"You have good form, and your instincts are sure, but you rely too much on them," Farrah stood with Keith on the sparing platform, "this allows your opponent to get in the first move. Not a good idea if luck decides to leave you out to dry."

"How do I fix that?"

"The answer to every question is here," Farrah pointed to his eyes, "an expert can lie with their eyes, but there are very few experts in the universe at one time. No matter how they try to hide it, their eyes will always give away their intent and their first move-"

Keith suddenly leapt back and raised his weapon.

Farrah grinned, "good. You are a quick learner. But there is a difference in learning after I've just spoken and remembering it on the field of battle. From now on I may or may not attack you anytime, anywhere. It is up to you to determine when I am a threat and when I am not. You will get docked points if I tap you, and you will get docked points if you dodge for no reason."

"The penalty?"

"I've not decided that yet, I'll let you know."

"Woopie…"

"You done yet?"

Pidge stood by the door, looking bored.

"Yes," Farrah said and smacked Keith upside the head, "minus ten points."

()

"Where are we going?"

"hopefully in search of friends," Shiro said, "I'm sending out a rather blatant distress signal; we just have to hope that a friendly finds us first."

"That's sketch."

Shrio shrugged. He had no idea what that meant.

"State your name."

The bubbly voice came over the com unit.

"This is Shiro, the Black Paladin of Voltron." He crossed his fingers.

"This is rebel base Gx673. We will come to you."

"thank you."

Shiro sat back and heaved a sigh of relief. Gx673, if he remembered correctly, was still being built and way on the out skirts of the empire.

"We're a long way from everyone," Shiro said, "Maybe we can get in contact with Rolo…"

"He have a fast ship?"

"No, but he'll have a way to get in contact with the team."

"Shiro?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that them or is that someone we should be getting away from?"

Shiro jerked out of his seat as he brought up a zoomed in image of the approaching craft. Relaxing again he informed the kid that it was a friendly. He hailed them, mostly for his own peace of mind.

"My name is Sol," said the image of a masked rebel that appeared on the screen, "You certainly do LOOK like the black paladin…"

"Why is my identity in question?"

"We've had a problem with clones that look just like you, so if you are the real one, you're going to have to excuse all the hoops I'm going to have you jump through."

"Clones?"

"Yeah, The real Shiro has been missing for months! Anyway, I'm going to need you-"

"MONTHS?!"

"Yes, now-"

"Are the others ok? Keith? Pidge? Allura?-"

"Lance?"

"Yeah, Lance and Hunk?! Are they all ok?"

"Their fine…enough," Sol replied, "You'll get more information when I'm sure of your identity. Please place your hand on the scanner in front of you. I'm sending a program that is going to determine if you're the real shiro or not."

"Does it actually work?" Shiro asked doing as he was told.

"I don't know. Pidge and Matt say it should."

"Matt is alive?! Pidge found Matt?"

"…yeah, and his father."

"Sam is ok! At least that's good news..."

"Better news is that you're readings are all a pass. I'd hate to have had to give you a virus. Follow me back to the base."

He cut off before Shiro could ask his anything else.

"So you've been gone a long time?" Milo asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I told you I was sure they were ok…" Shiro shook his head, "naw, knowing Lance he'll be fine. Don't let my worries bother you."

"wanna know the truth?"

"Of course."

"I never believed you in the first place," Milo looked at his bare feet, "I would rather not be hopeful…"

Shrio followed the ship in front and ask, "what would Lance say to that?"

Milo sniffed, "…he-he'd tell me to stop being a boob."

That was more the Lance Shiro knew.

()

"If you swing too far into paranoia, you're going to make me feel bad," Farrah sighed as Keith gave him a wide birth while passing him, "You have to learn to tell a persons intent from more than just body language and instinct."

"You hit really hard…"

"then learn faster."

"EVERYONE TO THE BRIDGE NOW!"

Corans voice filled every part of the ship with hysterical shouting. Hearts pounding in half panics they all ran as fast as they could.

"Coran what-"

"SHIRO!"

"Hi everyone!" Shiros image fuzzed as he spoke, "The rebels have told me I've missed a lot…"

"Its you?!"

"Really really you?!"

"Its really me," Shiro said, "That's a line I thought I'd never have to say. Anyway, would it be too much to ask you guys to come pick us up?"

"…Us?"

"I got Lances little brother here with me. Somehow his family are here in space…where is Lance?"

"You found one?!"

"He found one!"

"Guys! Where's-"

"We'll explain it to you when we see you," Allura said, "but its not good news."

()

They said their hellos to Sol and the other rebels and introduced themselves to milo. It broke each of their hearts to see how very much he looked like their friend.

"Where is he?" Milo looked around expectantly, "LANCE!"

The paladins looked at each other hoping one of them would know what to say.

"The rebels told you about the clones?" Allura asked, taking the lead.

"Yes," Shiro said and Milo wave her off.

"Yeah, we were told, but where's Lance?"

"He had us completely fooled. We thought the clone was you," Allura turned to Pidge and Hunk who took that as their cue.

"Lance just disappeared one day. And, well, we think he figured out about the clone and before he could tell us…well…"

"We've looked everywhere, just in case…but…"

"I don't get it," Milo said, still looking around, "did he get lost? I can believe that."

"He's gone…" Keith said, kneeling down to be level with him, "the pod he took was blown to smithereens…and he didn't have a space suit on. We can't find any evidence that he-"

"Shut up," Milo glared at Keith, "you shut your filthy mouth! Lance wouldn't die from something that stupid!"

"Milo-"

"NO! Lance was smarter than that! He – he wouldn't let a robot get the better of him! He's always wanted to fly! He wouldn't go anywhere without a suit!"

"That's why we think it was a surprise attack," Pidge said, "The clone was every bit as strong and skilled as the real Shiro."

"But we didn't hear anything so we just don't know…"

Milo just shook his head, he couldn't argue with it. The full truth was that Lance wasn't there right then and so everything else was a possibility. But he didn't want to believe it.

He didn't want to believe that he was alone. Growing up he'd heard of the horrors of orphanages and foster care. He couldn't bare the thought of not having at least one member of his family. Lance had been the one that was most likely to still be alive. If he was dead…then…

Shiro moved to comfort him, but Farrah got there first. The Galra picked up the child and patted his back. At first Milo was shocked that the large purple alien was being nice, but he soon gave in to the comfort; pushing his face into the aliens shoulder.

"There is no shame in grieving," Farrah said, almost in a purr, "take the time you need."