Chapter 19 – Finding the Source of Scaultrite
I don't own Voltron Legendary Defender. I'm taking the characters out for a spin. This chapter takes place during the episodes Belly of the Weblum, Beta Traz, and Stayin' Alive.
Lance stood by Hunk, who snored away. The Yellow Paladin jerked and jumped, waking himself up. "Wha-What did I miss?" He glanced around before setting his gaze on the Blue Paladin.
A smug grin tugged at Lance's lips. "Oh, nothing important. We've just figured out a way to defeat Zarkon."
"Really? I dozed off for ten minutes, and you guys figured out how to defeat the forces of evil?"
Pidge, who stood on Hunk's other side, slid her eyes at him. "You've been asleep for three hours."
Hunk grinned at her as a small bead of sweat slid down the side of his face. He turned his head to gaze at the giant hologram of Zarkon's command ship and the others who stood around it.
Shiro stood between Kolivan and Allura. "I think we've got something here. It's dangerous, and there are a lot of moving parts, but if we can coordinate everything just right, then—"
Kolivan chose that moment to speak. "Zarkon's reign will be at an end, and the savagery that's poisoned our universe can finally be cleansed. You've done it, Shiro."
Pink dusted Shiro's cheeks. He shook his head and held his hand out to the Galra resistance leader. "We did it together."
Adam gazed at the Black Paladin and grinned. It was fun seeing Shiro a little embarrassed.
Kolivan and Shiro grasped their upper arms, which was a universal sign of respect out in space.
Allura turned to face them. "As long as we all stick to the plan, it should work."
Shiro sighed, not liking the tone of her voice.
Kolivan didn't flinch at her words. "It will work. Perhaps, then, you'll learn that not all Galra are as bad as Zarkon."
She craned her head around to glare at Keith. "I hope not."
Adam frowned. He knew what he had to do.
Antok kept his face covered. His voice sounded distorted as he spoke. "Ulaz was right to trust you all."
Shiro gazed at the Galra. "He sacrificed everything to bring us together. Let's honor him by taking down Zarkon."
Hunk rose from his chair and strode over toward the others with Pidge by his side. "So, what's the plan?"
Lance fought to control his excitement, but it burst forth from him. "The plan is amazing!" His actions were manic as he spoke while his arms went flying around. "First, we infect Zarkon's ship with a virus. Then, we make an extra-large wormhole and lure Zarkon inside of it, zapping him a bajillion light-years away. Then when he pops out on the other side, all like, 'Oh, why doesn't my ship work?' Voltron kicks his butt!"
Adam sighed from behind Shiro. "I've got to do something about him."
The Black Paladin reached out and grabbed Adam's hand as he turned. "Let him have a little fun. It'll probably be the last we have until after Zarkon's gone for good."
Hunk gazed at everything. "Wow. So this is it."
Pidge gazed toward Shiro. "I guess the only question is, when do we strike?"
Coran brought up a holographic screen. "As soon as we build a Teludav big enough to wormhole Zarkon's ship."
Hunk blew out a sigh. "Oh, man. The Teludav again? Does that mean we need scaultrite?"
Allura focused her gaze on the teen. "That's just one of the many things we'll need."
Hunk's eyes lit up. "Am I, uh-Am, I sensing a trip back to the space mall here?"
Coran shook his head. "I'm afraid not. This is gonna take a lot more scaultrite than we can find in any Unilu shop. For this plan to succeed, we're gonna need to split up. We all have a task to do. Keith, Hunk, you'll be in charge of getting the scaultrite. If anyone of us fails, the entire plan fails."
Adam gazed at Coran, wondering if the Altean realized how easily he started using Earth slang. Maybe for the two survivors, it was a good thing to be exposed to humans.
Keith and Shiro hugged in the main hangar as Hunk cried as he shook Pidge's hand. Adam smiled at the scene.
His eyes caught Allura as she turned her head away from Keith as he and Shiro released each other. She failed to notice, but Adam caught the pain in the Red Paladin's eyes as he gazed down at the metal deck.
