Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Voltron nor the charters and so forth.
A lot will be AU. Although I will be taking a bit from the different Voltron verses. The ages will be changed. At first: IE Pidge is fifteen, Allura is sixteen and Larmina is eleven. When Vince and Daniel arrive they will be two years younger than Larmina.
I am also going to try and show different dynamics and personalities of each. I know that I will be stretching it a bit. But hopefully it will all come together in the end.
Also I will update when I can. But critiques are really nice. Thank you. And my other writings I am on a writer's block with them. Please forgive me.
I will pair them up with different people eventually. Let's see if you can guess.
Sky Marshal Paul Everett, a Kentucky man, who happened to be 71, sat in his office that had boxes scattered everywhere as he was in the middle of packing. He had a glass of Kentucky whiskey that he happened to be nursing.
After the graduation of this class he was retiring. Or being retired really.
Being forced to retire after years of dedicated service was bad enough. But it got worse when he was being put out to pasture like some horse by Wade.
Wade who wanted power and with the job of Sky Marshal had that. He used favors, promises, manipulation, had friends and allies in high places, then came the threats and even blackmail to get what he wanted. Now he had it.
There was one last mission that would have reaching impacts on the future. He would make sure that Wade had nothing to do with it. It was too important to let that madman stick his fingers in the mission.
The Drule Empire with it's ruthless father and son of King Zarkon and Prince Lotor was starting to get out of control and needed to be stopped. Because once they got control of Arus the milky way galaxy would eventually follow.
Everett decided to send a delegation or five military advisors to help the orphaned Princess Allura of Arus, who just turned 16. After the security of the planet was taken care of, with their diverse backgrounds they could help rebuild the planet.
The number was far too little to draw any attention. And they would be under strict orders not to be on the offensive for a year. Just defensive to help protect the planet so that it could rebuild.
At least it could rebuild, while another planet of Pollux was just a small resistance of almost no hope that consisted of guerrillas led by their 19 year old Princess Romelle, Allura's cousin.
She lived very meanly with her 'troops' sharing rations, hard times and she stopped being a royal and became a soldier and a commander. Her troops loved and respected her because she didn't ask them to do anything that she herself would not do. The war had hardened and aged her beyond her years. With all that she had witnessed and been a part of.
Her ten year old brother, Bandor, was on earth or in sanctuary. He was given diplomatic immunity right when he arrived at age five. The Princess was able to get him off the planet of Pollux right before she was captured by the Drules when she was fourteen. She escaped a year later. Her father and older brother, were not so lucky.
The five happened to be the best of the best. He decided not to send the seasoned veterans, but newly graduated troops out of the academy. Those individuals that would actually think and follow what they knew to be right, before anyone or Wade got his clutches on them and turned them into mindless robots for his own army.
He started to go through the handpicked files while sitting back in his chair. All of the young men happened to be the best in their fields of expertise.
Keith Kogane who just graduated first in his class happened to be twenty, Asian decent, cleaned cut, was always at the top of his class, never missed on any of his classes, a terrific pilot, a brilliant strategist, and could be counted on to do the right thing as he was honor bound. He was brought up by his grandfather, a great aunt, a younger brother, three cousins, an aunt and an uncle who all lived in the same house while growing up. He lost his father to a heart attack at age ten and his mother to cancer when he was six.
He also spent all of his spare time learning or studying then came his training unless he got a call by one or both of his two friends to go and get them out of jail. The reason why he became friends with them was a contradiction in terms. Something must have happened though no one talked about it. But they all did take their loyalty toward their friends seriously.
The guy had almost no vices. He had never been drunk, that anyone knew of. He would never take drugs of any kind, not even medicines. He was perfect or so it seemed. Except for his temper which he has always worked all of his life to control. He always believed in strict discipline.
Everett hoped that this command that he was giving him would loosen him up a bit. The guy needed to as he had the attitude of a dead fish at times. The poor guy hardly even dated let alone looked at anyone with interest and the dates he was always set up on, usually by Lance or Sven. The only thing that he looked on with any kind of emotion was reading some kind of book or his martial arts.
