Hi fam. I've had this written for a while, and just remembered that I needed to publish it. XD I'll update my other stories soon, this was just a stress reliever. The names and places are all completely made up, I tried to explain the randomness as well as I could.

Keith knew there was going to be trouble when Shiro called a coalition meeting.

"The issue on the table: the moon of Roxixa is on the verge of war with their mother planet, Zunpita." Shiro looked a little tired, Keith noted.

"Now, do we provide aid and our troops to our Roxixan allies or do we stay out of it? Remember, my decision on this matter is not subject to coalition approval. The only person you have to convince is me." He sighed and straightened. "Paladin Lance, you have the floor, sir."

Lance grinned and stood. Keith knew he cared a lot about Roxixa, mostly because his first and only steady girlfriend in all the time they'd been out in space was from there.

"When we were on death's door, when we were needy, We made a promise, we signed a treaty! We needed money and guns and half a chance, um, Who provided those funds?"

"Roxixa," Hunk called out from behind the blue paladin.

Lance nodded aggressively. "In return, they didn't ask for land; Only a promise that we'd lend a hand and stand with them if they fought against oppressors. And revolution is messy but now is the time to stand!" The council leaders nodded and cheered.

"Stand with our brothers as they fight against tyranny! I know that Keith Kogane is here and he would rather not have this debate. I'll remind you that he is not even a Paladin anymore! He knows nothing of loyalty!"

"NOTHING!" Someone cried in agreement.

Lance smirked. "Smells like new money, dresses like fake royalty! Desperate to rise above his station, everything he does betrays the ideals of our coalition!"

"Ooh!"

"Hey, and if ya don't know, now ya know, Shiro," Lance said, bowing slightly before sitting.

Shiro nodded formally. "Thank you, Paladin Lance. Blade Keith, your response?"

Keith rose, already livid. "You must be outta your Quiznacking mind if you think Shiro is gonna bring the coalition to the brink of meddling in the middle of a military mess. A game of chess, where Roxixa is Queen and Kingless? We signed a treaty with a King whose head is now in a basket. Would you like to take it out and ask it?" At this point Keith lost it.

"Should we honor our treaty, King Raloi's head?" He mimicked Lance's voice.

"Uh… do whatever you want," Keith said changing his voice to an approximation of what the dearly departed king sounded like. "I'm super dead."

Lance stood angrily, but Shiro nodded sadly. "Enough. Keith is right."

Lance looked shocked. "But Shiro—"

Shiro cut him off. "We're too fragile to start another fight!" As the Black Paladin spoke, Keith nodded. After Naxela, the Coalition was still spread thin.

But Lance wasn't giving up without a fight. "But sir, do we not fight for freedom?"

"Sure, when the Roxixans figure out who's gonna lead 'em," Shiro retorted.

Lance tried to calm down, and vouch for his cause. "The people are leading—"

Shiro cut him off angrily. "The people are rioting! There's a difference. Frankly, it's a little disquieting you would let your ideals blind you to reality. Keith?"

"Sir."

Shiro sighed. "Draft a statement of neutrality." The Black Paladin adjourned the meeting and left.

Keith rose with the rest of the council members but Lance stopped him on the way out. "Did you forget Falamette?"

Keith froze, and turned slowly to face his rival. "What?" he managed to spit, having flashbacks to one of his only friends; Falamette was a half-galra, half-roxixan blade recruit. After a near fatal accident, she'd been sent home to oversee the peace of her planet. It obviously wasn't going well. She also happened to be the sister of Lance's girlfriend.

"Have you an ounce of regret?" Lance growled. "You accumulate debt, you accumulate power, Yet in their hour of need, you forget."

Keith tried to clear his head. "Falamette's a smart girl, she'll be fine, and before she was your friend, she was mine. If we try to fight in every revolution in the universe, we never stop. Where do we draw the line?"

Lance shook his head. "So quick-witted"

"Alas, I admit it," Keith snarled back.

"I bet you are quite the blade," Lance said a little sarcastically.

"I do my best."

Lance sneered. "Yeah. Well, someone oughta remind you-"

Keith's eyes hardened. "What?"

Lance pointed to the door the Black Paladin had exited through. "You're nothing without Shiro behind you."

Suddenly the man in question poked his head back into the room. "Keith!" he called, gesturing for the former Red Paladin to follow him.

Lance's sneer widened into a smirk. "Daddy's calling!"

Keith glared at Lance, then followed Shiro out of the room. Lance scoffed and walked out through another door, muttering under his breath, "Well that was no John Trumbull."

Thanks for dealing with my random hiatuses lately. I've been having a rough few weeks.

RN