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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 20
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Keith quickly ran into the palace once he landed his fighter on the small landing platform. He was greeted by several of the palace guards, and they escorted him to the infirmary. There, in a quiet room, the guards left him as he entered the room in which his mother was in. Xue slowly stood when he saw him enter, careful not to disturb her as she slept.

"She's going to be fine," Xue said as he greeted Keith at the door. "Come, you can speak with the doctor. She is still resting."

Keith followed Xue out of the room and down a hall before reaching another. There, Keith met with an elderly man, who greeted him, taking him into the room. He motioned for Xue to stay outside, so he could speak with Keith alone.

"Alysson suffered a minor concussion to the back of her head," he stated. "She was sitting with Reece when the attack commenced and was about to take the child to the safety of our shelters here, when a few soldiers from the attacking force invaded the palace. They were pretty systematic and knew where to go, and their target suggest that they were here to kidnap the child."

"How long will she be out?" Keith asked.

"It's hard to say," he explained. "Im keeping her on watch as, since she was struck from behind, she had fallen where she was standing. In her condition, Im hoping it didn't have any side effects."

"Her condition?" Keith asked.

The doctor then looked at him. "She never told you?" he asked.

"Your mother is four months pregnant," he stated.

Keith felt the blood drain from him for a bit. "Pregnant?"

The doctor smiled. "Im sure she was just hoping to save the news for you at a later time," he said. "She wouldn't even let me tell Xue that she was. He does know now, however, since we needed to do a complete scan."

Keith swallowed hard . "Can I see her now?"

"It should be fine," he said. "Its time that she received her check up anyway."

Keith stood and followed the doctor from the room, back down the hall to where his mother was staying. As they entered, Xue stood.

"It's alright," the doctor stated.

Keith walked over to the bed and leaned over as he stared down at his mother. Her eyes slowly opened at his presence, and she smiled weakly at him.

"I knew you would come," she said as tears came to her eyes. "I couldn't stop them."

Keith took her hand into his own. "There was nothing you could do," he said. "These Triasians are a formidable enemy. Im surprised you even tried to stand up to them."

"How is Anala?"

"She is recovering," he said. "She didn't take the news well."

"You must get him back, Keith," she said. "Please, you must get him back."

Her eyes grew heavy again and she once again fell into a deep slumber. Keith leaned over and kissed her on her forehead before standing.

"The Triasian fleet is orbiting the far moon of Arus," Keith stated. "Im sure they would have taken Reece there. For what reason however, I do not know."

Xue slowly nodded. "Keith, there is something I have to discuss with you," he said. "It does concern Reece."

"What is it?"

"Come, I wish to not speak about it here," he said as he moved toward the door.

Keith nodded as he followed him to the door of the room. He then turned to see the doctor and nodded to him. As they left the room, he couldn't help but wonder what Xue wanted to tell him.

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Zeya stood within the tiny cockpit of the Lion ship, staring down at the three individual seats before her. She rounded the center one, taking her place as the view screen before her turned on.

' The system will now register you as the main pilot, the familiar voice stated. ' If you are the daughter of Princess Karone, the system should detect it and allow you to pilot the ship.

Zeya watched as a light beam ran over her, and after it passed, she looked at the view screen before her.

' You register as Karone's daughter. the voice said, and then the holographic image of the young man they had seen earlier appeared on the screen before her. ' However, because you do possess Drule DNA, the system will need to be overwritten to give you 100 complete control while in battle. Im sure that Princess Allura will be able to have that done.

Zeya regarded him for a moment. "Did Queen Marlena ever give you a name?"

' A name? ' he asked. ' I was never referred to by a name. '

"Would you mind if I gave you a name?" she asked. "If you are going to be an interactive AI, I think having a name would indeed help our conversation."

' What would you want to name me? '

Zeya smiled to herself. "Kieran," she said.

' Kieran? '

"It means, the supportive one, in Drule," she said.

' I like that name, ' the image smiled. ' We should be arriving at the new base in a few moments. I will be setting off the explosions to seal off the tunnel once we are a few kilometers away. '

"That way, no one can take the old tunnel to the new base?" she asked.

' Yes, ' he answered. ' Princess Zeya, would you mind if I ask you a question? '

"What is it?"

' Why do you help your enemies now? '

Zeya lowered her head for a moment. "I've come to realize that what they fight for, what they valiantly would give up their lives for, is far more rewarding than what my family wanted to do," she said. "It was them who opened my eyes to evil that my father was."

' I am glad to hear that, ' he stated. ' Then, you are ready to hear something very important. '

"Important?" she asked.

' Your mother left behind a message for you, ' he said. ' It was recorded when she returned to Arus, after escaping from Doom. Do you want me to play it for you? '
Zeya could only find herself nodding as she leaned forward in her chair. "Please."

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Lance sat up in the chair he was in as he answered the message that was coming in. The view screen before him flashed for a moment, then a hazy image appeared, then cleared as he saw Lemille within, wearing protective gear.

"Lemille?" Lance asked.

' Lance, is the Princess present? '

"She's busy at the moment," he stated. "What did you find?"

' We were able to locate Triasus, but you wouldn't believe what we found. '

"What is it?"

' The planet is completed devoid of life, ' she answered. ' The radiation levels are high here, suggesting that some type event happened here. '

"War?"

