The ship's hangar door opened and he lifted the mask to his face. The dust of the planet blew into his eyes and he narrowed them against the harsh light of the planet's singular sun. The dirt crunched underfoot, the dry grass already trampled from the sentries that paced the perimeter of the military base. Two others walked just behind him, a woman named Brona who had led the attack that conquered this particular base and Haxus, Sendak's lieutenant. Ulaz settled the strap of his pack more comfortably over his shoulder and asked, "Is it true that the blue lion of Voltron was discovered nearby?"

Haxus gloated, "Rumors spread quickly, but yes. Commander Sendak is personally leading the excavation. It won't be long before we will be off this disgusting planet and returning both lions to Emperor Zarkon."

Ulaz kept his thoughts on that to himself and asked, "Is there anything in particular I should know about this planet's inhabitants?"

Brona barked a laugh. "You heard about the disturbances?"

Ulaz raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Yes?"

Brona smirked in challenge. "Those disturbances were caused by the kits that you've been charged with. Barely adolescents and they refuse to yield. It's been a while since we've had a challenge like them."

Ulaz frowned and groaned under his breath. Then they entered the base. Haxus paused and said, "I'm needed at the detainment cells. Brona, take Ulaz to the brats."

Ulaz and Brona saluted their senior officer before she gestured down one hallway. "Follow me."

Ulaz silently followed her down the claustrophobic building to a large room with windows looking in on the youths he'd heard so much about. Several sentries had been dismembered. Their wiring lay exposed where the soldiers had dragged the hollow bodies from the room. Inside, instead of the usual sentry guard, a full galra squadron stood at attention. Ulaz gave Brona an incredulous look. "They truly require that level of security?"

Brona leaned on the window and folded her arms. "In the last fourty vargas, we've had eight break out attempts with varying levels of success before we brought them under control. Nine if you count the first attempt by the one I put in there myself."

Ulaz looked around the room. The kits were young. Most were barely half his height. Then he noticed a dark haired kit glaring at him. Two galra were posted beside him, separating him from the rest of the kits. His hands were cuffed. Ulaz made eye contact and the kit narrowed his gaze above the muzzle covering his mouth. The kit's eyes were also dark, his stare as sharp as cut glass. Ulaz gestured toward the kit with his chin. "What about that one?"

Brona smirked crookedly and lifted her chin in pride. "That's the one I captured. He's something of an alpha leader, the little upstart. Doesn't know to quit when he's beaten. After the seventh attempt to break out, we had to do something about his rebellious nature. The others want to make an example of him."

Ulaz blinked slowly at the youth, considering Brona's words. "You said there were nine attempts to escape? The last two were after you isolated him, yes?"

Brona nodded. "Yeah, though they were less successful. Like I said, he's their alpha. He might not seem like much, but they have a strong pack bond that doesn't depend on familial bloodlines. Several of the older females would constantly circle around him and the other males gravitate in his direction. He defers to several others similar to him in age, but in the end, his decisions are what they follow."

Ulaz smiled to himself and said, "You could save yourself a long explanation if you just said their culture is similar to our own, Brona." He looked over and grinned when she blushed. He asked, "Has any attempt been made to speak to them? Their alpha?"

Brona answered, "They've been told to surrender and reprimanded with pain when they fail to do so. Their alpha is particularly stubborn. The mature adults I found with him gave up as soon as I threatened his safety, but he continues to defy us."

Ulaz shifted his pack and walked toward the door. "Then it's time someone showed them a little mercy."

The guard at the door sighed in relief and breathed, "Thank the sacred flame you've finally arrived, Ulaz. We were starting to think you'd been sent elsewhere."

Ulaz took in the black eye of the guard and raised his eyebrows. "Rough quintant?"

"You have no idea," the guard's partner answered.

