Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron, Star Trek, or anything else that belongs to WEP or Paramount. What I do own are the crew of the Berlin, (except for Mordock and Scotty), the fighter, Thunderwing, and the story itself.
Star Tron: Hidden Dangers
Chapter 10
As the sun rose over Arus, painting the low clouds in warm colors, the only thing that disturbed the reddening sky was a single streak, high above the Castle of Lions – Thunderwing on dawn patrol. But this wasn't Driscoll's usual pleasure flight. Checking his sensors and examining the sky around him, Driscoll was alert and ready to go into action at a moment's notice.
As he looked around, he saw a dark shape below and behind him. But he wasn't alarmed. He'd know that boxy silhouette anywhere. Black Lion climbed up to altitude and pulled in beside the fighter.
"Trying to bounce me there, Keith?" Driscoll asked conversationally.
"Adam, if I was trying to bounce you, you'd never have known it."
"Ha, fat chance," Driscoll scoffed.
"Oh yeah?" Keith asked. "You know what, Adam? You're too damn cocky for your own good. If we weren't short a pilot, I'd show you a few things," Keith said crossly.
"And if you'd let Allura come with you, instead of hiding her in the castle, we wouldn't be short a pilot."
"Are you saying it's my fault she was kidnapped?" Keith demanded, an edge of anger creeping into his voice.
"Sure as hell ain't mine," Driscoll replied.
Keith dropped back behind Adam, who watched as Black Lion came in right on the fighter's tail. Its eyes began to glow as Keith charged the eyebeams. He held his course straight and level as he warned, "Don't even think about it, Keith."
Keith fired.
Driscoll yanked the stick back, causing the shot to pass just below his fighter. "Oh, no, you didn't," he said, barrel-rolling the plane into a split-S dive.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Keith asked, watching the fighter.
"Kick your friggin' ass, Lion-Boy!"
"I'd love to see you try, kid."
"My pleasure."
Keith pulled Black Lion aside as Thunderwing attacked from below, four of her phasers spewing crimson death at the spot previously occupied by the Lion. As the Mustang streaked by, Keith turned to follow him.
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High above the dueling pilots, a single, cloaked fighter flew by, attracted by the weapons fire and to commotion he heard on the radio. Commander Torka was surprised by what he saw: Black Lion and the Starfleet fighter were once again fighting each other. He circled the area warily, watching the altercation. Surely, this was just an exercise.
Then, he saw Black Lion fire at the fighter, scoring a slight hit as the Mustang evaded in a tight turn, but as it made a firing pass on the Lion, only four of its weapons fired. It was damaged.
"Ha, you missed, moron!" he heard Keith taunt over the radio.
Torka smiled. They were fighting in earnest. Perhaps with the attacks and the loss of the Princess, they'd been pushed past the breaking point.
This time, Torka saw no others with them. They were alone, adding strength to his theory. Wouldn't the others try to stop them if they were able? Or cared?
Black Lion scored another hit, and the Mustang dove away smoking, with the Lion close behind.
Torka turned and dove. If he could strike Black Lion while he was fixated on the fighter, he could ensure that Voltron was silenced forever.
He followed the craft into a cloud deck. When he emerged between layers, the Starfleet fighter was gone, but there was no time to worry about it. He dropped his mask and powered his weapons, preparing to attack.
Suddenly, his fighter began to shudder and an alarm went off. "Die, Keith!" he heard the Starfleet pilot say. The P-51 was on his tail and attacking!
Torka quickly remasked his fighter and pulled back into the clouds, hoping that he wasn't smoking. The Federation fighter pressed an attack on Black Lion, then broke off with Black Lion turning to pursue.
Torka turned for home. That had been too close. How had that fighter known he was there? It couldn't have seen him before he unmasked, could it?
A small voice in his head was telling him that he'd been had, that it was a trap. But he ruled it out. How could it be? He'd been in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time. The fighter, had looped in the clouds, and come out expecting to see Black Lion, but of course he'd fired at Torka. Torka was his enemy, too.