' It would seem so, Lance, ' she said. ' This could be the reason why they are traveling across the galaxies as they are doing. '

"But what would be the reason to do so, if they defeated the ones that did this to their planet?"

' I think there is more to it than that, ' she said. ' I'll be bringing back some samples so that we can test it. Sendrre and I will be returning to Arus, shortly. We should arrive within two days. '

"Understood," Lance said. "And be careful."

' We will. '

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"How do you know?"

"No one was closer to Ylren, than I was," Xue stated as he walked over to a wide window and looked out of it. "You and Anala are his descendants. And any children you would have..."

"Could receive his power?"

Xue slowly nodded. "Reece was born with a full set of wings, which you already know, is unusual for a Vallusian male child," he said. "And I've already sensed a strong presence that the child holds."

"If the Triasians know about this, they could try to use him against us," Keith stated.

"That is, if they know," Xue said. "I dont think the Triasians were doing this for their advantage."

"Then who?"

"The only person who would know," Xue said. "King Zarkon."

"You think that King Zarkon is now working with the Triasians?"

Xue nodded. "If he still works with his witch, it would be hard to say what they could do. They may try to force the power of the child out, or use him to lure you out."

"Me?"

"Ylren's power is still within you, however it may be weaker than before, you still are able to use it," he said. "If you fall into their hands, combined, they could take over the Triasian fleet, if they needed to."

Keith could only stare at him, as he remembered back to the mesa where he confronted Rolsin for the first time. He remembered grabbing a hold of Zeya and then a sudden force came between them that it sent the lord flying back.

"What is it Keith?" Xue asked.

"A few days ago, I confronted their leader, when he was trying to take Princess Zeya," he said as he turned to him. "I felt a sudden rush of power as anger filled me. It was so strong that I was able to send their leader flying, almost destroying the armor he wore."

Xue slowly nodded. "It seems that without Ylren's influence, the power you do have is only ignited when you are at an emotional high," he said. "Be careful in how you handle your emotions, Keith. You do not want to end up hurting yourself in the process."

"I have to return to Arus," Keith said as he shook his head. "Please look after Alysson. Take care of her."

"I will," Xue said.

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Haggar smiled to herself as she slowly approached the large tube standing in the middle of the room. Filled with an unusual liquid, she watched as the figure within breathed through an aparatus, as her magic worked on him.

"Soon, you will be ready to confront those that chose to betray us," she hissed. "In the meantime, I have several other surprises in mind that I must tend to."

She slowly turned, her cane echoed as it hit the steel floor below her. A thud sound from behind her caused her to turn and she smiled as she met the golden stare of the young man within.

The door to the laboratory she was in slowly opened and she smiled as she watched three Triasian soldiers bring in four prisoners.

"Under Risen's orders, we captured these Vallusian soldiers during our raid," one of them stated. "Where do you want them?"

Haggar smiled as she raised her cane. "You wont have to bother," she said. "You can leave us. They are harmless."

The three soldiers bowed before leaving, as the Vallusian prisoners stared up at her.

"Oh, you should be very terrified," she laughed as she waved her cane above them.

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Zeya sat quietly atop the Sixth Lion as she watched the sunset in the distance. They had made the way to the new base, which was situated 2 kilometers from Yellow Lions roost, near the edge of the forest where Green Lion was hiding. The tunnel to the old hiding space was now collasped, and any signs that it had been there had been erased. They were now, atop the new base, so that she could take the time to think to herself. She smiled to herself as she pulled her knees up to her chest, as she rested her chin against them.

"So this is the beginning?" she asked herself.

' Princess, the new tunnel to the Castle Of Lions is now ready, ' she heard the AI, Kieran say. ' I'm sure your friends are waiting for you. '

"If you dont mind, Kieran, I just want to spend this time here," she said. "At least till the sund goes down."

' I understand, ' he answered.

"Kieran?"

' Yes, princess? '

"You do not have to call me princess," she said. "Please, just call me Zeya."

' As you wish. '

She smiled. It was the first time in a long time, she felt happy. She was now with friends, who opened their arms to her, even though she was their enemy. She had finally found a way to know her mother, whom she had so wanted to see and meet. And now, she was accepted, as part of team to help fight against a threat, that only loomed as far as Arus' moon.

The sun had finally gone below the horizon, and the sky above her began to dance with tiny pinpoints of light as the stars started to reveal themselves.

' Zeya, its time that I settle in, ' she heard the lion say. ' Being in isolation for so long, I had only enough power to take us here. I must recharge. '

Zeya slowly nodded. "And I should turn in as well," she said.

' Zeya, the Nebris effect you told me about is completely gone from your system now, ' he said. ' When I did the scan earlier, I couldn't detect it. '

She smiled as she jumped into the cockpit. "That is good to hear," she said. "Let's go. Im sure that I've already worried enough people."

Zeya relaxed as the Lion ship moved into the new base to settle. She breathed in deeply as the chair she was in was then lowered as it entered the the chute that would take her back to the Castle Of Lions. It was definitely a new beginning.

--fin--

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So, last chapter in this story arc. now, you're probably yelling "WTF? What the hell!" "How can you just leave it hanging like that!"
DONT WORRY!
Im starting the new arc soon. So keep your eyes peeled for the first chapter of "The Pride of Arus"