KathDMD - I love how I left it hanging. But believe me, the cadets will try their best to thwart this plot!
cubbieBlueMako - Don't fret! Keith is under a spell, and you know love conquers all, right? 3
selena devargo - Go pick cubbie off the floor, love. Though I think this episoide will do that for you. :)
Author's Note - This is only the beginning! This episode excites me, as does the music for it! I just feel it apply to everything in my life right now...
Theme Music : "Animals" by Maroon 5
Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP. Space Marshall Lenora Hawkins and associated characters are the property of KathDMD. Lieutenant Lysette Fabrere and associated characters are the property of selena devargo.
Episode 3 : "The Beast Inside"
Phage slowly broke their kiss, still looking intently into his eyes, an evil grin appearing on her face.
"I hate to delay such a glorious plan," she said with a laugh, "but it has been quite a long time since I've had this kind of fun." Before she could begin to remove Keith's uniform, the emergency protocols were overridden, and the doors slid open to reveal Daniel, Larmina and Vince.
"Get away from him!" Daniel shouted. She stood up from her crouched position and looked at Daniel, and let out a laugh.
"You think I'm threatened by a band of children?" she asked. Daniel's claws appeared.
"I'm not gonna ask again," Daniel said through his teeth.
"My love," she whispered in Keith's ear, "take care of them. We've got a flight to catch." Keith turned, and his voltcom glowed, two swords appearing in his hands.
"Keith!" Daniel shouted. "What are you doing?"
"You won't harm her!" he shouted, readying his swords.
"She must have him under some sort of spell!" Larmina shouted, forming her staff.
"How very clever, little girl," she replied. "The knowledge will do you no good!" Larmina and Daniel went to attack, but Keith blocked them easily. Even Daniel's speed was no match for Keith's strategic defenses.
"You won't get away!" Vince said, his eyes glowing. He reached out his arms, and wires came from his fingers and patched into the door's panels, tripping the alarms. Phage dodged Daniel and Larmina and tackled Vince out of the doorway. Daniel and Larmina turned to take chase, but Keith tripped Larmina and kicked Daniel in the face, knocking them down. Keith ran after Phage.
"They're getting away!" Larmina shouted.
"Not if I can help it," Daniel replied, speeding off after them. Keith and Phage ran down the halls, heading back towards the repair bays. He turned a corner and saw Hunk.
"Keith," he said, "It's me, Hunk! Put down your voltcom and let's talk." Keith pulled his swords again. "Or….maybe not." He formed his hammer and came at Keith. Keith was able to block it by crossing his swords, then turned and kicked Hunk, sending him into the wall and knocking him out. He and Phage continued to run. As they approached the repair bay, a form appeared behind them.
"Keith!" Allura screamed. He stopped and turned. "Stop! Don't do this!" Something inside him started to fight. He dropped his swords, which vanished, and reached up to hold his head. Phage frowned.
"Filthy royal," she sneered. "You're betrothed is mine, and so is the secret to your precious Voltron!" She fired a blaster at Allura, but Allura ducked back into the room to avoid the blast. Phage pulled Keith into the repair bay and closed and locked the door. She smashed the panel. "Now, take your place in the Black Lion! We will deliver it to Witch Haggar!"
"Yes, my queen," he replied blankly. They climbed the ladder and entered the cockpit of Black.
Daniel stopped at the door when he saw Allura. Larmina and Vince weren't too far behind.
"Allura," he asked, "did you see Keith and that Drule run by here?"
"They ran into the repair bay," Allura replied.
"He's under some sort of spell," Daniel said. "We'll get him back." Allura gasped. Her anger at what she saw then turned to rage against that Drule woman. "Vince, can you get the door?" Vince ran up to the panel.
"She smashed the controls," he said. "I'll try to override." His eyes lit up, and he connected to the panel. Moments later, the doors whooshed open, and the four of them ran into the repair bay, soon followed by Marina and a bewildered Hunk. As they entered, they saw Black power up.
"That….doesn't look good," Hunk said. Black swung its paw and smashed the scaffolding around it. It then smashed through the closed bay door with its shock tail blast and took off into the air.
"We have to get to the lions!" Marina said.
