Thanks for reading my first fic! Standard disclaimers apply.
The air supply inside the lion's cockpit was diminishing. Allura had begun to have difficulty staying awake, let alone remain vigilant for signs of activity from the Doom warship lurking about the asteroid belt. Power was low and the damage Blue Lion had sustained had taken it's toll on all systems.
Concentrate, she ordered herself. Stay alert. Don't give into despair. Replaying yesterday's battle in her mind, she tried for the thousandth time to draw reassurance from the last communication she had with the rest of the team.
22 hours ago...
Voltron's blazing sword crashed down upon the robeast, severing it's ghastly head from it's body, most of the right arms as well. Doom had unleashed the beast on a small moon in the outskirts of the Degabas system, the unfortunate inhabitants of which happened to sit on a small deposit of lazon. The force had responded with all due speed to the distress signal and it had been a quick fight. Too quick.
"All right team," said Keith,"disassemble. Lets see if the Lions can't help with some of the clean up down there."
As Voltron became five lions once more Hunk's voice boomed out, "Hey, why not? We've got the-"
Allura had to shield her eyes as a blast of laser fire shot Yellow Lion out of the sky.
"It's an ambush!" yelled Keith. "Regroup! Hunk report!"
"They must have been waiting in that asteroid belt! It was all a set up!" cried Pidge.
"Well, these guys are going to find out I can play dirty too," muttered Lance, already returning fire. Allura scrambled to do the same. Concentrating her blasts on the half dozen ships surrounding Hunk's struggling Lion. Still more ships were amassing around the moon.
"I'm going after Yellow Lion," said Pidge as Green Lion began to dive. "I'm right behind you," said Keith. "Princess, Lance give us some cover."
"I'm hit!" yelled Lance.
Blue Lion rocked as Red Lion crashed into her. Allura struggled to keep her in control and clawed at the near by ships forcing them back. Her monitors told her the damage was bad, but if the others could get into position they could still form Voltron. She reached for the com, "Red Lion? Lance?"
"Here Princess...Shit!" Red Lion went spinning.
Then Keith's voice rang out, "We've got Hunk, he's not responding on the com, and it seems like no one's flying Yellow Lion. Retreat into the asteroids team. If these bastards can hide out there, so can we." Green Lion was already carrying Yellow Lion in that direction.
"Come on Lance!" yelled Allura, "Let's go!"
"Ladies first," he responded, still blasting away at the Doom fighters.
"Lieutenant, you're heavily damaged, Blue Lion and I will cover you. Ready Allura?"
She smiled despite the battle that raged around them. He tried to be so proper, but every once in while he let her title slip.
"Ready Keith," she responded in kind.
Blue Lion and Black Lion assumed defensive positions and the other three disappeared into the asteroid belt. Firing rapidly they eased back to follow the others.
"Princess go on ahead, I'll be right behind you."
"Are you sure Keith?"
"That's an order Allura, move!"
How can there have been so many Doom ships here with out us noticing, she thought to herself. They must be half the fleet, but Zarkon has never been one to divide his forces... Blue Lion slammed to a halt. Allura looked up to see something that made her blood run cold. Lotor's favorite command ship. "Lance, Pidge, Lotor is here!" And I'm stuck, how? "Keith, I'm right here!" "Blue Lion, Allura, where are you?" He can't hear me, she realized with sickening dread, somehow my communication is being blocked. The illusion Haggar mentioned, she's hiding me somehow. And I'm trapped in some kind of net. At least I can still hear them, I must be able to send some kind of signal. Moving her fingers over the controls she realized Lotor's ship was cutting her off from the other lions. The lion's power was low but she shot in Keith's direction. "Keith! Pidge!" She tried changing frequencies. "Allura!" Keith's voice had a frantic edge to it. Then she heard Lance over the com, "Princess, Commander, are you coming or what?" "I can't get a fix on Blue Lion-Ah!" Doom ships were in pursuit. He didn't see my signal. And slowly Keith was being driven away. "No, no, no..." Allura said to herself. "There has to be something..." The rest of the team was being pushed back and Blue Lion couldn't do more than struggle against whatever barrier had been created by Haggar's dark magic. She couldn't make out much over the com anymore and the ensuing battle was a distant display of lights. "Princess, respond!" "Keith!" She tried calling once more. "Allura, whatever you do don't give up!" Could he have heard me? Lotor's ship was hailing her. "Allura, don't even think of putting up a fight. Your Lion is damaged, your power supply low. Prepare to be boarded." Fat chance. "Call of your attack on my friends, Lotor, and I'll do what you ask." "Silence old witch. A true princess knows how to lose gracefully," snapped Lotor. 22 hours later... "How difficult can it be to locate one damaged ship? Why am I constantly surrounded by incompetence? Where is she!" Lotor had lost patience long ago and all that remained was his rage. " Calm yourself my lord," said Haggar. The body count left by the prince's tantrums was beginning to add up. At this rate Lotor himself would be flying the ship back to Doom. Making this whole ill advised scheme even more difficult to explain to King Zarkon. "As I explained it is most likely the remnants of my spell that makes Blue Lion difficult for our scanners to find. But nearly a day has elapsed and the princess will be easily located and captured." If she hasn't slipped away from you already, you lust driven fool. What a waist of her magic this enterprise had been. And the robeast she had been forced to create in haste to dispatch to planet Arus to busy the space explorers had likely been a failure as well. "We need simply bide our time for a few more hours." Lotor glared at her perhaps suspectin, not for the first time, her treasonous thoughts. "Very well, a few more hours then. But if she continues to elude us all shall suffer my wrath!" "But of course my prince. Rightfully so." If we do not return to Doom with some sort of prize Zarkon may decide he will no longer suffer YOU.
"Lovely Allura, I think you will find yourself quite alone." Lotor's voice practically dripped with self satisfaction. Allura could just make out Haggar in the background. "Don't gloat you fool, act! I can't keep the illusion up much longer." Illusion, those ships are real so what is not?
"Keith!" she cried frantically, something isn't as it seems!" He called back. "Blue Lion, what is your position?"
"Don't trust her my Prince," said Haggar.
"Very well Allura, my ships will pursue them no longer. You have my word." But I said nothing of robeasts, he thought to himself.
It was true, her reserves were low. Blue Lion probably couldn't manage much of a fire-fight right now. But she had other weapons at her disposal. And Haggar's magic must be fading. If you'll just get close enough Lotor. What is it the boys say? Right, here goes nothing!
The Doom ship advanced, closer, closer. "Take that!" Allura struck out with Blue Lion's claws and sunk her teeth into what she hoped was the weapons array. "Now time to run for it!" Blue Lion darted off into the asteroid belt. My best chance is to hide out and wait for reinforcements. Low on energy and cut off from the team, her situation still looked grim. And now Lotor will be angry that I spoiled his victory and made him look foolish.
Guys be safe. I'll hold out till you can make it back.
Keith. A sensation she had felt once before overtook her. She shut her eyes tightly and put her hands to her temples. Come find me. Just as quickly, it faded. She opened her eyes again, and began looking for a place to hide.