Chapter Fifteen:
Technically speaking, Pidge was used to a Shirogane male coming into their lab late at night.
The problem was that she preferred this one's brother.
"What do you want, Shinji?" Pidge said, not looking up from their project, working on the motherboard of a robotics project they and Hunk were working on.
"Do you think that Takashi made a good decision?" Shinji asked, his eyes going around the room, looking at the variety of pieces of junk that adorned the lab Pidge shared with Hunk, although Pidge occupied the space much more often than Hunk did.
"About?" Pidge prompted, still not looking up.
"About having Lance take you two down to this planet tomorrow?"
Pidge did stop what they were doing and sat up straighter, setting aside their tools and lifting up their welding goggles, resting them on top of their head.
"The Blue Lion and her Paladin are the Guardian Spirit of water." Pidge said. "This planet is, like, seventy percent water. We probably wouldn't have been able to free this planet if it wasn't for Blue and Lance. So, yeah, Shiro made a great decision. Sure, Green and Black could have handled it, but Blue loves the water as much as Lance does. So if we need to take only one Lion down, it should be one that is literally in their element."
"Lance isn't necessarily known for his piloting capabilities. He's lucky he was even considered for cargo piloting." Shinji said, taking a few steps forward, eyes sweeping over the table that held Pidge's project.
Pidge frowned, eyes narrowing.
"Lance is a fantastic pilot." They said, trying and failing to keep their voice even.
"Are we talking about the same Lance Sanchez-Garcia, known for his spectacular simulator crashes?" Shinji asked, arching an eyebrow at Pidge.
"Lance only crashed the simulators when he tried to show-off." Pidge said. "He won't show off when it's really serious. He does better under pressure, actually. And his first year simulator scores were really good. Just a few points shy of making the fighter class qualifications from the start."
"Funny. I would have thought with all the snooping you did, you'd investigate the records of your two new teammates." Shinji said.
"What? And you did?" Pidge asked, folding their arms over their chest, if only to stop themself from strangling Shinji.
"You're not the only one who can hack a Garrison administration computer." Shinji said. "Yeah, I looked into the records of Lance, Hunk and Keith after you four abducted Takashi. Lance should have considered himself lucky to be placed in cargo class, to make it into the Garrison at all."
"If you're referring to Lance's ADHD, I am fully aware of it." Pidge said, narrowing their eyes, not liking the feeling that they were being taunted. "Everyone is. Know the whole story. Diagnosed at seven, took Adderall until he was twelve and started looking seriously towards the Garrison and the piloting program. In order to meet the criteria for the American Pilots Association and Galaxy Garrison guidelines about stimulants, he stopped taking the meds and has been off them ever since. It would have been discrimination for the Garrison to reject him, with his scores on the middle school simulators, his academic record and meeting the physical fitness criteria."
Then, something Shinji had said registered in their brain.
"Wait," Pidge said. "Lance really could have been put in fighter class from the start?"
"Yeah, apparently his scores and Keith's were always really close." Shinji said. He frowned, then said, "I take that back. His original scores were always really close to Keith's. After the Garrison altered them, they were just good enough to make top of cargo class qualifications. Most of his simulator 'crashes' were deliberate computer glitches, set to activate by his student ID number."
Pidge sighed and rubbed their forehead, putting the pieces together.
"Because of Lance's formally diagnosed ADHD, someone decided he wouldn't be a good fighter pilot, so he ended up in cargo class. No wonder Lance declared Keith his rival…" They said. They had wondered about the accuracy of 'Lance and Keith, neck and neck' before, but now they realized just how true it was.
And why it had affected Lance so badly.
They then briefly wondered how the top brass at the Garrison would react to knowing that the pilot they had all lauded as "The Garrison's Next Takashi Shirogane" was a self-diagnosed autistic.