His two other friends on the other hand were trying to outdo each other with who could go out with the most girls. Sven Holgerson would only look at his career and confessed more than once he didn't have time for a relationship. He was either doing a great balance of dating or studying.
While Lance McClain was the most notorious skirt chaser in the whole academy. No girl or woman was safe.
Not even daughters, sisters and other relations of the instructors, even the higher ups of the military and diplomats. So when his two granddaughters came to visit, he sent both McClain and Holgerson on an assignment to Gamma 5. He then had Kogane and Garrett act as their tour guides.
McClain and Holgerson both had spent more than a few nights in jail because of bar fights of different kinds or some other reason. Of course Kogane had to go and bail them both out.
Sven Holgerson happened to be a tall, twenty one year old Norwegian navigator extraordinaire who graduated from the academy last year and was so good at being a navigator that the head Navigator instructor kept him on at the Space Academy as an instructor for another year. Strong, deliberate, quiet, stubborn and resourceful.
He happened to be at the top of survival training. His piloting was so good, that he almost beat out McClain. His battle tactics were brilliant, but that was mainly due to him being a champion chess player.
He graduated at the head of his class, like Kogane did as he did take his classes seriously, but did not go overboard in his studies. He was right in the middle of Keith Kogane and Lance McClain.
He had vices yes. Card playing, cursing although in his native tongue, smoking, his vodka, and women. His attitude was that he happened to be quiet, had a temper but more times than not he was able to control it. Then if his temper got out of control, very bad things were about to happen. Well, Both him and McClain both had that particular problem.
Lanky and tall, Lance McClain happened to be a twenty year old devil may care pilot with the attitude of heads I win and tails you loose. Or it appeared as though he was certain to best pilot in the entire galaxy.
He was brilliant, impatient, dogged and had the disagreeable habit of not caring what the enemy did but it scared everyone else. Lance would go charging head first into situations without thinking. Which was both an asset and a liability.
As with Holgerson, he loved gambling of any kind, smoking, drinking, women no matter what they looked like, horses and fights. He also could curse with the worst of them. He, Garrett and Holgerson also shared a love of football, both world and American, baseball, basketball and hockey were just some of the many sports they would engage in and watch.
Keith Kogane always stopped and thought about what to do and what was the worse the enemy would do in short he would hesitate, Sven Holgerson liked to compare life to chess and compare what he would do to chess moves and life. They both had also a lot of patience, something Lance didn't have a lot of.
Lance happened to be very personable and had a lot of friends and acquaintances who were than willing to help him out or do favors for him. There was hardly anyone that met him that didn't like him. Even the most strict of instructors had to admire him. But even though he did not show up for some of his classes, he still passed them with flying colors. His instructors could only imagine how great he would done if he had bothered to show up and attempt to actually try.
Speaking of flying, his flight instructors could actually learn something from him. Lance was always coming up with new moves and seemed to know how to fly before he entered the flight simulator. Which drove his instructors almost mad. No one enjoyed teaching him when it came to flying.
Lance also happened to be a whiz at survival training. He was a crack shot with all of the hunting he did as a kid down in Alabama. His shooting was so good, he also was a skeet shooting champion. And also would spend a lot of time hiking, camping, and survival camps when growing up.
He also had almost no temper problems but when his temper gave way look out. With his Irish temper when it erupted and a very Scottish way of payback it was wise not to cross him or his friends, since he had no family left and his friends were it. He was also very loyal, forgiving, pragmatic, and had some of the best luck that anyone could possibly have.
He could smooth talk almost anyone, and knew it to. Lance also happened to be egotistical, cocky, at times vain and had a roguish southern charm, being from Mobile, Alabama, that made almost all of the ladies swoon. And he also could read people like a book and at times and while he was good natured he could see people for how they really were, more so than the others.
The problem was that while Keith took things too seriously, Lance happened to be just the opposite and was carefree, which drove Keith up the wall not to mention that he was Lance's roommate. Keith was sure that he was paired with Lance as some kind of sick joke.
