Chapter 4

The Green Lion

Chezor stood, her fingers laced behind her head staring at the ocean. She breathed in a deep breath, smelling the fresh sent of salt water. They had landed a few ticks ago and she was enjoying the short moments of freedom she had before they had to start again and look for the final 3 lions. The planet they had landed on was named Oota. It was an aquatic planet - the only land being the odd stone pillars like the one they stood on now. It was large enough for the two Lions to comfortably sit. Chezor closed her eyes and felt the wind blow in her face. It was nice to sit, relax - just breathe. Coming to terms with reality and the fact of what was happening. She was in space with two giant Lions, about to find three more to create a giant robot that was supposed to save the universe. This is not how I thought my week would go, she thought. Hearing footsteps behind her she opened her eyes and turned, Alic smiled at her as he walked up.

"So the Lions can wormhole?" he asked. Chezor nodded.

"I think it's only an emergence teludav," she said. Alic blinked.

"Uh…what?" he asked. Chezor sighed.

"There are two types of teludavs," she explained. "One can do multiple wormhole jumps while the other can only do one. The only difference is the number of scaultrite lenses used. You know how scaultrite lenses convert quintessence into energy right?" she asked. Alic nodded. "Well an average teludav has more than 20 lenses which allows it to make long distance jumps multiple times, the bigger the wormhole, the more lenses needed. But an emergency teludav has only one lens that attaches to the ship's main energy source. But because there is only one lens it put so much strain on it that it shatters and completely depletes the ships energy. When the Blue Lion wormholed, it still had power. There is honestly a lot to these ships that I have never heard of being possible." Alic turned to look at the Yellow Lion.

"Why not just make a full teludav that can do multiple jumps?" he asked. "Wouldn't that be more helpful?"

"Emergency teludavs save a ton of space and money," Chezor responded.

"Ah," Alic said nodding. "We should probably leave. We do still have to find three lions." Chezor sighed and nodded.

"Yea," she said, "let's go." She waved goodbye to Celk as she walked into her Lion then followed Alic into his. The interior of the Yellow Lion was just like the Blue Lion, but instead of blue everything was yellow, even the light gave a yellowish tint to the air. Alic sat on the pilot's chair, it pulled him forward and he grabbed the joysticks. The Lions launched off Oota and into the star-peppered blackness of space.

"So where are we headed?" Chezor asked as she walked up to Alic.

"I don't know what the planet is called," Alic responded. "I only know that we will find both the next lion and pilot there."

"Alright," Chezor said nodding, "Well in that case prepare to wormhole." She put her hand on the control module and instantly felt the familiar pull, like something was being sucked out of her. Instantly a wave of fatigue swept through her. She leaned on Alic's chair and winced.

"You okay?" he asked looking up at her. Chezor nodded and closed her eyes.

"Yea," she responded. "I've just never opened this many wormholes before." She rubbed her forehead- a headache was coming on. "Actually I've never opened any,"

"You ready Celk?" she said opening her eyes.

"Ready," Celk answered through the intercom. Chezor turned to Alic and nodded. He nodded back and pushed the joysticks forward. The Yellow Lion flew in into the wormhole, shortly followed by Blue.

"Wow," Alic gasped as they flew through. Suddenly lighting flashed next to their lion, Alic screamed and nearly fell off his chair. Chezor laughed.

"Don't worry," she said, "there's a lot quintessence here, but there's also normal space. When the two hit together it creates the lighting. But ships rarely get hit by it." Alic looked at her nervously.

"But it happens?" he asked.

"Well yea," Chezor said shrugging, "but it's way less common than being hit by regular lightning."

"We're nearing the end of the wormhole," Celk's voice called through the intercom.

"Oh good," Chezor said smiling. "Let's see if this planet is more pleasant than the last."

"If it's not," Alic said glaring at her, "I'm throwing you out of the Lion to get the next pilot." Chezor laughed.

"Deal," she said. The Lions shot out the wormhole to reveal a tiny planet, only about as big as Earth's moon. It was completely covered in green. They flew around until they found a clearing big enough for the Lions. Slowly they circled down. The Lions lowered their heads to allow their passengers to exit. Chezor looked at the information the Yellow Lion said about the planet. Luckily it was in Altayan.

"Good news guys!" Chezor called. "The air is breathable!" Alic grinned and hopped out of the Lion's mouth. Chezor followed. The ground was soft with plants. Celk stepped out of her Lion and stumbled on the soft ground. She walked over to Chezor and Alic.

"The ground is squishy," she said frowning, "I am used to it being hard. Balmaras do not grow…whatever this is."

