The Best of Plans and Friends

The story will actually take place in the months following Wade's defeat, and in addition to a romance between certain team members, it will deal with Lotor, back story for the cadets, and some family history of the Royal House of Arus. It is going to be slow moving in the beginning, as I fill in the blanks that are needed for the main story. In order to set it up I need to go back in time, so I will present Preludes 1 & 2, as well as an 'Interlude' chapter. Preludes 1 & 2 will take place during and right after the victory celebration, while the Interlude will cover some of the 5 years between the lions being banished and coming back together.

In the Prelude the ages are as follows: Keith 24, Lance 23, Allura 18, Hunk 17, and Pidge 16. The ages are based on how old they were when VF first arrived on Arus and adding 3 years. It is rated M, as in subsequent chapters mature subject matters will be introduced.

Usual disclaimer – Voltron is owned by WEP, this is a work of fiction, and not meant to infringe on any rights, etc.

The Prelude – Part 1

Keith looked at his watch – in half an hour they all had to be in the Grand Pavilion with their Lions. As part of the celebration of the defeat of the Drule Kingdom there was going to be a fireworks display. While the fireworks went off the pilots would stand by their lions as the people cheered. Keith shook his head in disgust at the thought of all this. From his point of view, Voltron Force was simply doing its job and all this pageantry was a waste of time and money.

As he walked through the garden, he thought about where the other team members were. Allura was off with Coran, he was sure, doing something to promote Arus. He always marveled at how much Allura was willing to do or put up with, for the sake of her planet. She took her role as her people's leader very seriously, as she had been trained to do, Keith thought. Hunk was off with his family; his mother was a very important member of the Advisory Board that oversaw space boundaries, while his father and brothers all were active in their careers. Pidge, well Keith wasn't sure he wanted to think about what Pidge could be doing. It might involve putting spiders in the punch, re-wiring the sound system, or hacking into the fireworks display. If Pidge didn't end up arrested he would end up a billionaire, according to Lance.

Lance, he was sure, was chatting up a politician's daughter. He had asked Lance once, why did he always go after those girls. Lance replied that all politicians' families are fucked up, but always feel the need to pretend that things are great. They bring their kids to all these events, the kids hate it, and the daughters figure that hanging out with the 'bad flyboy' was a good way to get back at Senator Mummy or Daddy. Keith still was not sure what depressed him more – that Lance had taken the time to think this out, or that how often he was right.

As he walked through the grove of trees, in the park next to the Grand Pavilion, he realized that he had been wrong about Allura being off with Coran. He saw her up ahead, in her flight suit, with her back to him. He had to smile as imagined what Nanny would have said about the flight suit instead of a 'suitable dress for a princess' that she should have worn. As Keith looked at her his thoughts went down a road he did not want them to go down – she always did this to him, even more so in the last year now that she had matured so much. Looking at her now, in the tight fitting pilot's suit, he wished she was wearing one of the old fashioned dresses that Nanny and Arus expected.

Allura heard steps behind her and turned to see Keith – she had been hoping that he would come here. She knew how much he hated these kinds of celebrations, and the need to talk to so many people. She thought of all the things she knew about him, and what else she wanted to know. There were times, she was sure, from the way he looked at her, that he felt the same way. It seemed like most of the time though, he wanted to keep her at arm's length.

"Allura, I thought you would be off with Coran?" Keith asked, trying not to notice how the lights in the trees, along with the moonlight radiated off of her gold hair and deep blue eyes. "Oh, I wanted some fresh air, it was getting so stuffy in the Pavilion" Allura replied, moving closer to him. As she did, she could feel him stiffen up, and she wondered why he always did that when she got close.

"I'm not sure why Sky Marshall Wade wanted to go to all this fuss" Keith said, looking cross and hoping to change the subject. "Well, defeating the Drules is a great victory, Keith" Allura said, and then went on "they laid waste to so many planets, and people, that having them gone will offer peace to the galaxy. That is a good reason to celebrate." As Keith watched her say those words he was moved, as he knew it came from her heart. Her planet was one of many that the Drules had wrecked havoc on, and if anyone deserved a celebration it was them.

Without even meaning to, he moved closer to her and put his arms around her – she felt so good! He didn't understand what his body was doing – it was like his mind was not registering anything but the way she molded to his body. He looked into her eyes, and found himself about to kiss her. Just as their lips touched the sirens started going off.

