Title: Trinity

Chapter: 21

Summary: Pidge, Hunk, and Lance set out on a routine mission…who thinks that is going to end well?

Rated: T

WARNING: MENTIONS OF SUICIDAL ACTION

Author's note: Set during season one - between Crystal Venom and Collection and Extraction

Hunk and Pidge were waiting in the cell when they heard footsteps coming down the hall. The door swung open and two guards came in dragging Lance between them. He was limp and unresponsive, his arm and leg were splinted and his shirt was torn mostly off a purple glow could be seen under his skin on his left side. They laid him in the middle of the cell and stepped back.

"What did you do to him?" Hunk rushed over and knelt at Lance's side.

"I have questioned him, Yellow Paladin." A dark voice answered emphasizing Hunk's title. A robed and masked figure entered the room. "He was not cooperative, but I have learned much anyway. Such as, how is your leg, Green Paladin?"

The druid swept over toward Pidge. The two guards that had carried Lance grabbed Hunk when he made a move to intercept and held him back. Pidge scooted as far back against the wall as she could. The druid reached down and ripped open her pant leg showing the red streak going all the way to the fabric at her hip.

"Surgery, perhaps? Take it off at the hip? I have something I've been wanting to try. She might survive." Pidge shivered at the cold tone.

A large Galra in full battle uniform walked in the cell along with Lieutenant Malek. He walked up behind Pidge and pulled a knife, he pulled her up to a standing position in front of him and placed the knife against her throat. "You can play with her if she survives the night."

"Oh, Hunk, or should I say Yellow Paladin." Malek sneered. He dropped a knife on the ground in front of Lance. "I told you that you would regret your decision, didn't I?" He walked over to Hunk and pointed to the knife by Lance. "Kill him or the General will dispatch the Green Paladin. We do not need three Paladins to question."

Hunk started in horror at the Galra general holding Pidge and at Lance lying unmoving on the floor. There was no way. No way he could do that.

"It's your choice. Kill him or she will die!" Malek was nearly gleeful at the panicked look on Hunk's face.

There was just no way for him to do it. He couldn't kill Lance and Pidge was going to die. He fell on his knees tears streaming. He didn't ask. He knew Malek would not have mercy. He looked down at Lance, he was lying so still and was so pale. This wasn't a choice. He couldn't kill either of them. This was impossible. He looked to Lance's face and was surprised to see that he had opened his eyes.

"It's okay", Lance slurred barely understandable and then before Hunk could even react he grabbed the knife and drove it into his broken arm, from his wrist nearly to his elbow. Hunk screamed, he knew he did, there was so much blood. From the other side of the room he could hear Pidge screaming and struggling, calling for Lance. Hunk rushed forward and wrapped his hands around Lance's arm trying to hold the skin together to stop the blood from escaping, desperate to try anything.

The Druid standing near the General hissed, "Cheating! Not allowed!" Purple flames flew from its hands and fell on Lance's wounded arm. The heat from the flames burned Hunk's hands and he pulled back in pain. Lance wailed. His body writhed on the ground, the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Hunk couldn't control the nausea and vomited. The fire burned the wound closed on his arm and stopped the bleeding. Malek laughed.

In the chaos no one saw Oman creep into the cell - that is no one but Pidge. For a big green turtle person he moved very quietly. When the druid struck Lance with the fire the General dropped her to enjoy the show. Pidge fell forward and crawled away into their corner. She wasn't retreating though, she had a purpose. As soon as she was away Oman made his move. He stepped behind the General and drew a blade across the General's throat. Purple galra blood splattered in the cell and he made gargled sounds as he fell.

Malek stopped laughing as Hunk stood and dove for him. One of the two guards turned to attack Hunk and pull him off of Malek and the other took aim at Oman. Pidge dove in front of Oman and as the blast reached her it was soaked into a green glowing shield. The druid began forming a ball of black and purple energy in front of it.

"See if your shield can absorb this!" It moved to finish it's spell when a thrown knife slammed into it's face, clear to the hilt.

"Guess I'm not the one with a broken brain now, huh?" Lance spat from where he kneeled on the floor as the druid fell lifeless.

Oman turned and tackled the guard who had shot at him, sending the blaster flying loose. Pidge scrambled to get the blaster. Hunk was still fighting two. He was not winning. Lance didn't have any other weapons at his disposal. When Hunk took a hard hit to his already wounded side and cried out in pain, Lance managed to get up enough to tackle the guard around the knees. He basically grabbed his legs and fell with him, knocking the guard to the ground. Lance didn't have the strength to hold him though, so the guard wasn't down long. He got up turned and kicked Lance in the side. Lance curled up in pain.

The guard grinned and leaned back to kick again when a shot fired from a blaster stopped him dead. Pidge moved to try to get a clear shot on one of the other combatants. Oman twisted behind the guard he was fighting and broke his neck. Hunk was not faring as well. Malek had him pinned agaisnt the wall. His arm pressed against Hunk's throat. Pidge fired and hit him in the shoulder forcing him to drop Hunk. Oman grabbed the blaster from the guard he had just taken out and pointed it at Malek's head.

