This is my first Voltron fic, and I am super excited. Rated T for language, and other implied stuff :) Band on the Run takes place not too long after Fleet of Doom. Lotor's been captured and Zarkon has been killed. It's an action/adventure story with a little romance sprinkled in here and there. There will be some K/A (not the focus of the story) but some of the others will see a little action too.

I decline to do any disclaimers because, really, nobody's going to mistake me for someone who might actually make money writing Voltron stories. Though I wish I could :) I love feedback, good and bad (as long as it's constructive) and I really enjoy getting new ideas from fellow fans, so by all means, throw them out there. Hope you enjoy!

Time had stopped for him. It was dark. So dark, that, at times, he couldn't even be sure if his eyes were open or closed. The only sounds that were to be heard was the steady dripping of water echoing off of the granit walls. Was it above him? Below? He couldn't be sure, but the constant dripping was beginning to drive him mad. That is their intention. He thought as he pulled again at the chains binding his wrists and ankles. They will not leave me here just to die. That was evidently not the plan, for every few hours or so, a soldier would come to see him, offering him food and drink. They will leave me here until I go insane. This is how my life will end. Not in a great battle, but in a dark, dank, cave while I steadily lose my mind.

His ears perked up when he heard footsteps echoing throughout the cavernous walls. There was no way of knowing how far away they were but as he listened, they began to get louder. Someone was coming. It couldn't have been more than an hour or so since he had eaten last. Who could possibly be coming to see him?

A dim light began bouncing in time to the footsteps as the stranger turned the corner. Soon the light was right on him. He squinted as he eyes tried to adjust.

"Get that thing out of my face!" He demanded.

The concentrated beam of light dropped to the ground. As it reflected off of the rock floor, his could now see his visitor. Or visitors. He scowled at the man standing before him.

"Have you finally come to finish me off, Commander?" He chuckled. "Too bad it has to be done with me in shackles. I always knew you were a coward."

Keith narrowed his eyes at him. The distaste in his stone cold expression left no room for interpretation. He seemed to want to say something. Instead, he stepped to the side and allowed the other visitor to step forward.

Even in his weakened state, he couldn't help but smile maniacally. "And Allura. Have you come to give me a good-bye kiss before I go to the great beyond?"

"Shut your mouth, Lotor!" Keith growled.

The princess moved closer to get a better look at him. This was the first moment that he had seen her since they had taken him prisoner. While her distain for him was unmistakeable, something in her eyes was sad. As if she almost felt sorry for him.

As an afterthought, she hardened her features and straightened her shoulders. "Lotor, I have come to inform you that you are to be transferred off of Arus. You will be taken by armed escort to the planet Earth where you will be housed in a facility that befits the nature of your crimes."

"Out of sight, out of mind, eh, Allura?" Lotor stretched his neck in a vain attempt to get closer to her. Keith, ever the noble knight, with his damnable lightening fast reflexes, snatched her back by the arm before Lotor could even get a whiff of her perfume. She turned to leave. "At least tell me you'll miss me."

Allura glanced over her shoulder. "The only thing that I feel right now, Lotor, is pity."

That was the last of the insults that he could take from her. "Don't you dare pity me!" His words fell on deaf ears as she walked away, Keith following in her wake, plunging him back into darkness. "I am Lotor, Crown Prince of Doom! You better pray to your god everyday that I do not get out of these chains!"

"I told him not to take her down there." Lance leaned lazily against a nearby bolder allowing the sun to beat down on his face. "You know Allura. Once she gets a look at Lotor down there all pitiful in his chains, she will start to feel all sorry for him, and next thing you know, she'll be wanting to let him stay in the castle."

Hunk and Pidge both sat perched on top of the landspeeder that they had arrived in, taking turns playing on Pidge's hand held game system.

"I don't understand how she can possibly feel sorry for the monster." Hunk remarked. "He tried to destroy her planet."

Pidge cursed loudly at his game before handing it over to Hunk. He leaned back with his hands behind his head. "She's a very sensitive person. She does not like to see anyone in pain."

Lance scowled. "Yeah, well, I do. Especially Lotor. Especially when it's my fist causing the pain."

"I've tried to explain this to you, Allura."

Lance, Hunk, and Pidge turned toward the mouth of the cave as Keith's voice drifted out. The light from Keith's handsfree flashlight attached to his wrist grew larger as he and Allura began to emerge into the sunlight. He finally reached down and shut it off.

Allura looked distraught as she shielded her eyes from the sun. "I just don't agree with leaving him chained up down there like an animal."

Lance glanced at Pidge and Hunk and mouthed the words, "I told you so."

Keith sighed in frustration. "Allura, the Castle of Lions has no facility to hold a prisoner of Lotor's caliber."

"I know that, Keith!" Allura's pitch raised slightly, and Lance knew that there was about to be a blow up. "My father built that castle as a sign of peace! He never dreamed that there would be a need to hold war criminals there."