Lance also had attention deficit hyperactive disorder. He could hardly sit still except when it came to flying. Even when he flew he through the book out the window, literally. Or rather burned it.
Not to mention he happened to be the biggest skirt chaser around. Loved playing cards, drank straight whiskey, smoked and got into more bar fights than anyone he knew of. It was no wonder that him and Sven were good friends. And it was a wonder that Keith were friends with either of them.
Lance reminded Everett of himself when he was younger. Only McClain was a bit more out of control. Maybe a bit of responsibility could even him out. And he stopped being so damn crazy when it came to flying and fighting.
That kid would probably out distance even Keith Kogane if he survived. And if he did not step on too many toes. But he probably would. He also had a habit of being too blunt, direct and in your face.
Lance also loved playing his guitar as did Pidge, and Hunk. Sven played any type of music on the piano. Pidge could also play the drums as well. There were times that all four of them would jam together at a local bar for kicks and to relieve stress.
At only 5'4" and very skinny, Darrell "Pidge" Stoker from Balto happened to be a computer genius. There nothing that he couldn't hack into. And he was only fifteen.
He hacked his way into every top secret computer system in the galaxy at the age of seven. And that was where he got into trouble with the Galactic Alliance at age twelve. They found out what he was doing for fun and convinced his parents they could straighten him out if he were allowed to attend the academy. The reason behind it, the GA wanted him on their side instead of someone else getting a hold of him and using him for nefarious purposes. They gave their permission and the rest was history.
Since he was rarely away from the computer, his parents thought that enrolling him in aikido, kung fu and karate classes when he turned nine would keep him away from the computer and out of trouble. Well that was a slight miscalculation to the extreme. He used his knowledge and new found skills to sneak into top secret facilities.
He happened to be quiet, logical, introverted, clear headed, methodical and at times very devious. Particularly when he played his practical jokes.
Last year, him and Lance, who loved jokes as much as him, were challenged to a contest of who could play the best practical joke by Sven and Hunk. Without knowing, they both targeted Wade.
The poor guy did not know what hit him and who the culprits were. Served the idiot right. Everett grinned while lifting his glass of Kentucky whiskey and saluted them both.
To be fair though Everett was the unknown official judge via computer. Although neither knew it. The both of them were so good he had declared it to be a draw.
That did not stop either of them. That goaded them both on as both were out to prove who was the best. No one was beyond reach for the both either of them. Whether it be newbie's, graduate students or instructors, no one was safe.
Although both found that the best people to hit were those who went ballistic after the jokes. Keith really lost his temper more than once with both Pidge and Lance. If they played a joke or two on Hunk or Sven; Hunk just shrugged it off and Sven just lifted his right eyebrow and gave a little smirk and at times retaliated, so they were left alone as they were no fun to play jokes on.
Unless an unofficial practical joke war was declared between Holgerson, McClain and Stoker. Much to Keith's chagrin. As it was him that they usually targeted.
The other people within a ten mile radius were fair game. It did not matter who they were or their occupation. Anyone they came into contact with on a daily basis was fair play. The academy was never going to be the same without them in it.
Pidge also knew a bit about medicinal science, although his brother, Chip was the real genius in that department as he was a chemist. But he excelled at technology of any kind. He also loved head banging music and happened to be a very good pilot.
He was temperamental about his computer system. No one could work on any of his projects without him there. Everything had to be done just so. Because everyone else was not right like he happened to be about computers.
He happened to be a private person about his private life and was very much paranoid about the press and thought that if he killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast. Which was opposite of his dorm mate, Hunk Garret, who shrugged everything off.
Hunk Garret happened to be medium height, stocky twenty years old Nebraskan and strong as an ox and also called the gentle giant. His good humor and disposition and easy going attitude made him feel like everyone's brother.
Hunk loved anything that happened to do with vehicles of any kind and was a genius at them. He loved tools, car shows, races, demolition derbies, monster trucks rallies, ships and planes. Anything that moved or the engines behind them.
