ZaffreBat17: Yes, let's! Thank you for reviewing!

Ireland Scott of Broh: Haha! Thank you for reviewing!

Guest: Thank you very much and thank you for the prompt! :)

Triscribe: Allura is a force of nature when pushed. I really liked her in that last chapter, too. :) And thank you for your approval. I have to admit I was quite hesitant to post Chapter 10, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Madiline Magnolia: Thank you!

rainbowrider1290: Thanks, hon. I appreciate that. When you suggested your prompt, I immediately thought of Aang from ATLA. :D I will, for sure, keep writing.

Sparklesona: Thank you. I feel like Pidge is downplayed a bit in the cartoon but, to me at least, she doesn't seem like the kind of person to take crap lying down. I will continue to update, if sporadically. :)

Eveecat1248: Technically, she's done that already (Chapter 8) but I'll see what I can do. :)

Guest: I'm glad you like. Thank you!

Cielmatica: Oh wow! Thank you! Thank you all around for your kind words. :D And thank you for the prompt.

Snowfallfrost: Will do, and thank you!

Rookblonkorules: (Chapters 6, 8 and 10) Thank you so much! I am a serious nerd and I make references in just about everything I write (everything from Harry Potter to Star Wars). I kind of make a game out of it: see who notices; because some are more subtle than others. Unfortunately, I don't have prizes. :/

Roseflora17 (Chapter 1): Thank you! Funnily enough, I have a short fic already in the works for your exact prompt. Maybe I'll do an arc with that in this fic instead? :)

Ranger McCorken: His head...and maybe a bit of his torso...and probably the wall behind him. The back of his chair, for sure. ;) Thank you for reviewing!

PaladinofVoltron: I have a thing or two already in the works. Thank you for reviewing!

Guest: Aw! Thank you!

Chemical X: Yay for returning! Thank you. I admit that I was nervous about posting Chapter 10 because of the exact thing you said I didn't do. I was worried it would come across as just another 'Pidge is hated because she's a girl' fic. I really tried (and am glad you thought I succeeded) to incorporate other aspects than just some guy hating (or hitting) on Pidge. Thank you. :)

WarDrums: Thank you! Protective angst is what I live for, honestly. And I love Allura because, sure she's a princess (instant trope alert!) but she's a butt-kicking, awesome princess. :D

ally-dash.77: Thank you so much! I love that you love it. :)

windscryer (Chapters 1-10): I may or may not have squealed with delight when I woke up and found my review count had jumped ten overnight, and I thank you. :D

Author's Note: Did you know that a person can survive the vacuum of Space for up to two minutes? You lose consciousness after less than fifteen seconds, though. Source: (FFnet is being stupid but it's under scientificamerican) article/survival-in-space-unprotected-possible

Chapter 11: Pinky Swear

Keith made his slow and cautious way through the dimly-lit, bloodied corridors of the Aafrigoran ship. His bayard-sword was ready in his hand, the light gleaming off the red-and-silver blade in a way that made it look like it already dripped with blood. Sweat gathered at the back of his neck, slicking his hair, and his heart pounded in its cage of bones.

"Anything?" Shiro asked through the coms.

"Nope," Lance answered.

"Nothing yet," Keith whispered back.

"Uh, guys?" Hunk said. "I'm at a door but there's no lock pad. I can't go any further."

"Is there any way through? What do you see?" asked Shiro.

There was a moment's pause. "Nothing. There's nothing…wait. There looks like some kind of camera in the ceiling."

"Hey! Maybe it's like a prison block and all doors are operated from a security control centre?"

Keith hid in a small alcove while a guard strolled by but he did hear Shiro say, "Lance, that's probably the best idea you've come up with."

"Thanks, man. I try."

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes. "Who's closest to security?"

It was a few seconds before Shiro said, "Lance is."

"On my way!"

"In the meantime, Keith, you and I will keep looking for Pidge. Hunk, head back to the Lions and safeguard our exit."

"You got it." There was a dull hum as Hunk took the safety off his blaster.

"Keith? Continue on your present course. Search every cranny. Pidge might've gotten out already."

"Yeah," he murmured under his breath. "She does like her vents."

But she wasn't in the vents, not that he could tell. There were no scrapes or marks around the grates, and no disturbed dust beyond the bars. Keith moved on, trying to ignore the green gore on the metal floors, his sword at the ready and his heart beating a staccato.

Come on, Pidge. Where are you?

It was supposed to have been a simple rescue op: the Galra had commandeered a transport vessel of supplies to Aafrigor, killing the crew. An unlucky Aafrigoran ensign had gotten off a distress signal to the Castle of Lions before she'd been cut down, and the Paladins had responded instantly. What they hadn't been prepared for was the Galra taking the supplies' destination's people hostage. Over two thousand families on the brink of starvation with armed drones at their backs and aiming at their heads.

It had been Pidge's plan to use Green's tech to scramble the drones' coding, and when the drones had dropped like harmless flies, the stampede had been terrifying: men, women and children had scattered in every direction, screaming and shouting; the Galra soldiers had opened fire, aiming for the Paladins and not caring who they hit.

