New Year, New chapter!
XxXxXx
Celestia stood in front of a window, watching the flag as it blew in the gentle breeze. She then yelps when a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind, but she relaxes quickly when Keith places his chin on her left shoulder.
"Are you ok?" He asks, kissing the side of her neck.
"Yes." She smiles as she leans backwards into his embrace. "The Lions are restless, they want to come and help."
"We let the Lions come to Earth, then there's going to be more bloodshed." Keith pulled away from her and walked back to the bed.
She turns to him. "I know." She walks over to the bed and sits next to him. "Even now Lance is still in mourning. We can't have two Paladins not thinking straight."
Keith had laid on his back, and places his hands behind his head as he looked up at her. "What are the Lions saying?" He asks as Celestia lays down next to him, and snuggles into him.
"They're worried about us. They understand the situation, and they're deeply sorry for Sendak's invasion on your world and about Lance and Hunk's families." She explained as she rested the side of her head on his chest, he moved his arms to wrap her in his arms.
"How did Sendak get to Earth?" Keith questioned as he looked up at the dark ceiling. "How did he get his hands on a wormhole that'd send him here - to Earth?"
"I don't know." Celestia said, fighting back a yawn, she cuddled into him more and soon couldn't fight sleep anymore.
XxXxXxX
The following morning. Piper stood in the infirmary, wearing the Garrison doctor uniform. She did not want to wear it, she hated being back, the Admiral is the real reason she left, but she was willing to put up with it cause Earth is in danger and Shiro is back.
The doors of the room opened to reveal the Paladins filing in. Her eyes landed on Keith who's behind Pidge.
"Keithy!"
Keith turned and stumbled backwards when Piper tackled him. "Hey!" He laughed. "Hi Piper." He said as they pulled from their hug.
"Whoa!" She gasped when she got a good look at him. "You're not 18 anymore." She folds her arms. "How!?" She demands. "How is that possible?"
"I was on a mission. And during that mission ... I basicly stepped into a time machine." Keith answered the best he could for the moment, he promised himself to tell her the truth at a later date. "And when I came back out, I had aged two years. I am now 21-years-old."
"Good, now I can beat the snot out of ya!" She threatened as she held a fist to his face.
Before Keith or Shiro could say anything more, the door to infirmary slid open again - this time to reveal Sam Holt and Veronica McClain walking in.
"Piper!" Sam said with a warm smile as he walked over to the group, and Veronica walked straight towards Lance's side.
"I hope you won't keep our heroes long." Commander Holt added.
"Not at all." Piper cheerfully said as she walked over to a table and hesitated before picking up the tablet. "This won't last long at all."
XxXxXxX
Once the physicals for each of the Paladins were done, Piper smiled. "Thanks for letting me do this for you guys. I'm sorry for using you guys as pin cushions."
"Not a problem at all Doctor G." Hunk said as he returned the smile. "We're all just happy to finally be back home."
"Let's head to that briefing." Shiro said.
Piper watched as they all filed out, but she quickly walked up to Keith and grabbed his arm with both her hands, stopping him.
"Keithy, wait."
He turns to her. "What's wrong?"
"I." She hesitates, letting go of his arm. "Is Shiro ... what really happened to him after all these years?" She was nervous as she asked.
"Shiro has PTSD from his time being held by the Galra." He explained. "But he won't talk about it, he said it's too graphic." He frowns. "Why do you ask? He's still our Shiro."
Piper shrugs. "I ... well I." She trails off as she looks down at the floor.
"Shiro is still Shiro." Keith tried to reassure her. "If you're worried that he found someone else, that's impossible."
She looks up at him with surprise. "What?"
He smiles a little. "Yeah. Lance basicly called dibs on Allura as soon as we woke her and Coran up from their slumber. Lance has an annoying and obvious crush on her. Romelle's developed a crush on Hunk, and I'm with Celestia." He explained. "Besides, Shiro never had second thoughts about love. The only things he was worried about was staying alive, keeping Lance from doing stupid things, and the biggest one - keeping Zarkon away from the Lions."
