selena devargo - The next chapter is just as huge! And the best part is the end...something for the KA crew, and for you too!
KathDMD - I'm glad you love seeing Cross, because you are gonna be seeing alot of him! You are also gonna learn more about his past! And yes...Daddy's home. You will find out really quick how insane Zarkon's return will be!
Author's Note - This is the season wind-down, but it is still action packed! Please sit back and enjoy it! And while you are waiting for more, don't forget to read "In The End" by KathDMD, as well as "Deception" by selena devargo. These stories are tied so much to this one, and you will enjoy them!
Theme Music : "The Final Countdown" by Europe
Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP. Albegas is property of it's respective company. Space Marshall Lenora Hawkins is the property of KathDMD, as well as the OC members of the Albegas "Gladiator Voltron" team.
Episode 46 : The Countdown
"Father?" Lotor asked, confused as he ever was. "How can you possibly be here? You're dead!"
"Was I?" Zarkon asked, then let out an evil laugh. "Well it sure feels like I am very much alive, my idiot of a son!"
"But how?" Lotor asked. "You were turned into a robeast and destroyed by Voltron!"
"Is that what happened to me?" Zarkon asked. "I was wondering that myself. You see, let me explain something to you, 'son'. I had been ruling on Doom for years, building an empire. Then a bunch of human pilots came and tried to change history. When Haggar told me of this, I was distressed. But she said she would be able to save me from a fate she would not describe. She launched me into space in one of her coffins, and passed through a rift that was left by the Omega Comet. Time was indeed altered, by the looks of things, but I am here to pick up where others have failed. Unfortunately, it appears time has not helped you become less of a bumbler!"
"Then you are not my real father!" Lotor shouted, reaching for his sword. "And you do not have claim to MY throne!" Several guards came to him and grabbed his arms. Lotor struggled, and nearly broke free, but Zarkon leaped down the steps with the grace of a youth, and pulled a sword of his own, holding it to Lotor's neck.
"And you are not my real son," Zarkon said with a smile. "So ending your life would be nothing to me, right?"
"If you expect me to beg for mercy from a mere copy," Lotor said defiantly…and for the first time, not being afraid to die.
"Your majesty!" Haggar said, walking into the throne room. "I know there have been many times I have asked for Lotor's life to be spared."
"What are you up to, old witch?" Lotor asked her in his mind.
"If you want to keep your head attached to the rest of you," Haggar replied in thought, "You'd best go along."
"Speak up, witch!" Zarkon said, still holding his blade to Lotor's throat.
"If I was the one who rescued you from that fate," Haggar said, "then it should be of no consequence that I ask you to spare his life."
"If I let him live," Zarkon replied, "I shall be viewed as weak. He seems to think he has a challenge to my authority!"
"But sire," Haggar continued, "Lotor has delivered the entire Drule Empire into your capable hands! With you as emperor, think of the possibilities! And your son brought that about!"
"You are very convincing, old witch," he replied with a laugh. 'I'll spare the boy's life this time. But he better not fail me, or challenge my power, again."
"Yes, your majesty," she replied with a bow. She led Lotor out of the throne room.
"What is happening?" Lotor asked. "Why is he alive, and why have you fought to spare my life?"
"Aha!" Haggar replied with a laugh. "I have bigger plans for you than he can imagine. Unlike Zarkon, you still possess youth. And with my essence running through your veins…you are better off alive. For now." For the first time, Lotor thought about that statement…and had his first doubts about the course of the Supremacy.
The Voltron Force entered the control room of the Quantus base, meeting up with Colonel Cross. They lined up in front of him, and Cross walked up to them.
"Stormclaw says you are some of the finest pilots ever to come out of the Academy," he said. "On behalf of Quantus, I want to thank you." He saluted. "Now, on to more urgent matters. Along with the fleet that you confronted in the skies, there were ground troops that practically came out of nowhere. We have reason to believe the abandoned sections of the mining operation are currently housing several battalions of Drule soldiers left over from the original invasion. We need to find a way to flush them out so they can't pull this trick again."
"Sound idea," Roxy replied. "What do you propose as a plan of attack?"
"Here's what I had in mind," Cross replied. But he was interrupted by an incoming transmission. When he turned on the ultrawave, an all too familiar face appeared.
"Colonel Cross," Wade said in his most stern and official voice.
"Marshall Wade," Cross replied belligerently. "What do you want? And where are you so my men can take you out personally?"
"Now, Colonel," Wade said, "is that any way to speak to a superior officer?" He raised an eyebrow. "If I were you, I would do less talking and more listening. You see, those Drule troops you have been fighting from the mines…they are great in number. But that's not what I want you to focus on. I have to ask you, Colonel, how deep into the planet do you suppose those abandoned mines go?" Cross continued to stare at Wade's image, transfixed on him. "Let's just consider what would happen if, say, several tons of high explosives were strategically placed throughout the caves, and wired to explode on my command. What do you suppose would happen?"
