AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Again - I suck at posting on time lately! Shit has been so busy that it's hard to find time to edit. There's probably still a few little things I've missed but just look that please :)
That being said - this is the last chapter of 'For The Stars' but there WILL be a 6th and final part. The last installment will be coming out Friday.
- KarsKars
A NEW EMPEROR
"So like, is it a scar?" He could hear Hunk's voice cut through the haze as he slowly opened his eyes. The Yellow Paladin's voice was muffled and, though he was only inches away, it sounded far off in the distance. Keith twitched his fingers slightly and realized with a groan that he had been placed in a healing pod. Why did he always end up in one of these after every mission? It was getting to be a bit ridiculous.
The pod was running through its final stages and preparing to release him. He heard a muffled voice respond, but they were too far away to understand. Hunk spoke again and his words were laced with confusion. "Yeah, I still don't understand." Suddenly the Yellow Paladin's face appeared directly in front of him, pressing tightly against the sealed pod. Keith blinked and tried to scowl at him but the majority of his muscles were still in paralysis from the pod's effects. Hunk's eyes flew wide in shock as he registered Keith's consciousness before screaming and jumping backwards to fall off the small landing. If his muscles were free Keith would have laughed.
A fight broke out as a spattering of tan, beige, and brown fought for dominance and the chance to smash their own faces against the pod. Standing calmly in the distance was cluster of purple. Keith rolled his eyes at the smushed face of Lance, who had won the little skirmish. "Yup, it's definitely still Keith." The tanned boy said, pushing back from the pod. Odd. Keith thought to himself, who else would it be?
The pod released him and Keith stumbled out into the heavily bandaged arms of his Uncle Thace. Wait – bandaged? "What's wrong with you?" He asked before his brain fully caught up, apparently it hadn't finished thawing yet, and he winced before correcting himself. "I mean, what happened?" Thace's responding laugh was comforting.
"The Druid's figured out that I had been the one to lower the solar barriers during your absolutely abysmal rescue attempt of the Princess from Central Command." Keith winced again, muttering under his breath about having been against that one. Thace chuckled, placing his hand firmly on his nephew's shoulder. "You might want to get some rest. Actually, you all might want to get some rest. The other mission teams will be contacting us shortly for a wormhole. Then we'll be setting up plans for the Kral Zera."
"Uh, just gonna jump in here. What exactly is the 'Crawl Zera'? Is there food there? It sounds awful fancy!" Hunk asked, his hands clasped tightly together as he looked off dreamily into the distance, some fantasy of an alien banquet no doubt playing out in his head.
"The Kral Zera is the coronation ceremony at which we Galra choose our next Emperor."
"So what exactly happens at this crawl Zelda?" Lance questioned and it took every ounce of Keith's will power not to turn around and smack the Cuban across the back of his head. It didn't matter though because Krolia did it for him. Stars, he loved his mother. "OWW! What the hell lady!"
"I know what 'Zelda' is and I know you are intentionally saying it wrong. The Kral Zera is an ancient ceremony and not something to be mocked or made fun of." Her voice was clipped and Keith felt himself smirking. The Blue Paladin withered under her intensity, whispering a hasty 'sorry, mam' and receiving a curt nod in return. "It is held on one of the first planets we, the Galra, ever conquered, long before the creation of Voltron and the rule of Emperor Zarkon. Planet Feyiv has been held as a sacred land by our people for nearly 30,000 deca-phoebs." She turned from Lance to address the entirety of the room. "We have already determined our next course of action regarding how the Blade of Marmora will proceed into the Kral Zera ceremony. The Princess, moustache, and rebel -" she locked eyes with Allura, Coran, and Matt respectively "will head for the Altean Colony. The Paladins will join Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Zavin, Fayz and myself to planet Feyiv for the Kral Zera ceremony. The people of the Galra Empire respect power and ferocity more than anything, which is why Voltron will deliver our nominated candidate for Emperor."
A low murmur broke out amongst the room but Krolia pressed on. "Once we have arrived, Voltron will disband and only Keith will remain with his lion, the rest of you are to fly off and land elsewhere on the planet. Only Galra are permitted to be present for the ceremony. We will be seated in the cargo hold of the Red Lion, so that our candidate's power will be on full display as he exits a lion of Volton to ascend the steps of destiny. After the ceremony, providing we have been successful, Voltron will form once again, flying us to Central Command where we will begin our remodelling of the Empire. Should our initial choice fail, our backup candidate will take their turn."
"And who is your candidate?" Shiro asked, scanning the faces of the four Galra in the room.