James suddenly walked into the room. "It's time for the briefing."
Keith turns to him. "Ok." He starts to leave, but stops and turns to face Piper. "I hope I was able to answer some of your questions."
She smiles. "You did."
Feeling a glare coming at him, Keith turns to see James' full glare. "You have a problem?" He asked dryly.
James had his arms folded, he could feel the jealously kicking in him. "I'm Edith's favorite uncle."
"James!" Piper scalded, James just turned and stalked out of the room.
XxXxXxXx
The briefing room is filled with military personel. The chefs are at one side of the table with the MFE pilots. Admiral Sanda is at the head of the table with Shiro. the Paladins, and Alteans at the other side of the table.
Sam and Veronica stood in front of a giant wall screen. Sam points at the display. "Sendak's forces remain at bay, but without a meaningful supply line, we're slowly being suffocated."
Shiro gazed at him. "No one else is putting up a fight against Sendak?"
"Small underground pockets of resistance have attempted to do so with varying degrees of success." Lance's sister continued. "Eventually, all were systematically wiped out. Earth's offensive capabilites simply don't stand a chance against the Galra."
Hunk leans forward, his arms on the table. "Why don't we bring more people into this base?"
"We've had to put a halt on our extracttion ops." Sam told him. "As they were proving to be too risky."
"But there are good people out there!" Hunk is desperate, his voice begging. "They could be protected. My family's still out there!"
Both Romelle and Celestia, who are sitting on either side of him - each place a hand on his shoulder.
James steps forwards, the jealously he still feels towards Shiro and Keith is high as he's no longer the uncle and father figure that Edith needed while they've been gone. "Hey, don't Paladins understand the chain of command? Listen to your CO!"
Keith jumped out of his chair, causing it to fall backwards from the suddenly movement and crashed loudly to the floor. "Don't give me a reason to deck you, Griffin!" His hands on the smooth surface of the table that's between the two teams.
"I'd love to see you try, Kogan!" James shot back. "I'd love to give you a black eye, again!"
Lance jumped up. "You'd have to go through his second command, first - that'd be me, you jerk!"
Soon both teams start screaming at each other - their voices overlapping as the argument grew louder and louder - Sam, and Sanda try to calm both teams but to no avail.
Finally, a loud ear piercing whistle had everyone wincing as they stop and turn to the source, finding it was Piper who was standing near Veronica, who's currently holding her ears and took a step away from the angry woman as she rubbed her ears.
"Stop it! Just stop it! All of you!" An angry Piper yells. "Damn it! Keep your alpha ego's on a leash and cool your jets!" She glares at both teams. "I am so sick of all this God dam fighting! Our world is falling into hell and all you want to do is have a pissing contest?! Brother or no, Cadet Griffin you are out of line and you should be reported! This is our planet, damn it! So all of you stand down and swallow your egos! Listen to the Paladins right now, they know Sendak better then anybody in this damn room!"
James was taken aback by her outburst. "Piper."-
"Stand down, Cadet!" She yelled, causing her brother to look at her with surprise. "This is our Planet, our home! How the hell are we suppose to defend what's left, if you all can't agree!?"
"Doctor Griffin."- Sanda turns to her, causing Piper to glare at her with hatred.
"And you! You're the reason this is happening to Earth!" Piper turned sharply and storms out of the room, that's followed by an uncomfortable silence until Allura stands, gaining everyone's attention as she turns to a slightly stunned Commander Holt.
"Sam, you mentioned something about a weapon?" She asks.
XxXxXxX
As they rode the elevator to the underground hanger, Sam points out the four fighter jets. "The Mecha-Flex-Echo Fighters, or MFE's, are extremely agile with advance weaonry but are only capable of short range attacks. Sustaining power with Altean infused technology is an issue we're trying to overcome."
Coran turns to him. "Maybe I can help you out with that. I do have some leftover faunatonium. It's an Altean fuel additive, but it also has some unexpective effects, so don't get any on you."
XxXxXxX
Sam led the them to a massive ship near the massive hanger doors. "And this is our battleship." He said proudly. "It's large enough to house all of the Lions and an entire command unit."
