I do not own Voltron or anything even remotely associated with it. Heaven knows if I did, I would still have the toys. I can't give you any reasonable explanation for my absence save for the fact that I needed a break and that this is a pivotal chapter. It all comes out in this one, heh heh. I'll try be better about updating.. I know I always say that, but I have no evil PS2 game to interfere anymore so your chances have just increased. Hopefully this was worth the wait. :):)
Crisis
Arms folded across his chest, Keith stared straight ahead into nothingness, scarcely registering his surroundings, much less the words that were being bandied back and forth. Day three of the deliberations concerning their next move was progressing along the same lines as the second and the first. They were at a stalemate, despite Liran's best intentions. On one side was the Voltron Force and two Chancellors, on the other was the remaining Chancellors and Liran. After collecting and assessing all the information they had gathered from Aran's files, the Force had made a presentation on the first day of deliberations and suggested their next move. From that moment on, things had come to an utter standstill. Liran refused to even compromise and so here they were, yet again, closeted in the same room for hours on end until Liran's patience finally wore out and he inevitably stormed out in a huff. Today he had decreed that they would not adjourn, not even for lunch until they came to a decision. Other breaks would be allowed as the need arose but save for the water that servants continued to bring, they would partake of no refreshment until something was decided. After this announcement, Lance had quickly muttered in Keith's ear, "I've decided something. Liran's a moron," and it had been all the Voltron Captain could do to keep himself from laughing. He didn't know what was more amusing, listening to Lance's muttered comments or waiting to see how long it took Liran to notice that his wife had smuggled in snacks for everyone to eat while his back was turned so they wouldn't go hungry. Lance's comments were now being muttered to Calinda, however, though Keith doubted they were discussing anything that had to do with the decision they were supposed to be making. Trust Liran to want to mount a full-fledged search for Aran and his confederates. Most of them were of the opinion that Aran had accomplices; there seemed to be no other way that he could have overpowered all of the missing Force members but some, Keith among them, were reluctant to confirm such a thing. It was possible that he could have; they knew him and would have been off guard. At least they were all in agreement that the museum historian was the one responsible. Even Allura had been forced to admit that the evidence against him was too strong. The only trouble now was finding him. Keith and the others wanted to perform a covert search of the planet, preferably under the guise of their routine patrols but Liran, naturally, wanted to start the planet's greatest manhunt. The whole thing was a complete and utter waste of time.
"Captain! Captain!" Liran's voice broke through his thoughts and Keith gave himself a shake as he tried to put the glowering face of the Arusian monarch into focus.
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Have you heard a word I've said or were you conveniently ignoring the matter at hand again?" Liran demanded, the Chancellor he had been arguing with backing away with pointed relief as his attention was diverted. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Keith heaved a sigh and answered quietly,
"I apologize for my inattention, but if you will forgive me, Your Majesty, there's nothing you've said today that hasn't been said a dozen times the past three days. We're wasting time."
"And what do you suggest we do instead, Captain?"
"You know what I think, Your Majesty. I've told you every day that we've met. While we sit and deliberate, Aran grows stronger and his plans move even further ahead. When he makes his move...we won't be ready."
"And what makes you think he's going to make a move?"
"He's been waiting for us to figure it out. Now that we know, it won't be long before he realizes we do...he might already."
"How could he possibly know?" This came from a Chancellor on the other side of the room and Keith sighed a second time only to have Pidge beat him to it.
"It's quite plausible he has some sort of surveillance system in place. He kidnaped nine of the Force members right under your noses. We shouldn't make the mistake of continuing to underestimate him." Smiling his thanks at Pidge, Keith turned his attention back to Liran, the cold anger reflected in the monarch's eyes a familiar sight by now.