When Keith put his arms around her Allura thought she was going to faint. She had waited so long for this, and now, with victory and peace at hand, it was going to happen. She had worshipped him for so long, and in these last couple of months the feelings she had for him threatened to overwhelm her. As his lips came down on hers she moved even closer to him, feeling the hardness of his body. Just as the kiss was going to deepen, she heard a shriek in her ears!

"Keith, what's happening?" Allura asked, as Keith moved away from her. "It's coming from the pavilion where the lions are, we had better get there!" Keith and Allura took off at a run, towards the pavilion, as other people were running away from it. They saw the other team members running up too, and as they tried to get close to the lions, they noticed that the lions were firing on the crowds. The scene was not helped by the fireworks display going on overhead.

"What the hell is happening?" Lance snarled, ducking for cover. "Why are they attacking us?" Hunk replied "did you do something to make them mad?" "If I didn't know better I would think something has overrun their programming" Pidge said. "Really, and what makes you think that?" Lance said, and then went on "No, I don't want a long discourse on it!"

"We have to get to the lions, so we can shut them down" Keith said, taking charge of the situation. He led them up the back way, to the terrace where the lions were, overlooking the Pavilion and Plaza. Once there, they each went to their lions and tried to enter the cockpits. After finding that they were locked out, they regrouped at the back of the terrace.

"What now?" Allura asked. Keith turned to Pidge "Do you have anything to deal with this situation?" Pidge thought for a moment and then said "I do have something I've been working on, but have not had the chance to test it yet, and it is inside Green Lion." At that moment there was a sonic blast and the lions stopped the attack.

Sky Marshall Wade and his troopers had fired the sonic cannon, and for some reason that stopped the lions. As the Voltron Force looked on, Wade came up to them. "This is what I have been afraid of, these big monsters with their alien technology. It is a perfect example of why Voltron is no longer needed. I suggest you all attend the meeting tomorrow of the Galaxy Garrison and its Allies". After that he stormed off.

"There is something fishy about this" Keith said, looking at the team. "We'd better be at that meeting!"

The Next Evening

The Voltron Force team members, with the exception of Pidge, were in a conference room at the Arusian Embassy. "I can't believe that Wade is going to shut down Voltron" Lance said in a loud voice. "Even worse, almost all the Galaxy Alliance members went along with it" Keith said. Allura added "I still think Wade had something to do with what happened to our lions. How did he know the sonic cannon would shut them down?" " That is a good question Allura, and one we need to get to the bottom of" Keith announced.

Just then Pidge came in the room and said "We have a problem – a big one!" "Pidge, you, and the word big?" Lance said, trying to make one of his comments. Pidge however, was in no mood and thought at the back of his mind "when I finally get my growth spurt I'm going wipe that smirk off his face." Pidge did not say that though, instead said "I got hold of the container manifest for the shipment to Arus of the Lions"

As part of Sky Marshall Wade's decision to shut Voltron down, it had been decided that the lions would go back to their storage sheds on Arus, but Wade would keep the keys so they could not be activated. He didn't trust the Arusians not to try something. He pretty much didn't trust anyone.

"How did you get hold of the manifests Pidge?" Hunk asked. "I hacked into the customs house on Arus" Pidge replied, "All manifests have to be posted there before they can be shipped" "Pidge, is there any system you haven't hacked into?" Keith asked, looking tired. "Inland Revenue, but I should be through their firewall by next week" Pidge said without a touch of irony. Pidge didn't see the point of being a teenage genius if you couldn't have fun with it. And in this case, it was coming in handy.

"So what is the big deal about the manifests?" Lance asked. "There are only four containers scheduled for shipment, not five" Pidge replied. Allura's eyes flew open wide "What does that mean?" she said, "Where is the fifth lion, and which one is it?" "Don't know, and don't know." Pidge replied "However, I have a contact in Sky Ops who might be able to give me some information."

"So we need to know where the lion has gone, and which one is it." Keith said, and then went on "One of us has to track it down!" Lance piped up "I should be the one to go out in the field – I'm streetwise and can survive as a fugitive." He then said "Keith, you, Hunk, and Pidge should take Wade's offer of joining his forces. It will give you the chance to help me with resources to track down the missing lion."

Keith said "I agree that we need to track down the missing lion; the day is going to come when Voltron will be needed again, and we will need all five lions. However, I should be the one to go – I am the team leader." At that Lance, Hunk, and Pidge all started arguing, but who would be the one to go.