"It's called moss," Chezor said, "and I hear you! Where I'm from there is almost no plants!" Alic looked around.

"So…" he said. "Where are we supposed to go?" Chezor shrugged.

"The lions are looking that way," she said pointing. "It's as good a place as any to start looking."

"What about the Lions?" Celk asked. As if in response the Lion's particle barrier materialized around them, starting from the ground and moving its way up until they were completely covered.

"I think they got it," Chezor said looking at them. "Let's go see if we can find the next lion." They walked through the dense jungle, strange birds called and they had to duck under hanging vines. This is kind of cool Chezor thought as they walked.

After about a varga of this Alic called, "Where are we going? Are we even going the right way?"

"To be honest," Chezor said, "I have no idea. I was kind of hoping we would feel some kind of pull or energy telling us where to…" Suddenly there was a snapping sound behind them and with a scream they were jerked in the air. A net made of glowing blue rope pulled tight around them.

"Are you kidding me!" Chezor shouted. She cut across the rope with her claws but all it did was make a small buzz of energy. She sighed. Suddenly a female voice shouted, "Who are you!" Chezor's head jerked up. She looked around trying to pin point where it had come from.

"Hello?" She asked, "Who's there?"

"Show yourself!" Alic shouted, "Uh…we are armed!" Chezor looked over at him.

"No were not!" she whispered.

"Well I mean technically we do have arms so we are arm-ed," he said shrugging. Chezor gave him a flat look.

"You know I can hear you!" the voice called out again. "Just answer the question!"

"Um…" Chezor thought frantically.

"Do you work for the Guns?" the voice called out.

"Yes!" Chezor called back, "all of us do…except for the Balmarin…But I trust her!" There was a pause after this. The voice remained silent.

"How do I know you're not lying?" the voice finally said.

"We have identity chips!" Alic said. "Plus, I'm wearing clothing made by the Guns…"

This was followed by another long pause. Then a figure stepped out of the trees. She had a female humanoid shape and wore Gun-made clothing, gray pants with a black and blue shirt. On her wrists she had gold cuff bracelets. A helmet obscured her face. She carried a small simple gun. But small guns could still kill. She walked up and held up her hand, it looked human.

"Show me," she said. Alic looked at Chezor who nodded. They both handed her their chips. She plugged Chezor's into her right golden cuff, skimmed through it, and handed it back to her. She then plugged in Alic's. When she was satisfied she handed it back to him. Then she walked over to the base of the tree that they dangled from and kicked it. The net fell, bringing Chezor, Alic and Celk down with them. Celk landed on Chezor. She grunted in pain, Celk stood up.

"I am sorry!" she said.

"Why do Balmaras have to have stone skin?" Chezor groaned. The girl helped Chezor up.

"Sorry," the masked girl said. Meanwhile Alic was trying and failing very hard not to laugh. Chezor glared at him.

"My name's Chezor," she said, turning her attention back to the girl and holding out her hand. The girl reached up and remover her helmet. Dark brown hair cascaded down her shoulders; her eyes were a darker brown. She had yellowish green Altayan markings under her eyes but human ears.

"Abby," she said, grabbing her hand.

"You're half human. Aren't you?" Chezor said in shock. Abby smiled.

"And your half Galra," she respectfully said. Chezor smiled back.

Alic cleared his throat behind them. "Oh!" Chezor said. "Abby this is Alic and Celk." Abby nodded at them both. Then she turned back to Chezor.

"So why are you here?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. Chezor looked at Celk and Alic, they looked at each other, and then back at her.

"Really guys! You can't keep throwing me under the bus here!" Chezor said in annoyance. Sighing she turned back to Abby. And paused.

"Have you felt any strange…pulls or energies?" It felt stupid asking but she assumed that if both Abby and her Lion were on the same planet she must have felt…something. Some sort of energy or pull. Like Alic had.

"Why do you ask?" she said warily.

"We think we might know where it is coming from," Chezor said. "That is, if you've felt something. But you have to come with us to see it." Abby said nothing, clearly weighing out in her mind if she should even answer the question or not. She's smart Chezor thought, in war, you can't exactly trust random people. Then Abby nodded, coming to a decision.

"I have been feeling a strange…pull the last few weeks…" she said slowly. "I've been ignoring it. This planet has many dangerous creatures. I can't just wander around it looking for…whatever it is that's pulling me." Chezor nodded.

"Good," she said. "Does anyone remember the way back to the Lions? We can fly there and save time." Alic raised his hand.

"I left my tracker in the Yellow Lion." Chezor looked down and saw that the strange blue tube that had been in his pocket was now gone.