"Good to know just how corrupt the Garrison is." Pidge said. "So, did you bring this to me out of true concern or did you just want to brag that you know how to bypass the Garrison's pathetic excuse for cybersecurity? Because if it's the former, you're worrying for no reason, and Shiro trusts Lance and that's what's important. If it's the latter, then why should I care when I did it before you even switched to the communications program?"
Shinji was quiet, just staring at Pidge blankly.
Pidge sighed again and said,
"Why are you here, Shinji?"
"A little bit of both reasons you just named." Shinji responded, a bit of sheepishness in his voice.
"No, why are you on this ship? Why did you want to come?" Pidge asked. "And your answer better be good, because you and I both know you basically bullied your brother into letting you come."
"You want to find your family. I want to protect mine." Shinji said sharply, eyes narrowing at Pidge. "I'm not losing Takashi again. I can't."
Some of the tension left Pidge's shoulders, gaze softening.
"I get it." Pidge said with a nod. "I really do."
"I know you do." Shinji said, which surprised them.
"You do?" Pidge said, blinking.
"Yeah." Shinji said, turning on his heel. "You and I have the same goal, after all. Get our brothers back to Earth. And keep them there."
With that, he left the room, leaving Pidge in silence.
They huffed and took off the goggles, setting them on the table before tearing off their work gloves, wondering what they should do with this new information and this new understanding of Shinji.
"What do you think?" Pidge asked from where they sat on Black's paw, looking up at Shiro, who frowned as he continued to polish Black's armor. "Should we tell him?"
"I don't know, Pidge." Shiro admitted. "I really don't."
"It'd boost his confidence, especially after today." Pidge pointed out. "But that's another reason you asked him to take us planet-side, isn't it?"
"Not entirely, more like a bonus benefit." Shiro admitted. "Lance might not take it as a confidence boost. If it were me, I know I'd be angry and hurt. Lance was rightfully denied something that should have been his all along, and then fought for it so hard."
"Only to get it as part of someone else's punishment." Pidge said, shoulders drooping. "Not necessarily as a reward for his own hard work and effort. That really sucks."
"No wonder he feels the need to show off and get people's attention." Shiro said, coming to sit beside Pidge. "He wants to prove he both deserves and has earned his position."
"He had to go through a lot of struggles to get into the Garrison, and they never even really gave him a chance. That's not fair. And to lie to him, to everyone… Ugh, why am I even surprised about that?" Pidge said, frowning, resting their elbows on their knees and their chin on their fists. "Just when I was starting to think it wasn't possible for the Garrison to lose any more of my respect…"
Shiro sighed and reached an arm around Pidge to gently rub their back.
"Alright, tell you what, when we get back, I'll talk to Hunk and get his opinion, since he knows Lance the best. Keith, too." Shiro said. "For now, Lance seems okay. He definitely seemed better at dinner compared to before. Does that sound like a good plan to you?"
"Yeah." Pidge said, nodding.
"Alright." Shiro said, gently patting them on the back. "Okay, go get some sleep. We've got an early morning awaiting us."
"I will if you will." Pidge said, standing up to turn and offer Shiro their hand. Shiro smiled and accepted their hand.
"I'll walk you to your room." Shiro said.
"Are you sure you've got everything you'll need?" Hunk asked as he and Keith waited with Lance and Pidge for Shiro to arrive in the Blue Lion's hanger. "First aid kit? Pidge, do you have your set of pocket tools? Got your bayards? Snacks? Wait, I think I have time to make you guys a basket of snacks."
"Relax, Hunk, we'll be back in a few hours, no big deal." Lance said with a grin. "We'll be back for lunch, and after that awesome breakfast of Lani's, I don't think we'll be hungry even then."
Lani had surprised everyone that morning, with hot muffins, bacon, fruit and eggs, all of the Paladins alternately praising her (Lance flat-out got on his knees and bowed before her, calling her a goddess; Shiro told him to get off the floor before he could promise Lani his first born) and insisting that she hadn't needed to go to so much effort.
