**I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender (duh)


"Lord Hauer must've planned this knowing that most of the Vurelleans would be at the first day of the mating ceremony," Agamate said. After the bounty-hunter had been thrown behind bars, securely being watched by the Vurellean guards, she, Mari, Treble, and a handful of their rebel comrades had gathered in the base's central control room.

"Oh…W-What are we gonna do?" Zemphis stammered, wringing his hands together in his nervousness.

"Should we call the paladins?" Meggix, a Balmeran engineer, asked.

"No. They've got their hands full dealing with Lotor and the rest of the Galra lords," Mari shook her head. "Let's start with this: who is Lord Hauer? Does anyone know anything about him?"

A hesitant silence passed over the group. Meggix shuffled from foot-to-foot as she provided, "I heard he's an Aviseran gangster, neither on Voltron's side or the Galra's. But he'll cater to whoever's willing to pay."

"H-He rules Jadda's moon, Hutt," Zemphis offered. "I-It's a neutral territory since J-Jadda's atmosphere is filled with a toxic g-gas."

"Back when Anka ruled, he was a regular visitor of the gladiator fights," Agamate added. "He often sponsored fighters and dabbled in the gambling."

"He's the one who sponsored Zanahori. You know, the feathered lady you fought in the first round. She's an Aviseran too," Treble chimed in and Mari grimaced as she recalled. Zanahori herself hadn't been too difficult of an opponent to beat. If all of Hauer's strongest fighters were like her, maybe taking him down wouldn't be too impossible of a challenge.

"What are his defenses like?" she asked.

Agamate frowned, lifting a brow at her. "You're not thinking about taking us out there to fight him, are you?"

"Not if we can avoid it," Mari assured her. "I'm thinking about sneaking in and saving our top engineers before he can sell them off to any clashing Galra warlords."

The possibility sparked a new wave of fear and unease amongst her comrades. Sam Holt and some of the greatest minds in the universe had just been freed from enemy clutches. The last thing any of them needed was for a rising Galra commander to get their hands on a pair of geniuses and use their tech to take over the unstable Empire.

"Hauer lives in a massive mansion on Hutt. It's guarded by his favorite hunters and fighters," Meggix said. "It's surrounded by a market that's full of pirates too."

"I've heard he likes pretty and shiny things. He has a hidden treasure room full of rare items and prisoners somewhere near his sleeping quarters," Yojal, a Taujeerian pilot, pitched in. "If he's keeping Scarlett and Mitsubishi anywhere, it's probably in there."

"What about a security system?" Mari inquired.

"Besides the guards, he has a ton of cameras monitoring the area," Agamate said. "So expect there to be alarms."

"Lots of goons. More pirates. Secret room in a big house. And cameras and an alarm system. Got it," Mari said, the cogs in her brain turning furiously as she mentally noted all of this down. "Okay…I think I can handle all of that."

"I still don't like the thought of you going alone," Agamate said, folding her arms over her chest. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Mari granted her a small smile, grateful. "Thanks, Agamate. But if I come with a Vurellean, it'll look too suspicious."

"Then I'll go!" Treble exclaimed, leaping eagerly from her seat. "We'll get disguised and everything."

A denial danced on the tip of Mari's tongue, but she paused as she mulled it over. Treble was a capable fighter. She could spot the pirates and shapeshifters. She knew more about Lord Hauer and his territory than her. She was small, nimble, sneaky, and unassuming, as proven when she'd found her way to the arena prize booth to save her brother and Keith. And her mimicry could come in handy on such a trip. Besides, Mari had promised Ellosh she'd watch over Treble especially. She was the perfect candidate to take on this trip.

"Okay. Treble, you're coming with me," she agreed, and the Flouwan girl grinned. The others exchanged unsure looks, but didn't argue with their superior officer. They knew what Treble was capable of just as much as she did.

"Agamate, you're in charge while I'm gone," Mari instructed, already waving for Treble to follow her out of the room. "If we're not back in twenty-four vargas, inform Ellosh and call the Castle of Lions for help."

"Yes, ma'am!" Agamate and the others gave her an affirmative salute, and Mari felt relieved knowing she was leaving the base in capable hands.


