Chapter 14: Preparations(Begin the Blitz Part 1)(Marinette's POV)
Author's Note: Just for time reference Nino's chapter happens before the whole Voltron Show begins so it's a little jump into a past event that occurred. Just to clear up any confusion. Also I am having a writing block when it comes to writing the other Voltron Shows(The ones happening after Clear Day), so I'll just skip writing that whole mess, because I cannot write about it for some reason. So just imagine that it went the cannon route and Coran's reason for taking the earwig thing that helps with his creativity is to help Marinette organize/construct the whole Voltron Show. Any who enjoy this chapter:)
Marinette enters the bridge. She recognizes Kolivan, and some other members of the Coalition. Though most of them seem to be attending via com links with screens, so basically Zoom expect something a little different.
Though she hadn't expected to see these people here. So why are they here?
"Marinette! Glad you could join us," says Shiro. He is wearing the black sweater she knit for him and the black pants. She narrows her eyes, "Shiro why are these people here? And why wasn't I notified?"
Shiro blinks, confusion spreading across his face. He quickly recovers though, "Oh. I just had an idea about how we could get more Galra territory and I didn't think…"
"You didn't think? You didn't think!? You should have notified me and ran the idea by me. I am the leader here. Am I not?"
She is seething and sad. How dare he not bring this up to her?! Cool down Marinette. Like he said he just didn't think. But still, isn't it protocol for her teammates to bring up any ideas they have to the leader and for the leader to decide if they will try it or not.
Shiro opens his mouth to speak, but Lance speaks before he can get a word out, "I told you you should've told Marinette. She is the leader, and yes Shiro I know you used to be, but the Black Lion hasn't stopped Marinette from piloting it. So until then she is one with the most authority in our team."
Gratefully Marinette smiles at Lance. The rest of the paladins sigh at the sight, but also nod in agreement to what Lance said. Especially Allura.
Exhaling, she speaks, "Now that we've confirmed who the leader is, Shiro, now you can share your idea with me."
"Thank you, but everyone has…"
"Just tell her. You know it will make her less likely to agree with your idea if you keep on trying to challenge her position. Besides you do need her permission if the Collision is to go through with it." Allura says, exasperated.
Shiro glares at Allura, but continues, "My idea is that there is this Galra headquarters established on this planet called Naxzela. If we take it out we'll be able to reclaim more Galra territory since most of their fighting force is on Naxzela."
"Because of us." Marinette states. "Since there is a Galra Headquarters there they will be expecting us to try and conquer it. That's why most of their fighting force on Naxzela."
"Marinette's right," Tikki pipes up, "I have seen many battles and usually this large of a fighting force at one place indicates a trap and that might not be even the full fighting force. There could be more to ambush us. Bait like this is to make you think that you will be taking out most of your enemy's army when in reality it can be turned on its head to be a massacre of your force instead."
"But there is also a possibility that it isn't a trap! That the Galra stationed there does not know we are coming! And with the help of the Voltron shows we have put on, our Coalition has grown within the span of a few days!"
Marinette shakes her head, "If there are indeed tons of Galra on that planet wouldn't it be better to use our big numbers to attack as many individual planets at once? That way we can free dozens of planets while the Galra still think we will attack Naxzela."
Kolivan clears his throat and Marinette and Shiro turn to look at him. "Perhaps, Marinette, Shiro, since most of the Coalition are tuning into this broadcast of sorts we can all take a vote as to who's course of action seems better. Shiro's plan of decimating Naxzela's Evil Galra population first and then free other planets. Or your plan where we assemble our forces to attack multiple planets at once while most of the Galra forces are thinking we will attack Naxzela, considering they seem to have fortified it with most of their fighting force."
"I think that's fair. What do you think Shiro?" She asks, looking at him again. His eyes narrow, but he consents with a nod, seeming slightly miffed that Kolivan did not take his side in the matter.
She wonders what happened to Shiro to suggest such an idea without thinking it through. He used to be their leader, did he not? Who always made thoughtful plans, including everyone, so why not her, right now, at this very moment?
And why is he having such a hard time allowing her thought to be justified on the matter of attacking Naxzela?
Haggar's/Honerva's POV
She looks through her clone's eyes. It was her idea for the clone to suggest going to Naxzela and fighting there. She wants nothing more than the Galra Empire to crumble, but, but what she wants most is her son to be with her again.
The only way she can do that is if she sets up a trap for Voltron so Lotor can go and join them and with his information the Galra Empire will be done within a year. Maybe less.
That and Lotor would have more protection if he went to join Voltron. Which means destroying the planet after Voltron has thought they have succeeded in taking over the planet from the Galra Empire.
Luck will have to be on her side for this work. Then she hears the vote result, "The Coalition has decided to go with Shiro's risky idea. As when we capture Naxzela we can set up a rebel base there so we can have more operatives go out to free planets without fear of losing fuel or supplies to help them on their journey deeper into Galra territory."
Hagger/Honerva can feel the pride coming off of her clone as he looks at the blue haired earth girl. The girl only nods, admitting acceptance but not showing that she accepts out of defeat. So that girl must understand their logic behind their decision to risk everything.
She can't help but feel, even though she has won the fight in a way, sympathy towards that young blue haired girl. As her plan seemed the most logical. Attack and free other planets all at once why most of the Empire's forces are on Naxzela.
That girl has a strategic mind. To which she is thankful that her clone isn't and that he has an easily susceptible mind when it comes to her giving him suggestions. Thankfully she hasn't had to take complete control over him, which she shivers at just thinking about.
Honerva gave the clone life, it can think and act for itself even though it has the memories of someone else, someone who looks exactly like him. So controlling him would be uncomfortable.
But she would have to do it, once Lotor falls into Voltron's grasp, but it has to be at the right time.
Somehow she feels like she is forgetting something, something about an Altean colony that has to deal with her son. But that can't be true. All the Altean were destroyed when their planet was set ablaze and then blown up because of the dark ritual she had performed. Which is the same one she will attempt to do on Naxzela, though Honerva could not remember where she had gotten that ritual from.
It was just one of the missing memories that still had yet to come back after her Remembrance had happened.
For now though she would have to watch, sit and wait for the time to come when she can use her trap to get Lotor into Voltron's protection.
Lotor's POV
"Why are we here in this asteroid belt?" Zethrid asks again, much to Lotor's annoyance.
But he responds calmly, "I told you, my mother built a gateway to a dimension where only pure vast quintessence is. She soon however realized that only Voltron, with its comet material, could access it."
Ezor says, "Then why aren't we enterin…"
"Because, Voltron has never been through the Gateway before, Ezor. And even though our Syncline ships are made out of the same material as Voltron, they don't have the added Altean Alchemy Voltron possesses."
"So Lotor, we're going to sit around all day? Not actually see if it works."
"It should work! Mother did not write anything done to indicate that Altean Alchemy is what we also need, I am just wary. We just had a battle a few days ago against our own kind!"
"Relax," Zethrid replies angrily, "and start driving this thing towards the gateway!"
The Syncline ships, having been morphed together looking like a knight, moves to go into the Gateway.