Chapter 13

A/N: I just own this story and my OCs involved, Destiny & Voltron aren't owned by me (sadly).

"Bold is intercoms"

/commlinks/

Yorak telepathy/flashbacks

"Pidge scan the download from the ship," Shiro ordered helping Jaz limp onto the bridge, "find out where Zarkon's central command is."

"On it!" she said rushing over to her seat and quickly sifting through the data with Hunk's help.

"What happened?" Coran asked going over and helping support Jaz, "Where's Allura?"

"They captured her," Shiro growled.

"She sacrificed herself to save us and the intel," Jaz huffed. "She shoulda left me behind at least I could escape again."

"Coran, I'm sorry things didn't go the way we planned but we can't focus on what went wrong," Shiro said looking at the man before he could make Jaz feel worse than she already did, "we just need to figure out on how to make it right. Pidge anything?"

"Yeah, look at this," she said pushing a set of schematics onto the main viewscreen.

"Look at the size of it," Coran gasped.

"I think we should go in right away," Pidge stated, "with every minute we waste Zarkon has more time to prepare for us."

"I agree," Lance nodded, crossing his arms. "We fly in form Voltron, kick butt, fly out with Allura dust off our hands and walk away."

Jaz grunted as she pushed off Coran and stood on her own. "We don't even know if that's where Allura's being held."

"Oh, and how would you know?" Lance scoffed.

"My mother is Captain of the Queen's Guard and current Reagent of the Awoken, I grew up learning military strategy. If I were to have such a high-value target, I wouldn't place them in somewhere so obvious, despite its defenses. I'd put them somewhere…off the records," she hissed, before stifling a pained cry as she gripped her side and Coran caught her.

"Jaz, you really should get into a cryo-pod," Coran said.

"I've had worse, I'll manage," she grunted, trying to stand on her own again.

"Um, do you guys not remember the Balmera? We could barely take out one fleet," Hunk reminded, "but this…a base this size could house a thousand fleets!"

"Or maybe we shouldn't go at all," Keith said firmly. He didn't want to be the bad guy in this situation, however, it seemed no one was pointing out the obvious. "Think about it this way: If we go, we'll be delivering the universe's greatest weapon into the hands of one of its greatest enemies."

They all looked at him, and Keith clenched his jaw, he didn't like it, but it had to be said, someone had to remind them that this is what Zarkon was after all along. He'd been after the Voltron Lions for over ten-thousand years, did they really think that he'd just let them fly off into the sunset if they went straight into the den of the beast? Because if any of Keith's past lessons and experiences taught him is that when the opportunity arises, those with the will would grab it by the throat until they succeed.

Zarkon was one of those people.

He would eat this new team alive if given the chance. Keith would not let him have that chance, even if it meant turning his teammates against him. If they hated him for the rest of their lives, so be it, it was his duty as both a Paladin of Voltron and a Guardian to prevent monsters like Zarkon from winning. No matter the cost.

"Keith, that's cold, even for you," Hunk said being the first to speak up and break the stunned silence, "What if it was one of us? What if it was me? You wouldn't leave me, would you? Would you?"

Keith scowled and glared at them. Why couldn't they get this? "Look, I'm not saying I like the idea, I'm just thinking like a Paladin."

"No, you're thinking of yourself because you're too scared to do what's right!" Lance snapped.

Keith glared at them, who were they to tell them what was right and wrong? What was selfish?

Hunk was terrified, but at least he understood how dire the situation was after his initial journey to the Balmera. He comprehended that this was something he couldn't just leave because he wanted to; Hunk was too nice to stay still knowing there were people suffering under a tyrant's thumb. Honestly it made Keith a little proud that Hunk of all people understood this. However, that didn't stop him from voicing his desires to be anywhere other than saving countless lives.

Pidge had been about to leave the team to find her family. He couldn't blame her, he shared similar sentiments. He would kill for a chance to see his father again, to see Terra, his friends, his pets again after being gone for so long. Keith would love to know more about his mother other than the fact she left him his knife and that she wasn't human from what he gathered, most likely Faen, Awoken, or Altean, maybe one of the hybrid races. But what bothered him was how Pidge would've so blatantly abandoned her team to try to find them with a clue she didn't even completely have. She would've left without even knowing if they could've found a replacement for her in the Green Lion. A member leaving the team was always devastating, he still felt the hole from when their parents sent him and his friends away to different places, he saw the change when Ryzor had died during the start of the Red War. Pidge couldn't have not known that her departure wouldn't have left a possibly unfillable void in their dynamic, not with her intellect.

