Yes, this story is alive once more. I apologise for my absence. Please enjoy.
With the dreams of his mother and Sendak in the back of his mind, Keith became more visually aware of the Galra commander's movements. How, if they stood too close, he would subtly move a step away. His eye always seemed to analyse Keith with ridicule only to soften, perhaps at the thought of Nara. Sendak was slowly warming to him as they travelled from planet to planet, still demanding inestimable amounts of respect but allowing him and Hunk, and Matt to converse more in a relaxed and friendly tone. After their successful trip around the assigned quadrants, Keith, Hunk, Sendak along with Matt and the rebels flew back to the Galra fleet. Though Sendak founded an odd sense of respect for Keith, they didn't speak among the mutterings of the red paladin informing him of how far they had left to go. They docked inside the designated Lion's bay and Sendak suggested– more so commanded– that they should debrief with the Empress immediately.
Hunk had barely lifted his helmet from his face when Keith grabbed him by his elbow and dragged him along after the Galra commander. As they strolled down the purple shaded halls, the red paladin noticed Sendak's ears begin to twitch. Keith was uncertain about what the commander was hearing from this distance in the seemingly quiet hallway until they moved further on and heard the enraged yells from far off.
"Who was that?" Hunk blinked after finally being able to yank the helmet off his head with a slight popping noise. Keith recognised both the distinct voices and furrowed his brow, curious to hear what the muffled shouts were arguing about. Sendak picked up his pace, strides quicker and longer, harder to keep up with on much smaller human legs. Keith and Hunk reached the door just as Sendak entered, the rising yells from inside instantly ceasing. The paladin's peeked around the Galra commander's intimidating form to see the Empress and her brother at an unnerving crossroads. Lotor's eyes were wide to see Sendak and the others, hair dishevelled from constantly running his hands through it stressfully. Nara was glaring, claws out and ready to strike– at what– Keith was unsure. When the Empress noticed her son, she promptly sheathed her claws and straightened her dress. She cleared her throat and unfurled her almost permanent scowl and addressed them.
"Excuse us, we were just discussing something of great importance," Nara informed them and gave her brother a sideward glance. Lotor huffed quietly and swiftly switched to his princely persona. He bowed at them and nodded.
"We apologise if our voices rose. It seems we have a great difference of opinion." He said clearly and with detestation for his sister. Nara clenched her jaw and Keith saw her nostrils flare. Her mouth opened to retaliate and Keith, at that moment, understood where he received his short temper from. Sendak came to Lotor's rescue and pressed his hand to Nara's shoulder. Their shared look was not shown to Keith, which increased the red paladin's curiosity that much more. Keith's brow creased in sudden confusion when he heard his mother's mumbling voice clear as day in his ears.
"How much of that did you hear?" Nara quietly asked Sendak. Keith automatically put his hand over Hunk's mouth when he heard the man move next to him and went to whisper in his ear.
"Enough." Sendak's much lower toned murmur sounded restrained and confused. "What is Lotor doing with Alteans?"
Keith's breath hitched a bit too soundly and Sendak glanced at him over his shoulder. The red paladin speedily removed his hand from Hunk's mouth and turned his face towards him unaware of how close the yellow paladin actually was to his cheek. He jolted slightly at their close proximity and reeled back to whack his back on the door frame.
"Keith!" Hunk came to his aid, holding his arm and gazing at him in worry. "Are you alright?"
Keith gazed between the three Galra's, trying to decipher what was going on. He missed the few spoken words between Sendak and Nara and soon found himself and Hunk being jostled out the room by Sendak's steadfast force. The yellow paladin's protests fell on deaf ears alongside his assailing knocks to the now locked door. Keith snapped out of his daze and clutched Hunk's arm before he bruised his knuckles. The yellow paladin ceased his movement and turned his lost gaze down to his friend.
"What's going on, Keith?" He asked frightened.
"Come with me." Keith gently pulled at his wrist, coaxing him to follow. Hunk seemed conflicted, glancing between the door and the red paladin. Keith offered him somewhat of a comforting smile and moved his hand from Hunk's wrist to intertwine their fingers. "Trust me."
Hunk sighed and nodded, giving the door one last tempting regard before letting Keith guide him through the fleet. Keith could see the myriad of questions on the tip of Hunk's tongue being suppressed in favour of his blinding trust for the red paladin.
To truly find out what Lotor was doing, Keith knew he wouldn't receive any answers from his mother. He knew one person who could inform him of the in and outs of Lotor's ongoings and whereabouts. As they neared the druid's office, Hunk's rigid shoulders relaxed and his hand slackened from the increasing tight hold on Keith's fingers. Keith halted his pace before the corner rounded to Rarg's quarters. He let go of Hunk's hand and turned to face him.
"Lotor is doing something with Alteans." He informed the yellow paladin. Hunk took a moment to process before he replied.
"Wait, wait." Hunk shook his hands in front of him as if the movement would help in his understanding. "I thought all the Altean's were wiped out? Now you're saying they're alive?"
"Well, I don't know for sure." Keith grimaced and placed his hand to his hip. "Sendak asked my mum what Lotor was doing with Alteans."
"So, they're alive?" Hunk's eyes widened in surprise and soon started to panic. "Shouldn't we tell the others?"
"We will," Keith assured him and hummed tilting his head. "But after we speak to Rarg."
Hunk whined his name at the stalling and became conflicted once more. Keith swayed with reason; they couldn't accuse Lotor of anything until they had sufficient evidence. Hunk wailed quietly at the red paladin's persuasion and bowed his head in defeat. Keith smiled to himself in triumph before thinning his lips back to his distasteful frown as Hunk lifted his head back up. They finally restarted the short trip to the druid's door and Keith knocked before Hunk could change his mind. Rarg's voice beckoned them in and they entered.
