"The Black Paladin"
When the Green Lion returned to the Castleship, Allura was the first to exit the ancient weapon. She marched out of the mouth and the others followed after her. RC landed next to the Lion. Not saying a word as the Paladins and princess walked past her. Along the way, Allura ripped the Galra armor off her body, surprising Shiro and the others with her almost inhuman strength.
Coran was in the Bridge waiting for them. When the doors slid open, he turned around to see his princess and the humans enter. "Pidge, scan the download from the ship. Find out where Zarkon's Central Command is," Allura ordered the small girl, still wearing her bodysuit. She walked up the controls of the ship and activated it.
"On it!" Pidge replied, beginning to type away at her hologram computer.
"What happened? What's going?" Coran asked, jogging over to Allura, Shiro, Keith, and Lance. Not knowing that Marcus wasn't in the room with them. A part of him thought that the Pilot was with his Titan.
Allura stared at him before looking away. Her face was a mixture of guilt, shame, and determination. "Marcus...Marcus was captured. He sacrificed himself to save me, Shiro, and the information. And now we're going get him back!" She proclaimed.
"What?! How is that possible?" Coran asked with eyes widened. "We can't take on Zarkon now!"
"I know that, Coran, and I'm sorry. It's my fault for Marcus' capture," Allura said with a look of guilt. "If I hadn't gone on that ship, we could've all come back. If I was the one that..." She then felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see it was Shiro. Staring at her with sympathy.
"We can't focus on what went wrong. We've got to figure out how to make it right," Shiro told her. He then turned to Pidge. "Pidge, anything?"
"Guys, look at this," Pidge said and pressed a button on her Holo-screen. The data was transferred to a large screen projected by the ship. Showing a massive space station the size of a moon. It was Zarkon's Central Command, and that's where Marcus was being taken to.
"Look at the size of it!" Coran said in shock. Allura stared at her with wide eyes too, taken aback by the space station.
"I think we should go in right away. Every minute we waste gives Zarkon time to prepare for us," Pidge explained to the others.
"I agree," Lance said eagerly, agreeing with the plan. "We form Voltron, fly in, fly out, dust off our hands, and walk away."
Hunk, however, looked very anxious about that plan. Not only because it wasn't really a plan, but because of the danger they'd be going into. "Um, do you guys not remember the Balmera? We could barely take out one fleet. But this... a base this size could hold a thousand fleets!"
"Or maybe we shouldn't go on this mission at all." Everyone turned their heads to Keith when he said this. Aghast by what he said, even as the Red Paladin tried to reason with them. "Think about it. Marcus sacrificed himself for a reason. He did it because he wanted us to continue the fight. If we go after him, we'll be delivering the last two Alteans and the universe's only hope to the universe's biggest enemy."
There was a pause in the room, making it clear no one was agreeing with him. "Keith, that's cold, even for you. Marcus is your friend, isn't he? What if it was Allura? What if it was one of us? What if it was me? You wouldn't leave me, would you? Would you?"
"I'm not saying I like the idea. I'm just thinking like a paladin," Keith proclaimed. "And out of all of us, Marcus was most expendable-"
"MY PILOT..." RC's voice could be could yelling on the intercom. Alarms started blaring and red lights flashed. RC's face then popped up on multiple screens all around the Bridge. All looking at the crew. Yelling furiously at the team for daring to say that Marcus' life wasn't of worth or value. "...IS NOT...EXPENDABLE!"
Suddenly the lights and computers all went out. Leaving the only source of light in the room the crystal hanging on the ceiling. The team looked around. Shocked by what just happened.
Hunk shivered a little as he asked, "Uh, okay, what was that?" He yelped fearfully when the power came back on.
As Coran ran to the main computer to see if any information was lost in the blackout, Allura turned to Shiro. "Have you seen a Titan do...that," she asked. To which he shook his head. It confused the Black Paladin too, as she was a machine. And yet, in that moment, RC sounded so angry.
"RC, what did you do," he asked the Titan. But he didn't get a response from RC. All he got was silence. "RC, respond!" Again, RC didn't say anything.
"Way to go, Keith! You made the giant robot angry. You feel good about yourself?" Lance snapped, getting a glare from Keith.
Hunk quickly got between the two before they could go at it. "Okay, okay! This isn't helping," he said, getting everyone's attention. "We're all upset because we lost Marcus, but we can't just sit here and bicker like this."
Shiro then said, "Let's focus. How are we going to get Marcus?"
As the Galra warship approached Zarkon's Central Command, it docked at the space station. In one of the holding cells of the ship was Marcus. Laying unconscious on the floor. Under his clothing and armor, his body was bruised from the Galra trying to interrogate him for information about the location of Voltron and Allura. But he wouldn't give in and would say his full name and serial number. Frustrating the soldier and worsening the torture. Causing him to blackout for a high voltage shock.
When he came up to consciousness, Marcus groaned in agony as the pain flared all over his body. He opened his eyes, only to have bury vision for a moment. After blinking, he was able to see his surroundings, finding his helmet a few feet in front of him. Sitting up, he reached with his leg and dragged the helmet back over to him. With both hands bound by a handcuff, he slipped the helmet back on.
Footsteps were approaching as the HUD was turned back on. He then heard someone earning in the code to his cell door, making electronic beeping sounds with each press of a button. The cell door opened, revealing two Druids and Haggar.
"Come with me," said the cloaked woman.
Marcus sighed. "Do I have a choice?"
"Anything," Shiro asked Lance when he and Allura walked over to him. Lance was at his seat on the Bridge, typing away on his screen with an image of the battle station up on display. His job for the operation was to try and learn of a way to get through the defenses of Zarkon's Central Command without alerting the station of their presence. After that, then they can begin to decide how to get Marcus out there.
"There's just no way in," Lance said, looking up at his team's leader and the princess. "They'll have us tracked from every direction."
