Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron!

A/N: Okay, sooo, I obviously really love family-based fics, and I just really wanted to write about the paladins and some of their family members. So here's a lot of heroism and angst and rescuing and danger and adventure. Also, Lotor in my mind is beautiful and awful and the Best at being the Worst.

Water and Blood

Prologue

"My prince, it is done."

"That only took an age."

"It required careful planning, your majesty, but your wait has not been in vain."

A lengthy, purposefully intimidating silence filled the cavernous throne room. "I do believe that is for me to decide." Thin, long fingers reluctantly loosened their grip on the goblet of Elatran wine as Lotor passed it off to a servant. His quarry was finally here, and he needed to examine what had been brought to him.

Descending from the dais, he walked toward Commander Yare, his hands clasped behind his back. "Show them to me, Yare."

"Of course, your majesty."

Lotor had waited too long for this moment, the one that marked the beginning of the downfall of the Voltron paladins. Where his father had failed, he would most certainly succeed.

His father had been far too blindly obsessed with a single lion, which had led to his destruction. Yes, he had said that Voltron was his aim, that capturing the entire robotic warrior was the main objective, but that was a lie. Lotor knew that deep down Zarkon had simply wanted the Black Lion back again.

Foolishness. Honestly, Father. Pathetic.

Voltron itself had to be the true goal. It was indeed the greatest weapon in the universe, and as long as it and its ridiculous paladins continued to frolic, wreak havoc, and romp about out from under Galran control, the Empire would never gain total dominance in the universe. In order to secure Voltron, the easiest way was to attack its paladins where it would most hurt them.

After he had been sought out by Haggar, Lotor had turned his attention to the paladins. He had gathered an intelligence team whose only purpose was to complete files on each of the paladins, as well as the human race and their puny Earth in general. Honestly, it was a horrid backwater of a planet, hardly developed and not worth the Galran Empire's time. However, it did seem to be a breeding place for formidable, if annoying, warriors, which had given Lotor an idea.

Time passed, which allowed the paladins to begin believing that there would be no retribution for their previous actions. They could only remain on high alert for so long, so let he let them have a few victories, lulling them into a sense of invincibility. He had heard that they had even recovered their original black paladin, which he supposed allowed that silly Altean girl to go back to her castle and play princess.

A handful of liberated star systems meant very little to him, especially when he was busy playing the long game.

Through consuming human media and analyzing their various cultures, he and his team had discovered the most important human weakness. With it, he could crush the paladins one by one. If he could secure one lion without fail, the rest would follow. His plan would certainly deliver at least three lions into his hand with one relatively simple maneuver and most likely bring the rest with them.

"Did they behave themselves on the way?" Lotor asked as he and Commander Yare made their way to the prison deck. "I've heard they can be troublesome creatures."

"The younger male bit me," Commander Yare said, "The medics said they don't carry any diseases that could affect us."

Lotor laughed. "Ah, so they're spirited. What luck." It made it more interesting, at least. He had learned a great deal about how humans saw themselves and what they valued. They wanted to perceived as be heroic and brave and selfless and helpful. This scenario would allow the paladins to be all those things. It would be too tempting for them to refuse, and the urgency would be so compelling. This would not fail. "Did you bring the old one to care for them as I asked?"

"Yes, the intelligence team sent him over when we arrived," Commander Yare said, "Although even with his augments, I'm not sure how long he will last. I'm surprised he survived the work camp as long as he did."

"Humans are moronically resilient." Lotor waved a hand in the air, brushing away his concern. When he did not receive a positive response or any acknowledgement, he glanced over at the commander. "You look less than pleased."

The commander jerked his head up and assumed blander expression. "I was simply questioning the human rationale for placing so much value on such frail things."

"Mmm, the Galran Empire was not so different until a few centuries ago," Lotor said, "Then of course we began the process of raising our children in learning facilities, which ensures that we do not have the same weakness as humans."

They stepped out of a lift and onto one of the floors of the prison deck. Galran sentries lined the corridor as Commander Yare led the way to the cell at the end of the hall. Lotor could not keep from smiling as he spotted his newest weapons.

The old man was a long-term prisoner retrieved from the Sala Prime work camp soon after they formed the human intelligence team and realized his connection to the green paladin. He stood in front of the other three acquisitions, shielding them the best he could even though it was so futile. See?

Children made humans weak.

"This is cruel, even for you," the man said.

Was that supposed to make him feel guilty? Lotor put a hand on the glass and leaned forward, curious. "Move aside."

"No."

Lotor sighed and gave Commander Yare a long-suffering look. The commander tapped a button on the control pad on his weapon, and Dr. Holt went rigid as his prison collar sent electricity surging through his body. He crumpled to the floor, revealing the three human children he had been hiding.

One stood in front of the others, a grubby little urchin with light brown hair, blue eyes, and brown skin. Ugh, he looked just like the human who piloted the blue lion. His hands were clenched into fists as if he could actually fight anyone. "Let us go, you grape cool-aid looking freak!"

Lotor frowned at him before looking at the next one. A taller male child, this one had darker skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes. Yellow's brother. The boy met his eyes and glared at him for a few seconds before being forced to look away.

The last one was a tiny little female with lightly tanned skin, dark brown hair, and big blue eyes. They were leaking water, which was an incredibly disgusting human activity.

Lotor tilted his head to the side and then turned to Commander Yare. "Excellent. Prepare them for training. It's time to find out if humans can become the viable military resource we've been seeking."

Starting with the paladins' younger siblings.

Family was such a wonderfully easy weakness to attack.