PROLOGUE

Haggar glanced between the Commander she had revived and his second, distrusting of the smaller. "...You informed me that you had no ruling partner."

"That is none of your concern." Sendak said darkly. "What is it you want?"

"...I am taking a ship on a reconnaissance mission." Haggar hissed. "I will not be there to defend your fleet." She told him. "My student, however."

At this, another being stepped forward. His robes ended at his knees, hood over his head and face concealed by a thin black mask, four eyes a glowing blue.

"...Who is this?" Sendak growled.

"Mokrai, is the most advanced of my Druid students." Haggar informed. "He is capable of defending your ships, until my return."

"...Mokrai, I assume you know your place?" Sendak snarled.

"Of course, sir..." A faintly lilting tone came from beneath the mask. "...I aim to serve. Vrepit sa." He purred.

"Vrepit sa!" The other Galrans proclaimed.

Haggar nodded to her favourite student, catching his dull smirk behind the mask.


Lance couldn't help but listen in on the conversation Lotor and Allura were having. It was so soft and sweet it was going to make his teeth rot, and he liked sweets. Regardless of that though, he felt it fit to glare needlessly at the floor about four feet from him

The Galra. Lotor. Voltron was officially allied with the main part of the species they had spent two years fighting.

Sitting back with a rough yet near-silent sigh, Lance wiped a quick hand over his face, resting on his Paladin armour before dropping to his armrest. The hard surface jarred his elbow, making him wince, but he relaxed after that.

He couldn't help but think of everyone, everything he left behind on Earth, and what he was missing out on. Nevermind what he had lost in space. Innocence, peace of mind. He quickly shook his head. That was stuff to bury deep, somewhere between hopelessness and abandonment issues.

Part of him wondered if his room was untouched. Veronica would've cleared it. If she figured I was dead. He decided. Then he winced at that line of thought, mind racing with the concept of his entire family believing he was actually gone.

He got out of his chair as Allura carefully aligned the Castle of Lions with the Galran core fleet ship, uncaring of Shiro's dad glare, 'to stay seated until the ride had stopped.'

Literal quote.

"I'll go get the airlock ready." He called back needlessly, escaping the room, Lotor, and his own thoughts.

Dios, if the universe kept going on like this, he was going to hate space.


Lance padded into the Galra ship on Lotor's left, across from Shiro. Mostly, he decided he wanted to guard.

Their leader was talking, but Lance was distractedly glancing around at the geometric shapes of the Galran ship, taking in the purple glow of various machines that he was still curious about. Pidge probably knows what they are. He thought offhandedly as a door opened before them, leading into a huge space where twin ribbed power supplies stood out like small houses.

"Lotor!" A new voice called, prompting Shiro to stop his talk and Lotor to mutter out a low, 'oh no'.

"Uh..." Lance began, leaning in front of Lotor. "Who the heck are you?"

The scary Galra lady, clearly a furless one, glowered at him, stepping forward. "How dare you speak to me without authorization from Blood Emperor Lotor!" She exclaimed, bending a small stick between her hands, yellow eyes glittering...

Right before she whipped him in the face.

Lance yelped, jerking back with a hand to his cheek. "Ow!"

"She was my governess." Lotor explained with a sigh. "No one has used the term 'Blood Emperor' since we were a star-faring race." He said through half-lidded eyes, meeting the Galra woman's. "And these, are my colleagues." Lotor introduced with a glance back to the other Paladins. "They have more than my permission to speak. Everyone, this is Dayak."

Various greetings rose from the Paladins, while Lance only growled. His face was still stinging from the previous hit.

"So, to what do we owe the honor?" Lotor questioned Dayak.

With a glance to the Paladins, then back to Lotor, Dayak smiled. It made her look no less scary. "Word of your victory at the Kral Zera has spread throughout the empire. I always knew you had it in you to crush your enemies!" She said with a wider grin. "Dayak's raised you from a child to a man," Her whip swiped through the air, "and now I'll witness your ascension to the throne!"

Lance couldn't help it as he gave a light laugh. "Wait, she raised you from a child?" Oh, this is too good! "Aw, is this your nanny?" He glanced at Lotor with a gentle grin. He had dirt on the prince now.

