Thace started sending off codes and locations, lists of members and battle plans. He and Prorok were called to the central command daily, so he also reported everything he noticed there. Thanks to his reports, the Blade was informed about everything Zarkon planned and did and helped Voltron, anticipating the Empires next move. Thace's moral battle did not end the evening when he listened to Prorok talking to Zarkon, it was raging in his soul ever since without rest.
This is not so bad, he thought. I would not let anything happen to Prorok. Yes, the fleet would lose some battles and Zarkon would be angry, maybe even demote him, but soon, it will stop mattering. Zarkon's reign will end, and I will make sure that Prorok starts a good life in the new world we are going to create on the ruins of the empire. It would be only fair - he would do anything to accommodate me in the old life, now I will do the same for him in the new one. I will speak for him in case there will be a trial, and I will kill anyone who dares to attack him.
Zarkon did not engage their fleet for some reason, though. Instead, Prorok and Thace were supposed to listen to the reports of other people, watch footage of battles with Voltron and endure Zarkon's outbursts of anger that grew more violent as time passed. Thace did his best to appear calm and collected, but each time he was confronted with the monster and his sinister companion, he felt icy tentacles of fear squeeze his intestines.
Prorok got more and more agitated, even overwrought as the time passed. He saw an opportunity in front of himself, but it was a forbidden fruit, and he had to watch passively as other people tried and failed at getting it. In their rare moments together, Thace tried to calm him down, dissuade him from acting, but it got more and more difficult. Prorok's entire active, energetic nature demanded effort, and his pride was wounded when he saw others being assigned the job he so wished for himself. Unable to change anything, he lashed out on Thace more and more often and even called him a coward once, even if he apologized directly afterwards. There was never enough time for them to properly reconcile and speak, so their relationship grew more distant, formal. The paper-thin wall between them grew thicker at an alarming rate. I wish we were on the same side, Thace kept thinking, his heart heavy. If only I could truly support what you believe in, really be at your side instead of faking it. He knew himself to be too vary on times, too hesitant. How he wished to just follow his partner's energy, let it become his own, never know any concerns that troubled him daily. Alas, all that remained for him was to maneuver, lie here and persuade there, and constantly shiver internally in agony of fear for his partner's life.
Prorok spent all of his unreleased energy into the last thing that was left for him to do - speeches. Before, Thace wasn't particularly invested in his lover's presentations. Preparing his texts was seemingly the only thing Prorok liked to do without his assistant, writing and tearing to pieces counteless drafts until he found the best words; as for his technique, it was so polished after years of practice that he hardly needed any help with it, either. He would receive a message about required topic and length from Zarkon, then brood about the text for several days, being even more negligent and irritable about bureaucracy than usual and bringing Thace into helpless rage with "oh so important, yes, each one of them" scribbled notes covering the floors of his quarters. One day, he would suddenly beam up, rush to his study, type as if his life depended on the speed, then disappear for grooming and recording for half a day. A week later, Thace would hear his voice from some soldier's radio. The lieutenant himself didn't have much time to watch transmissions after his arrival on Prorok's flagship, so he was not confronted a lot with what his lover preached. He knew, of course, but it went past him, because his soul was so full of happiness. However, now that the war broke out, visual and audio communications poured out of every corner.
"My fellow Galra! You are invincible as long as you are united!" Prorok seemed to look right at Thace from the screen. "To stay strong, you only need to overcome the strife in your heart. There is no race in the universe that has such versatile and unique talents as us. No other race deserves absolute dominance as we do! We don't fight for theories and dogmas. We fight for the glory of galran race!"
"The rebirth of our nation on the ruins of the old Daibazaal wiped out the state of treason and perjury, and built an empire of honor and loyalty in its place!"
The same voice that whispered sweet nonsense into Thace's ear just a couple of nights ago was now spitting out these terrible, stupid, bloodthirsty phrases! The same eyes that looked at the lieutenant with such a soft, enamoured expression now burnt with hatred and resolution! To Thace, it seemed that he found himself in a twisted nightmare.