In the chaos, the Paladins had lost track of each other, and when they had regrouped, they found Pidge missing and the Aafrigoran ship fleeing the atmosphere.

Keith willed his heart to calm. Pidge had survived before while in Galra hands. This time would be no different.

This time would be no different.

Voices up ahead forced him to duck back around a corner. "Quit your noise, human scum. No one's going to hear you."

The only reply was a barely audible bang, as if soft flesh pounded concrete…or really thick metal.

"Come on, Chizna," another grumbled. "She can't hear you through the door. Our shift's almost over and there's a suyo roll in the mess with my name on it."

Keith peeked an eye around the corner in time to see two Galra guards trot away, their rifles over their shoulders instead of alert in their hands. He waited until their laughs were long out of earshot and then crept toward the cell door.

Except it wasn't a cell.

It was an airlock. Aafrigoran blood smeared the walls and floor, leaving Keith little doubt as to why there was so much blood and no bodies of the Aafrigorans.

The banging had started up again, slow and steady like a drumbeat. Peering through the small viewing window, he spotted a familiar head of brown hair down by the floor. "Pidge! Guys, guys, I got her! I got eyes on Pidge!" While the others rejoiced in his ears, he knocked furiously on the reinforced glass and waved at Pidge who lifted her head, meeting his eyes.

The smile that broke across her face could have been the full light of dawn; it shed the darkness from her eyes, brightening the despair and fear to relief and joy. In the two hours that Pidge had been missing, Keith only now realised how much he had missed that smile.

The door was too thick for verbal words to get through but he talked anyway. "Hey, kid. Don't you worry. We're going to get you out, okay?"

Instead of answering, Pidge got to her feet – where was her armour? She was clothed in purplish-grey rags and…they had beaten her! A split lip, a bruised cheek, a bleeding brow that no longer bled, a blue-green and swollen eye, and numerous other contusions littered her face, arms and even her neck. Keith's blood boiled at the sight of their fourteen-year-old teammate. He was going to murder every Galra on this ship. Just like they had murdered the Aafrigorans.

But Pidge interrupted that thought when she pointed to something behind him. Whipping around to take out an enemy, Keith halted to find no one. He turned back to her, his brows low over his eyes in question. She pointed again, her finger pressed flat to the glass. Look, look – he could read on her lips.

Keith frowned and looked again, only this time he saw what she meant: a ticker mounted on the wall gleamed with red numbers.

112

111

110

Was that…a timer? For what? Keith looked to Pidge again. "What does it mean?" His heart missed a beat when she pointed to the metal door that was the only thing that separated her from the vacuum of Space.

Panic lasted a fraction of a second before he was talking into the coms: "They've got her locked in an airlock. There's a ticker. It's counting down. We have…one hundred and two ticks left before she's blown out."

Over the roar of outrage and fear, Keith remained calm. "Lance. Please tell me you're close to that security control centre."

The sound of blasters nearly blew out Keith's eardrums from the open com-link. "Working on it! They must've known we were coming. I've got thirty Galra here defending the centre like it's freaking Fort Knox!" There was an 'ugh' and a 'take that!' then, "Can't you use your bayard to break her out?"

"The door's too thick. And if security's watching then they'll just blow her out early. Shiro? Shiro, what do we do?"

Keith had never heard his leader sound so defeated than he did now. "I don't know. I don't know. Stay with her, though, okay? Don't leave her alone. Everybody, set your tickers. We don't want to cut this too close. Lance, I'm heading to you."

He was distracted by Pidge knocking on the glass. She was so small that only the top half of her face could be seen. She was probably on her tiptoes, too.

Keith heard the metallic footsteps of enemy feet before he saw them. Giving Pidge a backwards glance, he mouthed, I'll be back, then raced forward.

The Garrison had instilled in him an incredible sense of time. His inner clock counted down the precious moments he didn't have to fight with the drones.

83

82

81

80

At least he knew that ticks were longer than seconds. Not by much, of course, but he had just less than two minutes. Lance had just less than two minutes.

Pidge had just less than two minutes.

The drones didn't expect him to rush them. With surprise on his side, he cut them down swiftly and ruthlessly. He absently wondered – as he dodged a rifle blast and used the wall as a stepping stone to come at his opponent from the air – if this was how Hunk made their meals or how Pidge tinkered on her Lion. Just as accurate and efficient. His clock warned him that he had forty-four ticks left, and it was with more savagery than usual that he beheaded the last drone and returned to Pidge.

"You okay?" he asked, making sure his mouth formed the words for her to read.

She shrugged and pointed at him.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't you worry about me. Shiro and Lance are going to bust you out soon, okay?"

Pidge's eyes darted away and Keith slammed a fist against the glass, startling her.

"Hey! Don't give up now, Pidge! Don't you dare!"

32

"We've got too much to do. You hear me? You've got too much to do."

