Here's a bit more...play an evil laugh in your heads...
Keith, Pidge and Crick had succeeded in driving the Robeast away from the downed ships. The creature roared in frustration as it tried once again to grab at them.
"Hey Keith, now that we've managed to piss him off, now what do you propose we do?" Pidge asked.
Keith thought for a moment. "The canyon. See if we can drive him off a cliff."
"Good thing you've got us here to help!"
Keith started at the sound of his wife's voice. "Allura! What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" She shot back.
"Dammit Allura!"
Crick cut in, interrupting them. "Thought you'd want to know, Lance has a concussion and what Cinda thinks is a broken arm."
"And Cliff?" Keith asked.
"It's not good. A rescue team is on the way."
Keith swore under his breath. "Crick, we can handle things here. Get planet side and do what you can."
Crick hesitated. "Are you sure?" :I don't want to leave you up here alone.:
"We'll be fine. Cliff needs you. GO!" Keith ordered. Without another word, Crick sped off. "Admiral! We could use some help."
"We'll be there as soon as we can Keith." Harrison answered. "Some of those damn fighters of Haltor's broke through our ranks. It'll take a few minutes for me to get there."
"We'll save some Robeast for you. Montgomery out."
"Keith! We've taken care of the fighters near the Castle. What's left of my squadron is on its way." Cassandra told them.
"We're right behind them." Ginger piped in.
"The 'Explorer' is under fire, take care of them first. We'll keep the Robeast busy until you get here." Keith feinted his Lion at the Robeast's head. It roared in frustration and tried to follow. "C'mon big guy, this way." The creature roared again and launched itself at Keith.
"Oh no you don't!" Hunk swerved in, throwing the beast off balance.
"My turn!" Pidge zipped under one of its arms and fired off a volley of lasers.
"You guys are having all the fun!" Allura called out. She dropped Blue onto the creatures back and tore at its neck. The Robeast thrashed in pain and anger.
"Pidge! What's Haltor's command ship doing?" Keith asked.
Pidge scanned the area. "This is weird Keith. He's just sitting there. Hasn't even tried to fire at us."
"Big idiot is probably hoping his Robeast will do his dirty work for him." Hunk muttered.
"Is it possible you damaged more than the flight deck?" Allura asked.
Keith shook his head. "I don't think so." He dove as the Robeast tried to grab his Lion. "Keep pushing him towards the canyon. Without Voltron, it's the only way we can get rid of him." Keith ordered.
The four Lion ships herded the Robeast in the direction of the canyon. The creature swung its arms at the ships, trying to take them down. One arm caught Hunk and sent him and his Yellow Lion spinning. He quickly righted himself and flew back at the Robeast, arming his Lion with a sharp blade in its jaws. "Take that you worthless piece of garbage!" Hunk yelled as he slashed at its face.
The creature bellowed and struck out, catching Pidge's Green Lion. It held the Lion tightly in its grip, crushing it. Pidge screamed in pain.
Keith snarled and launched himself at the Robeast's head. Black sank its claws and teeth deep into the Robeast's eyes. The Robeast shrieked in pain and hurled Pidge to the ground. Green Lion skidded across the ground and toppled over the edge of the canyon cliff.
"PIDGE!" Hunk yelled out. He sent his Lion after his friend.
"Allura! Follow Hunk, I'll take care of the Robeast." Keith ordered.
"Right!" She flew after Hunk.
Keith turned back to the Robeast. "Now it's just me and you." He snarled. He tore into the Robeast again. Suddenly, laser fire cut across his view-screen. "What the…?" He whirled around. Haltor's command ship was looming behind him. "Shit." Keith muttered. "Admiral! I'm in trouble!"
"Hang tight Keith, we're almost through here!" Harrison responded.
"We're right behind you Keith." Hans appeared in Keith's sight. Dreana followed close behind him.
"What do you two think you're doing? Get out of here!" Keith ordered angrily.
"No way Sir! We can help you hold this thing off until the others arrive." Dreana answered firmly.
"I order you to back off. NOW!" Keith told them.
