Chapter Twenty-Three:
Less than ten minutes later, Pidge made sure that their teammates could see their triumphant smirk as they got into their Lion's cockpits.
"You cheated!" Lance said, almost whining. "Shiro, tell them that they didn't win because they cheated!"
"Just because I took a short cut through the vents doesn't mean I cheated." Pidge said smugly.
"Technically speaking, it's a tactical advantage so it's allowed." Shiro said, looking just as displeased as the other three Paladins.
"That's still not fair!" Lance said.
"Paladins, it looks like we've got a small problem." Coran said over the comms. "There's an upper atmosphere storm is a-brewing over Anunnaki. Looks like we can get the Lions through the eye of the storm, but the Castle may be too large to fit. So we can't provide air support just yet."
"And communications may be down." Allura added.
"Since I'm currently weaponless, I'll cover air support." Shiro said. "Paladins, ready for launch?"
"Ready!" Pidge said.
"Yes sir!" Hunk said, saluting Shiro over the video link.
"Born ready." Keith said, though no one was quite sure if he meant for the upcoming battle or for meeting the Anunnaki.
"Let's go kick some Galra butt!" Lance said, grinning.
Within minutes, they had navigated the eye of the storm and were flying over the planet's surface.
"My scanners aren't detecting any Galra ships," Pidge said, frowning.
"Mine aren't either." Lance said. "Lots of life forms, though, primarily gathered in a few locations."
"You think maybe the Galra sent their ships back to get reinforcements or something?" Hunk asked.
"That doesn't sound like a Galra tactic." Shiro said. "If nothing else, that's a good way to get slaughtered in an uprising."
"Maybe there was already an uprising and the Anunnaki already beat the Galra invaders?" Keith suggested.
"Then why is the distress signal still going strong? Pidge, can you trace the source of the distress signal?" Shiro asked.
"Yeah, it's coming from that large pyramid." Pidge said. "Sending coordinates."
"Alright, let's split up." Shiro said. "Pidge, Keith, Lance, you three sneak into that pyramid and see if you can find whoever sent that distress signal to get some more information. Hunk and I will continue to scan the planet for Galra."
"Roger that." Keith said.
"Alright, Keith, let's go meet some Anunnaki and ask them a couple questions about where they got their architecture degrees." Pidge said as they landed the Lions in the forest.
The three managed to get near and into the pyramid in record time.
"Huh. No sentry drones or security droids." Pidge observed as they scanned for droids.
"I guess the Galra don't know the Anunnaki are here? Maybe they fled when they saw the Galra approach or something?" Lance suggested as he carefully peeked around the hallway.
"Or this is just one group that fled." Keith added. "Which way now, Pidge?"
Pidge pointed down a corridor.
"Anyone else feeling really creeped out about this?" Lance asked in a low voice as they continued down the halls. "It's like a scene from a bad horror movie…"
"It is weird we haven't seen anyone or anything." Keith said. "Or heard anything either."
"The signal's coming from that room." Pidge said, gesturing to the two large wooden doors ahead. "I scan lifeforms, but no droids."
"Could be Galra in there." Lance said grimly. "Bayards ready?"
Keith and Pidge nodded, and all three activated their bayards.
They burst open the door to see tall, green-skinned aliens wearing clothes patterned with triangles huddled in the room, eyes wide and murmuring began.
But no sign of any Galra.
"It's okay," Pidge said, offering a smile to what appeared to be a father shielding his wife and children. "We're Paladins of Voltron. We're here to help you."
"Voltron?" Whispered one alien in a female voice, approaching hesitantly, visibly shaking.
"Yep, just like the legends." Lance said, having gone through this many times.
"We got your distress signal." Keith added.
The female closed her eyes and ducked her head.
"I am so sorry…" She said, voice cracking. "I am so sorry… We had no choice… My husband, our leader… They took him. They said they would give him back after they… After they lured Voltron here."
Pidge, Lance and Keith all froze, looking at each other with wide eyes.
"Where are the Galra?" Lance asked. "We'll rescue your husband and—"
"It is not the Galra, Paladin." The female said, lifting her head so that they could see her sad eyes.
"Wait, the Galra aren't here?" Keith asked, brow furrowing. "Then who is trying to take our Lions?"
"It is not the Lions they seek." Said a young male, coming up to put his hand on the female's arm.
He looked equally pained as he said,
"They claimed that they were after something different. Something even rarer than Voltron."
"Who are 'they' and what are they after?" Pidge asked, already preparing to run out the door.
The male looked at them and said,
"They are pirates. And they want the last Princess of Altea."
"How the quiznak did this happen?" Hunk asked as the five Lions flew back towards the Castle. As they did so, they saw an unfamiliar ship attached to the airlock.
"We couldn't have known," Shiro said with a grimace as they flew into the hangers. "Come on, we have to move fast."
