Chapter 36 – Bridges
"I don't like it," Lance said flatly, trailing behind Allura. His hands were folded behind his head casually.
"I told you," she warned.
The entourage made their way through the halls, Stanson and Rodgers leading them toward one of the barracks in hopes of finding clothing that wasn't military-issued.
"This is really dangerous," Hunk muttered.
"If anyone can think of a better idea, I'm more than listening," she replied tartly. Her eyes kept flashing to Lotor, checking him for a reaction. His face had remained impassively cold ever since she had suggested they scout out the neighboring urban area. She squirmed at the frosty demeanor. Her heart cracked. Did I go too far? After everything we've endured, did I finally cross the line?
"Tactically, this is an absolutely terrible idea," Talor muttered. "But… …I cannot think of a better one. Just leaving them would be…" He trailed off, unable to find a succinct way to describe the travesty it would become.
"Hey, on the bright side, we may get to actually fight some people!" Anar and Cossack seemed to be the only two who expressed any enthusiasm for the dangerous suggestion the Director had hazarded. A wry smile curled at her lips at the sound of Anar's knuckles cracking.
"Here we are," Stanson stopped abruptly and pushed the door open to the spacious, tiled floor of the men's locker room. "Pile on in. We're strongest as a group."
Allura blinked and stepped out of the way to allow everyone to walk past her.
"You, too, Director," Stanson nodded inside.
"But it's-"
"No one else is in here but us, and Rodgers and I certainly don't intend to undress in front of you. Come help us rifle through other people's things."
"Stars," she cursed darkly, following behind him. He locked the door from the inside to prevent any unexpected vigilantes catching them by surprise. Allura crossed her arms over her chest uncomfortably, watching as the rest of her team began opening tall, metal lockers and looking for less conspicuous clothes for the two Colonels.
"Found some jeans!" Hunk cried cheerfully, chucking the pants across the room. "See if those would fit either of you."
"Hey there's a hairbrush here," Lance called out.
"Soap!" Pidge joined in the scavenger hunt.
"Oh, pistol," Anar murmured thoughtfully, checking the laser pack on it to see if it were charged. Finding it to be in working order, he tucked the barrel into his waistband.
"Dude, at least find a holster," Lance admonished, glancing at the dangerous weapon storage. Anar rolled his eyes and hunted through the storage container to see if it housed a complimenting holster.
The Drule cursed sharply when something heavy and leather collided with the side of his head. His molten gold eyes snapped across the room to a snickering Lance before he pulled the holster off his shoulder and affixed it at his hip.
"This is barbaric," Allura murmured suddenly, stopping everyone short as they turned to look at her.
"Allura," Pidge began. "We gotta find something for them to wear. That, or we leave this place."
"You were the one speaking with Devins when he said people were targeted and assassinated for wearing Alliance uniforms. We must protect our own," Keith reminded her, looking up from a duffel bag he had pulled out.
"I… yes, you're right, I apologize," she murmured, touching her forehead. Her frame sagged weakly.
"What is it?" Lotor touched her shoulder gently, speaking for the first time since her terrifying proposition. She exhaled deeply, both in relief that he was still communicating with her as well as to muster her energy.
"I… It's… all… each of these items belong to someone. Or… they used to. And most – possibly all of those people are… realistically… no longer living. It feels… odd to make a game of it, or to be so… lighthearted. At least to me," she explained. She blew her breath sharply out her nose and leaned against a wall, distancing herself from the activity.
The men standing in the upturned locker room stayed quiet, a feeling of modest shame weighing on them.
"We will attempt some reverence," Talor promised, turning back to his current conquest.
"Jeans are too small for me," Stanson said, throwing them to Rodgers.
"These can work for me. One item down."
The once-playful chatter had settled into a more somber, practical dialog. Allura couldn't fault them for scrambling for supplies – it was her reckless decision to stay on Earth in the first place. She couldn't ask her Guard – and by extension her Voltron Force – to engage with an enemy with a target painted on them.
"Thank you," she murmured quietly, appreciative as they took their task more seriously.
"Allura, you ah…" She glanced over to Hunk curiously as he spoke up. He was watching her with what appeared to be bemused concern.
"Yes?"
"…You probably don't want to lean against that wall," he said gently.
"Whyever not?"
Lance, in response, pointed to something beside her. Allura's eyes followed his gesture to the nearby vertical ceramic basin.
"I don't understand," she said blankly. While Hunk fumbled with finding the right words for a seemingly delicate situation, Lance required no such elegance.