"Really, I told you all I would help out around here. Making breakfast is nothing compared to, I don't know, defending the entire universe?" Lani said.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to do everything on your own." Pidge said.
"We're a team, and every member of a team has their role, but they also share responsibilities." Shiro said. "And you're part of this team now, too."
Out of the corner of their eye, Pidge saw Shinji's eyes flash quickly to Shiro, frown, then looked back down at his own plate.
"So, does he give a pep talk about the magic of friendship and working as a team every morning over breakfast?" Tali asked, smirking some.
"No." Shiro said, narrowing his eyes at Tali.
"Yes." The other four Paladins said, before laughing.
"Well, it's nice to know somethings will never change." Tali said, smirk growing as she stabbed a strawberry with her spork. "One time, right before a big simulator final exam we were all nervous about, Matt and I seriously considered drowning Shiro in maple syrup just to get him to shut up and let us stress out in peace."
"Maple syrup?" Allura questioned.
"It was pancake day." Tali said simply. "It was either that, or coffee and we realized that if we failed, then we'd only get a highly-caffeinated version of the same pep talk."
Now, an hour later, Tali and Lani were finishing cleaning up the kitchen while Pidge and Lance went to put on their armor and Shiro gave Hunk and Keith their marching orders while the others were gone.
"Yeah, Hunk, if you're not careful, your girlfriend is going to permanently take over your role as chef around here." Pidge said, Lance and Keith both smirking at Pidge's use of the word 'girlfriend'.
Hunk scowled at them, but his friends could see that his cheeks were a bit darker than usual.
"One, Lani and I have been peacefully cohabitating a kitchen for years on Earth and can easily do so in space." Hunk said. "And, two, she is not my girlfriend."
"Yet." Lance said, a sly grin forming across his face.
"Ugh, guys, seriously, not cool." Hunk said, folding his arms over his chest. "You know, guys and girls can be friends without there being any romance, right?"
"Hunk's right." Pidge said. "I mean, Tali is friends with Shiro and Matt, and you guys are all friends with Allura. So guys can be just friends with girls, and vice versa."
"Exactly." Hunk said, nodding his approval, arms folded over his chest.
"That's just not what's happening with Hunk and Lani." Pidge finished, earning some indignant sputtering from Hunk.
"Guys, it wasn't funny when you started this with Shay, and it's even less funny now!" Hunk said.
"Hunk, you are aware that your crush is kind of obvious, right?" Keith said. "We can all tell you really like Lani, in the more-than-childhood-friends way."
"Don't deny it, you Hunk of burning love." Lance said, playfully punching Hunk's arm.
Hunk huffed and folded his arms over his chest again, though this time defensively.
"Fine, okay, I do like her, but none of you can tell her, okay?" Hunk said. "I don't want to make our friendship weird or anything if it's unrequited. I don't think she likes me like that."
"Hunk, you are a total package." Lance said, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "You're handsome, you give great hugs and love cuddles, you're a fantastic cook, you're smart and creative, you're kind, you love cats and puppies and other cute fluffy creatures equally, and like long walks on the beach… Not to mention, you're a Defender of the Universe, Paladin of Voltron. Someone would have to be crazy to not be totally in love with you."
"Look, I appreciate the pep talk, but just let me handle this on my own, okay?" Hunk said. "I'll tell her when I'm comfortable telling her, alright? I value my friendship with Lani too much to risk it. So let it go, okay?"
"Alright, if that's what you want, we'll respect that." Lance said. "But know you've got us to talk to and support you, got it? We're your friends, too."
Hunk nodded.
Suddenly, Pidge had a thought. Or, rather, a culmination of various thoughts that they had had since their conversation with Shinji the previous evening.
"Guys, kind of a random question, but… What do you all think of Shinji?" Pidge asked.
The other three Paladins stayed quiet for a moment, glancing back and forth between each other.
"He's, uh, kind of quiet. And intense." Hunk said, obviously trying to be polite.
Keith and Lance obviously weren't.
