Chapter six: Cause For Alarm?

"What are we going to do?" Pidge asked the group, deep concern and panic in her voice. "Shiro's gone. And we have no idea where he could be.. or how to track him down."

"We can't give up!" Lance decided, his arms remaining loosely crossed across his chest. "He's out there somewhere and we have to find him. At least if he's with us,.. we know he's safe from harm... when he..." He trailed off, and everyone knew what he meant immediately.

"But where do we even start looking?" Hunk pointed out.

"Anywhere along the length of Keith's wormhole jump. That's where we start." Pidge announced. "If the cryopod fell out of the wormhole, then he probably came out of it somewhere between here, and wherever Keith was when he entered the wormhole."

"Wait!" Keith's voice brought their entire conversation to a halt, and they all looked to him. He lifted his face to them. "Shiro's in trouble." He repeated from earlier.

"We know that." Lance told him. "That's why were trying to find him."

"No. I mean his in trouble." Keith repeated again, re-emphasizing a bit more intensely. "Shiro needs our help. H..he's trapped... trapped in his own mind. I think something's... attacking him." He locked eyes with Allura. "I saw him.. I heard him talking to me... We need to help him." The look in his eyes told Allura that he was very serious and very genuine in his words. "I'm telling you, I don't think Shiro's dying. But he might if we don't do something." He insisted further. Allura closed her eyes and softly sighed; eyebrows furrowed.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" She asked simply, a dubious look crossing her face.

"Everyone get to your lions, but don't launch." Keith decided looking up. "I've got an idea."

XXXX

Haggar's shadowy figure floated through the darkened hallways, she stopped at the door momentarily; waiting for it to open. The purplish glow rushed to meet her as soon as they parted ways; bathing her in light as well. She silently approached the bed, to stare down into the still face of the Galra emperor; her expressionless face and glowing eyes concealing her thoughts and feelings completely.

"Sire, I fear Lotor is not taking his duty's as acting emperor seriously. He clearly cares about anything other than such duties. Please,.. return to us, before Lotor destroys the Empire with his carelessness and wayward agendas. He cares not for the Empire, nor does he seem to have any clue on how to rule it. This Empire seems to only be fit for you alone, return to your people; leads us once more." The Galra leader remained motionless, not a sound emanating from him. And seeing this, the witch's eyes narrowed slightly and she turned on her heel and left.

"High priestess." A Druid addressed her, upon her exiting the room.

"What is it?" She snapped sharply.

"We've just received word." The Druid reported. "Lotor has encountered one of the Voltron lions... alone." The witch's eyes flared at this single word.

"What has he need of the Voltron Lions?" Haggar questioned.

"I know not, my mistress." The Druid responded bowing to her. "Might I send someone to find out?"

"No.." Haggar declined. "Lotor is the emperor, and if he desires to attack Voltron it is not our place to question. It is I that will handle him. But we must still observe what he does, in order to try and understand what he is after. Take leave of me!"

"Yes, high priestess." The Druid bowed once more and obeyed. Yet as she watched him go; her mind drifted to the doubts she'd had the whole time of Lotor's strange behavior, and kept these thought close at heart; pondering them profusely in her mind.

XXXX

"Ok, what are we doing here, Keith?" Lance asked, a bit annoyed by this.

"If Shiro's trapped in his own mind there's gotta be a way to reach him." Keith explained tapping a few buttons on his dash. He then returned his hand back on the handle. "We need to figure out how to get to him. And the best way to do that, is through Voltron."

"I'm not sure I follow." Allura sighed.

"You told us that the lions are connected to us, and that they connect us to each other, right?" Keith implied simply. "So that means we can connect with our lions; and each other through them. Shiro's still connected to the Black Lion... I know it. And if he's in trouble... this may be our only chance at saving him."

"So what do we do?" Pidge shrugged, loosely gripping the handles.

"Relax." Keith responded softly. "Connect with your lions. Let all distractions fade away, to clear your minds. Focus on your connection, reach out to each other." Each Paladin closed their eyes listening to Keith's voice and focused with everything they had. The silence now remaining as they listened; waiting, and hoping that something might happen.

"I'm not feeling anything." Hunk said finally.

"Me neither." Pidge sighed.

"I can't either, I-" a glowing to Allura's right grabbed her attention and looking over the bayard lock retracted out.

"Allura? What is it?" Keith's voice asked.

"My bayard lock..." the Princess gasped, staring at it a little surprised.

"Hey, mine just opened too." Lance realized.

"Mine too!" Pidge breathed.

"Yeah same." Came Hunk's response.

"That's it! The bayards! They amplify each Paladin's life source!" Allura concluded. Keith acquired a thoughtful expression.

"Well then let's test that theory. Everyone!" The command was unspoken, but everyone knew it. Taking up their bayards, they jammed them into the locks together; and the world burst forth in to a light rushing into darkness.

XXXX

Five circular platforms appeared in a tunnel of rushing wind-like energy, blowing through the glowing ocean of blue, like windy caverns of some kind. Upon those platforms white lights materialized the Paladins onto them. They all looked about them, staring into the oncoming wind, and around at each other.

"What do we do now!!" Pidge cried, shielding her face from the wind.

"I think we have to go through there!" Keith called back.

"Are you certain?!" Allura yelled.

"I see something up ahead, we've gotta hope it's better than staying here." Keith replied; and because the wind was so loud, they all had to practically yell at each other so they could hear them. "Come on! I think we need to go that way!" Keith leapt off the platform and jetted against the wind toward the object; and the rest of the team hesitating before following suit. Soon they were all battling against the energy pushing them back, their jet packs blazed and they groaned and strained to keep going. Finally their struggle was rewarded, and thankfully not in vain.

Pidge opened her eyes to discover that she was alone! She looked left then right; studying her location carefully, she realized that she was in a small room. And she could tell that there were others like it that went around in a circle, leaving a circular room in the middle. She could only vaguely see this, because the walls which boxed her in looked to be some sort of glass shield. But this glass-like substance was so snowy that all she could see through it were darkened shapes of walls and soft lights shining through it. Each glowing the other four colors of the Voltron Lions, and a sixth white light in the center, but, again, the glass obscured any detail of them.

"Do not be alarmed, Katie Holt?" A voice echoed. The Green Paladin looked around anxiously, when a light materialized a woman standing squarely across from her. Her eyes were soft, and her demeanor open to her. The gentleness of the atmosphere coming from her, put the tense girl at ease, at the sight of the stranger; though she couldn't help but be surprised by this.

Hey everybody another chapter!! Can't wait til you guys see what's next, got lots of plans I hope that you like. Also just so you guys know I am planning on using some elements from the show. Just not in the ways as might be expected. Again, excited to see what you think, but til then... enjoy!! Thx!!!