Episode Three

The Pilot of Black Lion

The next morning, everyone had assembled at the table for breakfast. A tied looking group of pilots yawned while a ticked Queen sat at the end of the table. With the breaking glass, death threats, and screaming, nobody in the entire castle got any sleep that night. Coran's eyes were red shot as he picked up a cup of coffee to start his day. Nanny wheeled in the cart for breakfast, singing and humming a tune. "Good morning, everyone!"

Hunk groaned and slammed his head against the table.

"What a wonderful morning! What a beautiful day for your first day as Queen, Allura." She served Allura her breakfast. Nanny looked to the head of the table to King Alfor's old chair. "Where is the King?"

"Perhaps he is still getting ready?" Coran suggested.

"Or perhaps Allura actually killed him last night." Lance snickered under his breath which made Hunk and Pidge laugh.

The doorway to the dining hall opened. Stooping over, Gabriel walked in with a bandage around his forehead, a black eye, and a sore back.

"Nope, she just severely maimed him." Pidge stated.

Nanny ran over to Gabriel and guiding him to the King's chair. "What's the matter, your Highness?"

"I'm a little sore from sleeping on the couch last night…"

"You made him sleep on the couch?" Nanny jerked toward Allura.

The Queen didn't answer. She only took a bite of her grapefruit and continued to ignore Gabriel's presence.

Nanny picked up an empty glass and started pouring juice into it. "Oh, I can't wait to have little ones running around the castle again."

Allura slammed her fist on the table. "I will never reproduce with that…that…thing!" She pointed her finger at Gabriel. "I'd rather die than have his children."

Gabriel glared Allura down. "I think that witch, Hagar, would have made a better wife than you!"

High above the room, a familiar blue cat peered down at the feuding table while resting in the chandelier.


The evil King Zarkon laughed as he watched the fighting newlyweds dish it out at their breakfast table. "This is almost better than As the Moon Turns," Zarkon said, thinking of his favorite Soap Opera.

Hagar watched alongside in her crystal ball.

Allura slammed her fist on the table. "I will never reproduce with that…that…thing!" She pointed her finger at Gabriel. "I'd rather die than have his children."

Gabriel glared Allura down. "I think that witch, Hagar, would have made a better wife than you!"

Zarkon glanced over at his evil witch. "Hagar, are you blushing?"

"No! No! Not I! Witches don't blush!" Hagar pulled her brown hood over her head to keep the King from seeing her light blue cheeks. The old witch stared into the crystal ball at the young, handsome human and blushed deeper.

King Zarkon gazed deep into the ball. "Voltron will soon be mine and all of the Universe will be under my command!" He laughed and stood up from his throne.


Nanny turned back to her cart and placed a plate before the King. "Eat this. It will make you strong, Highness."

Gabriel looked around the table. "Where is my family?"

"They departed for Alderaan early this morning." Coran set his coffee down. "Your father said he had business to attain to."

Gabriel stared down at his silverware. "Should have known." He glanced up. "Then why is the Alderaan Air Force still here?"

"Your Father left them for protection. Eat and gain strength, Highness. Today, we should discuss the matters of the planet and your Kingship," Coran said.

"Forget that diplomacy junk, we should first get Voltron back in the game," Hunk said.

Coran nodded. "I suppose you're right. We need Black Lion back in action."

"Black Lion?" Lance questioned. "I don't think this spoiled brat should be taking command of the Voltron Force."

Nanny slapped Lance over the head. "You will not address, His Majesty in such a disrespectful tone!"

"I agree!" Pidge stood up. "He doesn't know the first thing about being apart of Voltron! The most experienced of us should pilot Black Lion!"

"I'll do it!" Allura stood up.

"Absolutely not!" Nanny exclaimed. "Lions are no place for a Princess, but they are especially no place for a Queen!" She walked over and grabbed a hold of Allura.

"Nanny!" Allura exclaimed.

Coran stood up to help Nanny. "Nanny is right, your Highness."

"Which one of us should pilot Black Lion then?" Hunk asked.

"Naturally me. I'm the best pilot." Lance pointed to himself.

"Uh, I don't think so!" Pidge said.

Gabriel stood up from the King's chair. "Silence!" He boomed.

Everyone in the room stopped fighting and looked towards the commanding Gabriel.

"I was brought here to command Voltron and that is what I'm going to do. I will pilot the Black Lion." Gabriel stood firm and strong, like a King.

Coran nodded. "Yes, your Highness. It would only be fitting for the King of Arus to pilot Black Lion."

"Your Highness, what about Blue Lion? We still need a pilot for Blue Lion!" Nanny exclaimed, holding onto Allura tightly.

The new King stood silent for a moment. "I don't see a problem. We have a pilot for Blue Lion."

Nanny shook her head. "You can't possible mean that the Queen is still going to pilot Blue Lion. Couldn't you find a pilot among the people or even from one of the Alderaan Pilots?" Nanny grabbed Allura's arm tighter. "You can't tell me you're going to send your wife and our Queen to fight in those awful Lions?"

"I'm telling you, I am." Gabriel stood firm. "Now, I order you to release the Queen."

Nanny and Coran glanced at each other then back to Gabriel.

"As King of Arus, I order you to release her."