"There's gotta be something. Keep looking, Lance," Allura said before walking away towards her place on the bridge. Shiro's eyes followed her as she stood at the and summoned three different screens of her own. The others looked at her worriedly. Ever since they lost Marcus, she hasn't rested. Working tirelessly to get Marcus back.
Seeing his princess like this, Coran walked away from his station and approached her.
Allura was typing on her computer when she noticed Coran standing before her. "Princess, I know you're worried about him. We all are. But beating yourself up isn't what Marcus would've wanted."
The princess of Altea looked at him before lowing her head. "I know, Coran. It's just...my family, our home, our people...I've already lost so much. I don't want to lose someone else again.", she then looked up with determined expression. "We'll find a way to get him back. I know it. If there was just a way to get close to Zarkon's ship unseen..."
Coran though for a moment. When an idea hit him, he turned back to his computer's screen. "Wait a tick. I think I've got a way." He ran back over to the console and typed at it. Pulling up a screen that showed a planet.
Marcus was standing next to Haggar and the Druids as the elevator floor lifted them up. He looked down at his cuffs for a moment, before the floor stopped at their intended destination. He looked up to see that they were in a large room, with only one other person standing in front of a giant window. Haggar began to walk towards the mysterious person, then Marcus and the Druids followed behind.
"Who do you bring before me," asked Zarkon in his deep, dark, and strong voice. Marcus held in his breath when he felt a cold chill run down his spine. But he kept his cool and watched as Haggar approached the Galra Emperor.
"My lord, this is the pilot of the Titan that allies himself with Voltron and the princess," Haggar said. "His said his name is Marcus Moore."
Zarkon turned to Marcus. In the Pilot's head, he thought that Zarkon was one ugly motherfucker. Licking his dried lips, he said, "Let me guess, you must be Zarkon."
The powerful king started walking towards the human. Each step taken made an echo in the chamber. "Indeed, and I hear that you've sacrificed yourself for your companions. Admirable, but foolish. Still, even you can bring about results."
"And that's why you're not killing me, isn't it," Marcus asked.
"And for us to reason together," Zarkon said, much to Marcus' confusion. For what he's heard, he was expecting something more ruthless. What could Zarkon have to reason with him, a single Pilot? "It would be a regrettable waste for you, a skilled warrior, to perish. There is much our cultures could share."
"Haven't you noticed? We've been sharing our culture with you ever since you attacked the Frontier," Marcus said rhetorically.
"Yours is a fascinating species. Even now, standing before me, you're defiant. But it's unwise to stand against me, Pilot. Imagine what horrible fate awaits my enemies when I would come for your home and destroy it."
"You may regret that. We don't take kindly to invaders," Marcus said threateningly. "And we still have Voltron. It's going to put an end to your empire
"No, it will only make me more powerful. King Alfor knew that as well as I. That's why he led me to believe he destroyed it all those years ago. But now, you and your new Paladins will come for you, and they will deliver Voltron to me, and, with it, the key to unimaginable power," Zarkon said, stepping closer to Marcus. His figure towering over him. "You human take pride in your logic. I suggest you employ it. Consider the beautiful planets you so vigorously defend. Picture it reduced to ash at my whim. Consider the fate of your women!"
"Clearly you don't know our women!" Marcus said with a chuckle. He then took a few steps up to the titan of a king. "You have many worlds under your control, Zarkon, but that only means more people will rise up against you. And sooner or later, it'll come crashing down on your ugly face."
Zarkon's hand, as quick as lightning, grabbed Marcus' neck. Choking him with the strength to make Marcus face turn shades of color while being lifting up. The Galra King then slammed Marcus onto the ground. Leaving the floor cracked under the Pilot. Zarkon released his grip on him, allowing Marcus to couch violently.
"That was barely a tease of my power!" Zarkon said with a glare. Marcus sat up, rubbing his neck. "There will be no glory in your sacrifice. I will erase even the memory of your Frontier from the histories! Every piece of humanity's knowledge and culture shall be burned. Every human historian and every scribe shall have their eyes pulled out, and their tongues cut from their mouths. Why, uttering the very name of the Frontier or Earth, will be punishable by death! The universe will never know you existed at all!"
Marcus stood up and glared at Zarkon from behind his visor. "The universe will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and before this war was over, that even you can bleed."
Allura, Coran, and Shiro stood in front of the rest of the team. Shiro stepped forward and spoke in a commanding voice. "Everyone, eyes front. We've got a plan to get Marcus. We're going to jump to the heart of the enemy, unseen and undetected."
"Wouldn't the Galra be waiting for us?" Pidge asked. "We'll be outnumbered by the entire fleet.
"That is true, but we've found another way to get in without being seen," Allura said, before turning around and had a computer screen appear. It showed a diagram of Zarkon's Central Command, the rings that surround it, and the three planets/planetary bodies orbiting it. "We'll hide the Castle here, inside one of these giant gas planets in Zarkon's command system. The gas is so dense, we'll be hidden."
"From there, we'll use the Castle to scan for Marcus on Zarkon's ship and attack before Zarkon knows what hit him. We rescue Marcus, get him out of there, and then leave," Shiro explained.
"If everyone understands, then I'll be doing one last thing for this mission," Allura said, walking towards the exit. This confused the others, as they didn't know what it was she was doing.
"Where're you going, princess?" Coran asked.
Allura stopped at the sliding doors as they opened. She looked down for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I'm going to talk with RC." With that, she walked out of the room. Leaving the others to wonder what it was that she was going to do.
She went down to the shuttle hanger and opened the sliding down. Stepping into the hanger, Allura spotted Marcus' Titan. RC looked liked she'd turned herself off. None of her lights were shining and she was completely still. Kneeling down on one knee when her fists on the floor.
