Chapter Sixteen:
"Okay…" Hunk said, biting his lip as he glanced down at the holopad, then up at the five silver spheres sitting on the dining room table. "So, yeah, these are definitely concussion grenades."
"So this Galra double-agent sent a prisoner out in an escape pod, hoping that he would somehow track down Shiro and give him a bag full of bombs?" Keith said from where he sat on the opposite end of the table, his brow furrowing.
"Not bombs exactly." Pidge said. "From what Hunk and I can tell, they won't exactly go 'boom' when they are set off. In theory, once activated, these grenades will release electromagnetic waves that will interfere with the frequency and functionality of certain tech."
"Um, like, spaceship tech?" Lani asked nervously. "Like, this spaceship? That we're on? Currently?"
"Probably not." Hunk said, reaching out and lightly popping Lance's hand before he could grab one, making him pout. "Ships made by different cultures are built and run differently. This is the only known Altean ship in existence, so the frequency of this ship is probably unknown to the person who put these together."
"So, more likely to be set for a Galra ship or something, right?" Tali asked. "Just toss one of these on a Galra cruiser, and it'll sink?"
"Galra cruisers are huge, and I think it would take some rather precise placing, depending on the range of these waves." Pidge said. "Besides, if we're on a Galra ship, it's because we're looking for something on it, like information or prisoners to rescue or whatever. One of these grenades would make a good distraction, but probably more trouble for us. But these could come in handy for taking out drones."
"Which means that they could work well with the target this double-agent gave us." Shiro said, referring to the thin slab that had Galran lettering and numbering inscribed on it that was in the bag with the grenades.
"You got it translated?" Keith said, sliding off the table to his feet.
Shiro nodded.
"Allura wants us all on the bridge." He said.
Five minutes later, they all were on the bridge and Allura brought up a hologram of a planet, with accompanying numbers that were the planets coordinates.
"This is Marth. It is an unpopulated forest moon, or, rather, has no native population. It appears that it is being used to manufacture Galra weaponry and drones, so there are a few Galra there who oversee the factory." Allura explained. "It is also the largest on-planet munitions factory and storage center within the Galra Empire, and is the only mass-producing drone assembly center."
"Its system is very close to the original Galra Imperial System." Coran added. "Don't even need a wormhole jump to get from the Galra Capital and official military base to get here."
"Official military base?" Shinji repeated.
"Zarkon has a space-station base that is where he spends most of his time." Shiro explained. "But has an 'official' base within the Galra Empire."
"It's essentially exists for aesthetic reasons." Lance said.
"Ah. The public base that's open to the public." Lani said with a nod.
"More importantly, the public 'face' of the Galra Military." Allura said. "I understand that it is much like your Galaxy Garrison, and includes a military education center."
"So, totally corrupt and full of lying idiots. Gotcha." Tali said.
"Which is why it's sort of low on our priority list right now." Shiro said. "But we're still keeping a close eye on it."
"There's got to be something bigger going on here." Pidge said, frowning at the holographic planet.
"How do you figure?" Keith asked.
"It's machine and Galra operated. No slaves." Pidge said. "The Galra enslaved the Balmerans to harvest crystals, we know there are slave labor camps. Even if this planet was entirely uninhabited before the Galra arrived, they could have brought in slaves. So why aren't there any? Especially when we remember that the only other place we've found so far that doesn't use slaves is the Galra's secret quintessence storage facility."
"In other words, what does Zarkon not want anyone other than a few trusted Galra and easily programed drones have access to?" Shiro said, frowning.
"Well, it'd be easy to find out, and the grenades make sense now." Hunk said. "If we use those grenades within the factory, that will totally mess with the drones and the other Galra weapons. And that's going to be a huge hit for the Galra, if we take out a whole bunch of their drones and whatever this big secret thing of Zarkon's is."
"Sounds easy enough." Lance said.
"Which usually means there's a catch." Keith added.
"Perhaps you are correct, Number Four, seeing as our anonymous friend wants us to take it a step further than just causing havoc, however." Coran said. Allura moved her hand and brought up the translated Galran text.
"Okay, if that first stream of numbers are coordinates… What are the others? A date?" Lani asked, frowning up at the displayed numbers.
"For nine days from now." Allura said.
"He gave us a specific date to attack the base?" Pidge said, brow furrowing. "Why?"
"Could be a trap." Keith said.
"You think everything is a trap." Lance pointed out. "But that may be where our catch is. Just how much are we going to trust this mysteriously cryptic Three-Gee and his presents?"
Everyone turned to him in confusion.
"What the quiznak is a Three-Gee?" Hunk asked. "Because I know you're not talking about cellphones."
"You know!" Lance said with exasperation. "Three-Gee!"
The confused looks continued. Lance huffed, frowning as he held up his fist, bringing up a finger with each word,
"Good. Guy. Galra."
"Oh!" Came the response from around the deck.