Hans grinned down at his screen. "Hey Dre, I'm having a communications problem, transmissions seem to be breaking up."
Dreana smiled back. "I seem to be having the same problem."
"Dammit you two! This isn't a game!" Keith hollered at them.
Hans ignored Keith. "Dre, buzz his head, see if we can distract him!"
"Right on it Hans!" She sent her ship straight at the Robeast. At the last moment, she pulled up, causing the creature to lunge after her. Hans shot forward, hitting it on the back, causing it to lose its balance. It fell to the ground.
"Nice move." Keith told them grudgingly. He fired off a volley of missiles. The Robeast lay still for a moment, then exploded.
"And you wanted us to stay behind." Hans quipped.
Keith frowned down at his view-screen. "We were lucky. Now let's—" He was cut off as more laser fire from the command ship surrounded his Lion. He dove quickly, trying to evade it, but felt a shot hit his ship. Black shook and started losing altitude. "Get out of here!" Keith yelled.
Hans and Dreana fired off a few shots at the command ship before backing off to a safer distance. "What's going on up there?" Admiral Harrison demanded.
"Sir! Haltor's command ship is attacking General Montgomery!" Dreana answered.
Harrison punched up the image on his screen. It showed Haltor's ship chasing after Keith. "Damn."
Keith frantically tried to keep out of the way, but it was to no avail. The last shot had damaged his thrusters and he was finding it hard to maneuver. Suddenly, a strong yellow beam shot out of Haltor's ship, encompassing Black and sending a short electrical jolt through the Lion. Keith yelled out as the shock went through him.
"Farbroeder!" Hans shouted.
"Keith!" Dreana yelled at the same time.
"Stay back!" Keith pushed buttons on his console. Black couldn't move. "It's some sort of tractor beam. Don't let him lock on you! Get the hell out of here!"
"But…But—" Dreana started.
"I said get out! Head back to the 'Explorer', I'll be fine. GO!" Keith shouted. The two cadets paused a moment longer, then flew off in the opposite direction. Keith shut down Black and allowed Haltor to pull him aboard. As soon as he felt Black settle inside the ship, Keith pulled out his Key. He punched a few buttons and a small, secret drawer opened underneath his control panel. He slipped the Key inside and locked the drawer. He pulled a small vial off his belt and swallowed what was inside it. Then, taking off his helmet and aiming his gun at the top hatch, he sat back and waited.
Alex Harrison watched Keith's capture from the 'Explorer's' bridge. "Dammit, some one get us up there and help him!" He ordered.
"We can't Sir." One of the deck officers answered him. "We've taken a few direct hits. Decks six and seven are on fire."
"What about our fighters?"
"They're trying to take care of the remaining enemy forces Sir."
Harrison swore in frustration. "Crick, Ginger, some one answer me!"
"I'm here Admiral. What do you need?" Ginger replied.
"That bastard's captured Keith. Take what's left of your Team and do what you can to take down that command ship." He ordered.
"Yes Sir! You heard him Team, bring him down." Ginger and the remaining Voltron Force sped off in Haltor's direction.
Dorma stood outside on the landing strip, her hands clenched at her sides. Her eyes scanned the skies, searching.
"They should be here any minute." Annie walked over stood at her side. Dorma only nodded in reply.
Finally the sound of airships reached their ears and the ships themselves came into view. Annie and the other medics rushed forward as soon as they had landed. The rescue team wheeled Cliff out on a stretcher, Kim and Crick hovering at their side. Cliff was unconscious and his face was so pale it was almost grey. Blood had soaked through the bandages on his leg. Annie scanned him quickly. "Get him to Sick-Bay, we have an O.R. waiting." They rushed him in with Kim and Crick following close behind.
Lance stumbled down the ramp, one arm around Cinda for support. Dorma rushed forward. "Svavaliadeelin!"
"Hey Babe…" His voice trailed off and his eyes unfocused.
"Get him down!" Annie ordered, pushing her sister-in-law out of the way and easing Lance down on the tamarack. Blood dripped down the side of his face, and his expression was tight with pain.