"Gentlemen, Voltron Force, I acknowledge your experience in these matters, but this is not ten years ago. We are not in a state of war..." Liran launched into one of his also familiar speeches and Keith unashamedly tuned him out. He had had it with Liran's protocol and desperate need for control. By dinner time even Liran's stomach would be clamoring for food and when they were at last freed from this room, he and Lance would put the plan they had devised last night into action. If Liran refused to sanction a covert search party, they would take matters into their own hands and form their own. Hunk and Allura would stay behind to smooth things over; for whatever reason, Hunk was the one member of the Force Liran had the least objection to, sometimes Keith even would be so bold as to think the King of Arus actually liked him. Which left the three of them to ferret out Aran's hiding place on their own. If they left in the middle of the night, Pidge knew how to deactivate the palace's alarm system just long enough for the three of them to slip out undetected. Underhanded and quite unlike his preferred methods, but Keith was getting rather used to doing things his own way instead of the way he was expected to. Once GG heard of his actions here, as they undoubtedly would, they might reconsider letting him teach his protocol class. The thought almost made him smile and he quickly checked it as Liran was still in the middle of his usual rant about the proper way to go about handling things. Across the room, Lance's attention was distracted enough from Calinda to briefly meet Keith's gaze, the disgust in his eyes the clearest indication of his feelings towards Liran Keith had ever seen him express. It was quickly replaced by a mixture of intrigue and relief however as the door opened to reveal a somewhat flustered looking messenger.
"I thought I said we were not to be disturbed," Liran said, pausing in mid-sentence to give the young man a scathing glare before picking up where he left off with an accuracy that even Keith had to applaud. The man was distracted by nothing when he was trying to make one of his points. Hovering for a minute with the look of a startled rabbit, the messenger swallowed and tried to make his way to where Allura was covertly passing off snacks without attracting Liran's attention a second time. Shifting his gaze to Liran so he would at least assume he was paying attention, Keith arched his brows skeptically in perfect timing to something Liran had said and silently laughed at the man's bluster. What on earth had ever happened to the man to make him have such a constant need to prove his worth? Keith doubted he would ever know but wondering was far more interesting than listening to him talk at the moment.
"What?" Allura's gasp echoed throughout the room and still Liran kept on, irregardless of the fact that his entire audience's attention was directed elsewhere. Nervously the messenger nodded only to have Allura unexpectedly grasp him by both his shoulders and shake him uncharacteristically.
"Are you certain? You've checked everywhere? Does Coran know?" Nodding limply as he was shook none too gently, the messenger didn't have time to say anything else as Allura promptly released him and ran towards the door.
"Allura, what did I say about..." Liran began, his indignation enough to make him forget protocol.
"Cael's missing!" She replied, not even sparing him a glance over her shoulder before disappearing through the door. Sitting stupefied on the floor from where she had dropped him, the messenger was once again seized, though this time by Lance.
"What is she talking about?" Lance practically snarled, grasping the man by the collar of his uniform and giving him an entirely undeserved shake. Eyes wide, the messenger swallowed yet again and glanced nervously at the room's inhabitants before answering,
"His Highness, Sir, the Prince, no one's seen him since his tutors dismissed him from his lessons sometime this morning."
"What?" Liran interjected, striding forward to stand next to Lance. Keith remained where he was.
"How long ago did anyone realize he wasn't here?"
"It was when he failed to show up for his afternoon lessons, Sir. He has physical training in the morning then a short break, followed by lunch and then his afternoon lessons. No one thought anything of it when he didn't take a meal, he doesn't always eat at fixed times but he's never late for lessons, Sir, and when half an hour passed..."
"When was the last time anyone saw him?"Lance continued to question, giving the young man yet another shake. From his corner of the room, Pidge sent Keith a questioning glance that his Captain didn't see.
"Four hours ago, Sir," the young man finally mumbled. Releasing him in disgust, Lance looked briefly at Liran and said,
"Sorry, Your Majesty, but this meeting's been adjourned." Liran said nothing, his own features undergoing a surge of different emotions. Striding towards the door, Lance slapped Keith on the shoulder as he passed and said, "Let's go." He was gone before Keith had even done so much as blink. A distressed looking Calinda soon followed him, her features an unusually pale shade and her brow troubled. After another moment, Liran picked up where Lance had left off, launching into an interrogation of the young messenger that was entirely unnecessary. Judging by the dazed expression on the monarch's face however, it seemed it was the only thing he could think of to do. As for Hunk and Pidge, they were quietly gathering up the Force's things in the midst of murmuring apologizes to the Chancellors. Keith still stood in place, unseeing, unable to see anything other than Allura's panicked face. If anything had happened to the Prince...it would crush her and even though he had had no part in it, he would never forgive himself. There was a small part of him too that was strangely screaming in pain at the thought of anything happening to the boy though he refused to acknowledge it. It was not his place to care about the Prince in any capacity separate from his being Allura's son even though it was that very emotion that was keeping him rooted in place instead of in the hallway trying to find out what was being done.