Ulaz walked the perimeter of the room to where the muzzled kit had been isolated. He heard the other kits murmur and glanced at them curiously. Then he crouched beside the dark kit and said, "Give me some space to work." The guards quickly took several large steps away and Ulaz raised an eyebrow again. Was the kit really that much of a threat? Setting his pack aside, Ulaz looked the kit over. There were several bruises on his arms, no doubt more beneath his clothes judging by his labored breathing. The kit pushed into the wall as Ulaz reached toward his face. Ulaz murmured, "Easy, young one. I'm going to remove this."

He released the lock and the muzzle loosened. Ulaz lowered the muzzle until it circled the kit's neck and was about to speak when the kit jerked sideways and latched onto Ulaz's hand with his teeth. Ulaz yelped in surprise. When the kit let go, there was blood on his lips. Ulaz pulled his hand back and looked at the half circles between his thumb and index fingers. The kit spat and continued to glare. Ulaz sighed and reached into his pack for ointment. He sprayed the fine mist over the bite mark and watched as his skin closed before rubbing the blood off on his uniform.

Ulaz murmured, "Are you satisfied?"

The kit seemed to startle at the question before answering, "If you're going to treat me like a wild animal, I'm going to respond in kind."

"And are you? A wild animal, that is." Ulaz watched in amusement as the kit opened his mouth then abruptly shut it. Ulaz said, "I hear you've caused quite a bit of trouble for us. My superior officer is concerned you are not worth our efforts."

"Officer? You're military then?"

Ulaz's lip twitched and he folded his hands. "Yes, kit. We are a race known as the Galra Empire. Our reach has spread throughout the entire universe conquering planets like your own. For ten thousand years, our emperor has ruled primitive species like the ones here. Does that bring you a measure of calm?"

The kit's eyes widened for a split second before he narrowed his eyes on Ulaz again. "No. No it does not 'bring me a measure of calm'. What the hell are you after? We didn't do anything to you!"

No, you're right, Ulaz thought to himself. This planet's inhabitants had done nothing to antagonize the galra, but the alteans had. Without the blue lion, it would have been thousands more years before the empire searched this far out into the universe for resources. Ulaz answered, "I know, kit, but that is the way things are. Your planet is now a colony of the Galra Empire. There is no point resisting. We have perfected our tactics to bring the inhabitants of such colonies into submission. It is only a matter of time before you and your kind are brought to order."

Ulaz reached out and released the mechanism locking the wrist cuffs. The kit flinched when the cuffs fell away and pulled his hands to his chest. Ulaz stood and lifted his pack onto his shoulder. He turned to the door, but stopped when the kit asked, "And if we won't submit?"

Ulaz fought to keep his expression neutral. The guards looked at him expectantly. Ulaz took a deep breath and turned back to the kit. "Then you will not be of this life much longer." He nodded toward the rest of the kits. "Go on. Return to them."

The kit stood, hands touching the muzzle that still collared him. Ulaz hated that he couldn't remove it immediately. The child was only reacting appropriately given the circumstances. Then the kit glared out the window. Ulaz followed his gaze to where Brona watched curiously. The kit forced himself to break eye contact and stomped a few steps before sprinting back to his friends.

Ulaz gathered up the cuffs and walked back to the hall. Brona smirked and commented, "I knew it. You like his spirit, too."

"He's definitely one of a kind. It will take time to win him over."

"You're no fun, Ulaz," Brona pouted.

Ulaz glanced disapprovingly at her. "I will not make an example of him, Brona. Get your perverse fantasies fulfilled elsewhere."

Brona closed the distance between them and trailed her fingers along his jawline. "You really think you can win the alpha's loyalty? That he'll submit to you?"

Ulaz covered Brona's hand and kissed her palm. "I know he will, though clearly you have some contingency in mind."

Brona giggled. "Such a fighter... the arena can always use one like him. You should have seen his eyes two quintants past. I haven't seen such ferocity since my days on the battlefield."

Ulaz looked into the room again. The alpha child was surrounded by the ones closest to him in age. They looked him over before pulling him behind a waist high structure and vanished from view. Ulaz commented, "He especially hates you."

