Shiro opened his door at the knock, and blinked in surprise at the Altean male on the other side before asking, "Yes?" He'd been hoping it was time for the evening meal, but since it wasn't Kimi on the other side of the door, he was confused.
"Sir, her Royal Highness suggested you might be more comfortable dining dressed?" The man had an armload of clothes, and was carrying a hard case in the other hand.
"Uh, sure." Shiro stepped aside and gestured the man in.
Shiro was wearing what he'd been given on the Guild ship, which was obviously not the everyday wear of Haven. This tidy man, named Fitz, proved to be a skilled tailor, who quickly had Shiro dressed suitably for an evening dining with royalty.
"If you'll follow me, sir."
Shiro followed Fitz through halls and down stairs silently noting it was a really straightforward route, not at all suitable to defending. When they were stepping onto the last landing, they stopped to watch, and wait for Kimi as she descended the opposite stair. She was carrying a fat stack of thick paper in one hand.
"Fitz, how are you this evening?" She smiled warmly at them and nodded at Shiro as she joined their descent down the last flight.
"My lady, any moment in your company is a fine one, thank you. I trust you are well."
She inclined her head slightly, "Always. Are you looking to ascend ranks?"
"Not at this time, my lady."
"Shiro can accompany me, if you'd prefer, and Fitz, may I ask a favor of you?"
Fitz sounded relieved, "Yes! ahem, and y-yes, um, is that a stack of notes you'd like posted?"
"Yes, Fitz, would you set them to posting for me?" Kimi held the stack out and he took them. "Thank you."
"Yes, I will gladly do that," Fitz said, bowing before leaving them.
Shiro asked, "You post letters?" He followed her down the hall.
"Yes," Kimi said, looking up at him, "You sound surprised."
"I would never have guessed a paper mail system could survive such technological advances, I mean, my people have been trying to seriously cut down on the use of paper for a couple of centuries now."
"Hm. There are bound to be a few differences between our customs."
"Is it a family thing? The notes?"
"What? No. My family and friends have my waver and tag codes if I'm out of range. Written notes are most often from refugees I've met on runs, such as you, or Matt and Sam Holt. Some people like to send a note, an update I suppose. I like to write back."
Shiro blinked and glanced at her, "Oh. What do you mean by tag?"
"It's to do with a status update program. I can show you, later," Kimi answered as they walked into a room where the King, princess and her consort were waiting for the two to join them before heading into the dining room. Kimi asked, "Oh, are we holding up dinner?"
"Gorton has only just alerted us, so, no, we aren't waiting on you," Rowena assured them, "shall we go through."
Shiro followed them into the dining room feeling edgy about what to expect. Besides Altean cuisine still being strange to his palate, he knew he would be expected to share his story at some point.
"You've been away from your home for approximately sixteen months," Kimi stated, as they were seating. "Or, at least that's what we've been able to figure with Sam and Matt."
"That actually sounds about right," Shiro agreed, "except I've been back to Earth. Briefly."
"Oh," Rowena said with an inflection, "How did that come to pass?"
"I escaped from the Galra... with some help," Shiro kept his account brief and factual, pausing to sample the dishes.
"Ah, yes, the Guild has divested there is a small rebellion among the Galra," Alric said with a nod.
"The Guild has achieved several successes based off intelligence from that faction," Kimi murmured.
"But you've had to exchange for that information," Alric stated lowly. He and Kimi exchanged side-long glances.
"You have all the transcripts, Alric, you know what was exchanged," she whispered back.
"So you got to the escape pod," prince Cregan stated over the other conversation, "is that how you returned to your planet? How did you end up where Kimi found you?"
At breakfast the next morning, Kimi suggested showing Shiro around Haven, some tours to fill the days of hours until the Holts returned.
Shiro agreed, "Sure! I'd like to see more of Haven."
Kimi started with leading him into the nearby town to find clothes of his own, first. Even with tailoring, he didn't appear overly comfortable.
"Thank you for showing me around, and stuff," he said as they walked out of the last shop and strolled down a tree-lined sidewalk. They carried no parcels. All the clothes he'd borrowed would find their way back to proper recycling. The clothes, both the borrowed and the new, were part of the refugee integration system, which included education and housing.