"That's gonna be a problem," Pidge's voice came from Allura's voltcom. She raised it up.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"It seems Keith not only took the key to Black," Pidge replied, "he took all the keys." She gasped.
"I've got an idea," Daniel said. "Larmina, you, Vince and Hunk get to the control room. Marina, you're with me."
"Why me?" she asked as they ran out the door.
"'Cause you're the only one of us that knows how to fly a fractal," he replied with a grin.
Daniel and Marina ran out of the castle and strait for Phage's fractal. When they climbed aboard, Marina set herself in the pilot's seat and strapped herself in.
"Will it fly?' he asked.
"None of the systems were damaged," she replied. "I'll have no trouble flying it. But here's something odd."
"What's that?" he asked.
"The log," she replied. "It said the vessel came under attack by a small Supremacy fleet." The Fractal took off into the air.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
"It means that Phage is…."
"An imposter?" Allura asked.
"I'm afraid so," Dorma replied via the UltraWave. "The ship's distress beacon was activated yesterday, and onboard transmitters recorded a struggle. Phage has been captured and taken hostage."
"Then who is the imposter?" Larmina asked.
"We don't know," she replied. "But if the Supremacy is behind this, it could mean disaster for the people of planet Drule."
"Don't worry," Allura said, "we'll find her."
"There it is!" Marina said pointing.
"Good," Daniel replied. "They haven't left Arusian airspace yet. Without my speed boost, Black can't outrun us. I need you to get us in really close. He can't turn to fire without losing speed. We have the advantage."
"Wait a sec," Marina said, "what are you gonna do when we catch up to it?" Daniel hit a button on his voltcom, and an entire suit of black armor, helmet included, surrounded him.
"What do you think I'm gonna do?" he replied. "I'm gonna get my lion back!" The fractal picked up speed, getting closer and closer to Black Lion. Daniel ran to the back of the fractal and opened the bay doors. He held on until they were directly over Black, and he jumped. He fell through the air, nearly missing altogether. He launched his claws which dug into and around Black's ears. He pulled himself in, clawing his way to the access panel. He dropped into the lion and entered the cockpit. Phage turned to face him.
"How did you get in here?" she hissed.
"If I were you," he replied, showing his claws, "I'd be asking how to get out!"
"Remove him!" she shouted. Keith yanked one of the yokes, sending Black into an uncontrollable downward spiral. Daniel did his best to hang on for dear life. He clung to a panel with his claw, swung and kicked Phage. He dropped in front of Keith and wrestled him for the controls.
"Come on, Keith!" he shouted. "Snap out of it!" Keith pulled one of his swords and tried to attack Daniel, but he used his speed to avoid it, and hit one of the buttons on a side panel. The Lion leveled out and crash landed, the passengers getting tossed around. As Phage tried to get up, Daniel managed to swipe the keys and escape. She noticed they were gone, and looked up at the monitor.
"Go after him!" she shouted. "Get the keys back!" He stood up and climbed out of the lion. Daniel ran to the fractal, which landed not far from them.
"Take these back to the castle," he said, handing her four of the keys. "Scramble the lions and meet me back here."
"What about you?" she asked. He placed the key into his voltcom, and it glowed.
"I'm gonna stop Phage," he said. "Right now, it's probably the only way to bring Keith back to his senses!" He ran off. She shook her head and took off for the castle.
"I think I've figured it out!" Pidge shouted.
"Figured what out?" Allura asked.
"How Phage….er, the imposter….was able to trick Keith into helping her," he replied. "Moments before he went to speak with her, the security cameras show her applying something from that flask onto her skin. I was able to find the empty flask in her quarters and analyze its composition."
"In English, little buddy," Hunk said.
"It's hallucinogenic in nature," he replied. "He's not in love with Phage. He thinks she's Allura!"
"That's insane!" Larmina exclaimed.
"Whatever it is," Allura said, "we need to stop it."
"Fortunately, I have an extract that may be able to counteract the effects," he replied. "But someone is gonna have to get in really close….and that someone has to be…."
"Me," Allura said confidently. "It has to be me."
"Yes," Pidge replied. "It's dangerous. I can't predict how he'll react, and you might put your child at risk."
