The Castle is always silent as I wander the dark hallways. It is the middle of the sleep cycle for both species on board, but rest eludes me in the face of all that has occurred in the last few days. Of all the days to decide to go and explore the caves, I managed to pick the week that threw me head first into a crazy space war. Of course I did. I never should have gotten into that lion. I'm not qualified in the slightest to be in space, much less to be a part of the team trying to defend the Universe. I can barely look after myself on Earth; I know I am only a liability up here. Proof of that are the bruises hidden beneath the high collar of the Altean tunic I'm wearing. My own clothes are far from space worthy and the Alteans seems to have favored high collars from what I have discovered from the spare clothes I have been given. They are from a series of stupid mistakes and not very bad, so I refuse to bother the others about them. They don't usually hurt and Allura and Coran just found out they lost literally their entire world. I will heal soon enough.

I feel a faint hum from wall and gently lean on it as the Castle tries to soothe me. I wonder if the others know that the Castle itself is sentient just like their lions are, if a little more subtle in its communication methods. Speaking of the lions, my wanderings and the Castle have led me to the main hanger and the door quietly slides open to welcome me inside. I know I have no real reason to be here, none of the lions are injured and even if they were I wouldn't know how to help fix them and I am certainly not a Paladin, but I allow myself to be led into the hanger. I feel the faint acknowledgement of the lions and greet them in turn. Yellow is concerned that I do not greet them verbally, my voice being painful to use because of my bruises, but I make a gentle purring noise that reassures the great lion. I've spent a great many nights speaking to the lions since being accidentally stranded in space and feel as though I understand them better than I do their hurting Paladins.

It isn't as if I have left anything honestly important behind. At 19, I live alone and am attending a veterinary college. Even if I had any family, I would only rarely connect with them and as it stands I don't anyway so it is a moot point. Friends I have few of, just acquaintances mostly and none that would really miss me now that I am gone. I am . . . . . not good with people. Very not good would be a better measurement of my people skills, or just nonexistent. That, at least, is something the others and I seem to share. Two in particular, Keith and Pidge, are just as bad as I am though both are more violent about it. Shiro is more restrained in his responses, but I believe that to be more a product of his enslavement then a lack of people skills No one, not even him, knows the full details of his ordeal though we all know the bare basics. It . . . . hurts . . . . to watch as Shiro struggles, but it is even more painful to know that I cannot do anything to help him. All of them are suffering in varying degrees of severity, and I cannot help any of them. It is hard for me to see them hurting, for I have come to care about them despite our brief time spent together.

Perhaps that fondness is in part because of the lions, who I know care a great deal about their oh so young and unprepared new Paladins. I have seen some of the other Paladins that have been, and all were much older than even Shiro is. The Princess too is far too young to have been placed in command of anything as dangerous as what amounts to a ridiculously tiny rebellion force. But there is nothing to be done now, and so I must accept what has already happened. The Castle helps, guiding me to where I can be the most useful and providing side by side Alean and English translations to help me learn the language as a guide to the others. Hunk especially has found my understanding of Altean useful for helping in the kitchens, though knowing something is an alturak doesn't help with knowing what an alturak is or if it is safe for us to eat. The Lions help in their own way, accepting my presence among them during the night and allowing me to not feel so alone. Often I speak to them about Earth, for Blue is the only one to have been there and she complains about not being able to see much. Nothing I tell them feels very important, but it does feel oddly good and they seem truly interested so I speak freely.

It feels as though it has been months since we first discovered Blue, but I know it has only been a handful of weeks. I was never all that good at knowing the date back on Earth, but one of the first things I did after boarding the castle was create a calendar based on Earth so I could keep track of time. I haven't told the others about it yet, though I have begun to slowly gather important dates from each of them to mark down. Lance knows when Mother's Day is, Hunk remembers Father's day, and Pidge Easter. I can remember Halloween, Christmas, and New Years, and Shiro was able to remember the correct date for Thanksgiving. Keith has been living alone in the desert. I don't expect many dates from him.

Perhaps I should go back to the beginning though, so that you can follow along with what has happened. No doubt one day our world will know of Voltron, of the good people who defended the Universe when no one else could. Of the Paladins who were willing to sacrifice everything for the freedom of others, but who at the same time never stopped fighting for the chance to return. But no one will know it like me, who has seen the beginnings of this legend form once again before my very eyes. The stories may tell of their deeds and honor and hope, but I will tell of the people who are the core of the legends. Of their sacrifices, and their suffering, and their strength. Perhaps you will never hear of me, but I will ensure that you hear the truth of them.

Of the Paladins of Voltron, the Defenders of the Universe, and the Last of the Alteans.

Of the rag tag group of misfits that defied the odds.

Of my friends.