Satisfied that his cloak was functioning properly and that he was leaving no trail, he turned for home. He was disappointed that he hadn't finished Black Lion, but no matter. He had the Princess, and from what he was hearing on the radio, Thunderwing was no more.
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"You're going to kick whose ass?" Keith demanded as he formed up with Thunderwing again, and the two pilots switched to a private intercom channel. "Did you get him?"
Driscoll grinned at him. "Dude, it was beeea-utiful. I put two bursts into him before he broke off, and you were right there. Perfect set-up, my man."
Keith nodded. The day before, Keith had put the entire plan together, about how they would stage another fight to try to draw one of the Konogg fighters in close enough for Driscoll to use his new ammo on it, and how they'd turn down their weapons' power and rig a few special effects to simulate realistic damage. And it had worked exactly as planned. "Yep."
Driscoll opened a second channel. "Driscoll to Berlin."
"Jacobs here."
"You guys tracking him?"
"Got a clear trace, Skipper. Looks like you put a couple kilos of the stuff into him."
"Hey, I don't screw around," Driscoll replied. "Have Mordock track him, and I want you to put a rescue team together. Pick four of your best guys, and load 'em up. I wanna be ready to go at a moment's notice."
"Aye, aye, sir. Berlin out."
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After their staged fight, Keith and Adam returned to the Castle of Lions, where they met with Coran, Commander Wright, and the town leaders of Olessa, Shavena, and the other nearby villages in the Control Room to discuss the defenses.
As they were set, the plans called for the establishment of a triangular defensive zone, with Olessa, the airfield, and the Castle of Lions at the corners. The castle would provide artillery support with its guns and missiles. Armed shuttles from the starships would serve as APC's and support craft, and supplement the Lions providing air support and fighter cover for the ground troops. Thunderwing would not join the battle, as Driscoll would need to remain on his ship.
The engineers and some of the Berlin's security officers, as well as the Castle Guard would act as infantry forces. They would be formed into platoons carrying blasters, phasers, and photon grenades. A number of platoons would also be equipped with isomagnetic disintegrators, a bazooka-like weapon for use against armored targets, and entrenched or concentrated troops. They would operate from command posts at the Castle, Olessa, and the airfield.
As part of the preparations, the engineers were constructing earthwork fortifications and bunkers, with increasing strength toward the command centers. The idea was for the defenders to fall back as necessary to maintain force concentrations, with the Castle of Lions designated as "the Alamo."
But then came the question that nobody wanted to face: "What if we can't hold the castle?" Wright asked.
"We will hold," Coran said resolutely.
"He's right, Coran," said Keith. "We should have a plan." He didn't want to consider it, either, but knew they had to have some course of action ready to go.
"I will not surrender the castle," Coran replied. "It stood even after Zarkon's first invasion, and it would be an insult to the memory of King Alfor and everyone who gave their lives to protect it and the Royal Family." His voice softened a bit as he said, "But if it seems we are to be overrun, the Princess must be evacuated above all else."
"And how do we do that?" asked the Elder of Shavena, a man named Allmar.
"Blue Lion would be the best way," said Keith. "Once the Lions are airborne, it wouldn't be a good idea to risk landing. We'd never get up again."
"I'll have the shuttles on alert for search and rescue if a Lion goes down," said Driscoll. "If we use the castle as a rally point, we can evacuate everyone from there."
"And if we lose the shuttles?" Coran asked.
"I'll leave Toto on station at the castle," Driscoll replied. "She should be able to get Allura off-planet quickly enough."
Coran seemed satisfied with that answer, and the conversation turned to tactical issues, such as the use of starships for bombarding enemy troops, and defense against Doom ships doing the same.
As they were discussing the possibility of conscripting more troops from local villages, Driscoll's commbadge chirped. "Berlin to Driscoll."
