Hello all my fellow Voltron fans!
Here is the next chapter...as you can tell so far I was looking for a lot of angst in this story...I had bugged the hell out of Mertz to put it in one of her stories, but it wasn't enough. I was in absolute angst withdraw, so I put it in here...pretty bad, huh?
Well, cheer up, fellow writers...there are brighter days coming...or ARE THEY? (Dum dum dum...)
Anyway, as is the proper thing...I do NOT own Voltron..really, I don't...please don't keep asking, I have no rights to it at all...for real... LMAO
I present...
Chapter Nine
On Planet Doom…
Haggar stares into her globe and cackles happily…my plan is working perfectly so far. I have convinced the Voltron captain to break his relationship with Allura, leaving her more vulnerable than ever! She heads over to her table where a very ominous bauble sits, a bright blue stone that shines brighter as she gets closer and picks it up and it seems to hum. She has worked very hard to create this vessel to capture Allura's psychic power. Ever since I sensed the range of ability the Princess has come into, I knew I must have it. Her ultimate goal is to be the most powerful witch in the galaxy and the only way she can do that is by capturing all of the purest power she can…and the Princess has it. She cackles…With it, I would be able to overthrow Lotor and ultimately…Zarkon.
Laughing evilly, the witch moves back over to the viewing globe and waves her staff over it, conjuring up the image of a distraught Princess in her room…
In the Castle of Lions…
Allura is inconsolable…she hasn't moved an inch out of the pilot's lounge after Keith's disastrous news. Her emotion-drained body is slumped on the floor in a room that has seen better days. Sullen eyes look around the room at the disaster that she made after he left. Never had she had so much rage built up inside of her…she felt as if she would explode and she did. Tearing the tapestries and throwing the cushions around, she tried to unleash all of the sadness and hurt that she was feeling…and it didn't work. Her mind is too numb to focus, her heart to torn to even care who sees her like this so she stands up and moves slowly out of the lounge to her room…she needs get out of these clothes. She floats down the hall like a phantom, not making a single sound…not even a whimper. Once she reaches her room, she waits for the door to open and moves to stand in front of her bed. Distraught, she stares at her bed…wishing the pain to go away, but of course it isn't to be. Another wave of anger washes through her and she begins to rip the beautiful gown off of herself. Shreds of red satin fly everywhere as she pulls and tears at the dress she had worn for him. Soon, her anger is spent and she has no more energy to rend any more damage, so she falls on the bed...allowing the hot, rending tears to fall in a steady stream to her pillow.
Lance and Katia decide to take a stroll around the interior of the castle, looking at the magnificent tapestries and classic statues. They begin to head down the West Wing when they pass the pilot's lounge. Lance smiles down at her, "Let's look at the stars…" he whispers and her heart trips a beat at the deep timbre of his voice. As she looks at him, she thinks, how could I have been so lucky to have found him and I don't know why I feel like this? The more I'm with him, the more I want to be with him…
She rests her head on his shoulder and nods as they turn into the lounge. Lance freezes at the sight he walks in on, "What the hell happened in here?!"
Katia looks around and shakes her head, "I don't know…didn't Keith and Allura come this way?" He nods his agreement and removes her arm, "They did…but this doesn't make any sense. I have to find Keith…" and he turns to run out the room, stops and comes back to Katia. "Sorry, Kita, that our date has to end."
"That's okay. You find Keith and I'll look for Allura." The handsome pilot smiles and kisses her hotly on the mouth, taking her breath away. With a shy smile on her lips, she watches him hurry off. Looking at the disaster in the room once more, she leaves to head for the East Wing.
Lance arrives at Keith's room and knocks, receiving no answer. He knocks again and again, no answer. "Dammit Keith, what the hell is going on with you?!" he hollers through the door, pounding on it as he speaks. He steps back and waits for a minute. There is nothing…no movement, not even a twitch. He turns to leave when the door finally slides open. He steps in to find the room is dark…too dark to make much out. "Keith, Keith…where the fuck are you?"