"I am." All eyes turned to Thace. He stared Shiro down with the authority of a leader and the confidence of someone who knows their purpose. "I will ascend the steps of destiny to become the new leader of the Empire. With the alliance of Voltron, we will join the Princess' Coalition and begin the long process of repairing the damage done to this universe. Should I fail, it will be Zavin who takes my place on the steps."
"Why not Mr. Kolivan?" Hunk interjected. "I mean, he's like, your leader already isn't he? Wouldn't he be the best choice?"
"No." Krolia spoke up, drawing the room's attention back to her. "Kolivan has been the leader of a rebel organization for deca-phoebs. He has led the charge against our own people and, while both Thace and Zavin are Blades, they did not give orders that resulted in the deaths of countless Galra."
"No, but they did the killing." Lance objected.
Keith rolled his eyes. "It's different." He justified. "Look, it's hard to explain our culture to you but, just know that we view following orders and giving orders very differently." Thace nodded along, tightening his grip on Keith's shoulder. It made him smile. "Kolivan would make an excellent Emperor, and he will most likely be an important part of my Uncle's advisory council, but he can never take on the role himself. Same goes for Antok. The people would revolt and there would be massive factions splitting off. The Empire would be in chaos." He looked over the group; the Humans had no idea how precarious the situation was. One wrong move and Thace would be dead, the Empire under dangerous control, and the Paladins right back where they started fighting to take down yet another power hungry leader of the Galra Empire.
He let out a heavy sigh. "My Uncle has worked his way up the ranks inside the Empire. The soldiers know him; they've fought under and alongside him. They respect him. Thace is pure Galra, of an old and well-respected lineage, and many will pledge allegiance for that alone. Just trust that we know what we're doing."
The group had dissipated not long after that and Keith decided to make his way back to his room and get some much needed shut eye. He also couldn't stand being in the special pod suit any longer; the damned thing was so quiznaking itchy.
The door whooshed open and he sauntered inside, not bothering to turn on even the dim floor lighting he usually tolerated. It was difficult in the pitch room, but eventually Keith managed to unzip the back of the suit and slide it off. The freedom his skin felt was instantaneous and he decided to lock the door of his room and just stay naked for a bit. He crossed the empty space once again, and lay down on top of his bed. They'd done it; they'd actually done it. Emperor Zarkon was dead, Haggar was dead, the Druids were gone, and hopefully soon they'd be hearing about the death of Prince Lotor. The Blade of Marmora had been fighting for thousands of deca-phoebs and Voltron managed to fell an Empire in just over one.
In the time since he'd been sent on his mission to Earth, Keith managed to reconnect with his Human father, become a mythical Paladin of Voltron, and take down the Emperor and his witch. Mission fucking accomplished if you asked him. Somewhere between marvelling at the team's accomplishments and planning out his now wide-open future, Keith fell asleep.
He woke up cold and very much aware that he was naked, the bed still perfectly made beneath him. Faint lights signalled the Castle of Lion's day cycle began to turn on and he blinked himself to wakefulness, groaning and stretching his stiff limbs. Keith climbed out of bed and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his body before opening the door and cursing angrily at the bright lighting of the Altean ship for the 8 billionth time. Soon he'd be free of these painful lights, and the terrible bed, and the disgusting food goo. The knowledge put a slight spring in his step and he even found himself humming. Though the tune was familiar he honestly couldn't peg what song it was or where he'd heard it.
The shower room door opened and Keith walked over to one of the empty stalls, the last one in the line being already occupied. He continued humming his tune as he hung up the towel on the hook inside the sliding stall door.
"My sunrise on the darkest day got me feeling some kind of way. Make me wanna savour every moment slowly, slo -"
"LANCE!" He yelled over the Cuban boy's singing. "Stop. Now, please!"
"You mean to tell me that you come in here humming my jam and you expect me not to sing along? Keith, buddy, I think we need to take you to get tested for space madness cause you've gone crazy!" He rolled his eyes even though the Blue Paladin couldn't see him. "Besides, you didn't even let me get to the Spanish part." He could here the pout in the other's voice.
"It wouldn't even sound like Spanish, Lance. The translators would have you singing in Galran."
"EVEN BETTER! That would be so sick."
"You wouldn't actually be speaking it, that's just how I would hear – you know what, never mind! Just finish your quiznaking shower and leave me alone." Lance grumbled to himself about space madness and Keith turned to move aside the curtain of the shower, stepping inside and starting the water while tuning the other out.
Lance did not stop; he continued singing until he finally left just before Keith had finished his shower. Now alone, he took his time drying off. He wrapped the towel around his waist once again and stepped out of the stall, moving for the large mirror to brush his teeth at the sink. Grabbing one of the hand towels, he cleared the steam from the mirror and caught his reflection for the first time since coming out of the pod. Keith froze.