"Driscoll here. Go ahead."
"Sir, the fighter you hit just crashed into the ocean a few hundred kilometers east of Shavena," Mordock said. "I'm sorry, sir. It appears you damaged it too badly."
Driscoll's shoulders slumped in disappointment. There went their last chance of finding Allura.
"Acknowledged. Driscoll out." He turned back to the others gathered in the Control Room.
"Captain, we must find her," Coran said. "Surely, you can…"
"Coran, we're out of time, and out of options," said Keith. "For all we know, Lotor's fleet is on the way now. Allura would want us to see to her people and her planet first, so I suggest we do that." Keith rarely disagreed with Coran, and he felt the same way that the old advisor did, but he knew that, unfortunately, finding Allura could not be a priority any longer. At least, not if they wanted to have a cohesive defense plan ready to meet Lotor's attack.
Coran opened his mouth to protest, but the logic of the Commander's statement was undeniable, so he merely looked away, and said nothing.
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Above Citrine II, Lotor's invasion fleet prepared to depart. The last of the ships was just launching from the planet, and the fleet was forming up. At its heart, sixty battleships and eighty cruisers, prepared to land troops and armor, and provide orbital bombardment. These were escorted by sixty star cutters, whose job it would be to ramrod the fleet through to their target. 6,000 fighters supplemented this already-awesome force. It was the largest invasion force in Doom history, just as Zarkon demanded.
Aboard his command ship, Lotor surveyed the progress with satisfaction. The turned to Haggar and asked, "Your robeast is ready?"
"Indeed, My Lord," the witch replied with a snaggle-toothed smile. "I think you will be most pleased with my latest creation."
Lotor nodded. "Very good."
A moment later, Commander Kozal approached him. "The fleet has formed up, Your Highness. Request permission to return to the base."
Lotor was about to dismiss him, when he remembered what Haggar had said about enlisting the Commander's help. Even Lotor wasn't fool enough not to realize that the scale of the operation would demand great experience and skill in command in order to be successful.
"No, Kozal," Lotor said finally. "You will join my command staff. Report to the fleet control center."
Kozal was shocked. He'd have expected Lotor to dismiss him eagerly, but now he'd been added to the mission. His suspicions rose. Why was Lotor doing this? He'd never shown any interest in Kozal's opinions before, so why now?
Distrustful of Lotor's intentions, but obedient of orders, Kozal saluted and left the command deck.
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As Lotor's fleet got underway, Commander Torka surveyed his own men. Before him stood eighty of the 126 men of the Konogg Brigade. Others were aboard their assault ship, the same vessel that had torpedoed Shavena harbor. In its cargo bay were two Doom Tanks, their crews assembled with the others. Behind the assault ship, five fighters sat, powered up and ready for launch. One still bore the marks of Torka's encounter with Thunderwing earlier in the day. But since no vital systems had been hit, repairs were deemed unnecessary.
The remainder of the brigade would remain behind, a skeleton crew to operate the base.
"Today," said Torka, "is the beginning of the end for Arus, the Voltron Force, and their Federation allies." The men cheered, and Torka waved for their silence before continuing. "We have been given the honor of leading the attack.
"The Voltron Force does not know we are coming. Even if they did, they could do nothing. They are in disarray, and their discipline has been broken by our attacks. Princess Allura herself is our guest, and this morning, the Starfleet fighter was destroyed by Black Lion." Another cheer erupted. It was the celebration of troops who felt assured of victory. Torka let this one subside on its own. "Our mission is to capture the airfield near the castle, so that Prince Lotor's invasion force may deliver their troops and tanks. Your squad leaders will have your individual orders." He pumped his fist in the air. "To victory!"
"Victory!" the men chorused, another cheer breaking forth.
"Prepare for departure," Torka shouted over the din, and the men began filing onto the ship.
Minutes later, the assault ship and its fighter escort left the launch bay.
