KathDMD - You're right, everything is coming together. That's why this episode acts as a preview of next week's Voltron Legacy! As for Stebbins...you'll wanna read this to know exactly who's side he's on!

Author's Note - Ready for a great episode, as well as a sneak peek into next week's Voltron Legacy! Read on!

Theme Music : None

Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP. Space Marshall Lenora Hawkins and associated characters are the property of KathDMD. Admiral Lysette Fabrere and associated characters are the property of selena devargo.

Episode 109 : "The Wrath of One"

The doors from the hangar swung open, and Aidan and Lisa walked into the hallway to meet Captain Stebbins and his security detail.

"What's with the added security?" Aidan asked, still on edge after the attack.

"Strictly a formality, Commander," Stebbins replied. "We can talk more freely in my office." He led them down the halls towards the elevator. Aidan leaned over to Lisa.

"Are you sure this is ok?' he asked her.

"Trust me," she whispered back. They went into the elevator and rode it up a few floors. When they exited, they all walked down the hall to a set of doors that opened as they approached it.

"You two can wait out here," Stebbins ordered his guard detail. "Commander, Sergeant, if you would please?" He gestured for them to enter, and they did so. As Stebbins entered, the door closed, and he keyed in a code, locking the doors. A slight hum was heard momentarily.

"What was that?" Aidan asked.

"Sound filter," Stebbins replied. "Can't be too careful at the moment. The Bogart was built with high security in mind. The Space Marshall made a good decision giving her to me."

"Captain," Lisa asked, "where is the Space Marshall? What has happened?"

"That, Sergeant, is a long story," he replied. He sat down behind the desk. "How much do you know about the Hydra incident?"

"Hydra?" Aidan asked. "Why, did something happen on Hydra?" Stebbins let out a sigh.

"Commander," he replied, "Hydra is no more."

"What do you mean?" Aidan asked.

"I mean it's been blown up," he replied. They gasped.

"And the people?" Lisa asked.

"Some escaped," Stebbins replied, "but most were instantaneously vaporized in the explosion."

"How did this happen?" Aidan asked, agitated.

"From what I've been able to gather from reports," he replied, "and the crude announcement made by the High Council, the Drules crashed a large shipment of lason into the planet's surface…and somehow blew the planet to smithereens."

"There was an announcement?" Lisa asked.

"The Emergency Broadcast Channel," Stebbins replied. "Not sure who, if anyone, can intercept the broadcast as far out as you are. Commodore Mitchell put out a statement about the incident, blaming the Space Marshall for not sending the Bogart to assist the Voltron Force. But you and I know that's complete crap."

"Damn right it's complete crap," Aidan replied sternly. "What really happened?"

"The Council refused to send us out there," Stebbins said. "Said we needed to stay behind to protect the Garrison. They said without Voltron, we needed to maintain a presence there. This was against the Space Marshall's recommendations."

"So what happened to the Space Marshall?" Aidan asked.

A lone Derinja Lieutenant entered the office and saluted. Twyla looked up at her.

"You wished to see me, Commander?" she asked.

"Yes," Twyla replied. "I have a mission for you. The work on the base is almost completed. I want you to personally carry out the attack on Terra."

"Me?" she asked. "I'm honored, Commander."

"Here are your orders," Twyla replied, handing her the datapad. "I want you to take a small fleet to the planet. Nothing large, but enough to make the remaining Voltron Force members underestimate you. When you catch sight of their vessels, that's when you will spring our newly constructed robeast on them."

"An excellent plan, Commander," she said.

"An even more excellent idea would be to have you at the helm of the robeast, Lieutenant," Twyla said, staring into her eyes.

"Wouldn't a robot pilot suffice?" she asked.

"Our robeasts continually lack the brain capacity to get the job done," Twyla replied. "I need someone like you who could destroy the Voltron Mechas, and show absolutely no mercy to the Terran scum." Centa took a deep breath, then looked back at Twyla with determination.

"Nothing would please me more than to pilot the robeast and put an end to Voltron!" she replied, saluting. "For the honor of my Commander, Grand Deram, and the entire Drule Supremacy!"

