I do not own any of the original WEP characters.
On the advice of a friend I have revised and rewritten my orginal story. Here is the beginning of it. Please review and tell me what you think...
Arus loomed before her view screen. After dodging a few more laser shots, the pilot set the autopilot for an emergency landing. Diana crawled painfully to the life pod, pulling her almost useless legs behind her. She winced as she climbed into the coffin like pod. She knew that with her injuries, she could not survive the impending crash without the pod. The ship had sustained an extreme amount of damage. The ship shuttered as the pod closed around her, she felt the serenity that comes with suspended animation. Her world went black.
Restless and haunted, Keith stared up at the starry night sky. A fireball plummeting toward the castle caught his attention. Racing through the castle amid the blaring castle alarms, Keith headed to the control room for a better view. Zooming in with the monitors, he spotted three Doom battle cruisers pursing the tiny craft. Keith launched Black Lion to intercept and protect the craft. Keith's eyes narrowed as he fired missiles at the approaching Doom ships. Explosions lit up the sky. The fire from the downed craft cast an eerie glow against the canyon walls. Scanning the crash site, he found the life pod. With the Black Lion, he picked up the heated pod and carried it quickly back to the castle. Radioing ahead for a medical team, he set the heated pod beside the bridge and returned the lion to its resting place.
Keith quickly raced to the med bay. He was met by the rest of his team.
"Hey, Buddy, where did you pick her up at?" Lance asked. "She almost looks familiar."
"Out of the wreckage of a class one Garrison ship," Keith responded.
"When Hunk and I opened the pod for the med team I had to take a double take. I thought Hunk was going to pass out. You aren't going to believe who she looks like."
Keith crossed the room to see whom he'd rescued. He stood transfixed when he saw the face that had been haunting his dreams for over a year as the team was transferring her to a surgical gurney. Her dark hair spilled over the edge. As they rushed her pass them, he took a sharp intake of breath and his face lost its color. Lance and Keith looked at each other and spoke in unison, "Ice."
"She looks like she was in one heck of a fight."
"I heard the doctor say that she's been tortured, beaten, burned, and shot with a laser blaster rifle."
"Think about it, how many women do you know that could survive ALL that? Except Ice."
"You've got a point there." Lance stopped. "Are you still hung up on her?" He asked cocking his head to look at Keith. "I'll take that as a 'yes'"
"There is just something about her"
Princess Allura was silent "She looks like Diana."
"She was unconscious when I found her. The life pod kept her alive. She has been hurt pretty badly."
"Keith and I believe that our guest could the pilot from the Academy who went by the call sign 'Ice' or 'Ice Princess'."
"Oh you mean the Ice, from the record setting team of Fire and Ice?" Pidge grinned looking at Keith. "They were the talk of the Academy."
"Yes, that Ice," Lance grinned, sending Keith a meaningful glance.
The group retreated to the med lounge to wait. Keith paced deep in thought. "Could she be Diana? She did tell me that her home was Arus." A frown creased Keith's handsome features. His communicator beeped. "Coran wants to have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Let's go."
Meanwhile Coran entered Dr. Gorma's office. "Michel, you asked to see me."
"Yes, I only have a few minutes my patient is being prepped for surgery. These were found sewn into the Garrison uniform she was wearing." Michel pulled out a gold circlet with red accents and a blue diamond ring with rubies from his pocket of his lab coat.
"Could these have been planted?" Coran accepted the items. He carefully examined the circlet. "This appears to be like the one Princess Diana wore. But I don't know--"His voice faded off.
"She also bears the mark that the Mistresses of Avalon and I administrated about fifteen years ago."
"She does?" Coran asked surprised. "Can you be certain that it is genuine?"
"There is only one true way to know if it is genuine. That would require finding her betrothed." Michel held the ring turning it as he spoke, "What's this? He thought to himself, "Fire will always burn for you, all my love, Keith."
