Chapter 12: A Family Affair

Adam stood in the dimly lit hall of the regeneration pod chamber. He stared at Shiro's peacefully sleeping body inside one of the tubes, dressed in the white spandex suit that he himself wore when he was in there. The purpose of which was to help the body absorb energy from the pod at a much higher rate to reduce recovery time. His condition had gotten pretty bad by the time he was put in the pod, but now he looked like he would wake up any second. Still, Adam couldn't help himself but to check on him consistently.

Seeing Shiro rest so calmly set Adam at ease. His own injuries were far less severe, and only needed to spend a couple hours in one of the pods before he was good to go. But now Adam found it hard to sleep, plagued by nightmares and the knowledge of everything that had happened in such a short timeframe.

Allura had been captured, and they barely managed to make it back from saving her. Despite her overwhelming gratitude and appreciation, she still managed to go into a long rant about how reckless they all were. She wasn't wrong though. On top of that, Shiro was gravely injured and nearly lost control of the Black Lion to their mortal enemy. That would definitely need to be a topic of discussion later. Then finally, everyone got separated because of the Galra's superior tech and magic, and they only managed to reunite thanks to Pidge's genius.

But more important than all of that, was learning the truth of what happened to his brother. He had been captured by the Galra and killed in the gladiator ring, completely changing the foundation of everything Adam had believed in up until that point. The countless nights he spent blaming himself, wallowing in doubts and regrets… the tearful nights. All of it was because the Galra took what was most precious to him, and it filled him with hatred, and a need for revenge. Especially against that damned Witch.

He was still trying to process it all and what this new information meant to him. How it had changed him and affected his whole life, and how it was determining the course of his future. These thoughts ran through Adam's mind over and over, like a booming voice that wouldn't let him so much as entertain the idea of a proper night's sleep. Standing here, watching Shiro rest was the only thing that set him at ease. Knowing the Galra hadn't managed to take everything from him, and seeing the man he loved come back to him over and over again, gave him peace. As long as Shiro was by his side, he had clarity of mind.

"Shouldn't you still be resting?" a voice called out to him softly.

Adam looked over, seeing Keith approach him, only wearing his black shirt and a pair of gray sweatpants, "I could ask you the same thing," Adam smirked, looking back at Shiro as Keith joined his side, "I just wanted to check on him. He was pretty weak when we finally got him treatment."

"Another day or two and he should be just fine," Keith sighed, both from exhaustion and relief.

"That's thanks to you, you know?" Adam said, eyeing him with a look of appreciation the young man had never seen before.

"I didn't do anything anyone else here wouldn't do," Keith dismissed. Being praised by Adam was still such a foreign experience to him. He liked it, but also had an innate urge to defy or argue against him. Habits really did take a long time to get over.

"But you did do more," Adam deadpanned, wanting to convey just how significant Keith's actions were.

"Huh?"

"Keith, you flew the Black Lion. I may not understand all this Voltron nonsense, but I don't think it would have accepted you unless you were truly capable of it. Of being a leader."

Keith stepped away from Adam, confusion and hints of fear evident in his demeanor. He was overwhelmed by Adam's words, finding it hard to find his voice, "No, that… That's not me."

"Takashi seems to think it is," Adam gestured toward the sleeping man, "He told me if anything ever happened to him, that he wants you to fly the Black Lion."

After all the doubts Adam had placed on Keith, he figured this was the least he could do for the young man. Letting him know that he had what it took to be a worthy leader, that he was supported by the one man he plainly admired; was something Keith needed to hear, and Adam needed to say.

"I don't think I'm ready for that," Keith whispered, looking up at Adam with a childlike uncertainty.

It was a look he had only seen the him give to Shiro before. A look that told him he let all his defenses down and was allowing himself to be vulnerable. Growing up like he did, Keith always tried to pretend to be headstrong and resilient, letting his weaknesses show only in brief moments to the one he considered family. That expression, which was only reserved for the man they both cared about, was now turned toward Adam.

Their relationship really had changed, hadn't it?

"You will one day," Adam said supportively, "I'm sorry for not believing in you more. Back then I thought you were just some delinquent kid putting Takashi's reputation at risk. But now I see how much you care for him, and how much he cares about you."

Keith blushed lightly, clearly not used to so much honest praise at once. He crossed his arms, as if it would somehow protect himself from more compliments.

"He cares about you too," Keith said quickly, only able to look at him from the corner of his eye.

Adam chuckled, "I know he does. Although he has a funny way of showing it sometimes…"

Adam found himself thinking back to what Shiro told him in the cave as he trailed off. To think Shiro was so plagued by his own guilt. Thinking his actions completely self-serving, he also wanted to protect Adam from a difficult life of hardship. It was definitely funny, in an ironically grim sort of way. Shiro had managed to be completely selfless at the same time he was at his most selfish. What kind of man could even do that!?

Nevertheless, Adam forgave him, willingly. He didn't share Shiro's idea that all the blame should be on him. Even if Shiro did push them in that direction, Adam made his own mistakes too, and his own choices. Shiro couldn't hog all the blame and regret for himself. That was Adam's shtick!

But he had to wonder, how would the two of them act toward each other now that everything was out in the open? Adam had freely admitted his love just as Shiro vented his guilt. They had no more walls to hide behind, and there was no way of telling where they would turn now. When he finally awoke from the pod, what would their relationship be?

"What do you mean by that?" Keith followed up, apparently hearing the end of Adam's sentence. The kid had sharp ears, he had to give him that.

Adam shook his head, "Nothing. Just do me a favor? Help me protect Takashi. We wouldn't want you having to take up the mantle of leader too soon, right?" Adam half-joked.

"He doesn't need protecting," Keith insisted.

Despite saving him countless times, Keith had a steadfast belief Shiro was perfectly capable on his own. It was just like a younger brother looking up to his older sibling. He would do anything to protect him, but also idolized him and believed he was capable of anything. It was sweet, but could be difficult to reason with at times.

"No, but he does need someone to look out for him. And with the threat we're facing, anything could happen," Adam said, cleverly wording it so as not to hurt Keith's pride or diminish his belief in Shiro. He didn't have a degree in psychology for nothing. He looked up at Shiro tenderly, driving his point home, "Besides, when it's someone you love, you can't help but want to keep them safe."

Keith quirked an eyebrow, looking at Adam with clear amusement, "You know, last time I asked if you still had feelings for Shiro, you were pretty reluctant to answer. Now you're just openly stating your affections."

Damn. He had done that, hadn't he? He was letting his guard down more and more around this kid.

Adam nodded weakly, a little embarrassed at himself, but also happy to be able to actually open up to someone different for a change, "Only because I trust you so much."

At those words, Keith suddenly became more contemplative. The change in dynamic between the two of them seemed to spark a thought in him.