He also loved going to junk yards. One time he was planning on taking his date on a romantic picnic to a junk yard, until Keith, Lance, Pidge and Sven talked him out of it. He took her to an observatory and had a picnic under the stars. It was all of the guys ideas. Hunk thanked them the next day once he returned from his date.
He was one of the very few people that could take any type of vehicle apart and put it back together and could update or add to it that would make the engineers green with envy. His first car was one that he put together himself at the age of fourteen and tricked out to his own specifications.
He had loads of common sense and down to earth but was very naive at times thinking the best of any person which that led to serious problems. Where his major friends would help him out of. He was shy at times, mostly around girls. He just didn't know at times what to say around them.
He was a sentimentalist who got his feelings hurt easily. His friends were very protective over him for that reason alone. McClain, Stoker, Holgerson and Kogane all took on some individuals that ganged up on Garrett back in his first year. That group of upper classmen never bothered him again.
He happened to a very talented chef and a good thing too, he loved to eat almost anything. And loved both cooking shows, cook books and motor magazines.
His patience happened to be legendary. For instance, he would go fishing and sit for hours just concentrating on one particular spot or just thinking and did not even know the whole day had passed.
He alone of all of his friends was in a long term relationship for a long while, at the time when the others were busy studying or flirting, just dating for fun or carousing around. But that one ended badly as his girlfriend decided to have a career instead of pursing the relationship that just ended the week before.
His friends had to help him home from the bar after that catastrophe as he got drunk easily, even though the size of him. So leaving from this area would be good for him.
Everett smiled and put down their folders. There was another reason that he chose these young men, at least four of them would make good candidates for marriage when it came to the princess.
By Arusian law, she had to be married at age twenty one. If she did not, her council would choose out a man for her. There were not too many good candidates for the poor girl to choose from as all of the good ones were taken or unavailable.
Most were spoiled princes, tyrannical kings, stuffy noblemen, powerful rulers and overly ambitious politicians who wanted her for her power, money and her beauty she had. They only looked at her as a means to an end.
If she married one of those boys he could make sure that the alliance had Arus firmly in it's back pocket with a strategic marriage like that since it was a monarchy even though it had a council. But those boys would have some influence. Even if there was not a marriage, although there was probably going to be.
But he was going to give her a little more of a choice. With any of those boys she should not have any trouble choosing. At least she would be taken care of. He promised her father, who was an old friend, that he would keep an eye on her if something happened.
He sat back and grinned and wondered which one it would be and the scenarios. Although any of them would do for her it was two particularly that he thought that would have the best chance. Although she would probably look first at another.
The poor girl was very naïve. She was raised or sheltered by Coran and her nanny. No dirty language, video feeds or certain books were allowed around her. And only certain hand picked personal as well.
When the 'delegates' he was sending would arrive, there was bound to be some shock and outrage. Shock from the princess and outrage from Coran and the nanny. Especially around McClain and Holgerson, if she was in contact with them. And she would learn a few new languages as well. As both of them knew more than two different languages.
Just then his intercom buzzed, "Yes, Lila."
"There is a Keith Kogane, Darrell Stoker and Hunk Garrett her to see you."
"Wait five minutes, then send them in." That should give the other two time to get here. Or at least Holgerson. McClain was notorious for being late.
Ten minutes later, Keith, Pidge, Hunk and newly arrived Sven were sitting in his office.
"Holgerson, you know him best, where is McClain at?" Everett wanted to know.
"Well, sir, he is…"
A knock on the door and Lance walked in, "Your uh secretary told me to go ahead and…"
"Come on in and please take a seat. Then you could explain why you were so late."
"Well, you see, uh, sir, there was this girl I met last night and I had to say a proper goodbye."
Everett smirked, Keith hissed, "Lance…."
"What? Everyone in this room knows me, including the sky marshal according to the files that he pulled on me. On all of us really."
