Chapter twenty-two: Uncertainties
Shiro's gaze looked like that of someone in a daze.. his blown away expression revealing the thoughtfulness of all he'd just heard.
"We haven't seen the Black Lion since then.. and we continue to search for it, even now." Keith told him quietly. "No one knows where it's gone."
"We had thought that it was off to find you." Pidge put in. "But I guess we were wrong." Shiro remained silent still and they wondered what he could be thinking about; some silently begging for him to speak his mind.
"Have we been tracking the Galra to be sure that they haven't found it or captured it?" Shiro wondered quite forwardly, despite his physical condition.
"All the time.. but nothing has come up within the Galra ranks." Keith reported simply.
"I don't think they're even aware that it left." Pidge realized in the moment.
"Well we need to find it.." Shiro decided. "I can try to call it to me.. but it may take time."
"Time.. and rest." Allura emphasized. "You should probably take some time to rest for a while, before straining yourself with such a thing."
"Tracking down the Black Lion has to be a priority." Shiro insisted. His voice cracked and when he leaned forward his chest stabbed him back down to sit back again.
"And that's exactly why.." The Princess reiterated. "You're in too much pain to move, let alone have the strength to search the universe for the Black Lion. Rest is the only cure for that."
"So.. what? Do we just let the Black Lion stay out there on its own?" Shiro questioned almost coldly, which softened a second later. "I realize that the Black Lion is a powerful being.. but I also know Zarkon.. And he has ways of forcefully taking what he wants regardless of how it is done. If he can still connect with the Black Lion after centuries of being separated from it.. who knows what else he may be able to do. And if he finds the Black Lion.. before we do?.." His hand began to tremble, as he seemed to receive a soft shock(or so it appeared to the team); which faded like a wave washing over him. Shiro clenched his hand into a fist with a sigh. "We can't wait too long.." He continued seriously, closing his eyes before turning to look at Allura once again. "Zarkon may already be aware that it's on its own." Allura acquired a strange look.
"How could that be possible?" She questioned.. half dreading it to be true. "As far as we are concerned he still lies wounded, as you were. There has been no indication of his return as of yet."
"Zarkon may not be responsive.. but in my experience he could still hear anyone who comes to debrief him." Shiro reminded her. "If anyone were to hear or see that the Black Lion is on its own.. they'll undoubtedly tell that witch who will no doubt go to see him. She may have a way of communicating with him even in this vegetative state.. as I was."
"I agree that you may have a point.." The Princess admitted after a moment's pause. "But your recovery is just as important. We need to be sure you're truly out of the woods, until we try anything. And that'll take time. We'll keep monitoring the Galra's movements and keep trying to track down Lotor. Until then, we work on getting you back on your feet again. The Black Lion will be of no use to us without its Paladin."
"As much as I hate to admit it but.. Allura makes a good point." Keith sighed hauntedly.
"We'll keep looking as hard as we can." Pidge put in. "Scan at different frequencies.. Send out the Blue Lion's sonar imaging scanner.."
"Wait you have Sonar imaging too!?" Matt marveled.
"You know it." Pidge replied coolly, turning her head to peer at him dramatically from the corner of her eye. "And in the meantime we can start to get to know the white lion's abilities too."
"Sounds like a plan." Shiro answered flatly. He stood up and almost fell backward again but managed to regain himself rather quickly. Strolling forward stiffly with a bit of a limp on the left side; as was to be expected, given his injuries. "I'm gonna go try to relax for a while.." Then, with that, he left the room to head to his own, taking the wall in his hand and beginning to follow it down the long hallway. As he scuffled down the dark hall, he felt a heaviness pour heaping slag over his body; slowing his legs and almost tiring them out faster than they usually would. Slowing to a stop, he had to turn towards the wall to brace both hands to it and press his forehead to it. The cool surface of it almost made it better.. but yet it still throbbed with a pounding persistence he hoped to be rid of. The pounding seemed to steadily spin the room around him, forcing him to close his eyes; which brought little relief, but found he couldn't bring himself to open them again. For fear that he'd pass out from all the spinning, even if it was going at a slow pace.
