Hi! Sorry I'm taking so long to update this story. This one is giving me a real brain-fart. Oh, well. I'm trying to fill in the plot holes from, like, this whole story. Clank (a guest I may or may not have mentioned) gave me a far-fetched idea, but it might work. Bleh, enough rambling. Let's get to it!
There is never enough rambling
No. Nonononononono! They couldn't be watching this… it would crush Keith!
Or would it crush him more? Shiro didn't know; all he did know is that he didn't want anyone watching this happen.
He, Matt, and Sam were digging the ice crystals out of Pluto's moon, Kerberos. Matt pulled a piece out, causing Sam to chuckle.
"Easy, son, this ice is delicate," he said, eyes twinkling with amusement.
"What's going on?" Piper asked. She noticed Leo starting to sit up, so she crouched over and helped him.
"Is this the Kerberos mission?" Keith asked with a shaky voice. Shiro just kept his eyes straight ahead. He really didn't want Keith to see this.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and urned to see Lance. He was gesturing to Keith, so Shiro went over and sat next to him.
"It's fine… really! You can tell I survived," he said, trying to lighten Keith's mood. He saw the ghost of a smile play on Keith's lips, and both boys turned back to watch the scene unfold.
"Amazing," said Matt, staring at the ice in wonder. "Isn't this exciting, Shiro?"
"You guys get a little more excited about ice samples than I do," Shiro said with a chuckle.
Shiro (the one in Tartarus) smiled. Pidge would be excited about this excursion. Well, they were all related…
"This is history in the making!" Sam exclaimed. "Not only have we traveled farther than any human ever has, but this ice could hold microscopic clues about the existence of life outside Earth!"
"Think of it, dad," Matt said, finally looking at his father. "We could use those clues to become the first people to meet aliens!"
The paladins smiled at that statement. Man, would that have been fun. Much better than being abducted.
"My life's work would be complete!" Sam said, big smile on his face. Shiro looked at them admirably.
The moon began to rumble.
"Is that an earthquake?" Piper asked.
"It's anything BUT an earthquake," Shiro mumbled, glancing at Keith. He was pale as Nico di Angelo.
"What is that? Seismic activity?" Sam asked. Lance chuckled, because he and Piper both had the same thought.
"We should get back to the ship," Shiro suggested uneasily.
A Galra ship appears, and they glance worriedly at Shiro.
"Wha? What is that?! It can't be…" Sam wondered.
"Run! Come on, run!" Shiro shouts desperately.
They watch as the trio tries to run from the ship, but it's literally impossible. The ship gets them.
It cuts to the inside of the ship, where Shiro, Matt, and Sam are shoved to their knees in front of a purple skinned creature.
"Emporer Zarkon, we were scouting system X-9-Y as ordered, when we found these primitive scientists. I don't think they know anything useful," said the Galra commander.
"What's his name?" Keith asked, gripping the blade that his mom had given him.
"I never got it," Shiro replied.
"Let's call him Bill," Lance suggested. Shiro choked out a chuckle.
"Take them back to the main fleet for interrogation," said Zarkon's voice. The paladins shivered and reached for their bayards subconsciously. "The druids will find out what they know."
Lance and Keith both turned to Shiro, eyes wide. This must be close to when he lost his arm, right?
"No, that happened a bit later," Shiro said.
"Please, we come from a peaceful planet!" past Shiro pleaded. Everyone in Tartarus snickered. Peaceful? Yeah, right. "W-we mean you no harm! We're unarmed!"
The Galra soldier behind him knocks him out, and the whole scene fades. Shiro rubbed the back of his head, phantom pains nearly making him pass out again.
"What?" Piper asked. She turned to the paladins, the rest of her question unspoken.
"That was a couple years ago," Shiro said. "When I still had two arms."
Nobody chuckled. Leo sat bolt upright.
"Guys! Do NOT fall asleep in Tartarus! It has to be the STUPIDEST THING YOU CAN DO EVER AND WHY AM I STILL TALKING?!!?!?!?" he said.
This earned a grateful chuckle from Shiro, and he watched as the landscape shifted to that of a space prison.
"What is this?" Keith asked. Lance's face paled, and they saw him walk into the room, talking to some kind of creature.
"Uh oh," he mumbled to himself.
"What?" Keith asked.
"Maybe I'm just a fifth wheel," said past Lance, looking toward the ground. "Seventh, if you count Coran and Allura."