"You're in the splash zone," the he replied tactlessly. Allura stilled and slowly peeled herself off the wall, brushing her hand over her side as if dusting off her flight suit. She wordlessly walked to the sink and quickly washed her hands. Stars, grant me patience, she prayed.
It took the better part of an hour to scour through all the lockers to try and find some clothing items that would be suitable for the Colonels, but the mission had been successful. The former Alliance officials were garbed in civilian-quality clothing.
"Ready?"
"Gods above, yes," Allura muttered. "Let me out of here."
Cossack laughed genuinely in response. The soldiers quieted as they opened the door, peeking down the hall to make sure it was still clear before filing out. There wasn't a soul to trouble them.
"To the ships," Allura said before taking her pace down the hall back toward the roof access she and Keith had parked above.
"Not ideal," Anar commented, halting the woman. She looked over her shoulder weakly.
"How so?"
"You have five lions that are quite large. The rest of us came in a single warship. None of those vessels will be able to land in a dense urban environment without causing significant structural damage," he explained.
"Well, then how do we get there?" Hunk spoke up.
"We could walk, it's just across those bridges over the water, but it's still pretty far," Keith speculated.
"It would take another hour at least," Allura protested.
"Moreover, walking would be the least defensive form of travel." Talor nodded, his slender arms crossing over his chest. "Exposed on a bridge, no cover, and only one of two directions to move."
"So… then what?"
"I've got an idea," Lance said slowly, grinning.
"I hope it's better than Allura's," Cossack muttered, earning him a glare from the smaller Director.
"Lance, once we live through this, I'd like to know where you learned how to hotwire," Allura shouted over the roar of the wind in her face.
Once the team had located two open-air light utility vehicles that hadn't been completely destroyed, it had taken the ace an alarmingly short amount of time to start them up – without any ignition devices.
Keith sat at the wheel of one, Talor in his passenger seat and Lotor, Allura, and Anar standing in the back, holding the crash bar for support.
Lance had command of the second with Hunk on his right with Cossack, Stanson and Rodgers in the back and Pidge seated comfortably upon the rollbar itself.
Allura glanced to the man next to her when he placed his palm over hers on the bar. She flashed him a weak smile and he returned it with a grim nod. Between the noise of the engines and the air racing past them, words were lost to the environment.
She wished she could apologize to him, but she stood by her decision. As she turned her eyes forward to watch the buildings in the distance rise against the horizon, Lotor slid his palm under hers, threading his fingers through hers in a promise of protection.
A blush bloomed bloomed over her cheeks and she felt her heart swell. She glanced across the passengers seated below and to the occupants of the vehicle drifting beside them.
I am supported, she realized, squeezing Lotor's palm in response. The gods have given me far more than my due. If we cannot resolve this destruction, then I can at least breathe in that I attempted everything I could.
Still, as the cityscape loomed closer, Allura had her doubts on what was left to heal. Buildings appeared dim, vehicles stalled in the street.
Lotor's hand moved swiftly from her palm to her back with Keith downshifted the rover and her weight rocked back unexpectedly. She smiled her thanks as he steadied her.
The vehicles slowed to a stop and the Consortium Cadre surveyed the urban area around them silently.
"Perhaps… this is a fool's errand," Allura murmured after a moment.
Wordlessly they piled out of the vehicles.
Keith glanced over to her fallen expression and just shrugged.
"We can leave whenever you're ready," he said gently. The buildings appeared to be just as empty as the base had been, the city abandoned.
"I… I don't know what I expected to find," she murmured, wandering slowly down one of the paved roads, gently stepping around an upturned vehicle.
The cock of a pistol caught her attention and she swiveled to look as Talor leveled his weapon at a window.
"I saw movement, use caution, Director," he said. Lotor's sword was out of its sheath in seconds, the hum of lazon resonating in a warm familiarity to Allura. Her own pistol stayed at her side as she looked back to the glass that had caught Talor's attention.
"Hello?" She called out, taking a step closer.
"I advise against that," Anar murmured stiffly. Keith's firearm was out and he backed toward Allura, covering the rear as Lotor swiftly joined her side. The large group closed rank, a mixture of wariness and determination. Allura found herself swallowed into the center, protected by her Guard and teammates. She acknowledged the warm sensation briefly before returning to business.
Without warning, Lotor released a Drulish warcry as he launched himself at a shadowed figure.
"Holy shit man! What the hell!?" The human blinked up at the Drule towering over him, pinning him to the ground, the lazon sword dangerously close to his throat.
"Identify yourself," the silver-haired Director demanded as Allura rushed to his side.
"Please don't hurt him, Lotor," she said softly, touching his arm. The warlord softened, but did not withdraw his blade.