Keith looked around the futuristic castle they were currently flying in, "A lot has changed in a few short weeks, huh? And somehow it feels like no time has passed at all," That was the understatement of the year. They had gone from running drills on Earth to an intergalactic battle for the whole universe, and with it came changes to numerous relationship dynamics. Knowing just how jarring the change was for Adam especially, Keith asked, "Do you ever think of going back to Earth? You said there was nothing left for you there. But don't you want to go home?"

Adam felt still and uncertain. There was a time when that might have been true, but was it still? Probably not. He hated deep space and fighting in this war, but there was nowhere else he'd rather be. That begged the question, what did Adam consider to be him home? What did that notion constitute? He didn't feel any fealty toward returning to Earth, so that didn't seem likely. Plus, the only reason he initially wanted to stay here was because this was where Shiro was. So maybe he had no home, unless…

"Eventually I would like to go back to Earth. There are some people I need to make amends with," Adam lamented. Apologizing to his friends was something he definitely needed to set right, regardless of where he belonged. He owed them a great debt for all they had done for him, and he had every intention of paying it back, "But as for going home, I'm already here."

"The castle?" Keith smiled, a little surprised Adam could ever think of something flying through space as his home.

Adam scoffed, "This floating death trap? Not a chance in hell."

Keith laughed in response. That was about the answer he expected. But it really spoke to Adam's conviction and strength of character to be here through all of this, despite his fears. Keith respected that.

"I don't know what I expected."

Adam smiled at him, taking a heavy sigh and looking back at Shiro with an intimate fondness. How could it have taken him so long to come to this answer? It seemed so obvious. But now that he had it, he spoke to Keith with unyielding pride, as if he knew it all along, "You know, everyone assumes 'home' is a place. It can be a person."

Keith looked back at the man they both shared a strong connection with, understanding him even better than he might think, "Yeah."

Their bonds with him were different, but no less important than the other. He had saved both of them in their own respective ways, and gave new meaning to their lives. They loved him, cherished him, and happy to be here with him. That's all they really needed to be happy. To be home.

VVVVVVVV

The next morning, Adam and the others all gathered in the common room hall to talk about their next move. With Shiro still out of commission, and the ship in need of repairs, their actions seemed limited. But given their recent undertaking, it was important to get everything out in the open.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Hunk asked aloud.

"With Shiro out of commission we can't form Voltron or run any missions," Lance reasoned, wonder what the point of this meeting even was. After his underwater adventure with Hunk while they were separated, he wasn't as keen on going to alien planets without the full support of his team. It was surprisingly cautious of him, but respectable.

Allura spoke up, "I think we all need a chance to lick our wounds and recover. Your foolhardy rescue mission…"

"You're welcome," Adam cut in a little curtly, reminding her it had been for her benefit. She didn't need to keep lecturing them on it.

"…Left us severely weakened, both in attack power and defenses. Although I am grateful," she said toward Adam, reminding him that she wasn't unappreciative of what they had done. Just that it had been a great risk.

"Allura's right! Everyone rest up, and we'll make necessary repairs to the castle," Coran said excitedly. Did the guy ever sit down? Adam was pretty sure he had only ever seen him standing.

Everyone murmured some sign or noise of agreement, but that just wouldn't do for Adam. They were crippled, yes; but that didn't mean they weren't completely incapable. There was still actions to be took, and things to be learned.

"I think we can do more than that," Adam told them all, rising to his feet.

"You have an idea?" Keith asked, openly responsive to whatever his suggestion might be.

He nodded, "I do. Pidge, can you start pooling through the Galra data we collected again?"

"Of course, but what am I looking for?"

"Look for any site where the Galra run their experiments," he instructed.

After what he learned about his brother, and what happened to Shiro, he had a strong motivation to track down the witch and any trace of her experiments. Not only that, but if they could enhance Shiro and Sendak with metal prosthetics, it would pay off to learn what else they might be doing to their own soldiers. Getting a better idea of what they were up against would be a worthwhile pursuit.

"You want to run another mission? After what we just went through!?" Allura asked bewildered, getting a little upset at his suggestion. Although, Adam was pretty expectant of her disapproval.

"We don't even have Voltron. We should wait until everyone is recovered!" Lance whined in his usual way, riding the same wavelength as Allura.

"Waiting is not going to do anyone any good. Our enemy gets stronger with every second, and we still know very little about what they're doing now," Adam argued. He put his hands on his hips, speaking a little softer as he looked over at Keith, "Besides, it'd be best if Shiro wasn't awake for this."

Keith looked back at him with mild concern. He understood what he was getting at almost immediately. If Adam wanted to explore an experimental facility, it could be potentially traumatic for the Shiro considering what was done to him. Keith silently agreed with the spectacled man, finding it best to run this operation now.

"What are you even hoping to find?" Hunk asked, curious himself as to the purpose.

"When we were trying to escape the Central Command, they had the huge energy dome that kept us from teleporting. If it hadn't malfunctioned or whatever happened, we would all probably be dead," Adam said, reminding them of their rescue mishap and sheer luck in surviving.

"What does that have to do with this?" Allura asked, becoming more impatient.

"Intel. You've been asleep for thousands of years, and we didn't even know the Galra existed until a couple weeks ago. We have no idea what kind of technology they have to use against us," Adam reasoned out. That seemed to strike a chord with the Altean princess, seeing first hand how they were outmatched and their technology had changed since her time, "If we run a covert mission on wherever they are conducting experiments, we can learn more about our enemy before our next move. And they'll never expect us to do something like this so soon after our last encounter."

"It's not a bad idea," Allura conceded, but still visibly bitter. She was just very concerned, so much that she even risked her life for them before. Adam just needed to convince her the operation would be exclusively beneficial.

"The experiments they ran on Shiro, and maybe even my brother, it all had to be building to something. We've been lucky up to this point. Now we need to know what we're really up against."

"I still don't like the idea of running this operation so soon after what just happened," Allura understood the merit of what he was trying to do, but it still made her uneasy.

"Experimental sites like these probably have multiple locations. I can pull up the smallest one to minimize our obstacles," Pidge offered up to reduce her stress.

"I can easily lead a covert mission while everyone else is on standby with their lions," Adam said. He had great experience in stealth operations, and this was right in his wheelhouse. He wouldn't have offered the idea otherwise.

"Don't you need Shiro's arm to interact with all the fancy Galra tech?" Lance questioned, remembering their previous difficulties with the tech, and pointing out their leader's current incapacitated state.

"I just need an arm to open the doors, doesn't necessarily have to be Takashi's, or attached to anybody," Adam shrugged.

"Gross," Hunk squirmed.

"Besides, Pidge will come with me," he said matter-of-factly.

"She will?" Pidge asked in bewilderment.

"You will," Adam affirmed, turning back to Allura, "With her help we can extract enough data, even without Shiro's arm."

Pidge had run multiple scans on Shiro's arm with Adam's help and had been developing an algorithm to bypass Galran security systems. She wasn't able to finish it before their rescue attempt on the princess, but had been developing it more during their brief period of rest. And even if it didn't work, Adam could just make good on his joke to snatch a Galran's arm.

"I'll go with you," Keith stepped forward, ready to support him in light of their new relationship.