"Exactly." Keith countered. "This was the most secure option until we can have him transferred. I will not let Lotor be kept under the same roof with..." He paused to think his next words through. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk leaned forward on pins and needles to hear what he would say. "...with people that he has harmed or has any intention of harming."

The three pilots sagged their shoulders in disappointment.

Allura, however, was livid. "It is MY castle! And I will decide who gets to stay under its roof. We could find a place..."

"Where?" Now Keith's frustration became more evident as he raised his voice. "Maybe we could put him up in one of the guest rooms. Hell, why don't you offer to share your room with him!" The second the words came out of his mouth, he knew he had crossed the line. The looks he was receiving from his teammates confirmed it. Allura's jaw dropped. He took a deep breath to calm himself before reaching out to rest his hands on her arms. "I'm sorry." He spoke in a decidedly calmer voice. "That was a really stupid thing to say. Listen, tomorrow the escort will be arriving to take him to Earth. It's one more night, Allura. Can you give me just one more night?"

"One more night, gimme just one more night..." Lance sang softly. While Hunk and Pidge snickered, his song was interrupted by stern looks from both Keith and Allura. He sauntered over and put an arm around each of them. "Come on, Mom and Dad. You know the kids hate to see you fight. Allura, you know that I've always got your back, but I have to agree with Keith on this one. It's just too dangerous to keep Lotor in the castle."

"Yeah," Hunk added. "It would make it easier for Lance to ring his neck."

Allura looked from Lance to Keith, obviously turning their arguement over in her head. Finally she conceded. "Fine. We'll do it your way."

"Now that that's settled, can we get some lunch? I'm starving." Hunk announced.

"That's a good idea." Allura said. She dislodge herself from Lance and started back to the speeder.

"Something I don't get though." Said Pidge as he climbed into the backseat. "Why do they want us there? I mean, don't they have people who can escort Lotor the Earth?" He squeezed in between Hunk and Lance while Keith and Allura sat up front.

Keith hit the ignition and they were on their way back to the castle. "Lotor's going to be charged for his crimes. They want us to give statements that they can use against him as evidence."

"Couldn't we just send a letter?" Lance complained.

"Those were our orders, Lance."

Allura sat with her arms crossed, still sulking about the lost battle against Keith and Lance. She hated it when they actually agreed with each other long enough to stand against her. "I still don't like the idea of leaving Arus unprotected."

"With Lotor in custody and Zarkon dead, their power is starting to crumble." Keith looked over at her to make sure she was listening. "Besides, the Alliance is sending some extra ships to keep an eye on things until we get back."

Hunk tried to lean forward but only managed to squash Pidge.

"Ow!"

"Sorry little buddy." He readjusted himself. "How long are we going to be exactly?"

"Shouldn't take more than a couple of days." Keith assured him. "We should be back within the week."

Hunk suddenly became animated. "Hey, maybe we could hook up with the old crew for drinks."

"Yeah," Now Lance was in the conversation. "Hey Allura, there's this great sushi restaurant I gotta take you to. It's the best."

"We are going on official business." Keith interjected.

Lance and Hunk both slumped in their seats dejected. Allura glared at Keith for taking the wind out of their sails. "Well, while you are liasons for planet Arus, you are under my orders. And I say, that once everyone gives their statements, you shall all be off duty for the remainder of our stay on Earth."

As three in the back gave a resounding 'thank you', Keith gave her a sideways glance only to find her smirking at him with an eyebrow raised. Regardless of the disagreement from earlier, he couldn't help but smile. "You realize that you just let loose a whole lot of trouble."

She giggled loudly. "I'm looking forward to it."

They had just finished lunch when Coran had summoned them to the control room. When they arrived, a large picture of an older man, whom Keith immediately recognized, presented itself on the viewscreen.

"Colonel Wade." Keith acknowledge his commanding officer with a quick salute. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk followed suit.

"Good afternoon, Commander. Your Majesty."

"Good afternoon, Colonel." Allura returned. "What can we do for you?"

The older man's mustache bristled. "I have contacted you regarding the transfer of your prisoner tomorrow. We have received intel that the Drules in the local galaxies have learned that you have Lotor in custody, and they are not too happy about it."

Lance narrowed his eyes. "The Drules never struck me as the loyal sort. Why do they care if we have Lotor?"

"King Zarkon and Prince Lotor still answered to the Drule Counsil. With both of them out of commission, the Drules will loose their influence in that part of the galaxy. They may not be loyal, but they love power."

"What are the risks of transport?" Keith asked.

"We believe that the Drules will try to take Lotor back while in transit. As a precaution, we are sending an unmarked freighter to Arus to bring you and Lotor back to Earth."

Allura took a step forward. "What about the men that you promised to send to Arus? I will not leave this planet until I am sure that it is secure."

"A number of ships will be arriving after you leave. It is better that you are already off planet before the squaudron arrives."

"A decoy." Hunk stated.

"Yes. With the execption of the pilot, you will have no other Garrison personelle on board your ship. And there can be no radio contact until you reach Earth's atmospere. So, it will be up to you to keep Lotor in custody until you arrive."

