Author's Note: Okay, so for everybody who's looking for our favorite five on Arus, that's for next chapter. But don't skip this one! There's some good stuff in here. And I promise, NEXT time around is chock-full of Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Sven.

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes for dad and the congratulations on the baby. She's keeping me on my toes!

To Guest (aka WarzonePrez): Keith's not getting a haircut in this story. The mullet survives! But yes, I'm glad that you're working on fleshing out the backstory as to why LV is lions as opposed to, say, giraffes. Let me know when you figure it out. As for the Cîroc, man, I have to get on that. Thanks a lot for driving me to the point of necessitation. Now YOU get on your updates.

To Emie Mac: My doll! Yes, it was Jeff vs. Aidan, and your man won out. (Of course he did.) Let's see how he does as leader of VV. I'm going to have LOTS of Jeff for you.

To Kava: I'm so glad you like this story. I aim to please! And yes, I do own the 30th anniversary book. Maybe one of these days I'll come up with something. You never know what Muse will come up with…

To Susan: My dad is doing great! His doctors have actually called him the poster boy for organ transplants. As for the ages of the Voltron Teams, I have Chip and Pidge as the youngest at 17. Keith/Lance/Sven/Hunk, Jeff/Cliff/Cinda/Lisa/Ginger/Rocky, and Aidan/Kelly/Morgan/Lenora are 21. I have Modoch/Wolo/Shannon and Jamie/Cole/David at 23, and I have Taye and Hutch/Marvin/Crik at 22. Commander Hawkins and Captain Newley are clocking in at 31, while Zandee and Tangor, I put at 23 and 22 respectively. And in case you're interested, I've put Princess Allura's age at 18.

To ForeverWells: Lovey! I'm so glad you like this story. Yes, your main man will definitely be a main character (and just you WAIT until he gets an eyeful of Allura in the next couple of chapters). As for him with his ex, I think you hit the nail on the head, they definitely grew apart and were trying way too hard at the Academy. As for Lenora, well, she's firmly engaged to her Academy boyfriend Sven...for now, anyways.

Title Song: "September" by Daughtry


Melissa? Melinda? Melanie? What did she say her name was again? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter now.

Jon looked over the sleeping woman as he dressed himself. True to his promise, he'd left Cipriani with the most beautiful brunette at the table. He grinned to himself as he arrogantly recalled his performance in her bed. I rocked her world. Too bad we'll never see each other again.

Once fully dressed, he stealthily slid out her apartment door, twisting the lock before exiting. Yes, he'd made her think that he was asleep. But that was the thing about him: Jon Hawkins hardly ever slept. He hadn't slept more than an hour or two at a time since his parents died. And once his hook-up had lowered her guard and submitted to slumber, he made his escape...much the same way he always did.

The early September morning was dark and surprisingly chilly, and Jon hailed a cab to take him back to Fifth Avenue. He could have called Carlo, his uncle's personal driver, but he knew that doing so would cause a scene. He simply wanted to return to the triplex quietly, without any fuss or fanfare.

When the cab dumped him out in front of the building, he shivered. Thinking back on it now, he probably should have spent the night with his uncle, shooting the breeze and drinking expensive alcohol that only Jacob Hawkins would have in his liquor cabinet. But he hadn't. He'd spent the night indulging in food and drink, not to mention women. Even before he'd gone home with…whatever her name was...he'd captured the attention of every female at that table. Rich, you're going home with my sloppy seconds, he'd joked—out of earshot, obviously.

The elevator brought him up to the twelfth floor, and he pulled the key out of his pocket. Surprisingly, the main door was unlocked, and when he walked in, the aroma of pancakes smacked him in the face.

"Good morning, Jon. Are you hungry?" Annabelle asked, flashing him a sweet smile.

Jon adored his uncle's girlfriend. She was in her late forties, but she looked at least a decade younger. After divorcing her husband, who was older by twenty-six years and left her with nothing, not even her own children, she looked after Jacob and Jon like they were her family. Which they were—even though they'd only been exclusive for two years, she and Jacob had known each other for better than five.

"Good morning, Annabelle." Jon placed a quick kiss on her cheek in greeting. "I'm not hungry right now, but I think it might just be nerves. It's not every day that I get promoted to commander of a stellar ship, after all."

"My stellar ship." Jacob's boasting voice cut in as he, too, placed a kiss on Annabelle's cheek. Looking at his girlfriend, he continued, "Did you know that it was my steel manufacturing plant that built the Explorer? It was ten years in the making."

"Wow." She seemed impressed. "Ten years? That's a long time."

"It's an incredible ship," Jacob replied. Then, with a glance at his nephew, he changed the subject. "Did they take care of you and Rich last night at Cipriani's?"

"Of course." Jon looked smug as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Jacob didn't even blink. "And you're just coming back now from a woman's place, no?"

