Chapter Two
With a groan, Keith awoke to find himself in a strange place. He slowly turned his head when he heard some movement next to him.
"Well, well, looks like our human guest has awakened! Hey! Sylvan! Tell the Commander that the human Lotor had attacked is awake, would ya?" a boy's voice shouted. Another male voice shouted an affirmative, and then the boy approached Keith. Keith was startled to see that the youth had canine attributes such as fur, ears, tail, small, wolfish muzzle and golden yellow eyes.
"Didn't your mama ever tell ya it wasn't nice to stare?" the youth asked, with a teasing tone of voice.
"Erm,…………..sorry………………it's just that I have never seen someone quite like you before." Keith said, honestly.
"Okay. By the way, my name's Kip, what's yours?" the wolf boy asked.
"Keith." Keith replied, wincing a little when some pain crossed his wounded chest.
"Pleased ta meet ya." Kip said, turning when another man arrived, this one having feline qualities about him.
"Commander says it almost time to go. Dev says that the Lion ship is fully operational, but we don't have anyone to fly it on the way to Arus." The cat man said, with a sigh.
"I can fly. The Lion is my ship, after all." Keith said, grimacing as he sat up.
"No doubt you could fly it, since it is your ship, but in the condition you're in, I doubt you could stay conscious for the whole flight." The cat man said, patiently. Keith sighed in frustration, but he had to agree; he was in no shape to fly.
"But how will we tow the Lion back to Arus? How does the Commander intend to pull that off?" the cat man asked.
"He probably intends to carry it by using the two larger wolves in front and the smaller ones in back. He'll be up front, guiding us." Kip replied.
"It will be risky." The cat man murmured.
"Everything in life is. But we must try." Another man said, this one as human as Keith.
"What'd the Commander say, Sylvan?" Kip asked.
"Time to fly." Sylvan replied, with a grin.
"Yes! Finally! We leave this rock!" Kip whooped. Keith, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, wondered what it meant.
"Wolves? Do they mean some kind of special fighter? Or do they mean something else entirely?" Keith wondered, as yet another humanoid man entered his small alcove, this one having dog-like qualities.
"It seems that you have given the Commander the incentive to leave early. He was intending to leave at a later date." The dog man said, as he gently and effortlessly lifted Keith from the makeshift bunk and carried him.
"Who is your commander? Is he like you? Or something else?" Keith asked. The dog man chuckled.
"I see that you have noticed the dynamics of our team. No, he isn't like us, yet he isn't like our enemy, either." The dog man replied, as he and his compatriots walked into a makeshift hangar. Keith's jaw dropped when he saw that the Black Lion was on a huge space carrier. But the most amazing thing was what stood beside and in front of the carrier and its precious cargo; five wolf ships!
"I see that our guest is ready to leave. I'm relieved to see that he is awake. It is a good sign, to say the least." A calm, male voice said, as its owner approached Keith.
"Who are you? And what are those ships?" Keith asked. The other man, who was clothed head to toe in white, lightly saluted.
"I am Commander Sean Ghost, sir. These ships are the Voltron Wolf Force." The stranger said, with a touch of pride in his voice.
"Voltron Wolf Force? I've never heard of them." Keith said, confused.
"Of course you may not have. You see, their existence was kept secret because of fear of Drulian spies stealing the plans. These ships were developed and built after the loss of the Lion Force Voltron. It was hoped that these Wolves could replace the lost Lions, but there was never time to test them. The scientists and engineers that had built these ships were forced to flee this area when Zarkon and his dark forces stormed this part of the galaxy. Then that is where we come in. After Zarkon took this planet, he started using it for his most troublesome captives. I was sent here first, because I once started a rebellion and uprising in the dungeons. Kip was sent here because his parents were also 'fire starters'. Sylvan is here because of a familial relationship with one of your friends. Dev, being the strong fellow that he is, was brought here because of fear that he would start something. Aiden, being a member of a feline empire that lives on the other side of the galaxy had been sent because Zarkon knew that there was no moon near this planet to aid in his transformation. Now there you have it. Information on us and our ships." Sean said, calmly, yet with a hint of humor in his voice.
"What are you going to do with me now?" Keith asked.
"We're taking you back to Arus. As it is now, the only reason you feel like talking to us at all is because you are wearing the Sunfire Amulet. But even it's powers are limited. That is why it is imperative that we get you back as quickly as we can." Sean said, as he motioned for Dev (the dog man) to carry Keith into the lead Wolf. Once inside, Keith was laid on a special bunk near the cockpit.
"The Black Lion doesn't have this." Keith commented, noticing that the bunk was padded top and bottom in case of a rough ride.
"Well, I expect it wouldn't, since these ships were designed after the fact." Sean said, as he gently fastened Keith in.
"But what are you? Your friends wouldn't give me a straight answer." Keith persisted.
"Let's just say that I am a man that isn't proud of his family background." Sean replied, gloomily. Keith caught the shame in the man's voice and immediately felt guilty about asking.
"Sorry. I didn't know it was such a touchy subject." Keith said.
"No harm done. It's natural that you would be suspicious of anyone who promises help without asking anything in return. Think nothing of it." Sean said, as he settled into his seat and fastened himself in.
"Okay boys, you ready to leave?" Sean asked.
"All set, boss dog!" was Kip's reply.
"Ready and waiting." Sylvan said, coolly.
"Ready to rock, roll and rumble!" Aiden meowed, enthusiastically.
"Then let's fly." Sean said, as he stuck the key into its slot, then punched a number of buttons. There was a low hum, then a growl rumbled from the depths of the machine. The Wolves were coming to life!
"In the words of Doctor Frankenstein; IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!" Aiden yowled, getting groans of exasperation from the rest of the team. Keith chuckled when Sean sighed and muttered something under his breath. As the ships started their upward flight, Keith wondered what the rest of his team was doing and how angry they were going to be with him.
Sven muttered vehemently under his breath, as he circled a cluster of stars where he'd sensed Keith's presence. Lance, Pidge and Hunk were right on his heels.
"You sure that this is the spot, Sven?" Lance asked.
"Yes." Sven replied, as he paused and looked at something.
"Now what?!" Hunk asked, swerving to avoid ramming into the suddenly still Blue Lion.
"Sven?" Pidge asked. Sven remained silent, as he focused on what he'd sensed. Keith's presence was getting stronger, but there were also five other presences with him. And they were coming fast.
"Incoming!" Sven shouted, startling the other three Lions into action. Almost as soon as they had moved, something huge roared past them, heading for Arus.
"Call ahead to Castle Control! There's something on the way!" Sven cried.
"I'm on it!" Pidge responded, quickly obeying Sven's orders.
"And that something is huge." Hunk muttered, as the huge 'thing' flew quickly ahead of them.