Thank you all so much for reading. My apologies for posting so many months apart, it has been horribly busy at work. Special thanks to Mertz for all her help in editing. So appreciative. Enjoy this next chapter. One more to go!
Snyperlady: So glad you like it! I'm so thankful that I am almost done with this story. So many years, but I couldn't leave it unfinished. Yay!
Guest: Cool! Thank you. I'm glad I'm back.
LadyD68: Thank you so much and thank you for liking the story. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Hope you stay to read the ending!
RossoDiSera: Thank you! I enjoy writing action scenes. They just take a lot of time to get then them finalized. The VV appearance was spur of the moment. But, I enjoyed when I wrote it. I hope I did it justice this time.
Feli3: Yay! So happy you're happy. Hope you like this next chapter.
LibAkilah: I'm so glad you liked this story. It's actually my favorite one out of all of the ones I've written so far. Maybe that's why I want to complete it. Thank you for reading.
GoPinkLion: Oh my God! You got emotional over the anti-heroes. That means so much to me. Thank you so so much. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. I'm so grateful.
FroobyB: Yay! Glad you're enjoying it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I've never seen the movie about the Dragon, but yeah, you got the Terminator reference. That was sort of what I was going for. Thanks for reading and enjoy the new chapter!
Sisina: I hope I met your expectations. I really do. Enjoy!
Sunshineleo: Aww. Thank you so much. Thank you for reading and enjoying my story. I really feel bad about posting so many months apart. It's brutal and so busy at the hospital. But, thank you for recognizing all our healthcare workers.
Playlist
Audiomachine-Sun and Steel
Audiomachine: Rise of the Black Curtain
AudioMachine: The Lion's Heart
Full Tilt: Android Dreams
Chapter 38
The two hadn't been back for the past three days, mostly to prevent themselves from getting caught since the area had been unusually busy. But, now, there was no choice…and for the moment, no one was there. Hidden cameras showed there had been no activity in the last hours. They didn't think the solitude would last long though; the fight outside could be heard even from their location. Their hearts beat intensely, if the witch needed something from that room…well, they prayed they'd be out before she showed up. One of them, the woman, was adamant she had finally broken the code, now she had to prove it.
"This is not good," the man whispered. "We are crazy for coming here. It's too dangerous."
"You have a better idea," she whispered back, "Voltron, Garrison and the Corps are out there risking their lives, and I'm sure none of them know how to destroy that monstrosity Haggar created."
"And you think you can?"
She smirked, "Only one way to find out."
"What if you're wrong?"
"Pray that I'm not," she shook her head, "There's no way to destroy that thing without the code."
The two made their way into what was once the witch's lab. In there, they found a laboratory that contained both new technology as well as elements from the past. It seemed that Haggar found it easier to work in her own lair after her return to Korrinth. This had worked well for Genevieve, who was able to steal actual samples and work her own magic in the makeshift lab in the caves.
"If this thing actually works, how will we get the information to them?"
"Stoller has been working on fixing the transmitters that were destroyed in the initial attack," she replied. "He's close. Last night, he was able to transmit a visual signal from the satellite feed. If there was anyone watching, hopefully they saw it."
As they looked around the lab, she identified the magnetic Nanosensor machine in an area that contained more advanced devices. It was a cylinder-like structure that stood 12 feet in height and 4 feet in width, with a clear screen enveloping the main body. The top and bottom part of the cylinder were made up of chrome. Next to it, a computer touchscreen controlled the structure. Walking toward it, she pulled out the vial she had in her pocket before handing it over to her partner, "Here, insert it when I tell you to."
Genevieve went straight to the computer console and quickly typed in the codes. She knew she didn't have much time, so she made sure to remember each and every step to turn on the deadly device. "It will ask me to insert the vial in five seconds, get ready."
As she spoke the words, the cylinder lit up and both watched the little fly-like creatures flutter around in a synchronous pattern inside the structure. "The biggest misconception is that they probably think that these things are made up of titanium or chrome, but they're not," she began. "It's actually a combination of Tungsten and Iridium. There's no way they could have identified the metals without a proper sample."