She smiled, "Perfect!" Alic pulled out the receiving end of the tracker and they followed it to the Lions.

Thy walked into the clearing with the Lions. Abby's mouth fell open.

"Wow," she breathed.

"Hey!" Chezor shouted. "Get away from there!" A large sloth like creature stood by the Blue Lion, its hand on the barrier. It slowly turned its head, and smiled.

"Ahh!" Alic said. "That's not creepy!" Chezor looked at Abby's hand and saw that she still held the small gun. The slowly walked forward.

"Do you know what this is?" Chezor asked Abby. She shook her head. Once they had walked about half way into the clearing the sloth thing smiled again and patted the Lion's barrier, pointed to Abby, and patted the barrier again.

"I believe he is trying to tell us he knows where the Lion is," Celk whispered. It smiled, turned and walked back into the jungle, waving its huge arm in a gesture to follow.

"Okayyyy…" Alic said slowly, "we are now following a strange alien, not the weirdest thing I've done today…" They ran after the alien, catching up to him as he was about to enter the jungle. He held up two fingers. Chezor blinked in confusion and took another step forward, the creature held up a hand to stop her and again held up two fingers.

"Only two of us can come with you?" Chezor asked. Abby took a step towards it. Chezor grabbed her arm.

"Abby, what are you doing?" she hissed, "we don't even know what this thing is?" Abby looked at it.

"I feel something telling me to follow him," she whispered. "It's like what I felt before, but stronger." Chezor shared a look with Alic and Celk.

"Okay," she sighed. "Alic, Celk, you stay and guard the Lions. I'll go with Abby."

"Why do we have to stay!" Alic said.

"Because their your Lions, because I have a weapon wherever I go," she said proudly waving her claws, "and because I'm a higher rank than you so you have to do what I say." Alic glared at her then stomped off to his Lion, grumbling under his breath. Celk turned, looked at Chezor and held out her hand. Chezor took it.

"May you have luck," Celk said.

"Thanks," Chezor responded, "hopefully this doesn't end in me or Abby's death."

"Yes please do not die," Celk said frowning. "It is not very good for your health." Chezor laughed. Celk smiled, gave her hand a quick squeeze and walked back to her Lion. Chezor watched her go then turned back to Abby.

"Alright," she said nodding, "let's go!"

They followed the sloth-man for about another half varga through the jungle, until he led them to a river with a wooden boat sitting in its center; its prow was carved into the shape of a roaring lion. Chezor and Abby shared a look then got into the boat. The sloth-man grabbed an oar that rested on the river bed and began to slowly row them down the river.

"So how long have you been guarding this out post?" Chezor asked turning to Abby.

"A few months," she said. "It's my first out post guarding solo." Chezor nodded. The rest of the trip passed in a slightly awkward but peaceful silence. Chezor closed her eyes and listened to the jungle. Finally the boat ride stopped and the sloth-man helped them out. Both Abby's and Chezor's mouth fell open. In front of them was the biggest tree both of them had ever seen. It was so large that two of the Voltron Lions could fit inside. On it was a large, gray, metal door with a glowing green V. Abby laid her hand on the door. It hissed open. The room beyond was so dark that Chezor couldn't see into it. Abby turned, waved to Chezor and walked inside. Chezor sat on the ground and waited. Barely 10 dobashs had passed when Chezor heard a sound. She stood up. Then suddenly both the Yellow and Blue Lions crashed down on the jungle floor, crushing a few trees. Out of then walked a very surprised Alic and Celk.

"What are you guys doing here?" Chezor asked walking over to them.

"We were sitting in our Lions but they suddenly stood up and flew us here!" Alic said, fear showing in his voice.

"You sorta crushed a few trees…" Chezor said.

"It wasn't our fault!" Alic yelled, waving his arm like a deranged jelly fish. "It was the Lions!" Suddenly the giant tree exploded! Fragments of wood rained down on them and a green lion exploded out of it. It spiraled down to the ground, its mouth falling open. Abby walked out with a solemn expression.

"It showed me something," she whispered. "It…It showed me Voltron."

"Yea," Chezor said looking up at it. "It's why we're trying to get all the Lions. Voltron might be our last hope." Abby turned and looked back at the Green Lion.

"Did we truly find a way to defeat the Altayan Empire?" she said. Chezor shrugged.

"I hope so." Abby turned and smiled at her.

"If this is a chance that we might defeat the Altayan's, I'll take it," Abby said. "She told me where the next Lion is." Chezor put a hand on her shoulder.

"Then why are we still standing around here?" she said smiling. "Let's go save the universe!"