Allura approached the Titan, who remained still and unresponsive. The princess stopped in front of RC and stared at her for a moment.
"RC, can you hear me?" She asked.
RC didn't respond to the princess. Remaining silent and turned off. Allura sighed. She should have none that it wasn't going to be that simple. The Titan, while being a machine, likely blamed her for Marcus being captured.
"RC, I know I'm to blame for what'd happened to your Pilot, and I know that I can't ask you for forgiveness. However, I can ask you this: will you join us on this mission to get him back?"
There was still silence.
Allura walked up to RC's knee and placed her hand on it. "I'm so sorry, my friend. But I want to make this right. Please, help us and I promise you that we can make the Galra pay and for taking Marcus."
Again, there was no answer from the Titan.
seeing that there was no hope, Allura lowed her head down in defeat, before turning and started walking away.
"Protocol 3."
Allura gasped. She then heard the sounds of RC's systems powering up and then her standing to her full height. The princess turned around, becoming amazed by RC's intimidating height. But was also filled with hope.
"I will not lose another Pilot."
And so the operation began. Allura opened a wormhole and the Castleship existed out of it. appearing inside of the gas giant's cloud/sky that was made up of magenta and light shades of purple hydrogen and helium. Piloting the ship through the cloud, it began to clear up and revealed Zarkon's Central Command.
"We're here," Shiro proclaimed. The pictures didn't do the station justice. It truly was massive.
Allura looked to her advisor. "Coran, scan the station for our friend," she ordered him.
Coran typed away at his computer, scanning the station. "I'm detecting Marcus' vital signs and life signature," he said, as a smaller box screen popped up, showing a part of the station. Another screen showed only a small piece of its hallway layout. "From this distance, the signal's pretty weak, but he's somewhere in Zarkon's main ship."
"Gives us a starting point," Keith said, as they were gathered around Coran.
"Once we get closer, we'll be able to narrow down the location where our Pilot is being held," Coran said.
"After that, I and RC will go and get him out of there," Allura told the others.
"Okay, guys, this is it," Shiro stated, getting everyone's attention. "Voltron is going to come in fast and without warning. We'll smash our way into Zarkon's ship and grab Marcus. Before they know what hit them, we'll have our friend and be on our way."
The five Paladins formed Voltron and flew towards Zarkon's Central Command. Standing on the should of the massive superweapon was RC. And inside of the Titan was Allura. Before launching, RC gave Allura temporary control of herself for the sake of the mission. Allura still had no idea how to pilot a Titan, but she just had to tell RC what to do and she'll do it.
Voltron flew past the outer rings of the space station. Surrounding the station was a massive fleet of warships that were all facing the Paladins.
Something wasn't right, and the others could feel it.
"Princess, I'm detecting an energy spike coming from the command station," RC told Allura.
Allura watched Zarkon's Central Command, seeing purple light coming from the top and bottom of the station. From those lights, a beam shot out and started to form an energy dome. These two domes were forming to create a sphere and a barrier that would keep anything from getting in or out.
"What is that?" Hunk asked.
"It's a solar barrier," Allura said.
"We've got fighters coming in!" Pidge exclaimed.
Like a swarm of bees, hundreds of Galra fighters were speeding towards them. As the solar barrier closed, and Voltron made it through, it and RC flew towards the warships. RC reached behind her back and grabbed her Chaingun. The Titan then picked energy reading that indicated that the Galra were going to fire.
A second later, the warships opened fire.
"Evasive action!" Allura yelled.
RC jumped away from Voltron and the two robots split off, avoiding the purple laser beams.
The ships continued to fire at Voltron and RC, as the Galra fighters speeded at them. Voltron flew towards one of the ships and landed on it. Punching both hands into it, and then formed its sword to cut down the middle of the ship, causing it to explode.
Allura allowed RC to do her work. Switching all power to her shields, the Titan flew straight for the Galra fighters. All of them fired on her. RC then deployed her missile pods, started spinning, all while firing her gun and missiles. The bullets and missiles hit their targets, as RC flew pass the fighters. Inside the cockpit, Allura held onto her seat and watch it unfold in amazement.
As all the drone fighters were taken out, RC headed for one of the warships. She fired into the side of it and then barreled into it. Breaking through the reactor of the ship. RC launched her rockets into the reactor, destroying it, before getting out of the ship and far enough away before it exploded.
Voltron copied the war machine's example and together, they smashed through the bodies of the warships. Flying through the ships and destroying the reactors, before flying out the other way. The results were ships getting torn in half by the explosions.
More Galra ships fired on Team Voltron. Hunk activated the shoulder cannon, summoning the mighty weapon while RC stayed behind the robot. Voltron fired the laser cannon and the shower of bending lasers destroyed each and every last one of Galra warships. With the enemy destroyed, Voltron had the cannon disappear and resummoned its sword.
"Now's our chance!" Allura exclaimed. "Forward, Team Voltron!" RC and Voltron flew throw the debris and whatever was left of the Galra fleet. Once they were clear, they kicked the engines into full gear and speeded to Zarkon's Central Command.
RC and Voltron were about to strike the space station, when suddenly, Zarkon's eyes flashed into the minds of the Paladins. Voltron froze up and the Paladins started screaming and groaning in pain. RC stopped and turned back towards the giant robot as the sword disappeared.
"Paladins! What's going on!?" Allura shouted, worried for them.
"We lost the sword! Something's malfunctioning!" Keith shouted on a holo-screen that appeared.
RC scanned Voltron to see if she could identify and fix the problem. But whatever was going on, it wasn't popping up on her scanner. "I'm unable to detect the source of the malfunction!" She exclaimed. "Shiro! You must take control!"
"I can't hold it!" Shiro yelled, gripping the handles tightly as he tried to control Voltron. But nothing was happening. It was as if something was fighting for control of the Black Lion.
