Keith staggered toward the hangars with the other druids, guiding Haggar with an arm around her shoulders. A group of galra were trying to extinguish a fire, but the flames were only leaping higher beyond control. Keith shouted, "Apothica, get the others to safety! I'll meet you outside!"

"Where are you going?"

Keith ran the other direction and heard Haggar screech after him, "Keitaran, come back!"

Keith shouted as he passed the galra, "Get out of here! The ship is lost!" He didn't wait before he was running again. The ship was rocked again by another blast and he slid into the wall. He choked on smoke making his bruised and probably broken ribs hurt more. A group of soldiers passed and he desperately asked, "My daughter! Have you seen my daughter!"

"No, my lord, but the bridge and port-side are lost!"

Keith coughed again and ran on. Where would she go? The ship could blow at any moment! He wasn't sure how much time passed before there were no more officers. More explosions were going off every second. In panic, he shouted as loud as he could, "Rhea, where are you!"

"Daddy!"

He turned toward the small sound and answered, "I'm coming, Rhea! Keep talking!"

"Daddy, help! Keef!"

He shouldered aside some debris and spotted her cowering beside an examination table in the med ward. He grunted and coughed blood before he vanished and appeared beside her. She was coughing hard on black smoke that gathered in the room, staining the white walls with soot. Keith coughed and picked her up. "Hang on, sweetie. Daddy's going to get us out of here."

He held her face against his shoulder and closed his eyes. When he looked around, they were outside and he fell to his knees. He was shaking so hard he couldn't keep a hold on Rhea. Even staying upright was nearly beyond him. It was too much. He had never tried to phase so far. Rhea was crying into his shoulder when he raised his gaze. He wished he hadn't.

A ship approached at high speed, canons primed and aimed where they sought shelter in the shadow of the burning starship. He closed his eyes and whispered to Rhea, "Don't open your eyes. I love you, Rhea."

Kolivan rolled to his feet as dust blew over them when the ship's fuel lines exploded. Sendak was seen retreating to a fighter that had landed a short distance away but the witch was gone. Her druid was collapsed on the ground. He reached toward Krolia and called, "Are you alright?"

Krolia nodded, scanning the area. Her eyes went wide and she shouted, "There's another volley!"

Kolivan ran to her and covered her body turning his back to the explosion. He groaned as his armor took the brunt of the force. Alphonse said from behind his shield beside Gnov, "We have to go! We aren't prepared to handle this!"

"The druid?"

Alphonse shook his head. "It's not him."

"We should still take them."

Kolivan grit his teeth and said, "Go to the ship, I'll handle the druid."

Krolia ran to Alphonse and he backed toward the ship with his shield and sword drawn while Gnov protected Krolia's side. Kolivan approached the druid and crouched before lifting their form over his shoulders. He was just about to stand when a streak of ivory hair caught the corner of his vision. Before he could react, Lotor slammed into his side and Kolivan dropped the druid.

"Lotor, stop!"

It was too late. Lotor stood over the druid's body with Keith's luxite blade buried in their chest. His hand was shaking on the hilt, his other reaching to lift the mask. He froze upon seeing the face of the druid and said just over the sound of distant explosions, "It's not him."

Kolivan watched the druid's chest convulse as their lungs filled with blood. A line of red trailed down their cheek from one nostril and the druid growled, "You don't deserve him. You're nothing compared to him."

Lotor's lip twisted and his arms were quaking. "No, he's a villain!"

Kolivan lunged for Lotor before he could stab the druid again and demanded, "Stop, Lotor! We need him alive!"

"No! No, I have to finish this!"

"You stupid boy!" His next words were drowned out as another ship descended. The engines squealed while the guns fired upon Sendak's ships even as Kolivan screamed, "No! Keith!"

A lion roared, waking Lance up from where he lay. With increasing dread, he forced himself to his feet and he scrambled up to the top of the hill before standing and viewing the plateau. Sendak's ship lay on its side engulfed in flames, but before it stood the black lion. Between his lion and Krolia's ship stood the blue lion beside another destroyer. A white line traced down the length of its side, the signature of the black lion's jawblade.

The others ran up to his side and Allura asked, "What happened!"

Lance wiped blood from his jaw and answered, "Lotor interrupted the truce. His ship blew up Sendak's after he knocked me out. I don't know more than that."

Allura gasped and covered her mouth. "Look! Beneath your lion!"

"Oh god, it's Keith!" Pidge exclaimed.

Hunk ran toward his lion. "We have to get down there!"

"Lance, with me," Allura called.

Keith looked up as a surge of energy made him gasp. "Black?"

Rhea said excitedly, "Kitty!"