The five Paladins met in the large room that connected the hangers, then quickly divided up again to search the Castle, telling each other their destinations in passing.
"Bridge." Shiro said.
"Airlock." Keith said.
"Training deck." Lance said.
"Central energy chamber." Pidge said.
"Pod bay." Hunk said.
"Still no contact from Coran or Allura or anyone." Pidge said over their helmet as they ran down a corridor.
"I'm at the bridge." Shiro said. "I see signs of—Coran!"
"Coran?" The other four Paladins echoed in concern.
"Is he okay?" Lance asked.
"He's out cold." Shiro reported after a moment. "Looks like he got a blow to the head… There's some blood, but his breathing's good… I'm going to try to wake him, and if that doesn't work in sixty ticks I'll bring him to the Black Lion."
"I'm at the airlock, don't see anyone yet…" Keith said. "Ship hasn't left. I'm going to get on board and look around."
"All the pods are accounted for." Hunk reported.
"Central energy chamber is good. No one's tried to hijack the ship." Pidge said. "Lance, how's it going on your end?"
"Just getting to the training deck." Lance said. "So far, noth—OW! WHAT THE QUIZNAK?"
"Lance!" Pidge called out, already doing a one-eighty and running towards the training deck.
"I'm okay!" Lance quickly said. "I'm okay! Got a couple of years scared off my life and maybe a bruise, but I'm okay! But, uh, I found everyone."
"Everyone?" Hunk repeated, breath hitched a bit, telling Pidge that he was also running towards Lance's location.
"Well, everyone except Coran, who's with Shiro," Lance said. He suddenly laughed. "You guys have got to see this…"
Pidge, Hunk and Keith all slid to a stop in front of the training deck entrance.
Allura, Lani and Tali all stood near the entryway with Lance, all watching as five very confused and irritated space pirates sat very still in the center of the room, two training drones standing guard. One was bleeding heavily from the face. Another one laid passed out on his stomach in front of them.
In Lani's hand was the cast-iron skillet that they had brought from Earth. Tali held a toolbox in one hand and a wrench in the other, while Allura held a staff similar to that of the training drones—her preferred weapon of choice. All three looked a little dusty with some scratches, but otherwise okay.
"What happened?" Hunk asked. "And where's Shinji?"
"Who do you think got this invisible maze up and running?" Shinji's voice echoed through the room from where he sat in the control booth. He gave a lazy, two-fingered salute from behind the glass.
"You said Shiro found Coran?" Allura asked Lance, looking concerned. "Is he alright?"
"Never been better, Princess."
Allura turned with a small gasp to see Shiro and Coran enter the room, Coran leaning on Shiro slightly. Allura dropped her staff and flung her arms around Coran, sending the older Altean tottering slightly before returning her embrace.
Allura suddenly released Coran, her eyes narrowed but watery.
"Don't ever do that again." She said.
Coran smiled and gently patted her shoulder.
"I won't make promises I can't keep, Princess." He retorted. He looked past her briefly. "Now what have we here?"
"Our intruders." Tali supplied. "So, it looks like you guys kicked Galra butt in record time."
"Aw, did you guys form Voltron and I missed it?" Lani asked, shoulders slumping some.
"No, the Galra were never here." Shiro answered, studying the small group of pirates, who were watching the Castle Crew nervously.
"As soon as the Lions made it through the eye of the storm, we were attacked by these ruffians." Allura said. "They locked onto the airlock before we even knew they were there. It appears Pidge isn't the only one tinkering with vessel shielding capabilities." Allura pointed at a tall alien, who was missing an eye and had scales that were different colors in some places and shaped like scars. "That one stormed the bridge and tried to attack me, and Coran shoved me into the entrance to the Black Lion's hanger."
"About that time, Tali, Lani and I heard the alarms and figured out what was going on once they started searching the Castle for the Princess." Shinji said from the control booth. "We didn't think we'd be able to get to the armory in time, or figure out how to use what's there, so we made due."
The pirate with blood down his face pointed at Lani and said,
"That little miztar hit me!"
"I don't know what a miztar is, and I'm guessing it's not anything nice, but yes I did hit him and it was awesome." Lani said, gesturing to the frying pan in her hand. She grinned. " 'Frying pans. Who knew, right?' "
"When Allura and I ran into each other trying to evade the rest, we decided to lure them here to the invisible maze." Tali finished.
"Where is the Annunaki leader? And I hope for your sake he is unharmed." Keith called across the room to the pirates.
"He's on our ship, locked in an escape pod." The leader responded. "We were gonna send him back down to the planet after we got the Altean princess."
"Shinji, lower the maze and put the drones into stand-by mode." Shiro said. There was a whir as the maze went down, but the pirates didn't move as the training drones' weapons activated. Within moments, they were surrounded by five angry Paladins and a pissed off Princess.
"Now, we're going to ask some questions, and you're going to answer, and answer honestly." Shiro said.
"And why should we?" Asked one of the pirates gruffly.