"You know damn well what would happen," Cross said through his teeth. "And you'd take out every last troop you've got down there!"
"That is a sacrifice the Supremacy is willing to make," Wade replied. "The question is, Colonel, is it a sacrifice YOU are willing to make?"
"I won't let you get away with this!" Cross snapped. "The Galaxy Alliance will hunt you down wherever you are and bring you to justice!"
"Justice?" Wade asked, then let out a huge laugh. "I'll tell you want 'justice' is. I was told I was not worthy of piloting Voltron. I fought my way to the top of the Garrison brass to prove them all wrong. Then it was all taken away from me by a snot-nosed Lieutenant….a mere child that had no business being at the head of council! And all because of the favor of an even more corrupt Space Marshall. Please, Colonel, don't talk to me about 'justice'. Because I found it never comes. The only 'justice' I will ever have is the 'justice' I take." He paused for a moment, Cross' eyes narrowing. "You have one hour. I suggest you make arrangements to evacuate." The transmission ended.
"We have to find those explosives!" Cross shouted.
"We may not have enough time," JC said. "We should evacuate all personnel at once to minimize casualties. I hate to say it…but it looks like he's won."
"Not necessarily," Tails replied, walking over to the terminal. She began keying in codes, and a holographic model of the mines appeared in front of them. "While you were having your back and forth…" She snorted. "I was able to go over the positioning in my head." She tried to contain her laughter…before her dirty mind got her in trouble. "Marshall Wade is as strategic as they come. To ensure maximum destructive capability, you would need to place charges here….here….here and here." She pointed to different points on the map. "As you can see, this is the main cavern leading to the old processing facility. If we can utilize the utility shaft located in area six, a small unit could theoretically make their way to the positions in time and disarm the charges."
"I have a feeling we've just been volunteered for this mission," Seth laughed.
"No," Cross replied, "I am responsible for the operations here. It's my responsibility." He turned to the team. "Wade needs to realize he's not the only one that was rejected by a lion."
"Colonel," JC said, "On behalf of the team, we want to help you on this mission. The Drule forces are still down there. You will need all the help you can get. It seems Sergeant McGovern has a fairly good knowledge of the tunnel system. And the sooner we get moving, the better chance we have."
"Very well," Cross replied. "I'll have my men evacuate to the nearby moon and away further instruction."
"You ready for this?" JC said, turning to Roxy. She gave him a small smile, and as he put up his hand, she placed her palm on his.
"We're ready," she replied. "Let's bag us some Drules." They turned and ran from the room, Cross sending one final message before suiting up and following them to Area Six.
"Sir!" one of the soldiers said to Loken. "We've received word that Colonel Cross is evacuating the base!"
"While this is good news," Loken replied, "we can't be too cautious. He's not the type to just up and leave. I can almost feel his presence still very much on this planet, and fighting for it."
"What are your orders?" the soldier asked.
"Continue to place the charges as instructed," he replied. "Even if we give our lives in the service of the Supremacy, know full well that we have done our part to make life for our people better." He turned and started whispering to himself. "And with the glory of the fallen empire upon me, I will restore honor and dignity back to my family, and the Supremacy. The Alliance will pay for the atrocities it and Hazar have committed against my people."
The team and Colonel Cross carefully walked through the service entrance at Area Six, winding through the tunnels in search of the explosives.
"The first set of charges should be just up ahead," Tails said. Just then, blaster fire just missed her. "Yep, probably right here." Roxy reached out, the pistol forming in her hand, and fired several shots. She heard a thump, and saw one of the soldiers drop to the ground.
"I got you covered!" Roxy shouted. "Go for it!" Tails looked at JC, and JC's voltcom glowed. Two katanas slid out, and he ran out onto the fray. Tails followed him, generating a pair of axes. They saw a few Drule soldiers and several robot guards. Tails threw the axes, and they stabbed one robot and cut off the head of another. One Drule soldier came at JC with a metal staff, but JC swung hard, slicing the staff twice. Before he could react, JC kicked him hard, sending him flying to the ground.
"We have to find a way to help take them out," Seth replied, forming his crossbow.
"Maybe I can help," Dariana replied. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and suddenly it felt cold. He heard her whisper something he couldn't hear, but he knew what to do. He took aim and fired several bolts. They struck the remaining three Drule soldiers and froze them solid. Roxy fired one last round that hit the last robot in the face, causing its head to explode. It fell to its knees and flopped forward to the ground. Roxy twirled her guns and then made them vanish into her voltcom.