"No, I need you to stay here with the others," Adam denied him, "If something goes wrong, you lead the others to our location."

"But I…!" Keith wanted to protest him.

Adam set a hand on his shoulder, using the same sign of trust and respect that was shared between the young man and Shiro. He needed to emphasize the importance of his request, and this simple gesture seemed the best way to go. And maybe in a way, it was becoming his gesture too.

"Please, Keith."

Keith was at a loss for words, torn between wanting to help Adam and doing what was asked of him, "Ah…. Alright."

"I suppose gaining valuable information is better than waiting around," Allura agreed, "But the second something goes wrong, we're pulling you out and leaving through the next wormhole!"

"Deal," Adam agreed, "Pidge, find us a science lab to raid!"

VVVVVVVV

Adam rode with Pidge in the cockpit of the Green Lion. It didn't take her very long to find a suitable base to invade. Once she did, they loaded up their gear and had Allura teleport the castle to a hidden, but nearby, location. They rode mostly in silence, Adam wholeheartedly focused on the mission ahead. Pidge on the other hand was troubled by something.

"It may not be my place to ask, but… are you hoping to find more information about your brother?"

Pidge looked apprehensive, almost like she was scared to even ask the question. It was a sensitive topic, but given her own situation, Adam didn't know why she was so hesitant.

"Wondering why I pushed for this mission so hard, are you?" Adam asked. She was a lot more perceptive than he realized.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to…" Pidge stammered.

He waved her off, "It's alright. If anyone has a right to ask, it's you. But no, that's not the reason. At least not completely. Although I do have several others."

As far as he knew, Aiden was killed in the gladiator ring like their previously recovered data had said. There was no reason to suspect he was experimented on, other than the fact he was another prisoner under Haggar. But stealing this base's information could finally prove or disprove that. That aside, there were other benefits to steaking the data. It could clue them into weaknesses the Galra's forces may have, and why all their soldiers weren't enhanced the way Shiro had been. It may even show them how to get close to the Witch.

"Like what?" Pidge pressed on.

"Shiro was taken to one of these places and given his arm. For one thing, maybe I can learn more about what they did to him. But not only that, we went into Allura's rescue mission woefully unprepared. We and can't let that happen again, so we need to learn what kinds of weapons they might have against us," Adam told her simply, reiterating the point he made in the castle, "As for my brother… he's not coming back."

Adam's voice became tense, a twinge of pain striking his heart. He still hadn't fully come to terms with his older brother's fate. For a long time he had thought his brother had died quickly in some sort of space travel related incident. An accident that Adam long blamed himself for, because he didn't have the strength to ask his brother to stay on Earth with him. He shouldn't have felt guilt for that, as Shiro told him on many occasions. He was just letting Aiden pursue his dreams, and that was no reason to hold onto guilt for what ended up happening to him. But Adam couldn't help but carry that guilt anyway, despite knowing that truth.

However, now Adam knew what the true cause of his brother's death was. He was taken by the Galra, tortured, and put through pain to fight for their entertainment. He was killed in the ring, never knowing why he was put in such a horrible situation, never knowing what would become of his younger brother. He would never get the chance to reunite with him, and it was all because of the Galra. It was all because of the Witch. And it set his soul on fire with the flames of vengeance.

"I'm sorry…" Pidge said weakly, unsure of what else she could say.

Adam looked ahead, patting her back, "Don't worry. I'm going to avenge him, by taking down the Galra and killing Zarkon and his Witch."

Pidge didn't disagree with his sentiment, but that biting hatred at the end of his sentence made her feel a little uneasy. It was a side of Adam she had never seen before, and she had to wonder if it had to do with the truth he learned about his brother. It was like it had awakened something dark in him, and he was just itching to release it on their enemies. It was good to have motivation, but the connection she felt with Adam over their shared family ties now felt so disconnected. Was this how she would act if she discovered her own brother was killed? Was this the fate that awaited her?

VVVVVVVV

Pidge and Adam slipped into the base relatively easy. With such a small isolated location, defenses and security were quite lacking. Pidge didn't seem to have any trouble hacking their surveillance and looping the feed either.

It took only a mere few minutes before they found themselves at a room with a computer terminal. Most of the base's lower floors were holding cells and medical chambers, which were more or less empty right now. That just left the top floors, and examination rooms, which were thankfully practically unguarded.

Adam and Pidge sat out in the hallway, looking into the computer terminal room and seeing two average Galra soldiers messing around on the terminals.

"There's two guards," Pidge whispered over the comms in their helmets.

"Wow. Their security really is lax here," Adam said.

"They control practically every known system in this galaxy. I don't think they have to worry about resistance," Pidge reasoned. Made sense.

"They do now," Adam said, grabbing his weapon and holding it at the ready.

"What's the plan?" she asked, grabbing her own weapon, ready to fight.

"Cover your eyes, or look away," he told her seriously.

"Wha…"

She went to ask what he meant by that, but he was already stalking into the room, his weapon turning into a sharp broad dagger.

He quickly moved behind the first one, grabbing his head, twisting with all his might and snapping his neck. The sound of his body collapsing to the floor and sudden movements alerted the second guard. He turned, seeing Adam and pulling up his gun to shoot. Adam just tossed his dagger straight at the Galran man, the blade lodging in his throat just over his armor plate. He choked in surprise, dropping his gun to reach up and grab at the knife, but he fell to the floor dead almost immediately.

Pidge followed Adam inside, watching as Adam pulled his weapon from the dead man's throat, wiping the purple blood off before setting it back to its regular shape.

"There, that's two less to worry about," Adam told her, rather straightforward and unfeeling.

"Did… did you have to kill them?" She said with uncertainty. It's not like they hadn't killed Galra soldiers before, but that seemed more brutal than usual. It just unnerved her how quickly and almost robotically he dispatched them when they could have just knocked them out.

"Don't forget, these men are guards of a facility where innocent prisoners are tortured and experimented on."

Adam figured Pidge would be bothered by more visceral death or actions. At most, she's seen guards shot and killed in the heat of battle. Otherwise they were faceless soldiers blown up in larger ships that her and Voltron blew up and destroyed. That kind of death was impersonal and disconnected. Something that was more suitable for a young girl with such a kind heart. It's why he wanted her to look away in the first place.

Still, this wasn't something she could ignore. She would have to accept the cost of battle sooner or later. And letting her know these people were monsters that hurt others was the only way he could soften the blow.

"Right…."

Pidge still looked deeply troubled, setting her weapon back in its holster. Maybe he overestimated her ability to process this kind of stuff. She was still just a teenage girl after all.

"It's okay if this bothers you. War is a difficult time. It takes a special kind of conviction to face your enemies and take their lives away," he put an arm around her shoulder, guiding her past the dead bodies and towards the computer, her comfort zone, "I happen to have that conviction in spades. Out of my desire to protect all of you, and vengeance for the pain they put my brother through."

"But, isn't that what I'm supposed to do too?" she said, looking up at him with remorse as she sat down.