Pidge knelt, giving the three mice on the ground a little extra attention while the largest, Platt, sat on Allura's shoulder.
Lance gazed at the Princess. "So, how about a kiss for good luck?" He leaned forward with his lips puckered and closed his eyes.
Adam placed his hand over his face hiding his eyes. "I can't believe I'm related to him."
Shiro wrapped his arms around Adam. "Sometimes, I can't either."
Adam pulled his hand away from his face and wrapped his arms around Shiro. "I'm glad someone agrees with me, Amor."
Shiro leaned forward and pressed his lips to Adam's lightly.
Adam responded in kind.
As the pair separated, they turned in time. Coran picked the mouse up off Allura's shoulder and held it up to Lance's face. The mouse kissed the Blue Paladin.
Lance's eyes opened as he stared at the mouse and silently screamed.
Adam doubled over as laughter rippled out of his body as Lance wiped his mouth with the back of his gloved hand.
Pidge giggled as she saw what happened. "Serves you right!"
Lance glared at her as he wiped his mouth a second time.
Adam watched as the three Paladins climbed up the ramp into the Blue Lion. He waved as the lion lifted off the deck and flew out of the hangar. He turned and watched the pair of Alteans head off toward the Pod Bay. He'd give them some privacy, but he needed to talk to Allura.
He felt something against his pant let and glanced down to see the smallest of the mice by his foot. "Well, hello," he knelt and held out his hand. "How are you doing, Chulatt?"
The small pale blue-furred mouse climbed onto Adam's fingers. It let out a flurry of squeaks as it gazed up at the human.
Adam chuckled. The little mouse seemed to know that he had something on his mind. "Well, if you're asking me to talk over what's on my mind," he shook his head, "I can't. This has to be a conversation between Allura and myself. But you're more than welcome to tag along."
Time seemed to slow for Adam the closer he got to the bridge. His stomach churned, and his chest tightened, but it was time he had this conversation with Allura about one person, Keith.
The doors slid open, and he stepped onto the bridge. Allura turned from her position on the deck. "Good, I was getting ready to ask you to join me. I've set our course for the Balmera."
Adam nodded as he gazed at her. His thoughts raced through his head over how he was going to say what needed to be said. He cleared his throat. "You probably won't like what I have to say, but there are some things you need to know about Keith before you damn him. That young man considers you a friend, but you keep on stomping on his feelings and the cold you've shown him since he told us he was part Galra needs to stop."
Allura opened her mouth, but Adam held up his hand to stop her as he shook his head. "Don't say anything yet. Let me finish what I need to tell you." He turned away from her for a minute before turning back. Keith was going to kill him for telling her this, but she did need to know. "First, you should know I have talked to Keith, something you haven't bothered to do. He never knew who his mother was, and his father raised him until his father was killed.
"That boy spent the next few years being shipped off to different families because he didn't have anyone to look after him. He was an orphan." Adam paused as he heard the sharp intake of air from Allura as she gasped. He nodded. "Yes, Keith is an orphan. He was finally sent to a group home, not the best place for a child."
Chulatt, who now sat on his shoulder, squeaked at Adam. He made a shushing noise to the mouse and brought up his hand to stroke it's head. Adam drew in another breath. "He stayed in the group home until Takashi came along. Takashi told me that he saw something in Keith and wanted him to reach his full potential. So Takashi risked his reputation at the Garrison for Keith, and the two have become something as close to brothers could be. Now he's found another family, but here you are throwing it all away over something he had no control over."
Allura sucked in a breath. "I didn't realize it."
Adam crossed his arms over his chest. "It's something, Keith doesn't like to talk about. Most of the story I learned from Takashi, but I've kept my eyes on Keith since he found out he's part Galra. And we talked for a little bit when he returned from the Blade of Marmora's base. What I can't understand is after he's shown his loyalty so many times over to bringing an end to Zarkon, even risking his own life by taking Zarkon on single-handedly, you would even think that he could be like that tyrant."