"Not the numbers decide the outcome of the battle, but the will. A skillfully led will of the few will always triumph over formless, spineless majority! A soldier if his Majesty can be not be anything else but loyal, diligent, disciplined, resolute and ready for self-sacrifice - otherwise, they are no Galra. For us, it is not enough to say "I believe", for us there is an oath: "I will fight!". All for one and one for all!" Prorok's voice reached its peak, but it didn't break, but sank into an enraptured gasp. The commander continued quietly, but then his voice grew stronger again.
"Let them say that we are not humane - if we bring the empire to victory, it will the the most humane deed there ever was. Let them say that we are not always fair - our victory is the fairness we seek. We are only a tool in Emperor's hands, in the hands of higher necessity. Are we there or are we not anymore doesn't matter. All that matters is glory of the empire!"
Prorok, the one who ate a dozen cookies in one varga and liked being brushed from head to toe, was now busy recording these appeals for suicide, and for all Thace knew about his lover, he believed in what he spoke about! Though the lieutenant slowly started wondering if he even knew his lover at all...
"Our state is only living the age of its youth." Prorok exclaimed on screen, his eyes shining. "After millenia, it will conquer the whole universe and reach its maturity, but you may be sure - together with our glorious Emperor, it is destined to live forever!"
Every radio transmission has turned into a bomb field: "Neither Nazcxella nor any other planet can be called the main pillar supporting our empire. A strong state has never been and will never be just a set of territories. The main pillar of our strength are the galran people and their devotion to their state and their ruler! Together, we shall crush our enemies and wipe out the foul scum that dares oppose our regime!"
Prorok never oppressed the aliens, nor did he partake in the inhumane experiments the empire conducts, he just talks about it. The voice in Thace's head tried to disagree with the last statement, but Thace shut it out. His sweet memories with Prorok were the only happy thing he had left to hold on in the sea of danger and hatred that surrounded him. And yet, he couldn't rely just on those memories…
"You sure sound persuasive on the TV," he said in the evening, when he once again found his partner on the couch, frozen over a draft of a new speech, gnawing a pen, his eyes glassy and meaningless, lips moving silently. "Am I bothering?"
Prorok winced and looked at Thace with absent eyes.
"Ah… no, of course you aren't, I am always happy to see you… Thank you, my love, you praise means a lot. I have to write so much in so little time." Prorok smiled at Thace the same way he always did, openly and charmingly. The loving Prorok was back, as if it wasn't him the lieutenant so just a couple doboshes ago, demanding no mercy for anyone who opposes the empire!
"How can you write such passionate speeches? Where do you even take inspiration?" Thace asked, sitting down at Prorok's side. Maybe he just repeats and rephrases some older texts that I know less about? Maybe these are Zarkon's words, not his own? Prorok laughed.
"Oh, you flatterer! Inspiration, huh. No inspiration, just a little common sense and knowledge what happens in the empire." He looked at Thace, who was still waiting for continuation. "I don't know..." he added, taken aback. "Just out of my head, I guess?"
So these are his own words, his own thoughts, after all. He discovers all these disgusting constructs on his own… The feeling of resentment was so strong that Thace nearly cried out in pain. There was no sweet Prorok after all. All there was was this man who wants nothing better than to bring his master the heads of his enemies and expects juicy bone in return!
"Honey, what's wrong?" Prorok asked, looking at Thace attentively. "Do you think I should change something? Say it, I'm always looking for new ideas!"
"No, no!" Thace exclaimed. "You are so good at it, I don't have much to add, I like it the way it is..."
All he wanted right now was to hide somewhere and be alone, wait until this pain in his heart lessens! But Prorok wouldn't be Prorok if he didn't understand what his lover felt without words.
"You don't like my speeches," he said slowly, looking directly at Thace. "And you dislike them for their content, not the form, I know you like the way I talk. Why would you feel like that?"
He sat straight on the sofa and turned Thace toward himself by the shoulder, his fingers unusually stiff.
"Listen, Thace, I don't know what is happening to you and I have neither time nor room to find out right now. I know for a fact that you are not a coward, but you behave as one ever since we heard about Voltron. And not just as a coward, but a traitor, waiting to commit his crime."
Thace gasped and tried to free himself, but Prorok was holding him tightly. The commander's face was suddenly so close that the tip of his nose almost touched Thace's.
