Voltron and Co. belong to WEP, the rest belong to me.

"Sir! Enemy fighters attacking us!"

Haltor whirled around, facing the viewscreen. "What?" He turned to Haggar. "You told me they never take the offensive!"

Haggar shook her head in bewilderment. "They never have! They have always waited for us to attack first!"

"They've apparently changed their tactics. Launch more fighters!" Haltor ordered.

"Sir! They are breaking through! They're almost to the ship!"

Haltor peered up at the screen and narrowed his eyes. "I see only four Lions, and no sign of the other Team. We must have done more damage than we thought." His eyes lit up with an unholy glee. "Release the Robeast!"

Haggar stepped in front of him. "I told you, I need Keith unharmed."

Haltor glared at the witch. "Very well, bring me the Black Lion."

Keith watched as his Team plowed through the enemy fighters, almost decimating their ranks. Satisfied, he called out to his father. "Dad, how are you doing?"

"Right as rain son." Edward replied. "We've pretty much taken care of these guys, what do you say we head your way and—" His voice was cut off in mid-sentence.

"Dad? DAD!" Keith franticly pushed buttons on his console. He pinpointed his father's location and punched it up on the viewscreen. Enemy fighters were swarming the area. "Shit."

"Keith? What's going on?" Lance demanded.

Keith turned Black and headed towards the Castle. "Haltor's fighters are attacking the Castle. So much for a surprise attack."

"More than those fighters Keith, look!" Pidge exclaimed.

Keith looked up at his screen. A huge Robeast appeared in front of them. It was deep brown, with gleaming metal claws. It roared and advanced on the Lions. "Fall back!" He ordered.

The creature roared and swung one of its huge arms, catching Keith's Lion and sending it spinning across the sky. It followed Black and grabbed the Lion in its claws.

"Cap you all right?" Lance called out. "Keith! Dammit Keith, answer me!" There was no answer. "Cliff, get up here!"

"On my way mate. Move out Team." Cliff ordered. The Vehicle Force quickly launched and sped towards the Robeast. "That is one ugly piece of work." Cliff said, getting his first glimpse of the creature. "All right Crick, this is your party."

"Aye Commander. Let's take him down Team. FORM VOLTRON!" The fifteen ships formed the mighty robot. "Fire lasers!" Crick ordered. Yellow beams shot out and hit the Robeast in the back. The creature roared in pain. "Move in!" Voltron moved forward and swung his fist, connecting with the creature's midsection. It doubled over and fell back, abandoning Black Lion.

"Keith! C'mon buddy, talk to me!" Lance flew his Red Lion close to Black.

"I'm here."

Lance breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you all right?"

"Well, I'm seeing double, and since I only have one eye, that can't be good."

Keith punched a few buttons on his console and Black righted itself. "Cliff do you have things under control here?"

"Right as rain. Go, take down that command ship." Cliff answered.

The four Lions sped off. "Pidge, how close do you need to be?" Keith asked.

"As close as I can get. I've set up a communications net of my own. Once I activate it, they won't be able to talk to anyone!"

"Then let's put you on their doorstep." Keith put Black into a dive and feinted at the Command ship. The others followed close behind him.

Enemy fighters poured from the ship. "Evasive maneuvers!" Keith ordered. "Where's our fighter squadron?"

Allura's voice called out from his speaker. "Keith, we've suffered heavy losses in the fighters. I've launched the next group and the Admiral has launched his as well."

"Have you heard from my father?" Keith asked.

There was a pause. "He was leader of the squadron we lost. We haven't been able to reach him. I'm sorry Keith." Allura said quietly.

Keith closed his eyes and his hands clenched into fists. "Are the Castle defenses holding?" He asked hoarsely.

"Yes."

Keith opened his eyes and he stared ahead at Haltor's ship. His expression hardened. "Stay safe. Montgomery out."

"Cap? What's the plan?" Lance asked.

"We've got to stop Haltor from launching anymore fighters." Keith mused.

"And how do you propose we do that Skipper?" Hunk asked.

"I'm going to set my lateral thrusters on maximum and penetrate the hull of his flight deck."

"Huh?" Hunk asked.

"What did you say?" Pidge added.

"You're going to what?" This from Lance.

"I'm going to ram them."

Lance grinned wolfishly. "That's what I thought you said."

"Sir! The Vehicle Force is overwhelming the Robeast."

Haltor whirled. "Show me!" The soldier punched the image up on the view screen. It showed the Robeast and Voltron fighting. The Robeast was franticly trying to keep away from Voltron's sword.

Another soldier got Haltor's attention. "The Lion Force is attacking our flight deck! We will not be able to launch any more fighters."

"What!" Haltor roared. Before the soldier could answer, the ship rocked. "What happened?"