And that's exactly what was going on. On the space station, Zarkon was hovering in midair between a ring with three short bridges attached to it. Around Zarkon were four Garla Druids that were standing on floating platforms. All four were shooting electricity at four focus points on the emperor's armor.
"You're a fool to bring Voltron here," he said into the five pilots' heads
RC and Allura could only watch as the Paladins scream. And then in a flash of bright light, the Lions all came apart with a blue spark. The princess contacted the Paladin and frantically asked, "Paladins, are you alright?"
"We're fine! What just happened?" Hunk demanded.
"I don't know, but we've got bigger problems right now. Look!" Lance pointed.
There was another, even larger Galra fleet coming right for them. Consisting of warships, Galra Destroyers launching from the bay of those ships, and fighters launched from the rings of Zarkon's Central Command.
"Where did they come from?!" Keith exclaimed.
"I don't know, it's as if they knew..." Allura paused and her expression turned to horror. "...we were coming."
"It doesn't matter. We must uphold the mission." RC said, before flying towards the enemy attackers. As she fires missiles at the Destroyers and took some of them out, the Red, Blue, Yellow, and then Green Lion followed her into battle.
However, the Black Lion didn't join in the firing. Despite Shiro's best efforts to get the Lion under control, he couldn't get it to follow his orders. Then it started to glow a Galra purple and began to be lifted up in towards the bottom of Zarkon's Central Command. Right, where the emperor himself was.
While the four other Lions battle against the warship, RC fired her chaingun into the Destroyers that came near her. Her targeting computer aiming at the cockpits of the mechs. Killing the pilots inside them. She when then hit in the back with laser blasters from another Destroyer, so she turned around and activated the vortex shield. Blocking the blaster and launched missiles at it. The Destroyer flew to the side, dodging it and then rushed at RC with its energy bayonet blade on its rifle. RC quickly pulled out her sword and blocked the attack. The Titan then extended her Hidden Blade and stabbed it in the chest. Killing the pilot in it and then kicked the body away.
Allura looked around as the battle grew increasingly chaotic. "Ah, There's no end to these guys!" Hunk shouted in frustration on a holoscreen. She then looked at the warships as sweat dripped down Allura's face.
The ships charged their heavy cannons and were about to fire when a powerful blue laser cuts through one of them. Allura and RC looked up to see it was the Castle of Lions that had shot the laser.
"Coran attack!" Coran shouted proudly on the bridge of the ship. "I've waited ten thousand years for this!"
The others were shocked by this attack, but cheered.
However, Shiro didn't cheer. Groaning as he was still trying to get the Black Lion back under his control. But nothing worked. He couldn't escape the grasp of the magical hold on him.
RC turned towards the leader of the team and her optics zoomed in on him. Looking closer, she saw that he was in trouble and in need of help. She flew towards the space station, dodging laser beams and warships, and slicing through any fighter or Destroyer that got in her way. Shiro groaned again. "Shiro, what's you're status? Are you alright?"
Shiro groaned again as he pulled back on the handles. "Something is overriding the controls! My Lion's not responding!" He yelled, before his body was suddenly put under intense pain.
Allura's eyes widened. "Zarkon..."
"What?" RC asked.
"I was a fool. RC, full speed! We've got to get Shiro and the Black Lion away from Zarkon!" Allura ordered the Titan. The war machine followed that order and flew straight for Zarkon's ship.
Shiro continued screaming in agony while still struggle with his connection with the Black Lion. Again, he could hear Zarkon's voice in his head. "You cannot fight it. Your connection is weak."
And then the pain stopped. Shiro opened his eyes to see what was going on. However, what he saw was anything but good. The situation turned from bad to worse when the hologram screens and controls turned into the same purple/pink color of the Galra Empire. English words turned alien as they became the language of the Galra. On the front of his screen, the symbol of the Empire was displayed, and many more symbols and signs showed up.
The Black Lion powered up again, and Shiro was suddenly launched from it.
He screamed when being ejected from the mouth of the Lion and his body started floating in the vastness of space. Shiro quickly activated his jetpack. However, his body slammed into the side of the space station. Damaging his jetpack. The Black Paladin would have bounced off it again, if it wasn't a large hand grabbing him.
Shiro panted as he calmed himself. He looked up and saw it was RC that caught him. "Shiro, are you alright?" Allura asked worriedly.
"I'm fine," Shiro said. They then looked towards the Black Lion as it was being drawn closer to the space station
"What do we do now, guys? Our plan isn't really working out as...well, planned!" Hunk yelled on the holoscreen.
Allura opened the hatch of the cockpit and jumped out of RC. "We've got to get the Black Lion back before Zarkon gets his hands on it!"
"Negative. We must uphold the mission," RC argued. She then looked up at the Black Lion.
"I'll get the Black Lion," Shiro told Allura and the Titan. "You guys get Marcus, now!"
On the bridge on the ship, Coran pulled up a screen on his computer that showed a red dot inside one area of the space station. "I've identified Marcus' exact location. Uploading the coordinates to you now, princess," he said, before he was rocked by the Castleship getting hit by laser fire. "In the meantime, I'll provide covering fire from out here, all alone, against an entire fleet. So, yeah, do you mind hurrying?"
Allura nodded before reaching behind her hip to grab something. That would be Marcus' Smart Pistol. She loaded the targeting system to her earrings to have it work for her too. "My jetpack's damaged," Shiro said, looking back at his pack. "I'll need to go through the ship." He then activated his prosthetic arm and used it to cut into the metal of the space station. The cover blew off as air escaped through the hole. After the air died down, Shiro and Allura jumped inside.
"You guys get Marcus without me," Keith said, flying past RC. She turned towards him and saw the Red Paladin going straight for the Black Lion.
"What? We've got to stick together!" Lance exclaimed. "What are you doing?"
"Whatever I can."
Keith flew straight for the Black Lion. It was almost to Zarkon.
