Olkarion

by jalpari

The team decide to take the rescued prisoners to the Coalition headquarters in Olkarion. As they approach the Olkari, a new insight adds to their worries.

A/N:

This fanfic picks up from where the "Voltron: Legendary Defender" Netflix series ended.

I have taken the liberty of bringing back Olkarion, the Olkari, and Ryner (since the show left a lot of it to conjecture).

"Olkarion?" Pakim stared at Shiro in disbelief.

"It is the base of the coalition", Keith answered offhandedly.

"No...uhh...I mean…", Pakim fumbled for words. "I thought...Olkarion and the Olkari were...annihilated."

"What?!" Pidge exclaimed from her seat. "Why would you think that?"

"Umm...because it was eaten up by a...what's it called...weeble?" Pakim muttered.

"Weblum", Keith corrected even more casually.

"Yes, that", Pakim raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"For your information", Pidge adjusted her glasses and stared at him.

"Here we go…", Shiro smirked.

"The Olkari are…"

"They were Magicians", Pakim interrupted her.

"NO!" Pidge jumped off her seat and stood before him, hands on her hips.

"Now she's mad...", Keith curled his lips inwards and swiveled his chair to get a better look at the scene about to unfold.

"The Olkari are the most beautiful advanced brilliant race with extraordinary engineering skills. To lower life forms", she eyed him from top to bottom, "their abilities may appear to be magic."

Pakim squirmed under her death stare.

"They can manipulate any material imaginable...create anything...with just their minds...combined with their intelligence, they are capable of things we can't even begin to conceive", she continued, "and it was their genius that helped them escape Olkarion and survive."

"Ohh…"

"Yes...OHH…", Pidge sneered.

"Easy now, Pidge. Cut him some slack", Shiro chuckled.

"Down girl!" Keith snickered.

"And now they have created another marvelous civilization on another reclaimed planet. The new Olkarion", Pidge boasted as if she herself had constructed the planet.

Pakim gulped and shuffled nervously as Pidge straightened herself, adjusted her glasses, and walked back to her seat. After a few seconds of silence, Pakim spoke again.

"But...but I thought we were going to return these prisoners to their home?" he whispered cautiously, throwing a side glance at Pidge who was now engrossed in something on her console.

"Yes, but", Keith sounded almost irritated, "in case you hadn't noticed, each prisoner is from a different planet. The next best thing is to hand them over to the coalition. They can contact each of their planets and find a way to get them home."

"And we need to discuss our next steps", Shiro added.

"Sir", Luten entered the control room, "the sixth prisoner needs immediate medical attention. I have done everything I could but I cannot stabilize her condition."

"Tara, how much more time to get to Olkarion?"

"Another hour, Sir."

"I'm not sure she'll last that long, Sir."

Shiro entered the infirmary and walked up to the bed. She was fast asleep but her breathing oscillated between shallow inhales and exhales and bumpy hiccups. He could see the cuts through which the tubes had been inserted into her neck. He reached out and touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She was burning up. He moved his fingers to her neck. Her pulse was racing. It felt like, any moment, her body would convulse and explode.

"Is she as bad as he said?" Keith stood in the doorway.

"Looks like it", Shiro turned to face him. "Her graph is all over the place and her vitals could drop at any moment. She could crash in the blink of an eye."

"What are our options?" Keith remained at the door.

Shiro thought for several seconds, his mind scanning through all his previous experiences. Suddenly, his face perked up.

"I think, there is one more thing we can try."

"What?"

""Luten tried all the modern marvels of medicine and tech. But not the old fashioned way."

"And what is that?"

"First thing, we need to control her fever. Prepare a lukewarm bath and get me a pair of pyjamas and shirt. And get Pidge."

"Shiro, what…", Keith gave him a bewildered look.

"Just do it, Keith."

A few seconds later, Pidge strolled in.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I need you to change her clothes, Pidge."

"Me? Why?"

"Umm...you're the only girl here who isn't piloting the craft…"

"Oh...yeah…"

"Here are the clothes", Keith entered the room and handed them to Pidge. "I'll go get started on the...bath."

"Bath?" Pidge raised an eyebrow at Shiro.

"Call me when you're done changing her", Shiro closed the door behind him as he exited the infirmary.

Shiro leaned against the wall and tapped his feet anxiously.

This is a stupid idea. If the medicines and fluids didn't work, why would this!?

"All done", Pidge opened the door.

Shiro walked in and lifted the girl in his arms. They walked towards Keith's room and Pidge opened the door to let Shiro in.

"Keith? How's that bath coming along?"

"Almost ready", Keith's voice echoed in the bathroom.

Shiro walked to the tub and began lowering her in it.

"What are you doing, Shiro?!" Keith exclaimed.

"Ah!" Pidge jumped. "You're trying the good old home remedy! Keeping her in a lukewarm bath to cool her body down."

"Yep", Shiro pulled back after placing her carefully in the tub.

"Shiro! She can't support herself. She'll drown if you leave her in there alone", Pidge shrieked.

He reached out again just in time as they all gasped. Keith and Shiro looked at each other and then at Pidge.

"What…", Pidge noticed them staring at her expectantly. "Uhh...guys...what.."

They tilted their head towards the tub.

"No…", Pidge stepped back.

"Pidge", Shiro reached one arm out and grabbed her hand, "need I remind you again that you're the only girl…"

"C'mon we're all adults here...there's nothing inappropriate in either of you doing it…", Pidge grumbled.

"...and you're the smallest of us", Shiro finished his sentence.

"That's true", Keith hid his smirk.

Pidge glared at him and grunted. She took a deep breath and began climbing in with Shiro's support.