"I'm here…what do you want?" asks a disjointed voice. Lance tries to make a figure out moving in the back of the room. "Why are the lights off?"
"Because I wanted them to be…and you didn't answer my question, what do you want?"
Lance feels his ire rising, but keeps a normal tone. "Look, I don't know what has gotten into you today, but I didn't do it. Katia and I went to the pilot's lounge and found it looking like a tornado hit it…mind explaining what happened since you and the Princess were the last ones in there?" He crosses his arms and waits…Keith moves over to a bedside lamp and turns it on. Now, Lance understands why the lights were off, the room is not in the usual orderly shape he has always kept it. The sheets are mussed up and there are clothes everywhere. He walks over to the bed and picks up a shirt while asking, "So, you're running away?"
Keith stops walking and looks directly into his friend's face. Lance starts at the total look of granite in his features. "No, I'm not running away, but I am leaving. Admiral Graham has transferred me to Pollux for an undetermined period of time."
"You're shitting me, right? Why in the hell did he do that?"
Keith shrugs his shoulders, "They have been asking for Garrison help, so they finally decided to send me. I'll still be close enough to help with Voltron, but Pollux will be my new home for a while." Lance can't stand how he can keep the complete calmness in his voice, knowing his mind must be in a turmoil, and he explodes. "You are truly Captain Ice, aren't you? How can you take this so easily? We have fought to stay here, to keep Voltron and you can just pick up and go like it's nothing?!" He studies his commander and takes in how cold he seems…a bit more than is actually necessary. Lance peers at him, "You told Allura first, right? That's why the lounge looks the way it does…am I right?"
Keith flinches ever so slightly…when he left her, the room was in order except for the figurine that she hit him with. She must have lost it after he was gone and a deep sadness fills him. Dammit Allura, I'm doing this to save you! But why doesn't it feel like the right thing to do?! He's not going to let his emotions show anymore…he has done enough melting down to last him a lifetime! By throwing myself into my work to keep my mind from wandering to her and keeping the mental blocks that I have erected would help, even though they are not as strong as I want them to be…I just don't have the strength to fight anymore. If she were to hammer him with her tormented thoughts right now, he would let her…just because of what he has done to her already.
All he can do now is hold on to the deep love he has for her and love her from afar…basically go back to how I was when I first met her, but now the task is harder than it has ever been! I've tasted her…have felt her body quiver under me while my lips caress her creamy skin…he shakes his head furiously, refusing to let his mind wander back to those times. I can't take that pain right now and I really don't want Lance to know about how far we have taken this relationship …
He realizes he has to remain calm or he'll give himself away. So, the Black Lion pilot continues to stare at Lance, choosing not answering instead.
"I am right…you told her and now she's a damn mess! How could you…"
A quiet fury builds in Keith and he replies icily, "They…are…my…orders. She has to understand."
Lance comes over to him and grips him up by the front of his flight suit, eyes blazing. "I have known you too damn long for you to act like this now! You know she has feelings for you and you have probably stomped all over them in the name of duty! Your damn duty is gonna be the death of us all!" He shoves him hard and Keith falls back on the bed, but he jumps back up and punches Lance in the jaw. Lance hits the floor, rubbing his face while Keith looks at him with a slight bit of remorse. Shit, I hadn't meant to hit him that hard! But with all this anger, hurt, and sorrow building in him and his best friend having the nasty tendency to press the wrong button at the wrong time…he has overreacted yet again. He stands there with clenched fists, waiting for Lance to get back up.
"Well, I see where this is going. Hope you enjoy your new post," says Lance quietly and he moves to the door. Pausing, he asks one last question, "Are you gonna tell the guys?"
"I had planned to. I wanted to pack first."
"How fucking thoughtful…" he murmurs and leaves out the room.