Is that why she was bothered? Because she felt like she had to do what Adam had just done? Or was she scared that she would have to end up doing the same thing? It would explain why she was so unnerved all of a sudden. She was taking their similarities as a roadmap for what was to come for her, and it was scaring her. Their situations with their families were similar, but there were also differences. Unlike Adam, there was a chance her brother was still alive. And not only that, but they were very different people.

"No," Adam insisted, kneeling down to her level, "Yes you have to fight the Galra, same as all of us, but you do it to save people. To save your family, your friends, and all the people suffering," he looked over his shoulder at the dead bodies, "War is brutal. It makes you question your own humanity and reflect on the lives you've taken. Just remember all the suffering the Galra have brought. Sometimes killing them is the only answer, and it makes the universe a safer place. But you don't always have to. If you can spare someone's life, then you should. Don't let my actions dictate what you should do."

"Got it," she said, sounding a little more sure of herself. She was appeased by Adam's words, but still couldn't shake that slight discomfort over how easily Adam himself killed others.

"Better get to work. We don't know how long hey have before their next guard rotation," he told her, putting her mind where it should be.

"That should be awhile. Their forces are much smaller than they used to be," she said, pulling up personal records on the terminal.

"How do you know that?"

"From what I can tell in the data, this location is mostly used for science experiments and soldier enhancements now. The Witch has moved her personal experiments to more secure locations, and most of this base's forces went with them."

"Makes sense," No point in keeping guards in a base where the real testing was no longer taking place. But there should still be records to look into, "Can you access the research data?"

Pidge typed away for a brief moment, before the screen locked out, "No, I can't."

"Does it need a handprint?"

"It's not that. This is an encrypted database, and we're only at a remote terminal. We need to go to the main control terminal and enter in the decryption key," she said, getting out the chair and ready to move.

"So we're up a creek?" Adam sighed.

"Basically. I could probably get by without the passcode if we get there, but it would take a few hours."

Well they didn't have that kind of time. They have their best guards in position there as well. They might be able to coerce the passcode out of one of the guards, but still. It'd probably be the hardest area to access and they could potentially alert the whole base. Should they even bother trying?

As Adam mulled over the possibilities, he saw a shadow rush by from the doorway.

"Shit!" he yelled, taking off after it.

"Where are you going!?" Pidge yelled, running after him.

"Someone saw us!"

"Adam wait!"

Adam ran down the corridors, following the loud clatter of footsteps and the shadow of someone running ahead of him. Screw the possibilities, if this person managed to alert the whole base then they were done for. This would be another Allura situation all over again, and Adam wasn't about to let that happen.

He ran down the winding corridors, hearing the soft patter of steps behind him as Pidge did her best to keep up. He didn't want to risk losing her, but he couldn't stop. Catching this mystery person was the key to their survival. But something was off. Shouldn't the guards have radios to call for help? And why did this guard seem to be running in circles instead of trying to fight. Wasn't that the Galra's whole thing? Fight or die?

He managed to corner the figure in a dead-end path, ending in a large circular room with only one exit behind him. The figure turned around, leaning back against the wall and crouching down like a scared rabbit. It was only then Adam could fully see the features of the Galra he was chasing. He kept his sword raised at him, making sure he didn't try to run off. Pidge caught up with him, gasping for breath and coming to a stop as she saw what Adam saw.

"You're… you're just a kid," she panted.

The young man in front of them was definitely Galra, but his stature was shorter, and his features were rounder than an average Galra male. He looked about the same age as Pidge, maybe a little bit older, but still obviously young.

"Why are you here?" Adam pressed threateningly, thrusting his sword forward a little to emphasize his point. He wasn't going to let his guard down just because of the kid's age.

"Are they running experiments on you?" Pidge asked, taking a slight step forward. Adam held a hand out in front of her, warning her not to get any closer to the boy.

The kid didn't say anything. He just started back at them with fearful disdain. He was scared, that was evident by his body language. Other than that, his expression told them that he held serious contempt for them, not much of a surprise really. Still, he was a Galran, and he could be more dangerous than he was letting on.

"Start talking," Adam ordered, stepping forward slightly. He needed answers from this kid so he could decide what to do with him.

"Adam," Pidge grabbed his arm, pulling at his arm to keep him back. She wasn't trying to protect him from the young man, but rather the other way around, "He's a child."

"He's no younger than you, and he's in a high-tech experimental facility. He could be lying to us, or worse yet, he could be an experiment himself. The second we let down our guard, he might try to kill us or pull the alarm," Adam started listing off his concerns, letting her know the urgent need for answers.

"That's not true!" the young boy yelled, offended by the insinuations Adam was making.

"So, you can talk," Adam said smugly, walking back over and once again pointing his weapon in the boy's direction.

The kid scoffed, realizing his only option was to keep talking. His words came out bitter and annoyed, "I hate this. I hate being here. The only reason I'm here is to save my brother!"

Adam felt a pang in his heart at hearing those words. He remained steady, but lowered his weapon, "Explain."

The boy seemed to notice Adam's softening demeanor. Well, not softening. At least he wasn't pointing a blade at him anymore. Either way, he figured it best to continue down that track of telling them the truth.

"My brother volunteered to come here when he heard Voltron was demolishing Zarkon's forces. He thought putting himself up for enhancement experiments would give him an advantage in battle, and would set a trend for others soldiers to follow suit."

"And you want to stop him, I'm guessing?" Pidge asked with a softer but urging tone. She was definitely the 'good cop' in this little scenario.

"My brother is stupidly dedicated to this fight. He believes in Zarkon and the universal order he's trying to create," the boy's voice turned bitter again, but it wasn't directed at them. More it was a reflection of what he thought of his brother's actions, and the empire that ruled them. This kid pretty much wore his heart on his sleeve.

"And you don't believe in that order?" Adam asked, maybe a bit harsher in tone than he needed. He wasn't ready to let up this hardened persona just yet though, no matter how convincing the young man sounded.

The young Galra practically spat in Adam's direction, "I could care less about Zarkon. I could less about you either. If you want to fight and kill each other, go ahead. I just want my brother to stay safe," his voice softened with sincerity, "That's why I snuck onto this base. When I heard they appointed him as chief guard here until they could experiment on him, I had to do something. I wanted to keep him from going through with this. So I snuck onto their last supply transp."

That was quite the dedication. Adam had to admire him for that. His actions suggested he'd been here for at least a day then, keeping low and staying off the guard's radar. Otherwise they would have sent him back already. That meant he knew his way around for the most part. They probably just got lucky backing him into a corner when Adam gave chase.

However, that also meant the kid had refused to confront his brother so far. That indicated that he didn't have a real plan. Most likely, he just seized the opportunity to follow his brother the first chance he got. That's if he was telling the truth. All this could be much more easily explained if he was lying to them, or was a test subject that just managed to escape as Adam and Pidge arrived.

"Maybe we can help. If we…." Pidge started.

"Pidge," Adam grabbed her arm, puling her away to talk in private, "We can't just run off to help him."

