KathDMD- Can't wait for the arc to come to a head. Though someone from a certain clique decided to hate on the story arc in disagreement with my over the top "Space Dad" remark. But hey, if they don't want to see it play out, their loss. On a side note, if you've noticed so far, the finales will, as always, tie into one another somehow...
cubbieBlueMako - Still waiting for my apology.
Author's Note - So much has changed. Trying to decide whether to keep going or end it here. I appreciate those who still review, but those that work with and inspire me have kinda abandoned me pretty much lately.
My muse is gone.
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 210 : "Reforged – Part I"
Haggar slowly walked into the throne room, coming to a stop at the floor of the steps. She kneeled in reverence as Kanjii rose from his throne.
"I see that your latest plot to take Arus and Voltron have failed," he said. "My faith in you is waning, lamia."
"I kneel before you, begging forgiveness, my lord," she said. "Yet I sense you have a different task for me."
"Yes," he replied. "I need you to go to Ariel."
"Ariel, sire?" she asked. "The planet yields memories that can never be born"
"It it because of those memories I send you!" he growled. "We require vast amounts of raw corrite from the depths of the planet. We need the raw materials that will help to bring this project to fruition." He drew his sword from its sheath. "You will take a contingent of troops and ships to Ariel and have them begin to mine for the mineral. You yourself will oversee the operations."
"Why, sire?" she asked. "Surely you don't wish to have me…"
"I want to first and foremost give you a reason not to fail," he said, pointing his sword at her. "Survival." His flame was set ablaze. "But just as important, I want you to reach into those memories, and draw from it the creation of Voltron."
"What good shall it serve?" she asked. He swung his sword, a blast of flame destroying the statue of Zarkon near her.
"It shall serve MY GOOD!" he shouted. She bowed her head, fearful.
"Yes, sire," she replied, "it shall be done." As she turned to leave, a figure just outside the door turned and ran, then vanished from sight.
Daniel and Larmina walked into Defensive control. They spotted Vince, who looked as if he was hard at work on something.
"Hey Vince," Daniel asked, "Whatcha working on?" Without missing a beat, Vince grabs the vial in front of him containing a glowing light blue liquid.
"Larmina," he said, "drink this." She took a quick sip, then turned and spit it out violently.
"Gross!" she shouted. "What is this stuff?"
"It's a mixture of Arusian water, strawberry flavoring, and the reactive compound Pidge used to decontaminate the water reserves," Vince replied.
"It smells like strawberries," she said, "but it tastes like feet!"
"Yeah, unfortunately, I had to increase the potency of the compound," he said. "I probably should have warned you."
"Ya think?" she asked angrily.
"What's it going to do?" Daniel asked. "I mean, the real infection is in Blue."
"Her and the lion are linked," Vince said. "The bond between the lions and the pilots is strong. If the infection in the lion is strong enough to affect the pilot it's bonded to, maybe building up a resistance or even a cure to the pilot will have an effect on the lion."
"So I just drink this stuff and poof…no more crazies?" Larmina asked.
"Something like that," Vince said. "It's still in the testing phase. But we don't have a lot of time."
"What can we do about the lion itself though?" Daniel asked.
"Pidge…or at least the computer generated version of him…and I have been working on cracking some of the code we were able to extract from Voltron when its Nexus had been damaged," he said. "We're hoping there is a safe way to interface with Blue's Nexus that won't cause the security protocols to trip. In its current state, if the lion were to go rogue, There's a chance the Drules could not only capture it, but actually be able to pilot and use it against us. We don't want that to happen."
"Of course," Daniel replied. Suddenly, the alarms went off. Vince turned and keyed in codes as Larmina held her breath and swallowed everything that was left in the vial, nearly vomiting it back up. The viewscreen came up, and an image appeared on the screen.
"Voltron Force!" Chief Callan shouted. "We need your assistance on Ariel! Drule forces arrived on the planet, and they have been drilling into it relentlessly."
"Do you know what they are looking for?" Daniel asked.
"No," Callan replied. "But as the only planet with an abundant supply of corrite, it's a safe guess to say that may be their goal."
"But what would they need it for?" Vince asked. "The Drules have many different materials at their disposal."
"Maybe they're looking to armor a robeast?" Daniel asked.
"I hope not," Vince said. "It's the hardest known substance. Most of Voltron's armaments were forged from corrite. And you saw what Wade was able to so with a single shotgun round made from corrite."
"Chief Callan," Daniel said, looking at the screen," we'll launch and be there soon."
"Thank you," he replied, then the transmission ended.
"Larmina," Daniel said, "Find Hunk and Marina and have them meet us back here. I'm going to alert Keith, then we're gonna head out to Ariel."
"I will," she replied, "as soon as I get this taste out of my mouth." She stuck out her tongue in disgust, then left Defensive Control.
Haggar stood just inside the caves, overseeing the operation. Drule troops, robots, and machines continued to break up the raw material and load it into containers.
"Work faster!" she shouted. "Lord Kanjii demands this shipment as soon as possible in order to enact his master plan!" One of the Drule Troops monitoring the surface noticed something approaching.
"Your excellency," he said, "our sensors detected the Voltron Force approaching the caves! What are your orders?"
"Take the droids and launch any fighters we have. We cannot let them disrupt our operations!"
"Yes, Your Excellency," he replied. Moments later, ships and tanks launched and headed to meet the oncoming force.
"You seeing what I'm seeing?" Marina asked.
"A welcoming party," Daniel said. "Once we're in range, scatter and engage. Thin out their numbers." The lions roared as they approached the oncoming drones. They split up and opened fire, the battle consuming the skies and surface of Ariel. Marina expertly dodged the laser fire, and blasted several ships out of the sky. Hunk landed on the surface, and began picking up the oncoming tanks, tossing them into the air into some of the low flying drones, as well as swatting a few more.