"He won't hurt me," she said. "I know it." Marina came running into the Control Room.
"We caught up with Black," she said, nearly out of breath. "Daniel managed to get back our keys, but he's still out there fighting Keith and Phage."
"The imposter," Pidge corrected.
"Right," she replied. "We need to get back there with the Lions and help him."
"I'll ride with Larmina," Allura ordered.
"We have another problem," Pidge said as the alarms went off.
"What now?" Larmina asked.
"Something just entered Arusian airspace," he replied, "and it's huge."
"Let's not waste time," Allura said. "Man the castle defenses." Pidge nodded, and they ran to the chutes on their way to the lions.
"Now it's just you and me," Daniel said. Phage gritted her teeth.
"You may have stopped me from getting away with the lions," she shouted back, "but you won't stop me from taking the Admiral, and putting a stop to Voltron!" She turned to Keith. "Finish him."
"Yes, my queen," he replied. He pulled his swords again. The two ran at one another, and swords met claws. Both swung violently, Keith and Daniel blocking each other's swings.
"You can't let her win!" Daniel shouted.
"I let you take her once, Lotor," he shouted, "I won't let you do it again!"
"Lotor?" Daniel shouted. "You're definitely not seeing strait!" Phage pulled her blaster and fired at Daniel, but Daniel was able to leap backwards, fall, then roll back to his feet, claws at the ready.
"You can't stop us!" she shouted.
"Two against one?" Daniel shouted. "Only the Supremacy stoops to those tactics!"
"But it's a tactic that will end your pathetic life!" Phage shouted. She quickly dove out od the way as a blast hit near them, freezing the ground around them.
"How about we even things up!" Allura shouted as Blue landed nearby.
"You need any help?" Larmina asked.
"Just let me down," Allura replied. "You need to stop that robeast. If it gets here before we can save Keith, we may not get another chance." Larmina nodded. Blue's jaws opened, and Allura hopped out to the ground. Blue then took off to join the others.
"Now we finish this," Phage said.
"Daniel," Allura said, "take care of the imposter. I'll handle Keith."
"Are you sure?" Daniel asked. "He might…."
"He won't," she replied. "That's an order, Ensign." He nodded. He ran quckly at Keith. As Keith went to swing, Daniel dodged it and catapulted over him, drop kicking Phage. As keither swung back up, Alluta hald out her arm and formed a whip. She swung it and lassoed the sword and tugged hard. He pulled with all his might, but she stood her ground.
"Keith," she shouted, "fight it! Look at me! Please open your eyes and look at me!"
"Keith!" a voice screamed in his mind. "Please, open your eyes!"
"What?" he asked, holding his head. "What's going on?"
"You're fighting me!" the voice shouted. "Please stop! Open your mind to me!"
"I don't understand," he said. "I can feel you behind me, but I can hear you in front of me. Allura, where are you?"
"I'm right where I always am," she replied, "in your heart and your mind. Don't listen to the voice that commands you. Listen to the heart that loves you." He held his head, struggling against the forces behind him pulling him back.
"I need you," he said softly.
"Then come to me," she said.
Keith let out a primal scream as he stopped pulling against her and leaped into the air at her instead, swords at the ready. Allura stood firm, still looking deeply into his eyes as he came down. The swords crossed and landed on her shoulders as he landed in front of her….and stopped. As he inhaled deeply, he felt the confusion slowly begin to lift. Allura grabbed the swords from him and smiled as she looked deeply into his eyes. The swords vanished in her hands, as did her whip.
"Give it up!" Daniel shouted, still dodging blaster fire, trying to get in close.
"The Empire will never give up!" she shouted. Daniel turned quickly to avoid a blast and fired his claws, one hitting its mark, catching her sleeve and pinning her to a nearby rock. As she struggled to break free, she saw Keith approach. "My love, please save me!" He looked at her stoicly, then a sword appeared from his hand, pointed at her throat.
"By order of Her Royal Highness, Queen Allura Orinas Altaire I," Keith said, "I place you under arrest for conspiracy against the crown, kidnapping, theft, and attempted murder." She began to cry. Allura approached, putting her hand on her shoulder, supporting him. She turned her head for a moment.