"Governess." Lotor corrected.

"You have a nanny!" Lance said excitedly. "Oh man, is she going to read you bedtime stories? Is she gonna rock you to sleep? Is she gon- Ow!" The swipe to his other cheek was not entirely unexpected, though unpleasant.

"I instructed Lotor in the ways of the Galra!" Dayak proclaimed. "The history of our conquests, our customs, battle philosophy, the art of war!"

Hunk, oddly, spoke up next as Lance rubbed his cheek. "Hmm. Galra customs, huh?" He began. "Is that like when you guys say 'vrepit sa' and stuff?" He asked, prompting Lotor to glance curiously at him. Then he groaned. "There's so much we don't know about you." He murmured, looking down.

"If you're, interested in our society's history," Lotor leaned over, putting a hand on Hunk's shoulder. "you couldn't find a better teacher than Dayak."

"What Lotor says is true." Dayak agreed, though Lance was still glaring at Lotor, unimpressed.

"Oh wow." Hunk chuckled as Lotor pulled away. "Would you really teach me about the Galra?" He asked.

"What'd'ya wanna know about the Galra for?" Lance questioned, glancing to his best friend.

Hunk twisted to meet Lance's eyes. "We're going to be working with Lotor to bring peace through the empire, right?" He explained. "Makes sense the more we know about their society, the better."

Dayak towered over Hunk, suddenly dark. For a second, Lance swore there was fire in her eyes. "If you are to learn the ways of the Galra, be prepared for the most challenging trial you could ever undertake. There will be no turning back. Victory, or death."

And that turned Lance off it.

Hunk looked frightened. "Uh, oh, that's ok." He said, putting up his hands in surrender.

"Hunk, you're a Paladin of Voltron." Allura proclaimed, voice melodiously flowing through the area. "There is no challenge too great for you."

"Will I learn what 'vrepit sa' means?" Hunk asked suspiciously.

"Yes." Dayak agreed.

"Let's do it!" Hunk cheered, following Dayak out of the room, leaving Lance and the others alone. The red Paladin felt vaguely betrayed.

"Let's get to that briefing." Shiro said, glancing to Lotor.


Lance listened closely to the Galran general as his gaze flicked over the red, angular map, then focusing on Sendak's furry face. His eyes narrowed at the one-eyed Galran, glare dark and hard. Ever since Lance woke up to learn that Sendak had nearly destroyed the Arusians, he had hated the commander.

Which was another weird thing. Lance had never hated anyone before, not even his rival Keith.

He seemed to understand what that word meant a lot better after two years in space.

"It is time I address all Galra and make my claim as Emperor absolute." Lotor said determinedly.

"Is that going to start with you freeing planets?" Lance questioned.

"It's not that easy." Lotor sighed, but he actually sounded... Regretful. "My grip on the empire is tenuous as is. I need to proffer an alternative to our current state." He explained. "That's why it is so important that Allura and I gain access to the quintessence field."

"Are we to focus all our energy on that?" The princess asked calmly.

Lotor raised his eyebrows. "It is paramount. However, we cannot let the empire fall apart." He stated determinedly. Every so often, something happened that made Lance actually root for Lotor, like his desire to keep his species together. "I will address my people at the astral conflux."

Lance nodded. "Sweet. I'm gonna go." He pointed to the door, before trotting away.

"Lance!" Allura shouted, making Lance stop and glance back. "Don't launch anything this time!"

Lance winced sheepishly. "Yeah! I won't..." He murmured, before darting out.


The blaring alarm made him trip over his own two feet before spinning around and sprinting back for the briefing room, Paladin shoes squeaking on the floor.

When he managed to slide back in, a Galra commander, covered in spikes, was speaking.

"The planet has already been fired upon, and we do not have the means to protect ourselves." He said, looking at Lotor's form at the foot of the hologram. "You must send assistance immediately." The Galran was saying as Shiro walked in line.

"Understood..." Lotor murmured darkly, hanging up.

Shiro glanced between them. "What's going on?" He questioned.

"One of our labor planets is under attack from Sendak and his fleet." Lotor spat.

"Sendak?" Lance huffed. "Not that guy again..."