"It's good to see you in clothes that fit you," she answered. "Is there anything in particular you enjoy doing when you're on a planet?"
"It's been awhile since I've been able to just enjoy walking around one."
"How about we just walk, then. If you have any more questions, you may try them on me. I'll do my best," she offered.
Shiro learned the public transportation on New Altea was extensive enough they could go almost anywhere on the planet within a couple of hours. He also learned New Altea was an almost exact replica of the world Allura had grown on and he took care taking in detail.
The Alteans among the rebellion had numbered many, and a great number of them had thought to bring plants, animals, soil samples and a wide range of bacteria from their home planet before their entire star-system was destroyed. With that plethora of genetic material, a sizable dead moon in an appropriate star-system had been selected for terra-forming, the description of the feat astonished Shiro. They discussed the machinations of it over lunch.
"It's just manipulations of energy, similar as how I healed your arm," she said, "Or even you lifting your cup."
Shiro could see Hunk and Pidge enjoying this conversation, too, and a pang swept through him. Here he was, about to see his young friend's dad and brother again...
"So, you can take genetic material from one world, and bond it with another one?"
"With the assistance of terra-formers, and the magics and technologies of other species, yes. Plant-shapers, rock-shapers, and wyrding worked together on New Altea, while geo-engineers used a technology created by the MxThi to transport this moon into a proper alignment with a correlating central star. Fortunately, they found both in the same cluster. It could have been far more difficult."
After the mid-day meal, they took transport to a popular park with hiking trails.
"It's been ten centuries since then. How is so much of the planet left untouched?" Shiro had been expecting overpopulation to be an issue.
"There are now three other planets in this particular galaxy the Alteans officially inhabit, as well as two star-bases. When they began growing in population again, they decided New Altea to be more a memorial, and strive to keep it much as Allura might have known her home-world."
"Oh," Shiro nodded, and took in the view of the sinking sun one last time before following Kimi back down the sparsely wooded trail. When they got back to the transport dock, Kimi gave him the option of heading back to the royal residence to dine with dignitaries, or a less stiff setting.
Within an eye blink of consideration, Shiro chose, "Less stiff."
They boarded a transport that took them to a sizeable city. When they disembarked, Kimi led Shiro to a district that featured street-side food vendors nestled among shops and businesses, leading him directly to a line for them to queue. From the pictures on the sign, Shiro saw they would likely be getting bowls, or what looked like burritos, of something. Looking around at other vendors' menus, this seemed to be the standard offerings of this area.
"Hey, Kimi! Your usual?"
They were behind a few others in line, but Kimi held up two fingers, "Two of the veg, Chet, thank you."
"Ah, two? That be new, " Chet called to her as he handed an order over. The line moved forward as served customers left the counter. Chet continued, "you usually towin' a crowd." Chet craned his neck as he handed over the next order.
The attention attracted glances.
Kimi closed her eyes and sighed. "I've just one refugee, Chet. The order is to go. Thank you," she waved. She looked up at Shiro with an apologetic grimace and shrugged her shoulders.
Shiro grinned and asked, "What's your usual?"
"The wraps. I like them because they're filling and easy to walk around with, and they appeal to most people. And I think you might like the veg."
The queue moved quickly and as they neared the counter, Shiro could see a small crew cheerfully working an open grill in the background. The women waved at, and bantered with Kimi as she and Shiro neared the counter. The six-armed man running the counter handed over their paper wrapped order, insisting Shiro and Kimi should sit for a bowl, sometime.
"Chet, I'll sit for a bowl, when you've room at your counter I don't have to wait hours in line for."
"Listen to ya," as Chet waved them off, a stool emptied of a customer, and before the abandoned space was deftly cleared and swiped clean, another occupant had left a nearby bench to slide onto the warm perch.
"Wow. You know, a lot of this looks like it's adapted from Galra tech." Hunk unscrewed a bit and shone his light on it. He and Pidge were spending what free time they could with the strange craft Shiro's twin had presumably stolen.
