A blast rumbled over the dusty ground. A tall chiselled Galra dressed in a tight-fitting flight suit stood in the middle of a large road. The city was growing quiet as the evening deepened. Shifts had rolled over only an hour before. The lights flickered in homes and businesses, shining with life.
The militant Kyrax rolled his smoking stub to the other side of his mouth and turned his back to a rush of wind that passed seconds later. It moved through the city, stripping flags from doorways and wiping the sandy streets of all footprints.
The long-limbed Galra puffed another cloud of smoke before glancing aside at his veiled crew. "Kill them all. Voltron wants peace, we'll show them the cost. Rebreathers on!"
XxX
"Monsters!" Allura did not hide the pain from her voice.
Lotor stood silently with eyes glued to the massive screen hovering above him, Naigus, and the paladins. His chest tightened harshly. Silhouettes littered the streets and a heavily armoured Shadi warrior was being interrogated by small alien reporter. Both wore protective equipment and breathing apparatuses. The gruff soldier was speaking loudly to be heard over the distant sounds of explosions. "It was a surprise attack. These streets fell quickly with the enemy moving towards the center. Galra police force is working with the local Shadite enforcement agencies to quickly finish the threat."
The reporter cut in sharply. "Do you think this was spurred on by the peace talks happening at the Summit?"
"At this moment we do not have sufficient evi—"
The program went dark before melting into the background of the castle once again. Naigus growled loudly, sounding like a true animal. "How in the four hells?! This is an act of outright sin."
Lotor fought the urge to squirm. This is why you never admit anything. Fool. This is your fault as well. He held nothing to counter the words from within.
Hunk looked sick to his stomach as well. "All those people… Isn't biological warfare a crime under Galra rule?" He looked at Lotor, pleading.
Even Commander Vos looked aghast. He turned his pale face to Lotor. "Emperor…"
"It is," Lotor began. The words sounded so backwards to his ears, coming from him. His inner defences slammed down, numbing the thoughts drilling regret thoroughly into his skull.
"We need to do something. Paladins, our plan has been expediated," Shiro looked to Coran "We need to find that man, now."
"Impossible," Pidge said automatically.
"Why not?" Lance asked crossing his arms.
Hunk added languished, "The caverns."
"More importantly, we must destroy his laboratory," Lotor spoke. "Kyrax has shown himself. He will move quickly. Drawing him out will be simple with Voltron." His mind was on autopilot now, filing pieces of information in order to be executed. Warfare was almost meditative in how repetitive it was. Even his rogue feelings in the matter were still no match for the drills that had been burned into memory through the searing light of combat.
Coran rolled his moustache nervously between his fingers. "If Pidge is right, how are we going to find his laboratory?"
Lance spoke up, "We've come up with Galra-tracking supercomputers! Pidge can figure something out…. Right?"
Pidge stood slightly straighter at the compliment but responded morosely. "If we had time. This … A plague like that can spread irreparable damage in days."
Allura, who had stood in stern contemplation, skewered Lotor with a look that could murder him on the spot if it held a sliver more ire. "How long do we have?" Her words were harsh, so much at odds with the lovely lilt they had carried the night before last.
Lotor struggled to level his response. She halted even the monotonous tactical thoughts swirling within him. Nothing else could do that. He forced himself to detach from the situation. "I don't know."
Allura continued, rending his emotions bare. "You know this virus. How long?"
He resisted the urge to look to Naigus for support. He did not need to see the disappointment there nor the shadow of the past. Unwinding the feelings from the moment was becoming more difficult. Anger rose in the back of his mind, subconsciously rising to the threat. He desperately did not wish to grow incensed. I can deal with this…
Weakling.
No, please, don't break it…
I will not.
"Perhaps two days," he heard himself answering. Once again, he was floating between two conflicting sides of himself. The split agonised him.
Naigus stepped into the tense conversation. "The Nahook will mobilise research. Teams of physicians are already headed to the border. We beat this plague before, little could have changed. The Shadi are lesser in those arts. He is using old knowledge."
The comment stabbed Lotor. Rising tides of guilt continued thrashing. Stop. Deal with it later. He forced the memories down into the darkest depths of his mind. Focus.
