The exhaustion seeped into Acxa's body, and she sat down opposite the Paladins leaning her head back against the cave wall.
"Thank you, Paladins." She sighed, nudging her friends to urge them to mutter their gratefulness. "My comrades and I needed this."
"Yeah. No problem." The Yellow One seemed very suspicious of their motives, though he supposedly tried to hide it, and failed, with his words.
"Why did you insist we pick out up from that Galra work camp?" The Red One inquired, leaning forward to look Acxa in the eye. "That nearly cost us our lives. We're lucky we escaped, much less with you!"
"Yeah, we picked up on that." Ezor grumbled, stretching as she yawned loudly. "All we want is a nice place to sleep…that camp sucked."
"Not. Yet." The Galra who had teamed up with the a Paladin's grabbed Ezor by the ear and pulled her up to a sitting position as the colorful woman cried out her protests. "You three owe us answers, and we expect to be given them."
"Really? Why can't we call it a night, THEN explain?" Zethrid asked, cracking her neck as she blinked at them sleepily with her remaining eye. "Don't you trust us to still be here?"
"Uh, I dunno." The Blue One shrugged. "You only attacked us mercilessly, tried to kill us with the Syncline Ships, kidnapped Pidge's Dad-"
"-I'm still mad about that-" The Green One interrupted.
"-and joined forces with Zarkon to lure us into a trap," the Blue One continued, "teamed up with Haggar and fought against us during the Kral Zara, kidnapped Lotor and MIND CONTROLLED SHIRO-"
"-I'm also not very pleased with that-" The Black One hissed.
"-then you re-joined Lotor, and tried to kill us again. So, yeah, I don't know WHY we wouldn't trust you." The Blue One sarcastically smiled, nodding his head when he was done.
"You look oddly familiar." The yellow-haired Altean mentioned, peering at Acxa curiously. "Do I know you?"
Acxa ignored her, just thankful that at least the Yellow One had the curtiousy to offer them warm drinks.
"May you tell us your motives?" The Pink One inquired, leaning forward curiously. "It may help us get a better grip on the situation."
The fire cackled, and Acxa stared down at it, sighing. "Where do I begin explaining?"
"How about the beginning?" The Black One asked, cocking his head at her. "Maybe it'll help us understand you better."
"Okay." Acxa stared down at the cup in hand curiously. "I was born on Planet Athena, to the Galra follower of Prince Lotor, Norrcii, and Vorrana, an Altean who had been part of the first colony."
"That's why you look familiar!" The yellow-haired Altean cooned. "You were taken away from us by Lotor not too long ago."
"Yes." Acxa nodded shortly. "Lotor took me from my family at a young age and made me to fight for him, raising me as his own as he prepared me for the duty of being his deputy. He trained me as an assassin, and said that if I could kill Zarkon, I would become his queen when he took over the empire, and reign with him forever, harnessing the power of quintessence. However, I believed that nobody is meant to live forever, and while I thought of Lotor as a father, perhaps a brother, I never considered him a mate." Acxa sighed, dipping his head. "So, when I had been in his service for only ten deca-phoebs, I ran away. I just happened to bump into a Blade member by name of Kolivan."
"I don't remember Kolivan EVER mentioning you." The Red One hissed, rising to his feet as he challenged her. "And I served under him for months."
"Months?!" Acxa snarled, standing as well to face him head on. "What are 'months' to Kolivan?! Months are simple measurements that mean nothing! Meanwhile, I have shown you my trust, paying you back time and time again for the Weblum, THANKING you for saving me, but it's not like such a word matters to you, a simple Terran. You have no idea what it means to be Galra, and the struggles it holds, nor how big the work 'thank' could mean to someone who has only known war! That is something that actual means something, not mere months!"
"A 'thanks' holds more meaning to me then you could possibly imagine!" The Red One hollered, hands curling into fists.
"Stop, both of you." The Unknown Galra and the Black One spoke at the same time, both rising to their full height simultaneously. They shot each other a look, the female's expression more commanding, and the male sat again.