Keith held her face in his hands and looked her over, but the small burns were gone. She wasn't even coughing anymore! The black lion purred and turned to face them, crouching on his chest. Keith reached out and stroked the large cat's face. "Rhea, this is Obelier. He is one of my closest companions."

"Obel?"

The lion huffed hot air at them, blowing Rhea's hair and making her giggle. Keith stood and reached for Rhea's hand. "Stay with Obelier, Rhea. He will keep you safe. I have to make sure everyone else is safe and then I will return to you." He helped her step into the lion's mouth and said, "Take her to her mother."

The lion purred and put his chin to Keith's forehead before turning and running. Keith ran across the plateau where Serad and Kolivan waited beneath the blue lion. From the corner of his eye, he watched the black lion jump into the air. Then he vanished.

Serad was completely still when Keith appeared beside him. Keith's own mask was lying on the ground. "No! No, Serad!" He slid in the dirt to his knees and checked for a pulse. Keith grit his teeth when he recognized the knife in Serad's chest. He looked to Kolivan where he noticed for the first time that his step-father held back a familiar man. Keith growled through his teeth, "Did you do this, Lotor?"

Lotor lifted his chin and sneered, "Who else?" Keith's hand twitched, but he refused to draw his altean dagger. Lotor snarled, "Are you afraid to challenge me to a duel?"

Keith narrowed his eyes. "You don't even know what I'm capable of." He reached over Serad, removed the blade from his chest and flicked it into the dirt. He lifted Serad into his arms and stood with the pride of his galra heritage. "I hold to the honor of the armistice, Imperial Prince Lotor. It saddens me that you've stooped so low. The blood of the fallen rests solely upon you." He met Kolivan's eyes and nodded respectfully. "I'm sorry the truce was a failure." Then he vanished with Serad's body.

"Keith! Keith!" Alphonse went to where the luxite blade rested buried in the blood stained soil and pulled it from the ground. "Kolivan, where is he? He was here! I felt him!"

"He's gone, Alphonse."

Alphonse was about to ask another question when he noticed Lotor being held in check. He gripped the bloody luxite blade in a white knuckled hand and held the edge to Lotor's throat. "What did you do?"

Lotor leaned away from the blade as far as he could, but clenched his jaw and refused to answer. Alphonse stepped back, his breath stuttering between his teeth, and held his head. Tears threatened to fall. His voice shook in anger. "You broke the armistice, you stubborn fool! Do you even realize what you've done?!"

He glared at Lotor with ice in his gaze. Then the other lions landed and the paladins dropped in beside him. Alphonse asked, "Where's Black, Lance?" Lance didn't answer. Alphonse growled, "Take Prince Lotor to the castle and incarcerate him as a traitor to the empire."

"What!?" Lotor shouted.

Allura asked, "Are you sure, uncle?"

"Take him before I do something I will regret."

Lance went to Kolivan and gestured with a jerk of his head to Hunk. Lance nodded and took hold of the prince's arm. Kolivan nodded back before releasing Lotor. Hunk grabbed Lotor's other arm and they led him aboard the yellow lion.

Pidge put a hand on Alphonse's shoulder and whispered, "You need to calm down."

Alphonse shrugged her off and stomped away. When he was far enough, he fell to his knees and screamed. This had been his last hope of bringing his son home. Keith hadn't wanted war. Everything they'd done had been for nothing. Maybe Lance was right. Maybe they shouldn't have let Keith suffer through this mission. He hugged himself and cried.

"Alphonse?" Alphonse jumped when Lance put a hand on his shoulder and sat beside him. "You doing alright?"

Alphonse glanced sideways at Lance. "That's what I should be asking you. How's your head?"

Lance reached up where his hair was clumped with blood. "I'll be fine." He admired the ship burning in the distance and said, "Keith is alright. He wasn't killed when the ship went down. Black helped him and his daughter get to the Retribution."

"It's just... I thought this was going to be the end, Lance. I wanted to bring him home. To tell Krolia what he's been doing and let her feel the pride that I do for him."

Lance's arm wrapped around Alphonse's shoulder and he said, "I know. We'll bring him home soon. I promise."

"Serad!" Apothica burst into tears when she saw Keith holding her brother's motionless body. She met him halfway and cupped Serad's cheek. "No, not him."

Keith's cheeks were wet with silent tears. "I'm sorry, Apothica. I was too late."

She cried out and fell to her knees, wailing louder than he'd ever heard from her. Keith knelt with her and she carefully lifted Serad from his arms and held him to her chest. She rocked his body gently, murmuring his name over and over. Keith placed a hand over Serad's face, then hugged her and kissed her forehead before standing and walking to the bridge of the Retribution.

