"We want to remain Paladins of Voltron and help protect the universe from the evil around it. We wish we had some way of letting our loved ones know where we are."

Connie


"Well Father, the Castle of Lions is nearly ready to take flight once more," Allura told Alfor's Artificial Intelligence; as she and Lance stood before the hologram of the former Altean King. "I hope I can fly it properly."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Daughter." Alfor chuckled. "Right now, I couldn't be prouder of the two of you. A responsibility of this extent for those of your ages is not an easy cross to bear; yet, you both seem to be handling yourselves quite well."

"Well, of course, we got it covered Uncle Alfor," Lance stated in a macho attitude. "I mean, we were born to become leaders someday." However, the Prince's confident façade then faded into a saddened one. "But we kind of…"

"You wish that the real me was still here to see you both become the people I knew you were destined to be," Alfor stated in a melancholy tone. Neither Lance nor Allura spoke up, but their silence served as the A.I.'s answer. "I understand that feeling; I wish I could be here to place my hands on your faces once more; embrace you both in my arms. I would give anything to do those one more time. The both of you have to look out for each other; continue to protect and guide yourselves and the other Paladins through the thick and thin of the challenges before you."

"We know, father," Allura said stoically. "We will defeat Zarkon and free the universe from his grip; one world at a time."

"I know the two of you will do everything in your power to stop Zarkon," Alfor said with confidence. Then there was a knock at the door.

"Princess. Prince. May we come in?" Coran asked through the locked door behind the two Altean sovereigns.

"It looks like you two need to attend to your duties." Alfor pointed out. "I'll be here if you still need someone to speak to."

"Until next time." Both Allura and Lance said simultaneously with respectful bows.

"Until next time." Alfor calmly said before the hologram vanished before the Alteans.

Allura and Lance wipe the tears from their eyes before heading over to the door and unlocking it; on the other side of the door stood Coran, Garnet, Pearl, and Matthew. "What do you need Coran?" Lance asked the royal advisor.

"Matthew and I finished making the necessary modifications to the castle; so, it should be flight read." Coran summed up ecstatically; but his tone changed to concern upon seeing saddened looks on both of their faces. "Are you… are the two of you okay?"

"We're fine, Coran," Allura assured. "We just talked with father."

"Oh, I see," Coran responded in a sympathizing tone.

"Are you sure you two want to do this now?" Pearl asked the sovereigns. "We can wait another day before taking off if you want."

"Your heads do need to be in the game if we're going to save the Balmera." Garnet quickly stated. "Physically and emotionally."

"We are as ready as ever, Garnet," Lance assured the Fusion with confidence in his tone.

"Where are the others, if I may ask?" Allura questioned the group.

"They're in the dining room, having breakfast," Matt informed, before looking up and down at the two Alteans. "Speaking of breakfast, did you guys even eat this morning?"

"No, we haven't." Allura embarrassedly admitted. "I don't think it would be a sensible idea to fly a castle on an empty stomach."

"Aw yeah! more of Amethyst's cooking," Lance shouted with excitement; before remembering that Coran was in the group. "Um… no offense Coran."

"None taken," Coran grumbled to the Prince as they all walk down the hall to get some food in their bellies.

The group walks through the door into the dining room here the Paladins were seen enjoying the culinary creations presented to them. Allura caught notice of the Space Mice stealing themselves a hefty chunk of what appeared to be cheese from the table and sharing it with both Pumpkin and Lion. Lance eyes quickly scanned the table and spotted the last slice of sweet-spiced hot toast; the Altean equivalent to French toast or Amethyst's version of it to be exact. "Yes! I call dibs on the last one!" Lance shouted as he took a fork from the table; proceeding to greedily pierce it into the food before plopping it onto his plate like a little kid.

"Eat up, dude. You'll enjoy it." Amethyst told her friend with a mouth full of food.

"Amethyst, can you please mind your manners in front of royalty." Pearl chastised the purple Gem.

"It's okay Pearl," Allura assured the pale Gem. "Just because Lance and I are of royal blood, it does not make us any different from anyone else here at this table." The Princess conclude as she took her seat and piled her plate with a little bit of everything that was left.

"Enjoy yourself, Princess. This is some of the best intergalactic alien food made from Earthlings ever." Pidge biasedly told as she took another spoonful of a porridge-like substance from her bowl.

"I don't believe I ever asked any of you this." Allura began. "But what is your home planet like? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, Earth is a beautiful place," Pidge answered. "With wonderful cities and exotic locations no one would believe to be possible if they haven't seen it for themselves."