"You both should stop acting like children. You're adults, and it's time for you to behave like it. As for you, Keith, I expect your temper to be more controlled. This girl has no idea who, or what, you are."
'Keith' snarled at Acxa, sitting back down, although his temper didn't appear to cool.
"Back to the story, please." The smallest one of the bunch spoke up after a few moments of Acxa and Keith fuming at each other in silence.
"Anyway," Acxa tore her gaze away from Keith, "Kolivan talked to me. I understood much of what he spoke of, describing an era of which there was no Zarkon or Lotor. My whole life I had been taught of Zarkon's evil, and, while I came to appreciate Lotor, I also saw why he should never come to power. I was one of the few flesh-and-blood beings he trusted with the importance of the Altean experiment, although he never went into great detail. Because of the awful extraction he preformed on them, I knew he was a cruel tyrant at heart, so I readily accepted Kolivan's proposal on joining the Blade's ranks. When he discovered I was in training to become Lotor's top Commander, I was sent back to him with only instructions, a communicator that could be stored underneath a fingernail, and this." Acxa held up a necklace that glimmered with the light of the fire, the emblem of Marmora sparkling in the dim glow in the cave.
"Acxa?" Ezor gapped, staring at it questionably. "You never said anything about being a BLADE member!"
"Of course I didn't." Acxa snorted as she passed the trinket around the circle. "Picture your reactions if I had told you while we were still in Haggar or Lotor's service."
"Not pretty, I can tell ya'." Zethrid grunted, wincing. From pain or from the depth of her imagination, Acxa couldn't tell.
"This is actually luxite." The Unknown Galra marveled when her turn came to hold it. "How did you manage to get it past the security guards?"
"Their job it to get rid of anything dangerous from prisoners. They obviously saw no importance in it." Acxa told them, frowning. "When I showed up at Lotor's doorstep again a month later, he was pleased I had 'come to my senses' and welcomed me back."
The Black One handed it back to her, and Acxa attached it to her neck again, and, out of habit, hid the jewel underneath the collar of the shirt.
"The rest is mostly history, until we discovered the Paladins had returned from a ten-thousand year absence and were stealing back the Empire. We mostly ignored the news, until you freed a prison belonging to Lotor. Then he began acting actively towards your demise. I never thought much of it, until he sent me to get scultrite that would help us construct his Syncline Ships. And…" Acxa glanced at Keith pointedly, and he blinked back at her. She sighed, glancing at her hands. "We bounced around for a while, never finding our place. Last time we betrayed Lotor, we were picked up by a passing ship that recognized us as 'Enemies of the State' and were sent to a work camp, where I was able to collect parts for a communicator. I must admit, I don't succeed at the art of engineering, and, because of the limited parts I got my hands on while in the camp, I am surprised the signal for help was able to reach you."
"You said you had 'information' for us on your transmission." The Pink One recalled. "May you please tell us what it is?"
"It's not much, but I've caught whiffs of gossip from the guards.
Evidently nobody has seen you since you battled Lotor."
"Not even the Rebels?" The Green One asked, frowning thoughtfully.
"Nobody has seen you since you fought with Lotor." Acxa repeated, gazing out over their faces.
"So everyone who was helping us thinks we're dead." The Yellow One gapped, his face scrunching into sadness.
"That is…troubling." The Pink
One murmured, her eyebrows knotting together.
"I…I got to go." The Green One announced, activating something on her gauntlet as she left the cave in large strides, her eyes wide with fear, or was it panic?
"Pidge!" The Black One stood and followed her out, worry outlining his features as he chased her.
Keith rose to follow him, but the Unknown Galra pushed him back down. "Sit." She ordered, turning back to the generals. "What else?"
"The Kral Zara is staging again." Acxa told them. "Many suspect that Sendak will rise to the throne, and it is well known that if this prophecy comes true, many will join his ranks."
"We need to go, stop him from arising." Keith announced, straightening his back.
"We only have the Lions." The Unknown Galra reminded him. "And no candidates. What can we do?"
"I'm a possible candidate." Keith pointed out. "And so are you. If we gather enough resources…"
"I'm afraid that it is impossible to stage any form of attack." The Mustached One sighed, staying silent until this moment. "We need the power we have to go to Earth."
