Chapter 16: The Rescue Mission
Part 1: Negotiation and Distraction

In the different parts of space, the Black Lion was leading the Red Lion, the Yellow Lion, and the Green Lion along with their paladins, plus one in the Green Lion. Behind them is Atlas. Gliding to the secrets that is part of space has not been told before. Around them is dark and filled with space rocks that have no stars that would guide them as they continue to fly into the deeper part of the darkness. "Whoa," Matt was surprised. "We never went to this part of space before, not even the rebellion has."
"No kidding," Hunk chuckled.
"It looks kind of sad, and spooky," Lance spoke.
"Dude," Hunk jumped. "Don't give me the heebie-jeebies idea man, it still gives me the goose-bumps."
"Sorry," Lance apologized as he *animated* sweat dropped.
"We defiantly need to add this to the map," said Pidge.
Matt nodded in agreement.
"Hey Shiro," Pidge speaks through the inner comm.
"What is it Pidge?" Shiro replied.
"Ask the crew to chart this part of space into the map," Pidge began. "Before we could do any exploring to any planets that are over here."
"Roger that," Shiro's voice brought out a smile.
"Umm guys," Hunk spoke up, curiously. "It is just me or is Black slowing down?" As he, Pidge, Lance, and Matt look up. They have noticed that the Black Lion has slowed down, and the lions have followed.
"Yeah, you're right Hunk." Lance has started to notice, "Red isn't going any faster, as usual, Red seemed to be more cautious as Black is."
"It seems that all the lions are Lance," Pidge added to Lance's topic. Suddenly, the lions have fully stopped and landed on an asteroid. All at once, everything has become very still.
On Atlas, Shiro and his crew are on deck and have noticed that the lions have fully stopped. Before anyone could ask, one of the systems brought a sound of ping with a light flash showing on the system. One of the crew look at it, "General Shiro," the cadet turned to him with a nervous look.
"Yes, cadet?" Shiro asked.
"The scanners have detected a space vessel that is right in front of the lion's sir," the cadet answered. "And it is not showing any logs of any connections to us or lists of the enemies of the past. It is clearly unknown sir."
"Interesting," Kolivan spoke as he stands right next to Shiro.
"Cadet," Shiro spoke. "Put it on screen and share it with the paladins."
"Yes sir," the cadet replied. By activating the screen, the image is shared with the paladins and the bridge. The screen has shown an image of a ship that is gliding right in front of them. The ship looked like Atlas, but it was huge, and it is colored as dark as charcoal.
"Is…is that…?" Matt stuttered.
"It's a ship!" Pidge exclaimed.
"Oh man," Hunk spoke. "That ship is a lot bigger than Atlas is."
"Thanks for the encouragement Hunk," Shiro grumbled through the inner comm.
"Sorry," Hunk replied.
"But…" Lance began to worry, "Who built it?"
"Don't know," Pidge shook her head. "Whoever made it, they looked extremely high intelligence than us."
"With an extremely high tech than us too," Matt added.
The Black Lion growled in an angry tone.
"Umm guys," Hunk nearly jumped. "The Black Lion is growling."
"I wonder what is trying to say," Matt wondered out loud in curiosity.
"I got a theory," Pidge spoke.
"Me too," Lance nodded.
Shiro's eyes widened as he too know the theory, "It's possible that Keith must be on that ship," Shiro pointed out.
"What?" Coran jumped, "That's impossible! The Ca' Raptors don't have the brains to build that type of ship. Their only skill is to track, attack, or a sneak attack. But never with technology."
"Coran's right," Kolivan nodded. "They don't. But according to Krolia, they keep on calling Keith the package. And they called her a delay when they are escaping with Keith."
Shiro thinks for a moment. "It seems to be that the Ca' Raptors must be hired to bounty," Shiro suggested. "And it seems possible that they delivered Keith to that ship with their payment."
"It seems possible," Kolivan nodded.
"Yes," Coran nodded as he soon realized it too. "Now you mention it, there is. The Ca' Raptor most likely would trade for maturity tissue or getting one of their unborn hatchlings eggs back with something from an individual have demanded."
"Unborn Hatchling Eggs?" Shiro raised an eyebrow.
"Their very territorial for their young," Coran explained.
Shiro looked confused as he look at Kolivan.
"That will explain later," Kolivan replied.
"Understood," Shiro nodded.