"You're… you're Allura! The High Diplomat! You've returned!"
Allura blinked at the strange recognition she had received twice in a single day.
"Yes, but who are you?" She gently nudged Lotor's hand again. He gave her a tense look before stepping off his target, but the blade remained in hand.
"Scott! Is that you?" Stanson and Rodgers jogged over as the man stood up. His wary look at Lotor shifted to surprise as he recognized two of his former officers.
"How did you two end up with this lot?" He canted his head to the side, eyeing them with disbelief. His eyes skimmed the full expanse of the group and released a low whistle.
"The legendary Voltron Force in full, Crown Prince Lotor, and… others," he trailed off, eyeing Talor's weapon.
Allura exchanged a blank look with her husband before looking back to the man.
"Perhaps some introductions are in order," she suggested gently. "You seem to know most of us, but we don't really know you. Moreover, I don't believe my husband will be putting away his sword until we learn more about you. He's a little protective." As she added the last line as a whisper, Lotor snorted in response while his eyes tracked the potential threat in front of him with the lethality of a predator.
"Your… …wait," the stranger blinked, looking between the former Diplomat of the Galaxy Alliance and the most infamous warlord in Drule history. Allura smiled warmly and nodded, wrapping both her palms around Lotor's left arm, intentionally leaving his sword-wielding hand free.
"I don't know if I trust this guy," Lance murmured, his own weapon drawn but not aimed at anyone. Talor had yet to lower his firearm. "He's from the Galaxy Alliance, Allura-"
"Please do not say that so loudly," the stranger hissed at Lance sharply. "You'll get me killed!"
"Yup, that settles it," Lance nodded sagely.
Allura scowled at the red pilot in response.
"Let's go somewhere less open, and I can explain," the man offered.
Allura looked to Lotor in concern.
"What should we do?" Her words were a whisper. He studied her expression for a moment before his serpentine eyes glanced to the Colonels.
"You know him, correct?" When they only nodded in answer, he continued. "Do you trust him?"
"Yes," Rodgers replied. "I don't want to go into details about how we know each other publicly, given the nature of what's going on, but I believe us to be safe in his company."
Lotor nodded once and sheathed his sword at last, tossing a dangerous look to the newcomer.
"Very well. Show us." He kept himself bodily between the ex-soldier and his wife, golden eyes trailing the human like a hawk as Scott carefully made his way around them, keeping his hands in plain sight.
"This way," he encouraged before walking down one of the streets. Lotor was right behind the man, and the one time Allura attempted to walk beside him, his hand on her hip shifted her a step behind. A flash of irritation laced through her at the dominating gesture but quickly subsided at the stress tick in his jaw.
He's worried, she realized with bemusement. She also understood that it wasn't an emotion he would display openly, manifesting instead through his possessive traits. Her right hand grasped his left - still conscious that his dominant hand may need his weapon - and gave his palm a light squeeze in acknowledgement.
Let me defend you.
A warm feeling blossomed across her chest as she willingly walked a step behind him, letting his body be her shield and his sword be her champion.
"Here," the stranger stopped, pushing open a door and walking inside. Lotor's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as he cautiously stepped through the doorway. Allura gave him a moment before following.
"Oh," she breathed, finding herself standing in a living room. An old sofa rested against a wall with a window behind it, a canvas curtain covering the glass. A worn table was in the center of the room, benches lining either side of it. Turning in a circle, her eyes noticed bookshelves with tomes, trinkets and decorations. A doorway led to an open kitchen and candles burned about the room, giving the home a cozy feeling. A painting of a meadow hung on one of the walls and a wedding portrait graced the other.
The rest of the Consortium trickled in behind her, displaying similar reactions of surprise.
"Scott? Oh dammitall, I told you to warn me when you were bringing company home, I-" The woman that bustled through the kitchen doorway froze when her eyes fell on Allura. The Director just smiled weakly and folded her hands delicately in front of her.
"Hello," she said softly.
Lotor's stiff shoulders sagged as he relaxed when the woman turned and clocked her husband square in the stomach.
"You could have warned me important people were visiting, I would have tidied up better!"
The man coughed, clutching his stomach, doubled over.
"Elizabeth! In a fighting spirit as usual," Stanson said, stepping around the group to embrace the woman, leaving friendly kisses on both her cheeks in greeting. Rodgers offered her a salute.
"What brings you hooligans around? What in all the skies is even going on? Why-" Her eyes danced warily across the azure-toned members of the party.
"I apologize that we showed up uninvited," Allura spoke up quickly, stepping forward. She could feel Lotor's eyes on her. "I… I have a very long story to tell, but more importantly, I would like to hear yours. I'd like to help, if I can."