Celestia smiles as she looks at it. "Wow." She turns to him. "This is incredible Sam." She turns to smile at him.
Admiral Sanda turns to the Paladins. "Its built, but it can't fly." She informs sniply. "Everyone there's a subject we can't avoid any longer. Sendak attacked Earth because he wanted the Lions, and now they're here. It seems that we need to discuss our opions."
"What opions?" Celestia wanted to know as Shiro turned his gaze to the Admiral.
"Are you suggesting that we willingly hand over the Lions to the Galra?"
"Our supplies are gone. We spent all our resources on a ship that doesn't even fly. The weapons that we do have are not enough to mount an attack." Sanda explained. "All we can do is protect a small pocket of Earth. But for how much longer?"
Sam glared at her. "The universe needs the Lions."
"So does Earth." Sanda continued to be cold and stern. "They're our only bargaining chip."
One of the Commanders who's been with Sanda, also added. "I agree with the Admiral. Earth has been nearly destroyed. Countless citizens have been lost. But it could all be over if we give up the Lions."
Celestia glares at the Admiral and her Commanders. "What is there to bargain? Commander Sendak is not interested in the Lions of Voltron, that was all Zarkon. Empire Zarkon was the only one obsessed with the Lions Of Voltron. Sendak wants revenge on the Paladins, cause we keep winning over him."
Allura places a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Thank you Princess. I'll settle this arguement right here. I am Crown Princess of Planet Altea. My father, mother, and my people, and my home planet have been wiped out because of the Galra. Myself, Coran, and Romelle are the only survivors. We're not giving up the Lions under any circumstances! There is no negotiating with Sendak."
The Admiral glared at both Princesses. "Maybe you should leave the matters of Earth to the people who live here."
Lance took a stalking step towards her. "That was out of line, Admiral! You can't speak to ether Princess like that!"
Shiro took a step forward, tired of the Admiral's mistreat to their friends. "Please, Admiral. I respect that you'll do anything you can to protect Earth. But trust us, we've been through more then you can ever imagine." His voice stressed. "We have fought the Galra on the fringes of the universe and in their very home. I know there's a way to defeat Sendak."
"How?" Sanda questioned. "We barely know what we're up against. We need intelligence and we don't have it."
Allura folds her arms, while Lance stays standing between her and Celestia - still glaring at the Admiral.
"Maybe we do." Allura turns to Sam. "The information you downloaded from the Castle Of Lions contains Sendak's memories."
Sam gave her a funny look. "How does that help?"
"It might give us some insight on Sandak's plan!" Pidge caught on, she looks up at Allura. "Allura, you're a genius!"
Sam turns the Admiral. "We just need some time."
The Admiral gives him a cold glare, but Sam does not back down. "Fine." She growls.
XxXxXxX
James huffed as he stood outside of the Garrison, his back leaned on the wall of the building with his arms folded.
"Why do you always have to be a jerk?"
James turns around to see Madison walking over to him. He turns back to look ahead.
"They don't have military experence."
"That's the jerk side of you!" She said as she punches his arm. "Can you please stop being a bully?"
"Bully?" He repeats, turning to her. "Me?"
"Yes!"
The two turn to see Piper walking over to them. "You are. James, you were way out of line back there!"
James pushed himself off the wall, and glared at his sister. "They don't know the chain of command!"
Piper stalked up to him. "Do you even hear yourself? You're doing it again! I can't believe that you don't have any remorse for Hunk. His family is out there, they could be hurt or worse and all you care about is the chain of command?" She jabs her finger into his chest. "You would be out of your mind if Madison, myself, and Edith were also out there."
"But you're not. Thanks to me."
"The point is; you would be pushing the same questions." Madison added, turning to him. "You should apologize to Hunk."
"What!?" James stared at her.
"That is a good idea." Piper agreed, James looked at her.
Commander Iverson walked up the sidewalk towards the three. "Excuse me, Doctor Griffin."
The three turn to him. "Yes, Commander?" Piper asks.
