Disclaimer: WEP still owns Voltron... even in the alternate universe.
Beta: Thanks again Dawn!
This is the fourth installment in my "Chivalry arc. 1. Chivalry, 2. Lion House Restored (2A. LHR - Allura's POV), 3. Doomed Quest, and 4. Alternate Choices.
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Still DotU flavor AU.
Chapter Eleven
Keith pushed his guilty thoughts about kissing the alternate Allura to the side, and tried to focus instead on his surroundings. Looking around the stone cell, he saw only a toilet and the cot he was sitting on. There was no vent in the ceiling or any avenue of escape from inside the cell. Leaning his back against the cell wall as he sat on the cot, he began working the articial skin from the small pick. Located near his armpit, it was thought to be a location that would not be easily detected by Allura or anyone else touching him.
It had taken him over three hours to get the armband off. He placed it carefully under a blanket on his cot.
Lying on the bed, he continued to work out his new plan. He had signaled Merla that he was being moved to the dungeon. and he had felt her mind touch his about an hour ago. The group had had to backtrack and take a long route to reach this area of hidden passages. Allura mentioned that the key was in a location no one wanted to go. Thinking to his own world, he remembered that the keys on Arus had been placed in King Alfor's crypt. Crypts were not usually places people wanted to go and probably here in Castle Altea, they were frequented even less.
Alfor, bond-mate to Queen Eleanor, was buried on a nearby hillside with other bond-mates. Only the female monarchs were buried in the depths of the castle in crypts. It was in the crypt of Queen Eleanor that Keith expected to find the Black Lion key.
Lotor had wanted to go for the key himself, but Keith wasn't ready to risk anyone but himself until he had to. He had convinced the prince, through Merla, to wait and give him a chance. Getting the guard to come over close enough to the cell had been a little difficult, but he had managed. Keith held the guard around the neck and pulled him to the door. After the guard slumped into unconsciousness, Keith used his hand to key open the door.
"Sorry, fella," Keith said quietly as he dragged the guard into the cell. Looking at the guard's clothes, he decided they were close enough to his size and quickly moved to remove them. The shoes however, were a no go. Well, at least I won't be running around shirtless and in pajamas, he thought, and closed the door to the cell as he exited.
Moving with stealth down the almost empty corridors, he soon reached the entombment area. Drawing a breath, he keyed the sensor and entered the room. It was almost identical to King Alfor's burial chamber. Keith walked over to the stone vault that covered the sarcophagus and looked at it for a moment. The lid would be heavy. He hoped he could move it by himself. If not, he'd have to call in Lotor after all.
Putting his hands on the lid, he braced his feet and pushed hard. He quickly fell against the side of the vault as the lid slid back smoothly and easily. Of course, Allura had the lid fixed so she could open it herself with no help. She didn't want everyone knowing about this secret hiding spot. Keith doubted that the stone mason who had fixed the lid still lived. He had probably died by Allura's hand to protect this hidden location.
Looking into the vault, Keith saw a black velvet box near the head of the sarcophagus. Opening the box, he found the key to Black Lion. Keith slipped it into his pocket, and then carefully placed the box back in its original location. Mentally signaling Merla, he headed for the entrance to the hidden passage on this level.
Two hours later, there still had not been an alarm to indicate that Keith had escaped. Everyone was gathered at the exit on the Control Center level. The plan was for the Force to go into the center and knock out the staff. They would also fuse the sensor panel that opened the door. There was a manual override on the outside, but it would take the Alteans awhile to open it. By then the Force would be in the Lions. Lotor and Merla would stay in the hidden passage and listen for movements on the other side for a few minutes before returning to the Resistance camp.
Peering out a peephole in the door, Keith signaled their exit. The four men and teenager, made their way unhindered to the Control Center. In short order, the staff and guards were disabled and the door rendered inoperable for the time being. Keith moved to the activation panel and keyed the sequence for the dais. Thankfully, this process was the same in both universes.