"You guys owe me BIG time", Pidge mumbled as she sat beside the girl and propped her up.

"Technically", Shiro grinned, "she would owe you big time."

With that Shiro and Keith walked out.

"Are you seriously going to leave me in here...alone!?"

"Yep", Keith peeked in smiling.

"Keith will come and check in on you every ten minutes", Shiro peeked in behind Keith.

"Wha…", Keith groaned as Shiro pulled him back out by the collar.

"I LOATHE YOU TWO", Pidge screamed as they left the room.

Ten minutes later, Keith trudged back in.

"Is it helpin...Pidge are you playing a video game...how did you even..."

"Keith! You made me miss a shot!" Pidge grunted. "And yes, I think so."

Keith sat by the tub.

"I need to heat the water again...before she starts shivering."

"You do realize there's a button", Keith leaned over her to the wall behind them, "right here for just that purpose?"

"Oh", Pidge grinned, "is that new?"

"Yeah...thanks to Coran."

"Can you check her fever, Keith?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Uhh...yes, I am in the water with her. I wouldn't be able to tell…"

"Fine", Keith sighed and reached out.

He hesitated for a second and placed his hand on her forehead. After a few seconds, his lips parted into a small smile of relief.

"I think...I think her fever has gone down just a little."

"That's not likely, she needs more time in the water given how bad she was burning up."

"Then why did you ask me to check!?"

"To annoy you."

"Pidge!"

"There's more to come, Galran. I will get back to you for this."

"Ughh", Keith groaned and walked to the door. "Keep the water warm. Shiro will come and check on you after some time."

"Aww..are you upset little Galran?"

"Say more things like that and I'll send Pakim in."

Pidge shut up and pursed her lips. She huffed and resumed her video game.

"Keith? Shiro? Can anybody hear me?" Pidge's voice boomed from the comm system.

"Pidge? Where are...how are…"

"You need to get here...NOW."

"How are you even…"

"My console is connected to everything in here, guys. I'm offended you're still surprised at the power I have over everything tech. Now...get your butts here."

"Tara...how much further?" Keith asked.

"15 more minutes, Sir. At the most."

Shiro and Keith rushed to his room and pushed the bathroom door wide open. Pidge looked alarmed as she held the body as if it were a fragile item.

"Uhh...I think...", Pidge paused before choosing her next words, "I think she moved."

"Moved?"

"Like...she's not entirely unconscious any more."

Shiro knelt by the tub and touched her forehead.

"She's not as hot as before. And her pulse has slowed down a bit...maybe it's the human contact."

"Pidge is human?" Keith smirked and received a glowering expression from Pidge.

"Let's get her dry and back in the infirmary. We need to change her again."

"But we used the only pair Tara had", Keith shrugged.

"Then get one of yours", Shiro gave him an annoyed look.

He rushed out with the girl and Pidge followed giving a smug look to Keith. Keith returned to the infirmary with a pair of his pyjamas and a shirt.

"I'll change her. Shiro wants you in the control room" Pidge grabbed the clothes and closed the door.

As Keith entered the control room, he saw Shiro and Luten standing at the desk, pouring over something. As he neared them, he saw it was a smaller hand held screen.

"What's going on?"

"We're about to land in Olkarion", Tara announced.

"Look at this", Shiro beckoned Keith over. "We informed the Olkari of our arrival and we gave them all the information we have so far."

"And?"

"It seems something similar happened at another location", Luten explained.

"More prisoners?"

"Yes", Luten continued. "A patrol ship came across them. Unlike ours, there seem to be more prisoners there."

"Did they get them out?"

"No", Shiro sighed, "for now the Coalition are keeping them under observation."

"Why?!"

"They said they want to gather more information before...recovering the prisoners."

"There may be no prisoners to recover later", Keith groaned.

"I know, but let's sit down and lay everything we know out on the table when we meet them. Then, we can come up with a better plan of action."

Keith nodded and browsed the details on the screen. One bit caught his eye.

"This says there are six groups from six planets there."

Shiro leaned over and looked at where Keith was pointed. "Yes, that's based on their satellite images and drone footage."

"We found six prisoners from six planets, Shiro." Keith looked at Shiro, brows furrowed in deep thought.

"See if both sets of prisoners are from the same planets. And how is the interrogation going?" Shiro turned to Luten and Pakim.

"Not too good, their memory is very fuzzy", Luten picked up the tablet, "and yes...it seems like they are the same planets."

"The only one we haven't questioned is the sixth prisoner", Pakim added.

"We'll have to wait to speak with her", Shiro exhaled. "After she gets the necessary medical attention."

"Look!" Pidge exclaimed startling everyone. "Olkarion!"

She leaned against the glass and sighed with joy as they approached the planet.

"It's even better than the old one", her voice lowered. "They didn't just survive...they are thriving." There was hint of pride in her voice.

"Luten, Pakim, Pidge", Shiro began, "ready the others for our arrival. Keith bring the girl. I'll escort our prisoner."

As they disembarked from the craft, they were greeted by a small group, led by a graceful woman.

"Ryner!" Pidge rushed ahead and embraced the leader of the Olkari.

"I'm so glad to see you, Pidge", Ryner smiled and leaned into the hug.

"Paladins", Ryner walked to Shiro and Keith.

"We are no longer Paladins, my Queen", Shiro smiled and bowed.

"You will always be Paladins in my eyes", Ryner patted his arm.

Her gaze moved to Keith and the body he held in his arms.

"Oh, dear we need to get her to the doctor immediately."

"Yes, and we need to get the rest to the infirmary as well", Pidge added.

"And…", Shiro exhaled, "we need to hold an urgent meeting with the council.