The sixth prisoner

by jalpari


Keith, Shiro and Pidge make their way to Naxzela, where prisoners are being held by a rebel group along with a weapon factory. When they reach the planet, however, everything is not as it seems.


A/N:

This fanfic picks up from where the "Voltron: Legendary Defender" Netflix series ended. I won't be changing the canon and intend on retaining the original character arcs and history.

Fingers crossed you guys are as excited by this idea as I am. SERIOUSLY, I LOSE MY SHIT EVERY TIME I WORK ON A CHAPTER!


"We're approaching Naxzela, Sir", Tara announced.

Keith came by her side and observed the planet that lay before them. Naxzela was a planet formed by Altean terraforming technology. It had been reclaimed by the coalition and they had thwarted Haggar's plan to use it as a bomb. It was thought to be an uninhabited planet, until now.

"Do we have eyes on the structures?", Keith called out to Pakim and Pidge.

"Not yet", they yelled back.

"Take us around", Keith told Tara, "and maintain a safe distance."

"Our cloak is activated, Keith", Pidge reminded him.

"Yes, but we don't know what technology they possess. It's better to be careful", Keith turned to look at them and saw Shiro smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing", Shiro shook his head, "You've become quite the leader."

"Yeah!" Pidge pouted, "Where's the angry run-into-battle-screaming Keith, we remember?!"

Keith rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the screen. They were scanning the planet as they flew over it.

"Sir", Tara called out, "I think I see something."

"Got it!" Pidge announced.

Shiro and Keith moved closer to the screen. Soon enough, they saw some activity.

"Those are the buildings our satellite captured", Pakim confirmed.

"Do you see anyone?" Shiro asked.

"There!" Keith jumped. "There are two guards outside the smaller building."

"That's strange", Luten joined them, "the bigger building is not guarded."

"Maybe they aren't using it?" Pidge offered.

"Or maybe...there is something more important in the smaller one", Keith gazed beyond the screen.

"What are our orders, Sir?" Luten turned to Keith.

"Ask him", Keith looked at Shiro.

"Me?" Shiro looked surprised.

"As long as you're here...you're always the leader, Shiro."

"Awww", Pidge came forward and pinched Keith's cheeks teasingly.

"Pidge!" Keith pushed her back, "Stop it!"

He heard Pakim and Luten clear their throats in an attempt to stifle their chuckles.

"Alright", Shiro grinned and stepped ahead, "let's suit up. We'll parachute down to that", he pointed at a hill structure behind the buildings, "location and make our way by foot to the base."

"I've taken the liberty to upgrade the software on the propulsion-pack or as the oldie here calls it...parachute", she smirked at Shiro.

"What...when?" Pakim exclaimed.

"You can operate it by voice commands now", Pidge ignored the astonished remarks. "Launch thrusters, power dials are 0 to 5, open navigation and these", she pointed two buttons, "are the booster and self destruct buttons."

Everyone gave her a look that was a combination of disbelief and fear.

"Yeah", she adjusted her glasses, "you probably don't want to mix those up."

"Why would you even have a self destruct mode, Pidge?!" Keith groaned.

"Because, Captain cranky pants...these are linked directly to the craft. If anyone gets a hand on these, they can track us or worse, hack us."

"Oh", Keith crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked away, "Fine."


"Alright, team", Shiro whispered, "is everyone clear on the plan?"

Keith, Luten, and Pidge nodded and readied their weapons. On Shiro's signal, Luten and Pidge headed down the slope towards the smaller building. Keith circled around to the right, and Shiro to the left. Once they were in their positions, Shiro whispered into the comm.

"Everyone check?"

"Yes", the responses came one after the other.

"Are there any more guards apart from the two in front?"

"No", Luten confirmed.

"Alright, let's stick to the plan then."

"Affirmative", Keith replied. "I'm going in."

With a swift movement, Keith turned the corner and walked towards the guards in front. Both were taken aback with the sudden intrusion and attacked him. Making use of the distraction, Shiro approached them from behind and while Keith took out one of them and injected a immobilizing serum in his neck, Shiro lunged at the other one and did the same.

"Alright, you two can proceed."

Luten and Pidge rounded the building and joined them. Keith stood by the door and nodded. With one kick, Shiro knocked the door down and Keith made his way in, Shiro and Luten followed close behind.

"Pidge, stay on high alert."

Pidge nodded as the rest of them disappeared down a dark corridor.


"Something doesn't feel right."

"I hear ya."

"Where is everyone?"

Just then, they heard a group approach from around the corner.

"You had to ask", Keith smirked.

"Ready?" Shiro grinned back.

"Ready", Luten and Keith replied.

It was a group of five. From what Keith could see of them, not all of them were Galran. It was difficult to tell because they all wore black suits and half their face was covered by a mask.

As Shiro took on the two big ones, Keith knocked out the third with one swoop shot. Luten fought off the fourth and pushed him aside, making his way ahead. Keith injected the fourth and fifth quickly and followed behind.

"You guys go down the right, where these five showed up from", Shiro commanded, "I'll go down the left."

Luten and Keith made their way forward. This corridor was narrow and well lit and had two doors at the end before diverging into two again.

"This is gonna be like a maze, isn't it"? Luten sighed.

"Pidge", Keith spoke into the comm, "did you get everything?"

"Yep", her voice crackled in, "I have the map. It was difficult, they aren't using any modern tech. I had to lay out beacons all around the…"

"Pidge! Not now", Keith snapped.

