~~~~38~~~~

Senator Heather Barnburnt paced her quarters in the castle. Everything had gone to hell in a handbasket in a matter of seconds. She'd been at the table when Commander Larkin had spoken, she thought insubordinately to Sky Marshall Wade about his misgivings considering his flight, now she knew that wasn't true. Then there was the kidnapping of Princess Allura. Arus was one of the most vital Planets in the Alliance. It's army, it's location, Allura's just and fair hand in diplomacy.

The ransom demand had appeared on every audio and video feed, of every Alliance member's computer and communication device, they all knew what was being asked in exchange for her. Yet Sky Marshall Wade had not said anything to anyone about it. The Alliance soldiers were searching for Commander Larkin, yet not one update had been given on the search for the young pilot.

Barnburnt stopped short as her computer beeped, she turned toward and saw it was a video communication. She opened it and was not at all surprised to see it was Ambassador Coran of Arus. "Coran?" she said.

"Is there any news on the Princess, is Wade going to make the exchange?"

"He hasn't made any announcements, or answered my request, or any others requests to see him, Coran."

Coran's face remained impassive but Barnburnt saw his mustache twitch. "I am four hours out of Xios, he has not been answering my attempts at communication either. Try harder, please Senator. Any news on Lanc- Commander Larkin?"

She shook her head, "I'm sorry, Coran. I know they are still searching."

Coran shook his head. "I've brought someone who might be able to help speed the search. I'll see you soon."

Barnburnt nodded. She closed her computer and then spun on her heel, she was going to talk to Wade whether he liked it or not. She opened her door, roughly and startled, Queen Flavia and her granddaughter stood just over the threshold.

"I'm sorry, Senator, we didn't mean to startle you," Queen Flavia said. "I just, there doesn't seem to be anything being down about Allura."

"I was just about to go deal with that, or try too. Wade has been ignoring my requests to see him. I was about to go make him see me. Would you like to join me."

Queen Flavia nodded. "Yes. I would. I would also like to know what is being down about finding Lance? I haven't heard any updates on the search for him, and Bronwen just told me she saw all the ships and terrain vehicles coming in for the night."

Princess Bronwen nodded. "I heard it was about the ice storm."

Barnburnt sped up her walk. "Let's get to his room," she led them down the corridor, toward the larger suite that she knew Prince Seth had set aside for the Sky Marshall. She banged on the door. "Wade, It's Barnburnt, let me in. Now."

Silence.

"Wade. I know you are in there. I saw you head in there, an hour ago and my aides have been watching the door with orders to tell me if you came out. I want to discuss the situations. Ambassador Coran is on his way here, about Princess Allura and Commander Larkin. They are his people, Larkin is a dual citizen from what I know, and she's one of our best. We have to discuss this ransom demand, we have to give in to it. Let me in now? Why has the search been stopped, or ships can handle the storm. Wade?"

The door flew open, an Alliance soldier stood there giving nothing away with his expression, Wade sat at a desk, Prince Seth sat across from him. They both looked grim, Barnburnt walked in, followed by Queen Flavia and Princess Bronwen.

Wade and Seth both stood.

"I want answers Wade?" Barnburnt said.

"We can't give Xan and his terrorists what they want," Seth barked.

"I'm not even sure why they'd want it," Wade said.

"Because Prince Xan probably thinks he can prove he is the rightful King," Princess Bronwen said.

Barnburnt turned to the Princess of Paxial. "What?" she asked in unison with Queen Flavia.

Prince Seth laughed condescendingly. "It's a myth."

"What myth?" Barnburnt asked, looking at Wade. "Wayne? What myth? This is about the unprocessed stones they asked for, the stones we us to start our fires? Princess Bronwen tell me what you know?"

"A Xiosian soldier told me. The unprocessed stone, it will light on fire in the hand of the rightful King of Xios. Xan must want to get his hands on some of the stone to try to prove he is the rightful heir to the throne. That is why he's asking for them in exchange for Princess Allura."

Queen Flavia looked at Barnburnt. Barnburnt in turn was looking at Wade, she'd known him for more than half her life, he was a hard to read man but sometimes she could tell when he'd been caught in a lie. He knew about this myth and he knew it wasn't a lie. "This is true isn't it, this isn't some myth, it's based in truth. The stones work that way, don't they? It's real mythical magic?"

Wade sighed. "I suppose it could be. But there are no rough unprocessed stones on this planet. Seth's family processed every stone they had, that is all there are. We can't give them a unprocessed stone because we don't have any."

"Processed stone won't work?"

"No," Seth said. "Anyone can touch those."

"There are no mines where you could go to get an unprocessed stone?"

Seth shook his head. "The mines are lost to us. Generations ago, my family destroyed them and any map to them. We don't know where they are or how to find them."

Barnburnt glared at the two men. "Then how are you planning to get Princess Allura back, Wade. Coran is on his way here, the Alliance is not going to rest until we have her back. And also the search why has it been called off for the night?"

"It's minus 70 on that mountain, Senator. I have men building a camp, readying to start climbing up. But he crashed near the peak, the wind shears are to high for flying up and landing. It's going to take time. We can only hope we find a body at this point."

Queen Flavia gasped.

Wade shook his head. "He was a good pilot, yes it is a loss, but we must face the facts. He's gone."

Barnburnt hated to admit it. "He's right," she turned to Queen Flavia. "I'm sorry, I knew you were close to the two of them, Queen Flavia."

Queen Flavia shook her head. "He's alive, my people we have instincts, we feel things. This is something I know. You are wrong, Sky Marshall. Bronwen, let's go, Ambassador Coran is going to need our support when he arrives and Allura our help when she returns. Find a way to bring her back, Senator Barnburnt."

Barnburnt nodded and turned back to Wade, slammed her palm down on the desk. "We must come up with a compromise with this Xan, to get Princess Allura back."

