Hi, everyone! I hope that this finds you all having had a wonderful holiday season and makes for a pleasant surprise for the New Year! I know I haven't posted in a year (omg...a YEAR?!), but I've been very busy between graduating with my Associate's degree and currently going through a divorce from my husband of 17 years. (It's a long story, but if you really want to hear about it...you know where to PM me...) I do hope that I can write and post more often, but I won't make any promises that I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep.
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVERYONE! ENJOY!
I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.
"Life signs, Pidge?" Lance asked as they flew over the forest.
"Numerous, but I'm going to presume you were actually asking about humanoids, correct?" Pidge asked with a sarcastic grin.
Lance closed his eyes and bit back the retort he had on the tip of his tongue. "Meaning specifically Vessa and Keith, but yeah, humanoid works."
"Actually, I think I do have them. They're about three clicks from the robeast," Pidge answered. "And it looks to be a big one, just in case you were wondering."
"Smart ass," Lance muttered.
"I heard that," Pidge quipped. "I can get over to them and pick them up while you all go head off the robeast."
Lance nodded. "Do it. Hunk. Allura. We've got a robeast to distract."
"With pleasure," Hunk stated with a grin. "Time to knock back a baddie. I live for this stuff."
Pidge broke formation and swooped down to skim Green Lion over the treetops, adjusting one of his scanners. "Okay, you two. Where are you?" He grinned as his sensor alarm went off. "Got you. Okay, now, where to land to pick you up?" He swung Green back around and moved ahead of where they were moving to. "It will be a few minutes before you get here, but this is the best option," he muttered as he landed in a small clearing on the road that was just barely big enough for Green to land in. "Now, I wait."
Keith and Duvessa ran, stumbling as they felt the tremors from the robeast's steps through the forest. They'd seen the Lion pass overhead and then back, obviously having seen them. The heavy rain made it impossible to tell which Lion it was, but after the harrowing few days they'd had, they were happy to just see any of them.
"Damn, how much further?" Keith growled, wiping rain from his face.
"I think not too much farther," Duvessa answered, doing her best to keep up with his longer stride. "I think I hear the hum of it. I think it's Green."
"Probably, knowing our usual tactics," Keith agreed.
They rounded a curve and a faint glow of huge eyes could be seen through the driving rain. They broke into a sprint.
Green Lion opened her jaws and the two jumped inside and through the hatch.
"Well, glad the two of you are still alive," Pidge quipped as the two entered the cockpit. He pulled back on his controls, launching the Lion. "Hang on, we've got to get you back to the Castle and to Black quickly."
"How close is it to the Castle?" Keith asked, he motioned for Duvessa to take the backseat.
"Too close for our liking," Pidge answered, as he concentrated on flying. "This storm isn't helping matters any at all, either." He circled around to the front of the Castle and landed. "Hurry up, we need Voltron."
Keith and Duvessa nodded, exiting the cockpit and running for the Control Room.
Pidge launched and joined the others. "Package delivered, now they just have to hurry up and get out here," he stated as he joined the battle.
"Good," Lance growled as the robeast took a swing at him. He countered firing a missile into the robot's face. "The sooner we take this thing out, the better."
"Well, look at what the cat dragged in!" came Daniel's chipper voice as he saw Keith and Duvessa run into the Control Room. "Glad you two could join the party!"
"Can it, Daniel," Keith growled. He looked to Duvessa. "I think I need the key," he stated as he slid to a stop in front of the chute to Black.
Duvessa nodded and pulled it out of her Voltcom. She handed it to him and gazed up into his sparkling eyes. "Be careful. I'll stay here and help them," she stated with a nod towards the cadets.
He nodded back and held his hand out to her after slipping the key into his Voltcom.
Duvessa took it and felt the tingles of electricity flow from her and back to him. She smiled. "Back where it belongs, as promised," she whispered.
He grinned, turned and disappeared from sight.
Duvessa turned back to the cadets. "Ok, what all do you have going on here, cadets?" she asked, moving towards them.