And Lance…

Ever since Keith knew Lance, he had only ever been looking out for himself. It was Lance who wanted glory for saving Shiro and Jaz from the Garrison, Keith was just rescuing whoever crashed. To him, the who didn't matter. Lance was the one who let the Blue Lion get stolen all because he was trying to impress a girl. Even after they explicitly told him "no" he still took her and look what happened. It was Lance who constantly messed up their training because he kept trying to distract him or show off and prove he was better. Even though Keith honestly couldn't give a draaf about this "rivalry" Lance concocted in his mind.

And now they were calling him selfish? Saying he didn't know what was right?

"Enough!" Jaz snapped noticing Keith was about to lose it. "We're all upset on how we lost Allura, right now, we just need a battle strategy."

"You mean Shiro lost Allura," Coran snarled glaring at the man.

"I lost her too Coran."

"You, Number 4, were injured in combat, therefore, you're excused."

"Ok! Ok! This isn't helping!" Hunk voiced. "We can't just sit here and bicker like this."

Shiro took a breath to calm himself down. "Let's focus. First off, Jaz, go to the medbay. You can barely stand."

-.-

Haggar glided onto the warship holding the Altean Princess, escorted by several of her underlings to keep her in check.

Macidus was there to meet her.

"Why have you left your post?" she demanded approaching the druid she had entrusted the quintessence refining in.

"The base became under attack by the Paladins of Voltron."

Haggar narrowed her eyes, he fled just for that reason? It seemed that even she for all her time alive is still capable of making mistakes, her last one had been eons ago. She didn't let him live long.

"And you run? Victory or death is the Galra way. Perhaps I had judged your skill to be too great for the task."

"You have not High Priestess, I was attacked by the Red Paladin. The one who hides his nature as a Guardian. He had his power, I could see it. Sense it. The amount of Quintessence he weilds within him is enough to perform a shatter."

She scowled at the statement, she had spent many decapheobs studying the Guardians. And all the Guardians she'd seen, never hid, not if they had their powers. The ones whom lost it after their mysterious fall, yes, they hid, and when they were found they were put under the Empire's protection at any cost. She could believe those Guardians, she could feel their quintessence, connected to a ghost, but weaker than anything she'd ever seen from them.

Otherwise no Guardians had been seen outside the Krien System since they vanished, and the Cabal Empire had a stronger foothold, so it made it almost impossible to say what happened to them. Those she had treated, never talked.

However, if there was one thing she knew for certain: A Guardian with powers, would never, ever hide their nature. To them, it would seem as an act of cowardace.

Macidus had been overjudged. A disappointment really, he had once held so much potential. If he had really faced a Guardian, he wouldn't have come out alive if he caused the warrior to lash out. Guardians never practiced Light Restraint to a level he was stating, it was simply too dangerous with the way they produced quintessence.

"Macidus, it seems you are no longer fit for the role I assigned you," she stated coldly, turning to the two to her left. "Take him to the chamber."

"Yes, High Priestess," they said escorting the protesting weakling away.

Haggar scowled turning back to her given task and moving towards the Princess' cell. She did not tolerate stupidity. Especially the stupidity of attacking a Guardian when they were so revered for their power and mercilessness; revered enough to where Zarkon had made it against the law at even lay a hand on one without their permission.

Macidus would not be killed, no, those with quintessence sensitivity were hard enough to find as it was. But he will most certainly feel her wrath for almost bringing shame upon their art by making wild accusations. She would see to it before Zarkon even got word.

Walking up to a cell, the door opened, revealing a face she hadn't seen in ten thousand years. The feeble daughter of the weak Altean King Alfor. "Come with me."

-.-

"Anything?" Shiro asked looking over Lance's shoulder as he worked.

"There's just no way in. They'll have us tracked from every direction."

"There has to be something. Keep looking," he ordered standing up and walking towards Coran. "I know you're worried about her. We all are. I'm sorry I let her slip away."

Coran glanced at the Black Paladin, noticing the man refused to meet his eyes in shame. "I know it's not your fault, you and Jaz did everything you could. It's just…I've already lost so much. I can't lose Allura too."

"We'll find a way to get her back," Shiro reassured. "If only there was a way to get to Zarkon's ship without being seen…"

Coran fowned before he started typing. "I think I found a way…" he pulled up an image of a gas giant within the Central Command system.

"Alright everyone, listen up," Shiro ordered. "Here's the plan: We're going to jump into the heart of the enemy unseen and undetected."