Treble excelled at disguising them in the garb of scoundrels. Heavy helmets covered their faces while dark, smelly, and worn cloaks shrouded their armor and the weapons hanging at their sides. Tucked out of sight beneath Mari's hood was Zyron, having been collected from Scarlett's room. He would be their third teammate on this trip and he was more than willing to help them get his creator back.

The trio loaded into the cargo ship the bounty-hunter had been loitering about. It was his, apparently, his precious new aircraft that he had recently purchased. But seeing as he was now in prison and wouldn't be needing it anytime soon, Mari was happy to take it off his slimy hands. Besides, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a ship that was no doubt familiar to the residents of Hutt. Better it than the Kintsugi, which would stick out like a sore thumb in all it's Altean and Olkarion design glory.

Pulling up Hutt's coordinates on the ship's navigational systems, Mari steered the heavy ship to the skies, pulling further and further away from Vurelle until it was out of sight. Stars and the empty inkinesss of uninhabited space drifted by until Jadda finally came into view, a massive planet swirling with toxic yellow and red gasses. Hutt, a tiny dot in comparison to the gas giant, hovered nearby, its dark purple surface rocky and devoid of any apparent foliage. They entered the moon's atmosphere, zipping over the bustling market and landing in a lot of miscellaneous aircrafts.

Mari took a deep breath as she stood from the pilot's seat. "You ready?"

"Heck yeah," Treble said, her voice revealing not even a hint of nervousness.

Together, they disembarked and marched towards the market. In the darkness of night, strings of lights that were connected from stall to stall lit up their path. A thin haze hung over everything, produced by cooking meats and smoking ruffians. The din of conversations and crude laughter filled the air as alcohol loosened tongues. As the pair made their way through the bustling streets, passing countless seedy booths selling a plethora of illegal goods, no one paid them a second glance. Many of the pirates here kept their identities hidden beneath masks and cloaks — their disguises were helping them fit right in amongst the unpleasant crowd.

Rounding a corner, their target location came into view. Lord Hauer's mansion, a gray tower-like building with lots of stacked levels and a domed penthouse roof, loomed over them. Lanterns hung from balcony roofs where alert watchmen and lounging ladies looked over the market below. A pair of bird-like guards, Aviserans, stood guard at the entrance. Mari and Treble pulled over at a bar with seating outside, taking a table for themselves as they casually observed the estate.

"Zyron, can you scan that place for Scarlett's biorhythm?" Mari asked, her question just quiet enough for the little robot to hear. His systems whirred before a blueprint popped up on the darkened visor of her helmet. On the second floor from the top, on the far side of the mansion, two blinking red dots that were side-by-side revealed Scarlett and Mitsubishi's position. Mari let out a sigh of relief knowing that they were both still alive.

"How about any hidden entrances? Or exit routes?" she inquired. Zyron chirped softly in reply, the front entrance and the balconies the only spots to highlight on the map. She cursed silently to herself. Unless they could suddenly and miraculously fly themselves up to the balcony, the only normal way in or out was through the front door.

"What about the cameras and alarm system? Can you take those out remotely?"

A moving arrow pointed towards the mansion; they'd have to get closer if they wanted Zyron to be able to mess with them.

"Alright then," Mari murmured. "Let's do this."

They stood from their seats and confidently strode towards the mansion. The guards stared at them as they approached, their hostile frowns never wavering as the two girls came to a stop just a couple feet in front of them.

"What do you want?" the one of the left growled, the scar running from his right eye all the way down to his cheek crinkling as he spoke.

"We request an audience with the Lord Hauer," Treble replied, her voice now that of a man's, deep and rugged. It seemed to startle the two guards that such a low and commanding voice had come from such a short and thin form. They exchanged a glance, but didn't question it.

"Unauthorized visits with the lord are not permitted," the scarred one said.

"I think he'll make an exception for us. We have somethin' that might interest him." Treble slapped Mari on the stomach, immersed in her role as the rough superior. "Don't just stand there, fool. Show it to 'em."