"Why not?"

"How about the fact that we're not supposed to even be here? This is a stealth mission. We can't go running around this place like it's nothing, even with their reduced forces. We're supposed to grab the intel and get out, which we just learned, we can't get!"

"So you want to just leave him here?" she spat at him.

She was very much opposed to the idea. She saw something in him. A potential for other Galra like him to turn against Zarkon and fight for what was right. At the very least, he was just a kid looking for his older brother, just like Adam, just like her.

"No," Adam looked over at him, turning his sword into a broadhead. One that could lop the kid's head off with one thrust, "He's seen us. We can't just let him go."

"What are you talking about!?" Pidge became instantly alarmed. He wasn't seriously thinking of….

"If you're going to kill me, then get on with it. Just stay away from my brother," the boy remained still, pressed up against the wall on the ground. He accepted his fate, but was still bargaining for his family's life. It was quite noble.

Adam held his newly formed weapon firm in his hand, marching over to the young boy.

"Wait! I thought you just wanted information on their experiments!? We can just leave! You don't have to kill him!" Pidge practically screamed. She wanted to reason with him, stop him, but she couldn't think of any action to take. All she could do was watch and yell, seeing as Adam lifted his sword above the kid's head, and thrusting down with all his might, "ADAM!"

The boy shut his eyes tight, bracing himself for the strike that would kill him, but it never came. He felt no pain, no blood pooling down his body, nothing. All he had heard was the clang and scrape of metal giving way to metal. At first he thought it had been the wall behind his head, but soon realized the sound only came from his right side. He looked over, seeing the blade stuck in the wall next to his head, Adam looming over him with a strange mixture of menace and understanding.

Adam stood there, with his sword in the wall, unmoving as he spoke to the boy, "My brother was taken and killed by the Galra, and her brother is missing now too because of them," he nodded back towards Pidge, "If we had the chance, we'd do anything for our family. Are you willing to do the same?"

"Without question," he wasn't sure what this human man was trying to get at, but it didn't involve killing him. That was good enough.

"Then help us get the information we need, and we'll help you save your brother from himself. You said your brother was appointed as chief guard here. That means he should have the access codes we need. Help us get them, and you both can go off free," Adam offered, "You don't even care about this war, right?"

Pidge shivered with relief. Had that really what he'd been thinking about the whole time? For a split second, Pidge genuinely believed he was going to kill him. Maybe this was just an elaborate intimidation tactic. One that would let Adam convey just how serious he was, and see if the boy was really telling the truth. She'd been doubting herself and Adam this whole mission, and now she was feeling a little guilty over it. She should give him more credit considering his intelligence and experience.

"You'll really help me save him?" the young boy asked with mild uncertainty. He realized there was a clear benefit and trade-off to this arrangement, but he still never thought he'd get help from the people who killed so many Galra. Especially not after seeing the way the purple one killed two guards without hesitation.

"In exchange for what we need. But if your brother attacks us, we won't hesitate to defend ourselves. If you want to save him, you need to make him stand down. Put your own life on the line," Adam said plainly, laying everything out without remorse or question.

That seemed to satisfy the young man. Adam didn't treat him with kid gloves or try to lie. He laid out his intentions plain and clear, letting him know the benefit in exchange for their help. The boy smiled, "You've got a deal."

"What's your name?" Pidge asked, giving out a much friendlier vibe.

"Miro," he said, rising to his feet. He was only a few feet taller than Pidge, which meant he had to be about her age based on the standard height and biology of most Galra soldiers.

"Alright then Miro, lead the way," Adam said, no longer sounding threatening, but not trying to seem friendly either. They had an arrangement. No reason to stand on false ceremony.

Miro nodded, walking past them to show them the way to the control room. In a weird sort of way, he appreciated Adam's forthright attitude. Something told Adam that he hadn't gotten that much in his life. A common feeling amongst most younger siblings.

Pidge waited until Miro was out of earshot, looking up at Adam with appreciation, "Thank you."

Adam net her eyes. She really was a soft-hearted person. Maybe too much for her own good. But if he could get them what they needed, and not have to kill this boy and his brother, then it would be better for all of them in the long run. That was the ideal scenario anyway.

"Don't thank me just yet. He could still be lying to us. We have to see how this plays out," he said reminding her this could still all be an elaborate lie. Adam was good at reading people usually, save for Shiro. Everything told him this boy was telling the truth. So why… why did he have this eerie feeling pressing on his mind? Why did he have this unshaking feeling, like something was about to go wrong?

VVVVVVVV

"You don't have to kill him! ADAM!"

Aiden watched the interaction play out, the footage broadcasting to his security terminal back on Zarkon's central command. He had hidden surveillance cameras installed at key points on the base so he could continue watching them when the paladins inevitably cut the base's camera feed. Ke knew exactly which base they were going to strike and planned accordingly.

"Well look at that," Aiden mulled with amusement as he watched his brother respond to the young girl's desperate cry, "You're still as soft as ever Adam. I'm glad."

Thace came to stand next to him, looking over his shoulder at the screen, speaking with his signature dissatisfied voice that he only reserved for Aiden.

"I don't understand why you set this up. If you knew Voltron was going to be there, why not just prepare an ambush to capture them all?"

Aiden stood up tall, looking at Thace with playful sincerity, "They barely escaped their last attack on central. They're not about to risk their entire force in another strike so soon. This merely provides us with an opportunity to gain intel on them and their fighting styles," he looked at Thace as if he was seeing right through him, "And I don't see a point in making a move if we can't take them all at once."

Thace crossed his arms, dismissing that subtle insinuation, "How did you even know they would choose this base?"

Aiden came to Thace's side, throwing an arm over his shoulder. He stifled a laugh as he felt the Galran man tense up under his touch, "After seeing our technology, and no doubt realizing they were outmatched, they would want to acquire information on our resources. Based on the intel they stole from us when we captured the princess, this base showed the lowest number of defenses and guards on record."

Thace wanted to step away from him, but he stood firm. Was this some kind of weird intimidation tactic he was trying to use on him? If it was, he wasn't about to let his discomfort show. Not until he could get a read on what this man's intentions were.

"But there are other bases more secluded and with fewer defenses in those records. All of them specializing in some aspect of technology. Why that one?" Thace continued on, wanting to know how Aiden knew so much about the paladin's actions. And more importantly, why he was so invested in them as individuals.

"Because it's one of the bases where the witch ran her experiments," Aiden shrugged, releasing Thace for lack of a reaction.

The witch, huh?

Thace gestured toward the screen at Adam, "This has to do with that man, doesn't it? He's looking for you."

Thace didn't fully understand it, but he knew enough to know there had to be some kind of a connection. The only reason he told Aiden about the showdown Haggar and Sendak had with the paladins was because he wanted to learn how much interest Aiden had in the Champion. He knew about their shared history, and wanted to see if there was anything worth learning from it. But now that connection seemed to spawn in new directions, one that involved this young man with the glasses.