Allura sighed. "You have given me much to think about. But I can't change how I feel about the Galra. They destroyed my world, killed my people, my family."
"And this is why you won't heal. If you keep blaming an entire race because of the actions of some and not seeing the good in others, you will become bitter." Adam shook his head.
"What do you mean by I won't heal?"
"Your drowning in your grief for your father and your people. I can see it. Right now, your whole focus is on Zarkon. But what after Zarkon is gone? What will you do then?" One of Adam's eyebrows rose as he focused his gaze on her. "Will you continue to grieve for your losses, or will you stand up and be the leader your father wanted you to be? It's all up to you and you alone."
Adam shook his head, hoping he'd given her enough to think about. He walked to his station and sat down as silence enveloped the bridge.
The silence on the bridge was broken by the smallest of the mice sitting on Adam's shoulder. It squeaked at him as it nudged him with its paw. Adam reached up and stroked its head. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."
Allura chuckled from behind him at her station. "His name is Chulatt, and he's asking if you're all right."
"I'm fine."
Chulatt squeaked again. Adam chuckled again as he stood from his seat. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he's scolding me."
Allura chuckled again. "He is. He's very perceptive about other's feelings. But he and the other mice are such dreadful gossips." She placed a hand on her hip. "How do you think I learned about you asking Shiro to marry you?" She pointed at Platt, who stood on her shoulder.
Platt let out a flurry of squeaks at her.
Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the mouse. "Don't take that tone with me." She rolled her eyes and turned her gaze to Adam. "Platt just scolded me too. And I have to say he is right," she clasped her hands together in front of her body. "Please forgive me, Adam. What you said to me earlier, it stung, and I wanted to try to hate you, but I can't. You've been so kind and patient. I'm surprised you didn't say anything earlier."
"What I had to say needed to be said between us. No one else needed to know."
Allura lowered her eyes to the deck before raising them again to gaze into his eyes. "I'm grateful for that. But I still haven't decided, Keith."
Adam nodded and took his seat back at his station. Chulatt, still on his shoulder, rubbed his head against the human's cheek.
Allura sat on the raised platform of her station and gazed down at the mice. "All right, then, what's the next one?" Adam sat near her and the mice as they played a game of charades.
The mice squeaked at her. "Okay, two words." The mice squeaked again. "Second word." Platt waved his arm like flowing water. "Waves?"
Platt shook his head.
"So I'm close. Ocean? Splash? Drink? Water?"
Platt nodded.
"Water!"
Adam grinned, her excitement at playing charades was fun to watch. Like watching a child discover a new toy.
Allura leaned forward with her hands clasped together under her chin. "First word."
The other three mice jumped up onto Platt's head in order of size and made a motion of swimming, but they also growled.
Allura's eyes brightened. "That's a Bytor! Bytor water!"
The mice jumped in the air squeaking their cheers.
Adam shook his head and laughed, gaining Allura's attention. He grinned at her. "That isn't exactly how charades are played back on Earth, but you do get into your games."
She giggled. "Hunk was right, though. These Earth road trip games do help pass the time."
Her screens appeared, and Coran's face appeared on the central display. "How are you, Princess? Are you almost at the Balmera?"
Allura gazed at the Altean as she stood. "I'm scheduled to arrive in just a few dobashes. I hope I'm able to find a crystal big enough for the Teludav."
"Have you heard from the other paladins?"
"I had contact with Lance, Shiro, and Pidge a little bit ago. They've located Slav."
Coran nodded. "What about Hunk and-and Keith?"
"No word from them yet."
The older Altean pulled at one side of his mustache and twisted it as he spoke. "I have no doubt my scientifically accurate instructional video was of great help."
"I'm sure it was. If they collect enough scaultrite for the lenses, will your Teludav structure be complete?"
"It's nearly done. The Olkari and I have been working on it day and night. It will be ready in time."
Allura sighed. "Oh, I hope so."
Coran gazed at her as his voice grew softer. "What's going on, Princess? You sound worried."
