Lance pulled the blanket closer around his shoulders and sneezed again. Sniffling, he wiped his nose on his sleeve and moaned. This sucked. What the aliens had done before seemed cruel, but predictable compared to this. Lance shivered and tried to get warm. Keith settled beside him just before he was blinded by fabric when another blanket was tossed over his head. Lance lifted the blanket off his eyes and asked jealously, "How come you weren't affected? You had, like, a headache for two hours and then were fine."

Keith shrugged and took off his jacket. "Maybe it's because I spent more time with them?"

Lance moaned again and put his head on his knees. "I feel like I'm dying. No. Dying would hurt less."

"Stop being so dramatic," Keith teased.

"I'm not," Lance whined and fell sideways against Keith. "I haven't hurt like this since I had my wisdom teeth removed."

Keith draped his jacket over Lance's shoulders and wrapped an arm around him. They sat silently together until Lance stopped shivering. Then Keith said, "Still, I'm glad there weren't that many bad reactions. You seem to have it the worst."

Lance whimpered, "Thanks for the sympathy."

Keith hmphed in amusement. "We're getting out of here as soon as you feel better, McClain. This is the quiet before the storm. Savor it."

"Easy for you to say, mullet." Lance sneezed again. Then Keith pulled Lance's head against his shoulder. Lance asked, "What are you doing?"

Keith gently rubbed Lance's head. "My dad used to do this when I was sick as a kid. You know... back when I spent all those weeks in the hospital."

Lance could feel his hair knotting up under the blanket, but he didn't want Keith to stop. He whispered, "You never talk about him."

Keith's breath caught audibly. He seemed to reconsider before slowly saying, "That was a bad time for us. He worried about bills and work and whether the doctors would be able to diagnose what was wrong with me. He'd sleep in my hospital bed. All six foot three of him in my tiny twin bed, and he'd hold onto me like I wasn't going to be there if we weren't touching. He said it was to comfort me, but... I think... I think he was afraid I was going to disappear like my mom did." Keith sighed and caught his breath. After a pause, he asked earnestly, "Why is it so easy to talk to you?"

Lance mustered the strength to smile. "Perhaps because of my charming personality and incredible good looks?"

"Hmm, I don't think so," Keith teased again. He slid his hand down to Lance's shoulder and Lance instantly regretted that Keith wasn't rubbing his head anymore. Keith shifted and looked up. Lance looked down at Ryan's shoes. Keith stood and the two of them went to the corner where Griffin, Leifsdottir, Rizavi, and Hunk waited.

Pidge sank to the floor as Lance toppled sideways and laid there miserably. She lifted Keith's jacket back over him and pillowed his head on her lap. Lance noticed her fingers trailing through his mussed hair de-tangling the knots didn't feel as good as Keith's had messing it up in the first place. He moaned, "Why is he so perfect?"

"No one's perfect, Lance," Pidge corrected.

Lance pulled his legs closer and she tucked the blanket around his feet. "You know what I mean, Katie."

Pidge agreed, "Yeah, actually. So are you going to finally tell him?"

"I can't do that!" Lance hissed.

"Why not?" She countered. "Look, I know an alien invasion isn't exactly the best time to confess your undying love, but you're the one who waited this long and now there might not be another chance." Lance remained silent and moped. She leaned forward and said, "You know he's only like that with you, right? He only told Shiro about his fear of needles after he punched the doctor at his sophomore physical. He doesn't talk about his dad or growing up at all. Do you really think Keith would freak out if you admitted your feelings?"

Lance felt his heart stop for a second. Closing his eyes, he muttered under his breath, "How can I spring that on him now, Katie? He has the weight of the world on his shoulders. I... I won't add to his burden."

She flicked his nose. "You're hopeless... but I get that too."

"Wake, Ulaz." Ulaz groaned and sat up. Yawning, he looked at the console and frowned. Brona leaned on his shoulders, her head close to his, and asked, "What is this?"