"Oh, Keith. Hunk." He greeted in surprise. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"We had some questions," Keith answered and felt Hunk shuffle uncomfortably on his feet at his side.
"Of course, I will answer them to the best of my ability."
Keith smiled at him in thanks. "We were wondering if you knew if there were any surviving Alteans, beside yourself, Allura and Coran?"
Rarg rose an aged brow at the question and decided to take a seat at his desk. He sighed and pinched his brow before he spoke.
"And may I ask, why are you asking after this?"
"So, there is?" Hunk gaped at Rarg, seeing through his avoidance easily. Keith felt his arm be viciously pulled back and forth as the yellow paladin squealed in horror. "Oh my god, Lotor's got Alteans!"
"Please, let us not jump to conclusions." Rarg put his arm out as Keith solely attempted to calm Hunk down. "I have heard rumours that Lotor leaves at certain intervals and returns, usually, two movements later. No questions are asked. It has been that way for some time."
"Why hasn't anyone asked?" Keith inquired and clenched his jaw at the thought of Lotor smugly getting away with anything.
"Well, Lotor had been the heir for the Galra Empire during those times, no one dared confront him on his secrecies," Rarg answered and clasped his hands together on the desk. "Fortunately, Empress Nara is not intimidated by her brother and they have been confronting one another for a few quintants now."
"Is that all you know?" Keith felt a small pang of disappointment flow through him, hoping the druid had known more.
"I am not at liberty to discuss this with you, I could very well be lashed from what I have told you already," Rarg confessed and stood. He motioned to the door and smiled at Keith. "I believe you can see yourselves out."
Keith felt his nostrils flair just as his mother's had done, ready to demand more from the druid. His voice was lost in his throat when Hunk placed his hand comfortably against his arm and tilted his head to the door. Keith heeded the conceding look Hunk gave him and reluctantly let him direct him out the office. Once they were a few corridors away, Keith furled his hands into fists and allowed himself to stew in irritation.
"I hate being left out of the loop," Keith stated and bit the inside of his cheek out of habit. Hunk made a small noise of understanding and prodded his index fingers together.
"Should we go tell Allura now?" He asked and Keith faltered slightly. It was in everyone's best interest– expect perhaps Lotor's– if Allura became involved. No doubt everything would come to light and a solution would quickly be designed. But, if Lotor was, in fact, hoarding Altean's in an unknown location then to what extent was he treating them? Sendak's question to his mother was opened to many interpretations. It was difficult not to jump to the worse conclusions at times, especially when Lotor was having undisclosed visits to who knows where, and returning without so much as an explanation for his absence. Then there were the arguments with Nara. Rarg had divulged that they were going on for days now, so whatever Lotor was doing, it was something his mother disapproved of. Though Keith was still on a tightrope with his relationship with his mother, he trusted her enough that her opinions were usually well justified.
"Can I suggest something else?" Keith said instead of a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Hunk rose his brow at the audacity of Keith's insistence of keeping this a secret and sighed.
"Okay, okay, what?" Hunk gave him the benefit of the doubt.
"Now hear me out." Keith stopped walking and folded his arms in confidence of his plan. "We follow Lotor when he leaves again."
"Follow? Lotor? Again?" Hunk repeated the key phrases and shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not saying that I'm going along with this insane plan. But what makes you think Lotor is going to leave again?"
"If he is hiding Altean's somewhere he'll have to go back," Keith replied with great certainty.
"But won't your mother catch him in the act?" Hunk tried to sway him otherwise. "He's not going to be able to leave without someone seeing him."
Hunk had a point there and Keith deflated a little. He chewed his lip in thought as his eyes wandered down the hall. Maybe they should notify the princess of this development they had accidentally stumbled upon. Allura did have the right to know if there were, in fact, Altean's still around; they were her people, her responsibility.
"What if we try and plot his course from his past trips?" Hunk offered instead and Keith turned back to look at him. "You know, just to make sure before we tell Allura."
Keith couldn't refrain the smile that easily quipped at his lips and nodded. "Thanks, Hunk."
"Eh, don't mention it." Hunk waved his hand airily and beamed. "We're buds. It's what buds do."
The red paladin snorted a little and pushed at Hunk's shoulder playfully. Hunk laughed happily and they headed down the corridor to the Lion's bay.
With Hunk comfortably sitting in his pilot chair he brought up the interface and started to type at the virtual keyboard. Keith who was leaning against the back of the seat and watched Hunk's fingers dart around, typing furiously.
"What's first?" Keith asked nosily over Hunk's shoulder. The yellow paladin didn't reply for a few minutes too busy concentrating, causing Keith to gently poke his shoulder for his attention.
"Oh! Right." Hunk jumped in his chair and apologised. "We have to gain access to Lotor's ships data logs, then we can start comparing them all for similarities and differences."
"Okay, and how do we do that unless we're in Lotor's ship?" Keith asked pursing his lips as he watched the screens flash through pages of what looked like numbers as fast as Hunk was typing.
"Well, thankfully some of Pidge's hacking skills have rubbed off on me." Hunk smiled in pride before it returned to a thin line of concentration. Keith only had to wait a few minutes before Hunk exclaimed 'Ah-ha!' and motioned to the screen where it had finally finished zooming through the countless numbers.
"Are these coordinates?" Keith took a closer look, moving around Hunk's chair to his side.
"Yeah, and if we plot them all we could maybe find a path, make a holographic map or something." Hunk nodded to himself as he explained his plan to Keith. "Then maybe we could show your mum and Allura."
Keith hummed in amazement and smirked down at Hunk. "Okay, your plan is much better than mine."
"Thank you." Hunk rubbed his knuckles against his chest in mock smugness and chuckled when Keith rolled his eyes light-heartedly with a good-humoured smile.