Without a word, he went to the captain's chair and opened a channel. "This is Prince Keitaran, son of Witch-Empress Honerva, hailing all vessels of the Flame of Purification and those responsible for protecting the colonies loyal to our cause. The armistice has been compromised and the empire cannot be trusted. I repeat, the empire has betrayed the truce agreement and we are now at war. Vessels within the Yoluak system are to form up on the Retribution. All others remain vigilant and await further orders."

He closed the channel and rubbed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he looked around the cabin, the worried eyes of his crew were on him. Acxa guided him to sit in the his chair and squeezed his shoulder. Keith leaned sideways on one armrest and said quietly, "Someone try to get a hold of Sendak. Find out if he's still alive."

"Daddy?"

Keith smiled weakly and reached out as Rhea climbed into his lap. She tucked her head under his chin and he held her in his arms. "Did you like Obelier?"

"Uh-huh! He's really gentle like Kova!"

Keith felt a swell of warmth as Black purred in the back of his mind. He whispered conspiratorially, "He likes you too, Rhea. He looks forward to seeing you again."

"Really!?" She squealed in delight, bopping his jaw with the top of her head in excitement.

Keith chuckled weakly and fell back into the headrest. They were alright for the moment. Nothing more could have been done. The screen lit up and Keith nodded in greeting. "Sendak, where are you?"

"I'm aboard one of our fighters that landed during the empire's attack. I received your message. When we land, I will rally my fleets and meet the empire head on."

Keith nodded again. "Very well. The nearest colonies are five quintants away. I will be in contact to discuss our battle tactics."

"Vrepit sa," Sendak answered in surprisingly curious camaraderie.

Keith closed the channel and stood. "Maintain our heading. Summon me if I am needed."

Acxa followed a step behind as he held Rhea's hand and led them to their chambers. Haggar was waiting in the main room when they entered. Acxa motioned Rhea to her and they went to the girl's bedroom. Keith heard the music box begin to play again. He went to Haggar who stood silent with her face hidden by the depths of her hood. He began, "Mother, I-"

The slap was weak, more startling than anything. Haggar held her wrist in her other hand and raised tear filled eyes to his face. "Do not scare me, my son. Never run off like that again."

Keith bit his lip and hugged her. He had truly thought they were going to die on that planet. "I'm sorry, mother. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm sorry."

"I can't lose you too, Keiteran. Not you as well. Serad, my loyal Serad..."

Keith guided her to his and Acxa's room and settled her in bed. "Rest, mother. Just rest."

Keith turned down the lights and held Honerva's hand until she sobbed herself to sleep. When he entered Rhea's room, Acxa was humming along to the song of the music box and Rhea blinked sleepily with a dreamy smile. Keith hit the switch on the wall and the music box cast lights in the form of a star chart onto the ceiling. Keith sighed bitterly when he recognized the galaxy where Altea and Daibazaal had been located.

Keith motioned Acxa over and whispered, "Haggar's in our room. You stay with Rhea and I'll sleep on the couch."

Acxa shook her head and kissed him. Her mouth was gentle and slow against his. He kissed her back, eyes closing in relief. Today had been too close. So many things had nearly ended everything. He whispered between kisses, "I want you and Rhea to disappear. You have to take her and hide."

"No, my love. We are strong together, so I will not do as you ask. After today I realize I cannot leave your side. I've never been so afraid I'd never see you again. If you die, I'm going to die beside you."

Keith felt hot tears cross his cheeks again. "Fuck, I love you, woman. I love you more than I know how to say." He kissed her one last time and asked an impossible oath. "Promise me nothing will happen to you or Rhea."

Without a breath of pause, she answered, "I swear on the life of our unborn child, my heart."

Keith stepped back in mild confusion. He held unwavering eye contact as her insinuation forced him to ask, "Acxa... Are you pregnant? The pills?"

Acxa nodded. "I lied about the cause of my nausea and I have not told anyone, Keith. I... I was afraid you would be angry. But then you brought home Rhea and..."

Keith hugged her and held the back of her head. He smiled. A child. Another baby. He asked, "How... How far along are you?"

"Twenty two pheobs. In another few weeks, the nausea will be gone, but I will start showing my condition soon after that. We cannot hide it from Haggar once that happens."

Keith did the math. Three months. They had maybe three months to bring the war to an end and cure Honerva. He sighed and answered, "I'll take care of it."

"Daddy?"

Acxa and Keith went to the bed. Keith sat beside her and brushed her hair off her forehead. "Yes, sweetie?" Her only response was to open her arms. Keith moved the music box to the shelf and laid down beside her. She tucked herself against him, her breath hot on his neck. Without thinking, he began to sing along with the lullaby. Then Acxa settled in behind Rhea and hummed along. When the music box stopped, they were all asleep.