Mari obediently rummaged in the folds of her cloak before producing a glass-like crystal. No bigger than a baseball, the orb was smooth and fit comfortably in her hand. She held it up for the Aviserans to see, and their eyes widened as it sparkled in the light.

"This is a Putaverunt Crystal. It's an ancient relic from the moon Vitrum," Treble explained, reciting her lines perfectly. "It's incredibly rare. Snagged it off an old biddy ages ago."

"The lord doesn't have one of these yet," the guard on the left murmured, his voice thin and wheezy.

"It'd be a valuable piece in any worthwhile collection," Treble nodded.

The scarred guard swallowed and pulled his gaze away from the crystal. "What's your price?"

"It's up for negotiation, with the lord himself," Treble replied. "Wasn't plannin' on sellin' this to anyone else, seein' as he has an eye for this sorta stuff. But, if you think he wouldn't be interested, we can always go to someone else."

There was a long pause as the pair of Aviserans considered it. Finally, the scarred one tapped his gauntlet and spoke into it. "Newbie, get your butt to the front door. We have a delivery for the lord," he instructed through their comms.

"Fine," a feminine voice replied, sounding rather irritated through the crackling static.

Several dobashes later, the heavy metal doors cracked open just wide enough for a single person to walk through. Another scoundrel donned in dark robes and a mask stepped outside. She was skinnier and shorter than the two guards, and clearly not an Aviseran as the exposed parts of her body revealed featherless and smooth light purple skin. A blaster and a sheathed knife hung from her belt, her hands open and ready to grab them at a moment's notice. She looked Mari and Treble up and down before flipping her long bluish-purple braid over her shoulder, gesturing for them to follow.

"Let's go," she said curtly, already spinning on her heel and heading back inside. Mari and Treble nodded to the guards before quickly hurrying after her, the doors shutting behind them. They were in.

Her pace swift and sure, the "Newbie" led them through an empty foyer, up a flight of grand stairs, and down several long and twisting hallways. Mari and Treble lagged behind her as they mentally logged their surroundings, tracking the way they'd come. Zyron squirmed beneath Mari's hood, working to hack into the mansion's security systems.

"There's an elevator on the next floor," Mari whispered to Treble, having returned the crystal to her pocket and grabbing her staff instead. Their escort had turned the corner ahead, out of sight. "As soon as we ditch this chick, we'll take it to our floor, hit the security systems, grab Scarlett and Mitsu, and get out."

"Yes, ma'am," Treble confirmed. They rounded the corner, fully expecting to have lost their guide by now. Instead, she was standing there waiting for them, blade unsheathed.

Before either girl could react, she grabbed Mari by the collar, slamming her against the wall so hard, it made the air rush from her lungs. The cool metal of her knife was pressed to the Earthling's jugular, warning her not to make any sudden movements.

"For someone planning to sneak around, you're not being very discreet about it," she snarled. "You may have fooled those idiotic birds, but you won't fool me. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"We're exactly who we said we are! We want to meet with the lord!" Treble insisted, the hint of panic in her wavering voice giving her away.

"I wasn't talking to you, brat," she spat, not even sparing her a glance. Her hand pressed Mari harder against the wall. "You. Answer me before I cut you open right here and now. I'll do it and I'll get away with it. There are no cameras down this hall."

Suddenly, Zyron chirped and popped out of his hiding spot. He flitted around the woman, beeping and whirring angrily, and Mari waited for the crushing moment when she'd swat him like a bug and shatter him against the floor. But rather than get startled by his appearance and attack him, she merely followed his movements.

"You…Zyron?" she stammered, mildly surprised. She stiffened, the realization dawning on her as her attention was brought back to the Earthling. "Wait. You're that human, aren't you? The one from Vurelle." When Mari didn't answer, the woman released her, practically shoving her back into the wall as she did so. "Idiot!" she hissed. "Don't you know every hunter in this place is dying to get their hands on you?"

Mari scowled at her, rubbing her sore back. "For one of said hunters, you sure don't seem eager to," she muttered. "Who are you? And why do you know Zyron?"