"Keith, come on!" Hunk said exasperatedly, giving him a slightly more gentle nudge than Lance as he passed. From Pidge all he received was a penetrating look, the slight gleam to the young man's eyes enough to startle him into movement at least. Once out in the hallway, he soon outpaced his companions, for all his shorter stature. This was no time for emotions. He could worry about how he had felt once Cael was back safe and sound, not before. Taking the shortest route to the control room, he strode through the doors with the appearance of a calm he was far from feeling.
Inside, Coran was already seated in his usual chair, his expression grim and years appearing on his features with every passing second. Unusually the screen was open to reveal the familiar landscape of Arus and Keith paused long enough to recognize the blip in the distance that could only be an approaching ship. Not surprisingly, every computer was manned and conversation filled the room as reports came in from every sector of Arus, specifically the Prince's known haunts. Phrases affirming the worst leapt out at Keith even as he approached Coran, his eyes still on the steadily growing blip on the horizon. In the corner Lance stood holding a shaking Allura, her once immaculate hair in disarray as she fought against hysteria.
"Who's coming?" Keith asked quietly as he moved alongside Coran, deliberately ignoring the sight of Lance comforting Allura even as he knew it was his own fault that he wasn't allowed the same privilege. Throwing him a glance, Coran studied the impassive features of the Voltron Captain for several moments before saying,
"I don't know, but I have a feeling that it may have something to do with the Prince's absence."
In response Keith simply nodded, keeping his eyes on the horizon. A bare minute later, Pidge and Hunk arrived, Pidge taking over at the monitors as soon as he could worm his way past the men already stationed there while Hunk went to temporarily relieve Lance in his role of comforter. Willingly accepting her substitute shoulder, Allura looked away only long enough to see Keith standing beside Coran before focusing wholly on Hunk's attempts to be soothing. Features grim, Lance moved to stand beside Keith and Coran, his gaze also riveted on the shape in the horizon that was looking more and more like a ship.
"I thought he was supposed to be guarded at all times," Lance remarked, the statement more for Coran even though he looked at Keith as he spoke.
"He was. His guards were found unconscious where he was last seen."
"All of them?"
"I'm sure you've found poison darts to be quite effective in your travels," Coran retorted, throwing Lance a look even though he knew as well as Keith that it wouldn't faze him.
"What about the guards?"
"They're being tended to. If we're lucky, we'll only lose a few." For a moment, the tension vanished from Coran's features as he looked over at Keith. The Voltron Captain never failed him; even in a state of crisis, he was concerned about everyone involved. It was a trait that never ceased to impress him, especially given the circumstances.
"Aran's going to be lucky if he makes it off this planet in one piece once we catch up to him," Lance said through clenched teeth, staring at the increasingly larger ship and clenching his fists.
"Are you so certain it's Aran?" Keith asked quietly.
"Who else could it be?"
"It doesn't fit. Abducting the pilots is one thing; there was no other way to get us all here but taking the Prince just doesn't add up."
"Come on, Keith, the guy just wants attention."
"If he only wanted our attention, all he would have had to do was to make sure he was seen somewhere near by. This is something else." Folding his arms, Keith said nothing further, aware that both Lance and Coran were eyeing him speculatively. Only Pidge had read more of Aran's journals than he in the past few days and it was enough to give him what he thought was a good grasp of the young man's character. This wasn't like the serious, straight-forward young man whose main goal was to be as truthful as possible. It was too flashy, too brash, too...Keith started as the approaching ship began to have shape and definition and what little color remained in his features began to drain away.
"Lance," was all he said, his arms falling to his sides.
"I see it," Lance replied, his voice suddenly as wary as Keith's. Bewildered, Coran looked from one to the other before focusing on the ship and he too, stared as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
"That's..."
"Lotor's ship," Keith finished for him, involuntarily taking a step forward.
"Or a damn good copy," Lance threw in, one hand moving as if to restrain Keith before thinking better of it. Eyes wide, Pidge quickly changed the screen on his monitor and began scanning the approaching ship.
"It's a copy but its capabilities exceed anything Lotor's ship could have done. Its faster and has the potential for better fire-power. We won't know unless they use it."
"Wonderful,"Lance muttered, turning to look at the stricken Allura no longer seeking the comfort of Hunk's shoulder.
"Is Liran coming?" She asked of no one in particular, her cheeks looking distinctly tear-stained. Looks passed between the four men who had left the room, three of them wanting one to speak who silently refused not to.