Keith nodded. "Understood, Sir. When can we expect the freighter?"

"It is already in route. ETA is twelve hours."

"That's in the middle of the night!" Lance pouted. His comment was ignored.

"Is that all, Colonel?" Allura asked curtly.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I look forward to finally meeting you in person." He gave her an thin smile, which she returned.

"And I, you, Colonel."

They each gave a courteous nod before the the viewscreen went black. Keith turned to his men. "Alright, guys. We have our orders, our transport will be arriving at around 0100 hours. Get yourselves packed, and I suggest that that you get some rest."

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk nodded and collectively left the Command Room. Keith turned to leave, but was stopped by Coran.

"Commander. I'm not so sure that I am completely comfortable with you going without an escort. It sounds too dangerous. You will be out in space with no Voltron and no other means of protection."

Keith glanced at Allura, whose expression mirrored Coran's concern. Though she would not admit it, she was unsure as well. "We have to trust that Colonel Wade knows what he's doing. Having Lotor in custody is a huge win for the Alliance against the Drules. They will do whatever it takes to make sure that he is brought to justice."

His words seemed to have an affect on Coran, whose worried expression softened somewhat. While his concern waned a bit, it was still under the surface.

"We need to get ready, Allura." Keith said. She nodded and they began to walk, leaving Coran watching their backs only like a conerned father could.

When they finally made it to the corridor, and the door was closed behind them, Allura turned to Keith as they walked. "Do you really think that this is the best way to do it? I mean, do you really believe that Galaxy Garrison has everything under control?"

He watched her for a moment. He wanted nothing more than to calm her uncertainty. To tell her that he knew for certain that everything was going to be alright. But it would be a lie. "Between you and me, Allura, I'm not sure what's going to happen tomorrow. But someone told the Drules that Lotor was being transferred tomorrow. That should have been classified information."

"You think it was someone for Galaxy Garrison?" Allura was shocked.

"Probably. We're going to have to watch our backs."

She sighed heavily. "I thought that once Zarkon and Lotor were gone that we wouldn't have anything to fear anymore."

Since Keith had no prepared response, they continued to walk in silence. Suddenly Allura grabbed his arm and pulled him into an open doorway. Keith opened his mouth to ask her what was going on but was silenced when she placed a finger to her lips. She poked her head out into the hall and beckonded him to do the same. He followed her gaze and saw Hunk and Rebecca, one of Allura's handmaidens talking quietly at the end of the hall. They were so engrossed that they hadn't noticed Keith and Allura's presence.

"How long are you going to be gone?" Rebecca was asking.

Hunk sighed and brushed a piece hair behind her ear. "No more than a week."

"What will I do while you are gone?" The saddness in her voice was unmistakeable.

Hunk chuckled. "You will miss me. And I will miss you. Then, when I get back," He gave her a devilish grin. "we will show each other how much we missed each other."

Rebecca giggled as Hunk drew her into his arms and almost swallowed her whole with the most passionate kiss that Allura had ever witness.

A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she watched them. Keith glanced over at her to see a sloppy grin plastered on her face while her eyes glazed over. He couldn't help but smile. Allura was truly a romantic at heart. She glanced over at him to see him watching her. He cleared his throat while he felt the temperature suddenly jump a couple of degrees. He averted his gaze back to the corridor.

"They're gone." He announced, stepping back into the hall. Allura followed and they continued toward their rooms.

Not really knowing what to say next. Really, how do you follow that? He stuck with the most obvious question. "How long has that been going on?"

Allura laughted at his obliviousness. "For some time, Keith. I think they are trying to keep it a secret for now. But I've had my suspicions."

"Well," Keith observed. "sticking your tongue down each other's throats in the corridor isn't really a good way to keep a secret."

Allura wrinkled her nose. "What a wonderful way to ruin a beautiful moment."

Again, he had no response and they fell into another silence. They had reached the T at the end of the corridor where he would go one way to his quarters and she the other. Keith stopped and turned her to look at him. "Listen, I know that you're worried about tomorrow. But we are going to be fine." He gave her a small smile. "Besides, we're the Voltron Force. We can get out of anything."

Allura looked up at him with wide eyes that conveyed nothing but complete trust in what he was saying. "Do you really believe that?"

The commander suddenly felt the overwhelming burden of the princess' trust in him. Not only for her own safety, but for her planet's. "I have to."

Without warning, she raised her tiptoes and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. When she lowered herself to her heels, she was smiling. "Then so do I." She turned away from him and started toward her wing of the castle.

He watched her go. When she had disappeared around the corner, he let out a frustrated sigh before heading the opposite direction. There was no denying the mutual attraction that they had for each other. Unfortunately for Keith, duty always came first. Duty to Galaxy Garrison and duty to Arus. Emotional attatchment was not an option for him. It would affect his ability to lead and, more importantly, to keep those he did care about safe. So, he swallowed his feelings down and locked them away. Things would have to stay the way they were. He just hoped that would be enough.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!