"He was a jerk to Shiro, so that's kind of skewing my opinion of him." Keith said.
"He's a way more emo version of Keith, minus the mullet." Lance added.
"I'm not emo." Keith said, pursing his lips together as he narrowed his eyes, glaring at Lance.
"Yes, you are. You wear fingerless gloves, we had to drag you out of Hot Topic, and aside from your favorite jacket and boots, pretty much every piece of your wardrobe is black. And I've seen your music collection, which consists of My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy, Linkin Park, and Evanescence. Oh, and like one K-Pop boyband CD."
"Okay, all but the K-Pop CD came from Shiro, so blame him."
"For fostering your angsty taste in music? Definitely."
"Guys." Pidge said, voice flat.
"Uh, sorry, Pidge." Lance said. "Anyways, why are you asking?"
"It's just… Well, obviously he's going to be around for a while. And I know his first impression wasn't the best, but he's here now, so it wouldn't hurt for us to try and be friends with him?" Pidge said, offering a small, begging smile.
"I thought you hated this guy, Pidge, especially after what he did." Keith said.
"Look, yeah, I know I'm usually part of the 'If it looks at Shiro the wrong way, we need to destroy it' squad, but—"
"No, I'm talking about what he did to you, not Shiro." Keith said.
Pidge paused for a moment, then shrugged and said,
"I'm just trying to be the figuratively bigger person here. I was right all along. No reason to be a sore winner about it. And… I've been thinking about what Shiro said earlier. About everyone having a role as part of this team? Well, I'm not quite so sure Shinji's figured out what his role is. And he is Shiro's brother, so we should try to be nice to him if for no other reason than for Shiro's sake. He shouldn't make him feel torn between us and his brother."
Pidge was pleased to see the three disgruntled but accepting looks on Hunk, Lance and Keith's faces.
"Okay, yeah, that's pretty logical and you're right, we should give him a second chance, because we're good people, and he's probably a good person and it was just a bad moment. I mean, he did totally get tossed around in the Green Lion during a space battle only hours after the Galra invaded Earth. Totally understandable. Can't blame him for that." Hunk said. "Lots of stress, lots of emotions, don't always respond in a 'good' way…"
"We'll try, Pidge. For you and Shiro." Lance said. "Though that was totally not fair, you know. Using Shiro to guilt trip us. You know we'd do anything for him."
"I know. And I'm sorry. But, thanks, guys." Pidge said as the door to Blue's hanger opened and Shiro entered.
"Alright, Allura has made contact, and they're awaiting our arrival." Shiro said. "Pidge, Lance, ready to go?"
"Born ready!" Lance said with a grin.
"Have fun!" Hunk said as he and Keith prepared to leave the hanger.
"See you in a few hours." Keith said, waving over his shoulder.
Within minutes, the Blue Lion entered the planet's atmosphere and carefully entered the surface water, landing at the designated area, which was as close to the hospital as possible.
"What do you plan to do while we're gone, Lance?" Pidge asked, activating the lower part of their helmet.
"Unless you think anyone's going to be offended, I'm just going to chill here with Blue and work on a project." Lance said.
"Should I be concerned?" Shiro asked. Lance chuckled and pulled out a bag from a compartment beside him, showing Shiro the red yarn and knitting needles.
"Aw, red for your boyfriend?" Pidge said teasingly.
"Yeah, his birthday's next week. I may have kind of tricked him into picking it out while we were on Earth." Lance said. "Figured I'd work on his gift while there definitely wasn't a chance of him sneaking up on me all ninja like."
"Nice." Pidge said. "Enjoy."
"We'll be back in a few hours." Shiro said. "Contact us if you need anything."
With that, he and Pidge went to the ramp.
Pidge and Hunk had spent many hours trying to figure out the science behind the fact that the Lions could open their mouths and lower their ramps for the Paladins to enter and exit while underwater, but have absolutely no flooding inside the Lions' cockpits. The only water that entered was what fell off the Paladins' armor. The two finally conceded that there was no science, just magic robot lions and there was nothing they could do about it.