Allura listened to this with a heavy heart! She couldn't believe that this was happening. "STOP IT" she said in a loud voice. They all turned and looked at her in surprise. "Before you all start running around the galaxy like some bad movie, we need to be in agreement about this. We have always done everything as a team, and even though we don't have Voltron, we are still the Voltron Force!" she said in a determined voice.

"Allura's right" Lance said, and went on "we need to have a plan, and we need to be in agreement about this." After some more talking they agreed to meet in the morning, when Pidge would have the information from his contact.

That night Allura lay in bed, tossing and turning. She couldn't believe any of this had happened, and in such a short period of time. She had always known her time of flying Blue Lion would come to an end – her planet needed her. Too many of her family had been killed in battle, and she knew where her duty lay. She had always thought though, that when she quit flying, it would be on her terms, not on someone else's. And certainly not someone like Sky Marshall Wade! She was also kept awake by thoughts of Keith, and their kiss.

Keith had not looked her in the eye, or been alone with her since that night. Allura found it hard to believe that the kiss had not meant something to him. She didn't know if it was love, but from the first time she had seen him, he had always been in her thoughts. Just when she was about to get her wish, it was torn from her hands. She turned around, and tried to get comfortable, but sleep didn't come.

While Allura was up in the Royal Suite of the Embassy, Keith, along with the other Voltron pilots were down in the guest rooms, in the west wing. Guest rooms were a nice word, they were really small, plainly furnished rooms where unattached, or unimportant people, were put up on short notice. Lance had made the comment that if Nanny were here, she would have them sleeping in tents in the backyard. Keith thought the comment was weird, coming from Lance, as she liked him and the other pilots just fine. It was Keith that she didn't like, even though he had always been careful around Allura. Lance on the other hand was always teasing her, and touching her, while Pidge and Hunk ran around with her like kids on a playground.

He thought about that as he lay tossing and turning in his bed. "It is almost like she can read my thoughts about Allura" he thought to himself. As that went through his head, the memory of their kiss made his body respond. "Thank goodness those sirens went off" he thought, otherwise he was not sure what might have happened next. He had to laugh at that thought, as it was those sirens that signaled the end of Voltron Force, but kept him from doing something that would have had serious repercussions.

He thought back to three years ago, when they first arrived on Arus. The scene at the castle, with Coran, and when Allura had come down the stairs, the candlelight flicking off of her loose gold hair. She looked like something out the fairy tale books back on earth. He had never seen anything more beautiful before that moment. After rolling to his other side, he thought about the conversation that Coran had with him, Lance, and Sven, several days after they had been there.

"Gentlemen, and I believe that you are that, you need to understand that Her Royal Highness is the last of the Royal House. Her Father, along with both of her brothers, were all killed fighting the Drules. Her destiny is to rule Arus one day, and continue the royal line." Coran stopped for effect, and then went on "she is only 15 years old, and very sheltered about life. She must be a virgin when she marries, as per the royal decrees. I expect you all to understand that, and treat her in an appropriate manner. Am I clear?"

Keith thought back to that conversation, and how Coran's eyes had blazed into his. He took that conversation to heart and for the next three years reviewed it in his mind every time Allura was close to him. In so many ways she had worked her way into his heart and mind, but he knew that it could never be. He could not just 'go out with her' as he could a girl from somewhere else – things on Arus were done as they had been in the 19th century on earth. She needed to marry as suits a reigning princess, and it certainly wasn't him. A poor space pilot, from a broken home with uncertain parentage wasn't a match for her. As he thought back over the last three years, and the night in the garden, he knew what he needed to do.

The next morning, Lance and Hunk were sitting around the table, in a small dining room at the Embassy. They had decided last night to meet for breakfast and make the final decision. As Allura came into the room, they stood up. She was wearing a long dress in a pink material with a sheen that reflected the sunlight coming in through the bay windows; there was white trim with lace at the end of the puff sleeves, around her neckline, and on the skirt. Her hair was simply put up, and the only jewelry she wore was her coronet of rank.

Lance remembered once, several years ago at dinner, asking her if she took it off when she slept or was it screwed into her head? Allura had responded by tossing her napkin at him, and he had thrown it back at her. Nanny had come in and scolded everyone, especially Allura. He smiled as he thought back on the good times they had had. He then decided he must be very sleep deprived if he thought a cold, dark, run down castle, food shortages, and constant threat of attack by a mad king, a possessed crown prince, and an evil witch were a good time! As he looked closer at Allura he saw the dark circles under her eyes, which mirrored the ones he and Hunk had.

