A/N: I am very sorry for the very long hiatus. I started my junior year of Nursing School and this semester was a lot of stress and tears. I am on winter break and I am going to hopefully get two chapters published during this break. Wish me luck! I hope you all are enjoying the story! I hope this chapter makes sense because I jump a few times.
Season 4, Episode 6: A New Defender
"Allura..." Linna whispers again when she feels her body travel through realities. She feels her body hit the ground with a thud, causing her to open her eyes to Coran in front of a map with the Galra Empire's coordinates. "Coran..."
Coran turns around when he hears his name being called. He stops in his tracks with tears falling down his eyes. He shakes his head to make sure this isn't a dream. Linna slowly starts to stand before him.
"Linna?" Coran says her name.
"What was that Coran?"Allura wonders what Coran just whispered.
"Please tell me you are really here," Coran says to Linna ignoring Allura's question.
"I hope I really am..." Linna whispers to him as she feels her body fall to the ground once again.
"Linna!" Coran screams as he feels her body enter his arms. "You really are here! Guys! Linna is here! She just entered the Castle!"
"Linna!" The paladins and Keith yell with excitement and confusion for what they just heard from Coran.
"Linna is back!" Coran replies to them but then the alarms start going off to tell Voltron and the coalition that they are out of time.
"What is happening Coran?" Shiro shouts with concern over the blaring alarms.
"Hold on..." Coran lays Linna back on the floor where she stares at the map before her. She sees everything glowing red with alarms and a Galra ship appearing on the map. "There's another Galra battle cruiser approaching Naxzela!"
Coran listens to the others talk through the mic system at the moment. Matt comes on immediately after a blast comes through first.
"Sector Zar Niomofor is clear," Matt informs Coran. "Let me see if I can get a line on that battle cruiser?"
Matt's communication suddenly stops and Coran looks at the map to see that the battle cruise that Matt and the rest of his crew have disappeared from the map. Coran stares at the map for a moment and starts to try and get communication back up with Matt and his crew. Linna stares at the map for a moment to put everything together to understand what Voltron is trying to do.
"Can I help?" Linna asks Coran as she slowly gets up from the ground to stand before him.
"If you can figure out what happened to Matt and his crew ship?" Coran wonders when he sees Linna's body glow white like she is searching for something.
Within seconds, Matt's voice comes through immediately. "Zaiforge cannon Senfama are you still operational?"
Coran watches as Keith's ship disappears from the map as well. He turns to see sweat appearing down Linna's face when Keith's voice makes it through the mics now.
"Negative!"
"That incoming battle cruiser must have shut them down remotely. Linna is keeping all of our coms working so we can still communicate with one another but I do not know how long she can hold on." Coran informs everyone.
"Thanks, Linna!" Keith says into the mic. "Shiro, sorry but that's it for the artillery support. What should we do about that cruise?"
"That cruiser's gonna be too late. Naxzela's almost secure. We just need to take out the last of the heavy artillery." Shiro tells Keith when shouting, "On our left! Shield up!"
Coran hears Voltron struggling to hold their footing when he turns to see Linna struggling just as hard. Sweat drains down her forehead as she sways herself, trying to stay balanced. Coran runs to steady her but she stops him.
"Do not touch me, Coran!" Linna spits out to him as she falls into Shiro's seat as she continues to focus on keeping everyone communicating.
Coran turns to watch the map change colors as Voltron takes Naxzela from the Galra empire.
Hagar's ship:
"This is the most devastating attack on the empire in 10,000 years," A guard states to Hagar as she stands before him and another guard.
"We left ourselves vulnerable. Now, we face overwhelming resistance." The female guard says to Hagar. "Do we attack now or should we wait for orders from Emperor Zarkon?"
"Lord Zarkon is busy leading the hunt for Lotor. We can handle this on our own. Stay on course for Naxzela." Hagar replies to the guard as she senses someone that is unexpecting. "Linna..."
"Excuse me, Hagar?" The female guard wonders what Hagar whispered just a moment ago.
