The Third Sphere Part I: Keith's Redemption

Author's Notes: This is my first attempt to write a Voltron FanFic. I'm an avid fan of the KA pairing so anyone not a fan of the pairing, I'm sorry this is not for you.

This fic is an attempt to continue the Dynamite's comic version of Voltron. First scenes and dialogue were taken from the last couple of pages from the comic book's issue 12. Personalities and character description will also be loosely based on the Voltron Force TV series as well as some of their techs (e.g. Voltcoms and Lion upgrades). Back story of the Voltron Force were taken from Dynamite's comic Voltron: Year One.

Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron and its characters. I'm just a fan of the universe.

-oo-

Chapter 1

"They got out okay?"

A voice from behind him spoke as he took a sideway glance at the man.

"Yeah…yeah," he answered. "They did…I feel like I should apologize to you now…"

"I told you I was in, Keith," the man remarked, his face still hidden in the shadows of their meeting place. "Did expect a little more warn – "

"Not about that," Keith replied. "Well, yeah, that. But, I didn't think it'd be this hard not to be up there with them. I…I didn't know how important it was 'til right this minute. If you ever felt like this…if I was ever the cause…I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's all right, Keith," he answered. He slowly left the shadows and revealed himself. The man called Counselor Vonn stood face to face at the commander of the Voltron Force; his shoulder length blond hair tucked neatly behind the folds of his jacket, his hands hidden within its pockets. He stared at Keith Kogane with a look that seems to be forgiving.

"Really it is," the counselor continued. "But you have to know that when they find out about this…they're never going to forgive you."

"Maybe not," Keith said. "But they'll be alive enough to make that call. I'll take that if I have to."

"Hmph…" he sighed. When he continued, his voice changed and the familiar Norwegian accent could be heard. "Suppose so. Been a busy couple of weeks on my end, cover seems to be holding up thus far. So what's the next move for us?"

"What else, Sven?" Keith smiled. "Defend."

Keith looked at his friend once over. There was no trace of the old Sven Holgersson in the man that was standing in front of him. Sven needed to make a total change of appearance for their plan to work. His black hair and black eyes were changed into blond and green eyes. His physique was a bit bulkier than his former lean athletic form. When he's in the presence of other people, he was known as Counselor Vonn Horner, the representative of the European islands on Earth, a Welsh native who had worked up the ranks of the Galaxy Alliance. The transformation was completed when he speaks in a Welsh accent, far from his native Norwegian tongue.

Faking his death was the first part. Keith needed Sven to disappear so that he could take the place of the real Counselor Vonn, who was tucked away in a safehouse that only Keith and Sven knew. It took some convincing to make the counselor agree to stay low for a while and let Sven take his place. But he agreed in the end, giving Sven free access to all the resources he would need to make his cover convincing.

The next weeks after his "death", Sven dove into training and practice, making sure that he got all the counselor's mannerisms perfectly. He studied all of the counselor's movements and actions down to the last hair flick and chin rub. By this time, even the real Counselor Vonn couldn't see any difference between himself and Sven.

"How about you, commander?" Sven asked as he and Keith walked on the pathway towards the Galaxy Alliance building. "How have you been holding up?"

"Been a bit quiet on my end," Keith answered, not looking at his friend. "No one has attacked me since the last time that they've sent some agents to do so. Sigis though still wants us on alert. He fears that they're next move would be big. And we have to stop it."

"I'm not talking about that," he said. "I mean, how are you? You've got the weight of the whole galaxy on your shoulders and all you have as a confidant is an Arusian ghost."

Keith stopped at his tracks and sighed. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, trying to get his thoughts in order before replying, "Hunk wants out. He just handed me his resignation letter. After this mission, I wouldn't be able to stop him from leaving the Force."

They continued to walk down the path as Keith continued, "I don't know whether to feel relieved or be angry. I mean, the guy deserves to be happy but at the same time, I feel like he's abandoning us. But still, I'm a bit conflicted in all of this. I even went as far as trying to convince Katrina to change Justine's mind."

Sven reached out and held Keith by the shoulder, "the things we did. The things we do for the Alliance gets to everyone. A big guy with a very soft heart like Hunk would feel the burden more than you and I combined. You were built for this. You can do this forever. Some of us can't."

"You sound like Hunk," Keith answered; his blue eyes boring through his friend. "He actually said that in his letter. But you guys got me all wrong. I also want an out. I don't want to do this forever. I just don't know how. It's been ingrained in me for so long that I don't see anything else but I do want out. And after what we'll be doing, if ever I did find an exit, no one's going to be there to greet me on the other side."

"Not even Allura?"

"Especially her," Keith said, his voice cracking. "How could she ever forgive me after this? I asked her to trust me but…"

"You'll find a way, Keith," Sven replied. "Even if the rest of the guys won't forgive you, you'll find a way to make her forgive you. But right now, we need to focus on how to find the Third Sphere before they destroy us all."

"Yeah, you're right," he answered. "Aside from that, we also need to figure out how Lotor fits into all of this."

"Or if he is even in the equation," Sven added.

"He's in the equation, Sven," Keith remarked, determination back in his voice. "But which part in the equation is he in? I'm sure Zarkon has told Lotor everything he needs to know before his father's untimely demise. But just how far ahead or behind is he from what we know?"

"What else did Sigis tell you about the Third Sphere?"

"Just enough to get us this far and tell us that we're going on the right direction. He can't give us anymore details even if he wanted to."

Their conversation continued as they walked, making plans and setting everything once they have located the Third Sphere. When they reached the GA Building and stood side by side looking at the structure before them, Sven's demeanor changed back into the diplomat Counselor Vonn.

"Well Counselor," Keith said reaching out to offer his hand for a shake which Sven took. "It's really good of you to take time off and bid the Voltron Force safe journey."

"The pleasure was mine, Commander," he answered taking Keith's hand; the Welsh accent was back as well. "I best return to my quarters. I'll call upon you when everything is set."

"I'll wait for that, Counselor."

Both men went on their separate ways. Alone once more, Keith took a leisurely way to his quarters. Alec Sigis took this time to emerge from Keith's consciousness.

"I'm really tired right now, Sigis," Keith said. "I really don't feel like training tonight."

"I understand, commander," Sigis answered. "Being away from Voltron, even for just a while can really put a strain on you. I shall leave you alone to your thoughts."

'Alone to his thoughts.' Keith really wondered how alone he was now that Sigis' consciousness is with him. He also wondered now how much of his thoughts were still his and how much of it was Sigis'. It was a good thing Sven accepted this mission with him. He needed someone to make sure that it was still him, Keith Kogane, and not some semblance of him Sigis wanted. Sven knows him enough to know the difference and make quick decisions. If Sven was right about Arus knowing about the Third Sphere and they have been lying from the very beginning, it would be best for him to take a back step and let Sven lead, just like the old days when he was only third in command.

'I wonder how Lance and the guys are holding up without me?' Keith thought to himself. 'I wonder how she is without me…'

His thoughts drifted to the blond hair, green-eyed princess he loved most in the world. Protecting her, keeping her safe, away from all the danger that the Third Sphere is going to bring them was his motivation to keep her away from this. But would she really not forgive him after all this is said and done? Could he survive it without her if that would really happen?

Keith hoped that Allura trusted him enough for them to pull through this.