Ulaz wiped his face with a hand and answered, "I'm researching. The people here have a rich history steeped in war and bloodshed. It is striking how similar their young planet is to Diabazaal."

"Why do you always do this? You mustn't get attached to the colonies. They're nothing to us, Ulaz."

Her tone was gentle, but it gave him no solace. He shook his head. "It's who I am. I value life, as a medic."

Brona gently stroked his cheek then the other with the back of her hand. "I know, my love. It is why I cherish your quiet nature. You complete me."

Ulaz met her lips in a silent kiss and asked, "Why have you sought me out? Have you been given your orders?"

Brona sat in his lap facing him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Haxus has given the command to relocate your wards. How long have they been exposed?"

Ulaz calculated the math in his head. "Fourty vargas. I haven't lost one of them."

Brona ran a finger down his nose. "Ever the healer." She leaned back, grinding her hips lightly into his. "You know, when this is done, we should celebrate. After all, it isn't often a commander brings not one, but two of the Voltron lions and a fresh colony to the emperor."

"You know the rules, Brona," Ulaz cautioned.

She smirked. "One of my perks as an officer, my dear, is breaking those rules. Or would your moral code cause you distress?"

Ulaz kissed her again. "You're devious, Brona. Haxus has his hands full with you."

"Jealous?" Brona teased. She lifted Ulaz's hands and pressed his palms to her stomach before making him cup her breasts. "Your's are the only hands I want to hold me."

Ulaz squeezed and she arched her back. He kissed her throat when she tipped her head and moaned. Then the door opened. Ulaz hastily sat straight before he saw it was only Thace. Brona wrapped herself around Ulaz and complained huskily, "We were just getting started, lieutenant."

Thace maintained an indifferent expression with his hands folded behind his back. "Haxus needs you to begin your primary objective, Brona."

Brona sighed longingly and nuzzled into Ulaz. "Duty calls. I'll await your company in my chambers, lover." Then she stood, fixed her uniform, and sauntered out of his medical bay.

Ulaz relaxed in his chair. Thace entered and locked the door while Ulaz turned and shut down the room's security system. Thace leaned on the console and said, "Honestly, I wouldn't be able to stand that woman if our positions were reversed."

"Trust me, it's a working relationship. She provides benefits I lack as a simple tech. There's no way I'd get close to Sendak on my own without seducing her."

Thace smirked crookedly. "Still, didn't seem like you were protesting too much, my friend."

Ulaz lifted an incredulous eyebrow as Thace's gaze flicked toward his crotch. "There's nothing in our creed that says I can't enjoy certain... aspects of the job."

"Aspects indeed," Thace replied with a short laugh. He sobered and jutted his chin toward the screen. He asked, "That's the kit?"

Ulaz turned toward the screen and enlarged the image. "Yes. Did you read the file I sent you?"

Thace grunted in answer. "I can't believe how much he looks like his mother. It's terrifying to think something so deplorable could have happened to him if you hadn't seen her blade. You're sure he has no idea of its significance?"

Ulaz nodded. "The boy has no recognition when he looks at us. Our teacher must have returned to the order when he was young." Ulaz folded his arms and considered their options. "If we don't extract him today, something might still happen to him. Brona wants to take him to the hub. She thinks he's a worthy challenger for the arena."

Thace cursed under his breath. "Has Kolivan responded?"

"No," Ulaz answered. "No doubt he'll tell us to keep to the original mission."

"You think the kit is more important than the lions?"

Ulaz didn't answer. Neither was more important because if they didn't keep the lions from Zarkon the entire universe was in danger, but if they didn't save this child, he'd never be able to live with himself afterward. "That doesn't matter. We'll complete both objectives in one move. The red lion is aboard your ship and the blue is being loaded onto mine within the varga. We'll coordinate and pilot both from this planet at the same time we extract the kit."