"For your own sake, whatever it is, keep it to yourself, Thace!" he whispered. "Whatever your concerns about the Empire are, whatever your history with it is, right now is not the time to express your unhappiness! I love you above anyone else, but my ability to protect you is limited, you are an adult and a battle officer, after all. One wrong step and you will be executed as a traitor before I can even move a finger. Please, Thace, wait until the war is over. I promise you, then I will listen to you, I won't judge you no matter what you did, and I will help you cover up any evidence that might be left. Just please, Thace, please, don't do anything stupid! Don't try to become a martyr for whatever you really believe in! I don't care about your morale, your job is to stay unharmed until we can both face this issue, you hear me? And don't even think about betraying me before that, I will be watching your every step."
Thace opened and closed his mouth, speechless with shock. How long has he known? When did he started noticing? And he didn't do anything to me?
"I… I'm not… I wasn't…" he started.
"I know you haven't done anything unforgivable yet, keep it this way." Prorok interrupted him. "If you were a regular officer, I would have just locked you up in your room until the war is over, then dealt with your situation privately. This way, we both would be safe. With my personal assistant, it will inevitably raise an avalanche of questions. In your position, you are either trustworthy or dead. You will stay free, Thace, I will take that risk, but Quiznak forbade you from making even one wrong step: I would never harm you, but if you act up against the empire, I will kick you so far out that you won't even know if you are alive or not!"
Prorok watched him for several ticks, then pushed him away slightly, his face grew sad.
"I am busy, honey," he said, turning away and looking back into his sheet, but the lieutenant noticed how his face fell at Thace's inability to contradict what has been true. "I'd rather remain alone for now."
Thace stood up, his eyes burning, an inch away from dropping to his knees, breaking in tears, begging Prorok for forgiveness and telling him everything, handing everyone over just to wipe that sad wrinkle off his lover's forehead. Just to be truly with him... Then he remembered the starved neikarians and the witches ghastly shadow, and felt something in him die. He made a step back, feeling like stepping away from a terrible abyss, turned and headed for the door, but stopped just before pressing the button to open it.
"I love you, Prorok, I mean it. I was always faithful about that..."
For the first time, silence was his answer.
In his quarters, Thace took his luxite blade out of its hiding place and put it into the inner pocket of his coat. Prorok would not order to search him personally, but his chambers can't be perceived as private anymore. Kolivan's communicator was a standard army one, legally registered and therefore could not serve as evidence against the lieutenant as long as it didn't contain any suspicious messages. Thace considered telling the leader about what happened, but then decided against it: he wouldn't be able to explain the situation properly without revealing his connection to the commander. Once again, he was left all alone, and, worse even, he knew that Prorok was also sitting in his luxurious chambers alone, biting his pen, with no one to hug him.
He feels it, Thace thought. He has no evidence, but he needs none. It is just like with Ferrik back then - he only looked into the numbers to support what was already clear to him. My darling Prorok, he knows I am untrustworthy, but he refuses to harm me anyway! He is ready to bend his own moral code for my sake, protect me even he suspects that I might betray him the next day. I wish I could do the same, be as faithful to him as he is to me...
Never in his life did Thace feel as bad about his allegiance to the Blade as in that evening. Never did he feel so dirty, so worthless, never did his own behaviour disgust him more. And yet he had no choice - the path he went was one without a return option. He would have to bear knowing that his partner feels betrayed and not doing anything about it. Thace grit his teeth: afterwards. Leave everything for afterwards. Afterwards, I will be there only for him. I will do everything just for him.
Thace didn't know how he should behave towards his partner now, if he was still allowed to be with him in private. Later the same evening, Prorok sent him a message asking where he was, so Thace rushed back to his quarters that now felt more like home than his own. Prorok was already preparing to sleep. When Thace exited the shower, the commander has already turned off the lights. Thace slid under the blanket and hugged Prorok from behind, like he always did, and felt that his partner caught his hand.
"I won't give up on you that easy," Prorok said, invisible in the darkness, but as palpable and present as ever before. "I will pull you out of all troubles even against your will; I will keep you safe until the end no matter what. I will make sure that the empire wins and you taste this victory, even you don't deserve it."
Thace inhaled the scent of his partner's shampoo. Sweet devoted Prorok, my love and treasure… The empire won't win, not this time. Very soon, all that you are trying to enforce will crumble, but I will be the one to make sure that you don't perish with it.
"I won't give up on you either, my love," he whispered back.