He was close to the Champion himself. If he was aware that the Champion was connected to Aiden, and both led back to the Witch's experiments, then he would take an interest. Why else would he be the one to invade the base unless he was looking for information to explore that connection?

Aiden shook his head, dismissing that theory, "No. Not entirely. But the pieces are related. My guess is he wants to kill Haggar, and he is searching for a way to do it, while also gaining information on what kind of advanced soldiers they may have developed."

"May I ask, what your interest in this man is? I thought you wanted to know about the Champion?" Thace pressed on.

Aiden gave him a side-eyed look, one that was so menacing it sent a chill down Thace's spine, "They're both connected. No need to worry about my interests," Aiden faced him head-on, putting on his overly enthusiastic smile once again, "After all, aren't you supposed to be looking for a traitor?"

Thace sighed, heading for the exit, "It would go faster if you didn't use my resources to run your little spy operation. Don't you have your own equipment?"

Of course, Thace felt like he already knew the answer. Aiden was intentionally using Thace's resources specifically so he could keep an eye on him. Right? He had to. He always acted like he knew something about Thace, but never acted on it or suggested otherwise. Still, that wasn't necessarily an affirmation.

"I like the company," Aiden teased, "Now are you going to go do your job, or are you going to stay here and watch the show with me?"

"I have people to interrogate," Thace said flatly, pressing his palm against the door panel to open and leaving.

"Suit yourself," Aiden shrugged, turning back to the monitor as Thace left the room. Aiden watched intently as Adam and Pidge followed after the young Galra boy. Time to see how this next part would play out, "Oh little fishy, come see my hook."

VVVVVVVV

"So this is the control room?" Adam said aloud.

He walked in, side by side with Pidge and Miro. There was only one guard in the control room itself, Miro's brother. It was quite fortunate, and would make things incredibly simple.

"Intruders!" Miro's brother yelled. He pointed his gun at them, about to press the alarm on the main console.

"Byro! Wait!" Miro yelled, rushing a few steps in front of Adam.

"Miro!? What are you doing here!?" Byro froze, not noticing his brother's presence right away.

Miro took a deep breath. This was his chance. This was the moment he had been waiting for to bring his brother home. He started speaking, putting every ounce of emotion that he could into his words.

"Please brother, just stop this! I don't want you to put your life at risk on these ridiculous experiments. Just come home with me!" he pleaded.

Byro continued pointing his gun at Adam and Pidge, now concerned with his brother's safety, "I don't know what these people told you, but they are the paladins of Voltron! They are a threat to Zarkon's rule! Now get away from them, before they kill us all!"

"They're not gonna hurt us! They just want this base's intel," Miro explained.

Maybe that wasn't the best way to go about it. You don't exactly just go up to someone and tell them you want to take what's theirs.

Byro responded accordingly, taking an aggressive step forward, "Over my dead body. They can keep tearing down Zarkon's empire with this information!"

"Then let them!" Miro screamed, "I don't care about Zarkon, or his universal order! I just want to go home with you!"

Byro faltered for a moment, realizing just how much this was affecting his younger brother. But he couldn't just stop. Not in this situation. Not now.

"And I want to go home with you, but I also want to make this universe a better place for everyone," he said sympathetically, moving backwards toward the alarm.

"Sorry kid," Adam whispered to him.

"Huh?"

With a swift motion, Adam snatched Miro up off his feet, an arm curled around his chest to hold him up. He held Miro's body in front of his own face and chest to shield him from any potential retaliation against the young Galra's brother. Adam grabbed his weapon, turning it into a curved dagger and holding it threateningly near the boy's throat.

"Now put down your weapon and back away from the alarm!" Adam ordered, his body language and tone firm and resolute. He didn't want to show any sign of weakness or hesitation that might make Byro falter and take a chance. He needed to make him listen without question.

"Miro! Let him go you bastard!" Byro barked, turning his gun toward Adam, but stepping away from the alarm. He kept his finger off the trigger, knowing he couldn't fire with his brother in the way, but still wanted to make his intent to fire clear.

"Adam!" Pidge was alarmed. She understood what he was doing, but this just seemed so drastic and sudden. Besides that, she really didn't want to see the kid hurt. He was the first Galra they met who wasn't all about the violence and following Zarkon's rule.

"We don't have time," Adam told her, never taking his eyes off Byro, "Now stand down!"

"Please brother," Miro pleaded. He seemed to have an idea of what Adam was doing and was going along with it. It was desperate, but if it would work, then he'd take it.

Byro threw down his weapon away from him, never taking his eyes off Adam or Miro. He snarled with ferocity, "If you hurt him, I'll have no choice but to claim your lives as retribution!"

"Fair enough. Pidge, go access the data," Adam instructed, gesturing with his head for Byro to move aside.

"Uhh, right," Pidge ran to the control terminal, sidestepping the large Galran man.

Pidge ran through the same process as she did before. Once the prompt for the encrypted password came up, she stepped back and looked at Adam.

"Password," Adam ordered sternly. Byro moved over in front of Pidge, reluctantly entering it in and then stepping back. Adam dropped Miro back onto the ground, urging him forward as the young man ran into his brother's arms, "Thank you. Now both of you, get out of here."

Miro released his brother, turning to Adam with sincere gratitude, "Thank you."

He grabbed his brother's hand, running by him to guide them both to the exit. Unfortunately he was met with a stern, unyielding grip that refused to budge. Miro looked over his shoulder, seeing his brother still focused solely on Adam.

"Not so fast. You see, what you and my brother don't realize… is I've already undergone the experiment I was sent here for," Byro used his free hand to pull off his helmet, revealing a large surgical scar across the left side of his head.

He threw off his gauntlets as well, almost like they were somehow restricting him. Both his arms also had large scars running across them, revealing the work that had been done on him. He was preparing himself for a fight, and that wasn't a good thing. Pidge saw that, and quickly sped up the download, working as fast as she could.

"Byro…"

Miro stepped away from him, horrified and devastated that he had failed to save his brother from the cruel experimentation.

Adam readied his weapon into a defensive stance, turning into a large katana for distance and maneuverability, "Don't be stupid. Go home with your brother and live your lives in peace. Think about him."

"I can't. I can't stand by and let everything we've built be destroyed by you. I'm building this world so he can be safe," he leaned forward and pushed a leg back, ready to charge forward at top speed.

That couldn't be what he was doing, right? He had no weapons in hand, and was going to run right into Adam's blade if he did so. What had the experiments done to him? Increased speed? Tactical strategy? There had to be an ace up his sleeve to set himself up for such a reckless attack.

Why was he even bothering with this anyway!? One secluded base worth of information shouldn't be worth his life, or putting his brother's at risk, no matter what he believed. It's not like this base held the key to single0handeldy defeating Zarkon. So why was he insisting on this fight so much when he could leave with his brother to keep him safe?

"Byro! No! Please, just come with me!" the young boy pleaded, tears running down his face. He knew what would happen next, and he couldn't bear it.

