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A Change in the Winds
Arus
arus-dot-geo-at-yahoo-dot-com

Voltron and its characters are owned by World Event's Productions.
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Chapter 7
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----- Planet Arus ------

Neive slowly opened his eyes, breathing in deeply as he did. His vision was dark, but he was aware of the sharp pain coming from his side. He tried to move, but found that something was pinning his legs to ground as he laid on his front.

It was then he realized that he wasn't lying on the ground when he felt a small movement below him. The sound of another person breathing caused him to push up on his arms, wondering if he was lying on someone else. As soon as he did, he felt his head hit something metal, and he let out a groan as he fell back down.

This elicited a soft groan from whomever he was lying on. He then thought back to how he got here, why he felt pinned and now lying on someone, with a stabbing pain to his stomach.

Then it suddenly hit him; he realized that he had been fighting with Zeya when the Blue Lion reacted and nearly attacked her, as if protecting him after she had stabbed him. He had tackled her to the ground to avoid getting hurt and as he did, they had hit the ground hard, causing him to black out. He then deduced that it was the Blue Lion that was covering them both, pinning him to the ground.

As his vision adjusted to the darkness, he was able to pull a small light from his belt and turn it on. He looked down, as he stared at the young princess. There was a small gash on her right temple and a small bruising started to form over her right cheek.

"Zeya," he whispered.

Her brows furrowed, as she opened her eyes slowly. He brought up his hand to brush away her hair, to help her breathe better.

As her eyes focused, she looked up at him then suddenly reacted to his presence.
He held her down, to keep her from moving.

"Let go of me!" she yelled as she struggled. "Where-where are we?!"

He covered her mouth with his hand and motioned her to be quiet.

"We are trapped under the Blue Lion," he stated calmly. "And until the rest come to find us, we are stuck here."

Zeya met his gaze and breathed in deeply. She then closed her eyes as she felt the pain from the side of her head.

"Why did it attack me?"

"You attacked me with a weapon," he said.

"It was protecting you?"

"So it seems," he stated.

She let out her breath as her gaze darted around the darkness. She then let out a gasp as she brought her right arm up to her place against her head.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I thought I heard screaming," she stated. She then looked at the armlet she wore, the red jewel no longer blinking.

Neive followed her gaze as he too looked at it.

"So, you wanna tell me how you ended up with that?" he asked.

"I have no idea," she stated. "Lotor recognized the symbol on it as that of a kingdom that long disappeared here on Arus."

"You know of Mythrias?" he asked.

She looked at him, but slowly nodded. "My mother was from Arus," she stated.

Neive's eyes widened. "Karone?" he asked. "Was your mother's name Karone?"

She nodded. "Princess Karone, of Mythrias," she stated. "She died shortly after I was born."

"That is why you have the armlet," he stated. "You are of one of the royal bloodlines."

"And how does that explain why you wear the same?" she asked.

"My mother is Queen Orla of Helena," he stated.

"You're Allura's cousin?" she asked. "And does Allura wear an armlet as well?"

He nodded.

"You spoke of a sixth lion, what did you mean by that question?"

"The armlets were developed by Princess Allura's mother, Queen Marlena," he stated. "They are supposed to activate a lion ship that she developed."

"There are six lions?" she asked.

"Apparently," he stated. "But Haggar was able to thwart the activation of the last lion, when Zarkon attacked Arus, and splitting Voltron."

Zeya slowly nodded. "It all makes sense now," she stated. "I saw it in my dreams."

"Dreams?"

"When the armlet appeared to me, I was given a vision of a time before," she stated. "And a voice whispered to me."

"What did it say?"

"Child of Arus, --"

"You are the next destiny?"

Zeya looked at him and nodded. "And I saw the Lion, where Queen Marlena had hidden it. It was near here...."

Before she finished, she then breathed in deeply as her eyes widened, she then let out a deafening scream as her body arched against the ground.

"Zeya.."

