Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron, Star Trek, or any characters mentioned here that are cannon to either franchise. What I do own are the fighter, Thunderwing, and the crew of the Berlin, except for Mordock. The rest I'm just borrowing for a while.
Star Tron:
The Black Suits Cometh
Chapter 9As the sun rose over Arus, the five Voltron Lions left their lairs for another early practice. A single, small craft circled unnoticed, high above at the edge of space. That morning, the pilot had awoken to find a message waiting for him from Starfleet Command. They'd responded to Gredar's report quicker than he'd expected.
As he flew, banked over, watching the activity far below on a holoprojection on his canopy, Driscoll thought of the potential being wasted; the possibilities that could come from cooperation between the Federation and the Alliance, and how it was being thrown away for the sake of regulations.
The Berlin had been recalled to Earth. Because he had helped the Voltron Force, Driscoll was to face a court-martial.
Thus, he flew what might be his last morning hop, over Arus, imagining the great things that would never be.
Just then, something caught his eye. A dozen fireballs streaked into Arus' atmosphere. Cool, meteor shower, Driscoll thought. But something about it wasn't right. It seemed unnatural somehow.
The realization hit him like a runaway express train. Since when do meteors fly in formation?
Below him, the Voltron Force continued their maneuvers, heedless of the threat. Driscoll knew he should act, but he was already in hot water.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Screw it.
This time, as he prepared to attack, his actions were deliberate. He charged his phasers, activated his gunsight, and turned on his battle music. With rock music blasting in his headset, Driscoll rolled the P-51 over and dove after the bandits.
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Coming out of the reentry fireball at 60,000 feet, Driscoll leveled off and saw the twelve Doom fighters below him, flying in a wide vee toward the Voltron Force. He latched onto the left-most fighter and dove. Closing to within 1,000 yards, he opened fire, shredding the fighter with his phasers. "Voltron Leader, this is Thunderwing. You've got bandits incoming. Heads up!"
With their cover blown, the fighters split up to attack the Voltron Force as the Lions turned to attack.
But the fighters had the advantages of speed and altitude over the Voltron Force, and each Lion quickly acquired a pair of aggressors. Three of them latched onto Blue Lion.
"Princess, behind you!" Lance warned. He tried to turn and attack her pursuers, but the two fighters on his own tail cut him off. Keith met with a similar situation.
Allura maneuvered quickly, trying to shake the fighters off her tail, but they stayed with her. Then, one of them fired, hitting Blue Lion in the neck. Allura shrieked as the Lion bucked, tossing her hard against her seat restraints.
"Princess, on my mark, break hard right. Three, two, one, break!"
Blue Lion executed a midair jump-turn as two of the pursuing fighters broke into flames in quick succession under a hail of phaser fire. The third broke off, and Allura glanced at her monitor to see two fighters spiraling toward the ground trailing thick, black smoke, and Thunderwing pursuing the third.
Looking forward again, Allura found herself in position to shoot a fighter off of Hunk's tail. "Ion darts," she announced, arming and firing the weapon. One of the fighters was hit and tried to escape, only to crash into the other.
Moments later, Pidge announced a kill, followed by Keith.
Lance had just had his pursuers disposed of by Keith, and his trigger finger was itching. He looked over and saw Thunderwing attacking another fighter, when a flash of light above attracted his attention. A Doom fighter dove on the Mustang. Before he could warn Driscoll, the Captain shouted, "I've got one on my six! Little help anybody?"
"Break left, Dinoman," said Lance. The P-51 banked left into a tight turn, bringing the Doom fighter across Red Lion's nose. One blast from the flamethrower took care of it.
"Thanks, Lance. I owe ya one," said Driscoll
The last fighters pulled up and escaped into space, and as quickly as it started, it was over. "Damage report," Keith called.
"A-OK, Skipper," said Lance.
"All's good here," said Hunk.
"Fine here," said Pidge.
"A little shaken up, but okay," said Allura.
"Adam, how about you?" Keith asked.
Driscoll was surprised. Why would Keith care? He was a good guy and all, but he was acting like Driscoll was part of the team. Puzzled, the captain replied, "Three kills, not a scratch on me. I'd say I'm pretty good."
"Good."
"You want me to fly top cover until you land?" Driscoll asked.
Keith thought a moment before responding. This was the second time in three days that Driscoll had saved their necks. "No, but I'd like to talk to you on the ground."
"Roger that," Driscoll replied. As the lions began landing, Driscoll set down on the road that led to the castle, taxiing up to the palace. Still wearing his flight gear, he sat on the wing of his plane, waiting for Keith.
Fifteen minutes later, a guard came for him, and escorted him into the castle.