"This looks like a distraction," Vince said.
"I know," Daniel replied, taking out a few more drones. "Think you and Larmina can cut through it while we keep them occupied? Whatever they're doing, we need to stop it."
"We'll try," Vince said.
"Let's go," Larmina said in agreement, and Blue and Green weaved through the oncoming drones, trying to locate the source. The two quickly approached the cave.
"Your Excellency," the Drule troop said to Haggar, "two of the lions broke free from the rest and are making their way here!"
"The last shipment is about to launch," she said. " Stop them with the remainder of your forces. If I have to do this myself….so be it." She began to make her way to the cave entrance.
"There!" Larmina shouted. "I can see a cave up ahead. That looks like where all these things are coming from."
"But what are they protecting?" Vince asked. The lions landed nearby. Drule troops in full armor emerged and began to open fire. Several tanks approached as well, but Green easily swatted them away. Blue fired a blast at the cave entrance, and a solid wall of ice formed. Things quickly became quiet.
"Is that it?" she asked.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Vince said as he saw a form appear behind the ice. It raised its arms, and with a wave, the ice began to warp and melt, then explode into chunks. The chunks of ice flew like shrapnel at the lions, buffeting them and causing them to skid backwards. When the debris settled, Haggar stepped forth from the cave.
"Your power is no match for mine," she shouted. "And how convenient of you to bring my own essence back to my very feet!" She reached out, and a purple light eveloped Blue. The lion cringed, as did its pilot.
"Larmina!" Vince shouted. Larmina screamed in pain as the Lion took control. It's eyes aglow, it turned and swatted Green. Greed rolled over and over, and back to its feet.
"No!" Vince shouted defiantly. "Not gonna happen!" He dodged Blue's next attack, then fired at Haggar. She easily deflected the blast with a forcefield of magical energy. She cackled at his attempt.
"I can't…control it…" Larmina shouted over the com.
"Hold on, Larmina!" Vince said. He signaled Daniel. "Daniel, I need you and the others here quick!"
"We're almost there," Daniel said. "What's going on?"
"It's Haggar!" Vince said. "She's taken control of Blue!"
"We have to stop it!" Daniel said. Black let out a roar, and Hunk and Marina followed.
"Yes," Haggar said, a grin beaming across her sinister face. "Bring it all to me. Bring me Voltron….all his power…." Blue took a swipe at Green, and the two locked up.
"I have to break her control," Vince said. "Sorry, Larmina." Green flipped Bluie hard. It skidded on its side to a stop. Larmina was shaken. The lion tried to gte op. Green set down, and Vince exited.
"You choose to vacate the lion?" Haggar asked. "All the easier to deal with you!" She launched an energy blast at him, and at the same time, he reached forward, and wires leaped from his fingers. The energy met, and began to fight against one another. Haggar strained against it. "This isn't possible! They….they no longer exist!"
"Come on," Vince said to himself, straining. "Gotta fight it…" He started to see things as the energies began to intertwine and cancel one another out. He saw visions of a young Drule girl on a swing being pushed by her father, a beautiful teenage Drule with light bluish-green skin picking flowers on Planet Lyra, a beautiful young Drule woman being wed to a young humanoid man, then a flash of the same woman lying on a stone slab, surrounded by thirteen robed and hooded figures. A flash of light brought a shocking vision to him, and the connection broke. Both he and Haggar were thrown backwards. Black, Yellow and Red landed nearby.
"Larmina, are you OK?" Daniel asked. Larmina grabbed the yokes and checked the controls as Blue stood up.
"I think so," she said. "I have control again." Haggar pulled herself to her feet, leaning against the wall of the entrance to the cave. A ship launched a short ways away.
"Something's taking off!" Daniel shouted. Before Black could move, a stone spike came out of the ground, jutting into Black and sending it tumbling. Haggar waved her arms, and several more jutted out of the ground. Vince attempted to intercede, but she flung an arm in his direction, grabbing him with her energy and holding him in the air. He struggled for a moment, then instinct took over. His eyes and Voltcom glowed, and the energy disintegrated. He fell to the ground. The spikes continued to rise until they became a giant golem. Vince frowned as he glared at Haggar. He knew Voltron had to stop the golem. He had to let her go….for now. He ran for Green. Green took off and met the others.
"We have to stop that thing before it reaches the settlement," Daniel said. "Are you guys ready?"
"I'm ready," Hunk said.
"Let's do this," Marina said with a nod.
"I'm good," Vince said. "Larmina?"
"I'm fine," she said. "Power levels are fluctuating though. So we need to do this fast."
"Fast it is!" Daniel said, connecting his Voltcom. "Everyone in formation!" They took off into the air. "Flash Form, Go!" Voltron quickly assembled. Its eyes glowed with power as his head emerged. Haggar ran for an object in the near distance. It opened up, being a robeast coffin, and she slipped inside. Before it closed, she pointed a finger at Voltron and shot an energy blast at it. The coffin closed, and it took off, following the shipment.
"Did you guys feel that?" Larmina commented.
"Feel what?" Marina asked. As the golem let out a growl, stretching and pounding on the ground, Voltron took a step back.
"Why are we moving backwards?" Daniel asked.
"Daniel?" Larmina asked. Before they could say any more, Voltron glowed, then broke apart. The lions rolled to a stop. Larmina pulled her controls, but they seemed completely dead.
"What just happened?" Hunk asked.
"I don't know," Daniel said, "but we better move!" The Lions scattered, as the team stood confused of what to do next.
To be continued….