"JACOB CHRISTOPHER!" Annabelle swatted at her boyfriend with the buttery spatula. "There is absolutely no need for you to be so crude in front of your nephew. No pancakes for you this morning!"

"Hmm." Coming up behind her and planting his hands on her waist, Jacob drew her against him and kissed the side of her neck. "So, my dear, what exactly do you mean by pancakes?"

He couldn't help himself. Jon began to laugh hysterically, throwing back his head in amusement at the double entendre in his uncle's words. The original player in the Hawkins family, indeed.

He was going to miss his uncle terribly. It was too bad that he hadn't realized until just this moment how much so.


When his eyes cracked open, Jeff's arm automatically flung over to the side. Someone was in bed with him, he just didn't know who it was. Come to think of it, he wasn't quite sure where he was, either. Blast it! he thought groggily, rubbing his eyes with his hands. I did way too many shots with Morgan last night. Note to self: no more tequila.

He moved his arm again.

"Yo, Amigo! If you wanted to cop a cheap feel, you could at least give me a heads-up before aiming for my butt."

He smiled as his brain function returned. He'd gone back to her apartment last night. Not because he was trying to close the deal with her—they were way past that point now—but because he'd wanted to spend the rest of the night with his best friend without any interruptions. "Morganza, if I wanna cop a cheap feel of your butt, I'll cop a cheap feel of your butt."

"Hmph," she snorted. God, she sounds just like Sven. Is that snorting a navigator thing? "Is that what you used to say to Chloe? Is that why she really broke up with you?"

"God. Now there's a blast from the past." Chloe Sommers had been Jeff's only serious girlfriend throughout their time at the Space Academy; they had dated for eight months during their third year. He'd liked her a lot, enough to kick Keith out of their dorm room and close the deal with her on numerous occasions, but their relationship had ended as soon as she took DFNS 403 with Chad Nickerson. Jeff was apparently no match for the expertly suave Chad, and she'd found him much more appealing. "And in case you forgot, Feld, Chloe dumped me for Nickerson because she thought he'd be a more suitable boyfriend. Quote, unquote."

"Ew. Gross." Morgan made a face. Her long black hair, shot with threads of aubergine and cerulean, was tangled and hanging in her face, covering her violet eyes. "Just so you know, Amigo, I never approved of Chloe, not even before she met Chad. She wasn't good enough for you."

"Ha." He stared up at the ceiling, an amused expression on his face. "Well then, Morgan Feld, answer me this question: in your esteemed opinion, which girl in our class was good enough for me?"

She thought about it for a moment. Finally, she opened her mouth to answer. "Me."

"You?" He didn't know how obvious the expression of shock on his face was. "What do you mean, you?"

"I mean me. As in, I should have dated you instead of your roommate." She blinked those long-lashed eyes at him. "Imagine how different things would have been, Jeff, if I'd dated you instead of Keith." Her face looked so sincere that he forgot to breathe. "Things would have been turned upside down. There could be a J tattooed over my butt right now instead of a K."

"I worry about you, Morganza." Secretly, though, he was pleased; Jeff had always liked Morgan and had originally thought he might date her...at least until Keith entered the picture, anyway. "I think you might need professional help."

"Well, I'm starting grad courses so I can become an Academy instructor and teach navigation." She snorted again. "I know I need professional help."

"Oh. Well, since you already know you need professional help...don't judge me for what I'm about to do."

It had been too many years and too many what-ifs. Jeff leaned over and planted a kiss on Morgan's lips, wondering if he'd been truly missing out, or if they were really better off as friends. She didn't seem surprised, and kissed back thoughtfully as though she was mulling it over herself.

He pulled away and stared into her eyes. For a moment, eternity loomed large between them as they contemplated the kiss. And then, simultaneously, they each shook their heads and cried out, "Nope."

Then they laughed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Amigo. You be safe on the Explorer. You're in charge, so watch over everybody for me." She yawned in his face and released him, stretching her arms overhead. "And if you should happen to have a run-in with those kids on Arus, well, smack their captain's heinie for me."

"Morgan...I am not touching Keith's butt."

"Why not? You touched mine."

"Yeah, but that's different."

They laughed again, and Jeff planted a kiss on Morgan's forehead before getting out of bed. As he leaned over to pull his socks and shoes on, he reminded her, "Remember, you have to find Christiane and watch after her for me."

She frowned. "I told you I'd do it," she sneered, rolling out of bed. "So what if she's my ex-boyfriend's little sister who I've never met once in my entire life? I can look out for her." She shrugged as she pulled on a pair of thick socks. "After all, it's not her fault that her brother is emotionally dead."

He sighed. It made no sense to defend Keith and get Morgan all riled up now. "No, it isn't."