"But you and Stoker both knew that. Didn't ya." Everett drawled already forgiving his fellow southerner. Lance grinned and Pidge shrugged. "I swear up and down, you two know more of what goes on around here than security does. Of course it helps to have friends in all the right places, " Lance grinned, "Or type into the computer system." Pidge smiled.
"I knew that you two were going to get into trouble doing that one of these days." Keith shook his head.
"Kogane, that is the reason why I have chosen them to go on this assignment."
"You choose Lance for his ability for listening to gossip, sir?" Keith asked.
"No I choose them because they are the best at what they do, you all are. Kogane you have the ability to lead in spite of trying to act like a saint all the time, you just might get a personality from this." The others had various looks of mirth on their faces. "You are extremely smart when it comes to logistics, strategy and military history. You are very honorable and you have a sense of fairness that rivals no one. You are always willing to give people chances. Unfortunately, people are not always honorable. You will learn that. Hopefully at not too high of a price."
"The problem is you have never seen a battle after the fact. You have never killed before. You will learn that war is not honorable, glorious or fair. War is cruelty, the quicker you learn that horrible fact, the better you will lead your command. That is right I am putting you in charge, Commander Kogane."
Everett decided to carry on. "Holgerson, you equal out Kogane and McClain very well, so I am looking at you to try and even them out not to mention your navigation skills will come in handy as well as being a chess champion. No one has anything on you for strategy. You are sharp as a tack and tough as nails when need to be and can be very diplomatic at times. That is why you are second in command, Lieutenant Commander Holgerson." Everett grinned and continued on, "Maybe you can get a girl that hopefully you will marry while there." That lightened the mood.
Lance just busted out laughing, "The time the Viking gets married is the time I start thinking of settling down and get married."
"Want to make a bet on that one, McClain?" Everett asked with a sly grin on his face.
"It's a deal. If I get married, which I won't, I will name a kid of mine after you. Everett for a boy and I hope there will be no girl. But if there is, Evelyn." Everett gave a very sly smile.
"Uh, Lance?"
"What?"
Pidge narrowed his eyes, "Don't say never. I mean mathematically, it is very possible."
"I can cause I will not. Both Sven and I both made a list what kind of girls we would marry. There can be no girls like that in this galaxy."
"Remember, Lance we are heading to another galaxy." Hunk warned. "And this needs to be said, I call uncle and babysitter on all of your children." That made them all laugh.
"Hunk I can promise you. You will not have to worry about me being a father. I am very careful about that." Lance smirked.
"Ja. I will never marry. I think if the GA wanted me to marry, they would have issued me a wife." Sven announced.
Everett shook his head, What is the old saying? They protest too much I think.
"Lieutenant McClain, you are the best pilot that I have ever seen in my lifetime, you might be a bit of a wild card at times," Keith sighed and shook his head, "But sometimes they play out well, maybe you could also show Kogane how to use his instincts instead of thinking everything is by the book and maybe he could show you it is okay to fly straight once in a while and take orders. And actually read a book instead of burn it." That made everyone laugh.
The Sky Marshal was thinking of the famous book bonfire two years ago that Lance had set at a party on the beach. It was one wild party. Hunk was the one barbequing his famous ribs, burgers, steaks and baking clams. Lance, Sven and Pidge provided the alcohol. They invited all of the dorm and most showed up.
The only one of the five that did not show was Keith. He was staying at the dorm reading 'A History of the Fall of Rome'. Which consisted of seven volumes and over a thousand pages a book.
He then turned his attention to Pidge, "Tech Sergeant Stoker no one and I mean no one could equal your intelligence, it is off the charts and your computer skills are without merit, not to mention with those ninja skills of yours, you are one dangerous individual you just need to slow down a bit and see there is more to life than computers, karate and ninja skills, music and your practical jokes that you, Holgerson and McClain love to play."
Sven, Lance and Pidge all gave secretive smiles, while Hunk just sat back and grinned Keith closed his eyes and shook his head, he knew that was going to come back to bite them.