Too much was happening around them, to many people dying too rapidly, too many dangers lurking at every corner. Voltron turned the empire into a minefield within mere days and they had to maneuver around. Neither of them were ready to fight each other or to confront problems that emerged on the inside of their relationship, so they both effectively pretended that the evening conversation never took place. Thace noticed Prorok look at him sharply when he started communications sometimes and the commander now kept his assistant at his side most of the time, but otherwise, nothing changed. Thace still had complete access to commander's papers and he still arranged and prepared every order that would be published in printed form, and he still slept with Prorok, even if his lover sometimes seemed absent. The commander still discussed all his plans with Thace and Thace did his best to be as useful as possible… before sending the data to Kolivan.
Prorok's agitation grew so much that he started being borderline demanding with the emperor. He even accused Zarkon's witch of holding him back on purpose.
"What are you doing?" Thace gasped after they exited into one of the corridors. "Calm down, you can't address them that way!"
Prorok looked past him, as if the lieutenant was just one more of the pesky soldiers.
"The witch has his ear," he said slowly. "Maybe we need to act on our own..."
To Thace's horror, this wasn't just a single thought - Prorok was determined to engage the fleet. At the cost of several loud disagreements, Thace managed to persuade his partner to at least take covert measures. Prorok ordered Thace to send offers to bounty hunters in the sector to capture the lions and inform them about the whereabouts of Voltron and the Altean castle ship. To the lieutenant's surprise, it actually worked almost immediately: two scoundrels contacted Prorok directly and promised him the blue lion. Thace even started worrying slightly, but he exhaled when they predictably lost their cargo. He felt no remorse sending the fighters to capture and punish the unlucky bastards for their failure. After all, no one made them get involved with things they couldn't process. However, their loss only worsened the situation: Prorok, enraged by this failure, decided to take decisive actions. When they overheard the communications and located Voltron at the Balmera, Prorok sent the fighters into hyperjump. When they reported having cornered the lions on Balmera, Prorok uttered a muffled yelp.
"This is it, Thace!" he exclaimed. "This is what I have been telling you! Come with me, we need to report this to the Emperor immediately!"
Thace trailed behind him, his heart torn apart by a terrible premonition. He knew he should have been happy for Prorok, or be afraid for the paladins of Voltron, but instead he dreaded something he couldn't quite process. Turned out he was right: instead of praising Prorok, Zarkon lashed his terrible wrath on the poor commander. He accused Prorok of pursuing his own interest and seeking own glory (ironically, the monster was somewhat right), so that Prorok left the room out of favor.
"What does he want from me?!" the commander roared when they returned to their flagship, slamming his fist on the table again and again when they remained alone. "I brought him Voltron on a silver platter and he dares call me fool?! I was this close to capturing it!"
He panted with rage, his mad eyes burnt through Thace. He looked truly terrifying, but the lieutenant's heart contracted with compassion for his partner once again. Poor Prorok , Thace thought. He truly is faithful to the monster, and receiving such a reward must have felt excruciating .
"The black lion is too personal for him," he answered, putting his hand on the side Prorok's neck, diving his fingers in commander's fur in a soothing gesture. "We should stick to his orders from now on, to avoid angering him more. Forget your ambition for a while, I can't allow anything happen to you."
For the first time, Prorok just nodded instead of contradicting. Maybe this is for the best? If Zarkon doesn't trust Prorok any more, maybe he will leave him alone? If the commander doesn't seek confrontation himself anymore, he should be fine…
"You truly do have a heart of gold, my love," Prorok said, turning his head to kiss the inner part of Thace's wrist, startling the lieutenant who didn't expect such tenderness right now, not after everything that happened between them. "I have been suspecting you, treating you like a traitor… I was so wrong! You are maybe the only one I can eve rely on! I am so sorry for mistreating you, can you forgive me, my love? I promise I'll make up for it after the war ends!"
"Honey, don't beat yourself up… We are all nervous and paranoid now." Thace murmured, leaning in to kiss Prorok in order to hide that he was dying with shame on the inside. You were absolutely right about me, he thought. Now you are just trying to wipe out your own sane judgement, because you have too much to process and you want to persuade yourself -that you can trust me. Prorok laughed into his palm and nipped the side of his hand.