"Stop. Now." Oman's voice didn't offer any other options.

"Are you going to kill me?" He sneered.

"That is up to the Yellow Paladin." Oman handed Hunk the weapon as he was climbing back to his feet. Hunk pressed the barrel against Malek's head right between his eyes. He wanted to, he really did, but at the same time he didn't. It wasn't him. It was what they tried to make him.

"We need him to get out of here." Hunk concluded. "Pidge, put the other shield on Lance. I'll use Malek for a shield."

He turned back to Malek, "Now we are going to march down to the hanger. You are going to let the other slaves go as we go past their cells. Then you are going to open the hanger and we are getting out of here."

"You'll never make it past the guards." Malek sneered.

"Actually, Paladin, I have already released the other slaves, they have secured the way to the hanger and have a ship ready." Oman smiled softly, pleased.

Hunk blinked a few times and then finally spoke, "Thank you."

"Thank you. I have lived in this world for over 10 decopheebs. You three gave me the courage to leave it behind. Let's go now and save as many as we can." Oman picked up Lance gently as Pidge had finished installing his shield and walked out into the hall.

Hunk gestured with the gun and Malek followed. Pidge brought up the rear limping heavily blaster at the ready. The Hasran cells were empty just as Oman had said. Up ahead Hunk could see the hanger doors were open and there were many Hasran slaves fighting a wave of droids coming up the main hall with a few Galran blasters. Several were using the shields like Pidge, apparently her theft had inspired them as well.

When they got to the crossroads the current wave of droids had been dealt with. Hunk saw several of the survivors from the arena on the front lines. One of them turned to him and saluted. Hunk nodded back.

"You know Malek. I've decided. I'm not going to do a thing to you. I won't kill you." Hunk stepped back and lowered the blaster.

"I will find you. I will hunt you down." Malek spat. "You will never be safe as long as I live."

"I said I wouldn't kill you. I didn't say I'd let you live." Hunk whispered as the blade of a sword pierced Malek from behind.

A Hasran slave woman hissed in Malek's ear, "That was for my brother, Marcus!"

Pidge pulled on Hunk's sleeve and guided him away from the mess. There would be time to deal later, now was the time for escaping. She was being aided by an older Hasran woman and her limp was getting worse. They led him to a large Galra shuttle, where many Hasrans were already boarding.

In the cockpit, Oman had sat Lance in the pilot's seat. He was doing his best to figure out the controls, but his breathing was labored and his good hand shook. He felt scrambled confused, like he couldn't remember something important, but he didn't remember what it was.

"Lance?" A gentle hand touched his shoulder.

"Lira?" He turned and smiled.

She smiled back and held out some bandages and salve, "May I dress your arm?"

Lance looked down at the broken arm in question. He wasn't questioning the numbness right now because it looked horrible. He couldn't even feel the broken bones in his wrist. Blistered and red and somehow the knife wound was already an ugly bumpy scar. He couldn't stop starring at it. He had almost killed himself. He was trembling when Lira touched his arm carefully and began applying the salve and wrapping it against a splint.

"I was glad to see Oman bring you through the door. Are all three of you, here?" She hardly dared to hope they had saved them all.

"Yes." No thanks to me, echoed in his mind.

"My heart is warmed. Perhaps some day my people will be able to make amends to the wrongs we have done to you." They were certainly going to try. It was time for the Hasran people to stand up to the Galra. When she got home she was going to do everything in her power to make it happen.

"Getting us out is a pretty big deal." Lance shook himself and tried to focus. He touched her arm with his other hand. "Thank you."

"Oh." She blinked back tears. "No, don't thank us even for that. It was the three of you who inspired our escape. We would never have done it on our own. Thank you." She kissed his forehead. She would see her son again because of the courage these human children had brought her.

He leaned into her touch. It reminded him so strongly of his mother. He heard movement and Hunk sat in the co-pilot seat next to him. He glanced over and a Hasran woman and Lira were now fussing at Pidge to sit down in another seat.

"Lance, are you sure you can do this?" Hunk asked.

"I'm sure if we wait too much longer I won't be able to. Fire it up, Hunk. I promised if you could start it, I could fly it." Lance's voice was so weak that Hunk literally had to lean closer to hear him. Hunk finally nodded and began starting the ship. Pidge was hacking into the computer and preparing to lower the forcefield over the hanger bay.

Lance turned his head to cough. It felt like he was being ripped in half, but he tried to downplay the pain for Pidge and Hunk. He was the pilot and it was his job to get his crew home. He wiped the blood he coughed into his hand on his pants leg. There was nothing to be done about that now. He wouldn't object to getting in a healing pod today, maybe it was time he got over that particular fear.

Oman stepped into the cockpit, "Everyone is aboard that is coming. Some have stayed and are attempting to take the base. With no leadership the remaining droids will not be as hard to defeat."

"Okay, engines are a go." Hunk announced as the ship roared to life.

Pidge closed the hanger doors that went into the ship and opened the forcefield.

"Let's go home." Lance whispered.