"Hey, as long as we're both in agreement." Pulling her hair into a messy ponytail, she threw a grey Academy sweatshirt on over the black yoga pants and deep-purple tank top she'd slept in. "Come on, Amigo. Let's get you down to the hangar and off to destiny." She wrinkled her nose. "You know you've gotta leave this town."

Jeff felt dread in the pit of his stomach as he finished dressing, not because he was worried about what the future and the Explorer had in store for him, but because he couldn't fathom how he was going to go on without his best friend nearby. Once they were out in the hallway and she'd locked her apartment door behind them, he grabbed her hand, and they headed back to the Garrison to meet his fate head-on.


Modoch was filled with apprehension as he entered the hangar. One hand gripped the handle of his suitcase, the other gripped his girl for dear life.

Kelly, his Bajan girlfriend, was already distraught over the fact that her best friends, Cliff and Cinda, had been chosen for the Explorer. But her boyfriend had been chosen too? Where was the fairness in anything? Why hadn't she been picked to go along with them? What was wrong with her?

The gentle giant dropped his suitcase and cupped his girl's face with both hands. Her large hazel eyes filled with tears which spilled down her tawny brown cheeks. "Kelly, I'm going to miss you so much."

"Me too, Mo." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm so upset that you're going and we don't know when you'll be back."

"Same here." He gathered her in his arms and pulled her in closely. "But I'll write to you all the time."

Sad—and somewhat irritated—Kelly laid her head against his chest. Letters, packages, emails...they simply weren't enough. This is the part where you tell me how much it means to you that I'm waiting for you, Modoch Chukker. This is the part where you either ask me to marry you, or tell me that you're going to make me your wife when you finally come back.

Much to her chagrin, he did neither.

They stood, silent and unmoving, until the announcement blared over the intercom: "Launch of the Stellar Ship Explorer in T minus thirty minutes."

"This is it, Kelly." His face was grim. "I've got to go."

"I know."

He kissed her forcefully, crushing her against him. "I love you, Kelly Ayn Asimov."

"I love you too, Modoch Chukker."

With one last, long glance, one which looked like he was trying to emblazon the sight of her on his brain, he picked up his suitcase. "Good-bye, my love," he told her mournfully. "I'll see you when I see you."

That's it? she thought incredulously. Her lips parted as she stared at her boyfriend's retreating form. That's all I get? Seriously? More than two years together, and all I get is 'I'll see you when I see you'? If he wasn't gonna propose, then he could have at least asked me to wait for him.

Then another, darker thought popped into her head: Or he could have had the decency to set me free.

She quickly shook her head, trying to rid herself of that thought as quickly as it had come. But she couldn't help but feel cheated that her friend Sven had asked his girlfriend to marry him before he went off on his mission, yet her own boyfriend Modoch had not.


Lieutenant Stensson raised an eyebrow as her sights trailed downwards to Jeff's luggage. "Really? You're really taking that thing on the Explorer with you, Aki?"

He smirked. "Well, I'm not leaving it here. Why, do you wanna keep it?"

She shook her head. "Nope. It's yours. I mean, you spent so much time with it and all."

Playfully, he stuck his tongue out at her in reply. Then, without warning, his expression changed. "I'm gonna miss you, Girlie." He held out his arms for a hug, and she eagerly returned his embrace. "You always understood me."

She rested her head against his shoulder. "I always did. I'll miss you, Jeffie. Come back home safe, you understand?"

"Girlie, if it's up to me, you know I will. Keep your fingers crossed and say some prayers for me, got it?"

"Aki, I'll say prayers for all of you." The lieutenant's eyes crinkled, and for a second, she looked as though she was about to cry. "You guys are my family. Well, a big chunk of my family, anyway. I want you all to come home safely."

It was a moment too sad for words, and he could feel his friend's sorrow deep from her heart as she spoke. He tightened his grip around her, almost afraid to let go. Because once he did, it would make all of this real. And he didn't know how to let go of his past for good so he could focus on his future.


Approaching the hangar, Aidan trailed in Cliff's footsteps. He couldn't believe that they were all saying good-bye. It was surreal, watching his family leave the Garrison. It hadn't hurt so much when it was Keith, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Sven. But this time, it was Jeff, Cinda, Ginger, Lisa, and his best Mate, not to mention Rocky and Chip. He cared more for this crew than the crew that went to Arus.

Not that he loved that crew any less. Most of them, anyway. It was Sven; their navigator was the only one he'd held any contempt for. He wasn't sorry to say he was glad that the Norwegian was gone. It was one less grudge for him to hold.

"Mate." Cliff stopped in his tracks for a moment to turn to his best friend. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you." He smirked. "Worse, I don't know what you are going to do without me. Only one of us was the voice of reason in that dorm room, and it wasn't you."