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The Voltron Force and Coran were gathered around the central console in the Control Room when Driscoll arrived. "You wanted to talk to me, Commander?"
"Yeah, I did. This is the second time you've helped us."
Driscoll cut him off. "Covered your ass, you mean. You should have known they were coming. You or Coran. I mean, come on, Keith."
Lance bristled at the scathing comment and started to reply when Keith cut him off. "We saw them, like we saw you. But we didn't know if we could trust you. Allura thought so, but the rest of us weren't so sure, until now."
"Today, you proved yourself to us, and you saved the Princess as well," said Coran. "Such a service cannot go unrecognized."
"You're a good pilot, Adam," said Keith. "You've helped us defend Arus twice, on your own initiative, an you put yourself in harm's way to do it. We could use someone like you."
"I don't think I'm getting your point, Keith," said Driscoll.
"Your coming was foretold in a prophecy, as was theirs," Allura explained. "The Voltron Force have become heroes of Arus. The new Lion Knights. And I invite you to join them. To join us."
Driscoll was thunderstruck. "Wow, uh, I mean, whoa, baby," he babbled, scratching his head. "I'm honored, Your Highness, really. But I can't accept. Not that I don't want to, but…"
"What? It's not good enough?" Lance needled.
"Hardly," the captain replied, regaining his composure. "But my duty is to Starfleet. There's a definite clash there. And besides, the Berlin has been recalled, and I'm to be court-martialed."
"Why?" asked Pidge.
"Well, when I nosed over to bomb that robeast, I broke five major regs. It's a safe bet that my career is over. That's why I can't accept the title, because I can't promise you my service or allegiance."
"But would you if you could?" Allura asked.
"Hell yeah. This is a battle worth fighting."
Allura stepped forward, her pink gown rustling as she brushed past Keith and Hunk. "Captain, do you swear to defend freedom and Justice and to help those in need?"
Frowning in confusion, Driscoll replied tentatively, "Yes…"
"And do you swear to fight evil and tyranny wherever you find it?"
"I do."
"Then
kneel, Captain Adam Driscoll of the United Federation of Planets," Allura
commanded. With the import of her words
finally dawning on him, the young pilot knelt before the Princess. She held out her hand, and on the fourth
finger was a ring, adorned with the seal of Arus. Driscoll, realizing what was expected, took her hand and, in an
ages-old gesture of fealty, kissed the ring.
"And arise, Sir Adam Driscoll of the United Federation of Planets
and Lion Knight."
Driscoll
stood and faced the others. "Thank
you."
"You see, young man," said Coran, "being a Lion Knight is not about serving Arus. It is about serving the greater good of all mankind. That is the obligation you took on in accepting the honor of knighthood."
"Not all that different from the oath of service I took when I joined Starfleet," Driscoll replied. And even as he spoke, he realized a new meaning behind his words. "Princess, I guarantee Arus will receive Federation aid. I don't' know what or how much, but I promise, as a representative of the Federation, that help will be forthcoming." He stood there a moment, then nodded and turned to leave.
"Captain?" Allura called after him.
Driscoll turned back to face her.
"If there's anything we can do to help, all you need to do is ask," Allura said. "And remember, there's always a place for you here."
Driscoll nodded. "Thanks," he said. Then he snapped to attention and saluted the Voltron Force, then left the chamber.
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Aboard the Berlin, Driscoll called a senior staff meeting to explain the situation of his court-martial to his crew, then, as per regulations, turned command over to Gredar for the trip to Earth. Within the hour, the starship broke orbit and crossed back through the wormhole, heading home.
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"You have news, witch?" Zarkon asked of Haggar, who stood before his throne with her blue cat in her arms.
"I do, sire. Our probe reports that the Federation ship has left Arus and gone back from whence it came."
Zarkon nodded. "I knew they posed no real threat. Merely an unpleasant and ill-timed surprise." He turned to his son, who stood off to one side. "You see, Lotor, patience has proven an ally here. Now that they have moved on, you can prepare your next attack."
"Yes, Father," said Lotor. "I have already asked Haggar to create a new robeast for me."
"And when will it be ready?" Zarkon asked.
"In a matter of days, sire," Haggar replied. "And I've taken the liberty of adding a few extra surprises to this one."
"Excellent. Notify me when it's ready."
"Yes, sire." Taking their cues, Lotor and the witch left Zarkon's throne room. When he was alone, Zarkon entertained his own thoughts. He wasn't so sure the starship was really gone. Oh, it had left, but would it be back? Zarkon thought it likely would, and he needed to be ready. He knew that the mysterious ship could tip the scales of fortune against him, even as Voltron was doing now. Especially of others came with it. And if the day ever came that those ships threatened Doom itself, he would need a plan.
He would need to be ready.