"We've gotta help that planet immediately." Pidge stated.

"Sendak would have me respond to his attack and neglect my empire." Lotor's voice was fraught with anger.

Allura spoke up from Lance's side. "Voltron can handle this while you continue to rule."

"But princess, I need you here." Lotor said softly. "Without you-"

"Your plan has waited this long." Allura interrupted. "It can wait a tick longer." Her smile was assured. "We must protect your innocent subjects."

Lotor glanced away, wary, before looking back. "Of course. You're right." He agreed.

"We will return, as soon as we can." Allura stated, turning and heading out, prompting the other Paladins to follow.

Lance caught the tail end of Hunk and Dayak's conversation, right as Hunk dove into the elevator. He toed his friend in the ribs. "How is training?" He asked with a laugh.

"Har har."


Lance smirked at Hunk and Pidge's conversation, and was about to chime in, when Shiro sounded... off.

The Black Paladin seemed alright for the time, and they dove into the wormhole without further problems.

Dumped out in the middle of a fleet, everyone immediately shot off to the side, swirling between ships.

Lance's hands tightened on the joysticks of the Red Lion, her low rumble filling his lungs with reassurance and an easy sense of calm. "Thanks Red..." He murmured softly, even as they swirled into formation, staring at the fleet.

Which was when he heard Shiro's gasp of pain.

"Shiro?!" Lance shouted into the comms. "Shiro, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." The black Paladin reassured. "...C'mon team." He began.

Lance winced. Shiro wasn't alright. Something was very, very wrong. And he knew what the leader was going to say anyway.

"Let's form Voltron!"

There it fuckin' is... Lance thought, flying forward. He always loved the rush that came with forming Voltron... but when Lance touched Shiro's mind, he recoiled slightly, making his lion latch on just slightly slower than Green. Sorry Red... He thought as she growled angrily at him.

When Voltron was formed, Shiro flew back at the head ship, all of them readied for combat, when Sendak appeared on their holoscreens.

"I know your true weakness." Sendak said on the message. "That you value the lives of others. And I will hammer that weakness until you are crushed beneath my heel." He told them darkly.

The cannon charged, but oddly, it was the one aimed away from Voltron.

Past them... And into the shield station.

Everyone stared for a long second.

"No! Without those panels in place, the planet will be fully exposed!" Pidge shouted.

Lance spoke up next. "Which means?!"

"No protection from the radiation bands!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Puta..." Lance hissed, off comm as they watched the panels drift apart. "We can't let him get away!" He barked as the ships pulled farther back, but oddly, didn't leave yet.

"Lance, there's no time. We've got to fix that shield as soon as-" Shiro grunted, exclaiming in pain abruptly.

Allura told the question before Lance could. "Shiro, are you alright?"

With mocking concern, Lance mouthed Shiro's response. "I'm fine." Their leader said. "We can't leave that planet unprotected."

Voltron flew down, leveling with the main station.

While Shiro was talking to the station's generals, Lance looked around the cockpit, trying frantically to come up with an idea.

He was only drawn back when Shiro called for Hunk's attention.

"We need to split up. Pidge, handle the generator system." Hunk stated.

"I'll need Shiro with me." Pidge said. "I can use his arm to repower the mainframe." She explained.

"Ok good." Hunk agreed, clearly thinking. "Allura, Lance, I need you to re-fuse that fractured plate." He stated.

"Affirmative." Allura agreed.

Lance's eyes sharpened in focus as he and Red went along the same thought line. "You got it." His vision changed when Red aligned herself with him, further blurring the line.

"I'm going to try to get the plates realigned." Hunk told them.

"Ok. We've got our orders, let's move!" Shiro commanded, and the group split up effortlessly.

Lance led Allura over the fractured plate, the pair drifting over it. "Ok." The former blue Paladin chuckled weakly, "broken massive shield plate. Don't suppose there's a quick tutorial video on how to fix this, is there?" Though inaccurate and hopeless, it was funny.

Red growled her irritation at him, for making jokes in a tense situation. It's how I deal, flames. The mental barb made Red do the lion equivalent of a laugh.