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"Captain! The fighter is moving!" Mordock announced, spinning in his chair to face the young commander.
Driscoll leapt from his chair and crossed the bridge to the science station in three steps. "Currents, Lieutenant?" he asked, looking at Mordock's sensor display.
"Not at 400 KPH, sir."
Driscoll looked at the readout again, and his jaw dropped as he realized what was going on. No wonder we couldn't find the sons a' bitches. "Good job, Mordock." He turned. "T. J.!"
"Sir?"
"Get that assault team together. Mordock, feed coordinates on the fighter's resting place to transporter room one."
"Aye, sir."
Driscoll saw Jacobs stepping onto the turbolift as her replacement took control of the tactical station. "Whoa, T. J., wait up!"
"Captain…" Gredar began as Driscoll moved toward the lift.
"Save it, Gredar. I don't want to hear about regs 'cause I don't care. The ship is yours," he said as the lift doors closed behind him and Jacobs.
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They headed to the ship's armory, where they drew hand phasers and phaser rifles, and light body armor. On the way to the transporter room, Driscoll stopped at his quarters for his phaser pistol, shrugging the holster rig on as he and Jacobs jogged to the transporter room.
The other four members of the assault team were already there, equipped like Driscoll and Jacobs. One carried a medical kit, and two others carried tricorders, in addition to their regular gear.
Driscoll gave them a short briefing as they stood assembled on the transporter pad. "Okay, guys, this is a rescue mission," he looked at the men with tricorders. "Wilson, MacGregor, you guys're our pathfinders. We're headed for their brig to rescue Princess Allura.
"We don't know what we're gonna find down there," he cautioned. "Everyone keep your heads on a swivel and watch each other's backs. When we find Allura, Commander Jacobs and I will cover her while we exit. Now, we may or may not be able to beam right out of the brig, so if not, we evac back to the beam-in. Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"One last thing," Jacobs said. "Our target is under water. We'll be beaming into a docking area, and there's a chance it's flooded. We need one volunteer to go first, and signal a 'go/no-go'."
"I'll go."
"You sure, Jenkins?" Driscoll asked.
"Yes, sir."
They all stood. "Okay. We'll send you out, and bring you back if we don't hear from you in five seconds." Everyone there knew that there was a good chance Jenkins wouldn't last five seconds if he beamed into a flooded chamber at a great enough depth, but nobody mentioned it.
Jenkins nodded. "Understood."
Everyone took their places around the chamber. Jenkins nodded to the operator. "Energize."
The rest of the team waited tensely as Jenkins dematerialized and disappeared.
"Jenkins to Driscoll: All clear."
"Acknowledged," Driscoll replied. He turned to the others. "Set weapons for heavy stun, rifles ready. It's go time." He looked at the transporter operator. "Energize."
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Princess Allura had heard Torka's speech over the PA, and now as she sat in her cell, her mind was racing with a confused maelstrom of thoughts and ideas vying for supremacy: Lotor was coming. Her planet needed her. The Konogg Brigade was attacking. She had to escape. The boys were in trouble. They needed her. Her people needed her. Keith killed Adam…
"No, never," she said to herself. Keith would never do that. Torka had to have been lying. Even if he'd snapped again, Adam would have escaped. But why would Torka say that to his troops, who would doubt him as soon as Thunderwing joined the battle? What if Adam and Keith had wanted to fight? What if they…
Stop it, Allura, she chided herself. You can go all day on "what if's". What mattered was what she did. What she did now. She had to escape.
She looked around her cell for the hundredth time, looking for some potential tool she might have overlooked; some option she hadn't considered. The bunk was bracketed to the wall, and was too secure to pull loose. She'd already tried. It was the same for the small toilet in the corner. Other than that, there was only the blanket and pillow on the bed, and the pink jumpsuit she was wearing. Not exactly good battering-ram materials.