Brona followed his gaze and grinned cockily. "Of course he does. I'm the one that put him here. The brat came at me with a weapon that was little more than cutlery and had the audacity to treat it as a real sword fight."

"Really?"

Brona patted her belt where a small knife with a cloth wrapped hilt was displayed like a trophy. "Every time he sees it, he's reminded of his failure. You have your ways, Ulaz, but I have my own methods of asserting dominance. We'll see which of us succeeds first."

Ulaz held her hand in both of his and kissed the back of it. "It's a challenge then."

Brona smiled and kissed his lips. "I accept. Prepare to lose. That kit will fight in the arena."

Ulaz chuckled and said against her skin, "We shall see."

Brona moaned and took a step back. "Now I have to report to Haxus. Good luck, lover."

Ulaz watched her twirl, his gaze dropping to look at her ass, and froze. She swayed as she walked, oblivious as he saw the blade on her hip. He felt his blood pressure drop and whipped back around to look inside the room where the kit he'd spoken to glared at him, his eyes just above the structure dividing them. Ulaz nervously picked at his sleeve as the eyes of his teacher haunted him. Swallowing his sudden fear, Ulaz turned on a dime and left the conquered base. If what he guessed was true, he needed to get the kit as far away from this planet and Zarkon as he could.

Keith rubbed at his neck again. Lance grabbed Keith's wrist and forced his hand to his side reprimanding, "Stop that. You're going to make it raw."

"It's humiliating! Are you sure we can't remove it?"

Pidge stared at the muzzle that collared him and murmured, "If I had some way to scan it, maybe, but we don't have anything."

Leifsdottir said from where she lay spread eagle on the floor, "We really don't. The first aid kit has been expended and the last of the rations was consumed yesterday. We only have thirty six more hours before everyone will reach critical low."

Griffin said where he sat with her legs across his, "Thanks for the update, Leif."

Hunk returned from walking a round and slumped in beside them. His stomach growled loudly and they all moaned in sympathy. Lance asked, "Do you think the adults are doing okay?"

Pidge took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "Who knows. Maybe they've already been taken somewhere else."

"What?" Kinkaid asked.

Pidge shrugged. "I mean, we all took the same history class. This is a second holocaust. Everyone being trapped and divided up. That guy said they colonized planets, right Keith?"

Keith nodded. "They take planets by force and steal resources for themselves." He looked to Pidge and asked, "You think they've been taken to work camps?"

Lance held up a hand. "Wait, but what about the old folks? They executed the elderly during those wars! Guys, you don't think-"

Keith put a hand on Lance's arm and whispered, "Hey, don't... Don't think about that possibility." Keith waited until Lance looked away and nodded before standing and stretching. "I'm going to check on the seventh graders."

His stomach convulsed painfully, but he refused to let it show as he walked to where the kids who were having the hardest time were huddled together. Keith put on a smile and called, "Hey, guys. How's everyone holding up?" No one would meet his eye. A boy hugged himself and wavered where he crouched. Keith sat beside him and pulled the kid against his side. "Is it acting up again?"

The boy nodded weakly and Keith hugged him. He closed his eyes, unable to do anything to help. He'd never felt so useless! Then the kids nearby started speaking at once getting louder every second. Keith opened his eyes to see the strange purple alien in the weird respirator mask approaching. Keith stood and motioned the kids to move behind him. Some of the older students quickly formed a barrier between the aliens and the youngest students.

The alien stopped a short distance away and asked, "What seems to be the matter?"

"It's nothing," Keith snapped. The alien blinked patiently, annoying him. Keith tensed and added, "Except that you've imprisoned us for multiple days with little food and water and no way to sanitize or dispose of our waste. Our 'primitive' digestive systems can't handle these circumstances without shutting down."

The alien lifted his chin in what seemed to be understanding. Reaching into his bag, the alien removed a reflective pouch about the size of an ice pack. "You are hungry. That is understandable. Here. Take a sustenance ration."