Suddenly, Keith slammed his Lion into the side of the Black Lion, knocking it away from Zarkon's grasp and sent it flying towards another section of the station. RC took off and flew towards the Lion. She grabbed it and blasted her thrusters at full speed to slow down. Landing it gently on the haul.
"Shiro, the Black Lion is secured. Uploading our location to your HUD," RC told the Paladin.
"Roger. I'm on my way," said Shiro. Suddenly, RC's sensors were picking up something coming towards her.
It was a single attacker.
RC looked towards the enemy, and her eyes widened when she saw it was Zarkon. Having forgone his cape, the emperor speeded towards the Titan and Black Lion. He passed over RC and landed a few feet away from her and the Black Lion. The Titan's missile pods popped out and she aimed her Chaingun at Zarkon.
Alarms inside the space station were blaring all around her as Allura ran down the corridor. Rushing to get to Marcus and rescue him. She didn't stop when two Galra soldiers stepped out of the hallway in front of her to the left. The princess simply held up the Smart Pistol, allowing it to lock onto the heads of the Sentries, and then fire. Destroying each in the process.
"Princess, do you copy?" She stopped when she heard RC's voice on the communicator.
Allura placed her hand on her helmet's left side. "RC? What's wrong?"
"I've got the Black Lion, but Zarkon's here too." Allura gasped when she heard this, before her HUD displayed RC's POV.
When she saw Zarkon, the monster that destroyed her world, killed her father, and conquered the free universe, something inside her snapped. She growled and yelled, "KILL HIM, RC!"
"Destroy him before he gets his hands on the Black Lion," Allura order RC.
That's when Coran contacted the Titan, having seen that Zarkon was there. "Don't do it, RC! Get out of there, now! Zarkon's too powerful!" He shouted.
"If Zarkon gets his hands on the Black Lion, it's all over!" Allura shouted, looking furious with wide eyes. "This is our chance to put an end to the Galra Empire! You have to take it!"
"RC, don't!"
Zarkon approached RC. Taking a few steps toward her. Bring RC back to the situation at hand and engaged Guard-Mode. The two advertisers glared at one another.
"Step aside," ordered Zarkon. "Or be destroyed."
"No."
RC jumped back with a boost of her thrusters before unleashing everything she had on the empire. First, she sent a full ordnance barge of Multi-Target Missiles. Zarkon didn't move a muscle when the rockets came at him, and the missile exploded on impact. Creating a cloud of smoke. RC then reloaded her weapon, having activated Burst Core, and then proceed to mag-dump their entire magazine of Chaingun into Zarkon. Electrified Arc Rounds cut into the smoke cloud, hitting their target.
RC didn't stop until the last round was fired and she reloaded. However, if she was capable of being shocked by what she saw, then the mecha would definitely be. Allura was still standing in the middle of the hallway, looking at the holoscreen with wide, horrified eyes. "No..."
The dust cloud disappeared, revealing that Zarkon was more than just fine. Have put up an energy shield.
When the shield disappeared, RC's optic scanners zoomed in on Zarkon's right hand. In it was an object. Scanning it the shape, energy signature, and power coming off of it, it was very obvious that this wasn't just any weapon. It was a Bayard. And it's energy signature matched up with the opens carried by the Paladins.
"You are indeed a powerful war machine, but all your weapons and power are weak compared to mine," Zarkon said. His Bayard glowed light purple, and transformed into a sword.
Swiping his sword across, horizontally, Zarkon sent out a purple wave of energy at the Titan. Striking a blow to her chest and sending her flying across space. RC's custom Northstar jet engines moved around to stabilize her. However, she was stopped when the Red Lion flew over and stopped her when the Titan's back impacted the side of Keith.
"I got you!" Keith said.
"To increase our chances of survival, we'll have to work together," RC told him. Reluctantly, Keith agreed. The Titan then flew onto the neck of the Red Lion. Like a cavalryman riding on horseback, RC holster her Chaingun on her back, and then brought out her energy sword. Igniting it.
"You can't stop me. The Black Lion will finally be returned to its original Paladin."
Allura started running faster to Marcus' location. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She was only trying to protect the humans from the dark history of the paladins so that they would have a chance to bond with the lions on their own.
She shook her head. Right now that didn't matter. Allura will face the Paladins when the time came to come clean. But for now, Marcus needed to be saved.
"Paladins! I'm almost to Marcus' cell!" She exclaimed into her earring communicator. After running for about a few more seconds, she saw two guards standing at a locked cell door.
One of them turned its head towards her and was about to fire when Allura held up the Smart Pistol and fired two times into its head. Knocking over with two holes going through its head. The other was about to fire when Allura rushed towards it, jumped up, and delivered a roundhouse kicked to the robot's head. Knocking off, before landing on top of the body and fired four shots into it. Making sure it was completely destroyed.
Allura panted for a moment before looking towards the door of the prison cell. Dragging over the body of the Sentry to it, she slammed the hand onto the handprint scanner. After it read the code in the robot's hand, the doors opened.
She rushed inside to see Marcus.
But he wasn't there. Allura's face dropped. Dread filled her heart when she looked around. Only to see Marcus' helmet sitting near the far wall. She rushed over to it and picked it up. Looking at it as her heart was beating faster. Becoming increasingly worried for him.
However, the sound of feet stepping down on the metal ground reached her ears, and with lightning-quick reflexes, Allura turned around and aimed the Smart Pistol.
Pointing it at Marcus, with his Energy Knife activated in his hands. Having jumped down from a vent overhead.
"Marcus?!" Allura exclaimed with wide eyes filled with shock and a smile.
"Allura!?" Marcus exclaimed. While his face looked roughened up a bit, he's shocked expression turned to smile. He quickly sheathed his knife, which the guards stupidly didn't take from him, and helped Allura stand up. "Boy, am I glad to see-"
Allura suddenly punched him.