The woman made a tsking sound. "You really are an idiot," she scoffed. She reached up and pulled her mask off, revealing a displeased face. Her sclera were pale yellow and her irises were teal like Scarlett's. Distorted diamond birthmarks decorated her cheeks, and a pair of short antenna lifted from the folds of her hair where they'd been flattened down. She waggled her weapon in front of Mari's widening eyes, the luxite blade shimmering in the light as she revealed the mark of the Marmora etched onto its hilt.

"You're a Blade!" Treble gasped and the woman rolled her eyes.

"Astute observation, kid."

"How'd you know what we were planning to do?"

"I could hear you whispering," she huffed, returning her dagger to its sheath. "Can thank my Galra genes for that. Hooray for enhanced hearing."

"You're…You're Immea," Mari said, grasping for the name she had once heard in Scarlett's memories.

Immea glared at Mari, a dry smirk on her lips. "Oh, so Scarlett has told you about me."

"Um. Kinda…" Mari shrugged. "Why are you here? Are you trying to rescue her too?"

Immea's face twisted in frustration. "I didn't even know she was here until a varga ago," she ground out. "She got taken because of you and now you all are interrupting my mission!"

"What mission?" Mari asked and Immea rolled her eyes again, as if just the thought of having to explain it to an outsider was too much of a bother.

"We got some intel several movements ago that Lord Hauer had something of interest to Zarkon. He wanted to speak to the emperor about it, but now that Zarkon's dead, it's just sitting somewhere in here and we don't know what he'll do with it," she rushed to elaborate. "Kolivan thought it might be that new quintessence Lotor could have a connection to. He sent me to find and retrieve whatever it is before Hauer sells it off to a Galra lord who wants to take the throne."

"So you're not here to save Scarlett?" Treble clarified.

"No!" she snapped, making Treble flinch. "And I'm not gonna risk blowing my cover trying to!"

Appalled irritation sparked inside Mari, her dislike for Immea growing by the second. "But you're her family!" she exclaimed, incredulous. "How can you say that?"

"The mission takes priority," Immea replied, simply and easily as if this fact should've been obvious.

"I am sick of hearing that crap. I get enough of that from Keith," Mari said, disapproval dripping from her tone.

Immea seemed unfazed by her hostility as she glared back at the human, a belittling pity in her gaze. "Good to hear he's finally taking Kolivan's teachings to heart. He's right, you know."

Mari's anger bubbled and boiled, threatening to overflow. "No, it is not good!" she spat, poking the Blade in the chest. "He almost died because of that bullshit mentality!"

Immea's eyes flashed with a fierce irritation of her own. "He almost died to save you and Voltron and millions of coalition lives," she fired back, jabbing Mari in return with a sharp finger. "This is war, human. Lives are lost for a greater cause. It happens everyday."

"That doesn't make their lives any less important or valuable. They are real people with families they love more than anything," Mari insisted, standing her ground as Immea stared her down. "The lives of the people most important to you should take priority. You never know when you won't be able to see them again."

Immea snarled at her, revealing a set of sharp incisors. Her antenna glowed in her escalating anger, but before she could reply, possibly with a punch, Treble intervened. "Do you really not wanna see Scarlett?" she asked, her question unusually meek.

Immea's attention turned to the young Flouwan and Treble's ears drooped pitifully. A long moment of silence passed before the tension gradually left the Blade's body.

"We haven't spoken in ages. She probably doesn't want to see me anyways," she said finally, her tone tight with a lingering bitterness. She wouldn't look at either girl as she added, "You're more her family now than I am."

Mari opened her mouth to argue, but a beep from Immea's gauntlet cut her off. Huffing in annoyance, she lifted her wrist to her mouth and barked, "What?"

"What's taking you so long, Newbie?" a voice on the other end demanded. It was one of the guards from the front door. "The lord's waiting for you to deliver his guests."

"I'm going! Their stupid-asses are slowing me down," she growled in response before shutting off her comms and lowering her arm. Returning her mask to her face and her knife to her hip, she turned to the two visitors. "You have to meet the lord. If you don't show up, it'll look suspicious for the both of us," she said, her tone growing detached as she delved back into character for the sake of her mission. "Scarlett got into this mess because of you, so I'll leave her rescue to you. Just stay out of my way while I do my own work."


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