Spread across his shoulders and stretching down over the edge of his biceps were deep lavender stripes. They stood out in stark contrast to his otherwise milky complexion. Another set crossed around the base of neck, coming down in twin points over the collarbone to rest on his chest. But the most obvious of them all was the large, sharp markings that started under each eye, and gradually widened as they spread down his cheeks before merging at the back of his skull. They made him look more like his mother than he already did. They made him look more Galra.
Keith was still carefully tracing the lines with the tips of his claws when Shiro found him.
The Castle was in celebration mode. Allura had opened up the wormholes for the other two missions during the night cycle, and everyone was gathered in the main dining hall by the time he arrived. Shiro brought him back to his room and waited patiently in hall as he got ready. Keith got dressed, touched his cheek, brushed his hair, touched his cheek, put on his gloves, touched his cheek, and walked out the door; touching his cheek. Together they made their way to meet up with everyone else.
"Keith," Shiro grabbed his wrist gently, pulling him to a stop. "Are you okay with all this?" He used his other hand to reach out and gesture at the new markings. The man released his grip, but not his gaze, holding the Red Paladin hostage with the intensity of his concern.
"Shiro, I'm fine. Really! I actually love them and I think they look amazing! You don't have to worry about me." The older man startled slightly, taken aback by the unexpected answer.
"I've struggled to accept the changes Haggar made to my body. It was something I had to accept alone, without any support in those cells, and I just want to make sure you don't have to go through what I did." His cybernetic hand found its way onto Keith's shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.
"That's - actually pretty sweet of you. But our situations are very different. I've wanted to look more Galra my whole life. This is my kit-hood dream becoming a reality." Shiro smiled the warmest smile to have ever been smiled and pulled him into a hug.
"I know you hate hugs, but I'm really glad that you're happy. I was so worried."
"I don't hate hugs." He objected and felt strong arms tighten around him.
Hunk had made their breakfast, and this time the guests ate what they were served instead of raiding the fridge for fresh meat. Keith entered the room and Zavin gave a loud catcall as he rushed over to grab his face and inspect the changes. The general reception from every one present was that the markings suited him – which he already knew. They looked damned good.
Their debriefing took place over breakfast and he learned that Allura, Coran, and Matt had taken Ulaz and a few other rebels to meet the Alteans on their colony. Lance excitedly told him all about it. Primarily about how the Princess had been flustered as they loaded into the Altean pods, nervous about the impending reunion with her people. She'd imbued the Castle with enough of her essence that they could create several wormholes allowing her to get back, the Paladins to head to Feyiv for the Kral Zera, and one or two emergency wormholes if needed.
In total, Allura and company would be gone for a movement while the Kral Zera was in three quintants according to the intel Kolivan had intercepted. Lotor was dead, as were his generals aside from Acxa who was still locked up in a cell in the Castle's lower levels. The Blades weren't taking prisoners, and the Generals hadn't even considered the thought of surrender. He didn't blame them, it wasn't the Galran way. The only downside was that they had lost several Blades in the process. But for the victory they'd achieved, it had all been worth it.
Over the next few quintants Acxa had been easily swayed, her loyalty to the Prince being tentative at best as of late. She'd expressed her growing concern over his plans and with the news of his death, a shift in her allegiance was all but certain. She'd been hesitant at first; concerned that pledging allegiance to Thace would only put her in the same position she'd been in before moving to work for the Prince. The Empire was not kind to halflings.
But he managed to win her over as she watched him interact with Keith and Antok, seeing how he treated them no differently than the pure Galra Blades. She was smart and pragmatic, Keith could tell. She recognized that her best chance for equality and success was to support Thace, and subsequently Zavin, for Emperor. Any other candidate would hold tightly to their blood superiority and treat her as lesser for her mixed heritage. To prove her allegiance, Kolivan insisted she partake in the Trials of Marmora. So, as the Paladins prepared to depart for planet Feyiv, Acxa was loaded into a blade pod and escorted by a very smitten Plak back to their main base. Keith had rolled his eyes dramatically as his former mentor droned on about her.
"I thought you had a thing for the Altean Princess?" he teased and the older scoffed, noting how obscenely low his chances were. In reality, Keith figured Plak just had a weakness for any pretty face. A part of him was jealous of Acxa. Still, Keith hoped she survived.