"They created their own metal?"
She nodded as she kept on typing, "Yeah, that's what I think. But not a normal metal, these things are made up of metals and chemicals that can only melt at 19,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It's virtually impossible to destroy until you know what degree to melt them in. This and the fact that they inserted smart technology in them…"
"They are smart and strong," he sighed. Looking around, he asked, "How long until you get your answer?"
"Almost there," she answered, "If I'm right, what they created is an unknown metal that I'm calling Tunridium."
"That name is weird."
"Shut up," she snorted. "You have a better name?"
"You can call them whatever you want, as long as you melt the bastards."
She smiled, "I'm going to melt these things dead and then we'll know if I broke their code. Get ready to watch the show."
They watched the cylinder change colors as it heated up, the flying creatures lost their perfect dance and began to fly around wildly, trying to break out of their containment. Both trespassers smiled as they watched the little things hit the walls of the structure and melt away.
"Yes!"
"You did it," he said with complete shock, but she noticed pride in his tone. Suddenly, the alarm systems went off. He looked at her, "There's no way we'll get back to the caves unless we create a distraction."
"What are you suggesting?"
"I'll distract them, you get back."
"Are you crazy?" she almost shouted. "There's no way you'll be able to get away from them!"
"If they catch us both, there won't be any way to get the message to the Voltron Force. And they'll know Stoller and the others are alive," he shook his head. "The base will be comprised. You need to go now, Ginny."
"What about you?"
"I'll get away, I was able to before."
"I won't let you sacrifice—"
"Genevieve! You have to go!" he looked around, "They are almost here. I'll stop them to give you enough time to leave."
"But−"
"Ginny, go!"
She looked at him and sighed, "Damn you! Don't get caught!"
"I don't plan to."
XXXXXXXXXX
The first blow hit them at one hundred miles per hour. The beast slammed Voltron down to the red desert ground so fast that no one from the Force knew they were on the ground until they watched Vehicle Voltron try to grab the Drule robeast by its neck before it disintegrated and re-formed itself within seconds, this time grabbing Vehicle Voltron from the neck and flipping it back with incredible ferocity.
"I hope you're having fun, Kogane," Lotor's image came up on Keith's vidscreen. "We made it especially for you."
"Didn't know you cared so much," the captain answered as he quickly brought Voltron up.
"Keith," Darrell called out from a private line as he also heard Lotor's taunting, "We gotta do something, man. This thing is sucking our energy dry."
"I don't think any of your past tricks are going to work this time," Lotor continued his mocking. "But, I am enjoying your tenacity."
The robeast turned his attention back to Voltron. Forming a hand into a fist, it slammed the mecha in its torso before taking its other fist and decking his face. Voltron went down once again without a fight.
"Damn it!" Lance cried out. "We're getting the sh−"
"We know!" Hunk yelled. "And if we don't come up with something soon, we're though!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Ginny didn't have time to think. Instead of arguing, she took off running back to the entrance that would take her back to base. Not too far behind, she heard the running and sounds of laser guns. The Drules had found her friend and she couldn't help him.
She ran down the corridors of the Drule castle with a speed she didn't think she had. In her mind, she had to get back to base, it was the only way to save the Voltron Force, the Garrison, hell the entire galaxy. If this monstrosity lived, they would all die. But, for her, the only thing she wanted to do was save her friend.
XXXXXXXXXX
Three hits to the torso left a number of controls partially functioning for Vehicle Voltron. The beast, after slamming Voltron into the side of a mountain, turned to the other Voltron and began the pounding from hell.
"This could be going better," Ginger replied, trying to regain the controls of her ship.
"This thing is impenetrable!" Shannon responded, shaking his head in frustration. "What the hell are we supposed to do?"
"Just keep doing your best," Jeff answered, "Sooner or later, something's bound to go our way."
"Ever the optimist," Rocky chimed in. "You sure Kogane knows what he's doing?"