Everything felt like it was falling apart. He thought he had been doing well… You were deceived by a lie created by yourself. You are stupid. I keep telling you this and you refuse to listen. Use your frakking anger! Mental pins and needles burned through his head, causing a sharp pain to run across his temples. His jaw twitched outwardly, easily mistaken for annoyance.
I keep telling you.
Flashes of memory.
"No!" His raw voice was threatening in and of itself. Lotor's heavily muscled arms flew forward gripping the leather jerkin of his assailant. "You will not take this from me," he ground out past foaming lips.
The other galra recruit snarled and raised his arms to push Lotor away, using his considerable size difference.
What he lacked in size, Lotor compensated with ferocity. He threw the galra down onto the floor with effort before quickly dropping to his knees and sparing not even a breath as he ground his fists one after another into the bloody gore under him.
Seconds pounded by as if in tandem with Lotor's heart. Searing purple streaks leisurely forged hot paths down his bare back; the hidden marks that pronounced his life forfeit.
Finally, the other gained an advantage. His claws sank into Lotor's wrist, drawing blood and a choking hiss. The other hand tore at Lotor's collarbone, stretching menacingly upwards.
Lotor sank his own talons deep into the other's face, aiming his large paw at the crazed, bloodshot eyes. A second of resistance occurred under his hand before the leathery cornea popped audibly.
A howling roar erupted between the two young men. A scraping, horrific chorus of death followed. The battle was that which was engrained into the galra psyche. It vowed only the strong would survive. It was the cleansing flame, burning away imperfection. Rage, power, and domination mixed in a deadly concoction with Lotor's Altean intelligence and speed.
Nothing could steal his glory. He was the best and worst of each race.
A gurgling cry marked the end of the fight. Blood pooled under the half-breed, rippling in tandem with the twitching body beneath Lotor. It soaked into the grey dusty ground. His Altean compassion, a rare trait amongst the testosterone-powered galran youth, kicked in. It made him sick. There was no winning here. Only death and suffering and each individual attained only one.
I don't want to suffer any more… He made another choice, a mark against that other side of him.
"We have two days. There is no way to stop it. I was not directly involved in the creation, but it has no cure. It only survives with dihydrogen oxide when it resides outside of a host. We only beat it with destruction. That is all I know." He met the princess' eyes imploringly. The feeling of watching a die spin slower and slower, nearing its decision, prickled the back of his neck.
Naigus placed his gnarled hands on his non-existent hips. "He must be farming the operation then. The Shadites do have extensive public waterways. Especially on the fringes of the great southern city, the water is tightly regulated but black-market wells are common."
"We will go there and find out where he is cultivating this," Lotor did not break Allura's gaze. "I will fix this mistake myself." Lotor had yet to read any sign of acceptance from her. His heart wailed and the faintest hint of betrayal stung his heart. He pushed the feelings down, giving her a chance. She was distracted by Lance at the moment.
"What about me?" Lance asked. "The previous plan isn't going to work," he began.
Shiro cut the boy off, "We need to draw Kyrax out. We cannot allow his militia to spread this disease. If they gain the upper hand, the planet may be lost. We need to move fast.
Lotor crossed his arms, feeling defensive and uncertain. Still, Allura had not looked at him. His stomach churned. Focus. You have done all you can. "I will lead the forces on the ground. The galra stationed here are loyal to me. It will be an ample display of my power."
Finally, Allura spoke. Lotor weighed every syllable. "We must display our alliance."
Shiro was accompanied with the other paladins in a chorus of agreement. "Agreed."
The black paladin's voice grew unwilling and hard. "Commander Vos and I will take down the facilities manufacturing this virus. Paladins, work on getting Kyrax out in the open. We need to capture him and find a cure for this virus. Remember, no collateral damages. We are on a humanitarian mission not a war on terrorism."
There was no room for argument with the man's steel tones. His clipped military bearing reminded Lotor of Naigus when the Galra was younger and still transitioning from warfare to research. "I will take on Kyrax. This is my doing. Let me finish it," Lotor said with finality.
Naigus popped his knuckles loudly. "It's settled then." He turned to Shiro with a firm look on his face. "I will be joining you, Shiro."
Lotor's eyebrows shot upwards and he turned to the older Galra with obvious concern.
Before Lotor could object the veteran flashed his canines. "I have a lot more to give, son." He gave a deep nod to the black paladin. "Besides, you will need a guide."