A/N: Special thanks to DrowningBlonde for being a sounding board for this story. Without your help, I'd still be stuck creating the world. Thanks for all the support!

Saber Rider and Voltron characters belong to their specified animation and branding companies. All OCs belong to me. Please don't sue me. I sincerely hope you enjoy this story. I will say there are some possible trigger scenes for those that can't handle rape or beheadings, either skim past or don't read. [I will make further notation for affected chapters].

The council chambers were packed. Delegates from all over the alliance have convened for the first time in nearly a century. Various flags proudly covered the walls. Some were familiar, others were not. With a wary eye, Colt looks around the room for a familiar face or two; shifting uncomfortably on his feet in his newly commissioned uniform as he scans the crowds.

"It seems weird that he's not here to see this," a female voice says quietly, as she touches Colt's shoulder. "He gave up so much for us to get this far."

"I know. I just can't believe he's gone. It doesn't seem...right. Ya know?"

"Yeah. I know what you mean. Even Shinji seems lost. He is not happy that he was made a Captain and now is in charge. Essentially giving him Saber's position that he had at the beginning of the war. They told him that after the conference, he must in earnest begin searching for a replacement."

"But Saber was a Commander. Why not bump Shinji up that far, if he's doing the same job?"

"Saber earned that appointment, due to his actions during the war. I'm sure once Shinji has the reins for a while, he'll be bumped up. As for adding to our crew, I don't see the point. Especially since they just want us to teach. Why force us to add to our circle?" he replies.

"I feel the same way. As does Shinji. I am dreading seeing Senator Rider here. What if he wants details that we can't give?" April asks.

"We can't rightly tell him anything we don't know as fact. Fact is we don't know what happened. We never found his whole body. Just a bit of his limbs still encased in his armour and part of Donatello. For all we truly know, he could still be out there someplace." Colt says quietly.

"Don't go there. Not today of all days. We both know that no one could have survived that explosion. We went back and searched after the radiation levels read low enough to do so. Nothing survived that, so there's no way he could have. I was surprised we even found what we did."

"I'm just sayin' that I just don't feel right about it. Not that I'm gonna tell his Pa that."

"Well, at least you have some common sense," she says dryly.

"I never thought I'd hear you refer to Colt and common sense in the same sentence," a raven haired man in his early twenties says as he approaches the pair.

The woman grins briefly at the new arrival, "You look very sharp in the new uniform," she states with a smile.

"Yeah, ya clean up real nice, raceboy."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you," the other man says before his smile falters as he looks around. "Unbelieveable. There are reps here from the far reaches of the universe."

"Saber would've loved to see this," the cowboy says quietly.

Suddenly, the room falls silent and the three friends turn to the entrance way where a small cluster of people have just arrived.

"Showtime," Colt mutters as the three stand tall at attention.

A couple hours later, the three friends are in the General's office."Why did you put us on the spot like that Daddy?" April says, obviously upset.

"Calm down April," he replies in a soothing tone. "Putting all of you on the spot wasn't my intention. But the queen mentioned just before we went out that she thought it would be a good gesture to have the three of you, and the senator sign the treaty."

"I'm not referring to that. I'm referring to mentioning picking a fourth. We don't feel it's necessary. We only have the three suits currently. Let us perfect these, before trying to add another aren't ready to do it."

"And why are you sending us away?" Colt asks quietly. "This is the first I've heard of it. What about my family?"

"And why Midori Mori1?" Shinji adds. "You know how close it was to where we lo- to our last battle."

"That is precisely why I want you there. It is the closest habitable planet to where that last battle was. If there are Outriders lurking,or anyone else that could cause issues we need to know about it. Also, you'd be close enough to share tech and communicate with Altea. And they could come to your aid, if necessary. Midori Mori is currently uninhabited, so should someone come poking about, you'd know quickly. It also is rich of natural resources, which would help with your establishment of an outpost. As to your family Major Wilcox, you are welcome to take them. Your wife is a teacher, perhaps she could run a small school for any other workers we send to accompany you that have children as well."

"So it won't just be the three of us?"

"No. It won't. You three will just be in charge. April, you can handle the logistics, but the three of you shall make most decisions as a team. As to the question of your fourth...I concede that you can wait until you have firmly established the outpost. You can then have your pick of the cadets I send your way to train. I will be sending you pilots and weapons specialists to train once all is ready. A small Altean team will meet you there."

"When are we to leave?" Shinji asks.

"One month's time. The King and Queen wish to observe here, while you prepare to leave; they want to have a better understanding of how we work, so that they can decide who would be best to send to assist you. They have a small crew that will meet the cargo ship with some supplies ahead of you. It will arrive in a month's time. The plan is to get mods set up and ready to receive a larger crew that will accompany you. All of you should arrive about three to four weeks after the Altean crew and the mods that we send. You are taking a transport ship, not a battleship. It will allow the civilians time to adjust."

Shinji nods, "Okay. Do we get to pick who we take with us initially?" he asks.

"I think that would be a good idea. I want you to have people that you can work with. I know the place isn't ideal, but it has been nearly two years since that battle. And intel says that the Outriders could be attempting to spread towards the dark nebula galactic system. We have experience in dealing with them, so I feel that we should be in a position to come to the aid of the Alteans, should they need it. We can learn a lot from each other, so this venture will be beneficial to all of us. Working together in peacetime, leads to stronger bonds in times of war," General Eagle replies.

"Then send us what you have on the people you are considering for this mission. We'll go over it tonight and start deciding who goes tomorrow," Shinji states. "Do you two feel this is the best way to handle this?"

April and Colt nod.

"I think we should decide within the next could of days. So that those we're draggin' along have time to get ready," Colt replies.

"I agree," April says with a slight nod.

"Very well, I will get you the list of 75 people I have considered the short list. I figure you should take about 45 to sixty people, Altea is sending a dozen or so. This should include any spouses and children. I'll see you tomorrow evening to discuss how the process is going. Let me know if you need more information before then."

"Aye, sir." the three reply and they turn and head off in various directions.

1Midori Mori - Japanese meaning Green Forest.