Keith flew Black towards the others, grimacing as he saw the robeast and the other Lions being knocked around. He flew at the robeast's face and fired everything he had into its eyes, distracting it, forcing it to release Yellow and Blue that it had in its claws.
"About damn time," Lance called. "Welcome to the mess, Vess. Keith all right?"
Keith grinned. "Afraid she's back at the castle, Lance."
Lance blinked, the robeast momentarily forgotten. "Keith? Dude, Gorma catches you out here…"
Keith chuckled. "I'll worry about Gorma. Let's get this monster the hell out of here," Keith stated.
Lance laughed and shook his head. "You sure do know how to sweet talk me, Keith."
"Can the bromance," Hunk growled. "I want to add to my Hunkyard."
The others laughed as they continued to attack the robeast, weakening it as much as they could separately.
"Ok, I think we've weakened it enough. Let's finish it," Keith ordered. "Activate interlocks. Dynotherms connected. Infracells up. Megathrusters are go."
"Let's go, Voltron Force!"
Duvessa and the cadets watched on a holomonitor as the Lions formed Voltron.
"Always such an awesome thing to watch," Daniel murmured.
Duvessa nodded in agreement. "Yes, but we're not out of the woods yet. That robeast is still too close to the castle. Be ready to help if Voltron needs it."
"Oh, we are ready," Vince assured her.
"Yeah, we're always ready to kick butt!" Larmina exclaimed.
"Just say the word and point me in the right direction," Daniel assured her with a cocky grin.
Duvessa grinned at their enthusiasm.
An alarm blared and Duvessa turned to it, bringing up a new monitor. "Damn. They're back and closing in on Voltron and the Castle." She transferred the data to the cadets and targets began to light up for them.
"Finally, some real action," Daniel stated. "We can shoot these, right?"
Duvessa grinned darkly. "Fire at will."
"Now we're talkin'," Larmina stated and all of the cadets opened fire on the incoming Drule ships.
"What on Arus are they firing at?" Hunk wondered as he helped keep Voltron upright as the robeast was relentless in its attack.
Pidge spared a glance at his sensor screen. "Incoming Drule fighters. Well, since they're doing what they can to keep our back clear, I say we try to get this thing dead. Quickly."
Keith nodded. "All right. Form blazing sword!"
Hunk kicked the robeast back and Red and Green Lions came together, forming the sword.
Allura grimaced as she held her position for the kick, quickly adjusting to keep Voltron's balance. She heard the soft thrum of energy as the sword was formed above her. Come on, guys. This thing needs to be destroyed so we can go help the cadets…
She suddenly heard Lance chuckle and his voice in her head. Easy, sweetheart. We'll get it done, we always do. But, I do love the angry tone of your voice. So hot…
She blushed furiously. Not now, Lance. Brat.
Lance still chuckled, but swiftly focused as he blocked an incoming strike from the robeast with the sword. "Well, he sure packs a punch, don't he? Let's cut him down to size, Keith."
"Let's slice and dice!" Hunk cried, excitedly.
Keith just smiled darkly and Voltron soon had sliced though the robeast, killing it.
"Aunt Vess, there's another group coming in from the east. We're tapped out, we could use a hand," Larmina stated, her fingers flying over her controls for the castle defenses.
Duvessa called up another holographic station, sitting down and helping fire at the incoming Drule ships. Her eyes narrowed as she focused. She kept one eye on the full battle, seeing Voltron finally dispatching the robeast, but the fighters didn't relent in their attack. Her fingers flew across her board, keeping her stations firing as she paid attention to what the fighters were doing. Some were beginning to break off to head for Voltron. "Vince. Daniel. Some fighters are breaking to go after Voltron. Take them down."
"Working on it, Princess!" Vince stated.
"Dude, since when do you call her Princess?" Daniel stated jokingly, some of his stations turning to fire on the diverting ships. "Hah! Take that!" he cried as one exploded in the middle of the group of fighters, taking out several others.
"Why aren't they breaking off and leaving like they normally do?" Larmina asked. "They're fighting harder than usual."