"The flight deck has been destroyed Sir."

"Destroyed? How?"

"It looks like the Black Lion tore it apart Sir."

Haltor snarled, his yellow eyes flashing. "I'll kill him."

"I told you, I need him alive." Haggar appeared at Haltor's side.

"What is so important about him witch?" Haltor demanded.

"You will see. I want him alive and unharmed, do you understand me?"

Haltor snarled again, then smiled evilly. "Fine. Release the others. Bring me the Black Lion. Immediately."

Cassandra Montgomery dove in and out of the enemy fighters, firing her lasers. She concentrated on the task before her, and tried not to think about her husband. Edward hadn't been heard from since the early stages of the battle. She glanced around at her squadron. "Pull back and let them get closer. See if we can break down their ranks." She ordered. "Alex?"

"Yes Cass?"

"Anything from Edward or the boys?"

Back on the 'Explorer', Alex shook his head. "The two Voltron Teams are heckling Haltor's Command ship. Nothing on Edward. We're heading that way to check as soon as we can. I'm sorry Cass."

"Sir!" Alex turned to one of Cliff's men. "It looks like the Command ship is on fire Sir." He pulled the image up on the viewscreen.

Alex peered up at the display. Sure enough, Haltor's ship seemed to be on fire and was listing to one side. He watched as Black Lion flew in close and disappeared into the smoke. The ship rocked again as another explosion shook it. "Keith! What is going on up there?"

Black reappeared on the back side of the ship. "I took out their launch bay. That should prevent Haltor from launching anymore fighters."

"Yeah Dad, he's up there having fun, while we're sitting around here, waiting to cover his butt." Lance shot back.

Alex grinned in spite of himself. "Good work. We may pull this off yet."

"Of course we will, I'm here!" Lance cracked.

Hunk groaned. "His head gets any bigger, and we're gonna have to enlarge Red's cockpit."

Pidge interrupted them. "Keith! Haltor just released two more Robeasts."

"Let's just try and hold them off until Cliff and the others can get here and help us out." Keith replied.

"Aye-aye Skipper." Hunk took Yellow into a dive, feinting at one of the Robeasts.

"Crick! How are you doing?" Keith called out.

"We should be finished here shortly. We'll get there as soon as we can." Crick answered.

"Roger that. Montgomery out."

Allura bit her lower lip in vexation as she watched the battle on the viewscreen. Enemy fighters swarmed the countryside, destroying houses, forests, anything they could. Her ships zipped in and out, trying to destroy them.

Dorma glanced up at her, than back to her brother. Hazar stood with his hands folded across his chest, eyes narrowed. He had refrained from giving orders, but Dorma knew from his expression, how much he wanted to. She placed her hand on his arm and sent him a tiny smile. He squeezed her hand without taking his eyes from the screen.

One of the aides turned to Allura. "Majesty, Haltor has released two Robeasts. They are headed this way." He turned back to the screen. "Correction, Majesty, they are converging on General Montgomery's Lion."

"On Keith? Why?" Allura asked puzzled.

Hazar turned to her. "I would have to guess that Haltor and Haggar want the Black Lion. And not so incidentally, Keith as well."

"He will not be able to stop them. They will take him. And they will kill him. Keith cannot do this alone. They need Voltron. They need you." Dorma told Allura, not bothering to mask the anger in her voice.

Allura looked from Dorma back to the screen. Sure enough, the Robeasts were following Keith's movements, ignoring the rest of the Team and the fighters swarming around it. She watched a few moments longer, then turned to Hazar. "Commander, you are in charge. Give any orders you see fit."

Hazar nodded. "Yes Your Majesty." Allura then turned and hurried from the room. Coran got up and followed on her heels. Dorma turned back to her brother, a crafty smile on her lips.

"Fladrea, dulas satta lifrte tey meket." Hazar frowned at her.

Dorma shook her head. "Vey cochova, dinto salla Allura vistetw qeaylu inees." She sighed. "Hazar, the Blue Lion is her responsibility. It is her duty to her planet and her people."

"Nonetheless, she is their Queen. You should treat her with the respect she deserves."

"She is not my Queen. I am the only one who does not treat her as if she were made of glass." Dorma sighed again. "Hazar, my husband and my soul-brother are out there, fighting for their lives. She was chosen to fly the Blue Lion and take her place with Voltron. Keith and the others need her."

"She has been through a terrible trauma. She may not be ready."

"There are others who have lost far more than she. Keith has told me she is afraid to fly. She will not even go near the Lions. The best way to cure a phobia is to face it. You of all people should know that cochova."

Hazar turned back to the screen and watched as Blue Lion soared into the sky. "Perhaps you are right Dorma. Perhaps you are right."