"Yes, your right. That matter could be explained later," Coran agreed. "But the main problem is. Who is on that ship that hired the Ca' Raptors to kidnap Keith?" Coran brought out the question that everyone really wants to hear.
"That is really a good question Coran," Lance replied with a nod.
"Uh-huh," both Pidge and Matt nodded.
"Uh guys," Hunk spoke through the inner comm with a worried voice. "I hate to burst anyone's space bubbles, but we got company!" As they look up, everyone saw space pilots and fighter pods that are heading toward them. Ready to attack.
"That's a lot of pilots," Matt nearly panicked.
"How did they know that we are here?" Coran asked.
Pidge jumped, "They must have detected us as we have detected them."
"But how?" Hunk asked, "I mean, how can they have detected us while we are in the middle of an asteroid field?"
"I don't know Hunk," Lance shook his head. "But Red and I are ready to pounce on them."
Red Lion roared in excitement and before Red could move.
The Black Lion slightly roared at Red. The Red Lion fully stops by command from the Black Lion.
"Paladins," Shiro spoke through the inner comm. "You guys go. Sneak into that ship and find Keith. The cadets, the lieutenants, the blade, the crew and I will hold them off till you all get back."
"But Shiro," Pidge protested. "We can help."
"No without a full Team of Voltron, you're not." Shiro reminded her, "Remember, Keith is the Paladin of the Black Lion. We need his strength to lead the team." He pointed out. "So, you guys need to go and get him out, so we could escape from this battle alive. And have our mission to find the Blue Lion and its paladin. Do you understand that paladins?"
"Sounds like a plan," Lance shrugged.
"Alright, let's do this." Hunk smiled.
"We'll be back as soon as possible Shiro," Pidge spoke. "With Keith with us."
"You can count on us," Matt nodded. Suddenly, the lions have started to fly into the field secretly while the enemy forces are flying towards Atlas.
"Good luck Paladins," Shiro saluted them as he watches the lions disappear into the field.

Within Atlas, Shiro hit the ball and allowed every cadet to begin to fight back. "Cadet, lieutenants, blades." Shiro spoke through the inner comm. "We got to distract this new enemy long enough, so Team Voltron would get Keith out of there in time."
"Roger that general," one of the fighter pilots spoke as he leads one of his team and enter the asteroid field.
"You can count on us general," said Axca, who is leading one team that are blades that are riding on hoverboards and entering the asteroid field.
While everyone is heading to the field, Shiro has begun to type on the council and begun to respond to him. "Veronica," Shiro spoke.
"Yes sir?" Lance's sister, Veronica has turned to him.
"Try to contact that ship that is in front of us," Shiro nearly brought out a permission order.
"Why sir?" Veronica asked curiously.
"So, we could talk to the captain of that ship and see if we could negotiate with him or her." Shiro began to explain, "So we all would be able to leave peacefully without any harm to both sides."
"Yes sir, understood sir." Veronica nodded, "I'll see what I can do," she worked her way into the system to see if she could contact the ship that is ready to attack Atlas. Suddenly, a ring tone has been sounded. Veronica jumped, "It looks like they are calling us instead of us to call them sir."
"Put it on screen and turn on the speakers," Shiro ordered. "Along with a recorder."
"Yes sir," she replied as everyone began to get things ready. Slowly but cautiously, she pressed the acceptance button and the screen appeared. As the screen is set, a man has appeared with a large shadow hovering behind him. Shiro studied the man for a bit. Shiro has estimated that the man is about 7' 5" tall, his hair is down, and it is flowing within the mix of silver and maroon. His skin is very pale as snow, his eyes are very dark green with very dull pupils, and the strong structure of his cheekbone. The man is wearing a strange robe with black clothes underneath it. After he examined him, he calms down and began to listen to what the man had to say.
"I am Nephrite," the man began. "I am the second in command of this vessel that is known as the Wings of the Black Pearl."
Interesting name, Veronica thought in wonder.
"I am Takashi Shirogane," Shiro introduced himself. "I am the captain and general of this vessel known as Atlas."
"I am Coran," Coran twirled his mustache. "The President of a planet that is known as the Neo Altea."
"And I am Kolivan," Kolvian introduce himself. "The Leader of the Blades, known as the Blade of Marmora."
"Oh, how sweet." A hissing voice of a woman has spoken within the screen with Nephrite.