"And I think Steven's hometown, Beach City, could be considered one of those places," Connie added into the conversation.

"Beach City?" Matt curiously asked. "As in Beach City, Delmarva?"

"The one and only," Connie answered. "The beach there is amazing, and the restaurants are good too."

"Wait, beaches usually have pretty girls, and there's good food too!" Lance exclaimed with excitement. "That place sounds like heaven to me."

"Yeah, and the people there are… friendly too…" Steven's cheery excitement turned glum upon thinking about the people of his hometown; along with Connie's and Katie's expression too.

"Are you all okay?" Lance asked the teens.

"Yeah, I was just… thinking about my dad…" Steven said trying his hardest not to cry. "And how much he probably misses me…"

"Yeah… my parents must be missing me too…" Connie added in, trying to remain stoic as well.

"And my mom... is probably worried to death about me…" Pidge added in, trying to hide her homesickness.

"We didn't mean to upset you all." Allura apologized. Throughout all that has happened, Allura has been hellbent on stopping Zarkon and the Galra Empire; but has never taken the time to realize she had drafted children who had no reason to be in this war. Allura would only have herself to blame for their fates; if anything were to ever happen to them.

"No, it's okay. We're glad to have someone to talk to, and who'll listen." Connie gratefully told both the Princess and the Prince, upon noticing their distraught expressions. "We want to remain Paladins of Voltron and help protect the universe from the Galra. We wish we had some way of letting our loved ones know where we are."

"Well; we left a pen and paper letter for the human you call Greg to contact a Mr. and Dr. Maheswaran and a Colleen Holt before we left for Beta." Peridot reminded the human girl.

"Peridot, they think we're just on another mission; not in outer space," Steven explained.

"Everyone." Allura began, garnering the attention of the entire group. "You're all in this because of me; you didn't have become Paladins of Voltron. So, I promise you; I'll find some way to get you all in contact with your loved ones."

"You mean that?" Steven asked.

"It is the least I can do after all you've done for my loved ones," Allura responded as she looked at Lance and Coran with a smile.

Tears began to roll down the faces of the teenagers at the Princess' promise. "Thank you, Allura." Steven happily said as he wiped his tears away.

Allura smiled at the boy and gave him a grateful nod.


"Activating Interlock. Dynotherms are connected. Infra-cells are up. And Mega-thrusters are a go. We are ready to leave the planet on your mark." Coran announced to Princess Allura as she stood on the command pad of the Castle of Lions control room; overlooking the status of the structure on her several holo-pads. Allura pressed five multi-colored buttons, causing five chairs to rise from the floor; each of them color coded for their respected Paladins.

"I recommend you all strap yourselves in," Allura advised the Paladins whom all ran to their seats; Steven, Connie, and Pearl were able to fit in one seat together; with the same applying to Katie and Peridot. While Garnet, Pearl, and Lance found something to get a strong grip on. "All main engines, launch!" Allura placed her palms on two of the panels, and the castle begins erupting as it slowly pulls itself from the ground. Rising higher with each passing moment until it finally flew past the clouds above and exited Arus' atmosphere. "It is done."

With the Castle of Lions now in space, it was safe for the Paladins and Crystal Gems to unstrap themselves and walk around the control room. Steven, Connie, and Pidge unstrap themselves from their chairs and run over to look out the windows of the castle. "Woah." The three of them said at once as their eyes widened, and jaws dropped with wonder; looking at the planet they were once on from a not too far but still beautiful to look at a distance.

"I bet it's quite the sight," Allura stated to the youngest of the group. "We'll be traveling to the Balmera via teladuv; once we are at a safe distance from the planet, I'll open a portal. However, you should all know it won't be easy freeing the Balmera from Zarkon's grasp."

"So, what's the plan cousin?" Lance asked. "Do we go in there and just… Pow! Pow! Pow! Our way to victory?"

"What were those supposed to be?" Keith asked the Altean Prince.

"Laser noises. Duh." Lance answered in a smug tone.

"I think you mean more like… Kapow! Kapow! Kapow!" Amethyst stated while she punched the air.

"Correction, they are technically more like a… Bachoo! Bachoo! Bachoo!" Peridot added in as both she and Pidge made finger guns.

"I was under the impression laser fire makes a… Pshew! Pshew! Pshew! Kind of sound." Pearl stated.

"All right, enough of the bad sound effects," Shiro ordered the Paladins. "Besides it's more like… Blam! Blam! Blam!" The Black Paladin added while pretending to be a sniper.