Finally getting away from its grip, Vehicle Voltron rose, "He'll come up with something, we just have to do our best in the meantime."
XXXXXXXXX
Ginny was a few feet away from the entrance of the Pit of Skulls. For the Drules, the Pit of Skulls was a room that was used to torture slaves and prisoners of war. Around the room were a number of torture devices, but the worst one was the pit, a cavity on the ground surrounded by skulls of different beings from around the galaxy. The hole served as the last stop for the poor prisoners who would meet their demise by falling inside the hole and burning alive.
It hadn't been used in years and little did the Drules know that Garrison had created another purpose for it.
About to round the corner to enter the room, she was met by a Drule robot soldier that raised its gun and aimed at her. The woman didn't hesitate, her gun was already in her hand. She raised it quicker and fired at the robot's head, blasting it's head off its body.
Continuing to run, she headed straight to the pit. To the naked eye, it looked like a deep endless black pit. But, the around the exterior of the opening, there was something that not even the Drules knew about.
Ginny kneeled and placed her hand on one of tiles around the opening. Within moments, a tile split open and a small keypad lit up. Entering a code on the keypad, a gateway appeared inside the opening and Ginny dived in, disappearing within the opening.
Instantly, she was transferred to another place, a room with a circular platform where she stood. Quickly, she jumped off the platform and ran over to a door that slid open after she entered the code to enter. She found her commanding officer, General Stoller, who asked, "Did it work?"
"Yes, we need to get the information to them now!" she answered while pushing past him.
"Where's—"
"Buying us time!"
XXXXXXXXX
"Kogane," Jeff shouted, "I don't know what else we can do! It's beating the crap out of us."
"We don't give up," Keith shouted back, "This thing has to have a weak spot. We just have to find it!"
"Chip and I are still working in it," Darrell answered, "We just need to keep testing it. We'll find it."
From her cockpit, Lisa sighed in frustration, "Find it when? When it rips us apart?"
"Put a lid on it, Lieutenant," Allura yelled at the younger woman, "Now it's not the time to doubt. We fight until we win."
The beast suddenly formed into a massive tornado, taking both Voltrons together before tossing them in opposite directions.
"Damn it!" Lance yelled. "I'm getting tired of this thing. Darrell, Chip, find its Achilles' heel. And find it now!"
XXXXXXXXX
"General, please tell me that the communication room is fully functioning now," Ginny said as she ran toward the room that had been under construction for months. It sustained serious damage after Lotor first attacked Korrinth and to regained control of the planet.
"James was able to enter the city and work with some underground merchants. He just got back with the pieces and is installing them as we speak."
"Well, he needs to finish now," She barked, "They are getting killed out there. We need to give them the information."
Walking into the communications room, Ginny watched a young man with brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a styled beard decorating his jaw, working massively on the bridge of the communications console. He paused to glance her way, "Lieutenant, give me five minutes. I'm almost done."
"I'm giving you three, Private," she replied in a firm and anxious voice, "If they don't get the information, they are not only dead, but we are too!"
XXXXXXXXX
Desperately trying to connect to the lions, Keith was finding communication difficult. When they fought, his concentration was on the battle. They could communicate, but linking their souls was at times a challenge. This fight was almost impossible and Keith deduced that they were also working on finding a way to destroy the monster. He knew that if they found the answer, with their own magical ways, they would tell him. But, he also knew this monster was not necessarily magical, it was scientifically created. The witch used her devices, but not her magic, and this posed a problem.
"What do we do Keith, have they told you anything?" Allura came up on screen.
"Nothing, Altair," he shook his head as he threw a couple of stingray missiles to evade another incoming attack from the beast. At this point, all they could do was take a defensive position and wait for an answer. Then he had an idea, "Jeff!"
"Yes, Captain," Jeff answered as he came up on another screen.
"Find the base where they are controlling this thing," Keith replied. Why hadn't he thought of this before? "It's underground. Darrell, send them the specs. Jeff, I don't care what you have to do, blow it up, disintegrate it. I don't care who's in there. Get rid of it."