"Until we have more information, we can only assume that Keith is correct." Allura said. "We will continue on our present course in returning Owla to his home planet, but after that, I would like to gather more information about this planet to see if this could be a viable target or not. Pidge, would you be able to gather enough digital information on a flyby?"
Pidge frowned in thought.
"It'd be difficult." Pidge said. "And it may not be complete. I probably would run into issues getting into the more confidential information, but I should be able to gather enough info initially to determine whether or not a trip planet-side would be necessary."
Allura nodded.
"We may need the trip regardless to get a better idea of what we will encounter." She said. "I would prefer to get a closer and clearer look into what we are getting ourselves into."
"Especially since we know we'll definitely be outgunned, even taking out some of those drones." Shiro added.
"I have an idea of how to do that." Pidge said, grinning. "Hunk, I think we're going to need Scout for this mission."
"Scout is still in the Beta testing phase." Hunk pointed out. "We're not even entirely positive that Scout can pass without the right signature code and serial number."
"If we're going planet-side anyways, we can make sure both are correct." Pidge pointed out. "We'll take out one and use Scout as a replacement."
"Uh, what exactly is 'Scout'?" Keith asked.
"A reverse-engineered Rover, without default Galra programing, signature code and serial numbering." Hunk explained.
"Rover?" Tali repeated, arching an eyebrow.
"Ah, Rover." Lance said with a small sigh, before crossing himself. "Descanse en piezas, brave little dude."
"Rover was Pidge's pet robot." Shiro explained, gently resting a hand on Pidge's shoulder at seeing the upset expression on their face at mention of their robot friend. He paused, then amended, "Well, one of many pet robots."
"They would have less if someone didn't bring them back a new one every time we raided a Galra ship or base," Lance said, grinning, giving that particular 'someone' a teasing look, only to get a glare in response. "I just wish we knew who that someone was…"
"Shiro." Keith said deadpan. "It's Shiro."
Lance narrowed his eyes at Keith then sighed, rubbing his forehead. Tali and Hunk snickered and Allura and Lani both grinned as Shiro's face turned dark while Pidge rolled their eyes.
"Keith, no." Lance said.
"Yes. It is. You said you wished we knew, but we all know, and it's Shiro." Keith said. Lance just shook his head.
"Why do I even try?" Lance asked, staring up at the ceiling.
"If you do go to this planet, how are you going to get there without Galra interference?" Shinji asked. "Wouldn't their radar or whatever pick up the Lions and the Castle?"
"Yeah, but they'll also recognize other Galra craft. Which is what we would need to use." Hunk said.
"So… Where are you going to get that?" Lani asked.
"Actually, we have one." Shiro said. "It's a long story, but the short version is Hunk and Keith hot-wired and stole a Galra podship a few months ago and we've been keeping it in our hanger for special missions. Smaller than a cruiser, bigger than an individual fighter, it could get us into the range of Galra craft without arousing too much suspicion or using the Lions, provided we use one of the codes that Pidge stole as verification."
"The problem with that is that we don't want to make the Galra suspicious and on high-alert if we're planning on going back a week later." Pidge said with a frown. "And since that factory is the only thing on the planet, we can't say we're doing shore leave or getting supplies or a prisoner drop off."
"Hmm, but there is something on Marth that we can claim to be coming for." Coran said. "The Taiocamia Falls."
Coran then adjusted the holograms to spin to a different part of the planet, zooming in on an area, showing a huge waterfall.
"It is said that the water Taiocamia Falls is infused with magic that allows for greater clarity of vision and enhancement of natural abilities. Many cultures who utilize magic have Seers that utilize the water for scrying. That includes the Galra Druids." Coran explained.
"What's scrying?" Lani asked.
"Seeing the future." Coran said. "Seers channel their magic into the water to display images of future events."
"So, we can say we're there under order of Galra Druids, which definitely works in our favor since we're not the only ones who are scared of them, apparently." Lance said.
"If we are in full agreement that a precursory visit to this planet is in our best interest, then we have two day cycles to prepare, followed by an additional seven cycles to process the information and decide if we will make a second visit." Allura said.
"That's a lot more time than we usually have." Shiro said. "Let's use it to our advantage."
"You two have a way better set up than what's at the Garrison and NASA combined." Tali said, looking around Pidge and Hunk's lab. "I'm kind of jealous."
"You're welcome to use it anytime." Hunk said. He had been very nervous ever since Tali had mentioned that she wanted to see the lab. Pidge knew that Tali had been one of his idols—the idol of many in the engineering department—at the Garrison, and desperately wanted her approval of the workroom he and Pidge had.
Frankly, you could tell that two very different people occupied the space. There was an almost invisible line that showed where Hunk and Pidge had divided the lab.
Hunk's side had neatly arranged tools and parts and drapes over projects that weren't being worked upon and it was just neat and tidy in general.