"Get out of here Miro!" His brother shouted.

"NO!"

Miro ran at his brother, pulling on his arm as hard as he could. Byro pushed him off, the young boy stumbling back and hitting his head on the edge of one of the computer terminals, knocking him out.

"Miro!" Pidge called out reflexively, the only one showing concern for the boy.

Both Adam and Byro were wholly focused on one another. Pidge finished grabbing the data and moved to go help the young boy, but all it did was spark Byro's ire. He saw it as an aggressive move, and charge right at her. Adam lept to her rescue, swiping his blade directly at the middle of Byro's body. The Galran man ran right into his sword, hitting it with a resounding clang.

Adam gasped, seeing Byro had stopped his blade with his bare hands. He didn't just grab it and hold it in place from striking him. He held his palms flat out, the blade pressed against his skin, but it didn't penetrate or draw blood. Byro smirked, gripping Adam's blade tight and pulling it out of his grip across the room.

He aimed a strike at Adam's face, throwing a fierce left cross. Whatever he was enhanced with made his hands hard as steel, strong enough to stop a blade bare-handed. Was it metal prosthetics covered in artificial skin, or was something grafted into his arms? Regardless of the answer, it made his hands incredibly dangerous. A single punch from him could be lethal. Adam expertly swerved out of the way of his attack, using the momentum to backflip out of the way and gain distance.

Pidge activated her bayard, striking Byro across the chest with her electro whip and sending him reeling back. It managed to lash a large gash in his armor, showing off even more scars on his body. What the hell had they done to him? Did he have his whole body augmented?

Adam used his brief moment of being stunned to strike at him, punching him across the face with his own metal fist. It seemed to do some damage, the Galra man grunting in pain. It gave him a narrow window to strike back though. As he stumbled, he kicked at Adam's chest, sending him flying back into the wall.

Adam coughed in pain, the wind knocked out of him. That was a much stronger kick than even a normal Galra soldier could do. If Adam wasn't wearing his armor, he'd probably have some broken ribs right now. He probably has a few cracked ones right now.

Pidge continued to fight, her small and quick stature letting her stay out of the reach of Byro's attacks. She kept whipping at him with her bayard, but half her attacks were blocked or dodged. One particular strike to his head was caught in his hands, the electricity sparking off his hand like a conductor. He pulled on the whip, sending Pidge flying toward him, ready to launch a killing blow. Pidge let go of her bayard and dropped to the ground, sliding underneath him from the momentum. He turned around, ready to stomp her to death.

Adam got up, running at him and putting him into a headlock. It wouldn't be very effective, but it would give Pidge enough time to get away. She scrambled to her feet, just in time for Byro to throw Adam over his head and onto the ground where she just was. He moved to make the same finishing strike, but Adam held up his metal arm, his shield forming a dome around his body to block it. As soon as Byro stomped on it, the edges of his shield dented into the floor around him.

Thank god his shield was working again. He was even starting to gain some modicum of control over it, at least in desperate situations like this. Adam pushed up as hard as he could, sending Byro tumbling onto his back. Without her bayard, Pidge moved over to protect the unconscious Miro, pulling him out of the way into a corner of the room. Adam dropped his shield, rolling over and grabbing his own discarded weapon and Pidge's fallen bayard.

Byro jumped up onto his feet with practiced ease. Adam activated Pidge's bayard, which surprisingly responded to him. Maybe it had to do with Allura wanting Adam to be the Green Paladin. He gripped it tight hiding his own weapon behind his back. Both him and Byro ran at each other, engaging in a dance of strikes and dodges. Byro's hands were deadly, so Adam took extra care to avoid every hit. Pidge's bayard had an electrical charge that Byro seemed to find troubling, so he also moved to avoid his hits as well rather than catch them like before.

Adam dropped to the ground, attempting to kick his enemy's feet out from under him and make him fall. However, Byro's stance was strong and unmoving, not giving an inch from Adam's sweep.

Shit! He should have expected that. Byro pulled back on his leg, kicking forward at Adam with all his might. Adam reflexively pulled up his shield, catching the kick, but the force sent his whole body flying back. He rolled to the ground, his back slamming against the main computer console.

Adam grunted, forcing himself to sit up. This guy was a freaking tank! Adam was getting his ass handed to him, being tossed around the room like a freaking ragdoll.

Byro pulled out a knife from his back holster, ready to finish this once and for all. He ran at Adam with insane speed, closing the distance between them in not even a few seconds. Adam tossed Pidge's bayard at his face, making him cover his face and shield his eyes from view. Distracted and not seeing what he was running at, he plunged right onto Adam's weapon.

He gasped in pain, looking down to see a large spear sticking out of his stomach, running him completely through. Adam was set on the ground, holding it firm against the floor to make sure it penetrated his body, aiming for the crack in his armor Pidge had made. He had used Byro's own speed against him, blinding him for a brief moment and then forming a spear that he had no choice but to run into. Whatever his body was enhanced with still couldn't protect him from such a blow that used his very own strength against him.

Byro gripped the staff with trembling hands, unable to believe he had just lost. Adam gripped his weapon tight, pushing forward and forcing Byro to move back. With a furious roar he kicked Byro back, pulling his weapon free from his chest. Byro laid there, trembling in shock as a pool of blood started to form underneath him. It was hard to say exactly when, but in only a few short moments, he was laying there lifeless. Dead.

"You… killed him," a young boy's voice called out quietly.

Adam whirled around, wide-eyed and in shock, seeing Miro sitting on his knees and staring at Adam with hopeless disdain. Pidge was sitting next to him, also surprised to see the young man awake. Tears were already pooling in his eyes, every painful emotion possible running through him.

"No, I…!" Adam couldn't think of what to say. He was the enemy. He had to do it. It was either kill or be killed. But… he had done it in front of his brother. In front of his only family.

No matter what he thought, nothing felt like proper justification for what had just happened. Adam could only stand there and watch as Miro climbed to his feet, looking at Adam as if he had just destroyed his entire world.

"He was a good man. He was just misguided. He believed in the wrong things," Miro took a shaky step forward, picking up his brother's discarded knife that had clattered to the floor near him.

"Miro, think about this," Adam pleaded. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't! It wasn't right.

"He was my brother… AND YOU TOOK HIM AWAY!"

Miro yelled, running right at him, his eyes screaming with ferocity and bloodlust. He had every intention of killing Adam. The passive young boy who just wanted to save his brother was now a bloodthirsty monster. Adam felt guilt and pain run through him like a bullet to his heart. He had taken this kid's brother away, just like the Galra had taken his own brother. He was so tormented by that thought, he couldn't even focus as the young boy attacked. He could only defend and strike back with practiced reflexes.

"Miro!" Pidge cried out to him. She didn't want this to happen. He was just a young boy who didn't even want to fight. She didn't want to see him fall from those ideals out of anger and vengeance. But she was too scared. Too troubled and unable to think. All she could do was watch Miro attack Adam with screaming rage and grief. She could see Adam didn't want to fight either, but he was fighting back instinctively. If he kept that up, then he would end up…. "Adam don't!"