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How long had it been? Perhaps hours.. Or maybe just minutes. Either way he'd been sitting there a while.. Whether short or long he didn't care. It seemed to feel right, either that or he was too scared to move.. and for good reason, given his current state. The comforting cold at his back and head soothed his aches a little, which he was grateful for. Something my own bed wouldn't provide. He reasoned thoughtfully. His eyes remained closed but yet his posture had changed, he almost didn't know what that was, nor did he care.. All he desired in the moment.. was relief from this ever increasing plague of disasters which ate away at his body and nagged at his mind. He could almost swear it was tearing at his very soul,.. at least that's how it felt. His brow tensed at the flash of a memory, so fast he almost didn't even see it. Another one came and he saw it more clearly, his grunt a little more defined.
"Shiro?" His eyes popped open at the mention of his name. "What happened to 'taking a rest'?" Keith quoted approaching from Shiro's left to come slide his back down the wall, to sit down next to him at his right side.
"More tired than I thought?" Shiro implied slowly, as if unsure.
"I don't doubt it." Keith responded, knowingly stealing his friend's signature line; one of many in fact. "After all you went through, it's no wonder you're in such bad shape."
"Yeah." Shiro breathed, his overall posture unchanging, as he blankly stared at nothing.
"Come on,.." Keith spoke up again, beginning to get up. "I'll help you get there." Shiro took his hand and allowed Keith to help pull him onto his feet. A wave hit him near immediately, bringing with it a clear memory. And as soon as it flashed away Shiro jolted back against the wall, almost slamming his hands back to it; as if catching himself out of a fall. A stunned look showing across his face, as he breaths became slightly more evident.
"Shiro!" Keith gasped at this strange reaction. "Are you ok?"
"I remember something." Shiro answered disantly, he finally turned to look Keith in the face a half haunted look in his eyes. "Where's Pidge?" Keith's brows raised slightly in confusion, a darkening feeling beginning to creep into his body at what Shiro's mind was thinking.
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"Ok I'm here, what's this about?" Pidge asked, as she entered the castle bridge once more.
"I'm here too." Matt added forwardly. "Something about Shiro remembering something important?"
"It's probably a good thing.." Keith concurred. "Cause Shiro.."
"I know where your father is." Shiro cut in, a doomful tone in his voice, as he looked up at them from where he stood; leaning against the back of the Black Paladin chair. The looks on the Holt kids' faces froze. "I know what I saw." Shiro reiterated, straightening up to face them squarely. "Search me I can prove it." He finished holding his right arm up to them. Matt looked to Pidge, who just blankly stared at Shiro.
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Screen after screen, Shiro waited anxiously.. Desperately hoping he was right, but feeling certain he was at the same time. He just waited.. anxiously waited to hear any form of confirmation. A gasp.. a cry.. anything that told him he hadn't just opened a wound that was only a scar.
"I'm not finding anything in here.. are you sure you have information on my dad." Pidge emphasized, fearing his reply. Shiro thought for a moment.. he hadn't just dreamed it.. had he?
"Wait." He realized suddenly. Reaching for the computer, which his arm was still attached to; Pidge willingly let him take it onto his lap. Typing rather vigorously, and finding that he could do so quite well. He jumped slightly, as another bout of shakiness started his hand trembling again; but yet he kept typing unimpeded. Initiating a strange program, it flipped a screen one way.. then the next, rotating it twice before turning white and displaying strange text, which they all recognized as Galra runes.
"Coordinates!" Pidge gasped, standing over his left shoulder. Then a picture of Sam Holt appeared on the screen with more runes and Galra numbers. "Dad." Pidge breathed, her heart leaping in her chest and pounding at her rib cage.
"How'd you do that?!" Lance wondered, leaning in over Pidge's shoulder.