"My darling loves me back," he said wittily. "With such a brilliant being around, I am invincible!"
The day before Voltron attacked the main base, a direct communication from the emperor awoke Prorok and Thace in the middle of the night. Zarkon ordered them to relocate the whole fleet into the direct proximity of the base. Thace and Prorok exchanged glances - they both knew what that meant. As a punishment for Prorok's insubordination, Zarkon decided to throw his fleet into the slaughterhouse of the main battle. Thace didn't want to even imagine what Prorok was feeling right now, given how much he cared about his crew. The emperor summoned the commander soon afterwards, so Prorok departed, his face cold and absent; it was Thace's task to manage the hyper-jump for all the ships and rearrange them after arriving in the incredible tightness of the space around the base. He thanked Prorok's diligence with battle training countless times that day, as well as his generosity with equipment: only so could everyone know what to do and nothing broke down.
After Thace inspected the pilots who now took their places in their jets near their respective exits gates and wished Hakor good luck, he also appeared on the bridge. Prorok quickly whispered him what he knew – that the Princess is still in the base and that the Emperor expects Voltron to appear to save her. To his surprise, Thace almost did not feel any compassion for the girl; his every thought was now directed on surviving this day. He sent off the news to the Blade and joined Prorok, Raht and other commanders before the Emperor.
"This day, the paladins will be destroyed, and I will have Voltron!" the monster announced, and Thace shivered, because Zarkon sounded very convincing.
Prorok shot him a tiny supportive glance, and the lieutenant suddenly had trouble keeping a stupid smile off his face. He cares enough to think about me even now! Maybe everything would be fine, just a little bit of time is left until the monster stops mattering. When Voltron appeared, Thace was lucky to be at the controls, because he could not suppress a quiet gasp at the beauty and might of the huge robot. Crushing might that would bring death to many on this base before the local sun makes one turn…
"Engage the solar barrier immediately; attack! All fighters, attack!" Zarkon roared as Voltron approached, and Thace obeyed. He was unable to do anything without compromising his cover, so he allowed his military instincts to take the better of him.
"Thace, engage the fighters," Prorok said, his voice hoarse with anticipation, and Thace slid his finger over the screen, alerting everyone in the docs, sending them off to where most of them will never return from. Goodbye Hakor. You don't stand a chance here, your emperor sacrificed you senselessly. Your sons will have to shave their heads in grief after today. He hardly noticed Zarkon disappear with his witch, Hakor's narrow toothy face seemed burnt into his mind.
During that battle, for the first time, Thace saw Voltron in all its unimaginable battle power. The ancient war machine toppled three cruisers on each other like children's toys! Goodbye Yilvik, you insisted on staying in the head cruiser, close to the eon canon to be able to personally supervise the repairs if it malfunctioned. Goodbye assault teams 3 and 5. Bloodthirsty idiot Safk never got a chance to even get close to those he wanted to turn into the barbecue.
And yet Voltron had a weak spot, too: Thace gasped when the huge robot broke up under Zarkon's mental attack. The lieutenant watched the black lion being dragged into the base helplessly; there was nothing he could do, no way could he help the paladins. Could it be that it was already too late to oppose Zarkon, that it was always too late?
"Sire, the hall has been breached! It is one of the lions!" Prorok roared into the communicator; and Thace felt his heart leap with joy.
But even if they managed to get the princess out, reassemble Voltron and run, they would still be held down by the solar barrier… Thace knew he had to act now. He slid out from the bridge as the emperor engaged in the fight with the red lion and Prorok was busy yelling commands to the remaining cruisers. He knew he had to act fast he wanted to avoid being noticed. The blade does not betray its allies no matter how dangerous the situation is... Plus he saw with his own eyes what Voltron is capable of, they would surely win if they escaped this time! He pulled his luxite blade out as he approached the control center. Nothing would happen, every time he had his weapon with him, everything went well. A sentry down. Another sentry. Somewhere deep inside, Thace was happy that he did not have to fight and kill some unsuspecting galra. At last, the control center! He pulled the lever and watched the barrier dissolve; the castle ship slipped away through the wormhole.
"Stay alive and report at any cost." Kolivan sent him shortly after the castle ship disappeared in the wormhole. "Do not save anyone but yourself. You will be needed soon."