"I was thinking of my father. He gave his life to try to keep Voltron out of Zarkon's hands, and now we have a chance to defeat him. I-I don't want to fail."
"You know, Princess. Your father would be proud of you. It wasn't that long ago we found out Altea had been destroyed."
Allura dropped to her knees. "I've never felt so alone."
"Nor have I., And we could have easily given up. But we didn't. You didn't. And now look at us. We reformed Voltron. We freed the Olkari and the Balmerans, and now they're working alongside us."
Allura gazed up at Coran's image and smiled. "You're right, Coran. We have allies, and that's what's going to defeat Zarkon."
Coran saluted. "Crack a squiggle on the Balmera, Princess."
Allura smiled. "Thank you, Coran." She rose to her feet and ended the communication with the older man.
Adam stepped over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Keep reminding yourself that you're not alone. And I have to agree with Coran. Your father would be proud of what you've done. Also, remember that its okay to grieve, and it's okay to cry. But holding it inside isn't healthy. I'm here if you need an ear to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, okay?" He released his grip on her shoulder and let his arm drop to his side.
Allura smiled back at him. "Thank you, Adam. You are such a kind person. Shiro is lucky to have a man like you at his side."
Allura set the Castle of Lions down on the surface of the Balmera. Adam and Allura rode the landing pod down to the surface.
She blinked at him. "The armor I can understand, but full weapons too? Don't you think that's a little overkill?"
Adam shook his head. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
She shrugged, still not understanding some of the sayings that Earthlings used.
The door slid open, and Allura and Adam stepped out of the pod. They strode toward Shay and her family.
Shay's grandmother smiled. "The Balmera welcomes your return, Princess Allura."
Shay clasped her hands together and held them to her chest. "Princess, did Hunk accompany you?"
"I'm sorry, Shay. I've come here with Adam. The others are on missions of their own collecting important elements that we need to defeat Zarkon."
Shay's grandmother gasped, but the older woman gained her voice. "Defeat Zarkon? How can we help? The Balmera and its people can never thank you enough for all that you've done."
Allura clasped her hands together. "If the Balmera will give it, I need a crystal."
Shay gazed at the Altean. "Battleship class?"
"Bigger."
Adam gazed around the area. His eyes were taking in details. They stopped on the giant crystal in the distance. The site where the Balmera encased the Robeast in crystal several months ago. His eyes narrowed as a chill ran through his body.
The Balmerans led Allura and Adam down into a chamber. Before them sat the largest crystal, Allura had ever seen. "Incredible."
Shay stood beside the Altean. "When the Galra were here, these caverns were closed off. As if the Balmera was protecting itself. Now that the Balmera is free and healed, the crystal caverns are opened once more."
Allura stepped forward and placed her hands on the crystal. She closed her eyes and focused. The crystal hummed in response as the entire chamber began to glow. The Balmerans dropped to their knees behind her and placed their hands on the floor. They focused on the energy and helped Allura replenish the energy needed for the Balmera to grow more crystals.
Rumbling erupted around them. Shay whispered to her grandmother. "Of what was that rumble? Perhaps because a crystal this big has never been asked for."
"No, this is something different."
"Shay gazed at her grandmother. "Shall we stop the ceremony?"
Shay's grandmother gazed at Allura. "Let her finish."
Adam gaped at the crystal as it rose out of the ground, fired by the Balmera. He heard Allura speak to the Balmera. "Thank you."
The Balmerans stood before the Castle of Lions. Shay smiled. "The crystal has been loaded onto your Castle, Princess."
Allura hugged both Shay and her grandmother.
The Balmeran elder spoke. "We wish you could stay longer. I made you stickercup stew for the sky road."
Allura kept the smile on her face as her eyes grew to the size of saucers at the two giant worms erupted over the side of the bowl. "Oh, thank you. I'm sure we shall enjoy this immensely."
Adam whispered beside her. "Speak for yourself."
She took the bowl from the elder Balmeran. "To all of you, Balmerans, thank you once again."
