A few hours later, Lance was pacing around sick-bay. Pidge held and ice-pack to his head, Hunk was standing near him looking concerned. Sven and Romelle stood talking quietly to Doctor Gorma.
Where the hell is Keith? What's taking them so long? Lance thought to himself. The sick-bay door opened. Everyone's head snapped up to see Admiral Harrison leading Keith. Blood had dried across Keith's forehead, and he held one arm stiffly across his chest. Dr. Gorma and Lance hurried over.
"The Robeast?" Keith asked Lance, ignoring the doctor.
"Destroyed. The holo ships too. Are you all right?" Lance answered.
Keith nodded. "Did you find her?" He asked desperately.
Lance shook his head. "We tried. He has some kind of cloaking device." Lance looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Keith." No one spoke for a moment.
Keith turned to Hunk. "I want manual escape hatches put on all the Lions. I want them to be able to be opened by hand inside and out. Is that clear?" Keith's tone was emotionless. His face was very pale, making his brown eyes look almost black.
Hunk nodded. "Yes sir. I'll get working on that right away Skipper."
"Pidge, are you all right?"
"I'm fine Keith, just a bump on the head." Pidge told him.
"As soon as you're able, I want you to track Lotor's ship. I want to know where he is, where he's headed, and how fast he's trying to get there."
"Sure Keith." Pidge said nervously.
The Admiral put his arm around Keith. "Relax son. We'll find her."
"Come Captain, let's get a look at you." Dr. Gorma urged Keith into a chair and examined him. "Hmmm…a few stitches will fix that cut, but it looks like you dislocated your shoulder. We'll give you some pain medicine and fix it up as soon as we can." He turned and filled a syringe.
"No. No medicine. Just fix it now." Keith spoke flatlywithout any emotion.
Everyone stared at him. The Admiral spoke first. "Now Keith, let's take it easy. You need to take care of yourself if you're going to help us find the Princess."
"Doctor. I said fix it. Now." Keith said ignoring the Admiral.
"But Captain…" The Doctor protested.
"Fine. Sven, help me." Keith got to his feet and turned to Sven.
Sven didn't look anywhere except at his friend. He walked over and took hold of Keith's arm. "Are you ready?" He asked quietly. Keith nodded. "All right, on tree. One… Two…" Before he got to three, Sven pulled on Keith's arm with all his might. He winced as he heard Keith's shoulder snap back into place. Keith's expression didn't change. His eyes had a cold, dead look about them.
"Thanks Sven." Keith headed for the door.
Admiral Harrison stepped in front of him. "Where do you think you're going son?" He asked.
"Step aside Admiral. I'm going to find Allura." Keith said coldly.
"Oh no you're not. I don't know what that little performance was all about, but you, Captain, are staying here until you are given medical clearance." The Admiral told him firmly.
Keith stood his ground. "I'm going to find her."
"I'm giving you an order Captain."
Tension filled the room. Keith and the Admiral stood staring at each other. Suddenly, Keith reached up and tore his officer's insignia off his uniform. "I've resigned my commission Admiral. You can't order me to do anything. Now, get out of my way." He snarled.
There was a collective gasp around the room. Lance started forward, but at one look from Keith, stopped where he was.
"Keith, don't do this." Harrison told him.
"Move out of my way." Keith repeated coldly.
They stared at each other for a minute more, then the Admiral sighed and stepped away. Without looking back, Keith walked out the door.
"Dad! You can't let him do this! Stop him!" Said Lance, desperately.
The Admiral shook his head. "You saw him. There's nothing I can do."
"He'll get himself killed! Dad, please!" Said Lance, trying to get past his father.
The Admiral grabbed his son by the shoulders. "Lance! I…I'm sorry." He turned and walked out of the room.
Lance turned to his friends. "We have to stop him."
Hunk nodded. "Let's go get him. Nice tap on the head and Keith won't be going anywhere." He clenched his fists.
"No Hunk. He'd never forgive us." Sven said sadly. Romelle took his hand.
Lance narrowed his eyes. "We have to try something." He took off after Keith.
Sven sighed. "All right. I can try and talk to him." He gave Romelle a quick kiss, and followed Lance out of the room.
They made their way to Keith's room. Sven knocked on the door. "Keith?"
There was no answer. "I know you are in dere. Open the door Keith."
Lance elbowed his way in front of Sven. "Step aside." He punched a few buttons on the keypad, and the door opened. "After you." Lance grinned.
Sven shook his head and the two went inside. "Keith? Are you here?" Sven called. "Keith?"
"What do you want?" Keith answered from the bedroom. Lance sat down and made himself comfortable on the couch.
"We just want to talk to you." Lance called back.
Keith walked in to join them. "Don't try to stop me. I'm going to find her." He stated. Sven looked at his friend. Keith was dressed in black boots and pants, and in the process of pulling a tight, black shirt over his head. His unruly black hair had been tied back in a ponytail. Sven tried to read Keith's expression. His eyes were dark, almost as dark as his clothes. Sven glanced on the table. There was a black mask and gloves laying there. He turned to Keith, fear in his eyes.
"Keith…no, don't do dis!"
Lance's head snapped up at the sound of Sven's voice. He took a good look at Keith. "Not your usual red Cap. Nice hair."
"I wish you two would leave, I have things to do." Keith finished putting his shirt on and walked over to a small bureau. He opened a drawer and strapped a knife to his ankle, then pulled out a strange looking blaster. The gun caught Lance's attention.