"Make sure the connection is straight!" Hunk shouted into the comms. "If it's even one degree off, the shield will fail." He determined.

"That's not a tutorial!" Lance responded.

There was a pause on the line. "If you hold them in place, then I could freeze them together." Allura reasoned. "But I don't think the ice will stand the radiation for very long."

Considering that for a second, Lance got an idea. "Hey, maybe after you freeze them, I could use my heat ray to weld them together!" He exclaimed. Something his uncle had taught him.

"Great idea Lance!" Allura's voice held a smile.

He blushed within his helmet, just a little. "Aww, thanks, Princess. I couldn't've thought of it without you though." He reasoned, attempting to flirt. "Really, I think we make a great team." Internally, he winced, and Red started chuckling. "Here we are working together, just the two of us." He continued, attempting to recover.

"Let's go, Lance." Allura sounded a bit irritated.

Dios, Veronica would kill me if she heard how I flirt with chicks... Lance thought as he dove down to the plate, pinning down the various pieces while he was at it.

"They're all in place!" He shouted to Allura.

The ice ray hit the plates, quickly growing between the cracks. "That should hold them." The princess determined.

Lance swirled back a good distance. "Hope this works!" He called, as his chest seemed to heat up, then burn, before he felt the heat ray ignite, working carefully and *slowly* over the lines. He knew how to weld.

"We did it!"

"Nice work guys!" Hunk responded as Lance took a few deep breaths.

Lance and Allura swirled out of the way slowly, with Lance looking back. "Uh, guys?" He called nervously. "That radiation belt's getting real close."

"Last piece in place. Fire up that power, Pidge!" Hunk said.

It took a few seconds, illuminating brightly as the building powered up...

Before powering right back down. "What's going on with the plates?!" Lance shouted, just as he saw the sparks down the weld lines...

Glowing, powerful, and Allura is in the way.

Lance screamed her name, then rammed Red into Blue, her screaming her agreement for this motion.

White light filled everything from his mind to his Lion, body arching in unrestrained agony, Red's howling with him...

And then nothing.


When Lance woke up, it was to Allura's kind face and sapphire eyes glittering in front of him.

"...You... Saved me." He murmured softly.

"I owed you one." Allura returned with a light chuckle.

"Uh, guys..?" Hunk barked. "We have a problem."

"And what's that?!" Pidge shouted in response.

"Sendak's back!" The other said.

Instantly, Lance lunged forward to take control of his Lion, Red mentally shuffling herself out to get back into her game. "Gah..." Lance panted, shaking his head.

"Lance, you need to-"

"Drop you off at your lion, I know." Lance nodded, pushing Red toward Blue as Allura stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded, and sprinted from the cockpit.

"E-everyone, to your lions!" Shiro barked, Black and Green pulling up and into formation with the others.

They were exhausted, but ready for this fight.

However, at the inner ring of the horseshoe of the Galra ship, something was off.

A glowing blue-ish light, as though from a cannon, seemed to be charging. It was laced in black and white electricity, snaps of it briefly connecting to the ship.

That's not a normal shot. Lance thought. Red too, seemed confused.

When the shot fired, a ball of quick-moving energy, Lance realized that it wasn't aimed for the ship below, which was where Shiro had obviously figured it was going. No.

It was going for Shiro.

For the second time that day, Lance dove in front of another Paladin. "SHIRO!" He shouted, Red's flame cannon firing back at the ball, nearly in the same instant it hit them.

This time, it was worse.


The other lions jerked away as bolts of light streaked away from the impact point, several lancing around and even striking the Galra ships.

Through the damaged comms, they could hear the Galra shouting orders to retreat, warping away with several ships damaged.

Pidge shouted her fury, turning and whirling to chase down the limping, flagging ships.

"Lance?" Hunk called, voice panicked. "LANCE?!"

"LANCE!" Shiro shouted, Black twisting around to try and locate where the other lion was.

Pidge spun, hauling back over. "Lance!" Her voice cracked. "LANCE!"

"I... I can't find him." Allura barely breathed, sounding like she was seconds from screaming. "I can't... I can't see his signature, anywhere!" She gasped, voice breaking.

The comms went silent... all but the sound disbelieving, heavy breaths.