The ground rumbled beneath their feet. Adam's eyes locked onto the crystal in the distance.
Allura gasped. "What was that?"
The crystal that encased the Robeast began to crack and shatter with giant chunks crashing to the ground.
Allura's eyes grew as she stared at it. "Oh, no!"
Adam shouted to any Balmerans who hadn't run away in a panic yet. "Go, get to cover!"
Allura dropped the bowl to the ground, which shattered as she turned to Shay and her family. "Take cover in the Balmera! I'll hold it off with the Castle's defenses."
Allura and Adam ran onto the bridge. She stopped at her station while Adam took a leap and landed in his seat. He slid the energy rifle off his shoulder and sat it on the floor beside him. She raised the particle barrier and activated the Castle's defense system bringing all weapons sending white energy beams at the beast.
It carried two giant shield-shaped crystals that were infected by the same energy that powered Sendak's Galra crystal. It blocked every shot from the Castle's defense system.
Adam craned his head around toward her. "Can we launch my defense drone while sitting here on the Balmera? Maybe I can use it to sneak past one of those crystals to get a hit on it."
Before she could get a word out, the Robeast fired a beam of energy from its chest. The beam was magnified by the crystal that stuck out of its chest.
The beam rocked the Castle. "I need to lure it away from the Balmera!" Allura followed her words with actions as she fired up the engines, and the great Altean ship rose into the sky, heading for space. The Robeast launched into the sky, giving chase.
Adam called out to her from his position as he activated his defense drone. "You need to contact the Paladins. I'll try to keep its attention off the ship."
Allura nodded as she opened up communications. "Hunk, Keith, are you there? Can you hear me?"
Keith and Hunk's faces appeared on the screen. The Red Paladin answered. "Hunk and Keith here. What's going on, Princess?"
"You must return to the Castle! I need you!"
"We're on our way."
She opened a channel to the Blue Lion. "Paladins, are you there?"
Lance responded to her call. "Princess, what's happening?"
"That monster that attacked us on the Balmera has returned!"
A chorus of 'What's' came from the Blue Lion.
"I need you back here immediately!"
Lance gazed back at her. "You got it, Princess. Sharpshooter is on the way."
Allura nodded, ignoring the sharpshooter comment. "Adam is trying to fight it with a defense drone."
Shiro took over communications as Pidge and Lance argued in the background. "Ready when you are, Allura."
Allura closed her eyes, and two wormholes appeared with the Blue and Yellow Lions flying through.
The Blue Lion flew to the Castle as Hunk did what he could to distract the Robeast, Adam was able to sneak in a few shots from his defense drone. Adam frowned. "This is like trying to hurt an elephant with a water gun. That monster isn't feeling any of my hits."
The Robeast fired its laser, attempting to hit the Yellow Lion. But the beam raked over the Castle's particle barrier destroying it and Adam's defense drone.
Feedback from the strike flowed up through Adam's station and sent an electrical jolt through his body. He jumped out of his seat. He turned to Allura as he shook his arms. "Good thing I have this armor on. That could have hurt more than feeling like ants were crawling all over me."
The door opened to the bridge. Shiro and Pidge ran onto it as Slav followed his eyes, taking in everything.
Allura gave a quick report. "The barrier is severely damaged."
As Shiro ran to his access point for the Black Lion, he spoke. "Lance, get back out there to give Hunk cover. Pidge and I are right behind you."
"You got it, Shiro."
Slav stared at the Black Paladin. "Don't worry about me. I'll hang out here."
Shiro stopped and turned toward the eccentric engineer. "Can you help the Princess restore the particle barrier?"
"Yes."
Shiro rolled his eyes and stared at the alien. "Now?"
"Oh, you mean in this reality. Got it."
Adam did his best to ignore the alien as it worked to restore the particle barrier. He was focused on the Paladins and the Robeast. Pidge was finally able to get a shot with the vine weapon allowing the paladins to form Voltron.
The giant mechanical warrior flew forward with sword in hand, aiming for the chest of the beast. The sword slipped past the shielding crystals and stabbed into the beast. It exploded.