"Where are Keith and Pidge?" Allura asked as she sat down at the table. The food had been set up buffet style, off to the side, but only Hunk had taken any. Just then Pidge came in through the side door, used by the servants. He was still wearing the clothes he had worn last night, so everyone knew he had not been to bed. He went over and poured some coffee and sat down at the table. Since he normally never drank anything but water or protein shakes, they knew he was upset and tired.

"I was not able to get any information of out my contact at Sky Ops" he said, and then went on "they didn't have a record of any other container shipments but the four that went to Arus."

"Then where is that damn Lion? What has Wade done with it?" Lance snarled.

"I think I know, and you are not going to like it." Pidge said, and continued "while there was no record of a container ship leaving earth, Sky Marshall Wade's personal transport posted a flight plan and departed at the same time as the shipment to Arus."

"Pidge, I don't think the Lion would fit on Wade's personal transport." Hunk said, stating the obvious. "Well here is the thing" Pidge said "Wade's ship is still in its bay at the space port. However, what is to keep him from using the registration number from his ship on another one?"

"But isn't that verified before they leave?" Allura asked. Lance replied, "That would be a clever way to get the Lion off earth. Everything has been crazy since the Pavilion attack, and who is going to question anything Sky Marshall Wade does?"

"So the Lion could be anywhere? What about tracking beacons?" Allura asked, looking at the guys seated around the table. "No go" Pidge said "the tracking only works of the lions are powered up. Wade has the keys, and no key, no power!"

"So back to my original question, the Lion could be anywhere, right? And we can't do anything about it?" She got up from the table and walked over to the buffet table, where she fiddled with the floral arrangement in the center. "And on the subject of where anything is" she said, looking cross "where is Keith?"

"That is a good question!" Lance stated, looking at Hunk and Pidge. Pidge said "don't look at me, I've been out all night talking to idiots, and tracking flight plans!" With that he got up and poured himself some more coffee. Since everyone knew Hunk slept through anything but a Robeast attack, no one expected an answer.

At that moment the main door opened and a footman walked in, and stopped by Allura. "Roddy, what is it?" She asked, looking at him. "Your Highness" Roddy replied "this was left on the table in the front hall. It is addressed to you and the Voltron Force members." With that he handed her a white envelope, sealed with the seal of the Arusian Embassy. Her name, formally, along with the other team members were written on the outside. She recognized the writing, and knew that she was not going to like what was inside. Without a word she gave it to Lance, with the comment "you open it!"

Lance did not like the way Allura looked – how can someone so pale go even whiter he wondered? He used the knife by his plate to cut the seal – really, he thought to himself, only on Arus would they have seals and wax - just like they watched some old movie where Imperial Russia meets the Prussian Court! Opening it up, he started to read:

Dear Team Members, I have given our discussion last night a lot of thought. I know that we would never be able to reach a joint decision on our course of action. So I, in my position as Leader of the Voltron Force, have taken the matter into my own hands. I am off to hunt the missing Lion – I need to do this, and bring it back to Arus.

I know that none of you will be happy with my decision, but it is for the best. Lance, you are so much better suited to get close to Wade. I know he offered you the job of Head Flight Instructor at the Academy – a great honor for someone as young as you. Please take it, as not only will you be training the future Galaxy Alliance pilots well, but you are so good at getting along with people. This will come in handy as, if anyone can get information out of Wade it will be you.

Pidge and Hunk, I know that the positions Wade offered to you, Technical Sergeants, will be a come down from being the pilot of a Lion. However, in those positions you will be able to go places and do things that Lance won't. Especially you, Pidge. I will need resources to track the Lion, and if anyone can get into any computer system, it is you. Hunk, please watch over him and make sure he doesn't get arrested.

Allura, your planet needs you so much. After ten years of war, peace is at hand, at least for a while. Go home to Arus, and inspire them to rebuild and restore. Arus sacrificed so much in the war, and that is a tribute to the people, and to their Ruler. Also, when I find the missing Lion I need to know that Arus is secure so I can him home.

I will be in touch with Pidge via the old RF Codes that we used on our original mission to Arus. Once I get contact re-established, we can work out some other ways to get messages to each other. Allura, I know that your planet is religious, and that you go to Church every Sunday; I assume you pray every night. Please include Voltron Force in your prayers.

Commander Keith Kogane