"We'll handle this," she said. "Get up there and help the others with that robeast." Daniel nodded, and ran for Black.
"You've seen this thing before?" Marina shouted, just after the Wolf Beast swiped at red, knocking it across the field.
"Yeah," Larmina replied. "It's part of the Predator Robeast, just like the Snake. Only it seems even stronger than last time!"
"Just like the snake, it seems to have a Dark Nexus," Vince said. "It's got the same strange energy readings." Vince fired Green's boomer blades at the beast, but it was able to swipe them out of the way. Then out of nowhere, Black tackled the beast, rolling end over end.
"Daniel!" Larmina shouted. Black kicked the beast off him.
"Miss me?" he asked.
"You wish," she snarked.
"Daniel," Vince said, "it's got a dark nexus."
"Then we should probably take it out," he replied. "You OK, Marina?" Red got up and nodded.
"I'm fine here," she replied. "Going for Voltron?"
"You know it," Daniel replied. "Activate interlocks! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Megathrusters are go!"
"Let's go Voltron Force!" they shouted. The Lions flew into the air in formation, and began to transform as the energy field took hold.
"Form feet and legs!" Daniel shouted. "Form arms and body! And I'll form the head!" Voltron's eyes lit up with power as the energy field dissipated. Each lion let out a roar as Voltron came down and landed in front of the beast.
"Here it comes!" Hunk shouted.
"Brace for it!" Daniel shouted back. The wolf beast went to tackle Voltron, but Voltron caught it and held its ground. "We got it!" It suddenly exhaled a blast of energy that knocked Voltron backwards a ways and to the ground. "What was that?"
"Some sort of Haggarium ray," Vince said. "It's short circuiting the systems."
"Is there anything you can do?" Daniel asked.
"I'm gonna try and counteract it," Vince replied, connecting his voltcom to the console. His eyes lit up, and Voltron was hit with a surge of energy.
"We're powering back up!" Larmina shouted.
"Then let's take it out while we have time," Daniel said. "Larmina, hook up!"
"Butt Kick Boost!" she shouted as she connected her voltcom to the console.
"Form Blazing Sword!" Daniel shouted. Red and Green clanked together, then pulled apart, the energy beam forming the sword.
"Form Blazing Katana!" Larmina shouted, and a second sword appeard in Voltron's other hand.
"Here it comes again!" Daniel said. "Now!" Voltron ran at it, and at the beast leaped , Voltron spun around and hit it with a roundhouse kick, than swung the swords, cutting off its ears. As they turned to swing again, a beam of energy hit the beast, and it was pulled up into a robeast coffin, which quickly flew away. They all looked up at where it last was.
"It's gone," Vibnce said.
"Another test?" Daniel asked.
"I have a feeling this isn't the last we've seen of the Predator Robeast," Larmina said worriedly. Voltron put away the swords, and took off back for the castle.
"Not only did the plan fail," Haggar said as she paced around her lab, "and Malva token hostage, but the Wolf Beast has been damaged!" She walked past Cova, who was skulking around the lab trying to follow her master. "At least it was able to conduct a test run. It did seem to manage to infect Voltron's systems. Perhaps, in time, I will be able to destroy it from the inside out. But for now, I must focus on getting the remaining beasts tested and ready. If the project I have in the work succeeds….it may very well allow me to take back what's mine, and destroy Voltron once and for all!
Allura walked into their room, and Keith was sitting on the edge of the bed thinking. She walked up to him and sat down next to him, draping an arm around him.
"Pidge told me about what happened," he said. "I think I'm more upset that I let you down than I am about letting my guard down and falling for that trap."
"It wasn't your fault," she replied, rubbing his back lovingly. "You weren't in control."
"That's what makes me furious, Allura," he said. "If I had been more careful, I wouldn't have ended up in that situation. If it wasn't for the cadets and you…."
"You're safe now," she replied with a smile. "We're all safe. That's what matters."
"I won't be happy until I can guarantee your safety," he said. "I don't want something like this jeopardizing the safety of Arus….or us."
"I won't let that happen," she replied, turning him towards him, looking into his eyes. "The imposter is in custody, and you are safe. That's what's important to me." She pulled him in and kissed him. He instinctively kissed her back, passionately.