"On it!" Jeff replied without hesitation. Moving away from the fight, it left Voltron within the path of the Drule creation.
"What's your plan?" Allura asked, uncertain of where Keith was headed.
"We may not be able to destroy it yet," he replied. "They have to be controlling some aspect of that thing. If it loses its puppeteers, then it's on its own. Perhaps, it won't be as smart as it is now."
"That's not a guarantee," she answered. She wasn't challenging him. It was a matter-of-fact statement.
"I know, Altaire," Keith nodded, "But I have nothing else for now until we see how it behaves without Haggar or the others controlling it."
"Okay," she sighed, before her eyes widened as she watched a ball of fire head straight at them. Immediately, Keith moved Voltron out the way, evading the ball. "What the hell was that?"
"It's version of all the stuff we've been defending ourselves with," Hunk replied. "It's copying our weapons and making versions of them for itself."
XXXXXXXXXX
"I got it!" James yelled as all the lights on the panels ignited. Within seconds the entire room lit up like a Christmas tree. The kid almost teared up with excitement and pride.
"Damn good job, Private!" Stoller answered as he began keying in codes. The vidscreen turned on and waited for instructions.
"James, you are a godsend!" Ginny yelled as she hugged the young man. She couldn't help it. Finally, after months of rebuilding the areas of the room that had been destroyed in the attack, the communications station was fully functioning. "Secure the line and get me Voltron."
"Yes, ma'am," the kid immediately went into action. Within moments, the image of the fight came up in full screen. The three watched in awe as the Drulian monstrosity attacked Voltron. Meanwhile, Vehicle Voltron attacked the underground base where the witch spent her days.
"Lieutenant," James watched the screen, "Which Voltron?"
XXXXXXXXXX
The first couple of hits shook the base, but the next set left most of the computer consoles and other devices useless. "Damn it!" Lotor screamed. "Aren't they supposed to be fighting with the other Voltron?"
"I'm not sure why it's targeting us," Cossack responded as he tried to fix the console that began heating up. Smoke was already coming out. The other Drule officer ran around the base, trying to contain electrical fires from a couple of consoles that had short circuited.
"We need to get out of here," Haggar said as she walked toward the exit area. "They are trying to destroy the base. They think that we are controlling our beast from here."
Looking at Cossack, Lotor turned, "We won't salvage anything here. Evacuate everyone back to the castle."
XXXXXXXXX
The last hit blindsided them. Voltron crashed against the peak of a mountain before it fell hard to the desert ground below.
"Well, that could have gone better," Lance said as he wiped away blood trickling down his cheek. "Got any more ideas?"
"It was worth a try," Hunk responded as he settled back into his seat. The impact had thrown him out of the chair.
Inside Black lion, Keith sighed in frustration. Nothing had worked. The monster didn't tire, didn't hesitate, and didn't stop. He hadn't found a way to destroy it. But he wasn't going to give up. Something had to weaken the thing, he just needed to have the patience to find the answer. "Darrell, anything?"
Shaking his head, the younger man answered, "Nothing boss." No sooner had he said those words when they all heard a communication notification. "Keith, I'm getting a communication, but it's not coming from any of our channels."
"Drule?"
"No," Darrell shook his head. "It's coming from Korrinth, but it doesn't appear to be Drule." Remembering the signal from the night before, Darrell had a gut feeling, "I think they're friendlies."
"Patch it through." Keith turned to watch the beast as it set its sights once again on Vehicle Voltron. Quickly, he took the call, "Kogane."
"Captain, this is Lieutenant Genevieve Palmer, Garrison. I don't have the time to explain, but I have found a way to destroy the Drule robeast."
"Tell me," Keith ordered.
"The creature is made up of a combination of Tungsten and Iridium, very uncommon metals only found in the vast areas of various galaxies. They are uncommon in ours so that's why it was difficult to tell what it was made up of at first. The only way to destroy the metal is to melt it. For these particular metals, I have found that nineteen thousand degrees will melt it away in just under a minute."
