NOTE: I got the idea of making an alternative future for the Voltron Force after watching the Dragon Ball Z special "The History of Trunks". This does take place during my Terra Nova saga, but it's in the alternative timeline which will be a follow up for future story called "The Time of Your Life". I hope you enjoy.
WARNING: This has mass character deaths in this chapter. In the next chapter, you'll find out who survives the initial battle of the alternative timeline.
DISCLAIMER: Voltron Force and all the show's characters belong to World Events, and I don't own anything on the show that's in the story except for Ayeka.
SVEN: DEFENDER OF TOMORROW
PROLOGUE: TRAGEDY FOR PLANET ARUS AND THE GALAXY
Daniel Riley opened his eyes from a dark dreamless sleep in the dark room he shared with his fellow cadets: Vince DaCosta and Allura's niece Princess Larmina Sirtis. Daniel realized the time as he looked at the clock at their desk which read: 3:15 am.
"That figured," Daniel sighed. He got up from his bed, and looked to see Vince sleeping on the top of the bunk bed they shared. Then he looked to the right to see Larmina sleeping on her bed which was located on the other side of the room. He snuck out of the room to walk over to medical, where the others were.
Daniel didn't feel like using his speedy Voltcom to get to medical because he wanted to reflect on the past six days.
Six days ago, it seemed very clear that Voltron Commander Keith Kogane was hiding something from everyone, not even his own mother Ayeka Kogane or his closest friends Lance Charles McClain and Princess Allura Sirtis knew what was happening to Keith. Daniel figured something was up as Keith was dealing with such symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, headaches, not even periodic abdominal pains or muscle spasm in the back slowed Keith down, at first.
Five days ago, King Lotor Sincline, the ruler of Planet Doom, sent his best troopers, who came into the picture weeks ago, to make an assault against Planet Arus. As usual the Voltron Force sprung into action to stop Lotor's army that she sent. For Keith, coming to the battle was not a good idea, especially with the condition he was in. The condition, the illness that Daniel had suspected turned out to be worse than he thought because the next thing he knew Keith coughed up blood and collapsed. The Voltron Force had to retreat to send Keith to medical. Dr. Gouma was marveled at the many symptoms he had at once, and has never seen anything like it before, and revealed that his internal organs were beginning to gel and would liquefy in a matter of days in the rate this was happening.
Ayeka was completely shocked and realized her son has caught a deadly genetic virus called Vybroitis. It causes the internal organs to melt and the symptoms she revealed, which were weakness, aches and pains all over the body, including muscle spasms and coughing up blood, were the disease symptoms that everyone was shocked to see that he has contracted. Everyone hoped that Keith would recover from this illness soon.
Four days ago, despite hopes and pleas, Keith's condition worsened and he had slipped into a coma, and he had been that way ever since. Dr. Gouma told the group there was nothing more he could do after placing Keith's body on life support, if Keith doesn't pull out of the coma on his own, he wouldn't survive the illness.
Back to present thoughts, Daniel felt his heart pound as he saw he was at the doorway to Medical Bay. From where he was standing, he heard the monitor that was keeping Keith alive beeping. He only stood there, not wanting to make a scene. Suddenly, Daniel felt the chilling feeling of death swift past him. He was dreading what was to come.
"I don't like where this is going." Daniel said to himself. He heard the monitor, it continued to beep normally and he stood there for what felt like hours. The next thing he knew, Daniel heard the monitor itself flatline. He felt his blood turn cold as he became shocked, "NO! KEITH! It can't be. It just can't be. He's not dead. He can't be."
After the dreadful flatline noise was gone, Daniel knew it was over, but nevertheless, he stormed into medical bay, denying what was happening.
Daniel arrived in Medical Bay to see everyone in grief and sorrow as Dr. Gouma had just announced Keith's death. Allura was sobbing on Lance's shoulder as she nearly collapsed to the floor. Lance consoled the young Arusian Princess while crying himself, struggling to maintain his own grief and sanity.
Pidge Stroker slammed his fist against the wall in frustration, and then he rocked himself back and forth as he was crying, "Why? Why wasn't there a cure for this? We could have saved Keith! We should have...there should have been a cure for this! We..."
He couldn't say anymore as he was now sobbing. Hunk Garrett walked over to his friend as he was grieving himself, "Hey little buddy. There, there."
He consoled Pidge. Daniel walked closer seeing Sir Coran Smythe as he was consoling Ayeka, who was crying by the side of the bed.
"What..." Daniel started to say, but he couldn't get the words out. He walked over to the other side of the bed. Daniel looked to see Keith laying, like if he was sleeping, unaware of the grief around him. Daniel couldn't help but notice that Keith looked older than he actually was with skin deathly pale, and his lips were blue. Daniel was surprised at so much weight Keith lost compared to the battles with Planet Doom, where he was healthy, the leader of the Voltron Force had wasted away to almost nothing.
"Daniel." Lance started walking towards the cadet, but Allura stopped him. Daniel managed to firmly grasp Keith's hand, which was cold, the feeling of death. He couldn't deny it any longer, Keith had succumbed to the illness.
Daniel backed to a wall and fell to his knees in a fetal position as he was shaking in shock.
"Oh Daniel," Allura sobbed, "I'm so sorry."
Daniel wondered why she said that as she was sobbing again as he felt his whole body shake.
"What a horrible loss," said Coran, "They say the good die young."
Daniel has had enough. He ran out of medical and hurried back to his room. He saw Vince and Larmina still sleeping, but not for long.
"Wake up!" Daniel shouted, "Guys! Wake up!"
In a flash, Vince and Larmina woke up and they both looked at Daniel.
"Daniel?" Vince was startled.
"What...what's going on?" Larmina asked.
"Guys," Daniel cried, "He...he's gone! Keith is gone!"
"What?" Vince gasped in shock.
"NO!" Larmina cried. She felt her lips quiver.
Falling victim to a lethal genetic illness, Commander Keith has passed away, leaving his friends and loved ones behind.
Unfortunately, the tragic loss would be the foreshadowing of what's to come. It wasn't even a week after the funeral, and Doom's Fleet made out a massive assault. Even the Vehicle Voltron Force had come to help out the remaining Lion Voltron Force.
Before the assault, Terra Nova had fused with the essence of the deceased witch Hagar, who had returned to help Lotor and Maahox against Voltron. With Hagar Nova now an enemy to the V Force, and this had somehow made the Drule Empire unstoppable.
Lance, pilot of the Red Lion, was the first to try and the first to die. Hunk and Pidge were the next to fall, then Voltron cadets Daniel and Vince, and even most of the Vehicle Voltron Force was destroyed by Doom's forces led by the evil Hagar Nova, including Land Team leader Cliff Sutherland and Air Team member Ginger Barba. With all said and done, this had become a new era for the Galaxy Alliance: an era of darkness.