Thace put a hand on Ulaz's shoulder. "If we do this, our cover will be blown and the empire will execute us for treason if we're caught. Ulaz, the kit will die."

"Something worse will happen to the kit, Thace. For his sake and that of the universe, we cannot fail." Ulaz stood and clasped arms with Thace. "For the blade."

Thace nodded. "For the blade."

Keith jolted upright as if shot with electricity. Lance turned over and asked, "What's the matter?"

Keith looked around and shook his head. What was that? His senses were on fire! Lance tried to sit up, but Keith pushed down on his shoulder keeping him prone on his lap. "Someone's coming."

"How do you-" Lance was interrupted by the sound of metallic marching.

"Stay down," Keith whispered before silently crouching and peeking around the corner of the island. A squad of the silent armored alien robots waited for orders. The rest of the aliens had gathered around them. Keith made eye contact with the rest of his classmates and signaled them to move into position. Then he put two fingers to his forearm. Pidge nodded and crawled under the nearest table.

Rolling his shoulders, Keith stood, the motion smooth as water, and took his place at the center of the cadets. The junior class lined up just behind him in a half circle. The aliens turned and strode toward them. The hollows moved with anatomic rigidity taking up positions of mathematical precision.

The aliens lifted their firearms and commanded, "Get moving." Keith lifted his chin and stood tall. No one moved. The aliens looked at one another. One particularly large male primed their weapon and walked straight up to Keith. "I said to move, primitive."

Keith smirked in defiance. "We aren't going anywhere with you." He held the glare of the alien without giving an inch of ground. The alien snarled bearing his teeth. Keith saw it coming, but did nothing to block as the butt of the firearm landed across his cheek. He fell to one knee and grit his teeth. Spitting blood, he stood and glared at the alien. "I said you don't control us, you fucking space freaks."

A fist connected with his temple. Keith heard the cadets gasp as he landed face down on the floor. He held up a fist for them to hold their ground and pushed up on all fours. His blood was racing now, but he had to delay as long as he could. He wiped his mouth with the back of a hand and muttered, "Bastards. You really are just the worst filth."

"What did you say?"

Keith grinned smugly and looked up. "I said, you're the scum of the universe, you ugly motherfucker."

The alien reached down and lifted Keith by gripping the shoulder of his jacket. "You're going to regret your insolence, whelp."

Keith lost the ground beneath his feet and groaned, "The only thing I'm regretting is how much I can smell your rancid breath, fuck-face."

The fist tightened and Keith was starting to doubt this plan. The collar of his shirt threatened to strangle him. Then there was a strange hum of energy that flashed through the room. Keith's grin broadened as the hollows went limp. The aliens looked around in confusion. Then the lights went out.

Keith reached down and grabbed the hilt of the alien's sword. The flash of purple light revealed the cut throat of the alien that had held him. Keith fell to the floor and shouted, "Now, cadets!"

As one, the underclassmen began hurling the strange lumps of food at the glowing armor of the aliens. The room became complete chaos as the aliens panicked while their fake soldiers were disabled. Keith charged the nearest alien wielding his stolen sword. They just managed to block him. Then food goo hit the alien's face and he was tackled from the side by Kinkaid. Keith immediately stabbed the alien through the chest as Kinkaid grappled with their arms. When the alien was no longer moving, they stood and looked around.

The junior and senior class had eliminated the aliens and taken their weapons. Pidge crawled out from under the table with the mess of tech she had managed to steal from the hollows during their previous breakout attempts and jogged to him. "I've managed to override their system, but it will reboot in a couple minutes once they realize we've hacked in."

Keith grabbed a gun from the closest hollow and called, "McClain, catch." Lance stood shakily and settled his stance as he caught the firearm. When he fell in beside his team, Keith said, "We're moving. Cadets, stay in formation and don't stop for anything. Juniors, guard our rear flank. Seniors, on me."