"He was busy questioning the messenger when we left, Princess. I'm sure he'll be along soon," Hunk said finally, glaring briefly at Keith before throwing her a weakly reassuring smile.
"Could someone tell him to come, he needs to be here," she said quietly. Wordlessly the man Pidge had relieved of his duties at the terminal left the room and Allura breathed a soft sigh of relief. Tending to her straggling hair, she smiled her thanks at Hunk and stood apart from him at last. She could be strong, even if she couldn't stop envisioning what might have happened to her son. He was far more useful alive rather than dead, no matter who had captured him; it was no different than any of the times she had been taken hostage. He would be all right, it was just a matter of getting him back safely. Or so she told herself. Unconsciously her gaze flickered to Keith as he stood with Lance and Coran. Not a single emotion flickered across his features, he was thoroughly immersed in his Captain mode and the sight of it was strangely reassuring. She knew that he hadn't been the first to dash from the room; impulsiveness had never been Keith's strong point, but she knew she could always count on him to be calm in any situation. Keith, at least, wouldn't let his emotions get the better of him and just the knowledge of it was enough to keep her steady.
Steadily approaching the castle, the ship that was shaped exactly like Lotor's circled once and then came to a stop with a familiarity that was unnerving. Hovering at the same distance Lotor had preferred, the ship sat there for several moments, its pilot obscured by the darkness of its cockpit.
"They're requesting a visual," Pidge said finally, looking nervously from Coran to Keith, his features strangely pale. Nodding his assent, Coran waited along with the others as communication was established between the control room and the hovering ship. What appeared on the screen before them sent a collective gasp throughout the room.
The outfit was familiar, hated, known. It no longer fit as well, however, being meant to stretch across muscles that were not there, or still in the process of developing, but it was the same in every detail. From the pale blue color to the black embroidered with red fringe, it was Lotor's costume, right down to the skull serving as his belt buckle. Even his helmet was a perfect replica, but its wearer was not. Not yet. The face that looked out at them from underneath Lotor's helmet was no more Lotor's than it was his body underneath the costume and yet at the same time it was. For the most part, the features of the man flying the craft before them still matched the unremarkable face that had been Aran's and yet there were subtle changes that hinted of what had to be an ongoing transformation. His skin was no longer the pale peach it had been, nor was it fully Lotor's pale blue, but a strange streaky combination that was darker in some places than in others. Though not slitted like the Doom Prince's, his eyes had become the same golden yellow hue and his lips had achieved the trademark Lotor sneer. In the process of elongating, his ears were the same two colors as the rest of his skin, swirling into peach and then blue in incomprehensible patterns. His hair barely reached his shoulders and was mainly a pale brown, despite the startlingly white streaks that snaked out from his roots. Never had Keith been so disturbed by the sight of anything throughout the entire galaxy.
"Greetings, Voltron Force. Ten years hasn't changed you much. I'm sorry to say the same cannot be said for me." Something plummeted and died within Keith as the man that was and was not Lotor spoke. His voice was Lotor's wholly and fully, there could be no doubt.
"Lotor?" Allura was the first to regain speech among them, her hands leaving her mouth from where she had clapped them in horror at the sight before her.
"Princess, it is good to see you again. And yes, it is I, Lotor, son of Zarkon." Mockingly he bowed to them, his eyes gleaming as they rested solely on Allura.
"What happened to Aran?" Hunk demanded, his fists clenched as he thought of the earnest young man who had told him more than he had ever wanted to know about Voltron every time he had seen him. Lotor laughed, the sound sending a chill through everyone who heard it.
"You still don't understand even after all the clues I handed to you. I am Aran, we are one and the same."
"Come on, Lotor. We've known Aran for years. You can't expect us to believe that you didn't just suddenly show up," Lance retorted.
"Ah but I've been here all along, you just haven't been able to see me. He always knew though. Who do you think first put it into his head that Doom wasn't being represented fairly?"
"Cut the theatrics and tell us while we're still young," Lance said, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from making a rather rude gesture.
"It's really quite simple. I did not go to our last meeting unprepared. I knew it was quite likely that your gallant Captain might make an end of me and so I took certain precautions."
"What kind of precautions?"