Slav lay across Coran's station, studying the schematics for the Castle as he also worked on other systems with three of his eight hands. "Why is there a grand entrance on the fortieth floor? And what's with all the ziplines? You have hover technology."
Allura stood behind him. "Well, you know what? Ziplines were quite fashionable ten thousand years ago."
The paladins stepped up behind her. Keith spoke up. "Allura, have you heard from Coran?"
She didn't bother to turn around. "Yes."
Lance spoke up. "So, we ready to pop through the wormhole and get back to Olkarion?"
"Yes," Allura replied as she turned around, smiling. "I've checked in with Coran, and the Teludav is nearly complete." She turned her gaze to the Yellow Paladin. "Hunk, thank you for getting the scaultrite."
Hunk smiled back at her. "No problem." His smile faded as he motioned toward the Red Paladin. "You know, Keith was there too."
Her face hardened as she glared at the Red Paladin.
Keith kept his face blank as he gazed back at her.
Shiro stared at her. "Don't you think you've been hard enough on Keith since we found out he was part Galra? He can't help who gave birth to him."
"Adam already gave me a talking to after you left. But as I told him, it's hard to turn off my feelings."
Pidge balled up her hands into fists as she glared at the Princess. "Apparently, it wasn't enough!"
Allura gazed at her. "What do you mean?"
"I'm the smallest Paladin here. You know how that felt in school, being the smallest of your classmates. Probably not. I was teased and bullied, especially because of my brain and how I wanted to follow my brother and father out into space. I thought you of all people would be different!" She spun on her heel and ran off the bridge.
Keith glanced at the others. "I'll go talk to her." He chased after her.
Adam looked around at the others. "I'd better go too. And make sure both of them are okay." He pointedly glared at Allura.
Allura turned and walked away to her station where she activated the wormhole and flew the Castle through it.
Keith found Pidge sitting in her room. "Hey, Pidge. You-you want to talk?"
Adam followed Keith into the room and pushed some of her tech junk out of the way. Rover beeped above her head as Adam took a seat next to her.
Pidge held her helmet in her hands but put it on the bed while she wiped at her eyes. "I'm not sorry I blew up back there." She raised her head and gazed at Keith. "Allura's so unfair to you!"
Keith blinked at the Green Paladin. "I-I thought you'd hate me because I'm part Galra, and they did take your father and brother."
Pidge shook her head. "I can't hate you. You're not like them who took my dad and Matt. Your apart of the team and," she laughed slightly. "You always apologize for being a little late to the Robeast Party. Who does that?"
Keith shrugged. "I don't know."
Adam threw an arm around Pidge. "Are you going to be okay?"
Pidge nodded. "Yeah, I will. But I warn both of you now that if Allura doesn't stop treating Keith this way, I'm going to punch her. I won't let her bully you anymore."
Keith leaned against the wall. "I'm not worried about it."
"Stop being a dork. I know it hurts you, and you say your not worried about it is total bullshit!"
Adam's jaw dropped as he gazed at Pidge. "Wow, I never knew you felt so strongly about this."
Pidge nodded. "Why do you think I get along with computers better than people. Computers don't bully you." She rose from the bed and took the steps to cross the room over to Keith. She wrapped her arms around his waist but didn't let go when she felt him stiffen underneath her touch. "Your part of my family now. Don't forget that."
Keith wrapped an arm around her. "I won't."
Adam smiled at them.
The Castle of Lions landed on the Olkari spaceport near the Teludav structure. Coran met Allura, the Paladins, Adam, and Slav. "We've made significant progress while you were gone. And now that we have the scaultrite, we should be finished in less than a quintant.
Lance gazed down at it. "Wow. That is one giant Teludav."
Keith gazed at it. "Nice work, Coran."
Hunk added his own praise. "Good job, Coran." He held his hand, balled up in a fist to the Altean. "Fist bump."
Coran bumped fists with the Yellow Paladin, who pulled his hand back and spread his fingers out. "Now, blow it up."