"What?" "No way." "You're crazy." "That's sounds like a Bólter." The group debated amongst themselves.

"Guys, no firing lasers at random," Steven spoke up.

"The Balmera is a living creature, after all," Connie added in.

"They are right," Allura stated. "But if you must take a shot at the Galra, make sure that each blast counts."

"What you said the Galra are doing to the Balmera is… is a damn atrocity." Coran emotionally told Steven and Connie. "Forgive my language, but I've been to many Balmeras with King Alfor; getting to see the beautiful crystals it produced with my own eyes as it gave them to its people. While the Galra Empire are ripping them right from it without performing a rejuvenation ceremony to heal it."

"What's a rejuvenation ceremony?" Connie curiously asked the older Altean.

"As you already know, the crystals the Balmera produce contains Quintessence within them." Coran began explaining. "However, the Balmera can willingly give those crystals to its if they donate a small fraction of their Quintessence to the planet, of their own free will."

"An equivalent exchange." Connie summed up.

"Exactly," Coran answered. "And if the Galra have been harvesting the crystals from this Balmera for well over a thousand years without performing the ceremony; I'm afraid there isn't much time left until the Balmera, and everything on it dies."

"Then we must hurry," Allura stated. "We should be at a suitable distance to use the teladuv portal. Teladuv opening in… Five. Four. Three. Two. One." Allura placed her hands on the control panel to generate the mystical gateway; however, nothing happens as the castle's lights begin flickering and the sounds of a dying engine can be heard.

"What happened?" Pidge asked the Princess, noticing that no portal was generated in front of them.

"Something's wrong in the Teladuv Chamber." Allura guessed. "I'm bringing up a video feed, now." Allura entered a code onto her panels as several holo-screens materialized before the group; all of them filled with static. "The blasted cameras are down, too. Someone will need to go down and find the problem manually."

"I'll go look, Princess." Coran volunteered. "But if the engines are in worse shape than we think, I could use at least three people down there with me."

"It looks like you can use the expertise of the Holt siblings." Pidge confidently said as she and Matt volunteered.

"I believe I could be of assistance with certain technological aspects." Pearl volunteered politely.

"I concur." Peridot voluntarily added in.

"And I can help you do all the heavy lifting." Lance braggingly stepped forward, flexing his arms in a pompous manner; making Pearl roll her eyes.

"Don't worry, Princess. The Castle of Lions will be working again in a few dobashes; thanks to your lead… Coran" Coran assured and punned at the Altean woman as he and the other volunteers head down to work in their newly assigned location.


"How does everything look, Coran?" Allura asked her advisor through a communication device.

"From an exterior standpoint, the chambers look fine," Coran answered into the hand-held gadget. "Nothing appears to be damaged or tampered with. However; I have the Holts, your cousin, and the Gems. All of which are giving everything a deeper check in case I missed something."

"Keep me informed," Allura told her friend.

"Will do, Princess," Coran said lastly as he put away his device and turned to the others. "Any of you find anything?" The Altean man loudly asked from the south side of the chamber.

"Nothing yet," Pidge announced as she observed the east side of the chamber with Lance.

"No signs of anything wrong, from what I can tell," Pearl told from the west.

"Everything is okay here, too," Matthew shouted from the north with Peridot.

"Then the problem is probably deeper within the chamber?" Coran assumed, before reaching for his comms device again. "Princess, we think the problem is deeper than we originally thought. We'll need to get some special tools from my quarters if that's the case."

"Understood. Thanks for the update." Allura gratefully responded.

"All right everyone, I'll need some help carrying the equipment from my room to here," Coran informed.

"Shouldn't be too hard, let's go," Matt said as he and Peridot left their station; followed by Pearl behind them, then Pidge and Lance.

"Once we figure out what's wrong; then we can…" Pearl began to speak but stopped upon hearing a strange, beeping sound. "What's that?" Pearl asked herself as she turned around, while Lance and Pidge walked ahead of her. Pearl listened carefully as the sound grew faster and more repetitive by the second. The pale Gem's eyes widened and gasps in horror as she began to realize what that sound was. "Get down!" Pearl screamed as she pushed Lance and Pidge as far as she could from what chamber. Then came a boom, and poof.

The explosion shook the entire castle as everyone was thrown on the ground, coughing as they all waited for the smoke to clear.

"Is everyone… all right?" Lance shouted with coughs in-between. "What the… quiznak happened?"

"An explosion was triggered… but I don't know how." Coran answered trying to keep the smoke from his lungs.

"Matthew, are you okay?" Pidge asked her brother.

"I'm fine Katie," Matt assured his sister.