"I thought we needed Allura to open a wormhole?" Pidge questioned.

"It's true that Allura powers the Caslte's ability to travel through wormholes, however, I think we have enough of her residual essence stored in the system to make a jump. We'll hide the Castle here in the giant gas planets of the Command System. The gas is so dense, we'll be hidden."

"Form there we use the Castle to scan for Allura on Zarkon's ship," Shiro stated. "If she's not there, we can make a quick getaway before anyone notices, if she is there, we'll be able to attack before Zarkon knows what hit him."

"One problem though," Coran stated, "while Jaz's powers are similar enough to let us access Allura's residule energy in order to wormhole in; however we don't know if her own energy is compatible to power the systems. I'm afraid without Allura we won't have enough energy to wormhole out."

"It doesn't matter, we aren't leaving without her," Shiro resolved.

-.-

Inside the gas giant of the Galra Empire's Central Command System, a blue wormhole opened, allowing the Castle of Lions to arrive undetected.

"We're here," Shiro stated standing up.

"I'm detecting Allura's energy signature," Coran informed, "from this distance, it's pretty weak but she's somewhere on Zarkon's main ship."

"That's a lot of ground to cover," Jaz winced from her position at the helm.

"At least gives us a starting point," Keith stated. "Brig would most likely be on the lower levels or internal, somewhere where they couldn't reach an escape pod or hangar easily if they were to escape."

"Once we get closer, we can narrow down the location of where the Princess' being held."

"Alright guys, this is it," Shiro stated. "Voltron's going to come in fast and without warning. We'll smash our way into Zarkon's ship and grab the Princess. Before they know what hit them, we'll have Allura and be on our way."

"Coran and I will be providing you cover out here," Jaz added.

"You sure?" Lance asked raising an eyebrow. "You're still pretty weak from—"

"I can handle it. Get to your lions. The mission starts now."

Nodding in assent, the Paladins raced to their lions, shooting out of the Castle and forming Voltron before blasting their way towards the command ship.

Two beams of dark energy that made Keith's hair almost stand on end shot out of the top and bottom of the main ship, allowing a shield to form around the system.

That made him frown, if the ship wasn't defending itself from their attacks then what was it…it was a trap. The barrier was meant to keep Voltron from escaping.

"And this is why this was a bad plan," Yorak said.

"Agreed," Keith hissed under his breath. This mission was going to be hard already, that much he was certain.

/What is that?/ Hunk cried out.

/Don't know, but I hope once we get the Princess we can find a way out of here/ Pidge said.

"Keith, warship cannons are charging up."

/They're gonna fire!/ Katie warned before Keith could inform the others.

Voltron shot down towards a ship underneath it faster, seeing what Shiro was about to do, Keith pulled Red back and slammed Voltron's right fist into the hull, smirking as it breached it before the Green Lion's impact made another breach.

/Form sword!/ Shiro ordered and Keith whipped out his bayard, shoving it into the switch and burying the blade of Voltron into the hull.

Green joined Red in grasping the weapon, and Voltron flew down the length of the craft, dragging the blade through before flying away as the ship exploded dramatically behind them. Flying towards the next crusier, Keith slammed the sword into the hull, and Voltron pushed the trusters to max as they shoved the ship into two others, before taking off as thy blew up.

/More trouble dead ahead!/ Lance warned.

/Form shoulder cannon!/

Keith pulled out his bayard as Hunk put in his, allowing the massive weapon to materialize and fire to destroy the attacking crusiers in a blaze of glory.

"Nyke'd ossēnagon syt iā deppup hae bona [I'd kill for a cannon like that]," Keith grumbled, it would make Hive missions so much easier.

"I'm sure you would, sword."

Putting his bayard back into place, Voltron formed the sword once again as they flew towards Zarkon's ship.

Keith smirked as they flew closer, perhaps his fears had been irrelevant. This was easier than he thought it would be. Pushing the right arm forwards so the sword would stab through on impact, Keith grunted and gripped onto the controls tighter as pain rippled through his body.

"No…not now," he winced. This was not the time for his light to be acting up.

It was only when his bayard popped out of place, that Keith realized that this wasn't a result of his current problem.

/What's happening?!/

"We've lost the sword," he grunted back. "Something's malfunctioning." Swinging his hand, Yorak appeared and nodded.

"On it," he said scanning the systems as Keith tried to get Red to move. They were sitting ducks like this!

/What's happening?!/ Coran's panicked voice broke through.