"That was good," JC replied, pulling the katanas back into his voltcom. Tails went to work fiddling with the circuitry, and with a snap, the service stopped ticking.
"Disarmed," Tails said, rubbing her hands together. "Yep, I'm that good." She looked at the others with her cheesy grin.
"Come on," Cross said. "We still have several more stations we need to diffuse." The team continued down the next corridor.
Wade paced back and forth in front of the window of his room in Castle Doom. The door opened slowly, and Commander Kala walked in. Without turning around, he responded.
"I was wondering when you would get here," he said. "I know you have some troubling news."
"General Kovinx reports that one of the detonation sites has been disarmed," she replied.
"I see Cross has fallen into my trap," he replied. "You do realize I fully expected this."
"He couldn't possibly be alone," Kala said. "You know that."
"Of course I know that," Wade replied. "No doubt those rookie cadets offered to go with him. But I have a little surprise for them all. I'll rid myself of Quantus, Cross, and Project Defender once and for all!"
"How?" Kala asked.
"Simple," Wade replied. "The final detonator will still cause a chain reaction in the lazon ore that will still rip the planet in two. When they come for it, the trap will spring, and the General and his men can escape with the Colonel and his cadet force trapped there. The planet will disintegrate around them, and their ships along with it."
"That's so devious!" Kala squealed. "Just the thought of you tearing apart a planet gives me chills!"
"I know in my shoes, you'd do the same," he replied with a grin.
"We're down to the last detonation site," Tails shouted, running ahead of the team. "It should be several hundred meters down this corridor." They ran through the cavern and came into an open area, then to a stop. Several dozen Drule soldiers pointed laser rifles at the team. They went to run, but General Kovinx stepped forward.
"I wouldn't try to run," he said in a booming voice. "One command from me, and this cavern will collapse with you and us in it." He pointed to the final detonator. "And I will do it." He looked over at Dariana, and raised an eyebrow. "What are you, a fellow Drule, doing amongst these humans?"
"These humans are my friends!" she shouted. "And my family!" He laughed.
"Family is nothing," he shouted back. "Honor and dignity is. Dedication to your homeworld. You want to be a traitor? You will suffer with your 'family'. Take them. Tie them all to the reactor!" The soldiers grabbed them. Dariana fought back. She reached out and froze one of the soldiers, then tried to launch a charger at the General. But when she did, the General reached out his hand. "Strength within, bend the wind!" A gust of air wrapped around the charger and flung it back at Dariana, knocking her down. He approached her, staring down at her. "I don't know where you came from, but you are no match for a true lamia." He reached out and pulled his hand back hard, knocking the wind out of her and causing her to pass out. They were tied to the detonator, and the General looked over them one last time.
"You can't do this!" Cross shouted. General Kovinx leaned in, his face inches from Cross'.
"Yes I can," Loken replied. He waved to his men, and they left the cavern. JC looked over at Tails.
"Tails," he said, "how much longer before this thing blows?"
"If wade wasn't lying to us," Tails replied, "less than five minutes."
"Our Voltcoms aren't going to be any good with our arms tied back like this," Seth said.
"My cache might," Cross replied. He pressed a button, and blades stuck out of his weapons cache. He jerked upwards, and they sliced the bindings, freeing his right arm. He held it out, and a multi-bladed staff appeared. He turned and swung, slicing through their bindings, freeing them.
"Now we can go after them!" Roxy shouted.
"Hang on, Roxy," JC said. "We need to stop this thing from exploding. Tails?" She looked around it.
"They got this thing locked down tight," she replied. "Anything I do is gonna make it blow in my face." She snickered, then became serious.
"What can we do?" JC asked.
"We can freeze it," Seth replied. He shook Dariana, who was coming to. "Dari….can you help me freeze this thing? Like before?"
"I'm so weak," she replied. She placed a hand on her shoulder, and he felt her cold energy flowing into him.
"Stand back!" he shouted. The crossbow formed and fired a large bolt at the device, which froze it solid. Tails looked around it. Dariana collapsed, and Seth helped her up.
"This isn't gonna hold," Tails replied. "At most, you bought us another fifteen minutes. We need something with more power."
"I think I have an idea!" Seth replied. "We need to get back to the ships!"
"Voltron?" Tails asked. "Of course! If the Aquatic Bow can store enough of a charge, we may be able to stabilize it enough to move it!"
"Then let's get going!" Seth shouted. "We don't have a lot of time!" They ran back through the cavern, headed for the surface.
Loken boarded a cruiser left behind at the base along with his men. As he stepped onto the bridge, he opened a communications channel.
"Marshall Wade," he said, "the plan was a success. The intruders are trapped in the cave with the detonation device. It should explode in a matter of moments."
"Excellent," Wade replied. "Return to Castle Doom. We will discuss further plans." The ship took off into the air and shot into the sky.