"Yeah, it looks like they took that pod Shiro crashed to Earth in, and began experimenting," Pidge mused as she watched the data scroll.
"That's what the movies say we do."
"Not everything in real life is like it is in the movies, Hunk."
"And then the renegade hero takes the proto-type and saves the day. That's in the movies, too."
"From the looks of it, Ryo didn't save anyone's day," Pidge glanced over her shoulder, "As a matter of fact, he kind of needed his day saved."
"Give it time. There's always something for the hero to trip over before he shines."
"Are you saying Ryo is your hero?"
"W-what? No... I'm saying the conditions are fitting -"
Allura's frantically shrill voice over the intercom interrupted the discussion, "Hunk, Pidge! We've got incoming! I need you up here, now!"
Pidge jumped out of her seat at her makeshift desk, yelling, "On our way!"
Hunk ducked out from underneath the derelict's chassis, muttering, "These Galra guys just don't know when they're beat."
Kimi continued to take Shiro to visit a small sampling of other planets in the multi-system, giving him a better idea of Haven than any star- map could. The maps showed him the expanse of Haven included seven galaxies, plus one outlier space-station Kimi called 'the Trading Post'. Visiting a few of the inhabited planets, he learned of the multitude of societies and political systems embraced by Haven's boundaries.
"And you all get along, now? All these different political systems?"
"We have a common ground."
"Does everyone fight against the Empire?"
"No. Even together, Haven's and the Guild's forces aren't big enough to wage an outright war against the Empire. Nor are all sentient species suitable for engaging in the violent, physical fighting bits, and not everyone who is capable wants to. Most everyone in Haven protests the Empirical rule, in some way. Many people across all species here do something to support the effort."
"How long is this break of yours for? When do you have to go on mission again?"
"I'm on mission, now," she smiled at his confusion, "I am an Ambassador. This foremost means that I am one who hails our ships across our border, and keeps communication open, because of telepathy, and also, as a healer. We are often the first people many refugees see or meet, and we don't like handing our patients over to others. Most healers in the ranks are Ambassadors. I usually take on a group, but you are a special case."
"Because of my ties with Allura and Voltron?"
"Yes," she agreed.
"Do you think Haven would be willing to reignite an alliance with Allura and Voltron?"
"That is one of the items up for discussion this session," her brow twitched. "There are some long memories in Haven, and not just among my people. The subject comes up periodically anyway, but with her awakening it's no longer a 'what if we find them', it is now a 'what if we meet them'. Going to war with Voltron again is the last thing anyone here wants, but not everyone is keen to attempt another alliance with the antiques. From the rumors I've heard, and from what I've seen, Allura is not her grandfather. He was a stickler for tradition and had a gnarly temper. A rule from the throne kind of monarch. Allura seems to be more of a lead by example type."
"You call Allura and Coran 'antiques'," this wasn't the first time he'd heard his friends delineated so, and not only by Kimi.
"They are from ten thousand years ago," was her wry reply, then she noted the look on his face. "I use the word to reference the both of them because names and titles get tedious and I'm lazy. I can stop."
Shiro was certain Allura would embrace any allies, especially since reconciling with the Blade. "Is there anything I could say in her defense? In Voltron's defense?"
"You are, Takashi," Kimi smiled reassuringly.
"My friends call me Shiro," he said, offering his hand.
Kimi blinked at him, then a half-grin morphed to a full smile as she gave his hand a light grasp, "I am honored, Shiro. Are you ready to see that ship we're building?"
"Yeah, I'd really like to see that."
The Havenites were endeavoring to create a ship that could cross the vast expanse beyond Haven, for far longer periods of time than what they were choosing to be capable of managing now. When finished, it should accommodate the various long-term needs of the variety of species that would live on it, and also escape, or take on, the Galra, as necessary. It would be a Guild ship when it was done, the Guild being the entity commissioning it.
"It's been a design in the making for some time. Rescuing your Holts and learning of planets, and even galaxies, still beyond the Empire's reach rather bumped up our timing by a couple of years, but our engineers think they have it in hand."