"Are you listening to this, Darrell?" Keith asked.
"Yeah," concern etched in his voice, "There's no way Voltron has the power to produce that kind of heat."
In a move that came out of nowhere, the beast turned away from Vehicle Voltron and slammed into Voltron with its full weight. Both robots plummeted to the desert ground.
"God!" Ginny yelled. "Are you all alright?"
"Could be better," Keith answered as he sat back up in his chair. "Thanks for the intel, Lieutenant. We will find a way."
Cutting communication, he watched the vidscreen, waiting for the beast's next move.
XXXXXXXXX
As they made their way back to the castle, Lotor had a niggling feeling in the pit of his stomach, "I don't like how this is going."
"What do you mean?" Cossack asked as he watched Lotor enter the code to open the doors of the corridor that would take them back to the castle.
"I don't know," the prince shook his head in frustration. "I have this unsettling feeling that something will go wrong."
"You worry too much, Lotor," Haggar responded calmly. "We will continue to watch their demise once we are back in Castle Control. Don't be surprised if our beast has already destroyed them before we reach the castle."
Lotor didn't answer. Haggar knew much more than either of them did, but the feeling wouldn't leave and Lotor never dismissed his feelings. As they walked down the corridors, he finally turned to Cossack, "Seal all access to the castle."
"Lotor!" Haggar looked back at her son, obviously surprised and disappointed by his lack of confidence.
"I will not dismiss this feeling as trivial," he looked at her. "I'm taking precautions. Does that hurt anything?"
She stared at him for a moment before answering, "I suppose not." With that, the witch continued down the corridors on her own.
Looking at Cossack, Lotor ordered. "Gather the troops and guard all entrances. I want to make sure that if I'm right, we are prepared. Also, prepare my swords."
"For what?"
"If I'm right and Voltron wins the battle, Kogane will be coming for me."
"Do you really think so?"
"I would."
XXXXXXXXXX
If they didn't see it with their own eyes, they wouldn't have believed it, the monstrosity the Drules called a robeast was beginning to eat Voltron.
"Keith, it's eating through the first layer of metal," Hunk yelled, utterly surprised by what he was seeing.
"What do we do?" Lance asked. "We can't move."
"Keith?" Allura turned controls to watch Keith's reaction, "What do we do?"
Thinking quick, Keith replied, "Disengage Voltron. We need to get away from this thing."
"If we disengage, the full weight of the robeast will be on Black Lion," Allura answered, "You can't take the entire weight."
"I don't think I will," Keith told her. "Do what I say. I have an idea, but we will to act fast. Disengage. Now!"
Following orders, the four lions began to disengage from the torso of Black Lion. As that was happening, Keith connected to Vehicle Voltron, "Jeff, I want you to disengage Vehicle Voltron and fly up with the rest of the lions. Make sure the robeast sees what you're doing."
"What are you thinking?"
"Just do it," Keith ordered.
Jeff commanded, "Alright Team, you heard the man. Disengaging Voltron."
As Vehicle Voltron began dismantling, the robeast watched for a few seconds and it also began to change form. Keith took the opportunity to get away and flew up to join the rest of the crews.
"What now?" Darrell asked.
"Darrell, how much heat can Voltron push out at full power?"
"At full power? About twelve thousand degrees? Maybe a little more. But Keith, there's no way-"
"Not only us," the captain responded. "Jeff, how about Vehicle Voltron. How much heat can it put out?"
"Chip?"
"Full power? Not as much as Voltron, maybe close to it? You have to remember, our Voltron is still at an experimental stage. Eight, maybe nine thousand. But only for a few minutes."
"We are cutting it close, but it will have to do," Keith stated with determination. He watched as the robeast continued dismantling, trying to figure out what to form itself to, "Here's the plan. We are going to form both Voltrons at the same time. Close proximity. We are going to engage and disengage until I tell you to form Voltron and hold.