"OW!" Marcus' was turned around from the punch, grabbing his jaw in pain. He though the Galrans punches were hard, but this princess was even harder. Allura shook her hand before Marcus snapped his head to her and glared. "What was that for!?"
"Letting yourself get captured!" Allura snapped back.
"What was I supported to do?" Marcus argued, jabbing a finger at her. "It was either one of us or all of us! I only did what I had-" Allura suddenly used one hand to grab him and pulled the Pilot into a hug. Marcus was shocked only a second, before wrapping his hands around her. Pulling the two of them closer before Allura pulled away from him. Marcus looked rather surprised and confused at her. Trying to find the right words from her action, he simply said, "...And that?"
Allura smirked with a blush on her cheeks. "For staying alive."
"Allura, you found Marcus!" Hunk called, popping up a holoscreen.
Allura and Marcus quickly pull away from each other. "Y-Yes Hunk!" Allura said with a slight stutter in her voice, the Pilot rubbing the back of his head. She then held out his helmet and Smart Pistol to him. He nodded and took them. "I've found Marcus! We'll need an evac! Now!"
"How do when get in?" Lance asked.
"Maybe I can try hacking one of their cargo bays," Pidge suggested.
"We don't have time for that!" Hunk yelled.
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Actually yes, I do!" Hunk said, smiling. "Princess, Marcus, get behind something! I'm coming to you!"
With his helmet back on, Marcus looked towards the doorway of the prison cell. His HUD scanned the area, and it was highlighting Hunk's Lion as he was flying outside the space station just behind the wall of the hallway. The Yellow Lion turned and started heading straight for the side of the station.
"Oh crap! He's serious!" The Pilot yelled, grabbing Allura's arm and pulled her over to the wall next to the door.
The Yellow Lion's suddenly smashed into the ship. Marcus and Allura pressed against wall as the air rushed out of the station. Alarms were blaring as the Yellow Lion's mouth opened, and Hunk jumped out with his activated Bayard. Outside, the Galra fighters were flying towards the Lion, forcing Lance and Pidge to cover Hunk's ass while he gets the Pilot and Princess.
"You guys okay?!" the lovable teenager asked as Marcus limped out from behind the wall with Allura placing a comforting hand on his back. Moving that fast and jumping down didn't do the Pilot any good with his injuries.
"We're good! You wouldn't happen to have a Stim on you, would you?" Marcus asked, holding out his hand. Hunk did have a pack and pulled it put. Opening it and handing his friend a Stim syringe in a paper wrapper.
Marcus grabbed it and tore off the wrapper, before jamming the syringe into his shoulder. He grunted in pain at for, before all the pain went away and his body started healing. Not all the way, but enough to keep him fighting. He panted long breaths and moved his arm around.
"Better?" asked Hunk.
He looked at his right shoulder and saw that the exposed skin was no longer burnt from when he was shot. "...Now what?"
"We're going to get you out of here," Hunk said.
Suddenly all three of their communications were filled with the sound of Shiro's groans. He was fighting, and it sounded like he was losing. "We have to save Shiro!" Allura shouted, running down the hallway with Marcus following after her.
"Hunk, did you get the Princess and Marcus?" Lance asked.
"I got them, but there's a change of plans," Hunk explained, running after the two.
As RC rode on the Red Lion's back, Keith fired another blue laser at Zarkon, causing an explosion. But just like when the Titan attacked the emperor, he protected himself with his shield. Zarkon deactivated the shield and looked up. Dodging the Red Lion when it pounced down on him. RC jumped off Red's neck and the two robots got into fighting stances when their enemy landed. Reforming his sword.
"We'll need to come up with a strategy," RC told Keith.
"No time!" Keith charged at Zarkon.
The Galra emperor flew towards him as the Red Lion fired multiple lasers at him. He moved from side to side, dodging them all. When the Lion was about to bite down on him, he just swiftly moved to the right and slashed at its legs. Zarkon then landed as Keith crashed.
Keith groaned as the alarms started blaring inside the cockpit. He looked up and saw Zarkon pointing his Bayard at him. The tyrant unexpectedly formed a large energy cannon. As the weapon charged, RC flew towards Zarkon from behind.
Zarkon, however, turned around and fire the cannon.
RC's single optic widened and she quickly dodged the attack. The energy column went out towards one of the ring structures surrounding the space station. Cutting right through it and causing a massive explosion.
"Keith, RC, get out of there!" Conan screamed on the comms. RC swung at Zarkon and the emperor blocked the sword with his own sword. The two started a sword fight. The Titan used her robotic strength and speed against Zarkon's agility.
Zarkon slashed at RC, but she blocked the attack and the two locked blades. Both were equally matched with it came to strength. While pushing against Zarkon's sword, RC used one of her hands to punch him, but the Emperor dodged. Flying to the right, and the energy broadsword cut into the haul of the station.
RC looked up to see Zarkon flying up and then making a wide turn around towards her. Sending another energy wave at her.
Pulling out the broadsword, RC flew away from the attack as it made a giant explosion that rocked the space station. The force of the blast knocked her over, but she flew up to hover over the station. Keith flew over and joined her. Both allies looked down at Zarkon.
"Keith, do you copy? You don't know what you're dealing with! He's too powerful!" Coran shouted as Keith activated his Lion's jaw-blade. Zarkon stood ready to fight.
"Coran, we must protect the Black Lion."
"Listen to me, it's imperative that you two don't engage the..." Keith disconnected from him. He wasn't going to miss this chance to end the war. He flew towards Zarkon at full speed. RC followed after, pulling out her Chaingun.
Zarkon, however, was ready. Turning his sword into a whip with curated blades, he launched it at Keith. The Red Lion dodged the whip, landing on the Central Command, then jumped off it when the whip came at him. Keith flew around to keep him from getting caught. But then the weapon grabbed the robot by the leg.