Silence filled the room and the woman nodded.
"I'll go get some tea," she murmured, disappearing into the kitchen. Scott dropped onto the sofa and gestured for everyone to find a seat. Lotor leaned his hip against the table, keeping his eyes on both the kitchen door and the soldier.
Keith remained standing by the entry door, periodically glancing outside past the burlap curtain. Lance leaned against the doorframe next to him. Stanson and Rodgers appeared the most at ease as they took up residence on the sofa.
Allura folded her arms across her chest and spoke first, attempting to dissolve the tension.
"Can you tell me what happened here after the ah… Arus Offensive, I believe it was called?"
"Yes," Scott's eyes darkened and he exhaled. "Most of us weren't there. We didn't even know a strike was being carried out. When we heard about an attack on our new capitol - Arus, we thought it was a Drule Invasion at first – no offense," he tossed a quick glance toward Lotor who merely shrugged in response.
"In the absence of more information, it was a logical conclusion. I believe it was all our initial reactions as well until we saw the ships," he acknowledged.
"We were told it was a small group of terrorists and that an investigation was being launched. We were told they had succeeded in assassinating you, High Diplomat," he nodded toward Allura.
"That is no longer a title I carry. I forswore that. Please, call me Allura," she encouraged.
"Admiral Jones said that Zarkon had approached the Galaxy Alliance," he continued. "And proposed a cease-fire. Arus was left without a governance, and since it fell under the jurisdiction of the Alliance, they would care for it, but there was some negotiation involving Voltron that we didn't really get the details to."
"They were going to give away my lions," she murmured darkly.
"Well, next thing we knew, the news reports were crying headlines of your survival and an attempted assassination. We didn't know what to think. Most of us left. Admittedly, if I'd known joining was an option, I'd have followed my friends," he laughed softly, nodding to the other two officers in the room.
"I understand there were riots, assaults and murders on Alliance officials, yes?" She prodded. "What happened after? How did you get to… this?" She gestured to the dimly-lit room.
The conversation stilled when Elizabeth reappeared and set a large serving tray down on the table. She gathered some papers and cleared a space. Tea cups and saucers were stacked around a kettle.
"Passionflower?" Stanson was on his feet in a heartbeat, helping himself to some of the brew when the woman only nodded in response. Only Rodgers, Hunk and Scott elected the tea as well, Allura smiled warmly with a polite declination. Her eyes glanced back toward the man as he settled back into his place on the worn lounge.
He sipped from the cup before recollecting his thoughts, a dark shade passing over his eyes at the memories.
"We had no government. We… lost power. Water shortly after. Elizabeth takes water from a nearby source and boils it. We have no centralization anymore." He blew across the hot liquid, watching the steam roll off it, unable to meet her gaze.
"Can we help you?" Allura leaned forward intently. "The Consortium can-" She paused mid-sentence and turned slowly to look over her shoulder at the scattering of her Guard. "A moment?"
Lance took Keith's position as door sentry when the commander strode toward the Guardian of Arus. The Colonels joined her with the High Lords, Cossack and Lotor. The large governing body stood in a tight huddle, murmuring in hushed tones.
Scott looked across the room and Hunk only shrugged in response.
"Well?" Allura whispered as her advisors and husband stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
"You mean to help them," Talor murmured quietly.
"I would like to, yes. The Consortium has enough financial resources we could adequately rebuild their structure. Can we?" Her blue eyes flashed around the convene.
"Truthfully, helping them rebuild would be on par with what we did for Seto. Firearms… financials… it washes out in the end," Anar added. "It would… admittedly," he hedged carefully. "Be more. They need more than what Seto needed, but the intention would be the same."
She looked to Lotor hopefully and he just sighed and grinned at her.
"We can help them, what happens once they get stabilized, however, there may be more questions. They have no central government, no defining authority. Unless you mean to absorb them into our Coalition?"
Allura frowned.
"No, I do not think that I mean to, though it would give us two balancing organizations again. As you said, three are unstable."
"Three, however, make it unclear whom to attack," Stanson said. "It makes for an uneasy truce - no one wants to move first because it's unsteady. I vote we give aid, but hold off on any decisions regarding the authority of the Galaxy Alliance. As we rebuild, their own hierarchy may emerge."
"Any opposition?" Allura felt her heart swell when Lotor posed the question and no one spoke up.
"Wonderful," she whispered. "Would you like to?" She glanced to her husband and he nodded once, breaking from the huddle. He turned to face the lone soldier on the couch still. He eyed the Drule and the sword sheathed at his hip with vague caution.