"Are you nuts?" Lance responded. "That's going to be one chaotic mess!"
"Exactly," he responded. "We need to confuse this thing long enough for us to hit it with every weapon we have."
"You think that will work?" Hunk asked.
"It's the only thing I can think of."
XXXXXXXXXX
Once they reached the castle, the trio went their separate ways. Lotor headed to the castle control, Cossack prepared the troops at Lotor's request, and Haggar decided to go to her lab to prepare for the robeast's homecoming. She had no doubt that it would succeed in the destruction of the Voltrons and its crews.
The entrance that they used was closer to the older parts of the castle. She had a long walk to the new lab. As she passed the corridors, she noticed something that wasn't there before. The walls had holes from laser shots. "What has happened here?"
She followed the trail of the blasts and they led to her old lab. Going in, she noticed nothing out of the ordinary until her eyes reached the magnetic Nanosensor machine. It was off. That was normal, but she should still have been able to see her little creatures flying about. She couldn't see them. Quickly walking over, she turned on the machine. When it lit up, her eyes widened at the view inside the cylinder. The creatures were not just dead, they were melted.
Haggar shook her head in disbelief, "No…this is impossible!"
Turning around, she ran out of the room.
XXXXXXXXXX
When Lotor reached castle control, he watched an array of colors in the sky on the vidscreen. Multiple colors flying in disarray. Turning his attention to his robeast, he watched it disassemble and break apart, mimicking what the robots were doing. "What's happening?"
One of the lieutenants at the control answered, "It appears that both Voltrons disengaged and are trying to confuse the robeast. It's been unable to assemble itself because can't copy anything tangible."
Continuing to watch, Lotor's feeling of anxiety deepened, "What are they trying to do?"
XXXXXXXXXX
"It's totally confused," Lisa smiled as she watched the robeast unable to form into anything. "What now?"
"Waiting for Kogane's orders," Jeff answered.
"Look, Jeff," Lisa said as she studied the thing closer, "I think it's beginning to realize what we are doing. It's also beginning to form shapes of all of our vehicles."
"And the lions," Kogane cut in. "It's learning. Come on, time to form Voltron. Remember, break away from the original patterns, we need to confuse it as much as we can."
"And this is happening in our same flight space?" Lance shook his head. "Even I'm not this nuts."
"Concentrate Lance," Keith ordered. He directed his next comments to the other team, "Are you ready?"
"Ready," Jeff answered. "Alright, Vehicle Voltron. Finger four formation. Mixed teams. Break away every 10 seconds. Form on command."
Kogane addressed his team, "No go on V. Loose Duce Formation, break every 5 seconds. Form on command. Now!"
Vehicle Voltron clustered into four groups, mixing the air, sea and land crews within patterns and breaking away every ten seconds. As they regrouped, Voltron began its formation before breaking away and letting Vehicle Voltron begin again. All happening within the same air space.
"Damn it!" Hunk yelled as he almost collided with one of Vehicle Voltron's land fighters.
"Sorry, man!" Hutch answered. "This is one crazy battle."
The robeast began forming into one Voltron before breaking apart and forming into the other. At one point even the group found it hard to tell what it was forming into.
Knowing they were close, Keith closed his eyes for one moment and concentrated. It's time. He heard Black Lion's voice within his mind. Opening his eyes, he ordered, "Time to form Voltron."
XXXXXXXXX
Lotor's eyes widened in shock when he realized what Kogane and his teams were doing, "He's confusing the hell out of the robeast."
No one answered, not that he expected them to. Everyone was avidly watching the screen.
"It's not letting the robeast form itself," Lotor smiled. But it wasn't in humor. It was filled with hatred. "Damn bastard figured out how to confuse the system." As he said those words, the prince watched as the two Voltrons began to form.
XXXXXXXXXX
It only took his words to get both teams to regroup and take on their formations. As they formed, the robeast took time to recalculate, and tried to build two Voltrons. It had trouble doing so. As it was trying to form, Keith called out, "Fire every weapon in your arsenals. Every single one, at my command."