"Wait, where's Pearl?" Peridot worriedly asked, looking around for her fellow Crystal Gem.

As soon as the smoke cleared, all the stood before the small group was a devastated Teladuv Chamber, and Pearl's gemstone on the ground. "Is she...?" Lance began asking the others, fearing for the fate of the Crystal Gem.

"No," Peridot assured as she picked up the pearl off the ground. "She's only poofed. Long story short, Pearl's body is within her gemstone; if the gemstone isn't damaged, she'll be fine."

"Coran, what's going on down there?" Allura concerningly asked through the communicator. "We felt that all the way to the bridge."

"The chamber exploded on us, and Pearl has been… poofed as Peridot called it." Coran answered. "She's alive though."

"How did this happen?" Allura asked.

"I don't know Princess, but it appears as if the equipment was sabotaged from the inside," Coran answered, before turning back to the others. "Can you all stand."

"Yeah, I think we're…" Matt began to say, but all the color in his face drained upon seeing Katie.

"What is it?" Pidge asked her brother, following his eyes; only to discover, much to her similar horror, a piece of metal piercing through the side of her bleeding stomach. The pain was automatically kicked up to eleven upon noticing the wound and passes out from it.

"Katie! Katie!" Matthew screams his sister's name with tears.

"We have to get her to the med bay! Fast." Lance told Matt as he helped him carry his unconscious sister down the hall. "This way!"

"Allura, Pidge is hurt and is losing a large amount of blood," Coran informed Allura through the communicator; much to everyone else's horror. "Matt and Lance are taking her to the med bay."

"We need to see her." A worried Steven said as he and Connie rush out of the control room.

"Wait, we don't even know what…" Allura began warning the two teens.

"Shiro and I will check on them," Garnet assured the Princess as she ran ahead.

"Keith. Amethyst. Stay here with Allura." Shiro ordered.

"Roger." Both Keith and Amethyst answered.

"Keep us updated, and we'll do the same." Allura said lastly before Shiro left after the others.

Lance and Matthew finally make it to the med bay and quickly lay Katie on a medical bed. "What do we do?" Lance asked in a panicked tone.

"We need to stop the bleeding! Do you have anything that can do that?" Matt asked the Altean Prince as he unzipped Katie's hoodie; lifting it and her shirt up carefully so as not to disturb the piece of metal. "Like a towel or something!"

"I don't know, but I'll see what I can find," Lance assured as he frantically searched the different compartments in the med.

"M… Matt…" Katie mumbled as she slowly returned to consciousness.

"Katie…" Matt said with tears rolling down his cheeks, not taking his eyes off his only sister.

"It… it hurts…" The teenaged girl continued mumbling in pain.

"I know, Katie. But stay with me… you're going to be okay." Matt's voice trembled as he held his sister's hand. "Please God, be okay." Matt silently prayed, trying his hardest not to break down into a sorrowful mess.

"I found some absorbent pads, and herbs that can help relieve the pain," Lance informed as he returned with an abundance of medical supplies in his arms.

"Thank you, Lance." Matt gratefully responded as he and the Altean Prince got to work on helping the teenage Paladin of Voltron; neither of them were surgeons, but they were doing everything in their power to save her.


"I've found nothing to indicate a bomb was placed here," Peridot stated as she and Coran investigated the Teladuv Chamber, the former trying to hide her worry for Pidge and focus on the more pressing matters.

"But what could've set off the explosion then?" Coran asked the green Gem as he investigated all the corners he could.

"With your permission, may I hack into the recording systems." Peridot requested. "I can bypass the static we experienced earlier and can see what happened."

"Permission granted," Coran told the Crystal Gem.

Peridot did as she said she was going to do and began hacking into the recording systems via a still, slightly functional, control panel within the chamber. After bypassing the proper security codes, she was able to bring up the recording, and after extensive deconstruction and reconstruction of data; she was able to piece together footage of how everything that happened came about. Within the footage, she saw an unrecognizable, yet tall figure with an abnormally sized arm place said arm onto one of the central devices in the chamber. The arm glowed a bright purple as energy veins of the same color covered the room; before flickering away. The footage ends there as it returns to static.

"Oh, my stars…" Peridot began, mentally connecting the dots to what is happening. "It's not just a bomb that was planted… it's a virus."

"But who planted it?" Coran asked.


"Steven! Connie! Wait!" Garnet calls to the two teens who kept running ahead, frantically trying to find the medical bay. Just as Steven and Connie were about to sprint by another hall, a large, mechanical object flies towards them at dangerously fast speed; luckily for them, Garnet was able to grab and pull the two young Crystal Gems out of the way before they were struck; followed by a crash.