As Keith dropped into the shuttle that would take him to Black, he noticed that his clothing had not changed. Perhaps there were no Voltron uniforms in this universe. Ketih's thoughts turned back to the matter at hand as his command chair locked into place and he inserted his key.
Receiving a mental message from Merla, he contacted the team to let them know that the Alteans were just now getting the door to the center open. They would be hailing the fleet orbiting Altea to come to the Castle's defense once inside. "Let's go take out as much of that fleet in orbit as we can. The more we take out in space, the less likely civilians will be injured." A chorus of "Ayes" and "Yes, Captain" were heard.
Keith called out a few flying corrections to the pilots. The flying and formations weren't crisp like his team, but then, all of them, except for him, were flying the Lions for the first time. However, the Lions were responding perfectly. In fact, Keith could almost feel a hum of satisfaction through his Black Lion as he shot Altean fighters out of the sky.
Lotor came up on the side screen. "Keith, we've contacted Sven to bring the Polluxian fleet to join us."
Keith nodded. Things were going according to plan. Sven and his command team from Pollux had been included in the battle planning and would now be bringing a majority of the Polluxian fleet to assist in the fight against the queen. Glancing to the screen, Keith said, "We'll be heading back into the atmosphere soon as a number of the battle cruisers are heading in to guard the castle."
"Understood. We'll hold the ground forces until you give the word." Lotor's face blinked off the screen.
"Okay, team, we have two more battle cruisers up here to take out then we head planet-side," Keith called to the team as he banked Black for a return strafing of a cruiser.
Back on Altea…
Allura stood in her Control Center seething with anger. The guard found in Keith's cell had been executed on the spot along with all the guards who failed to protect the command area. Staff was currently removing the dead bodies and cleaning up the floor while the replacement guards looked around anxiously. Allura did not notice their unease nor would she have cared if she had noticed. She stared at the sight of Black Lion firing on the cruisers in space. She knew exactly who was flying that Lion, and she would have him back. He had a lot to answer for.
"When those Lions return to the planet, I want all firepower concentrated on the Black Lion. Bring it down and then capture its pilot." She listened as the command was sent to the cruisers, and she smiled. There was no way that the Lion would be able to handle all the firepower of the battle cruisers. True, the Lion wouldn't be destroyed and she didn't want it to be, but it would be knocked from the sky. When it crashed, Keith would be apprehended and brought to her. An evil smile appeared on her face as she thought, you'll pay dearly for playing with me, Keith.
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Keith cringed as Black Lion took another big shot from a battle cruiser. He was trying to avoid being hit, but with several battle cruisers attacking, it seemed like when he moved out of range of one, he moved into another's sites.
Lance came over the speaker on an audio only feed, "Looks like they're gunning for you, Commander."
"You really have a gift for the obvious don't you, Lance?" Keith quipped as he pulled Black straight up, causing two Altean fighters to have a head on collision. "I think it's time we form Voltron and take the cruisers out then disengage to finish off the fighters after-" Keith didn't get to finish his statement as Black took a laser blast to his back legs. Spinning out of control, Keith tried to pull out, but the Lion didn't respond. Activating his harness, Keith prepared for a crash landing.
"Can you hear me, Keith?" Lance asked over and over.
Keith opened his eyes and shook his head to clear the cobwebs. Groaning, he tersely replied, "Yeah, I hear you. How long was I out?"
"Less than a minute, but a number of the fighters are heading your way to land. We'll take out as many as we can but you either need to get that Lion moving or get the hell out of Dodge."
Looking at the computer readings, Keith saw that the Lion's power system was rebooting and it would take at least five minutes. He didn't have five minutes. Disengaging his key, he found a good hiding spot for it and then took a blaster and left the cockpit.
Jumping to the ground, he could see the Altean ships landing in some of the flat areas of the rocky terrain. He made his way carefully to a hillside and moved around the ledge. If he could just hide out in a crevice or defendable position, the guys would be able to help shortly. But he'd have to be careful or he'd break a leg. Just then a blaster bolt flashed past. Hopefully, Allura had them set to stun, but he couldn't count on that. After briefly returning fire, he moved further around the ledge.