The team and Colonel Cross ran from Area Six to where the jets were. Cross boarded Black with JC, and they placed their keys and took off.
"How are power levels?" JC asked.
"As good as she's gonna get," Seth shouted.
"Let's do this," JC said. "Ready to form Voltron. Activate interlocks! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Megathrusters are go!"
"Let's go Voltron Force!" they shouted. The ships flew up in wing formation, and as the energy field took hold, switched to star formation.
"Form feet and legs!" JC shouted. "Form arms and torso! And I'll form the head!" Voltron arched back as the energy field dissipated, its eyes lighting up with power. Seth pulled the control panel.
"Let's get down to business," he said. "Take us in!" Dariana keyed in some codes, and Tails and Roxy pulled several levers. Voltron flew at full speed towards Area Six.
"Ignite Jet Torches!" JC shouted. Searing Flames erupted from Voltron's hands, and they crashed through the surface of the planet, heading for the cavern.
"Be careful with the flames," Tails said. "We don't want to set off the lazon." Voltron crashed through the roof of the cavern and landed in front of the charge.
"We need to work fast!" JC said.
"We got this, dude," Seth shouted. "Form Aquatic Bow!" Voltron reached above and pulled down. A stream of water flowed in a strait line and froze, forming the bow. Voltron took aim and fired several bolts at the device, freezing it into a heavy chunk.
"Form Blazing Chargers!" dariana shouted. The spikes formed in Voltron's hands, and he launched them at the ice, grappling on.
"Let's get it out of the caves!" JC shouted. He hit the buttons, and Voltron took off through the tunnel they created and out of the caverns. Once far in space, Voltron pulled hard, sending the device flying into the distance.
"Now it's my turn!" Roxy shouted. "Draw Magma Pistols!" Voltron pulled from its hips and the pistols formed in his hands. He took aim and fired several shots, shattering the ice, and causing the device to detonate, exploding harmlessly in space. The evacuees, who sat in ships a short distance from them began to cheer and shout….Voltron had saved Quantus again.
"I wish we could have gotten Wade," Cross said, "or at least stopped that General."
"Well, we managed to save Quantus," Roxy said, and it looks like the Drules have been flushed from the caverns. Hopefully mining operations can continue now."
"Thanks to you all," Cross said.
"And you, sir," JC said. "You came through for us too."
"Back in my academy days," he said, "I was like Wade. I was cocky and arrogant. When I had caught the attention of the Voltron Force, I was put to the test, just like Wade was. I was placed with Team Blue….and it rejected me. But I knew it was because I was destined for something greater. Wade never learned that lesson. Fate chooses your path for a reason. You may not understand that reason, but you know your life will be richer for it."
"Well said, sir," Roxy replied. Seth walked over to dariana, who was staring out a window.
"What's wrong, Dar?" he asked.
"That General was a lamia," she said. "I felt it. You saw it. He overpowered me easily."
"It's ok," he replied. "We'll catch him."
"No, Seth," she said, "you don't understand…..he's my father."
Keith stared intently at the viewscreen, monitoring a video surveillance. Allura came in to the control room, a look of concern on her face. He felt her presence, but did not turn to look at her.
"Intelligence reported another attack by Lotor and Maahox," he said. "These Drule attacks seem completely random. What the hell is he planning?"
"You might be thinking about this too much," Allura said, wrapping her arms around him. He let out a sigh.
"We can never be too careful," he said. "How is the…."
"We're fine," she said smiling, placing a hand on her stomach. Keith smiled.
"I'm going to have Daniel and Lance check it out," he replied. "There has to be a pattern." Suddenly the com beeped. Keith turned on the ultrawave, and a young woman in a very form fitting Garrisson uniform stared back at them. Allura looked at her long blonde hair and stunning features….and almost thought she might have been looking in a mirror.
"Commander Kogane," she said. "I'm Lieutenant Fabrere, Acting First Officer of Garrisson headquarters. I wanted to first check up on the security measures you were performing prior to the grand opening of the academy, per Commander Stormclaw's orders."
"We are investigating some minor disturbances," he replied. "Once I am convinced there is no threat, I will let you and the Commander know."
"The other issue I needed to discuss is a piece of intelligence that came into my possession," she replied. "Our sources said they saw an object come out of a rift in the Middle Universe and head for Doom. We are not sure what it could have been, but if the Drules are involved, it's probably not good."
"Do you want us to investigate?" Keith asked.
"Just keep those pretty little eyes peeled for us," she replied with a wink. Allura huffed, but still could not take her eyes off her. "We'll be in touch." The screen went blank.
"I'm not liking this one bit," he replied.
"That wasn't who I think it was….was it?" Allura asked.