"Ha frickin' ha." Aidan grabbed his arm, and the two of them shared a brotherly hug. As they did, Cliff could see the chain around his friend's neck. His father had treated him to a three-week trip to Italy as a graduation present, and as a memento, Aidan wore three cornicello pendants on a gold chain around his throat. "I'll miss you too, Mate. Thanks for leaving me to hold down the fort on Earth with three women."

Cliff rolled his eyes. "Speaking of three women, you'd better say good-bye to the girls before we leave. Oh, and Jeff, too."

"Of course." Aidan shook Jeff's hand good-bye, practically peeling Morgan off him to do so, then embraced Ginger and Cinda. He kissed each one of them on the cheek, thinking about how crazy it was that their entire family had been split into three separate entities.

He saved Lisa for last.

The ebony-eyed beauty with that long, shimmering dark hair had always been attracted to him, and he knew it. It wasn't that he didn't think she was pretty—she most definitely was—but he'd been too hung up on Lenora to ever give Lisa the time of day. And it wasn't only that...she was just too nice. He felt like he might ruin her, might destroy her innocent spirit and that sweet nature of hers. And he'd never be able to forgive himself for doing that.

It was the reason he hadn't pursued anything on Senior Night*. Oh, he could have, if he'd been a bigger jerk. He could have taken her right there in the dorm room and she probably wouldn't have fought him off. But he didn't. He respected her too much to have done that.

"Aidan." Her melodic voice rang out through the hangar, and he noticed how glittery her eyes were. On closer inspection, he could see tears—actual tears—shining in those large orbs. "I'll miss you so much."

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly, wondering what things might have been like if he had been able to let go of his hang-ups and date her. "I know, Lis. I'll miss you, too. Come back home safely, you hear me?" With that, he planted one gentle kiss on her forehead.

As he withdrew, he found her hands around his face, her fingers reaching to lace behind the back of his head. She closed her eyes and drew him in, locking her lips onto his for one last, real kiss. He allowed her to do it, allowed himself to be swept up in those confusing emotions.

Then, suddenly, she pulled away. "Good-bye, Aidan."

Stunned, he watched as she gathered up her belongings and moved towards the Explorer without so much as a glance back. He didn't know if it hurt her to look back at him, but it certainly hurt him for a brief moment to watch her leave. With a swallow, he brought two fingers up to touch his tingling lips. "Good-bye, Lis."


As the new Voltron Vehicle Force began to board the Explorer, Newley elbowed Hawkins in the arm. "Um...what is that?" he hissed, pointing to the Air Team captain as he struggled with his luggage. He had two items: a very large shoulder bag, and an even larger red…What is that thing, anyway?

"Oh, all right, I'm on it." Hawkins approached Jeff and tapped him on the shoulder. "Captain Aki?"

Jeff dropped his bags to salute. "Commander Hawkins, Sir?"

The new commander raised a curious eyebrow and motioned towards the item in question. "What in blazes is that?"

From behind them came a round of snickering. Several of the Vehicle Team members obviously knew exactly what this red thing was. "Well, Sir, it's a beanbag chair."

"A what?"

"A beanbag chair, Sir. I sort of inherited it from one of my friends who was chosen for the mission to Arus. It's coming on the Explorer with me." He stared back at the commander with a straight face, even as Rocky doubled over with laughter in the background. "It's important, Sir."

Exasperated, Hawkins rubbed his eyes. "Fine. Carry on, Captain Aki." Oh, these kids are trying my patience already.

"Thank you, Sir." Jeff picked up his shoulder bag and his beanbag chair and started back on his course towards the ship. His new teammates began to follow suit, each of them dragging their own personal belongings along.

The commander inhaled and closed his eyes, shaking his head in what was almost amusement. He wouldn't let these kids get the better of him. Not just yet, anyway. They had only just begun on their journey.


Space Marshall Graham stood off to the side, accompanied by Lieutenant Stensson. She was the only member of his inner circle who had come to see the S.S. Explorer off. Not that he was surprised; she had more reason to be there than most.

This was it. The Explorer was about to lift off. With a brand-new crew inside.

"You know, Matthias, I never realized until this very moment how much it would hurt to watch my ship take off without me."

At those words, both Graham and Stensson turned their heads to the voice. The newly-retired Commander Moriarty, dressed casually in chinos and a short-sleeved pine-green polo shirt, stood next to them, his gaze locked onto the departing stellar ship.

"Will. What are you doing here?" Graham placed a hand on the older man's shoulder.

Moriarty shook his head, breaking his gaze free from the Explorer. "I had to see my ship launch one last time, Matthias. I had to see for myself that it was in good hands without me. And with Hawkins and Newley at the helm, I know it will be." He cleared his throat. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a scheduled tee time that I can't miss…"


* See "Last Dance" for more details