"Are you two okay?" Garnet asked the kids as Shiro caught up to the group in time to see what had just crashed into the side wall. It was a giant, cybernetic arm that he recognized all too well. The technological limb detached itself from the surface and returned to its owner down the hall as he intimidatingly stepped out of the shadows; revealing his also familiar, glowing cybernetic eye.

"Sendak!" Shirogane said out loud as he entered a fighting stance, and Garnet summoned her gauntlets.

"Champion," Sendak responded in a militant matter. "We meet again."

"We saw the Fire of Purification crash and burn," Shiro stated. "How did you survive?"

"How I survived matters not," Sendak answered. "What does matter is that I have your castle held hostage; you should know better by now that while I still breathe, I will carry out Zarkon's will. No matter the cost."

A bright light flashed where Steven and Connie once stood as Stevonnie emerged; with her Blue Bayard sword in hand, and shield activated.

"You hurt my friend," Stevonnie said with slight anger in their tone; worrying Garnet as she's never heard that from the human Fusion. "You're not going to hurt anyone else; this ends here."

"If you insist, I will give you all a warrior's death!" The Galran soldier announced as he charged the trio and slams his cybernetic arm onto the ground; creating a tremor that separated them from each other.

Takashi's cybernetic hand glows a bright purple as he and Garnet assault, Sendak, together. Garnet unleashes a flurry of punches that Sendak blocks with his massive arm, but it left him open to a blow from Shiro; however, the Galra was able to leap away from the attack.

Stevonnie began their strike on Sendak with a slash from their sword; but Sendak instead grabbed Stevonnie with his prosthetic and throws them aside, this allowed Garnet the opportunity to strike the Galra from behind while he was distracted; but Sendak counters by backhanding her with his cybernetic, slamming the Crystal Gem leader against the wall.

Shiro lets out an emotion-filled roar as he threw his glowing, artificial arm forward; while Sendak did the same with his artificial limb. Both alien cybernetics clash, resulting in a shockwave which knocks both fighters back.

Stevonnie charges forward and intends to slice the Commander's cybernetic arm off and disable him from the battle. However, Sendak dodges the attack and nearly crushes the human Fusion; but they manage to evade it. Stevonnie then expanded their shield and charged rammed into Sendak like a charging bull; pushing both combatants through a nearby door.

Garnet stood up and cracks her neck as she and Shiro rush over to give Stevonnie aid; however, the door leading to the two combatants seals itself on its own.

"Stevonnie!" Garnet yelled as she and Shiro tried to pry the door open.


"A virus," Allura repeated through the communicator after hearing the news from Coran.

"Yes, Princess," Coran answered. "An unknown individual planted a virus into the Castle of Lions; Peridot is trying to find its location so that we can cleanse it, but she advises anything technologically connected to the castle can be an enemy."

Allura then heard a badeep on her comms. "Hold on Coran, I'm getting a message from Shiro," Allura said as he changed the comms over to him. "Shiro, what's going on out there.

"It's Sendak," Shiro answered. "He placed a virus within the castle; Stevonnie is fighting him right now. Have you heard anything from Matt and Lance?"

Allura clenched her fist, angry at herself; she should've known better than to believe the Empirical Galra wouldn't give up without a fight. "I'm sorry, we haven't," Allura answered. "Their comms must be off while tending to Pidge."

"Princess, we've got trouble!" Keith informed as he drew his Altean and Marmoran blades, Amethyst summoned her whip, and Lion stood prepared while Pumpkin and the Space Mice gripped onto his mane; all of them remaining on guard by control room entrance, as the new intruders attempt to break the door down.

"Shiro, you and Garnet take care of Sendak. Coran and Peridot, get my castle back under control." Allura ordered before deactivating her communicator. The right wrist of Allura's jumpsuit glows a radiant blue as a long energy blade emerges forward; upon entering her fighting stance. The door was kicked open as several training drones armed with lethal weapons leaped into the room and attacked the group.

Lion leaped for one of the drones and managed to pin it down with his animalistic strength as he proceeded to rip the robot apart with his jaws.

Keith blocked downward strikes of two drones with his swords; leaping out of the way before going on the offensive. Keith swung his Altean and Marmoran blades with ferocity at his mechanical adversaries; trying to end the conflict as soon as possible, and even manages to disable one of the drones with a swift decapitation.