It was only barely off the page, but even just looking at the design and detail drawings, Shiro knew he was envious of its future pilots. Streamlined sleek, its contours put him in mind of a horseshoe crab. Its controls intuitively designed, in the right hands its maneuverability and speed could outmatch the Galra drones. Plus, it would not need special quintessence or ability to function. Any pilot would be able to pilot it. It would, however, require a full crew of engineers, technicians and other workers.
It was due to be space worthy within the year. Theoretically, the Holts could be returned home a little over a year from now. Sooner, if team Voltron chose to work with the Blade to discover Matt Holt's whereabouts based off that vid-feed Pidge had. That was really the surest way Shiro had of reaching his team, too, so he was really hoping they would think to act on that.
Ryo occupied the healing pod for several days.
When Ryo awoke, a siren was blaring and the lighting was flashing red. He was vaguely aware of being put into the strange contraption with little explanation other than there would be time for talking, after. Were they under attack? By who, or what? And who were those pointy eared people?
The vague awareness was helpful, in that he didn't fall down the stairs when the chamber's door opened. He was alone in the room. Apparently, time for talking would occur if they survived this... whatever this was.
Stiff with cold, he sat on the stairs to pat life into his limbs and look around the vast, austere room. The cryo-chamber deactivation sequence startled him to standing and squinting around himself, waiting for something else to happen. After several seconds of nothing more happening, he wondered where Keith, and everyone else was.
He decided the others must be seeing to that red alert and he was on his own. He needed to know what was happening. Ryo chose a direction to trek, then stumbled and jogged his way upwards, eventually finding the control room.
The pod had released him while the crew of the ship was otherwise engaged with trying to outmaneuver a fleet while out in open space.
Ryo took in the scene, quickly realizing now was not the time to ask questions. There was an open seat, and he took it. A computer screen materialized in front of him. Ryo listened loosely to the suggestions from his friend and the other young man, preferring his instincts over orders any day.
This console controlled a fighter drone, which Ryo sent out to join the other two. His was the red one. He found it similar to some video games he'd played in his younger days. He kept his ear open to the two aliens, as they seemed to be in charge, and at least somewhat capable of interpreting the nerd-speak of the nervous big guy and kid with glasses.
Allura and Coran barely spared a glance as the man joined in, too busy trying to maneuver the ship for a clean wormhole escape without incurring too much damage. It took a few moments, but quickly became apparent Ryo's instincts and talent were a deciding factor in their favor.
Pidge's suggestion of a nearby star nursery was acted upon.
When they were on the other side of the wormhole and acquainted, Ryo asked Keith, "Where is Shiro? Why isn't he with you?"
"It's a really long story. Are you hungry?"
"I'm sorry, Pidge," Allura said, scooping another bite, "but finding Shiro, again, takes precedence."
Pidge couldn't believe what she was hearing. She scooted her chair back, "Finding Shiro didn't take precedence over finding Ryo!"
"We had to make certain Ryo wasn't Shiro," Coran said.
"That's. Not. Fair!" Pidge stood and stomped her foot, before turning and running from the room.
Ryo asked, "What's that about?"
"Pidge is Katie Holt, Commander Holt's daughter," Hunk said, then he muttered, "You know, one of us should go check on her... I-I'll go check on her."
"She joined up with the Garrison specifically to find her dad and brother," Lance continued.
"Oh," Ryo said. "And finding Shiro is more important because...," Ryo glanced around at the various looks of shock and mortification he was receiving, and clarified, "Look, I want to find my brother, that's the whole reason I'm out here. Finding her family is the whole reason she's out here, so I get her frustration. I love my brother, but if you have some shot at finding her family, you should take it. Maybe we can learn something more about Shiro's whereabouts along the way. Am I wrong?"
"Shiro is the black lion's paladin," Allura asserted, banging her fist on the table, "getting him back is more important. It's obvious we still need Voltron!"
Ryo asked, "And voltron is to do with those lions you guys say you fly?"
"Yeah, c'mon." Keith got up from the table and waved for his cousin to follow, "It's easier to show you."
Allura, Lance, and Coran joined them.