"Was that some kind of Galra encryption protocol?" Matt wondered, standing over Shiro's right shoulder.
"Yes." Shiro confirmed, turning in his direction. "I opened it using this program and when it downloaded onto my arm.. I guess the program must've kept it protected."
"So my dad is wherever these coordinates lead?" Matt asked, awestruck.
"Yes." Shiro sighed, staring at the screen hauntedly.
"Shiro?" Pidge addressed him lowly, noticing the slight devastation of his overall demeanor. Shiro closed his eyes tightly.. his brows furrowed as he opened them once more.
"I know where this is.." He answered finally.
"All along?" Lance wondered.
"I just remembered where.. but yes." Shiro replied.. "And it's gonna be tougher than it was to rescue Matt."
"How so?" Allura wondered, dreading the answer.
"The coordinates lead to a lava rock and Carbon Monoxide planet." Shiro began. "It's a prison facility for brilliant scientists; forcing them to experiment with harsh substances and dangerous creatures. And the layers of security are especially tight. If we're going to rescue Sam.. we'll have to figure a way through each one in order to get in and out without being detected."
"Woah, woah, woahwoahwoahwoah… we?" Hunk echoed in an incredulous tone.
"Absolutely not." Keith decided immediately, pacing forward. "You're not going in there with us. It's too risky."
"No one here knows what they're up against." Shiro protested, despite his off demeanor. "I've seen how things operate with the Galra. I know how they set up their defenses."
"You've just returned from being hunted, battered and bruised." Keith reminded him. "And you can hardly see straight, much less walk straight. Your ankle is sprained and you've been off balance ever since you woke up. And with the burn across your body.. it's worse than the one you got from Zarkon's witch."
"I agree with Keith." Allura spoke up again, coming to his side. "I believe you must sit out of this mission to rest and recover. And you can't help us.. if you don't recover well."
"I'm not gonna just ignore the situation.." Shiro protested further, pausing to think for a moment. "I can coordinate things from here." He suggested. "Keep me on the com. I should have a visual with Pidge's hacking ability and Coran's scanners." Shiro's expression lightened. "We have ways of keeping track of your movements from the castle, I can guide you through as best I can.. the schematics show exactly where Sam should be located within the facility."
"Ok.. that works." Keith complied slowly. "Then the rest of us will be your other senses while inside the base. We may need to run some simulation drills in the training deck to help us prepare.. but otherwise I think we got a solid plan in place."
"Sounds like a good idea." Shiro nodded in agreement. "Pidge can help me set it up… her technology skills can help me create simulations of what you may encounter while inside the base."
"Ok.. we'll leave you to it." Keith concluded, beginning to leave.
"Wait Keith.." Shiro spoke up, taking a step toward him from where he stood at the back of his own chair, but was met with pain and then weakness; which forced him to lean on the chair to keep from falling. Catching his left elbow on the top of the chair's back, he steadied himself once more. Keith was brought to attention at hearing this, turning abruptly to double back toward Shiro; making it to his side tenuously.
"You ok?" Keith asked, taking his right arm tenderly. "What is it?"
"I'm fine." Shiro replied, he took a step with seemingly a lot of effort, but found he couldn't take another and fell to his knees; his hands hitting the floor to stop his fall. Keith came forward to one-leggedly kneel at his side.
"I'm not sure that you are." He said in a tenderly gentle manner. "You should get some rest.. Pidge will need to gather more information about the base anyway." He began to help him up, as he finished his statement. "I'll come get you when know more."
"Alright." Shiro complied breathlessly, finally making it to his feet. Keith nodded to the team, before helping Shiro to steady himself once again; as he guided him toward the door.
Hello everyone! A new chapter at last! I've been finding it easier to write more for this story, now that I've gotten past a bit of a writer's block, and lack of motivation. Anyway, this chapter and the next one so far have been really fun to write! And I can't wait to see what you guys think of it! Enjoy! Thx!