"Although I did enjoy presiding over the practical jokes as I was the Ref on the computer. It broke the monopoly around here." That shocked everyone, "Thank you Stoker for not hacking into the system to find out it was me. And I would also like to thank both you and McClain for targeting Wade, really made me smile." All in the room laughed as everyone knew what Everett thought about Wade.
Looking over at Garrett, "Tech Sergeant Garrett, you know more about engineering than any man I have ever met. Anything that has to do with Engineering wants you. Whether it be car or airplane companies, you could be one of the most well paid engineers on the planet or even the galaxy, but you choose the military. For engines, there is nothing you can not fix. I do not care if it is a car engine to jet or a propeller."
"You are right about that, sir. He fixed my motorcycle engine when I thought I would have to sell my Harley for scrap." Lance added. He then frowned, as he knew he would have to put it in storage.
"He fixed my 67 Chevy convertible as well, McClain." Everett smiled thinking about his mint green convertible.
"Always glad to fix up classics, sir." Hunk smiled. He loved old cars and motorcycles. He happened to be the go to man if an engine needed fixed or a tune up. Everyone knew it.
"Garrett, you have a sense of duty to not only the military but the community and to any fellow being and compassion that is unbreakable and I hope that it never does. You are strong and have simple faith in humanity and people and have common sense. You just need to get a bit more hard and street wise in you and you will be all set."
"But enough with the niceties, now on to the rat killing." He pulled out five folders and passed them around. All of them opened up the files,
"Anyone know about planet Arus?" A screen came down a picture of said planet materialized.
"Yes, Sky Marshal Everett, sir." Keith started.
"Arus is one of the last planets that is standing against the Drule empire in the Denubian galaxy. It is an ancient planet that used to have great technology but because of the war began by the Drule empire, most has been destroyed, looted or sold on the black market. Because of the war, most of the army has been destroyed, many of its people enslaved, and it's trade disrupted."
Lance muttered to Sven, "And we are back in Planetary Studies 101. With Keith as the model student."
"I thought he just graduated." Sven whispered back.
"Kogane graduated alright at the top of the class, but he never stops. You should know that by now."
"Are you both finished talking about my academic career?" Keith asked annoyed. When neither said anything, "That's better. Now where was I?"
"How important Arus is in it's location." Sven brought up.
"And what has recently been happening there." Lance added.
"You see Keith, they were listening." Hunk explained, trying to defuse the situation as usual.
Keith sighed, "It is a monarchy ruled by Crown Princess Allura of the DeWitt dynasty." Another picture was brought up of a beautiful young girl in a pink, frilly dress.
"This picture was taken two years ago at a ball the alliance held on Earth. Since then a lot has changed." Everett explained. Different pictures of a planet varied from prosperous to being destroyed and the final devastation that it now had.
"And not for the better." Pidge answered with a frown. While Sven and Lance both had changes with their attitudes as well. All three well aware of what the Drules were capable of.
The Drules had destroyed Balto five years ago, since the inhabitants had ample warning, they were able to evacuate. A new planet was being rebuilt. At least his family and friends and the inhabitants were able to get away.
It was not the case of Sven's and Lance's families. Both of them had different emotional scars though.
While, Sven's parents, who were diplomats were killed eight years ago by the Drules at an alliance conference, so he harbored a deep hatred of them. At least he didn't have to see the carnage, unlike Lance. And he did have an aunt and three cousins that were alive although they sent him to a boarding school.
Lance's whole family were killed while on vacation on Dresden, at almost the same time that Sven lost his parents. Out of all of them, he was scared the most, as Lance was there and survived, he knew what they were capable of so his hatred also ran deep.
Sven and Lance met each other and became friends at a boarding school. And thus began a life long friendship.
All three of them would end up being out for revenge. It would vary the types of revenge they would employ.
"She is now sixteen and listens very closely to her advisor, Coran, about ruling the planet and he is also a diplomat for Arus. She is watched over very closely by her nanny. Both her nanny and Coran are the ones who raised her since her father died when she was nine and her mother when she was three. So in a sense, they are parent figures." Keith then continued. After he said the names, different pictures came up.