"But-" Keith began, looking rejected and tired.
"No 'but's, Keith." The Galra scolded.
"Keith, I'm sorry, but…" The Blue One shook his head. "I'm with them. And now that we have three more mouths to feed…" he gestured to the three Generals.
"Lance, even YOU'RE against me?" Now Keith sounded truly disappointed, his entire body slouching.
"That's not the term I would use, but…kinda, yeah."
Keith hissed through his teeth, an agitated sound, and all three General's ears twitched with the sound.
"Wait." Acxa stood, drawing attention towards herself. "If all five of us work towards the calling of 'Emperor' or 'Empress', I am positive one of us will succeed. We don't need to bring the Lions. The more Galra that turn on each other, the less competition there is."
"Last time we trusted a Galra," Lance began, frowning at them unsurely, "they ended up turning on us."
"I am aware that Lotor betrayed you." Acxa admitted. "I swear that, however, if all five of us go, us three will not alight the flame. We will allow one of you to do so. We shall only guard you."
A pleased smile crossed Keith's face, but the Yellow One interrupted. "Yeah, well, I know that it sound great, it does, but what if they don't keep their promise? We only just met them personally, and every other time they tried to KILL us. Hey, speaking of which, where's your other friend? The blind one? Can she turn invisible or something?"
Zethrid's eyes lowered. "She is…no longer with us."
"And I'M the one who can turn invisible." Ezor corrected them.
"Lotor killed Narti." Acxa told them, crossing her arms.
"We are sorry for your lost." The Pink One told them.
"Thank you." The three generals murmured, gazing at their laps.
"Wait…you're giving condolences, even though they have tried to kill you several times over, in the past month?!" The yellow-haired Altean blinked, confusion grossing her face. "Have all of you gone mad?!"
"It is a polite way to show that, even though they have…not been of the best help, we still respect them as people. Besides, SHE is part Altean. They deserve a second chance to redeem themselves. No matter how…odd they may appear."
"We can all hear you." Zethrid grumbled. "And I'm not sure I like what I'm hearing."
"My apologies. We should probably introduce ourselves." The white-haired Altean announced. "I am Princess Allura of Altea, and I am very pleased to meet all of you."
Acxa bowed her head graciously, heart speeding up. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"I'm Hunk." The Yellow One extended his arm, smiling gently. "I can help apply medicine to your eye." He assured Zethrid gently. "It might feel better."
Zethrid glanced at him suspiciously, then relented, clutching his forearm. "Thanks, but I don't need your pity. My eye is fine."
"I'm the Red Paladin, Lance." The Blue One told them, smiling kindly at them.
"Lance!" Ezor nodded happily. "It's a pleasure to meet someone with such dashing muscles…"
"Well, I wouldn't say dashing…" Lance humbled himself, though he did hold his arm in the classic position for her to admire them.
"Oh…cute!"
Lance grinned at her praise, patting Ezor on the shoulder. "You're not too bad, yourself."
He was too cheerful. Acxa decided that she hated him.
"I'm Krolia, and this is my son, Keith." The Galra told them, resting a hand on her offspring's shoulder.
Keith extended his hand to Acxa. "I suppose I should thank you for protecting me since the Weblum."
"The least I could do. I succeeded my mission, thanks to you." Acxa smiled back, taking him by the elbow.
At Keith's raised eyebrow to this custom, Acxa drew back, wondering if she did something wrong.
"That, Keith, is the most common form of trust among Galra." Krolia told him, smiling thankfully at Acxa. "You should be thankful that she honored you with the highest form of praise."
"Oh. Um. Thanks."
Acxa nodded, but it didn't hold the same gusto to her anymore, knowing that his kind didn't appreciate it.
"My name is Coran! It's a pleasure." The Mustached man mused, standing to bow with a flourish.
"Romelle." The yellow-haired Altean smiled, though there was a suspicious tone to her voice. "It is very nice to meet you."
"My name is Acxa." Acxa responded evenly, "and these are my colleagues, Ezor and Zethrid."