Dorma knelt in front of him and pressed her hands to his temples. Annie and Cinda watched as color seeped back into Lance's face. "Dorma…God my head hurts…" He moaned softly as she moved her hands away.
Annie ran her scanner over him. "Looks like a broken arm, a few cracked ribs and a bad concussion. I can't believe he's even conscious. Let's get him inside." She waved and a couple of med-techs hurried over. The carefully hoisted Lance to his feet and helped him inside the Castle. Annie turned to Dorma. "You might as well come with us, since they'll be no keeping you away anyway." She hurried after her brother.
Dorma started to follow, but Cinda grabbed her by the elbow. "Dorma, wait." Cinda shifted uncomfortably. "Lance is in good hands. He'll be fine."
"But Cliff will not." Dorma finished.
Cinda's eyes filled with tears. "Please Dorma…"
Dorma softened. "You love him."
"As you love Keith. He's my brother and…he's dying." Her voice cracked.
Dorma hesitated a moment longer. Then she took Cinda's hand in hers and smiled. "Come Sister. We will help him together."
Harrison stood watching the Force's progress on the view screen. "How are they doing so far?" He asked.
"The Team's swarming around the command ship. Looks like they're causing mainly structural damage. He's slowed down." One of the men replied.
"Good. Hopefully Keith can find his way off that thing."
"Admiral Harrison Sir!"
Harrison turned. "What is it?"
"The command ship, it's sending off a strange reading." One of the soldiers pointed down at his console.
Harrison walked over and gaze down at the computer screen. "What kind of reading?" He asked.
"That's just it Sir, it's an energy spike. All Haltor's power is being diverted to the main reactor of his ship."
"Why would he do that?" Harrison asked, puzzled.
"I have no idea Sir."
Harrison continued to stare down at the screen. Suddenly his head snapped up and he rushed back to his chair. "Ginger! Get your Team out of there! He's activated the self destruct system! Get out now!"
What remained of the Vehicle Force continued firing on the command ship. Most of Arus's fighters had either been shot down or had returned to cover the Castle.
Ginger dodged a hail of laser fire. She turned to fire back when the Admiral's message came across her speakers. "Ginger! Get your Team out of there! He's activated the self-destruct system! Get out now!"
"What!" Ginger exclaimed.
"We're picking up a massive energy reading coming from the ship. Get out of there!" Harrison replied.
"You heard him Team, move out!" She swung her ship away from Haltor's vessel. "What about Keith?" She called out.
Harrison swore in frustration. "Have you gotten any communications from him? Anything at all?"
Ginger shook her head. "Nothing."
The Admiral bowed his head, eyes clenched shut. He then issued the hardest order he ever had to give. "Leave him."
Cries of protest cut across the speakers.
"WHAT!"
"Leave him? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You can't be serious!"
"No way!"
Harrison interrupted the chatter. "You have your orders. Move out." He closed the connection.
Ginger glared down at the speaker. "Gang, I think we just lost our message relays. I didn't quite catch that last order." Cheers erupted all around her. "Now let's go get him back." She led her Team towards the command ship.
Hans and Dreana moved in behind them. "We're staying." Hans stated firmly.
"And you can't make us leave." Dreana finished.
Ginger smiled down at the two young cadets. "Of course you're staying, Cliff made you part of the Team didn't he? Now get up here and give us a hand."
The remaining ships fired volley after volley at Haltor. The ship began to list and slowed down considerably. "We're getting there Team, a few more shots should—" She was interrupted as the command ship blew up with a thunderous explosion, sending the Voltron Force careening across the sky.
"What is God's name happened up there?" Harrison's voice sounded frantic.
Ginger shook her head to clear it. Her viewscreen showed nothing but smoke. "I don't know…Anybody out there see anything?"
"It's gone! The ship's gone!" Conrad answered in disbelief.
Ginger sent her ship climbing above the smoke. "What are you talking about…" Her voice trailed off. "No, Keith! No, no, NO!" She screamed.
Haltor's command ship had been totally obliterated. And it had taken Keith with it.