"No!" she yelled as she breathed deeply. Tears edged at her eyes and all Neive could do was hold her down as she fought whatever demons were now plaguing her.

She let out another scream before fatigue came over her, causing her to fall into a slumber. Neive could only stare down at her, wondering how all that has happened could have brought two greatest enemies together on this small planet.

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----- Planet Vallis ------

Anala stood out on her balcony as she stared across the landscape before her. She breathed in deeply as she held the report she received from Xue in her hands.

"You should have told me."

Anala didn't bother to turn around, but knew that was a question that had haunted her for some time.

"You know why I couldn't," she stated.

Alysson came to stand with her daughter on the balcony and turned her to face her.

"Anala, there is nothing in this world that would make me angry with you," she stated. "Even with all the troubles in the universe, there is nothing that you do that will make me love you even less."

Anala sighed as she met her mother's gaze. "I love him, mother," she stated. "I have for a long time now."

"You know the Galaxy Alliance will want to take him into custody."

"And they will have to kill me to do so," she stated. "If I have to threaten to defect from the Alliance, I will."

"To protect him?" she asked. "To protect someone who has threatened the lives of every planet in the Alliance?"

"To protect the man I love," she stated. "Lotor was only acting under the orders of his father. Doesn't his actions of late reflect on what kind of person he can be?"

Alysson could only take her daughters hands into her own and bring her into a hug. "I just want you to be sure of what you are doing," she stated. "I don't want to see you suffer for something that you will regret."

"I know what I must do," Anala stated as she held her mother. "And if the report that Xue has given me is true, he has nowhere else to go now."

Alysson pulled away. "What about his sister?" she asked.

"Zeya?" Anala asked. "I don't know. I'm sure he would have done everything in his power to make sure she'd have left Doom before he did."

"We must find out where she is," Anala stated as she turned away. "And get to the bottom of what happened to Doom."

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----- Arus ------

Pidge turned on his scanners as he stood before the Blue Lion. Hunk had landed Yellow Lion just off to the side and was preparing the tow cables in case they need to pull the lion ship off the ground.

"I'm detecting two life signs under the right paw," Pidge stated as he looked up at the lion ship. Keith came to stand next to him as they stared up at the lion. "Strange, it's not even reacting to our presence."

"You said two life signs?" Keith asked.

Pidge nodded. "One sign is growing weak however," he stated. "We have to get Blue Lion off the ground."

"Keith!"

He turned around and watched as Allura jumped out of the transport Lance was piloting and ran toward them.

"Where is he?" she asked, a little out of breath.

"Under Blue Lion's paw," Keith stated.

"What?" her eyes widened at the statement. "How can that be?"

"We don't know, but he is not alone," Keith stated. "Pidge picked up another life sign."

Allura could only nod as she turned to her lion ship. She stared up at the Blue Lion, wondering what had happened to cause it to attack its own pilot.

"Let me pilot the lion," she stated.

"I wouldn't advise it, Ally," Pidge stated. "The thermal x-rays show that they are pinned under its paw. Any movement could end up killing them."

"How are we supposed to retrieve them?" Allura asked.

"Find out why Blue Lion would not answer to the signals we've been sending it," Keith stated.

"At least let me get inside the lion to see what happened," Allura asked. "Not so much to move it."

Pidge looked up at the lion then turned to Keith. "It wont hurt to try," he said. "But Ally, please, do not activate it at any cost. Not until we can ascertain just exactly how Neive is situated under there."

Allura nodded. She then breathed in deeply as she approached her lion ship. She knew that the lion would have only reacted if something were threatening its own existence, one aspect of the A.I. that the Voltron Force was quickly learning. However, she couldn't fathom any reason as to why it would attack one of the assigned pilots.

As she slowly neared the lion, a slight sensation started to emanate from her right wrist, and she looked at the armlet she wore. The red jewel started to pulsate and started to blink wildly.

She then heard a low growl emanate from the Lion ship before her and as she looked up, the Blue Lion had lifted its head to stare down at her. It slowly lifted itself onto its back legs, not bothering to remove its right paw from the ground.