The older Altean rounded on Hunk. "Oh, don't you dare! It took forever to build this Teludav. And let's not forget it's a pivotal piece that we need for our plan to defeat Zarkon."
Adam tapped Coran on the shoulder, gaining the Altean's attention. "Hunk meant nothing by the blow it up comment. That's just something the teens of Earth do after a fist bump."
A holographic screen popped up, and Slav appeared on it. "I've made some improvements to your design." He banged a rock against the Teludav. "This will increase our chances of survival in this reality by two hundred and five percent."
Coran craned his head as he pointed at the screen. "Is this guy a little—?"
Shiro nodded. "Yes."
Pidge closed her eyes and frowned. "No doubt."
Lance shifted his body and grimaced as he gazed skyward. "Not a fan."
Coran yelled at Slav. "Stop hitting the Teludav!"
Shiro, Hunk, Lance, Adam, and Keith stood on the platform holding the Teludav while Pidge sat on the edge. They all gazed as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon. Pidge was the first to speak. "What's everybody thinking about?"
Shiro said what was on his mind. "Zarkon."
Hunk replied, "Calzones." Which drew everyone's gaze to him. Hunk jerked back slightly from the sudden attention. "I mean, uh, heck, yeah, I'm thinking about Calzones, okay? I mean, does it always have to be about Zarkon? He's a bad guy. We're trying to defeat him. I get it. I'm hungry." To punctuate that fact, his stomach rumbled.
Keith kept his gaze on the sunset. "We've come a long way."
Lance grinned. "Yeah, remember when Hunk used to throw up from riding in the elevator?"
Hunk growled, then a smile came to his face. "You guys remember that Arusian Klaizap, I think his name was? Cool name."
Lance chuckled. "Yeah, Keith tried to beat him up even though he's the size of a peanut."
Keith turned as he glared at the Blue Paladin. "He was their bravest warrior!"
Pidge laughed. "How about the time the food goo machine attacked us in the kitchen?"
Hunk grinned. "That was the scariest thing that's happened to me the entire time I've been here."
Lance slid over and bumped into Hunk. "Oh, come on."
"What? It's the truth!"
Lance shook his head. "We faced sentries, a haunted castle, giant Robeasts, a mall security guard."
Pidge jumped up. "And don't forget that cool cube thing."
Lance waved her off. "Yeah, that awful cube thing."
Keith frowned. "Adam being sick was pretty bad."
Lance nodded. "Don't remind me. But the good thing is that when we defeat Zarkon, Adam and Shiro will get married. Then my hero will be part of my family."
Adam rolled his eyes.
Keith's eyes narrowed. "Who says?"
"I do!"
Keith leaned toward Lance. "Shiro is my family!"
"Oh yeah?" Lance blinked. Where did this guy get off calling his hero family? "Shiro's no relation to you!"
Keith growled at Lance. "He's like my brother!"
Lance smirked. "Well, he's sleeping with my cousin!"
"Duh, I know that! I'm not stupid, stupid!"
Lance balled his hands up into fists. "Who are you calling stupid?"
Keith leaned forward, shoving his face a little closer to the Blue Paladin's as he balled his hands into fists. "Who do you think!" He pulled his fist back.
Shiro grabbed Keith by the jacket collar and pulled back while Adam put his hands-on Lance and pushed him back a couple of steps. "Knock it off, Lance!"
Lance glared at Adam then pointed at Keith. "He started it!"
"For the record, you started it with your bragging." Adam's voice lowered as he moved his face closer to Lance's ear. "Now shut up before I knock your block off."
Lance hissed at Adam. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Don't think I won't!"
Shiro gazed at them all as he raised his voice to get everyone's attention with his commanding tone. "You realize once we defeat Zarkon, the universe won't need Voltron anymore."
Pidge pushed her glasses up her nose as she gazed down at her feet. "I can look for my family."
Keith nodded. "I guess I could look for mine."
Shiro gazed at all of them. "This is it. As long as everything goes according to plan, we can't fail."
