Chapter 27

A/N: alright! Next chapter! Yay! As always, I own nothing of Destiny of Voltron: Legendary Defender.

"Bold is intercoms"

/commlinks/

Italics is dreams/telepathy/flashbacks

The five lions flew past a multicolored ringed planet that reminded Keith a lot of the gas giant Kronos in the Krein System. However, he could reminisce later, Lotor was the priority.

/Lotor's cruiser's on the other side of the planet/ Pidge informed. /With our current rate of speed we'll be within attack range in an hour/

"Good, hold formation," he ordered.

Yorak hovered next to him, keeping an optic on the scanners. "Target sighted." On his monitor, Keith watched as it zoomed in and focused on the ship.

There was a loud crash and Allura apologizing afterwards, /Sorry Hunk!/

/Mm, is attacking right now is a good idea?/ the Yellow Paladin questioned. /You know, since not everyone's so great with their lions?/

/Do you mean me, specifically?!/ Allura accused.

/You? No! Now way, I didn't—I'm just simply pointing out that more than half of the team's in new lions. Maybe now's not a great time to bite off more than we can chew/

/You can blame our hot-headed leader for that!/

Keith scowled growing tired of their arguing. Was this how Shiro felt? If so, the first thing Keith was going to do when he got back was apologize for being so troublesome. "First you want me to lead and then you complain about how I do it. I believe in learning on the job," he snapped. "Prince Lotor is the heir to the Galra Throne, we could end his reign right now."

Red pulled back. /Allura, you doing ok in Blue?/

/I'm fine. I've been flying the Castle for half my life. I just need a few ticks to adjust to the lion/

Just as long as she learned quickly. "Good, we're going in."

"I've got movement!" Yorak informed and Keith glanced to the monitor watching as a bogie began to separate from the ship. Probably a fighter or transport.

"Hide," he ordered and the ghost vanished in a flash of light. "Alright everybody, Black's detected some movement."

/So much for the element of surprise/

/It's just a single fighter. Where's the rest of them?/

"Probably scrambling as we speak. Take it out." Thrusting Black forwards, he watched his opponent warily looking to see if he'd make the first move. The fighter flew down, probably intending to come up and strike from his underside. Before he could prepare his counter, Red slammed into him from the back. "Lance! What're you doing?!"

/Sorry, Red's a lot faster than I'm used to…Where'd that fighter go?/

Quiznak! Looking around, Keith grunted a fire hit Black. Seems this was the distracting they needed to get the advantage. Flying Black forwards, the Black Paladin growled; while he appreciated the extra armor, it unfortunately made his lion too slow to maneuver the way he needed in order to shake his attacker. "I can't shake him. Someone get him off my tail!"

/Incoming/ Pidge informed.

A powerful blast jostled him in his seat. "Allura!"

/Sorry Keith!/

/Seriously, does this thing have brakes?!/ Lance questioned zooming in front of Black, narrowly missing collision.

Traveler, this mission was going sideways fast. Fire from the fighter hit his lion again as they continued weaving between the lions like a pesky fly that refused to be swatted. Whoever they were, Keith would admit, their pilot skills and tactical abilities were impressive. Not many sould fly a ship skillfully enough to enable their opponents, whom out-numbered them five-to-one, to attack each other and miss their primary target.

As proven by Blue and Yellow colliding head on as the fighter lead them into a game of chicken.

/Who is this guy?/ Lance grumbled, /He's pitting us against each other/

"It's gotta be Lotor," Keith said. It had to be, there was only four other people he knew who could fly like that and one was back at the Castle, one was missing, the other was fighting the Red War, and the last was none other than the insane Hunter Vanguard. Lotor was the only option.

/Ow. Allura, you ok?/

/Fine, but these controls are not responding, not like the Castle. What's wrong with you lion? Do as I command! Move!/

/Maybe someone should suggest to Allura that flying the lion is different than flying the Castle?/

/I already told her yelling wouldn't work. Didn't go over well, she yelled at me too/

/Yeah, count me out. She scares me when she's under pressure/

/I can hear you/ Allura snarled and Keith nearly muted his comms at how loud the rest of them screamed.

"I'qu fekrinv fiht ixiehj [I'm working with idiots]," he muttered. Literally anyone else in the universe could pick this up faster than them? Why was this so hard? They didn't know how to fly a lion before starting this insane quest, and their first missions went just fine. The only differenced now were that they were in different lions and Shiro was in charge. Learning the controls for a new lion wasn't much of a change. Two of them hadn't even changed lions for Chirst's sakes! What was so hard about this mission for them to grasp that?

/Keith! What do we do?/

"How about this? Everyone stay out of my way!" he snapped.