Amethyst spin-dashes across the room as she runs over two enemies at once, entangling the latter with her whip; spinning it around before tossing her trapped machine at the other, knocking both opponents down with a hard crash.

Allura held her enemies off with her energy blade, managing to dodge a handful of their strikes before stabbing through and deactivating one of them; before returning to the defensive against her remaining opponent.


"You have the skills of a true warrior." Sendak compliments as he uppercuts Stevonnie; who lightly floated themselves down a safe distance away from the experienced Galra. "But lack a killer intent, that's why you will fail here!" the Commander charged forward with a ground pound that would've crushed the human Fusion into a red paste; but Stevonnie was able to block it with their shield and did everything in their power to push Sendak back.

Succeeding in doing so, the human Fusion leaped farther back from their opponent; what was Stevonnie thinking trying to take Sendak on their own? The Empirical Galra has them outclassed in hand-to-hand combat. They needed a plan, and fast.

Sendak began his charge again, and Stevonnie tried to leap away; only to get their legs grabbed by the cybernetic and tossed aside like a ragdoll. Hitting the ground with enough force that they diffuse into Steven and Connie.

"Oh quiznack." Connie cursed to herself in worry as she helped Steven up.

"If I recall correctly, there is no honor in killing children," Sendak stated, as he slowly advanced towards the teenagers. "So instead, I'll bring you back to Castle Doom as slaves."

"What do we do? What do we do?" Steven asked his Jam Bud in a panicked tone; while Connie looked around for a solution, eventually catching sight of what she, hopefully, assumed to be the Castle of Lion's airlock.

"I have an idea you're not going to like." Connie began explaining to Steven. "But considering the circumstances, we don't have a choice."

"Just tell me what to do," Steven asked, trusting his Jam Bud.

"When I give the word, grab on to anything that's bolted down," Connie instructed as she and Steven continued to back up; patiently waiting for the right moment… "Now!"

Steven did as Connie instructed, as he leaped for a pipe embedded into the wall, while Connie jumped for the lever to the airlock; pulling down with all the strength she could muster.

"Airlock doors opening in… Five…" A digitally sounding voice announced.

"No!" Sendak roared with rage as he charged the kids.

"Four… Three… Two… One." The digital voice finished as the compartment doors opened and everything in the room began to be sucked into outer space; excluding Steven and Connie who held onto the walls for dear life.

"No!" Sendak screamed as he was being sucked out; however, he grabs Connie's right leg with his cybernetic arm.

"Ah!" Connie yelled in pain as she tried to power through the strain of the added weight.

"Connie!" Steven cried with worry as he tried to maintain his grip on the wall and reach for his best friend.

With Sendak refusing to let go, Connie was left with no choice as takes the Blue Bayard sword in her hand and slices Sendak's cybernetic off; freeing her from the Galra's grip and sending him into the endless void.

"Connie, hang on!" Steven shouted as he tried to reach for her; as teenaged girls grip began to falter. Just as her hand gave out from the stress; a large, extended cerise-red hand grabbed Connie's own. Both teens followed the hand's arm down the hall to discover it attached to Garnet; with Shiro holding on to the Gems waist with his real arm, while his cybernetic one held onto the wall. As soon as Garnet pulled Connie inside, she shapeshifted the length of her other arm; using it to push the lever up and seal the airlock.

With the atmosphere returned to normal, Garnet releases Connie from her grip and Steven runs over to hug her with concern. "Are you okay? You gave me a scare." Steven said as he looked the teenaged girl in her eyes.

"I'm fine, Steven," Connie assured as she and her friend stood up.

"I'm glad you two are safe," Garnet announced as she and Shiro rush over to the two teens.

"Where's Sendak?" Shirogane asked them. Neither Steven nor Connie answered the man, as they looked at the airlock in silence; this was enough to let both the Black Paladin and Crystal Gem leader know what happened. "Are you both going to be okay?" Shiro asked comfortingly.

"We'll be fine." Connie lowly answered; with nothing else to be said now, the group of four continue with heading to medical bay to check on Katie.


"Did you find anything yet on how to deal with this virus?" Coran asked a frantically working Peridot.

"I believe I have," Peridot told the Altean man. "The virus hasn't spread to all the main systems of the ship yet; which means that all we have to do is reboot all the castles functions from its main source to purge it of its digital disease. In other words, the castle needs to be given a hard reset."

"But that'll wipe out all nonessential information saved in this place," Coran responded.

"You wanted an answer; I gave you one." Peridot retorted. "We have to do this now, or the virus will spread until this castle; with everything onboard ending up dead or under Galra control, or both."