"Ally!" Keith yelled.

Allura breathed in deeply, placing her hopes in that the A.I. aboard the ship would recognize her and stand down the lion. The Blue only roared as it then stood, bending its head down as it slowly removed its giant metal paw from the ground. It took a step backward before lying down on the ground again, as if it was back to its normal resting behavior. Allura let out her breath as she then stared in the direction of where Neive was now lying.

"Neive!" she yelled.

She quickly ran over to where her cousin was lying, and then noticed that he was covering another. Her eyes widened when she saw the shock of white hair and blue skin, and then realized that he had been protecting Princess Zeya.

"Neive!"

She quickly fell to her knees beside him and slowly turned him over. His eyes flicker for a moment and a smile touched his features as he looked up at her.

"Next time, remind me to set the parking brake before I leave the lion," he said in a raspy voice.

Allura could only smile as her teammates joined her.

"Hey, its Princess Zeya," Pidge commented.

Keith kneeled down as he pulled the unconscious princess from where she laid. He checked her over and noticed the bruising and the gash on her temple.

"She's breathing," he stated. "Slight concussion on her forehead. How did she end up with you?"

Neive coughed a little as he tried to sit up. He then let out a groan as he felt a sharp pain come from his stomach. He then realized that the knife she had stabbed him with earlier was still hilt deep into his side.

"Neive!" Allura nearly yelled as he doubled over. She then noticed the knife. "We have to get you back to the Castle."

Neive nodded but slowly turned to Keith. "You have to see to her care," he stated. "She's the key we need to find the sixth lion."

"What?" Pidge asked.

"Her mother was Princess Karone."

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----- The Elyts, Emerald Quadrant ------

Rolsin read over the reports as they displayed on the view screen before him. He then took a sip from the cup near, savoring the tea from his own home planet.

"Sire, we have cataloged all the slaves taken from Planet Doom," a soldier reported as he stood before the commander. "21,984 slaves, from various planets within the system. The Doom Citizens have been given a choice to join us in our battles, or to be sent back to the Drule
Supremacy to pay for the crimes that Zarkon has done. A majority have agreed to stay on."

"Good work, Gorin," Rolsin stated as he looked at the soldier. "And what of Zarkon's guards?"

"All robot guards have been decommissioned and put into stasis," he reported. "79,542 to be exact. His personal guards have been executed per your orders."

Rolsin smiled. "And what of our esteemed.... guest?"

"He is being held in the lower prison area," he stated. "Risen has assigned our Negators to keep watch. His witch Hagger, escaped before we could capture her."

Rolsin eyed the aging soldier. "Her robeast armies are gone, and with nowhere to go, she will find it difficult to place herself among those that Zarkon has shunned."

"Sire, we also do not know the whereabouts of Prince Lotor nor his sister, Princess Zeya."

Rolsin looked up at him. "Ah, so she does have a name after all," he stated. "We tracked Lotor's escaping ship heading toward the Garnet system. Princess Zeya was probably not on Doom when we attacked.

"Do you want to send out a search party for both of them?"

"No, no," Rolsin stated. "Our main concern right now is any retaliation we may receive from the Drule Supremacy. Even though Zarkon was not in their service, he still provided a good stance against the Alliance in their battles."

"And what of the Alliance?" Gorin asked. "They will be wanting to know what happened to Planet Doom."

"They will be dealt with as soon as the Drule Supremacy is destroyed," he said. "They will pay with their lives for what they've done to our system."

"Understood," Gorin stated. "And this was delivered to me a few moments ago."

Gorin then handed Rolsin a small message capsule.

"What is it?"

"Serif had been monitoring a strange signal that has come and gone over the last few days," Gorin stated. "He was trying to pinpoint where it came from, and then narrowed it just a few hours ago."

"What kind of signal?"

"He doesn't know," Gorin stated. "But he did say that it's communicating on an old Triasian wave length."

