Wait for the zenith.”

It clicked.

“You heard her.” Shiro readied Voltron’s stance, charging the Titan Buster.

Winds stirred with the growing powers, one gentle yet strong, the other shuttering and desperate. An orb of energy appeared before the creature’s chest.

Lance asked, “Now?”

“No,” Pidge replied.

“How about now?” asked Hunk.

“Not yet.”

The glow was becoming blinding, forcing the five to squeeze at least one eye shut.

“Pidge,” Shiro called, concern starting to override faith.

“Just a little longer!”

Not a second later, the glare pulled back, allowing them to see the orb had become ten times bigger. However, despite the Robeast’s attempts to condense the energy, it was still completely unstable, lashing about even at its wielder. With its continued roar, lightning flared out, illuminating its toothed maw and dead eyes.

‘It’s a death cry,’ Keith realized.

“Now!” Pidge yelled.

From the Titan Buster came a single, giant beam. The Robeast hardly had a moment to understand what was about to happen. Power surged into its concentrated energy greater than it had ever felt before. Then it erupted, threatening to rupture the earth and air. Green swiftly brought up the shield as the shockwave and heat hit, slamming against them in a terrible torrent. When at last it was over and the winds died down, all that remained of Drazil was a smoking crater. And its head falling from the sky.

“Oh—Oh, ulgh!” cried Hunk. “So gro-ho-hoss!”

The others couldn’t help laughing.

———————————

From the safety of his battle cruiser, Sendak allowed a growling sigh to slip out. This pattern was becoming tiresome. While any warrior worth his salt was prepared for failure, the sting of it never truly diminished — especially for some. Haxus wouldn’t have fangs anymore if he continued to grind them so. Of course, there was the silver lining of them not technically being the ones responsible for the loss, but it was likely a negligible difference at best, particularly to the beast’s mistress.

‘I don’t even want to imagine the state she’s in after losing a second creation.’ His mind easily conjured the image and he shuttered. Never had he been so grateful to report to the Emperor and not her.

“Take us out,” said Sendak.

“Yes, sir,” was Haxus’ thick reply.

His head was filled with far more violent musings, spurred on by the memory of the Humans’ mocking laughter. Again he swore they’d pay, but for now, he had orders to follow. Always following. Luckily, it seemed the Paladins were too busy basking in their victory to notice them quietly slip away.

———————————

Once the Lions disbanded, their pilots set about unlocking the rest of the cells in the compound and guiding any miners out of the tunnels. Soon, they were scrounging whatever supplies they could find and loading them onto the few transport ships the Galra had left behind in their haste to not be on the receiving end of Voltron’s wrath.

“Are you sure this’ll be enough for all of you?” asked Shiro, eyeing the hover carts that held more rocks than food.

“Likely, no,” Grunar replied, “but with these ores, we may be able to barter for more, or simply sell it. It will be just enough, I dare say.”

Keith hummed quietly, his gaze wandering to the shipments. Selling, eh?

“Good luck out there,” said Lance as he and the others gathered around the now former prisoners.

“Thank you all for everything. We never dreamed we’d see our families again, but you’ve given us hope. You’ve given the universe hope.” The five mirrored Grunar’s smile, though one of them was a bit dimmer than the others’, he noticed. “I’m sorry we could not do the same for you.”

Pidge replied, “It’s not your fault. Just wish I’d gotten something to go off of. Now I’m back to square one.”

“Not—square one,” Rover’s stitched voice piped up. “—prisoner 117-9875—prisoner 117-9875—prisoner 117-9875.”

Her eyes widened from their puzzled squint and she let out a lengthy gasp. “Holy crow, the ID number! Now I don’t have to use descriptions or sketchy dates or radio chatter, I just have to search for the number — assuming, of course, that the Galra have a sequential system for cataloging prisoners, but, I mean, why wouldn’t they? Rover, you’re a genius!”

She wrapped her arms around him, jumping and twirling for joy. The little bot chirped in delight. Everyone watched with bright grins — until she grabbed a broken drone from the ground and said, “You’ve just earned yourself a stun gun upgrade, my friend!”

Rover’s optic glittered in excitement as he bounced in the air. The pair took off toward Green, Pidge’s gremlin cackle echoing behind them.

Shiro shook his head in fond exasperation, then held out a gendopic to Grunar. “In case you need to contact us. Stay safe.”

“You as well,” the alien replied, taking it and his hand in two of his own. “May our paths cross again, Shiro.”

A strange yet wonderful feeling filled the man, one he hadn’t felt in a long time. He bowed his head in gratitude. Grunar returned the gesture, then he and the others boarded the ship. Stepping back, the Paladins waved as they rose up and flew far, far away from their old prison.

“Come on, slow pokes!” Pidge called from across the way. “We’re losing time!”

“Back to the grind,” said Shiro with a sigh and a chuckle as they started walking.

“I don’t think she ever left it,” Keith replied.

“Heh, true.”

From behind, Lance’s eyes narrowed at them.

Glancing between the two and his friend, Hunk asked, “You okay, man?”

“Course I am,” said Lance with an easy smile, though his gaze remained locked. “Just making some notes.”

Hunk raised a brow with a questioning hum but kept his thoughts to himself. The sun was setting on Arus by now, after all, and that was a problem for tomorrow.