/Someone do something! Voltron's frozen up!/ Lance shouted.

"Shiro!" Keith called looking for orders.

/I can't hold it!/ he called back.

"You're a fool to bring Voltron here," a menacing voice snarled and they screamed as pain exploded. It felt like something was in their heads, forcing apart the bonds they used to control Voltron as a unit.

And it did. All five lions sperated and were shot away from each other.

/What just happened?! Something tore us apart!/ Hunk exclaimed.

/I don't know, but we've got bigger problems right now, look/ Lance said.

Keith grit his teeth as he turned Red and saw a horde or fighters and warships heading their way. "Why do I get the feeling these guys knew we were coming?"

"Because they did," Yorak said off to his side.

"Let's handle this," Keith snarled as he shot Red into the fray and begain firing his laser, letting it tear through the ships as he expertly weaved through them, leading the blasts from the cannons to hit other Galra vessels.

/There's no end to these guys!/ Hunk whined.

A blast came down from above and Keith turned to see the Castle flying towards them.

/CORAN ATTACK! I'VE WAITED TEN THOUSAND YEARS FOR THIS!/ Coran hollered as several orbs finished forming around it that fired all at once, slamming and melting through several of the crusiers.

/THAT'S FOR IMPRISIONING ME AND MY TEAM!/

/EXCELLENT SHOT JAZ!/

"Keith! Shiro's in trouble!" Yorak informed flying in front of his face and almost making him crash Red in the process.

"What did I say about flying in front of me?!" he scolded, pushing him out of the way before turning Red around to see what he was talking about.

The Black Lion hadn't moved from where it had stopped after being forced to separate, in fact, it was slowly drifting closer to the command ship.

"Thanks for the warning," he said unmuting his side of the comm-channel. "Shiro! Are you ok?!"

Shiro grunted as if in immense pain. /Something's overriding the controls! My lion's not respond—AHH/ he cut off into a scream as whatever was causing his pain got worse.

"Shiro's in trouble! I'm going in!" he called to the others.

"Shiro's been ejected out of the lion!" Yorak called.

"I see it!" he hissed urging Red to go faster, they couldn't afford to lose the Black Lion.

/What are we going to do? Out plan isn't really working out as well…planned!/ Hunk exclaimed.

/I'm going for the Black Lion. You guys get the Princess, now!/ Shiro ordered.

/I've identified Allura's exact location. Uploading coordinates now/ Coran informed. /In the meantime Jaz and I will provide cover fire out here. Alone. Against an entire fleet, so uh, yeah, do you mind hurrying?/

/My jetpack's damaged. I'll need to go through the ship/ Shiro called.

"Fighters on our tail."

"I know." Red fired a laser blast at the one in front, before Keith whirled her around, taking the two behind them by surprise. "Stay quiet," he hissed at the Yorak before removing the mute again. "You guys get the Princess without me."

/What? we need to stick together!/ Lance protested. /What are you doing?!/

"Whatever I have to, we can't let the Black Lion fall into Zarkon's hands," he replied closing the comm.

Speeding Red up, they rammed into the Black Lion at full force, sending it spinning into another section of the ship, away from Zarkon and closer to Shiro. Hopefully that would help him get back to it faster.

"Incoming!" Yorak warned as Keith saw a red and grey blur pass outside, landing in front of where the Black Lion crashed. He was old, tall, and infuriatingly familiar.

"Who the asul is that?"

/It's Zarkon!/ Coran exclaimed. /Keith get out of there! Zarkon's too powerful!/

Keith scrunched up his nose, flee? Coran wanted him to run away? Leave the Black Lion in his hands? Yeah right. He'd killed Wizards older than this guy, and he was in a ship, Zarkon wasn't.

It was clear who the odds in this situation favored.

/Keith don't!/ Coran called as Red dove down, firing her laser towards the Galran Emperor.

Pulling up, Keith turned and narrowed his eyes as he saw the shield vanish, maybe Zarkon would prove to be a challenge after all.

/You may have a lion. But its power is weak in your fledgling hands/ the emperor scoffed as he turned holding something familiar in his hand.

"Is that…?"

"The Black Bayard," Keith grumbled. "That explains a lot."

The bayard switched in his hands into a sword, swinging it, Zarkon sent a wave of energy flying towards them. Rolling out of the way, Keith felt Red growl and a sense of seething hatred burn through him. He wanted to destroy him, burn Zarkon until only ash remained. Make him pay for all the suffering he caused to them.

Red wanted to annilate this monster.