Miro jumped up, slashing down with all his strength. Adam deflected the strike with the metal from his arm, sending the kid off balance. Without even thinking, Adam formed a sword with his weapon once again, slashing at the kid's torso like he would in any combat situation. He twisted on his heel, putting his full weight into the strike, as purple blood splattered across the floor.

Unlike most opponents, Miro had no combat training to stand up against Adam. A strike that most people would have been able to block, ended up being a killing blow. A deep gash was cut across his stomach, Miro screaming in pain as he fell to the floor. Adam looked back, horrified at what he had just done.

"B…. Byro," Miro grunted, rolling onto his stomach. He crawled towards his brother's dead body, using every last ounce of strength he had. A trail of blood formed under him as he crawled closer, tears running down his face as he reached out toward his brother, "Don't leave me… behind…. again. I'm coming…with you…"

Miro collapsed onto the floor, his hand mere inches from his brother's. He moved no closer, only laying in a pool of both his and his brother's blood, both of them dead.

"Miro…" Pidge whispered somberly. This was exactly what she didn't want. She wished she had never seen it. Something so horrible and tragic. Was this the cost of war Adam was talking about before? Was this the kind of pain she could expect to see over and over again?

She looked up at Adam, finding him dumbfounded and shocked. All he could do was stare at the two dead Galran brothers. This was a situation he never thought he would find himself in. It was too much for him to bear. He dropped his weapon to the ground, stepping away from their dead bodies as if it would somehow lessen the pain plaguing his mind.

"I killed them…" Adam whispered, never taking his eyes off them, "I killed his brother, and then I killed him. I destroyed their family. I… I'm just like the Galra."

All had had left in his life was his brother, and the Galra took that away from him. It had caused him so much pain and regret, that he wanted vengeance for all they had done. Now here he was, inflicting that same pain on tragedy on someone else. A young boy who just wanted to save his brother, and Adam killed them both. That suffering he was trying to avoid, to atone for… he had caused it himself. He was just like his enemies.

"It's not the same," Pidge whimpered out, knowing that he was just responding to the situation. Things got out of hand, but it wasn't necessarily his fault.

Adam turned to her, desperate and shouting, "It is the same! But I didn't have a choice!"

"Adam…" Pidge didn't know what to say. Adam was tearing himself up from the inside, and she didn't know how she could help.

Adam went silent for a moment, dropping to his knees and hanging his head down.

"I didn't think they could take anything else from me. But I was wrong," Adam's voice came out hollow, and numb, mulling over what this experience had done to him, "They tainted my humanity."

"That's not true! You tried to help him, and his brother!"

"And then they both tried to kill me," Adam said plainly, looking up at her with dead eyes. She gasped, stepping away from him. He looked so uncaring, his cheeks stained with tears. It was as if he had shut off his own emotions, and his voice reflected that unfeeling nature. He was shutting down in response to the trauma of what just happened, "You have to harden your heart, and cut down anyone that gets in your way. That's just the way it has to be now."

He grabbed his weapon and clipped it to his belt, getting back up on his feet. His movements were still sluggish, but otherwise he showed no remorse over what had just happened. Did he really feel nothing, or was he just trying to block all this out? Pidge couldn't tell. What was even worse, she couldn't figure out how to help him.

She merely shook her head, "But not all of them are evil. We can't just kill every Galra in our path."

Adam gestured toward the two dead bodies in the room, "We don't have the luxury to choose. Look where it got us. If you can't handle things like this, then I'll take care of it," he turned toward the exit and began to leave, "They've already turned me into a monster."

"But…" Pidge wanted to help. Wanted to keep a person she cared about, even admired, from falling into this well of despair. But she had no words. Had nothing to save him from those murky waters of melancholy. All she could do was watch helpless from the sidelines.

"We have the information. Let's call the others and leave."

This was how it had to be. That was what Adam tried to convince himself of. Just because he knew them, knew their stories, that shouldn't change things. They were still the enemy. Even when trying to help them, trying to spare them, they still attacked him with the intent to kill. They were all like this, causing pain and strife wherever they went. Their own familial ties shouldn't mean a thing to him. His own ties didn't mean anything to the Galra. Why should he have to feel guilt where they don't? That was just silly and limiting. All that mattered now was stopping them and getting the vengeance that his brother rightfully deserved.

Miro and his brother would be together in whatever afterlife they believed in. They weren't separated from each other by years of pain and torture like Adam and his brother were. They didn't deserve the retribution or vengeance they sought. But Adam did. That just had to be true. He had to believe that. He had to….

VVVVVVVV

Aiden frowned at the monitor, watching as Adam left with the young green paladin in tow.

"Hmm. You're far more troubled than I realized Adam. Do you really bear the responsibility of what happened to me solely on your shoulders?" he clicked his tongue, turning the screen off now that their mission was technically over, "It makes me sad to know your life is so full of hardship. I hoped for better for you."

A Galra soldier entered the room, bowing at Aiden as he entered, "C… I mean, Sir Aiden."

Aiden turned around, putting on his usually cheerful persona, "Hey! Good for you! You remembered not to call me by my title!" he made a slight gesture with his finger to tell the guard to stand to his feet. The man did so hesitantly. The last person to call Aiden by his official title ended up dead. The story on how he was killed changed every time it was told, but he'd rather not take the chance, "What can I do for you?"

"Lord Zarkon wishes to know if your operation has bore any success."

Typical. For an essentially immortal ruler, Zarkon was so impatient. Still, he had enough patience to let Aiden run around and accomplish whatever he needed to. Despite how long it would take in Zarkon's eyes, Aiden would always come back successful in the end.

"Byro fought to the last, just like he promised. He provided us with adequate information on the fighting style of two key players. It's a shame the experiment conducted on his body was so unstable. He nearly managed to overwhelm them by himself. It would be a useful augment, if it didn't kill everyone it was used on within a couple days," Aiden mulled aloud. Of course, he didn't let Byro know that before the operation, but he needed to see how things would play out without any loose ends, "Letting his little brother sneak on the base also provided a surprising window into their personal limits and motivations as well."

Aiden didn't know how that situation itself would play out, but he couldn't argue against the results.

"So, they managed to steal the data?" the soldier inferred, getting to the root of the mission.

"So sorry. I have a tendency to ramble on. Yes. Let Zarkon know the trap is set. It's only a matter of time before they use the data to get them right where we want them," Aiden grinned. The soldier nodded, turning to leave to make his report. Aiden called out after him as he left, "Oh, and do tell Thace to hurry back. I miss him dearly."

"Yes sir," the soldier affirmed.

Aiden grinned. Thace was quite entertaining, especially when he was being so spitefully cold. Still, he could prove to be quite useful for what was to come. Aiden looked back over at the monitor, pulling up a still of his brother. He traced a finger along the screen, almost as if he could reach through it and cup his face just like he used to.

"The stage is set brother. Not much longer now. Then, I can save you."