The Paladins walked through an archway decorated with vines and flowers. The archway itself was intricately carved stone. Along the sides were all sorts of etchings depicting the history. Of all things, this remained untouched by Galra hands.
They stopped in the center facing a large rock decorated with vines. At the top of the rock was a young Olkari about twenty if he were human. He glared down at the paladins making it known that he was one that they should not messed around with. He wore a simple tunic with no sash. His skin was navy with orange Olkari markings on his face.
He looked at them a moment longer. His eyes shimmered with hate, before finally turning to the crowd surrounding them.
"This is what I'm talking about!" he yelled, his voice reverberating throughout the surrounding trees."This is why we shouldn't trust Ryner. Ex-King Lubos was fake and handed us over! Now Ryner has allowed these people onto our planet and what to they bring with them?"
His voice silenced the crowd their eyes fixated on him nodding along with every word. In the pause he slid from the rock, landing on the ground the dirt shifting beneath him. He walked towards the Paladins his jaw tight and eyes narrowed to slits. He raised a shaky hand and pointed it at Shiro.
"These so-called Legendary Defenders bring the Galra with them! They destroyed a building that has been with us for ages and now they destroyed our orphanage! They are so low that they had to go and destroy an orphanage! Well, I say no more!" he pumped his fist in the air, "Today we will take back what is ours and these paladins will pay for what they've caused."
The crowd erupted in roars of their agreement. The few Olkari who could reach the paladins began to jostle them, one even throwing punches.
"Wait!"
The cry rang out above the crowd silencing it so much that they could hear the trees rustling in the breeze. The Olkari from before walked towards the paladins the crowd parting for him like butter.
"There's one more." He looked between them his eyes narrowing in suspicion, "Where's the fifth paladin?"
"I don't know," Shiro responded. He kept his eyes trained on the Olkari. It was the wrong thing to do. Seconds after the Olkari smacked him across the face, a red imprint already forming.
"LIES!" the Olkari screamed, "Where is she?" he paced back and forth between them, "I will find out so you might as well tell me now!"
From the end of the line, Keith spoke, "As Shiro said-" he looked up- "We don't know."He was pushing himself up from the dirt a moment later with a cut lip.
The other three Paladins shouts silenced when Olkari near them produced weapons."Now, I'm going to ask one more time. And if I don't get what I want then there's going to be a bigger problem then what we already have."
XXXXXXXXXXX
"Come on get up!"
Pidge jumped when the words brought a quick kick to her side seconds after the words reached her ears. Opening her eyes she found Oskana standing over her, a frown plastered on her face. Strapped to her hip was her pistol ready to fire at a moment's notice. She mumbled a curse to herself as she sat up, angry that she had allowed herself to fall asleep.
Reaching down she gripped Pidge's arm and hauled her to her feet. Pidge attempted a struggle but it was pointless while her hands were still bound.
"Where's your friend?" Pidge asked, facing straight, her eyes narrowed and jaw set. Her hands closed in tight fists, as Oskana marched her towards the door of the shack.
"He's around," was all she said before they left the shack and disappeared deeper into the woods.
They followed a path covered in small rocks. Low hanging branches overflowing with leaves made it hard to see farther down the path. Once Pidge tried to turn her head to look behind her only for Oskana to whip her head back around. Now with a sore neck, Pidge kept her eyes forward risking every so often to look over at Oskana.
She had her hand still wrapped around Pidge's upper arm. Every time a sound reached them from deeper in the woods. The grip on her arm tightened, only to loosen it again when the sound disappeared.
"There's no need to be so tense," Pidge said under her breath. Oskana remained quiet, although Pidge did feel her slacken her grip. With nothing else to occupy her time, she began to plan her escape.
Right now she knew for a fact that she was being taken to a secure location with the Galra. She also knew that she would fair better with Oskana then with the Galra.
"What are you getting out of this?"
"I've already told you my story what else to you want from me?" Oskana replied with a bite to her words.
"What are you getting out of this?" Pidge turned to look at her, "What's the point of this?"
Oskana sighed glancing down at the ground then back up to the trail. "I'm getting protection for myself, and for my mother and brother."
"No, you're not."Oskana turned to her so fast and Pidge threw her cuffed hands up in defense,
"They're using you."
"No. They're holding my family captive and I'm doing what I have to, to make sure that they come back alive."
"How many more times are you going to have to hand over innocent people, so you can protect your family?"
"As many as it takes."
"Those people have families too. They have people that they care about, and people that care about them. Yet, here you are taking them and handing them over to the enemy."
"I-I'm protecting my family..." she whispered. They both have stopped in the middle of the trail, facing each other.
"We can protect you, and we can rescue your family. That's our mission."
Oskana shook her head, "I can't lose them again." She turned her gaze back to Pidge staring into her eyes. Her lip quivered, "How do I know that I can trust you? You have no idea what this is like."
"Back on earth," Pidge shifted her weight to her left foot. "My brother and father were apart of a space expedition to Kerberos. They were both so excited," she smiled at the memory. "Then one night, we found on the news, that the crew had died due to pilot error."
She cleared her throat before continuing.
"Then after I joined Voltron I found that they were both alive. My brother joined a rebellion and my dad was being held captive. So we rescued him, and now both my brother and father are helping with the rebellion."
Oskana was staring at her awestruck her mouth agape.
"So yes I know what you're feeling. You feel helpless and are doing the only thing you know how to do. We can help you!" Pidge was holding onto Oskana now, her hands placed on her forearms.
Shrugging her off Oskana took a step back before reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a small square, reaching out she took hold of Pidge's cuffs and entered the chip. There was a click and then the cuffs dropped from her hands.
"Pidge," Oskana said, "Run. Go get your team and hurry back. I'll try and buy you some time."
With a nod, Pidge took off back down the trail, and back towards the city.