Keith looked at the strange offering with distrust. "How do I know you're not trying to poison us?"

The alien used a talon to slice the package open and a strange goopy substance was visible within. The alien explained, "I am not going to poison you, because I am a medical technician. My current mission is to ensure you are all healthy and strong enough to endure a rigorous vaccination protocol so we do not endanger one another with cross species diseases."

"So you are going to poison us."

The alien insistently held out the pouch. "Take it and consume the contents, or continue to starve. Those are your options."

Griffin said gruffly, "Then we will starve."

Keith bit his lip and met Griffin's eyes. Griffin's shoulders dropped and he shook his head. Keith looked back at the pouch in the alien's hand then at the kids behind him. If the alien was offering food, he couldn't deny it for their sake. He hesitantly reached out and took the pouch. It was heavier than he expected and he nearly dropped it when it proved hard to grasp. The whole thing jiggled unpleasantly. He looked at the alien again, lip lifted in disgust, but the alien nodded confidently.

Unsure how he was supposed to go about this, Keith reached into the pouch with three fingers. He shivered as the cold substance with the consistency of congealed gravy clumped in his hand. He looked at the stuff as everyone around him backed away in disgust. Keith heard someone gag and swallowed his own bile in the back of his throat. He looked once again to Griffin who was still frantically shaking his head. Holding his breath, Keith shoved the questionable food in his mouth and Griffin screamed, "Keith, no!"

He swallowed as fast as he could, but he could still taste the strange consistency when it hit his tongue. There was barely a flavor. If he had to guess, he'd say astringent and bitter, but he was still alive. His stomach tried to revolt at the strange substance, but he doubled over and managed not to instantly hurl. He coughed once and wiped his mouth.

When Keith looked at the alien, he nodded approvingly and turned to the alien beside him. The alien in charge instructed, "Bring double rations within the varga. I want them well cared for."

"Vrepit sa."

Keith watched the other alien salute the masked one after saying gibberish and walk away. The alien who gave the food pouch reached into his bag and removed several more 'rations'. "Here, young one. It will be a short while until my order is followed. Use these in the meantime."

Keith handed the open pouch to the student closest and the alien settled the pouches in his arms. Keith asked, "Why are you doing this?"

The alien sighed and said, "I told you, I am a medic. It is my duty to care for all under my protection."

"You're our handler?" Griffin asked.

Keith watched the alien turn an appraising glance at his friend. "I suppose that is my given title in this situation. My name is Ulaz. You, young one, the others call you Keith?" Keith swallowed and looked away without answering. The alien said with a hint of disappointment, "Tomorrow, I will return. There are tests that must be run before you can be moved to a more functional facility. We will take samples of genetic material from willing participants and unwilling alike. You have twenty vargas to make your choice."

Keith refused to look at the alien when he left again. Then he turned and started handing out the food packs. He encouraged the cadets to eat the strange contents before returning to the island. Griffin rebuked, "You shouldn't have eaten that stuff!"

Keith shot back, "What choice did I have? I can't let them die, James!"

Griffin shook his head. "Don't you get it? They're domesticating us! We're nothing but workers to them. Like bees or ants!"

"And what should I have done? I'm..." Keith lowered his voice and said, "I'm terrified, James. I don't intend to give up. I don't know how, but if we aren't careful, they'll grow bored and kill us anyway. So yeah, I'll play at domestics, but the first chance we have to escape, we have to take it."

Griffin put a hand on Keith's arm and squeezed. "You promise?" Keith nodded and Griffin pulled him tight against his chest. "Then never do something like that again. I thought you were going to die in front of us."

Keith looked over Griffin's shoulder where the rest of his friends watched him with frantic expressions. He cleared his throat and stepped back. "I'm sorry guys. I'll try to be more careful in the future."

Pidge nodded. "Now sit down and let me look at that thing again." Keith obliged and noticed that his stomach didn't hurt as much as it did before.