"That is not an option at this time."
"Agreed, we will have to figure out another way." Turning his thoughts back to Coran, Dr. Gorma stood. "I must go."
"Thank you for notifying me of this, I am going to take these for now." Coran accepted the ring.
"Of course" the doctor returned to his patient.
Hunk, Pidge Lance and Keith were seated around the conference room table waiting.
"What is this about, Keith?" Pidge asked.
"He probably wants to go over the latest intel or our new guest."
Then the opening of the doors halted any further conversation. Everyone stood up as Coran and Allura entered.
"What is this about, Coran?" Lance asked after everyone was seated.
"Patience Lance," Coran chided. "I called this meeting to discuss our new guest. We must come up with a plan for when she regains consciousness. She was wearing a Galaxy Garrison uniform."
"I will contact Galaxy Garrison in the morning." Keith volunteered.
"Fine," Coran acknowledged. "How should we proceed once she awakes?"
"We don't even know who she is yet? Do we really?" Pidge asked.
"No we do not."
"Keith and I think she resembles a pilot we met at the Academy. Her call sign was Ice or Ice Princess." Lance joined in.
"Her name was Diana, Lance." Keith offered. "I plan on starting there. Diana told me her home was Arus."
"I still believe she looks like my sister." Allura broke her silence. Her voice was firm.
"Now Allura there have been imposters we must be cautious about this. We have no way of knowing if this is one of Haggar's tricks or not."
"But Coran we can't rule out the possibility either." Allura argued. "She could be Diana."
"I have not ruled out the possibility," Coran pulled the circlet and the ring from his pocket. "These were found sewn into the uniform that she was wearing. He laid them on the table.
Keith slowly picked up the ring. He carefully controlled his expression as he saw the inscription.
"This looks like the circlet Diana wore." Allura murmured turning it over in her hands.
"But why was it hidden? Could it have been planted? To make us think that she is your sister?" Lance pondered. "What do you think, Keith?"
No answer. The room grew silent. "Keith?" Allura gently touched his arm. "Do you recognize the ring?" she asked softly.
"What happened to your sister? When was the last time that you saw her?"
Coran answered, "Princess Diana was last seen when she was placed on a transport bound for Earth. Her fighter, the Phoenix had been shot down. Her injuries were severe. Memory loss was predicted so Earth was the most logical choice. The Garrison Academy the best place for retraining given the circumstances. Zarkon's attacks were escalating and then we lost contact with Earth."
"Nothing since then?"
"Once contact was reestablished with Earth, I requested information on Diana, but the last record we received of her was her boarding a transport ship on Star date 3271.17.3 The transport was lost and never recovered."
"Coran," Hunk began thoughtfully, "what ever became of the Phoenix?"
"I believe it was taken to a hangar near the village of Galra, but I do not know if the hangar is still standing any more."
"We will try to find out all that we can, Coran." Keith reassured. "Meanwhile when she awakens we will keep alert and determine if she is a Zarkon spy. It will be a while before she will be released from med bay."
"Agreed," Coran stood up, "Thank you"
As the group was leaving the conference room, Hunk pulled Pidge aside while the rest of the group returned to med bay. "Pidge, I want to find that ship," he whispered.
"You heard Coran that hangar and ship could have been destroyed by Zarkon's attacks already."
"I have to try. For Ice"
"What does she mean to you?"
"I will explain later."
"All right," Pidge gave in reluctantly.
"I have tonight's patrol. I'll starting scanning for the hangar. Who is in Castle Control tonight?"
"Cadet Williams I think."
"Great, I'll have to be sneaky. He reports everything to Keith."
"I'll try to find any schematics on it."
"Great, tomorrow we will start preparing the workshop if I find it."
"Okay, good luck."
Hunk turned to leave and headed for Castle Control to launch his lion. Then he soared through the star lit night.
"All is quiet," Hunk contacted Castle Control.