/Great. Great leadership/

Ignoring Lance's patronizing comment, Keith flew after the fighter, firing as he managed to get behind it. they flew up, quickly flipping around before diving down at him shooting. Black growled and Keith felt a flash of pain run through his body. "Ok, new plan, we need Voltron. Everyone, in formation!"

Flying in formation, Keith closed his eyes, trying to feel for the other lions. Why was it taking so long? It never too this long before?

/Guys, I'm not really feeling that Voltron feeling!/ Hunk protested.

Keith grit his teeth. It had to work. "Keep going!"

/It's not happening!/

Keith released a snarl as he glared at the controls. "What's going on?!"

/Fighter!/ Lance warned.

Snapping his attention away from the controls, Keith dove Black out of the way of the incoming fighter, hoping the others would follow his lead. Turning Black up, he watched the fighter turn and leave.

/That was embarrassing/

/So…should we call it quits?/ Hunk voiced, /Maybe go back, regroup, get a meal?/

"No!" Keith replied. "I know everyone's struggling, but we can't let Lotor get away."

-.-

Lotor flew towards a large planet with massive rocky spires jutting out through the stormy atmosphere.

"He's trying to hide from us," Keith hissed as the fighter flew down into the clouds.

"Keith."

"Skoros [what]?"

"This planet, it's Thayserix."

Keith blinked, it'd been a while, but he was familiar with this planet. It was a place Holliday would often talk about during her lectures on having to pilot blind. Without scanners and other systems to help navigate. In order to even fly on Terra, it was a requirement to know how to navigate places like this.

Swinging his hand, Keith let his ghost materialize. "Uxsajh jonjekj [adjust sensors]."

With a small bob, Yorak began working as Keith tapped his comms. "Alright guys, this planet's gonna be a little rough. Adjust your equipment as you can. Otherwise, hope y'all're ready to fly blind."

/TO FLY WHAT?!/

/Keith! I'm not sure following him is the best idea! We don't know what's in there!/ Pidge protested as he shot forwards after wards.

As they dove into the clouds, Keith glanced at his scanners, frowning as they glitched for a split second before returning to normal. Traveler, what he'd give for good Terran tech; equipment that wouldn't mess up just because of a different atmosphere.

/Guys, we have a problem, our scanners are malfunctioning. I think it's because of this planet's atmosphere and strange magnetic poles/

"I told you already that it was a possibility, so don't worry about it!" Keith snapped. "We are not letting this guy get away!"

/Keith! Without accurate sensors we're not going to be able to tell what's up or down, where we are, or how to get out!/ she pressed. /I say we fall back!/

"And I say we keep going!"

/Going? All I heard was going. Are we going back?!/

/Is anyone else getting static?/

/I'm losing visuals on you all. I need you to slow down!/

"We've gotta keep up. He's getting away!" Keith snapped pulling Black ahead of the group.

/Guys I think this gas is messing with our radios. We'll have to stay close in order to communicate/

Watching his scanners, Keith smirked as it locked onto Lotor's ship. With a growl, Keith thrust Black forwards, flying up after the prince as the others followed behind him somewhere. It wasn't long before he was tailing the prince, weaving right behind him through the maze of spires.

A loud clang echoed through the area, and Keith looked at a screen as it appeared, showing Blue spinning out of control. Allura must've ran her into one of the rocks.

/Allura took a hit! I'm going after her!/ the Yellow Paladin stated diving down despite Keith's protests.

Muttering a variety of curses under his breath, Keith glared at the others. "The rest of you, stay with me!" he ordered, flying after Lotor. They dove around a column, turning harshly before diving down toward's the planet's surface. Pulling up, Keith glanced back to make sure Pidge and Lance were still with them before focusing his attentions back on his target.

/Keith! We have to go back for Allura! You're splitting up the team! Don't do this!/

Shouting in frustration, Keith whirled his lion around, flying back to where Blue and Yellow sat waiting for them.

/Is everyone ok?/

/I'm sorry that I slowed us down, but the Blue Lion isn't listening to me/

/It's ok. We're a team. We stick together. Isn't that right Keith?/

Keith narrowed his eyes; it wasn't unusual on raids for slower fireteam members to get left behind. They would catch-up when they did, that's the way it was done. The frontrunners would clear the way and the stragglers would provide cover as needed. That's what he'd been expecting of Hunk and Allura. "It's not about the team. We have a mission that's more important than any one of us. Currently, that is finding Lotor and stopping him. That's what I'm doing right now," he stated. Ignoring them, he turned and flew up into the atmosphere, activating the scanners to pinpoint Lotor's fighter.

Flying through the fog, Keith frowned, his scanners should've picked him up by now. With a quick swing, Yorak was floating by his side. "Zeejh hto jonjekj, fo yun'h poh tiqu voh ufuch [boost the sensors, we can't let him get away]."