RC flew over Zarkon as he pulled the Lion down, crashing him down into the station. The Vanguard-class Titan opened fire at the Galran. Zarkon simply activated his shield, protecting himself. RC then put the Chaingun back on her back and flies at Zarkon at full speed. Bringing out her broadsword.
But when she was about to bring the weapon down on him, Zarkon's Bayard turned into a large sword. Much large than the energy sword. He swung at her, breaking the broadsword. The Titan's shield held up, but, it wasn't enough, and cutting into her chassis. Above where her left arm connected to her body.
The force of the cut sent RC flying back. Crashing against the haul of the space station.
The Titan laid on her front before lifting herself on her legs. She looked back at Zarkon. Seeing her as the threat no longer, Zarkon turned around to face the Red Lion.
Keith groaned in pain as the alarms continued to blare and red lights flashed all around him. Lifting his head up, looking out the window of the cockpit, he gasped seeing the emperor formed his energy sword again, and came flying towards him. "No!" He shouted, yanking on the handles. Overwhelmed with intense emotions from the damage he was in, Keith tried to get the Lion back up on its feet.
Suddenly, the Red Lion stood back up, and on its back formed a large rail gun.
The rail gun fired at Zarkon, who quickly blocked the large energy column with his Bayard. He struggled against the laser, before moving out the way. RC jumped out of the way, and the laser collided with another one of the Central Command's rings. Destroying a large section of it in a giant explosion.
"Whoa!" Keith was slight shock.
"Impressive," RC said.
Keith then flew up over the station and fired the rail gun again. Zarkon flew away from it, and Keith followed him with the laser. Leaving a wiggly cering cut in the side of the Central Command. But now he looks track of him and couldn't see where he went.
"You fight like a Galra soldier." Keith's eyes widened and looked around to see Zarkon's form zooming up past him. "But not for long!"
Zarkon's Bayard formed a large mace. With a roar, he swung down and slammed it into the Red Lion. The emperor watched as the Lion was knocked into the ground, before looking to the left. RC was flying towards him at full speed. Swing her fist at him as Zarkon swung the Bayard at the Titan.
Shiro grunted in pain, looking around at the multiple copies of Haggar surrounding him. On his way to the Black Lion, he was stopped by the witch and the two started to fight. However, she turned out to be much more powerful than the form Titan Pilot could handle. Using her black lightning powers and making illusions.
The Black Paladin was about to attack her again, but Haggar vanished. He went for another attack, but again, she vanished.
Haggar appeared behind him, an orb of dark magic formed in her hand. Shiro turned to her, but the witch struck him in the side. He screamed in agony from the intense pain. Falling to his knees, he groaned and held his side. The laughter of Haggar overlapping with the many copies.
"And now, Champion, your time is over."
That's when Marcus, Allura, and Hunk ran into the hanger. They were wide-eyed to see Shiro being surround by the many Haggar clones.
"Which one's the real one!?" Hunk exclaimed. Marcus drew his Smart Pistol and aimed it in the general direction of the witches. Letting his targeting system try and find the real Haggar.
It only took a second to lock onto her as she rushed towards Shiro with another orb of dark magic. He fired multiple shots at the witch. Haggar heard the shots, stopped her attack, and held up her hand to summon a shield. The rounds ricocheting off the purple force field. Shiro tried to attack again, but she disappeared, so when he swung his ring arm at her, the Black Paladin ended up falling on the ground.
He quickly got up, putting his hand on his wound, before Allura, Marcus, and Hunk ran over to him. "We've got to get out of here!" The princess said, helping Shiro stand up.
"Where's the scary lady?" Hunk asked.
"We can't leave! Not until I shut down that barrier!" Marcus told him, pulling out his Smart Pistol and reloading it with a fresh mag.
"What?!" Allura looked shocked and incredulously at him. "Are you out of your mind! After we risked everything to come and rescue you?"
"I have to do it!" Marcus argued back. "I've been listening to some of the Galra talking. This has all been a trap to get to Voltron! They've put up that barrier to trap us in so that we can't make a jump! I'm the only one that can get to it without being seen and then Pidge can help me shot it down!"
Shiro panted for a moment with cold sweets, before looking up at Marcus. "Do it...only if you can't granite that you'll be able to make it out," he said sternly to him. "We wouldn't be about to make another rescue if you get caught again."
"Just tell RC to wait for me at the closest hanger and I'll be there," Marcus said, turning to leave.
"Marcus!" Marcus turned around to see Allura handing Shiro over to Hunk. The princess then ran over and gently grabbed Marcus' helmet with both hands. "Please come back to us." Marcus nodded with a smile behind his visor. Then he disappeared. Allura felt his helmet move away from her hands and she sighed. Why did he have to be a hero?
RC's back slammed again the Red Lion's lifeless body when she was thrown down. Even after throwing everything she had at the tyrant, Zarkon was still too powerful. Even for a Titan. She looked up at him and activated the Dome-Shield in and a last-ditch effort to protect herself and Keith.
To Zarkon, this was only a feeble attempt for the machine to save something she had no business in dealing with. He changed his Bayard again to the large sword. With all the beatings that RC took, the Dome-Shield wouldn't hold against it, and Keith knew that.
As Zarkon flew towards them, he desperately started yanking on the controls to get Red up again. "Come on! Come on!" He shouted.
But just when Zarkon was about to destroy the two, he was caught off guard when the Black Lion came flying in and fired a laser at him. Blasting him into the ground, causing an explosion.
Shiro then flew over to the Red Lion and RC. The Titan dropped the Dome-Shield and when the Black Lion came swooping in and picked up the Red Lion in its mouth, she followed them back to the ship. "I've got Keith, RC. Marcus is still in Zarkon's Central Command and will need you to be there for him when he shuts down the barrier." RC didn't respond as she turned and flew back towards the space station, as the Castleship got into position to leave.