"Just continue our course," Hagar grins at herself when she senses Linna in pain at the moment and near the place where the ship was taking her.
Castle of Lions:
Linna stops for a moment when she senses a great amount of magic coming from somewhere. Coran watches as Linna's stops moving completely in Shiro's seat. Coran walks slowly towards Linna as her eyes turn completely white as the glow around her stops. Her eyes close shut before she opens them with panic.
"Whoa! Did we cause that earthquake?" Lance comes through the mics with panic in his voice.
"Linna..." Coran whispers with a deep concern for her because they just got her and she is already suffering again.
"Get them off that planet, Coran! Get them off of it now!" Linna screams in panic.
"I don't think so!" Pidge replies to Lance.
"Guys! Look over there!"
Coran runs to the mics and sends alarms to Voltron as he tries to get his words through the mic. "Get off that planet Voltron!"
"What is going on Coran?" Allura wonders to Coran's frantic voice over the coms.
"Uh... Guys, what are those?" Lance asks before Coran can answer Allura.
"We've never seen anything like this from the Galra before?" Pidge states back to the team.
"Are they weapons?" Hunk asks the team.
"They look like some sort of generators," Pidge replies to Hunk's question.
"Stay alert," Shiro answers them.
"I say we get outta here," Lance tells the team. "Pidge, plot a course for our escape."
"They can't hear me, Linna!" Coran shouts to Linna because Voltron stops responding to his messages over the coms.
"Coran..." Linna struggles to talk at the moment. "Hagar is stopping the communication by those generators. We have to get to them somehow..."
Linna struggles from the chair and looks at the map for something. She stares at the ships that are shut down and looks at all the people that are willing to fight for Voltron. Coran watches Linna struggling to get to the map as he stares at the marks that appear in more places now since the last time Allura pointed the first one that she noticed.
"Alright..." Linna places her hand pillars that Allura uses to teleport the Castle of Lions. "I am going to do something that is completely crazy. I am going to scream and I am going to cry but you can not touch me, Coran. You have to stay as far away from me because I am going to try and open a spot of those generators to allow Voltron to get out of there."
"Linna, you can't. That might kill you." Coran states knowing exactly what Linna was leaving out of her little speech.
Linna walks up to Coran and places her hand on the side of his face with tears in her eyes. "I would do anything to keep Allura and you safe. Anything."
"Linna..."
Linna smiles at Coran when she places her hands on the pillars and focuses on everything that she has. She has to save Allura. She has to save Voltron. Linna hears over the intercom, the paladins screaming for help. Tears fall down her cheeks as she focuses on him. His power radiates within her.
"Please help me save them..." Linna whispers as she senses the dark magic that covers the planet Naxzela.
"Coran, are there any targets that need support?" Keith wonders through the mics.
"The Paladins are in danger. Linna is going to try something but Keith," Coran stops speaking for a moment. "I don't think she will be able to do it without getting herself killed."
"Stop her then Coran!" Keith yells through the mic with concern in his voice.
"I can't..." Coran answers back to him. "She locked herself in the circle so no one can touch her."
"Coran..."
"All we can do is figure out why the Galra shipped just stopped. Linna says that she senses Hagar someone and I wonder if she is on that ship?" Coran answers Keith with concern in his voice.
"The Galra ship just stopped and now Voltron is in danger. Hagar has to be on that ship." Keith answers Coran with worry in his voice.
"Keith..." Linna breaks through the coms as she stutters his name. "Go check on Voltron please."
"Anything for you Linna," Keith replies to her as he yells to someone for a ship.
"Matt, something's wrong! Voltron is unable to get in touch with us and Hagar is here!" Keith comes through the coms.
"We can fly to Naxzela to check on 'em," Matt replies to Keith.
"No, I need your help. Linna is helping with Voltron." Keith tells Matt.
"Who is this Linna?" Matt questions Keith.
"She is a friend. Now, I can't explain why but we think Hagar is on that ship. So we need to attack the fleet to help Voltron." Keith informs Matt.
"I thought the fleet had stopped?" Matt wonders.