"That is what I like to hear," Twyla said with a smirk. "I shall wish for a swift victory."

"Victory for the Empire!" she shouted. "I will not let you down, Commander!" She saluted again and left the office. Twyla walked back to her desk and sat down, looking at her paperwork.

"It's a shame to have to send her to her death," she said softly. "She seems more loyal than that ungrateful general. Perhaps I should stage my own intervention."

"So they escaped?" Dari screeched.

"We tried to force them to land, but the Commander stubbornly resisted," the voice from the com replied.

"Idiots," she muttered. "Where were they heading?"

"We tracked them to the Outer Perimeter," the voice said. "After that, they vanished from RadialTrac."

"How?" she asked.

"We aren't sure," he replied.

"Listen, Colonel," she replied, "if you want any hope of maintaining your position, you better locate that mecha, and do it quickly. I'm sure the Sky Marshall would not want to hear more about the incompetents he's left in charge of his operation."

"I would bite my tongue if I were you, General," the voice replied. "The walls in this place have ears, and you are not the only one bending the ear of Korronith." The com ended.

"Filthy little human," she muttered to herself. "When Earth falls, so shall Terra. All I know is I want my revenge….at any cost."

"Right now, almost no one knows where the Space Marshall is," Captain Stebbins said.

"How is that possible?" Lisa asked.

"The High Council relieved her and the Vice Marshall of duty," Stebbins replied. "They went home to wait and see what would happen, but haven't been seen since. There was an incident reported at the North Gate, and it was reported they made an escape from the Garrison, and New York altogether. The High Council's been on the lookout for them ever since."

"Wait," Aidan said, "you said 'almost'."

"That I did, Commander," Stebbins replied.

"Told you he was on our side," Lisa said.

"More than you're aware," Stebbins said. "The crew is vaguely aware of what is going on, so do not let this leave this room, understood?"

"What's going on, Captain?' Aidan asked.

"Someone on the High Council wants the Space Marshall out of the way," Stebbins said. "And they are outright lying to the population about what really happened on Hydra. We're still hovering under the guise of following the Council's orders, but we currently answer to a higher authority."

"One more thing, Captain," Lisa said. "Do you have access to the Garrison's resources? We came here originally looking for a man by the name of Tetsuya Jin."

"I wish I could help," he replied. "They have the data centers on lockdown. Maybe once the Space Marshall arrives…"

"She's coming here?" Aidan asked.

"Kind of," he replied. He walked to the door and keyed in a code. There was another brief hum before the doors slid open.

"Captain," one of the guards said with a salute, "the bridge reported a transmission on a secure channel. We've been given the rendezvous coordinates."

"Have Tech Sergeant Edwards work on bouncing that signal," Stebbins said. "We need to make them think our sensor ping is coming from outside New York."

"Where are we headed?" Aidan asked.

"Louisiana," he replied. They continued walking to the elevator.

Kelly pressed a button on the console.

"Professor," she said, "how are the modifications?"

"Slow at best," Hotaru replied. "Without the schematics, I can't make heads or tails of the wiring. I even went to my father for help, since he made the original modifications as part of Project Defender, but the underlying structure…is mind-boggling. I've spent years learning how to build mechas, but I've never seen such a complex structure."

"I hope the others are having luck finding Jin," Kelly said.

"I hope so as well," Hotaru said. "If not for the mecha, then for his own sake. I haven't seen him in forever, and the day the Garrison took over operations, I think it took a toll on him. The three of us had become great friends, you know. I'm also not sure how well he took my decision to marry Daisaku."

"We'll find him," Kelly reassured her. "Just keep working." The alarms started to sound. She turned around and looked at Morgan. "What is it?"

"Drule ships coming into Terran airspace," Morgan replied. "I think we better get David and Taye back here quickly."

"Agreed," Kelly replied. "Contact your husband, and have the two of them stop tinkering with that damn bike and get back here. I'm going to launch our remaining Alliance Drone Ships to try and stall for time."

"Yes, Admiral," Morgan replied, tapping the com on her voltcom.

"Professor," Kelly said into her com, "Better start piecing Beta together again. It looks like we're gonna have another fight on our hands."