Keith slashed one hollow and his squad put a few rounds into the rest before taking point. Keith took the right corner while Rizavi took left and Griffin led the cadets down the hall. When they had all filed past, Keith motioned Rizavi to go ahead. A shout of alarm made Keith turn. His pulse quickened when he saw the medic alien with another stranger and hollow squadron.

Keith gripped the sword tighter before turning and sprinting. "Go, go go!"

"Stop! Young one, you don't know the consequences of your actions!"

Keith slid around the corner and slammed his fist on the bulkhead lock. The thick metal door slid into place and a large crossbar slammed across it. Keith looked through the window at the aliens who seemed shocked and in a mild state of panic. Good. It was time the roles were reversed. The medic banged a fist on the door clearly shouting for him to open it. Keith jogged backward and caught up with the cadets, passing them and retaking point.

He signaled to Griffin and the two of them went ahead. When they reached the corner of an intersecting hallway, they stopped and Rizavi and Leifsdottir sprinted past to scout the next part of the route. When the last cadets went by, Keith and Griffin sprinted back to the front and repeated the maneuver successfully until an alarm began to sound.

Kinkaid said as they passed his post, "They're onto us." His words were punctuated by the sound of distant marching.

Griffin called, "Pick up the pace, cadets!"

Keith asked between breaths, "You remember the codes I gave you?"

"Yeah. You sure you won't come with us?" Griffin answered on harsh exhales.

"Sorry, James, not this time." Keith slowed to a halt as they reached diverging paths. "James, if I don't make it back to the team, promise me you'll lead them."

Griffin reassured, "You're going to make it, Keith."

"What's he doing?" Rizavi asked.

The rest of the senior class jogged up and the cadets waited nervously catching their breath. Keith flushed sheepishly beneath the anxious gaze of his closest friends. This was exactly why he'd only told James his part in this. He explained, "I'm going to take a fighter jet and give these assholes something to chase while you guys take the cargo ships and get the cadets to safety."

"What? No! Keith, one jet is suicide! And how are you going to launch? The access codes-"

"Are taken care of, Lance. Please, just trust me on this." Keith held their sharpshooter's eyes and said, "You'll need three ships at max capacity and each ship takes two pilots." It was clear in their eyes that they wanted to fight him on this. Keith smiled sadly and held his arms out for them to huddle up.

His team gathered with their heads close together and he said, "This is it, guys. We'll only have one chance. If we make it, we're the birth of humanity's resistance force. If we don't... it's been an honor knowing every one of you. Ohana."

Keith put a hand out and his team each put a hand on top of the one below it until they were all touching. They repeated as one, "Ohana."

Then an energy blast shot past. Lance turned and crouched firing a blast a fraction of a second later. An alien fell to the ground dead. Keith cursed and charged shouting, "Cover me!"

Lance and Kinkaid fired past him and three more aliens fell. Keith dodged one and slashed then backhanded to block another alien's sword. The alien fell sideways as he was shot. Keith looked back as Lance lowered his gun and stood. Griffin ushered the cadets onward and Kinkaid pulled Lance around by his shoulder. Then they were gone.

Keith took a steadying breath and sprinted toward the jet hangar. When he reached the door pad, there was a moment when he feared the codes he had wouldn't work, but then the door opened. The hangar's emergency lights lit the hangar just enough not to trip over his feet. The jets he and Adam flew were on the far end. He sprinted through the hangar trying to remember how much fuel had been in the jet the last time he'd drilled.

The white wolf on the side of Shiro's old fighter seemed to glow in the dark against the gunmetal gray of the jet. Keith jumped and grabbed hold of the wing to pull himself up. He pushed the cockpit open and dropped into the pilot's seat. Shots flew over his head. He primed the engines and ducked in the seat while the cockpit closed. He frantically flipped toggles and checked his flight screens. When he had a green light, he gunned the starboard engine and fired his main gun.