Suddenly, she heard a commotion outside the cell, shouting and blaster fire. Something fell hard against the outside of the door, and a moment later, it slid open, dumping a Doom soldier at her feet. Another figure, clad in black armor, burst through the door. Allura yelped and jumped back. The next thing she knew, hands were pulling her to her feet. "Stop! Leave me alone!" she demanded. "Who are you? Where are you taking me?"
Jacobs smiled at her. "Relax, Princess. The cavalry's here." Relief flooded over Allura as the security chief herded Allura into the corridor, where the brighter light momentarily blinded her.
"Boy, am I glad to see you, Commander," she said. A moment later, she felt a pistol pressed into her hand as another familiar voice said, "Here, Ally. Take this and stay close. Wilson, MacGregor, take point. Jenkins and Tarver, rear guard. Let's move!"
Adjusting to the light, Allura looked around as she was herded up the corridor. Driscoll was ahead and to her right, and Jacobs was on her left. Four other men escorted them to the front and rear. "Where are we going?"
"Back to the beam-in point. This area's magnetically shielded, so we can't beam through," said Jacobs.
"Torka said you were dead, Adam."
Driscoll grinned over his shoulder at her. "Me and Keith set him up, and he led us right to you. This base is about 300 clicks east of Shavena," he said.
"A floating base?" Allura asked.
"Nope, we're about a two kilometers underwater. This base's built into an underwater hillside." Allura was stunned, but knew that now was not the time to ask questions. She raised Adam's pistol as they cautiously made their way down the corridor. They passed several intersections, where Allura saw Doom soldiers sprawled out on the floor.
"They'll be fine," Adam told her as they hurried past. "Just stunned."
The group had almost made it back to the hangar when a barrage of blaster fire zipped by their heads.
"Down!" Jacobs yelled as Tarver and Jenkins returned fire. Allura peeked up over them and squeezed off a few shots before Jacobs pulled her back. "Stay down!" she admonished fiercely as she and Wilson added their firepower to Jenkins' and Tarver's.
"Fall back!" Driscoll ordered. Wilson and MacGregor ran through the doorway into the hangar, then provided cover fire as Allura, Driscoll and Jacobs retreated.
One of the attacking Doom soldiers was hit, allowing Tarver and Jenkins a chance to pull back. But as they did, another guard stepped into the corridor and fired.
"Aaah!" Jenkins screamed, falling to the floor.
Allura raised her pistol and fired, dropping the guard with two shots and taking Jacobs' place while she and Tarver went out and hauled Jenkins into the docking bay.
"Are we clear for a beam out?" Driscoll asked.
"Yes, sir," MacGregor replied.
"Okay, T. J., you, Allura, Jenkins and Tarver first." The captain spoke to the fallen man. "You hang in there, Jenkins. You'll be home in a minute." He took position with Wilson and MacGregor, covering the doors as the first group dematerialized.
The doors at the end of the chamber whooshed open, and the three Starfleet officers began firing furiously, trying to hold off the attackers.
"Berlin to Driscoll, stand by."
"Mission accomplished, guys," Driscoll said. A moment later, he felt the familiar tingle of the transporter claim him and his comrades.
When he materialized on the Berlin's transporter pad, Dr. Saladin was just leaving with Jenkins. He beckoned to Allura as he hit his commbadge. "Driscoll to bridge."
"Gredar here," came the reply.
"Notify the Castle of Lions that the Princess is safe and we're beaming her down."
"Acknowledged."
Driscoll turned to Allura. "Sorry you can't stay, but they need you."
Allura nodded. "I know."
"Captain, Mordock's been tracking that fighter. It's headed right for the Castle of Lions," said Jacobs.
"It's starting," Driscoll said. He looked at Allura. "Get goin'," he said, gesturing toward the transporter pad. "And take care of yourself."
Allura smiled. "You too. And thanks." She looked at her other rescuers, then took her place on the transporter.
"Energize," Driscoll ordered. He stood and watched Allura disappear, then he and Jacobs headed for the bridge.