On the bridge of the ship, Allura stood at the controls and placed her hands on them. Powering up the castle for a Wormhole jump. "All right, Marcus, we're ready! Are you at the barrier controls?" she asked, as a screen popped up on the Castle's large computer. It was the same with the Paladins, as they were still in their Lions. Showing them all Marcus' POV from his helmet.
More Galra ships flying towards them, and if Marcus couldn't get the barrier down, they were in big trouble.
With his cloak activated, Marcus was able to walk up to a single Galra Sentry standing in the doorway of the barrier control room. He raised his Smart Pistol and fired at point-blank range. As the robot fell to the ground, the Pilot entered into the control room. Standing at a large holoscreen computer that displayed the barrier was a single guard.
Marcus killed the guard with a single shot to the head and ran over to the computer. "Alright, I'm here! Pidge, how do I do this?" he asked, placing his hands on the dashboard.
"Okay, try finding a slot that you can use your Data-Knife to hatch into the terminal," Pidge said on the radio. Marcus looked around for a place to stab into, but there was none. There were no slots for him to hack into!
"Marcus, here!" Lance yelled.
"There's nowhere for me to hatch into it! How am I-" He was cut off by a sharp, metallic sound behind him and the Pilot drew his pistol, whipped around, and aimed at a single Sentry that was standing a few feet from him.
The robot, however, didn't move. It just stood there for a moment, before falling over. Marcus' eyes widened in shock. The others watching his POV were shocked too.
Standing behind the robot and holding the knife that stabbed it was a Galra!
Thace was an athletic, mature-aged Galra with perky hair/fur and purple skin. He was above-average height for a Galra soldier and had a muscular build. He had humanoid features like two arms, five fingers on each hand, a Roman nose, and yellow eyes. He had strong cheekbones, intense eyebrows some modest chin scruff. He also had white streaks in his hair.
"Dude, what's going on?" asked Hunk. Marcus, didn't respond, continuing to look at the Galra in shock.
Thace stared down at the Sentry before looking turning his attention to Marcus. He then started walking towards him.
Snapping out of his initial shock, Marcus pointed the Smart Pistol at the Galra. "Hold it!" He shouted, making Thrace.
"If you and your friends which to escape, then let me through," the Galra said.
"Marcus, don't trust him! He's lying!" Allura yelled, sounding angry.
"Negative. Voice analysis pattern indicates that he's telling the truth," RC said. It was good to hear her voice again. He knew that his Titan would never lie to him. While he heard some of the others yelling at him to not trust the Galra, there was no other option left.
Marcus stepped aside and allowed Thrace to walk up to the terminal. Still having the Smart Pistol trained on him. The Galra started trying on the keyboard and then lifted up a protective screen that was over a lever and pulled it down.
"Marcus, they have us completely, surrounded!" Coran yelled.
"Wait, Marcus, the barrier's going down!" Pidge shouted in shock, and that surprised the others too. The Galra soldier was actually helping them? There were so many things and questions that were going through the Pilot's head. Who was he? Why was he helping them? His part of the Empire, wasn't he?
"The barrier will be down within a minute. Go!" Thrace pointed to the entrance of the room.
"Wait, who are you," Marcus asked.
"If you and your friends survive..." Thrace held up the knife he had, showing the glowing symbol on its handguard that resembled a blade. "The Blade of Marmora will be waiting for you."
Marcus blinked behind his visor. "Moore, we've got to go!" That snapped him out of it and the Pilot ran out of the run. Leaving Thrace behind.
With Marcus taking control of her, he piloted RC back to the Castleship. He sighed in relief, as he sat in the Titan's cockpit. It was good to be back inside and finally get away from the Galra. Going at full speed, he raced to the ship and flew into the shuttle bay. Landing on RC's feet that skidded across the metal floor, kicking up sparks.
"Alright, I'm in! Get us out of here!" Marcus yelled to Allura.
Allura already opened a wormhole and the castle started flying towards it.
Suddenly, RC's seniors were going off. Something powerful was building up. And it was coming from Zarkon's Central Command.
Marcus looked back and saw large, dark magic lightning coming right at them.
"BRACE YOURSELVES!" He yelled. Haggar's dark magic headed for the wormhole and when the castle flew into the portal, the lightning hit the ring. Corrupting the time and space gateway, turning it purple, before the gate closed.
All around the ship was black, purple, and pink as electricity crackled and sparked all around the ship. Making it tremble a bit.
"Coran, what's happening?" Shiro called the advisor from inside his Lion.
"The integrity of the wormhole has been compromised! It's breaking down!" Coran yelled.
"What does that mean?" Lance asked.
"It means we have no control over where we're headed!" Suddenly the ship felt like it was hit with something massive and shook violently.
Shiro and Keith yelled as their Lions were sucked out of the ship and into the wormhole. Going in the same direction as they floated to the edge of the wormhole, pasting through and out of it. Then Lance and Hunk, then Pidge. Marcus and RC were the last to be thrown out of the ship. At first, RC's Hidden Blade, slammed into the floor to keep them in. But the pull of the temporal rift was too strong and it pulled them right out of the ship and they too vanished with the Lions.
After they were thrown out, RC slammed into some. A building to a large city that was in ruin and in the middle of a large battle between the inhabitants and the Galra. And the Galra was easily winning. Killing anything and everyone that they saw or dared to resist.
The rain will be coming soon.
High above the ground - seven stories high - the Titan laid motionless among the wreckage and debris. Marcus remained inside of her. Unconscious.
Thank you very much for reading. "Become ONE" will return. Please be sure to Favorite and Follow if you like the story, and also Review it. If you any questions or discussions you'd have for me, then please in a Review or a PM me.
Thank you for reading, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