Jebbins was waiting for them, and greetings were exchanged.
"Our guest awoke earlier this morning, and has much improved." Jebbins explained as he led Pidge and Shiro into the hospital.
"Is he an aquatic species as well?" Shiro inquired.
"Yes, but he said it has been many years since he felt water last. Like us, he can function both on land and in water." Jebbins explained. "But I am of the understanding that his species thrives more in mud and swamp areas."
Jebbins escorted them up to the floor, but then a young female nurse took the Paladins to the patient, asking them to wait outside for a moment while she checked on him.
They entered a few minutes later to see a brown-skinned alien with big, round black eyes, gills around their neck and a few moss-green scales around their face, floating in a sort of long, shallow fish tank that was padded. When he blinked, studying the Paladins, his eyelids closed vertically instead of horizontally.
"You are Shiro, the Champion." The alien said in a raspy voice as he sat up some. "And Paladin of Voltron…"
"I am." Shiro said with a small nod. He gestured to Pidge, who was standing at his left beside him out of habit. "And this is Pidge, the Green Paladin of Voltron."
"Greetings, Shiro. Greetings, Pidge. I call myself Owla." The alien—Owla—said. "I am eternally grateful I landed on a friendly planet, one that is friends with Voltron. This has made my search and my assignment much easier."
"Assignment?" Shiro repeated, brow furrowing. Pidge saw him tense and shifted some, gently bumping their hand against his. It was a gentle reassurance, reminding him that they could call up their bayard easily if needed.
Owla nodded.
"I will tell you my story." He said. "I was taken prisoner some years ago, allowing myself to be captured in place of my younger brother, who tried to rebel against the Galra. I was selected along with some other prisoners to serve aboard a Galra cruiser. I was personally assigned to an officer, tasked with cleaning his cabin and various other tasks as assigned. A week ago, my… my master summoned me to his quarters in the middle of the night cycle, which was unusual. He dressed me in armor and gave me a bag with very specific instructions. He told me that the one known as the Champion was now the Black Paladin of Voltron. He told me to give that bag and its contents to you, so that you may have an opportunity to strike Zarkon and weaken the Empire."
"How?" Pidge asked.
"That, I cannot answer. He attempted to tell me, but we were running low on time. He had me enter an escape pod and eject as the ship entered a wormhole, which is how I ended up here." Owla explained.
"And your injuries?" Shiro asked.
"Other Galra soldiers found us…" Owla said sadly. "I was shot, and my master shoved me into the escape pod. I think they were searching for him in particular, and shot me by mistake." He rested his hand on his side, which was bandaged but supposed to be healing well.
"He was a double-agent?" Pidge suggested.
"That is my interpretation." Owla said. "However, I am looking at this in hindsight. Some instances and interactions with him make more sense now."
"Such as?" Shiro prompted.
"He selected me personally among the group of prisoners selected to serve aboard the cruiser, and all of our transgressions were known. At the time, he spoke of personally wanting to break me. To put me in my place. But he never did. Physically, mentally… He barely spoke to me." Owla explained. "There was one time I was struck, but he did not do as much damage as I had seen in other slaves. I wondered if it was just for show. He was also much quieter compared to his comrades. Secretive. He received communications on a regular basis. Most were late in the night cycle, when there was the least amount of activity on board. I assumed it was a lover or mate, but now… Now I am no longer sure of what I know. I just know that I was told to find you."
"What exactly is in this bag, and where is it?" Shiro asked. Owla pointed to the chair beside him, where a purple and silver bag lay.
"I know not what is inside." He said.
Pidge went over and scanned the bag using their wrist scanner. Their eyes widened.
"Shiro…" They said.
"Is it not safe?" Shiro asked.
"I… I think it is… Well, it's safe to open." Pidge said, looking up at Shiro, who was now behind them. "But, Shiro… I think there are grenades in this bag."