"Are you all hybrids?" Krolia asked, adjusting her seating. "It seems unnatural for four perfectly formed hybrids to be in the same place."
"Yep! We're all hybrids. Acxa's the only one who's deformed, but it doesn't look like it." Ezor grinned.
Everyone turned to look at her in surprise, and Acxa crossed her arms. "Ezor, what the quiznak. I told you that in confidence."
Ezor just smiled back, shrugging.
"Is there anything else you want to tell us?" Keith asked, cracking his knuckles as he studied them curiously.
Acxa shook her head in frustration. "I'm sorry. That was all I was able to gather."
"Um…that and Admiral Ackbar is now single." Ezor murmured.
Everyone shot her an exasperated look, a few shaking their heads, and the others rolling their eyes.
"What?! It's true!" She protested, jutting out her lip.
Everybody turned away, ignoring her.
"Romelle is right. Why should we trust you?" Allura asked suddenly, whipping her head toward Acxa. "Zethrid is unusually strong; Ezor can turn invisible; and Acxa; you may be a better shot at a gun then even Lance!"
"Hey!"
"Sorry." Allura sighed, standing akimbo. "So. You could take us in a fight. Why should we bring you with us?"
"Well; do you have prison cells on the lions?" Zethrid asked, rubbing her socket for the fifth time in as many minutes. The stares she received had her snarling deeply. "No? Not on all five of your super-powered ships? None? That is very Yalmor-brained."
"Actually, Yalmor's have a brain capacity of-"
"Nope, don't care." Lance interrupted. "Seriously, Coran, you're worse then Pidge."
Coran's mustache seemed to droop, and he frowned at the young Paladin.
"No, NO." Keith smirked. "NOBODY is worse then Pidge."
The entire company laughed, or at least managed a smile at his statement.
"May we be dismissed so we may rest?" Acxa asked, blinking at them hopefully. "Like previously stated, we are drained of energy, and wish to rest."
"Alright. We'll talk more tomorrow." He told them, placing the knife that he had been playing with for most of the meeting into its hilt.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Paladins." Acxa told them, nodding gently. "And I am sorry that everyone you know thinks that you are dead."
"It's not really effecting us at all." Hunk shrugged.
"Not those in this cave, at least." Lance grumbled, glancing out the entry way at the blurry shape of Pidge in the background, the Black One positioned to her right. "Pidge's brother is a rebel, and…man. Poor family. They're not safe because they're Holts."
"You'll be staying the night in here, you three." Keith told them, ignoring Lance's pitying comment. Then, turning to the others, he murmured some instructions.
Acxa turned back to her comrades, and was momentarily stunned as she saw that they were already asleep. Smiling, she sat down beside them, watching their sides rise and fall slowly.
The Paladins all the left the cave, Keith positioning himself outside the exit, guarding it with his Bayard summoned beside him.
Acxa stood, making her way towards him. She leaned against the entryway of the cave, and he glanced towards her, making a grunting sound to show that he saw her.
"You can sleep, if you like." Keith informed her. "We're not going to hurt you or anything."
"I know." Acxa apologized. "I just wanted to apologize for being so brash towards you. I did not realize you, too, were a hybrid."
Keith's startled blink confirmed her suspicions. So he WAS a half-blood. "It's not something I want to be released into the open, so you can be quite about it." Keith snarled, casting her a glare.
"Of course." Acxa nodded. "If your civilization found out that you were a hybrid, would they look down at you or cast you out of society?" She questioned, curious if he was treated the same way her comrades had been.
"No. They don't even know that ALIENS are real. I'd probably be viewed as a science experiment; someone who would be dissected for fun, to learn how hybrids worked, if they are like super humans…" Keith glanced at her sideways. "I'm mainly worried about how the rebels and everyone else supporting us will act. Now, will you stop asking me personal questions and just go to sleep?!"
"I am deeply sorry for unsettling you." Acxa apologized before reluctantly obligating to his request.
While she was untrusted here, she was also safe, secure, and able to sleep without the danger of being kille…
That was her last thought before she slipped into unconscious.