"Just stay sharp. There is no telling when Zarkon or Lotor will attack next."
"Roger that, Hunk out"
Hunk checked his instruments to make sure Castle Control would not miss him for a few minutes. He skirted the village of Galra and began to scan the outlying area. Hunk was about to run out of time when he stumbled onto a vine covered building. He landed his Yellow Lion. He quickly jumped down with his flashlight in hand. His beam danced over the wild plant life. His eyes strained against the darkness trying to find a point of entry.
"Damn, I'll have to come back during the day." His watch beeped signaling him that he was out of time.
Hunk quickly returned to his lion. As soon as he was airborne again Castle Control contacted him. "Bring Yellow in Hunk. Everything is quiet."
"Aye, aye Castle Control. Coming in" Plans were forming in Hunk's mind.
Meanwhile in the med bay waiting room, Keith was suggesting the rest of the group go to bed. As the others were leaving, Lance murmured softly, "I think that I am going to stay for a while longer."
Hunk was too wound up to sleep. He made his to the workshop that he and Pidge shared. As he stepped into the room the lights flickered on. Setting the lock, he turned from the door, rolling up his sleeves. The hover car that they had been working on still stood in pieces.
"That will have to wait," Hunk whispered into the empty room. He busied himself by picking up the pieces and tools, putting them in their proper places.
"I hope it will fit in here." He thought looking around.
His watch beeped interrupting his thoughts. "That time already? I hope Nanny made a big breakfast. I have worked up a major appetite." Hunk strolled to his quarters and headed for the shower.
A very tired doctor entered the med lounge. "Good morning, Commander, Lieutenant, we just finished surgery. She is very lucky to be alive. We have mended her broken leg, arm and ribs. We have sutured the lash wounds on her back that had reopened. They appear to have started healing but were reopened in her escape. We have assessed the damage done by the laser blasts to her back. The swelling is severe and right now, she is paralyzed. However, the next 48 hours will be critical. She is extremely weak and on life support. The cuts, bruises and burns have been treated and they should heal nicely. I will keep you posted."
"Can we see her briefly, Doctor?"
"For a few minutes, but be prepared for the worst."
Lance and Keith were silent as they entered her room. Keith gently took her right hand with his hand. His arm began to tingle curiously. Ignoring it, he slowly caressed her bruised knuckles. "You are safe now." He whispered softly. "No one is going to hurt you here."
Keith and Lance left her room together. "Nanny will have breakfast ready soon." Lance commented looking at his watch.
"Then we had better head to the dining room. Hurricane Nanny flares up if anyone misses a meal."
Hunk was strolling in as Keith and Lance slowly walked in.
Soon Nanny brought in mountains of food
"Hunk, you're very hungry this morning," Allura smiled cheerfully. "That's your fourth plate."
"Yea," he grinned sheepishly. "I gotta lot to do today. Need my energy."
"So what is on the agenda for today, Keith?" Pidge asked.
Keith leaned back in his chair thoughtfully. "I was thinking of giving everyone the day off."
"Cool," Lance exclaimed. "I've been wanting to go into Althea for some things."
"You mean some one don'tcha?" Pidge teased.
"Yea, well--" Lance turned a pale shade of crimson.
"Keith, would it be all right if I took Yellow out? She seemed a little off last night. I would like to give her the once over."
"Anything serious, Hunk?" a look of concern crossed over Keith's tired features.
"No, I don't think so," he answered quickly, "but I want to take her out just to be sure."
"I'll go with Hunk and run diagnostics."
"All right, let me what you find out."
"Will do"
"So, what are you going to do on your day off, Keith?" Allura asked sweetly.
"I have to contact Galaxy Garrison for Coran." Keith finished his coffee and stood. "Please excuse me, Princess," He bowed.
"Of course," She sighed a little disappointed and acknowledged with a tilt of her head.
Finally, Keith and Lance headed off to their rooms.