Pidge glanced past him to the ticker on the wall. The bruises and blood looked all the worse on her face when despair crawled into her eyes. From out of a pocket in the rags, she pulled a worn photograph. Keith knew what the picture was of because he had seen it a dozen times before: Pidge with long hair standing beside a young man with the same-coloured hair and same-coloured eyes.

27

Keith watched her look at the photo, fondness softening her forehead and eyes. Then she folded it in half.

23

She pressed it to the glass and pointed to the young man, to her brother, Matt. Her expression was filled with such sadness that Keith wanted to scream at her some more because, no! Pidge mustn't give up! She wasn't going to die today!

Keith shook his head.

19

"No, Pidge, no." He pointed to her. "You're going to find him. You are! Not me."

Pidge didn't say anything. She just kept her finger on Matt's part of the picture. She didn't say anything but Keith knew begging when it stared him in the eyes.

"We're almost there, Keith!" Shiro suddenly called in his ear. "Almost there! Lance, take that guy out!"

11

Pidge was still staring at Keith. He shook his head again but not as fervently. Who could say no to those eyes? Who could say no to a friend's last request?

Slowly, his shake turned to a nod. "Okay. Okay. I'll find him."

Pidge nodded once and rested her pinky finger against the glass.

A pinky swear.

Keith didn't even have the heart to hesitate, nor did he have the control to hold back the tears that welled in his eyes. He lifted his own hand and crossed pinkies with his teammate. "I swear, Pidge," he rasped. "I'll find him. I'll find him for you."

His friend nodded and brought the photo to her chest, cradling it in hands that trembled.

5

Pidge looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

4

"Shiro! The door's clear! Get in there!"

3

"Hang on, Pidge!" Shiro, Hunk and Lance all shouted.

2

Keith rested his head against the glass and his tears fell. "I'm sorry, Katie," he whispered.

1

Pidge stretched up and pressed her hand to the window. She wasn't smiling. She was crying. Fearful, terrified.

Alone.

0

There was a beep and a soundless rush of air, and Pidge flew backward, still clutching her picture.

"PIDGE!" Keith screamed.

His scream was cut off when a massive Red Lion appeared from out of nowhere and swallowed Pidge.

His rage turned to triumph, his grief to elation. He felt as if his skin would burst apart as his heart tried to gallop out of his ribcage.

"Red! Red, Red, Red!" Keith couldn't help but weep even as he jumped for joy, pounding his fists on the door. "Shiro! Open the airlock! Red caught Pidge! I repeat: Red has Pidge!"

Keith engaged his helmet, sheathed his bayard, and used the doorway to launch himself forward when the metal door slid open with a hiss of hydraulics. "Red!" he yelled, and his Lion caught him the same way she had caught Pidge. He fidgeted as the cabin re-pressurized and then woosh, the hatch leading into the cockpit opened overhead and Keith was lifted upward by the platform in the floor.

Pidge was already there, the tears on her face having evaporated, lying prone on the metal floor.

"Pidge?" Keith tore his helmet off and gathered her up in his arms. "Pidge? Katie? Katie!"

Easy, my Paladin, Red soothed. Her voice was a balm to his weary heart. Green's Paladin lives. Green's Paladin heart is strong and she is breathing. Green's Paladin should regain consciousness soon. Green Paladin will be fine.

"Keith? Keith, come in!" he heard Shiro call from the coms in his helmet.

"Red, patch us through!" Keith called as he hefted Pidge up. Geez, the kid was light! He sat down in the pilot's seat, Pidge curled in his lap. "Shiro, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear. Keith, what happened? You cut out and all we heard was your order to open the airlock. Do you have Pidge?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I got her. Red caught her. She's alive, she's breathing, she's going to be fine."

Now came the hollers. Hunk and Lance hooted and huzzah'd and Keith heard Shiro's choked sigh.

"Okay, guys. Head back to the Lions. Let's get out of here."

"They took her uniform," Keith interrupted.

"I got it," said Lance. "The idiots left it at security, like it was a freaking Lost and Found."

In Keith's arms, Pidge stirred, moaning. "Keith?"

Keith smiled down at her. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"My tongue feels weird," she said, her eyes peeling open.

"I think that's normal. You were in Space's vacuum for barely ten seconds."

"D'you catch me?"

"Red did."

"Oh." A weary smile tugged at Pidge's mouth, and she manoeuvered a hand out to stroke what she could reach of the chair. "Thanks, Red."

Keith smiled at Red's rumbling purr. "She says 'anytime' but I don't think she wants you to take her up on it."

Pidge chuckled weakly and snuggled closer. "Thank you, Keith."

"For what?" From his position, he could see the Black, Blue, and Yellow Lions take off. He reached forward with his free hand to flick a switch, allowing the others to dock if they chose.

Pidge lifted her hand and curled her pinky around his.

"Oh. Well, yeah. It's not like I'm going to go back on it because you're, you know, alive."

Her smile widened a fraction at that. "Can't go back on it anyway," she mumbled. "Pinky swears are unbreakable."

"Sure, Pidge," Keith said. "Unbreakable."

-:-

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