"Keith, uko chea jako htij ij hto zojh ixou [are you sure this is the best idea]?" the ghost questioned.

"Ftuh xe chea quoun [what do you mean]?"

The light gazed at him with a blink, "I quoun htuh...fopp, hto ehtokj ukon'h uj mkomukox wek htojo hchmoj ew quijjienj—Neh piro chea uko uh poujh [I mean that...well, the others aren't as prepared for these types of missions—Not like you are at least]."

"Unx [and]?"

"Moktumj ih feapx zo zojh he fuih unx wivth unehtok xuch. Htoko'x zo ne tukqu in pohhinv htoqu voh jequo hkuininv in kivth [Perhaps it would be best to wait and fight another day. there'd be no harm in letting them get some training in right]?" Yorak pressed, "Zojixoj, ne ewwonjo he htoqu, zah Lotor'j fuch eah ew htoik pouvao; yakkonhpch unchfuchj [Besides, no offense to them, but Lotor's way out of their league; currently anyways]."

Keith let out a tired sigh, "Sajh zeejh hto jonjekj [just boost the sensors]."

/I can barely see a thing!/ Hunk called.

"Stay together, guys," he reminded. "He's around here somewhere. I know it." Just as his sensors blipped, Keith saw the ship passing through some of the rocks. "There!" They dove forwards, Keith leading the way through the rocks as the fighter tried to shake them. "You aren't getting away that easy."

/Is anyone else getting the feeling that he's led us here for a reason? You know, like a trap?/ Hunk worried. /Maybe that he's flipping the script? Turning the hunters into the hunted?/

/Hunk! Shouting taglines is getting us nowhere!/

"Just stay calm," Keith reminded as they dove around another rocky spire.

Within his ship, Lotor was seething. He must've underestimated the scanners within the Lions because they (or the Black one at least) seemed to be having no trouble at all keeping track of him in the hostile environment.

/I'm so done with this guy toying with us!/ Lance growled.

"Feel free to fire if you have a clear shot."

Taking his advice to heart, Lance fired, then promptly was sent reeling back as it blew up in his face. it was enough of a distraction to send everything into pandemonium. Lotor began flying around everyone, and every time someone tried firing at him, it blew up in their faces.

All in all, when the chaos was over, Keith had no idea where anyone was save for Red, whom crashed on a rock nearby. /Where is everyone?/

Keith shook his head even though he knew Lance couldn't see it. "It's my fault," he whispered, "I put the whole team in jeopardy." All because he couldn't see past the differences between Voltron and the Guardians. They weren't the same, and as much as Keith wanted it to be, they never would. Voltron needed teamwork, trust, and communication just to function propery. With Guardians, you could be placed with a team you didn't even know and still complete the objective without communication just as long as everyone cooperated and played their part. There didn't even need to be a clear leader, often among teams, there never was. With Voltron, the Black Lion was the leader; a body couldn't function without a head to guide it.

/Yeah, you kinda did…but now we gotta fix it/

Keith nodded in agreement, "Let's go."

With that they both flew away, relying on luck and Keith's scanners to find the others before Lotor did.

-.-

Allura ended up finding them. She connected with Blue during their time apart, which was one bonus point after that horrible mission. The Princess also told them about how she froze Lotor's left engine, which was another bonus.

Using her sonar, it didn't take them long to find Pidge and Hunk. /Hailing Pidge and Hunk. Are you paladins looking for an exit?/

/No way! You guys found us!/ Hunk laughed in relief.

"Actually Allura, found you. She found all of us," Keith was more than happy to correct. "She was able to connect with her lion."

/Wow. How'd you do it?/

/I just had to get into a Lance-like mindset and stop thinking so much/

/Yeah, think like Lance! Wait a minute…are you calling me dumb?/

/No. I'm calling you a natural/

/Naturally dumb/

/Yeah, he was born with it/

Keith snickered. "Look, I'm glad we're all making fun of Lance, but we still need to find our way out of here."

/I know a way out/ Allura immediately volunteered. /Wait a tick, one problem, looks like Lotor called for back-up/

/Aw man/ Hunk groaned, /It's always something/

Looking at his own amplified scanners, Keith grimaced. Allura was right. And it looked like Lotor brought enough friends where just the lions alone wouldn't be enough. "We'll have to form Voltron if we wanna get out of here."

/But we weren't able to form Voltron the last time we tried/

"We have to keep trying. We may've come here fragmented and disorganized, but the only way we're getting out of here is if we work together. This is our team. Shiro believed in us. We have to believe in ourselves. Who's with me?"

/YEAH!/

"Now, form Voltron!" Keith commanded as all the lions came together.

And with that, the transformation took place, and Voltron was back in the universe once more.