Coran stayed quiet for a moment; he did not like the idea of erasing all the information that has been stored here for as long as he could remember. However; bits and pieces of code were not as significant as the lives of every man, woman, and child on board. "Then Allura will have to do the reset; as the main source is in the control room," Coran explained.

"Then tell her what I told you." Peridot responded as she continued monitoring the status of the virus. "And hurry, it's almost near the life support systems."


Keith, Amethyst, Lion, and Allura continued fighting the training drones; who begin overwhelming them as several more showed up. "We can't keep this up forever!" Keith stated as he blocked two incoming attacks.

"Princess, are you there?" Coran asked over the comms device, as Allura kicked her adversary away; before taking the handheld communicator and speaking into it.

"What is it Coran, have you figured out how to stop the virus?" Allura asked.

"Yes! However, need to be by the castles primary controls to do so." Coran informed.

"We're having a little trouble here, right now," Allura informed her advisor in return.

Allura turned around and saw Keith protect her from a downward strike from behind with his swords. "Do what Coran says, we'll keep you covered." The Galran Paladin said as he quickly stabs the enemy drone through its chest. "Amethyst we need to get drones out of here, and by Allura some time!"

"You got it!" Amethyst responded as she spin-dashed through several of the drones like a bowling ball knocking over pins.

Keith decapitated at least two more of the adversarial drones, which garnered their undivided attention towards purple Gem, pink lion, and Galra; as they lead the rest of the robot out of the room. This gave Allura an opening as she ran over to the rooms central station and brought up the holo-pads. "Now what Coran?" The Princess asked while the clashing of metal can be heard from behind her.

"According to Peridot, the only way to purge the virus from the castle is to reboot and delete all non-essential information; it'll wipe out the virus from the systems, indefinitely." Coran quickly summed up.

"What!" Allura shouted back at what she just heard. "We can't, everything that father had learned throughout his life would be lost; even his A.I."

"Allura, we have to do this or…" Coran tried explaining.

"No, there has to be another way!" Allura cried with tears in her eyes.

"Allura." The Altean Princesses sorrowful eyes widened as she heard her father's voice; looking up to discover the A.I. had activated on its own. "Allura, you have to do this." The hologram of Alfor said.

"No, father!" Allura continued to cry.

"Allura, you told me you were willing to do whatever it took to protect the Paladins of Voltron and defeat Zarkon." Alfor sternly, yet kindly reminded his daughter.

"I can't lose you again!" Allura protested.

"Allura, I will always be with you; no matter what," Alfor responded. "You know you have to this."

Allura balled her fists; she wanted to shut off the A.I. and find another way, but she also knew that there might not be enough time to find a way… It wasn't fair that she had to lose her father all over again… however; she made a promise to defeat Zarkon, protect the universe, and reunite the Paladins with their loved ones; something she cannot do if she puts what she wants first. The Princess eventually untightened her hand and placed them on the holo-panels and began entering the code to reset the Castle of Lions. "I love you, father." Allura tearfully said as she typed the last of the commands.

"I… love… you… to… Allura." The A.I. of King Alfor lastly said as his holographic body begins to break up and disperse into a small flash of light.

Keith, Amethyst, and Lion continue their fight against the drones; when suddenly, the castle turned dark, with the lights returning a second later. The Paladins then discover all the training robots had been deactivated, seemingly, on their own. No one knew what happened at first but soon realized that Allura did what Coran advised her to do. The Castle of Lions was under her control again.

The Red and Yellow Paladins reentered the control room to thank Allura for whatever it was she did, only to find the Altean Princess on her knees; sorrowfully crying.

"Allura…" Keith began asking, garnering the dismayed Princesses attention. "Are you okay?"

"Father… is gone again," Allura said in a somber tone. Keith and Amethyst realized that whatever Allura had done, it saved the castle; but took away the King Alfor A.I.


Without saying a word, Keith, Amethyst, Lion, Pumpkin and the Space Mice all sat next to the Princess and tried to comfort her to the best of their ability; something Allura was very grateful towards.

"Pidge!" Both Steven and Connie yell as they along with Shiro and Garnet enter med bay; garnering Matthew's and Lance's attention, while they attempted to slow down the bleeding from an unconscious Katie's wound.

"How is she doing, Matthew?" Shiro asked with concern.

"We're doing everything we can," Matt stated, visibly exhausted from all the stress. "But I don't know what to do, Shiro. She's losing too much blood, and if we try removing the metal; she'll lose even more."