"It has..." Keith replies to Matt. "But we think Hagar is on that ship and is causing something to happen to Voltron because we can't get a hold of them."
"We're with you." Matt agrees with Keith.
"Copy that! Good to have you along!"
"I am coming too!" Coran announces without thinking.
"No, listen to what will help Linna in any way to get to Voltron." Keith orders Coran.
"Alright," Coran replies to Keith as he turns to see Linna struggling before him. "What can I do to help you, Linna?"
"Get closer to Naxzela, please," Linna whispers to him.
"I can do that!" Coran answers with a smile on his face to feel helpful in a way.
Voltron:
"Coran! Keith! Do you copy!" Shiro yells through the coms. "Anyone? Hello! We've lost communication!" Shiro informs everyone. "Pidge, can you boost our signal?"
"No, there's too much electrostatic repulsion!" Pidge replies with frustration.
"Seventeen minutes left!" Hunk shouts to the team.
"We have to get off this planet immediately!" Allura screams as they try to get Voltron up.
As Voltron approaches the ceiling of the generators, Linna senses them. She can sense their fighting spirits. She focuses on that specific spot as she fights through Hagar's magic.
"Allura..." Linna whispers to her friend. "Please hear me..."
"I hear something!" Allura screams into the mics as she searches for another sign of someone talking to them.
"I didn't hear anything!" Everyone else replies.
"Allura..." Linna whispers again and this time Allura hears her.
"Linna!" Allura shouts to the empty cargo of her lion. "I can hear you!"
"I am going to make an opening but I need your help. I need you to focus on the power around you. I need you to focus on that power of Voltron. Fill Voltron with the power of quintessence. I can get you out but you have to do that part yourself." Linna informs Allura.
"I can't do that!" Allura replies in panic.
"Yes, you can!" Linna giggles at her friend. "I know you can because you are Allura, a princess, and a paladin of Voltron!"
"I will try!"
"I believe in you, Allura!"
Allura closes her eyes as she focuses on the power around her. Linna can feel the power of Voltron coming back as Linna connects the coms back to the Castle. Coran hears the paladins through the speakers.
"What is happening?" The paladins wonder to feeling the power of Voltron increase.
"Voltron!" Coran shouts through the mics.
"Coran!"
"Linna is helping with getting you out of there with the help of Allura. Hang tight for a sec!" Coran informs the paladins of what is happening.
"Now Allura!" Linna screams to her friend as she feels Voltron lift from the ground of the planet of Naxzela.
Linna feels all of the power in her body disappear within Voltron. She senses her energy disappearing as she falls to her knees. She whispers to herself, "just a little longer..."
Coran stares at Linna as he watches the energy leave her body. He can see her body turning paler by the second. He notices blood dripping from her nose as it hits the floor of the castle. He starts to walk closer when he remembers what Linna told him to not go near her. Coran feels the pain and heartache entering his heart as he watches her struggle to keep herself awake.
"Thank you, Linna!" The paladins shout in happiness as Coran sees that they have escaped the generator barrier.
"Linna!" Coran shouts in fear as he watches her crash to the ground unconscious with blood still dripping down her nose.
"What is wrong Coran?" Allura wonders to Coran.
"Nothing..." Coran stutters for lying to Allura. He looks at Linna and holds her in his arms while wiping her hair out of her face.
"Coran, you need to get away from Naxzela as far as you can! Pick up anyone you can then get as far as possible!" Shiro orders Coran as he appears on the screen to see Coran holding onto Linna.
"What's happening?" Coran wonders to Shiro as he wipes his tears away quickly.
"Naxzela is a bomb, and it's about to go off," Allura informs Coran as she gets on the big screen. "What is wrong with Linna?"
"She is fine," Coran replies quickly to the team. "What about you?"
"We are going to try and stop it if we can, but we need to do this," Allura answers him.
"Yes, Princess..." Coran replies to her as he turns his video off and looks at Linna. "Please, be alright." Coran places her back on the ground and runs to get the Castle of Lions out of the blast.