~~~.~~~

Pidge tongue stuck out of his mouth as he concentrated in his seat, next to Hunk in the cockpit of Coran's Ambassador Class shuttle. Coran had specifically requested them to be assigned to him for his emergency flight to Xios on hearing about Allura's kidnapping. Since they were citizens of Arus, it wasn't questioned.

There was a squawk on the line, a buzz of static and Pidge jumped onto his knees in his seat. "Lance, Lance, can you hear me, it's Pidge?"

"Pidge! Pidge, yeah, where are you?"

"On the way to Xios, with Coran. Are you hurt? Are you in one piece? Trying to lock down your coordinates, its...wow it's fuzzy, I'm amazed I got your volcom communication to work."

"I'm in a volcano."

Pidge fell off his seat, Hunk moved the entire ship a hard jerk to the left and then back in line. "Sorry, sorry," he yelled into the ship communications, "that was just a little flight glitch, everything is is fine folks." Hunk said, and Pidge laughed at him.

"What, how you are in a volcano?"

"Long story, I'm waiting for something to happen. King Alfor... he's keeping me cryptic company. How is Allura, is she still with Keith?"

"How do you know she's with Keith?"

"King Alfor!" Lance shouted.

Pidge moved away from the communication speaker. "Okay, okay. You're talking to the spirit of King Alfor. Gotcha. Yeah, they haven't done anything about the ransom yet. Wade's totally ignoring Coran's attempt at communications."

"Something you would know something about, Lance," Coran said from behind Pidge.

Pidge met Hunk's eyes, then Pidge quickly said. "He's in a volcano!"

Coran's hand fell on Pidge's shoulder as he leaned over him, to be closer to the communication microphone and speaker, and Coran paused. "What?"

"I'm in a volcano. I'm talking to King Alfor. And I feel like I've gone insane."

"Senator Barnburnt has just sent me a communique, Wade it seems can't exchange Allura for what Keith and Xan are asking for because they don't have the unprocessed stones."

"Oh, that's what King Alfor meant. Well, I've got plenty of those. Surrounded by them. They are volcanic don't you know. I think they have something to do with Red Lion, by the way. Oh and did I mention Alfor told me to push my ship into the lava."

Pidge cleared his throat. "Okay, yeah, Lance you do sound crazy, I think I have pinpointed the volcano, it looks like a normal mountain unless you look deeper. The planets winter temperatures mask it, especially since it is an inactive volcano. It is made out of a very distinct ore source, it has energy properties, this is the Falling Stone?"

"Yep," Lance said.

"Interesting," Pidge said. "You are at least, wow, you are about - 60,000 feet down into the planets earth."

"Tell me about it."

"Lance, what has King Alfor's spirit told you?"

"That soon, I will stand with Keith and Allura. He had me push what was left of the ship into the lava."

Pidge, Hunk and Coran exchanged looks

"Uh, Lance, how are you in one piece?" Hunk asked.

"I don't know, I have a hell of a concussion.

"Are you sure King Alfor is real?" Pidge asked.

"No," Lance laughed. "Look, guys, tell Allura I'm alive okay, please? Tell her I'm sorry I didn't eject, tell her it's her dad's fault. 'Cause it is."

"Lance, when you get out of the volcano, you and I are having a discussion about you and the Princess," Coran said.

"Yeah, I know," Lance said, "huh, uh, guys, something's happening."

~~~~.~~~~

Lance dropped his arm down from where he'd been talking into his voltcom. The lava was bubbling, all the falling stones in the walls and on the floors around him where brightening into a bright almost pure white light. He stood up, and stepped back from the lava, afraid that if it spurted up and out he might get burned.

That's when it happened. Red Lion flew out of the Lava, roaring and beautiful, it landed on all fours in front of him with a growl and a purr. A beautiful, majestic, perfect sight, that was too good to be true. Lance blinked and when his eyes opened again, it wasn't a lion that was on the ground in front of him. But it was a ship. Yet it wasn't the X Fighter he'd crashed into the volcano. It was an upgraded version of it...crude metal outsides, more mainstreamed and contoured.

"What the fuck?" Lance whispered.

Alfor's laughter filled his head.

Don't try to make sense of it, Lance. I know more now than I ever understood while I was alive and still moments such as this confuse my mind. There are powers in the universe that our minds simply cannot process. But because of who we are our souls and hearts are worthy of peeks beyond the veil. You are the current owner of Red Lion, Lance. The stones are part of the power of the Lion. Therefore the stones know you as someone to trust and to protect, so they offer you this gift. Fly back to the castle - it will self-destruct when you get there.

Lance reached out and touched the new ship, the impossible ship, to find that it was cool to the touch. "Huh," he thought.

"Lance, Lance?" Pidge called in on the voltcom. "What is it? What happened?"

"Uh, I have a new ship? I'm flying out of here now," he said, his eyes not moving off of the ship that had appeared out of nowhere, giving him the image of his lion. He pushed opened the hatchway to climb into the cockpit and climbed inside. It was a perfect fit, the controls were exactly like that of Red, it was uncanny. His heartbeat rose in exhilaration as the ship roared to life, the second his hands hit the controls.