Every pilot loaded their weapons according to their fighter.
"Ready," Kogane called out. "Now!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Haggar ran toward castle control with every ounce of energy within her. She prayed the thoughts running through her mind were wrong, but every bit of her knew, she was right.
"It can't be!" she said out loud to herself. "How could they have known?"
As she drew closer to the entrance of control, she willed the doors to open. She arrived just in time to join Lotor and watch the vidscreen.
Her eyes widened with shock and utter terror. No. Not again. "No!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Simultaneously, both Voltrons fired all weapons at the same time. Keith closed his eyes and channeled the power of the lions to sync with all weapons firing. All teams watched as the artillery fired formed into a huge fireball that engulfed the robeast. The impact of immense energy sent the Voltrons reeling back a few hundred feet.
They heard the implosion of the hit and then watched as the smoke cleared, millions and millions tiny little creatures fell down upon the Korrinth desert ground.
"It's like black rain," Hunk whispered.
"Holy…Crap," was all Jeff said as he watched the deluge of creatures that once made up the robeast.
"Keith," Allura answered. "What did you do?"
"I didn't," he answered calmly. "I'm only a vessel. The lions took on this fight on their own."
"This is incredible," Lance replied.
"The battle isn't over," Keith warned. "There's still much we need to do."
XXXXXXXXXX
Unaware of what was going on the outside, Cossack continued to prepare the soldiers to protect the castle. If by any chance Voltron won, he didn't think they would just leave. They would be coming for them, and most importantly, his brother. He wasn't going to let that happen.
Turning to one of his officers, he asked, "Are the east and north quadrant entries protected?"
"Yes, sir," the Drule officer answered. "All entries are sealed and we have our men ready to defend them if they are compromised.
"Good," Cossack answered. He was about to ask another question, when he was interrupted by another soldier.
"Sir, we have captured a Garrison soldier. He was found inside the castle."
"What?" Cossack asked in surprise. "How did he enter the premises?"
"We don't know yet, sir," the Drule replied. "And he won't talk."
"He won't?" Cossack shook his head. "We'll see about that."
XXXXXXXXXX
The two Voltrons disassembled and continued the fight. Vehicle Voltron's land team took the desert ground, the air team aided the Garrison and Corp teams still in the air. The sea team took on running communications between the Garrison and Corp teams from the stratosphere.
As the battle continued, the Garrison and Corps, with the aid of the Vehicle Voltron teams, gained the upper hand.
The lions headed toward the castle.
"What now?" Lance asked. "Keith, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."
"It needs to end, Lance," he said with an eerie calm. "They won't stop. Not until we permanently stop them."
Lance knew his friend was right. But, thinking it was one thing, doing it was quite another, and they had never been a team that struck the way they were about to do. Unfortunately, Lance knew that if Lotor and Haggar continued on their path, the destruction would be greater. The robeast was proof. They were capable of much more if left alone. "What do you want us to do?"
Keith was about to answer when the team's vidscreens ignited to show Lotor. He somehow bypassed their systems, "Congratulations Captain. I dare say, I didn't think you'd be able to defeat our robeast."
"You know what happens next, Lotor," he replied, dismissing the prince's words.
"I do," Lotor said with a glint of egotism in his voice and features. "Your death. I feel very confident about that. Do you want to know why?"
Keith didn't answer.
The prince laughed, "Well, since you won't answer my question, let me show you."
He dragged someone in front of the screen. When the man appeared on the vidscreen, Allura gasped, "Oh my God! Sam!"
He was beaten and battered, but Sam Geller stared at them with fierce determination. Allura noticed his strength and pride. A soldier's pride at not showing weakness.
"Seem like your general infiltrated the castle and has been here for while without us noticing," Lotor replied. "I guess I'll need to better train my soldiers to be aware of their surroundings."
"Let him go!" Allura yelled.
"Gladly," Lotor countered. "His life for Kogane's. You have five minutes to surrender or I'll make sure to send back his head on a platter."