Shocked, Nanny and Coran released the even more stunned Queen. Allura sat down in her chair while everyone else took his or her seat. Gabriel wearily sat down. "Please, don't make me order you like that again." He stared down at his breakfast.

Allura stared at the exhausted King as he started to eat his breakfast.


The new King, wearing Sven's black pilot uniform, rode the chair into the Black Lion. He sat there for a moment looking over the controls. He took a deep breath and finally placed the key into the Lion. He took control of the Lion's handles and the mighty Black Lion was awakened from slumber.

Lance flipped on his intercom to all the Lions, except the Black one. "Watch him fall flat on his face!"

Pidge snickered.

The Black Lion leaped up from its position and took off into the air. Immediately, Gabriel started testing its range of motion and speed. The mighty Lion landed on the ground and started some sidesteps and maneuvers.

Allura shook her head. It was almost like watching a live animal. The Black Lion moved with such a fluid motion that it was like watching a kitten play in the yard.

"Yeah, that's nice! Let's see him dodge this!" Lance fired some rockets at the Black Lion.

The Black Lion sprung into action and dodged the misses effortlessly.

"What? One of them should have hit him! I've barely 100 yards away!"

Pidge laughed and flipped on his intercom to the Black Lion. "Where'd you learn how to pilot like that?"

"I spend my whole life training to be in the Alderaan Air Force," Gabriel said. "Now, show me what you got, Lions!" The Black Lion charged off into the wilderness.

"Let's get him!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Yeah," Hunk said.

Lance groaned and followed behind.

The Queen sat there stunned for a few moments then chased off behind the other Lions.

"Come on, Lions! Is that the best you can do?" Gabriel asked.

"Take this, your Majesty!" Pidge fired a rocket.

Gabriel dodged the rocket again. "Too slow. Try again!"

"How about this?" Hunk shot a laser beam at the King.

The Black Lion's head jerked back quickly. "Close!"

Red Lion, Green Lion, and Yellow Lion all triple teamed the Black Lion, but Gabriel was able to out maneuver all of them. He would merely dodge all their attacks and attempts without even going on the offense.

"What's the matter, Lions? Give up?" Gabriel asked. Suddenly, a rocket hit him in the side and knocked the Black Lion over.

"Don't get too cocky!" Allura said over the intercom.

The Black Lion rolled over. "Should have known. Good job, Highness."

"I don't need your flattery!" Allura snapped while firing more rockets.

Gabriel dodged the rockets.

"I think the King needs to file for domestic disturbance. His wife keeps beating him up!" Pidge laughed.

"Look at her go!" Hunk exclaimed. "I've never seen her move like that before! I guess she pilots better when she's angry!"

"Yeah, if we'd just put a picture of Gabriel's face on every Robeast, we'd always win for sure!" Lance said.

The three of them laughed.

"I heard that!" Allura snapped over the intercom.

The three of them laughed harder.


The five Lions landed back into their positions. They were carried back through the tunnels towards the Control Room. The Voltron Force entered back into the Control Room to find an excited Coran. The King, dressed in his black and white pilot uniform, led the pack as an excited Pidge, Hunk, and Lance followed behind. The Queen came in slowly a few steps later.

"Can you show me some of those moves?" Pidge asked, taking off his helmet.

"Of course I can. I want us all to do our best." The King said.

Coran reached out and shook the King's hand. "Excellent! I knew it could be no mistake to bring the best pilot in the galaxy onto the Voltron Force."

"Best pilot in the galaxy? Is that a self-imposed title?" Lance asked.

"No, in fact, King Gabriel was given the title by the Galaxy Garrison," Coran said.

Lance rolled his eyes then shook the King's hand. "You're good, I'll give you that."

Gabriel smirked. "Thanks, Lance."

"Arus has hope once again, thanks to King Gabriel." Hunk said.

Allura stood on the other side of the room. It was a strange feeling to see Gabriel dressed in black instead of Keith dressed in red as the leader of the Voltron Force. Rage circled throughout her veins. "I can't believe you all!"

Coran and the pilots looked towards the raging Queen.

"I can't believe you all could forget about Keith so fast!"

Coran shook his head. "Nobody has forgotten Keith or what he did for Arus."

"You sure are replacing him and with a sorry excuse for pilot!" Allura stormed off. As she was exiting, Nanny came in.

"Your Highness?" Are you all right?" Nanny turned around and chased after Allura. "Queen Allura?"

"Don't mind her, you did splendidly well today." Coran looked back to the Control Panel.

Gabriel continued to stare towards the fleeing Queen and Nanny waddling behind. He then glanced over to Lance, who looked like he had something to say.


Gabriel stared at his fingers as he tapped them against a wooden table. He listened carefully as Lance told him the truth.

"She loved him more than anything, and he died to save her."

"I'm sorry," Gabriel said. "But why is she so hostile toward me?"

Lance looked out the window. "There's a lot of pain inside that girl because of all this. I don't think she knows how to deal with it or even wants to."

"Why?"

"Dealing with it means moving on and forgetting Keith." Lance turned around and faced the King. "I'm not saying you're a bad guy or anything, but I really don't think she should have married you."

Gabriel looked away.

"She's a walking dead girl now."

Gabriel sat quietly as the room fell into silence for the rest of the night.