"Yeah, right...keep going down your corridor. At the end, I can see a large heat signature on the left. It's a row of several rooms...likely where the prisoners are being held."

"Got it."

"And on the right, there is a large room and it has only two people."

"Shiro", Keith whispered, "anything on your end?"

"Negative, I'm coming to join you guys."

"Okay, Luten...make your way to the prisoners. I'll check the other room out", Keith muttered. "Shiro, join him as soon as you can."

"I'll be there in 5 ticks", Shiro announced.

Luten walked ahead cautiously. As he turned the corner, Keith turned right and followed the sound of metal and movement. Before long, he heard a muffled scream. As if someone was gagged and in pain.

"Shiro", Keith whispered impatiently, "did you get to Luten?"

"Yes, and Pidge was right. There are many cells here and about three guards."

"Alright, something is definitely happening in this room", Keith responded. "I'm going in."

"Good luck. We'll see you outside when this is done."

Keith took in a deep breath and pushed down the door and rushed inside, ready to take down the two people. To his surprise, there was only one...creature...and the other person was strapped to a large metallic contraption.

The creature was small and didn't look like a guard. He jumped back in fright and then pressed a button on his wrist. Keith knew more guards had been notified and would appear any minute.

He lunged at the creature and kicked him all the way back to the wall. He pushed him to the ground and pressed him down with his feet.

"Who are you people?" Keith demanded.

He remained silent. Keith bent down and pressed his gun to his neck.

"Tell me before I shoot you right here right now." Keith's voice reduced to a whisper.

"I won't."

"What are you doing here? Who are these prisoners?"

"You're too late."

Keith groaned and injected him and within seconds, he was unconscious. He turned his attention to the captive. It was bound to the contraption by several metallic straps and there were tubes inserted into its arms, neck and legs. As Keith stepped towards it, he heard footsteps approaching. Two guards entered the room and pointed their guns to him.

Before either he or they could fire a shot, the two guards froze and dropped to the ground. Luten and Shiro stood behind them and smiled at him. Their smile immediately turned to a frown on seeing the other prisoner.

"What the hell is going on here." Shiro muttered.

"We have immobilized all the guards and injected them with the serum. They won't remember us when they wake up. There were five prisoners who are waiting outside with Dr. Katie", Luten stepped inside.

"The guards were just mercenaries. I doubt they know anything of what this is all about", Shiro approached the prisoner.

"We need to take him", Keith tilted his head towards the creature on the ground, "with us. He definitely isn't a mercenary. He knows something, we just gotta goad it out of him."

Luten nodded and picked up the unconscious creature. As he headed out, Keith looked at Shiro.

"What do we do with this one?"

"The others seemed unharmed. Terrified and weak, but fine."

"This one clearly isn't."

Shiro held a small handle to the metal and a laser dagger lit up. He cut through the straps and gestured at Keith. Keith stepped forward and began pulling out the tubes. No blood came out much to his surprise. As Shiro cut through the last strap, the body lurched forward and Keith braced himself to catch it.

"Let's get out of here", Shiro called out as he ran out.

Keith threw the body over his shoulder and followed. Outside, Pidge and Luten were walking to the two pods approaching them. Within seconds, they had loaded all five prisoners on both pods. Pidge and Keith joined the first one along with the sixth prisoner and Luten and Shiro jumped into the second one.

"Are we sure there are no other guards or prisoners?" Keith asked Pidge.

"I don't see any in my scans."

"That doesn't make sense", Keith frowned. "What is in the other building?"

"All I see is large rooms with no heat signatures. Maybe it's a godown of some kind?"

"If there are no guards, we have to go back and inspect it."

Before Pidge could say anything, Keith was speaking into his comm.

"Shiro...come back. I want to check the other buildings. Pidge said there are no other guards. Pidge", he turned to her, "take them to the craft."

Pidge nodded as Keith leaped out of the pod and joined Shiro. They headed into the larger building and Pidge piloted the pod back up.


"They're coming back, open the hatch", Pidge called out to Tara.

In a few minutes, Shiro and Keith appeared into the control room.

"Where are they?" Shiro asked.

Pidge motioned for them to follow and led them to the common room. On entering the lounge, they saw five haggard and bruised people, all of different races.

"Where's the...other one?" Keith whispered scanning the room.

"She's in the infirmary", Pidge replied, "she's not in a good state."

"She?" Keith asked in a surprised tone.

"Yeah, she's human. Female."

"Oh", Keith started walking towards the infirmary but was stopped by Pidge.

"Luten's in there, dealing with her."

"Luten's a medic?"

"He knows enough to make sure she doesn't die."

"We need to return to the base immediately", Shiro stated. "We need to regroup, get them medical attention, and decide what to do with them."

"Did you guys find anything useful in the other building?"

Keith and Shiro looked at each other and then at the prisoners.

"Not here", they walked towards an adjoining room.


"Okay, now tell me", Pidge closed the door behind them.

"They're not making weapons", Keith leaned against a table.

"That's good news, right?"

"Not exactly", Shiro sat down on the bed. "It was some sort of lab."

"Like a science lab?"

Shiro nodded. "There was some equipment similar to the one she was strapped onto. There were unlabeled containers and boxes but they were empty."

"The rooms seemed to be quite large", Pidge frowned.

"The big rooms were empty. They looked like a training ground. There were obstacles and targets and a LOT of water cylinders."

"That makes no sense", Pidge muttered and shook her head.

"And there was blood", Keith finally spoke.