"The Consortium of the Stars is willing to aid the rebuilding of the planets under the Galaxy Alliance's control. We can provide you the financials to re-establish your government – however you see fit to do so justly – and re-network your utilities, trade and whatever else you need."
"On the condition," Allura chimed in, popping up beside her husband. "That the violence stops. You will not be able to reforge if you keep killing each other out of anger. Everything will keep breaking. You need to make everyone stop."
"Me? I am no one of consequence," Scott muttered in surprise.
"No one ever is at first. Become someone who is important. With the aid coming in, help spread that message," she smiled. "They'll need a leader."
The man looked between the wary looks of the Guard and the optimistic look of one if the Consortium's leaders. He exhaled and bowed his head before the woman who had yet to fail in championing them.
"Understood," he murmured in relief. "There exists no words in any language that I know to express the gratitude that is felt."
"Knowing that is enough," she said softly. "We will take our leave now, we will have some supply caravans on the way. Some of our planets nearby will be dropping in to assist you before long, to help with medical care and any immediate needs."
Allura glanced over the glass tablet in front of her, twisting her stylus thoughtfully. The Consortium Guard sat in quiet contemplation around her.
"They're doing it. They're reestablishing," Talor commented softly. "It seems former Officer Scott has become a bit of a leader. They're doing well."
"He never intended to lead them," she murmured.
"Allura, with respect, did you ever mean to lead us?" Anar leaned forward on the conference table, watching as the sad look on her face melted in the wake of his observation. Her wide eyes glanced to him after a second's pondering.
"No, I suppose I didn't."
"But you did – and you are," he continued. "One thing I've learned, those who never intended to govern often make the best leaders, it seems."
When Lotor snorted at her side, Allura giggled.
"You intended to lead the Drule Empire," Anar acquiesced, glancing to his former prince. "But did you ever plan to lead anything like this?"
The silver-haired Director bristled and shook his head once in response, softening. Allura curled her fingers through his.
"The Drule Empire has stabilized and has made no more movements toward hostility. They are focused on internal restructuring. King Zarkon has shown no interest in invalidating your claim to power," Rodgers reported.
"With the Alliance also rebuilding itself from the inside out, we're sitting comfortably," Cossack explained. "Our trade routes are up, our outposts have been built. We have favors we can call in to either faction. We have allies on both sides of the field."
Allura nodded once, glancing up to Lotor.
"Perhaps we can solidify this tentative truce in the future. Perhaps we can bring the leaders together."
"I do not believe my father would ever relinquish his hold on his Empire, Allura," Lotor murmured softly next to her.
She quickly shook her head and clarified her statement.
"No, I meant that perhaps we could even go so far as to sit peacefully in the same room. The way we all are now. Perhaps Lotor and I could eventually have these kinds of meetings with King Zarkon and whomever emerges as the head of the Galaxy Alliance – be it Scott or whomever. But... now is not yet the time for that."
"Why not? It's certainly the safest – they would have everything to lose if they did anything foolish," Cossack queried.
"Think of them as wounded animals. They are healing themselves and they are vulnerable. Anything other than obvious aid could be misconstrued as a reach for power or a threat. I do not wish to alarm either of them while they rebuild. Once they are established, once they are no longer focused on their internal needs, then perhaps a discourse can begin."
"Or another war," Keith muttered.
Allura's lips pressed together thinly and she nodded.
"That, too, is a possibility. But for now, I believe we have our peace. We have open communication with the Galaxy Alliance and… communication by proxy, at least, with King Zarkon," she gestured toward Talor and Anar. "Even if Zarkon won't speak with me directly, Seto is open with you. It will be quite a while before either entity is ready for the next step forward – be it what it may."
"And in the meantime, our connections are thriving," Stanson commented with a proud grin.
Allura couldn't help the smile that broke across her face.
"Yes, we are," she affirmed. "Thank you all. For everything."
"Does this mean you two have time for a proper honeymoon?"
Allura's face flushed red at Cossack's knowing grin and Lotor laughed at her side.
"Perhaps," he replied.
"Well, I suppose that concludes business for today then," she fumbled in an effort to recover her dignity.
A murmur of assent flooded the room as the Guard slowly dismissed themselves, leaving Allura and Lotor alone.
"How are those bridges of yours looking now?" He leaned in and purred against her ear, reigniting the blush across her cheeks.
"I've done noth-"
"So very much," he corrected before she finished the sentence. "Don't you dare deny yourself that."
Before she could protest, his lips found hers and Allura quickly forgot what it was she disagreed with him about.
As always, I adore your feedback and critiques! Thank you for reading this far!