"Magic precautions. Haggar really was an ingenious witch...it's unfortunate I was never able to reward her properly. She devised a way for my spirit to remain, even if my body should cease living, and after some time send it to another body that would house it until I was ready to return. How she chose this young man, I don't know, but it turned out rather nicely for me. Imagine my delight when I awoke and found that the man chosen to aid me in my re-birth was not only a resident of Arus, but close to the very people I wished most to avenge myself upon. It's taken me two years to beat back that infantile professor you employ at that ridiculous museum, but now I am in full control. If I need him, Aran can re-emerge but he knows as well as I that this body, this mind, is mine now."
"That's why they didn't put up a struggle," Pidge said musingly, looking at the transformed Aran with a new light in his eyes that seemed strangely out of place considering the seriousness of the situation.
"All but your replacement Captain, he knew something was wrong even before I came out of the shadows. You chose well in that one. Or rather, your Lion chose well."
"What do you want, Lotor?" Keith said finally, stepping forward even though he knew it would do him no good. Behind him, Lance put a hand on his shoulder for an instant and murmured, "Easy," under his breath.
"Ah so the gallant Captain deigns to speak to me at last. I had a feeling it might be difficult for you, seeing as you were the one to end my first life, so to speak."
"What do you want?" Keith repeated, steadily meeting the golden gaze he had thought he would never see again. It was Lotor looking back at him, there was no semblance of Aran left in those eyes.
"What I want, Captain, has never been a mystery. I want what I've always wanted: Allura." Allura gasped, her hands rising over her mouth in horror for the second time as she looked back at the face that was a horrible mixture of two different sets of features.
"You really think we're going to just give her to you after what happened the last time?"
"Yes, Captain, I think you will. The lives of your nine missing pilots depend on it. And there is...after all...the Prince."
"You have Cael," Keith said flatly, not surprised, strangely uncaring. He had known, all along some part of him had known. Taking Cael was not the action of a scholarly man, however obsessed with Voltron and Doom he might be. It was, however, the action of a man like Lotor who cared for nothing but attaining his goals, no matter who he stepped on along the way. Smiling cruelly, Lotor scanned their faces for several moments and said,
"Perhaps I have the Prince and perhaps I only know where it is you will find him. Whether or not you find out, Captain, is up to you."
"Is it safe to presume that your terms are also the same?"
"Captain, you never disappoint me. My terms are precisely the same as they were ten years ago. Three days you will have to think it over, three days before I start killing your pilots one by one and this time, their deaths will not be pleasant, I assure you. Should you agree to hand Allura over to me, I will uphold my end of the deal and release one pilot a day until they are all returned to you. Should I find any evidence or even the slightest suspicion of anyone sniffing around for my location, the deal is off and the lives of your pilots forfeit. Do we understand each other?"
"I won't agree to anything until I know where my son is," Allura said suddenly. Simultaneously Lotor and Keith's gazes turned to her as she stood, rigidly straight, the old defiance back in her manner as she looked out at the man she, too, had thought never to see again.
"Allura, I give you my word that the boy is safe."
"I don't have much faith in your word, Lotor. I need proof that he's safe or I won't agree to anything, no matter what you do."
"Some things, apparently, have changed. I like your ruthlessness, Allura, it reminds me of myself. Very well. The boy is safe. Isn't that right, Prince?"
Smirking, Lotor gestured behind him, his expression growing only all the more mocking as two figures previously hidden in the shadows emerged. One was a Doom-colored man that Keith would later know to be the Doom supporter captured years ago while the other was a bound and rather scared-looking Cael. Lotor gestured a second time and his lackey removed the gag from Cael's mouth. For several moments the young prince simply looked back at them, his features so pale he looked rather like a miniature snowman and then he bowed his head and whispered,
"Mother, Captain, I'm so sorry."
"Cael, don't be sorry, it isn't your fault," Allura said soothingly, desperately trying to keep from crying at the sight of her son.
"But I knew he was under suspicion and I didn't run away. I'm sorry," Cael repeated, looking side-long at Lotor before hanging his head again.
"He was someone you trusted, Prince, it wasn't your fault," Keith said just as quietly, wishing that he did not feel nearly as relieved as he did to see that the boy was all right. At his words, Lotor started slightly and looked from Keith to Allura several times, his brows drawing together.
"As long as he is in my care, the boy will come to no harm, even if you are foolish enough to reject my offer. His will be the last life I take and even then, I will give you one last chance to save him. It is not my wish to hurt you, Allura, and the murder of your son is not something I expect you to forgive. Providing you accept my terms, the Prince will be returned to you when Allura is in my custody. I do not need them both. Do we have a deal?"