"Triasian?"

Gorin nodded. "It was three signals at first, then now it has become only one strong one," he explained. "Source seems to be coming from the Planet Arus in the Azure Quadrant."

"Arus?" Rolsin asked.

"Is anything the matter, sire?"

"No, no, Gorin," he stated. "It just seems that in everything that we do in this system, it all leads back to that little planet."

"I see, sire," Gorin stated. "I can send a scout to check on the planet. Maybe trace the signal?"

Rolsin slowly nodded. "Just a one man ship," he ordered. "Send Siaras."

"Sire, she just lost her two sisters in battle," Gorin stated. "I don't think it is..."

"No, she must learn to act on her own now," Rolsin stated. "Send her to retrieve whatever information from Arus as she can."

"Understood."

"Gorin.."

"Yes sire?"

"Even if she is your daughter, if she fails this time, you must see that she joins her sisters in whatever hell they've gone to," Rolsin stated. "It was her blunder that caused them to die."

"I understand, sire," he stated. "I will report to you when she has left for Arus."

"You're dismissed, Gorin."

Rolsin watched as the old soldier left his command area and noted that Gorin, even though a long time soldier, who had served in his father's army, would be one to watch closely. He then placed the message capsule in a small slot in the computer he fronted and watched as it displayed some notes on the signal that they intercepted.

--What is with this Planet Arus that has tied us all together?-- he thought to himself.

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----- Vallis ------

Anala played with the small message capsule as she stared out of the window in her study. She held little Reece in her arms as she rocked silently. He was sleeping soundly in her arms, not a care as to the tragedy that has befallen his father.

"You have to tell them, now," Graig stated as he came to stand near her. "Have you even bothered to read what is in that capsule?"

Anala slowly shook her head. "I'm afraid of what it will say," she stated. "What if the force that destroyed Doom was to come here?"

"We have the backing of the Alliance," Graig stated. "We have trained soldiers, the weapons left behind by Kellar have been updated and your people are ready for anything. Anala, you must do what you can to rally the Alliance together to find out what happened."

Anala could only stare down at the child she held. "I just hope that all we had to fight for to rid of Kellar, wasn't all for nothing," she stated as she stood from her chair, cradling her child in her arms. "To finally have our people free, to only be threatened by a much stronger force."

"You will have to fight your own inner demons if you are going to find the strength needed to fight whatever is looming over this universe," Graig stated as he approached her. "You must contact your brother; tell him the truth."

"If you want to defeat the force that threatens us now, you must listen to him."

Graig and Anala both turned to the door of her study. Their two cloaked strangers stood, with Alysson standing behind them.

"Mom?" Anala asked as she stepped toward them.

"It's alright, Anala," Alysson stated.

The two strangers then lowered the hoods of their cloaks and Anala's eyes widened.

"Lemille?" she asked. "Sendrre?"

"We have come to provide information...and guidance," Lemille stated. "For you will be up against a force with unimaginable strength."

"What are we up against, Lemille?" Anala asked. "And how do you know?"

"It was Ylren who foretold of the coming of the Triasians, many years ago," Lemille stated with a smile. "He continues to watch over us, young queen, and now, we are fulfilling our promise to serve him."

"But, he is gone," Anala stated.

"He is and will always be with us, Queen Anala," Lemille stated.

"Anala!"

Anala looked passed Lemille to see Xue enter the study. He bowed to both Lemille and Sendrre before approaching her.

"Doctor Eleis has asked for your presence in the infirmary," he stated. "Lotor is coming around."

Anala slowly nodded as she walked over to her mother. She then handed Reece over to her before leaving the room with Xue. Alysson turned to Lemille as she held the child in her arms.

"We must contact the Voltron Force and your Galaxy Alliance," Lemille stated to the former princess. "Time is short, and we must prepare them all for the coming of the Triasians."

"Who are the Triasians?" Alysson asked.

"A force that even the Drule Empire cannot win against."