"It is also your new assignment. Ever hear of the robot, Voltron?" Another old picture appeared on the screen.
"It is a myth, sir." Pidge answered. He never believed in myths, legends or folklore. Being a man of logic and science.
"Pidge, a lot of my ancestors myths had a ring of truth in them." Sven explained.
"If I have to hear one more time about the Valykries and Shield Maidens and Valhalla I am going to go mad." Keith sighed out.
"You see, Pidge every culture has references to the past with their myths, legends and folklore." Lance started.
"Remember, Keith, Queen Boudicca of the Icini was only a legend for some time." Sven added. Talking a bit about Lance's ancestors and their history. While Keith read a lot about military history, Sven was the resident professor of history.
" She happened to be the queen of the Celts that defeated a Roman army." Keith reaffirmed.
"And for good reason for what those Romans did. Sorta like the Drules are doing now." Lance also knew that part of history.
"Back on subject, your new assignment is going to be as a military delegation on Arus, officially. Giving advice for defenses and helping to rebuild. But remember for a whole year you can not attack. You can only defend. I want you to stay out of Wades view. You are all too good for him."
"No one in this room is a fan of the man." Hunk replied. They all had past dealings with him and none of it good.
"Sir, you said officially…" Keith decided to get them back on track.
"I did."
"What are we going to be doing there unofficially?" Keith's mind was working all of the angles.
"Good question. I made a reference to Voltron. You are all going to be piloting the five robot lions that form Voltron. You are going to be defending Arus from the Drules. Remember, Holgerson, Stoker and McClain I said defend. Not go in and look for a fight." That got different reactions from everyone.
Keith Kogane, Sven Holgerson, Hunk Garrett and Pidge Stoker all had about the same expressions on their faces of interest. But it was not as bad as Lance's expression of a kid with his hands in the cookie jar. He was going to fly and kill some Drules. A dream assignment for him.
Lance looked like he was ready to jump in the ship right then. Anything that could fly he would fly it. Whether it be an old, beat up crop duster, a cargo plane, a helicopter, a jet to a spaceship. There was nothing that man loved more than flying. For now.
"Uh, sir. I hate heights." Hunk looked up from his file. Hunk might be a pilot, but his fear of heights was legendary. He hated flying.
"I realize. But the team needs you, Garrett. I know that you will rise to this, you always have." Everett smiled in encouragement.
"Hunk, he is right, with all of us here you will do fine." Keith reinforced his friend.
"What are conditions on Arus, sir?" Sven asked with a stoic expression on his face.
"Since the attacks, it is a mess. Only the basics. No electricity, or running water. Food is hard to come by and medicines are even worse. The people are in hiding, except the princess and what is left of her army. You will be roughing it."
"Just like boot camp." Keith summed it up nicely.
Just because he wasn't as good at survival training like Lance and Sven, did not mean he was ignorant. He had to be to survive the training. As was Hunk, who did enjoy a good camp out.
The only one who hated roughing it was Pidge. Who grew up around technology and he never had to rough it a day in his life. He almost did not pass the survival part of his training. Well, that would change. He would have to in order to survive.
"There is one more problem though. The keys to the lions are lost. You will need to find them." A picture of the keys appeared.
"Where were they seen last, sir?" Sven asked.
"In the late King Alfor's possession." King Alfor appeared on the screen. "He was killed protecting Arus from the Drules seven years ago."
All the young men looked at each other. "Get packed and say goodbye to family and loved ones. If anyone asks, you are on a scouting expedition in the Andromeda Galaxy and will have NO contact. You all leave in one hour."
Everyone rose, "Remember to take only the basics of what you need. Clothes, a few light hobbies that can be packed in a bag and a very few mementos. Everything else will be provided for you on the ship."
Before everyone left, "Gentlemen, I don't have to remind you that you will be the first line of defense. If Arus falls, then eventually our galaxy will be next." Everett got up and shook each of their hands and wished them luck. They were going to need it.