Duvessa frowned, hearing her own thoughts being voiced aloud by the younger royal. "I don't know, Larmina. That's bothering me, too. There has to be something important for them to keep attacking, but what that is…" She shook her head as she took out another fighter.
"Well, whatever it is, let's not let them get it," Daniel stated, his voice darkening.
Voltron was moving towards the other fighters and disengaged into separate Lions, engaging the fighters.
"Cadets, keep up the good work, just be careful, the Lions are moving in to help," Duvessa stated.
"We see them, Vess," Daniel stated. "Why haven't they broken off and fled? This isn't normal…"
"I don't know," Duvessa answered. "But, if they're staying, then we're going to finish it. Keep on them."
"Damn, what is up with these fighters?" came Hunk's voice over the communication system. "They usually don't stick around long after we take out the robeast."
"Don't worry about that right now, Big Guy. Just take them out before they do more damage," Lance stated.
Duvessa frowned. So, even the others are picking up on that. What could they be after?
A soft voice floated through her mind, one she hadn't heard in awhile, and she'd completely forgotten was able to speak to her again. I don't know, love. Whatever it is, they can't have it.
She gasped softly, blushing furiously and missing her target. I forgot you could hear me again…
Keith grinned. Well, your voice wasn't something I was expecting to hear right then, either. Let's finish this.
Duvessa nodded and refocused, bringing down the fighter she'd missed the first time.
"Maahox! Why are we still fighting? We're losing too many fighters. Recall them, now!" Lotor ordered.
"But, My Lord, I have several ships collecting slaves for experimentation. They need another fifteen minutes to get back to the ship," Maahox purred.
"The Lions and the Castle will destroy all of our fighters and this ship in less than fifteen minutes," Lotor growled.
Maahox sighed. "Ye of little faith," he muttered. He pressed a button, giving a silent order for the fighters to concentrate all firepower on the Black Lion. Since Sylvan had reported that both Duvessa and Keith had been away from the Castle for the past several days pursued by Lotor's troops, whoever was flying Black was either exhausted or inexperienced.
"Crap, Keith, you're a freaking fighter magnet today," Lance growled as the fighter he was chasing wasn't even paying attention to him, but doing everything it could to evade him and focusing all its firepower on Keith. "What gives with this strategy?"
Keith winced as he couldn't dodge everything that was being fired at him. "They know that…ugh…it's either myself or Vess in here… And we've been on the run for several days. Or…if it wasn't us…then an inexperienced Cadet… would be my guess, Lance."
"Well, that's a load of crap," Lance snarled, taking out another fighter that strayed too far from the group pursuing Keith. "It couldn't be because you're, I don't know…attractive? Our leader?"
"Lance, this isn't the time for that," Allura growled, freezing another fighter. "At least the Command Ship hasn't opened fire…"
A large laser blast shot through the air, just barely missing her and Black.
"You had to say something, didn't you?" Lance teased. "You and Pidge keep helping Fearless here. Big Guy, let's go play with the big ship."
"Now you're talkin'!" Hunk stated with a grin. He and Lance peeled away from the group and made a strafing run on the Command Ship.
"My Lord, the last ship of slaves is onboard. We may make our tactical retreat now," Maahox stated.
Lotor pushed a button, fighters disengaged and they all left Arus' atmosphere in a blink.
"Shit!" Lance yelled as he and Red went to take another swipe at the Command Ship and it blinked away. "Those slimy sons of…"
"Allura, reports coming in from three towns over," came Larmina's voice. She was hushed and sad. "They kidnapped the entire town!"
Duvessa spun and looked at Larmina. "What?" She quickly got up from her station and looked over Larmina's shoulder at the report. "No…"
"Why would they want to take Arusians?" Vince asked. "I mean…I thought they were out of the slave business."
"Apparently not," Allura snarled and Blue roared. "We can't let him keep them…"
"Aunt Allura, there's more," Larmina stated. "My Gods, how did we not hear about this sooner?"
"I'm on my way," Allura growled and the Lions all returned to their dens.