Keith ramming his ship towards the fleet:
A blast hits through the fleet right before Keith is able to ram his ship into the shield to save everyone. The cruiser explodes as everyone stops with shock on their faces. Keith quickly acts and pulls away from the explosion to avoid the blast.
"Naxzela is returning to normal! You did it!" Coran yells through the intercoms.
"Good work, Keith," Shiro says with happiness.
"It wasn't me," Keith replies to them. "It was Lotor. The cannon on his ship was the only thing powerful enough to take down that shield."
Everyone watches as the cruiser disappears away from the paladins as Lotor's ship stays where it is. Keith and the others wonder what he is thinking to help them for some reason. As they stare at one another in silence, Lotor's voice comes over the intercoms.
"Attention, Paladins of Voltron, and rebel fighters. I know we have had our differences in the past, but... I think it is time we have a discussion."
Everyone stays silent for a moment when Allura speaks over the intercoms. "We can have a discussion on our ship with you in handcuffs."
"As you wish..." Lotor answers her with obedience in his voice.
Voltron enters the back of the Castle of Lions with Lotor on their tail. He parks his ship as the Paladins arm themselves so Lotor does not have time to attack them. Lotor appears out of his ship with handcuffs on his wrist as he stares at the weapons aimed at his head.
"I did as you asked Princess," Lotor lifts his hands to show the cuffs as Allura growls at his expression of a smirk with no concern. "I assume that Linna made it here somehow."
"You will not get to see her anytime soon," Allura growls at him with disguise.
"That's fine. I just wanted to make sure that she made it here and wasn't back with Zarkon and Hagar." Lotor chuckles at the disguise that everyone was showing him.
"Do you know why Zarkon wants Linna?" Keith questions Lotor's statement.
"No idea. But I am going to bet that you all have a pretty good idea." Lotor chuckles again at all of the expressions that he is getting from all the paladins and rebel fighters. "Now, are we going to just stand here?"
"No," Allura answers him as she grabs him by the arm and directions him to his new cell. "You will be in here until we know what to do with you."
"I want to talk with you, not be your prisoner," Lotor explains to Allura.
"I don't trust you. I am going to hear what Linna has to say before letting you out of this cell." Allura replies to him as she walks over of the room to Coran and hopefully see Linna.
"Coran..." Allura says when she opens the main hangar to everyone around the main pedal stool. "Coran..."
"Princess..." Coran whispers as he walks over to her.
"What is wrong?" Allura wonders as she walks over to her spot in the castle to see Linna lying on the ground with blood staining her clothes. "Linna!"
"We can't wake her up," Pidge cries to Allura.
"Is there a heartbeat?" Allura screams to the group as she places her hands over Linna's heart. She listens closely and feels it very faintly. "There is a heartbeat."
"We can't touch her Allura..." Shiro tells Allura.
"What?" Allura stares at Linna, lying unconscious before her in her arms. A white glow covers her body as markings draw within her skin. Allura places her head on Linna's to see if she can wake her up in some way. "Wake up, Linna..."
"What happen Coran?" Shiro wonders to Coran about Linna's condition.
"She appeared here out of nowhere. Then she used her power to keep the coms going but she felt something wrong with Voltron. That's when she focused all of her power on saving you all. She got to communicate with Allura but after you broke the shield she fell..." Coran stops talking for a moment.
"Coran..." Lance wonders why Coran stops talking with tears falling down his cheeks.
"She made it sounds like this could kill her but she would do anything to save you all," Coran whispers to the group as Allura feels the tears fall down her face.
"You will not die Linna..." Allura whispers to her friend as she carries her to a healing pod. "You will not leave me, Linna," Allura whispers to her friend when she puts her in the healing pod and the door closes. "Please, don't leave me..."
Everyone stares at the healing pod as Linna stands there, completely still. Allura is the last to leave but by the time the sun rises the next morning, she is back in front of Linna, waiting for her to open her eyes once again.
"I will wait for you, just like you waited for me," Allura tells her friend as she watches her sleep and hopefully grows stronger within the healing pod.