/You cannot stop me. The Black Lion will finally be returned to its original Paladin/

Red growled, no, Black nor any of their sisters would accept him after what he did to the previous Paladins! He was the source of all their pain, of their paladin's pains! He will burn, Red would make sure of it!

Firing at him again, Red watched as the shield manifested. Once it hit smoke erupted, allowing Red to dive down on the traitor, Red would enjoy crushing him under her paw.

Landing on all fours, the lion's gaze landed on the Emperor as he landed and summoned his sword. He began charging and Red roared racing towards him, firing as they got closer to each other.

Zarkon slammed into the lion's side, swinging his blade he managed to hurl them onto the hull, making Keith grunt in pain as he was jostled in the cabin. Opening his eyes he looked for Yorak? When did he vanish?

"Keith!"

Looking out, Keith moved Red as the cannon in Zarkon's grasp fired. The blast barely missed, ending up decimating part of the command system behind.

Now, he new why Coran was so worried before hand. Zarkon was not going to be easy to kill.

/Keith! Get out of there!/

"Look out!"

Keith moved again, as the blast made impact with the command ship. Flying back, he noticed a button flashing. Pressing it, he watched as a jawblade similar to the the one Shiro had summoned in the Balmera battle appeared in Red's jaws.

/Keith! Listen to me! it's imperative that you don't engage—!/

Keith cut off the comms, they were too distracting.

Driving Red down, he dodged the swings of Zarkon's bladed whip, flying back up, out of range, before turning around and divng back down behind the tyrant. Turning on his heel, Zarkon swung the whip, wrapping it around the lion and swinging down, hard.

Red gave an angry growl as she was hurled over and slammed into the ship again.

Keith sat up, glaring at his opponent as he formed a sword with the stolen bayard and began flying towards them.

"No."

They would not lose. Red refused to let Zarkon slaughter another Red Paladin. They would make Zarkon suffer!

Getting up with a roar, Red's railgun formed on the lion's back and fired, forcing Zarkon to stop and block the blast with the flat of his sword as it slowly pushed him back. he would not last under the gun's onslaught for long. Not even his shield could protect him from the rage of the Red Lion.

Ducking out of the way, the blast flew past their target and obliterated part of the central command system.

Red growled, Zarkon still wasn't dead. Flying up, they whipped around, aiming the cannon again. Firing, the beam chased Zarkon as he flew, trying to keep out of its reach. He couldn't run forever, eventually he would mess up and Red could kill him.

/You fight like a Galra soldier/ Zarkon's voice rang out through the cockpit making Keith blanch. Where'd he go?! /But not for long!/

The emperor flew up next to him, a large battle axe forming in his grasp, before he slammed it down onto Red. Sending her crashing into the ship again.

Keith grunted in pain as he was slammed against the controls again, even with his rapid healing he might be left with a few bruises from this fight, he'd give Zarkon that much credit. "Red?" he called, furrowing his eyebrows as he saw the systems were down. Zarkon must've hit her harder than he thought if he essentially knocked her out.

"Keith! We need to go!"

Looking back at Zarkon, Keith realized why Yorak seemed frantic; he had his sword out again, and it was aimed right for them.

"C'mon!" he called to Red again, trying to get her to move. Where was she? Why wasn't she responding with the same rage she had earlier?

Another roar echoed and they watched as Black swooped in and shot Zarkon back. before flying over and scooping up Red.

/I got ya buddy/ Shiro's reassuring voice rang out over the comms as they flew back into the Castle.

/Alright Paladins, time to get out of here!/ Allura said.

/Hello? What's going on?! Where's the wormhole?!/ Hunk called voicing what they were all thinking when the portal didn't appear.

/The Galra barrier's jamming our ability to create one!/ Coran answered.

"Are you kidding me?!" Keith exclaimed.

/No! they have us completely surrounded!/

/What just happened?!/ Pidge called as they saw a flicker of violet light.

/Sheild's down!/ Jaz called.

/Wormhole us outta here!/ Hunk shouted.

Going into the wormhole, Keith grunted as he was jostled again, this wormhole felt wrong. It was dark, cold, crackling with an energy worse than what he felt when he faced the Galra Wizard.

/Coran, what's happening?!/ Shiro demanded.

/Wormhole integrity's been compromised! It's breaking down!/

/What does that mean?/

/It means we have no control over where we're heading/ Jaz snapped.

The Castle shook violently as the energy grew worse, and Keith screamed as Red and Black were sucked out of the Castle before everything went dark.