Lotor's gaze landed on Keith and the two men stared at each other for several moments, the old hatred springing to life with a strength Keith had not expected. As long as Lotor had the boy, he could do nothing, and even if they regained Cael, he would still have Allura and the pilots for a minimum of nine days. He was trapped, just as he had been ten years ago, and it was all the more maddening to know that he had been outmaneuvered by the same man again. Breaking Lotor's gaze, Keith looked at Allura, ignoring the reactions of his fellow teammates. It was her decision to make, hers alone, again, and he was powerless to influence her answer either way. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she looked back at him and all at once ten years vanished as the two of them were thrust into the same situation. Only this time, it was her son whose life hung in the balance instead of visiting dignitaries, her son and nine men who had done nothing other than try to protect the inhabitants of Arus. He knew what her answer would be, just as he had known ten years ago and he hated it now just as much as he had hated it then. It wasn't fair that she was always asked to do this. Why did she always have to sacrifice herself to save them all? Nodding imperceptibly, Allura wiped away the first tear to streak down her cheek and Keith turned back to Lotor with an unmistakable air of defeat.
"If you think I'm going to agree to even consider handing my wife over to the same madman who held her captive ten years ago, you must be mad."
Collectively the members of the Voltron Force groaned as Liran suddenly strode forward, his arrival completely unnoticed in the midst of Lotor's demands. Lotor's brows arched and he folded his arms, a distinct look of amusement overcoming his mottled features as he surveyed Liran's enraged form. Backing away, Keith let Liran take center stage, too wearied himself to want to protest against Liran's getting involved. He was Cael's father.
"So this is the man who married Allura. You're hardly worthy of her." Lotor dismissed him with a single glance and another time Keith would have been amused by the look of indignation that crossed Liran's features.
"Father," Cael murmured. Lotor started a second time before motioning furiously for his companion to gag him and drag him back into the shadows. For the first time since knowing the man, Keith saw Liran's features alter with some sort of tenderness as he beheld his son and his voice lacked its usual severity as he said,
"I promise you won't have to stay with this madman any longer than you have to, Cael. I promise." Something shone in the boy's eyes and he nodded at his father even as he struggled against the man trying to drag him back into the shadows. Fear replaced Liran's defiance and it wasn't until Cael was safely in the back of the ship before Lotor spoke again, drumming his fingertips against his chair with irritation.
"I don't care for your use of the word 'madman' to describe me. It's far from accurate."
"Everything I've ever heard about you supports a lack of sanity. Only a madman would make these sort of demands."
"I disagree. It is a clever man who makes them. Especially when they've worked for him once before and will work for him again."
"Disagree all you like. I will never agree to give my wife back to the man who raped her ten years ago."
"Liran, no..." Allura cried shrilly, a desperation overcoming her that hadn't been present since she first demanded the whereabouts of her son. Lotor's brows arched yet again and his amused expression only grew as his yellow gaze flickered from Allura to the seething man she had married.
"I? Raped Allura?"
"Yes," Liran said vehemently, his hands clenched into fists. All the breath left Keith's body and the details of the room slipped out of focus. Staring back at him incredulously, Lotor threw back his white-streaked head and laughed loudly.
"I may have discovered the location of her tracking device without the use of force, but I did not steal her virginity from you. That pleasant task was done by someone else." Smirking openly, Lotor's gaze fell to Keith with a significance that was not lost on Liran and his features began to darken frighteningly. Unseeingly Keith stared straight ahead, aware of nothing, not even the incredulous glances directed towards him from nearly every corner of the room. He thought of nothing other than the only way Lotor could have found Allura's tracking device. As for Allura, she, too, avoided the gazes continually cast in her direction, tears streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands.
"Voltron Force, I assume we have a deal. I will return in three days' time to work out the final details. I trust you will not disappoint me. I am sorry for having to take your son, Allura, but we both know that you would not have come to me any other way. And you are meant to be mine, it's time you realized that once and for all." Looking from Liran to Keith, Lotor shook his streaked head and laughed before turning his ship around and vanishing on the horizon.
"Keith?" Lance ventured, tentatively stepping towards him. Whether or not Keith heard him, Lance never knew. He only knew that his second attempt to gain Keith's attention never left his lips as the Voltron Captain promptly turned and left the control room without saying a single word.