Keith stands there…wondering what the hell am I doing? I'm hurting everyone and all I know is that a damn vision is telling me that I need to leave to save Allura…the one person I would walk through hell for. He sighs and finishes straightening up things, moving his bag over to the door. Pausing at the door and looking back into the room he has called home for nearly three years, he has to glance at the bed …reminiscing briefly about that first night…that night where he quite literally devoured her very soul and she did the same, right here in this room. His mind replays every little thing about their lovemaking…he feelsthe tightening in his loins at her surrender and groaning as he drives deep within her He leans against the wall, closing his eyes to see it all…as vividly as he did when they were in each other's arms. He suddenly stops, knowing that if he continues she will pick up on it and his ruse will be discovered…she has to continue to think that he can easily walk away…her anger will help her move on.
Preparing himself for some more bashing, he clears his head and walks down the hall to Castle Control…better to have the discussion there than some where they can grab on to stuff to hurl at him. He chuckles at the thought…he has been hit quite a lot today!
Hunk and Pidge are still tinkering with the security systems when Keith walks in. "Hey Cap, what's the long face for?" Hunk asks as he watches his commander come over to them and sit in the console chair. Pidge stops what he's doing and stares at him. "Keith, what's wrong? You have been a bear all day and it's been bothering me…us. You know you can tell us anything." Keith looks up at him and almost takes him up on that offer…but I am doing all this based on the fact that they DON'T know….
Once he gets to Pollux, things will be a little easier…he hopes…
"I have to tell you guys something and it isn't easy…" he starts and Hunk cuts in, instinctively knowing what it is. "We have new orders, don't we?"
"No, Big Guy…you don't. I do."
Both of them stand in silence, not knowing what to say or even do. Neither does Keith…
"But, Cap…why? They want to break up the Voltron Force?" the younger man asks and Keith shakes his head. "No, I'll be in contact to help the new recruit they're sending from the Garrison. He'll be here tomorrow, I suspect. Lance will be in command until the replacement learns to pilot the lions, using Red first...Lance has to take Black until the new commander has finished training." Keith holds his breath…every word he has spoken kills him to have heard himself say.
"But, Lance has only been in Black a few times…how can he teach how to fly him?" Hunk asks. Keith has to pause…he hasn't really talked to Lance about his new responsibilities since he didn't want to talk to him anymore, but he'll have to put that aside for now…the team comes first. "I'll have a talk with him…you'll be surprise what he is capable of." He looks at his friends and secretly wishes that things can be different…
"I don't know what to say…good luck just doesn't fit," murmurs Hunk and he plops down in the seat next to Keith. Pidge stands stunned…not a word coming from him. Keith stands and puts a hand on his shoulder, "Are you okay with this? You'll see me from time to time…I have to keep in touch with the newbie and Lance for a while, but…"
"But what?! I knew something was going on with you and now I know what it is and…and…" stammers Pidge until he gives up and runs from the room. Keith looks after him and feels Hunk stand. Turning, he gives his Yellow Lion pilot a warm smile, "You're the only one that hasn't hit me, shouted at me, cursed at me for being a damn fool, or called me an asshole! Thank you…"
"Don't get me wrong, Keith. I am very upset with you, but what good will it do to get pissed. It's the Garrison and you have never disobeyed the Garrison…so, I guess this is it." Hunk puts out one of his huge hands to his captain.
"Yeah…" returns Keith and he shakes his hand. Hunk nods and turns to leave. He calls back over his shoulder, "I wouldn't expect to see any of us to see you off, but let us know you have arrived okay." Keith nods and watches another one of his friends turn his back on him. Sighing heavily, he sits back down and stares into nothing…wishing that this all went better. He doesn't notice Coran coming into the control room. "Keith, I expected you to be packing."
"I'm done…I was telling everyone that I had to go…"
The old advisor comes and stands in front of him, "And?"
"None of them took it well." He quickly stands and looks Coran squarely in the eye. "I think that means I should just get ready to go. Pollux will be waiting for me, since they should have received the missive by now." Coran looks at him and offers him his hand, "They will, and take care of yourself. The Force will miss you…"
"At this point, I doubt it," and he walks back out the room. Coran shakes his head…that man doesn't realize what he's doing and I can't tell him what he needs to hear…all I can hope is that the seer arrives soon…