"Because we might just spare your lives and let you go." Pidge said. "The Galra won't be that considerate."
"So, who do you want to bet hired them?" Lance asked, bayard activating and he shifted it into his hand, ready to shoot if needed, making a show of looking down the sights at the leader.
"Commander of this region?" Keith suggested, circling the group, letting the edge of his sword scrape the ground. "Has happened before."
"Mmm, true. But to give up actually conquering a planet, just to capture Voltron and get more glory from Zarkon? Nope." Hunk said, arms folded over his chest, scowling down at the pirates. "Probably the Witch."
"My money is on Zarkon himself." Shiro said. "He knows we'll do just about anything to rescue Allura, and we almost lost Voltron the last time."
The head pirate looked wary.
"It wadin't the Galra that 'ired us." He said. "Definitely not Zarkon. Weren't necessarily 'ired either."
"What do you mean?" Allura asked, tapping her staff against the floor lightly.
"Open bounty, but not one on order of Emperor Zarkon." The pirate explained. "Empire puts out an official seal on bounties on order of Zarkon and his cronies. Not this one. Dunno who put out the bounty. Said they knew the rumors surrounden' the princess, 'bout Voltron, but didn' want nothing to do with the Lions or Paladins. Just the Altean princess."
The Paladins exchanged glances, before looking towards Allura for their next move.
But she looked just as lost as they did.
Hunk frowned from where he sat in front of Coran, studying the older Altean.
"This would be easier if I knew what the symptoms of a concussion in an Altean are…" He admitted as he finished putting a bandage over the wound Coran had on his forehead.
"According to this old Altean First Aid for the Home and Family manual that I found," Shinji said, gesturing to the huge book that laid on the table in front of him. "The symptoms are: small pupils, headache, and…" Shinji's brow furrowed. "Huh, maybe this translation isn't right. It says something about green spots on the tongue?"
"I'm afraid you have to be a bit more specific regarding the exact shade of green." Allura said as she, Shiro, Lance and Keith entered the lounge. "Light green is concussion. Dark green is Shadawamopels disease while if it has more of a bluish-tinge it's definitely Masatonam."
"How the heck does spots on the tongue—no matter what color they are—equal a concussion?" Tali asked, her nose wrinkling.
"Aliens." Lance answered, plopping down on the couch and starting to take off pieces of his armor.
"Well, good news is, no concussion." Hunk said after a moment. "How do you feel Coran?"
"Energized from that little cat-nap." Coran responded, preparing to stand up, but Allura put her hand on his shoulder.
"Being knocked unconscious is not a cat nap." She said. "You need to rest."
"Can someone please explain to me why is there an fifteen-step treatment for a papercut?" Shinji asked as he flipped through the book. "Alteans have magic healing pods, but no band-aids? This is seriously ridiculous…"
"Princess, someone is after you. I cannot and will not rest until we are absolutely certain that you are safe." Coran said, reaching up to put his hand on hers.
Allura sighed softly, but gave Coran a small smile. She knew the unspoken words.
Coran wasn't going to run any risk of possibly losing Allura.
Just as she wasn't going to risk losing him.
"Just please rest for a little while. For my sake, then." She said. Coran contemplated the request, then nodded.
"Any luck, Pidge?" Shiro asked.
"Yeah, I found the dark internet of space." Pidge said from where they sat with their legs crossed, computer in their lap, still dressed in their armor like the other Paladins. "And the open bounty. He was right, this guy wants nothing to do with Voltron. Just Allura."
"It could still be Zarkon or Galra." Keith said from where he leaned against the wall. "Trying to lure us to him by capturing Allura."
"But if it's not the Galra and if they don't really want Voltron, then who would want to capture Allura?" Lani asked.
"I can't think of anyone." Allura said with a sigh. "None of our allies, I am sure."
"It doesn't matter who it is," Shiro said. "We're going to have to be on our guard even more now. We got lucky this time, and everything turned out okay. But we might not be that lucky next time."
"So…" Lani said, running a finger over the rim of her frying pan. "Uh, you know… that technically means we need more people trained in combat. Obviously Allura and Coran are, and Shinji's got some awesome moves, but we got outnumbered this time."
"And what she's trying to get around to saying is, can you teach us to fight and use Altean weapons so that this doesn't happen again?" Tali asked.
"More importantly, that we don't have to resort to household objects to fight off space pirates with laser guns." Shinji added.
"Technically speaking, they're castle-hold objects." Lani said. "Or is that spaceship-hold objects?"
"The point is, it's looking like there'll be times the Castle's not safe, and we can't stay in the Castle all the time." Shinji pointed out.
"If we're going to be out here, if there's any way we're going to be at all truly useful, then we're going to have to know how to defend ourselves and each other." Tali added.
"They make a good point." Hunk said.
"Agreed." Shiro said with a nod. "We'll start your training tomorrow morning."