Steven and Connie looked at their friend with heart aching concern; who looked far paler then they remember. Then, Steven's eyes widened as he got an idea. "Matt, I can help her," Steven stated to the older brother.

"How?" Matt questioned.

"I have healing powers," Steven explained.

"You have healing powers!" Lance exclaimed, with a tone of disbelief.

"Well, sort of…" Steven hesitantly began.

"What do you mean by sort of?" Matt asked.

"My healing powers seem to work at random times; at one moment I have them, then the next moment they're gone," Steven explained. "But they are powerful enough to heal anything."

"But you said they work at random times." Matt recapped the teenaged boy's own words. "What if they don't work now?"

"We have to try at least," Connie added into the conversation.

"No, I can't risk Katie on a maybe," Matt responded.

"Matthew," Garnet spoke up. "Before we met, and while Katie was searching for you, Steven stood up for her by saying you two were like Ruby and Sapphire; two significant people I know, and I see what he meant by it," Garnet added in; giving Steven a small, unnoticed smile. "The point is, Ruby and Sapphire would act the same way if they were in yours and Katie's shoes. They would both be hesitant at first, but they would take great risks if it meant saving each other. If we take a risk like that now, Katie may die. However, if we stand here and do nothing, Katie will die."

Matt looked at the Fusion for a moment, then back to Steven with an assured look on his face. "I trust you."

"All right." Steven nodded as she spat into his hand. "This may be a little gross…" The teen further warned.

Matt carefully placed his hand on the metal, before looking at Lance. "You hold her down; I'll pull the metal out." Lance nodded as put a hand on the opposite side of Pidge's stomach and shoulder.

"On the count of three…" Matt announced. "One. Two… Three!" With that final word, Matt pulled the metal out as fast as he could, making Katie scream in pain as she began bleeding out. Steven quickly places his saliva covered hand over the wound. Nothing happens, but then, the injury starts glowing a bright pink before sealing up on its own; with the only thing left being a visible scar.

"M… Matt…" The formerly injured girl mumbled as her eyes slowly opened and the color returned to her face; with the first thing she wakes up to be her brother, crying tears of relief as he gently embraced her.

"Thank God." Matt tearfully said. "I thought… I… I was going to lose you."

"I'm okay, Matt," Pidge tearfully assured as she hugged her brother back. "I'm okay."

Lance backed up from the bed to give the Holt siblings their room, while Shiro and the Crystal Gems watched the siblings with happiness and relief.

The castle's lounge was filled with eerie silence as the Paladins, Alteans and Crystal Gems sat and looked at each other. Pidge wasn't present with the group as she was resting in the med bay, with her brother watching over her. Lance tried remaining strong for Allura, but was he too was saddened by what happened to Alfor's A.I. Pearl had yet to reform, as Peridot held her gemstone on a pillow; Garnet predicts that Pearl's body should reform in about a day or two.

"Well, the Castle of Lions is still flyable," Coran told everyone, trying to break the silence. "We won't be getting to the Balmera as quickly as we hoped, but we'll still make it. I'll work on getting the Teladuv Chamber operational again, as soon as possible."

"We got overconfident," Shiro said to the group. "We were so sure that we won on Arus, that we didn't make sure it was true. We were almost left stranded in space, Pidge nearly died, and Zarkon would've gotten the lions; we can't afford to make mistakes like this."

"Shiro is right," Allura spoke up. "Our conflict with the Galra will come with a toll; physically… and emotionally. We need to be prepared so that we'll never lose or almost lose more than what is allowed."

"Agreed." "Yeah." "Uh-huh." The group all said amongst themselves; bringing slightly more liveliness back to the castle.

"All of you are dismissed from duty until we arrive at the Balmera." Allura further told the group. "We need the rest, so we may be prepared for more battles like this to come."


Castle Doom.

"My lord." Haggar began as she knelt before Zarkon, who sat in his throne intimidatingly.

"I know what you going to say, Haggar." The Emperor talking with his witch.

"So you must be know the failure of Sendak in his mission to taking Voltron." Haggar stated. "However, he was able to send to us where the Voltron will be next."

"I'm listening," Zarkon said in an emotionless tone.

"They are heading to Balmera X-95-Vox with a foolish intent to free its people from our control." Haggar summed up.

"Hm. Our ships on their own are no match for Voltron." Zarkon logically stated. "I think it is time to test how your newest creation will fair against our enemy."

"I simply await your command, my lord." Haggar respectfully responded. "And I will make it".

"Deploy the Deathblack Beastman!" Zarkon ordered. "It will either capture or destroy Voltron."


I hope you like the chapter. see you in next time