His spray peppered the aliens too slow to dodge before striking the tanker of jet fuel. The explosion blew the roof off the hangar and sent Keith's jet rolling the other direction. Not the distraction he'd intended, but a big one none the less. More explosions went off around him as he thumbed the toggles and gunned the engines. Firing at the hangar doors, he blasted his way out and blinked in the light of the setting sun.

His jaw dropped when he saw three giant airships. No, those were star ships. Destroyers that sailed through space. Keith heard the warning alarm and looked at his screens. The radar showed fifty objects closing in on his position. He looked up and immediately regretted it. The end of the runway was fast approaching. Steeling his nerve, he pushed the throttles forward and the familiar pull of gravity pressed him into the seat before he was airborne.

Keith closed his eyes for two seconds. When he opened them, he was ready for anything. The alien fighters were an impenetrable wall in front of him. Time to see if all his work in the simulator and drilling with Adam would pay off. The aliens ships' guns all began to glow purple. Three hundred meters. One hundred. Fifty.

Right before they were going to collide, Keith dropped one wing and flew straight in front of the line of enemy ships. He looked over his shoulder as they started giving chase to see their blasts strike one of the airships. It's shields failed in a flash of lavender light and the entire side lit up with fire. Keith smirked and pulled up in a vertical tailspin. He flew between alien fighters in complete harmony with his ship. He knew exactly what she was capable of.

He banked sharply and took a series of switchback turns on a fast descent firing upon anything that got in his way. They were too quick. The only shots that landed were the ones they couldn't predict. Not that it mattered. Keith looked all around him, his heart pounding out of his chest, while he was slowly being corralled into less and less airspace. It was only a matter of time before they'd blast him out of the sky.

Keith flew on instinct. His ship was slowly taking more and more hits. There was no way to see if the cadets had gotten away while he fought for their freedom. A line of ships created a wall between him and open air. Another group blocked him in from above. Keith leveled out. He narrowed his gaze and a strange sense of calm flooded his senses. Fine. If this was his end, so be it. He relaxed and closed his eyes.

From the center of his being, there was a pulse of energy that jolted him like lightning. Keith opened his eyes in shock to see a flash of red. It flew past him and the line of ships that had blocked him in exploded. The air reverberated as the roar of a lion shook Keith to the core. He tried to look for whatever had saved him, but it was too quick. The last he saw was a flick of red vanish over the hills with the final rays of the setting sun.

The jet jerked and began to dip. Alarms began to sound and Keith cursed and looked at his screens. No fuel. He grit his teeth and fought with the controls as his jet suddenly became dead weight and nosedived. He was losing her! "Fuck!"

Screaming, he lifted the cover and pressed the 'eject' button. The cockpit glass flew off and his seat was thrown into the air. Remembering his training, Keith released the buckle on his safety harness and separated from the pilot seat. Then he angled himself as a skydiver and streamlined his dive to get as far away from the crash-site his ship would create as possible. Then he deployed his parachute.

His free fall jerked to a slow steady descent above the reservoir behind the base. Shiro's jet exploded where it landed a hundred feet from the airstrip. In the glow of the fire, Keith thought he saw something. It was metallic and blue shaped in the form of a lion more than fifty times the size of the jet. The aliens gathered around it. One of the airships slowly came into position over it and the lion was lifted from the ground.

The more he stared at it, the more he felt like they were connected. The strange energy that had haunted his senses over the past few days seemed to pulse just beneath his skin. Then there was a quiet rumble in his mind. He flinched as the rumble became an intense growl. What the fuck was going on? Was he losing his mind?

He didn't get to consider it further as shots rained down on him from above. He heard the parachute tear and felt his stomach drop as he increased his rate of descent involuntarily. The right pulley was no longer attached to anything and he began to spiral. He could hear the ships getting closer. Shouting again, he looked at the dark surface of the rapidly approaching reservoir and hit the release on his parachute. He crossed his arms over his chest and hit the water feet first.

Can I get a review? Is this worth pursuing?