Everyone at the bridge of Atlas has jumped in fright.
"The Galra, an Altean, and a Tau'ri are working together against our home without a proper invite." The voice giggled, "Now that's not what we can see every day."
"Nephrite," Shiro nearly snarled.
"Who is with you among this call?" Kolivan asked as he nearly brought his growl.
"My apologies," the voice apologized as the shadow has taken form right behind Nephrite. They examined what they all can see the shadow has an upper body of a woman, with flowing hair that looks like smoke, arms, hands, and glowing yellow eyes. Cannot see the face or the rest of the body. All that they can see is a shadow with no legs or feet. Moving and floating all around behind Nephrite.
Oh, that is so not right. Veronica thought as he eyes widened while she gulped her fear.
"And you are…?" Shiro asked nervously.
"I am the Mistress of this vessel," the shadow introduces herself. "I am the Mother of Shadows. But you can call me Shadow Mother if you like."
"Alright, Shadow Mother." Shiro gulped.
Coran fainted from shock.
"Now, what business has brought your crew here?" Nephrite asked, "I mean, there is no light within this deepest part of space."
"Nephrite," Shadow Mother hummed. "They're aware of that dear."
Nephrite grunted.
"We are looking for our missing friend," Shiro began to answer.
"Who is also one of my fellow blades," Kolivan added.
"And this blade would be…?" Nephrite asked.
"His name is Keith Kogane," Shiro answered. "He once was a Veteran from Earth and a previous Paladin of Voltron. Hope that you heard of it."
Nephrite's eyes widened.
"Ah, yes. Indeed, my children and I have." The Shadow Mother hummed in delight.
The crew jumped. Her children? everyone wondered curiously.
"However," the Shadow Mother spoke. "He is difficult and hardheaded, but interesting as a lion cub. So, I heard of."
Nephrite nearly cracked a smirk with a chuckle.
"Yup, that's him alright." Kolivan rubbed the temples of his head.
"The blade, the crew, and I have been wondering if he is on your ship." Shiro spoke, "If not, then let us pass and be on our separate ways."
"No orphan Galra cub has set foot here since who knows how long," Nephrite nodded. "So, you have wasted your time."
Everyone remains silent for a moment.
"Who said anything about an orphan?" Shiro asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?" both Nephrite and Shadow Mother look at him with eyes widened.
"Keith has a mother," Shiro began. "And she is still very much alive."
"What?" both Nephrite and Shadow Mother growled.
"Oh, those reptile idiotic amphibians'!" the Shadow Mother growled with her yellow eyes glowing as if they were in the night.
"I knew that we shouldn't trust them and recheck their story again," Nephrite grinds his teeth, suddenly it has hit Shiro.
"It's not an accidental meet, isn't it?" Shiro asked, "It was on purpose, wasn't it? Was it you that hired those Ca' Raptor creatures?"
"Of course, it is us, you Earthling!" Nephrite growled, "What do you really think it is? A supernova? A revolution or a declaration of war."
"Nephrite," Shadow Mother purred. "Calm yourself, my son. Calm down." She calms her second command down as her shadowy arms wrap around him.
"We want our comrade back," Kolivan growled.
"We can give anything that you want to you, so you can give Keith his freedom back." Shiro offered.
"Love to, but can't." the Shadow Mother giggled. If have, you fools won't even recognize your friend. Shadow Mother hummed in thought.
"Why not?" Shiro demanded.
"Because who would be my pet and be the one who I would like to experiment with?" Shadow Mother replied.
"Pet?" Coran began to wake up, "Experiment?"
Oh, now he's awake. Kolivan thought as his *animated* sweat drop appear upon his brow.
"Keith will never be your pet or your experiment," Shiro shook his head. "Not as long as Voltron has finally reunited."
"Voltron…reunited?" Nephrite raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"No, those beacons." The Shadow Mother has started to realize something, "They're…Nephrite! It's a distraction. They're stalling us!"
"Oh quiznak!" Both Shiro, Kolivan, and Coran jumped.
"You won't win this round, Paladin of Atlas," Nephrite spoke coldly to Shiro.
Wait, Shiro jumped. What did he just…?
"Not while we have your friend on board," Nephrite spoke. "If you want him, then come and get him."
"We'll see about that," Shiro spoke as Nephrite cut off the transmission.