"Hey, let me see that." He grabbed the gun out of Keith's hand, and examined it. With a start he looked up into Keith's face. "Keith, what's going on? Where did you get this? This isn't standard issue."
Keith took the gun back and fastened it to his belt. "Yes it is actually."
Lance looked from Keith to Sven. Sven had gone pale and was looking at Keith with something more than concern. He glanced back at Keith and took in the black outfit and the strange gun. "My God! It's true! The Academy rumors were true!" Keith didn't reply. Lance turned to Sven. "You son of a bitch! You knew! And you never told me!" He accused. He turned back to Keith and shoved him hard against the wall, pinning Keith with his arms. Keith made no move to break free. "Shadow Corps! It was the joke at school! 'Montgomery's gone off alone again, must be Shadow training.' For Christ's sake Keith, I'm your best friend! Why didn't you tell me!" Lance demanded angrily.
"I couldn't! You know the rules! And Sven only knows because didn't make the final cut, and he had to fix my shoulder up once before, after a training mission. You had gone home on leave." Keith pushed Lance away.
"You told me you crashed a test flight!" Lance paced the room. "I can't believe this. Shadow Corps." He muttered to himself.
Sven walked over to Keith and put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Keith, please. Take a Space Force squad with you, take one of us, but don't do dis alone."
Lance looked up at them both. "He's not. I'm going with him."
"No you're not. This is my call." Keith walked over to the window and visibly shuddered. "When I think of that bastard putting his hands on her..." He couldn't finish.
"I'm not letting you do this alone." Lance told him.
"You have a family, Sven, too. I'm expendable. If the worst happens, I'll take Allura with me. I will not leave her in the hands of those animals."
Lance was furious. "Expendable! So, we mean nothing to you! Listen to yourself Keith! I love you like a brother, and Allura as my sister. I will not let you do this. Dammit, remember you parents! Do you want to end up like them, leaving friends behind wondering if you'll ever be back! I thought you were smarter than that."
Keith's temper began to boil. "Leave my parents out of this. This isn't the same thing."
"Oh no? You're going off on some stupid suicide mission!"
Sven finally spoke up. "I hate to say it Keith, but Lance is right. Vhat happens if Allura is injured, or you are? How are you going to get out den? And how do you propose to get to Lotor's ship? You can't take de Lions, so you might as vell kill yourself now and save Lotor de trouble." Sven forced Keith to look him in the eye. "You are letting emotion tell you vhat to do. You're Shadow Corps, Keith. Remember your training. Use your brain, not your heart."
Keith's brown eyes grew dark. "I can't stand it, knowing I could lose her." He choked, his voice tight with emotion.
"Then take me with you. At least to cover your back." Lance pleaded.
Keith turned back to the window. Sven and Lance glanced at each other. "All right." Keith said softly. He faced his friends. "You're probably going to get thrown out of the service, or at least Court Marshaled, you know that don't you?" He told Lance.
Lance shot him a cocky smile. "Let 'em try."
Keith looked at Sven. "Take care of the Team. Tell Romelle…well, make sure you both take care of that niece or nephew of mine." He smiled, and after a moment, Sven smiled back.
"Make sure you come back to take care of dem yourself." He pulled Keith into a tight embrace. After a moment, Lance joined in. There were tears in all three pairs of eyes when they stepped back.
"Wait a second…Sven, what did you say?" Lance looked puzzled, then the lights in his head went on. "You and Romelle! Way to go Pop!"
Sven rolled his eyes. "Great. Now de whole galaxy vill know." He started towards the door. He paused and looked back at his friends. Keith's eyes were a little saner than they had been earlier. Lance still had a cocky grin on his face. "Take care my friends. Bring her and yourselves back soon." Sven walked through the door, without looking back.
Keith faced Lance. "This isn't a game Lance. I'm going to kill Lotor if it's the last thing I do."
Lance shuddered inwardly. He'd never seen Keith like this. "I know. Let me go change. I'll be back in ten minutes." He started towards the door. "Don't you dare leave without me."
After Lance left, Keith paced around his room. The door chime rang. Now what. He walked over and opened the door, expecting to find Lance again. It was Coran.
The elderly advisor took in Keith's outfit and stony expression. "You're going to get her." He stated flatly. Keith nodded, and beckoned Coran in. "Admiral Harrison told me you resigned."
"I had to. I am going to find her Coran, don't doubt that." Keith told him.
"I know you will." Coran paused and took a deep breath. "While I am not happy about your relationship with the Princess..," he started.
Keith interrupted him. "Don't even go there Coran. I love her and she loves me. I intend to marry her once all this is settled. She's a big girl, she can take care of herself. And I can handle the rest."
"Obviously not! You let her get taken by Lotor!" Coran exclaimed, his careful control finally snapping.
Keith whiled on Coran, his temper barely in check. "Don't you think I know that! Why do you think I'm going after them!"
"And what if he manages to kill you this time? What happens to Her Highness then?" Coran persisted.
"I personally make sure she can never be harmed again." Keith said coldly.
Coran went pale. "My God…you can't be serious about this."
Lance entered the room. He too was dressed in black. He saw Coran and the expression on Keith's face, and went to stand at his Captain's side. "Coran." he nodded.
Though he wouldn't admit it, Coran was relieved at seeing Lance. At least the young Captain wouldn't be doing this alone. "Well then. I suppose you must get going." He turned to leave the room. Coran stopped and faced them once more. "Be careful.
Bring her back safe. Along with yourselves." Coran closed the door behind him.
Lance turned to Keith. "Ready?"
Keith nodded. "Let's go."