Pidge's side was the opposite. Motherboards were stacked on top of each other and there were things everywhere. Abandoned projects were half-buried in junk while there were rows of robots on the shelves, but in no particular order.
"I'd love to, if you two don't mind." Tali said, apparently deciding that Hunk's side of the room was safer and less likely to come crashing down if she breathed on it wrong. That, or it was that Hunk's side was much more familiar territory.
Lance once summed it up pretty easily: if it had large, interchangeable parts and you needed to refuel it, it was Hunk's domain. But if it had wires, lots of teeny-tiny pieces and could be programed, it was Pidge's. There was some things where they overlapped, and they could both easily figure things from each other's specialty, and the lab was full of examples of their collaboration. Still, it was clear that Hunk's interest and skill set was mechanics and engineering while Pidge's was robotics and computers.
"So, what does this thing do?" Tali asked, pointing to a certain tool, listening as Hunk launched into an explanation of all the new alien tools that surrounded them.
Pidge smiled as they listened, but when they turned around, they were surprised to see Shinji standing in the doorway, silently studying Pidge's side of the lab.
"You can come in." Pidge said, but Shinji didn't move. Pidge sighed and moved closer to him instead.
"How do you find anything in that disaster?" Shinji asked.
"It's not bad, all things considered. You've never seen my workroom back home." Pidge said. "And I know exactly where everything is. For the most part."
Shinji just nodded, then asked,
"So, which one is Scout?"
Pidge retrieved the triangular robot and held it out to him to see.
"Cool, huh?" Pidge said as Shinji studied it, stretching out a finger, then hesitated before he touched it, looking at Pidge for permission. With a nod, Shinji gently ran his finger over the robot.
"Yeah, it is kind of cool." He admitted.
"Wanna see Scout in action?" Pidge asked.
"Uh, sure, I guess." Shinji said, quickly pulling back his fingers, tucking them inside the pockets of his hoodie.
"Scout, activate." Pidge said, and the robot sprang to life in their hands, hovering in the air a bit and making happy beeping noises as a greeting.
"So, what does it do other than fly?" Shinji asked.
"The Galra use robots like this as security cameras mostly." Pidge explained. "But Scout is programed to override the access code of any door on Galra vessels and bases, as well as quickly access any data portals and store information. Scout is also a little more sentient and independent than the usual drone or droid the Galra use. Scout will follow orders from any of us, but will also act on their own accord if needed."
"But that hacking stuff, can't you do that?" Shinji asked.
"Well, yeah, but most of the time I can't fight and get data at the same time. I've lost a lot of data having had to abandon halfway through to save my skin or someone else's. And Scout's processor works much faster than my brain ever will." Pidge explained, grinning as the robot rubbed their cheek affectionately. "Alright, Scout, back to hibernation mode."
Scout rested in their outstretched hands before the lights went dark.
"You know, it's kind of an open invitation." Pidge said, deciding to offer an olive branch, as hard as it was to do so. "If you want to build anything, you're welcome to pretty much everything in the lab."
"I suck at building stuff from scratch." Shinji said. "Programing, hacking, I can do that. But I don't like building my own tech. Not my strong suit."
"That's fine." Pidge said, nodding. "But, still, offer's open."
Shinji studied them, eyes narrowing.
"You know, I've been given a lot of offers today." He said. "After you left, Keith offered to show me the training rooms. And Hunk gave me this translator thing so I could stop going crazy trying to learn to read Altean."
"You were trying to learn Altean?" Pidge said, surprised. "So the library's been where you've been hiding out, huh?"
"Don't know where else I'd be useful around here." Shinji admitted, shrugging. "Decided it was better to stay out of the way."
"Well…" Pidge said, biting their lip. "You know, Allura can't always train with us. So that means we only have five people doing practice hand-to-hand spars at a time, so someone's almost always sitting out. That's usually Shiro, because he is far more advanced than any of us and because he's usually trying to teach us and correct our forms or whatever while we spar. But, if we had a sixth person who trained with us regularly, someone who is probably closer to Shiro's level… That'd be really good." Pidge grinned. "Maybe someone other than Allura can beat your brother for once."
Shinji hesitated.
"I don't know…" He said.
"Come on. Kicking each other's butts on the training deck is an important bonding time ritual around here." Pidge said. "You don't have to join us all the time."
Shinji was quiet, studying Pidge suspiciously.
"Well… I guess I could at least try it out." He said.
"Great!" Pidge said. "We're meeting up after breakfast tomorrow morning. We won't have our armor on or use our bayards for that part, so just come in whatever workout gear you want to wear."
"Okay." He said, nodding. He looked at Pidge, opened his mouth to say something, then apparently changed his mind and turned to walk away. "Good night, Pidge."
Pidge watched him leave, and, with a jolt, realized that this was the first civil conversation they and Shinji had ever had.
They just hoped that meant that there would be more to follow.