The journey to Feyiv was stressful to say the least. The other Paladins were nervous and unsure of what to expect, Keith was worried about his Uncle's well being, and the Blades in Red's cargo hold were preparing for the task ahead of them. The wormhole had deposited the lions far enough away from the planet that they still had a varga worth of flying after forming Voltron. The lions came together as one and the mighty robot took form, the wormhole closing behind them. Keith could feel the other lions prodding at Red in curiosity over her passengers as they flew ever closer to the long dead, frozen world that played host to one of the Galra's oldest traditions. They were one of the last to arrive, ensuring all eyes witnessed Voltron's approach.
Some Commanders took defensive stances, clearly waffling between standing their ground and retreating to their fleets. If they retreated they would not be eligible to participate in the ceremony so, naturally, not a soul moved. As Voltron drew closer the Paladins disbanded, splitting back into five lions. Yellow, Blue, Green, and Black pulled back, flying away from the looming structure and leaving Red to approach alone.
Keith landed at the edge of the structure and the lion let out a mighty roar that shook the very foundations of the mountain. Thace entered the cockpit and braced himself by the exit, turning to give Keith his signal and the Paladin returned it with a confident nod. "Good luck." He whispered to his Uncle and Red opened her mighty jaws.
From the perspective of the various Commanders and Generals, Thace must have looked majestic. He stood strong and proud in the open mouth of the Red Lion of Voltron, his Empire armour marked and scored from battle, with masked Blades flanking his sides. Keith rose from the pilot seat and moved to accompany his Uncle as their group descended the ramp as one.
The structure was setup like a giant amphitheatre; large metal steps surrounded a massive central flat landing. Ceremonial carvings etched into the metallic floor were brought to light with the bright purple flame burning in the Kral Zera monument. The monument itself was a mind-bogglingly large metallic sculpture resembling the two-pronged sword traditionally used by the Galra back on Daibazaal. It sat atop a broad pedestal at the peak of a mighty pyramid and running directly up the centre of said pyramid was a grand staircase: the steps of destiny.
In the middle of the landing area, at the base of the steps, was a large pit lined with unlit torches. Here, spread across the grounds, were the various Commanders and Generals vying for the throne. They blatantly stared as Thace approached the crowd, some looked as though they were ready to object to his presence, others as though they were ready to pledge their undying loyalty, but all were in awe of the magnificent and terrifying Red Lion.
"The wretched Blade of Marmora. I was wondering if you would have the gull to show yourselves here. What could possibly make you think that one of your lot could be our new Emperor?" Sendak practically spat the words at them but not a single member of their group even so much as flinched.
It was Thace who calmly spoke in response, maintaining a cool and collected demeanour, not flustered in the least. "I have fought alongside many of you here, I have earned my position in this Empire, and I have devoted myself to the glory of the Galra." His words, while powerful, drew attention to the Paladin in their midst and Sendak leapt at the opportunity to call Thace out for breaking tradition.
"You have the nerve to seek control of this mighty Empire while disrespecting our traditions by bringing an outsider to this sacred ceremony? You deserve death, not power!" He seethed, and Keith watched as support for Sendak grew, hateful words being thrown in Thace's direction.
"You should never jump to conclusions, Sendak. My nephew is as Galra as our former Prince had been." He gave a curt nod, and Keith removed his Paladin helmet, showcasing his yellow eyes that glowed in the dim light, teeth far too sharp to be Human, and the distinctly Galran markings that now accented his face. "You're ignorance proves you a fool, Commander."
Sendak roared in rage. "You think treachery makes you qualified to lead us?"
"I will light the flame, not for my part in defeating the corrupted Zarkon, and not even for being the strongest Galra here, but because I did something no one else could. Voltron will be returned to the Galra Empire with my coronation." As if on cue, Red's thunderous roar sounded off behind them, reverberating across the metal structures and perfectly punctuating Thace's point. It was quiznaking poetic as fuck.
Sendak looked like he was about to retort, but the Archivist chose that moment to appear at the top of the steps, their silhouette highlighted by the burning flame in the Kral Zera monument. A reverent silence fell over all present and Keith didn't dare move. The frail old man wore a mask powered by quintessence to boost his voice and project his words not only to those in attendance, but as far as the surrounding mountain ranges. There was not a doubt in his mind the other Paladins would be able to hear what was about to be said.
"Through 33 Emperors, during times of peace and times of expanse, this flame has burned for over 30 millennia. From our first, Brodar, to Vrig the Great, to our longest and most powerful of all – Zarkon, it has burned ever steady. But his time has passed and our next ruler must ascend the steps of destiny and relight the Kral Zera." Keith watched in awe as the vibrant purple flame vanished from the monument and the large pit at the base of the steps spontaneously ignited, ready for their new Emperor to carry the flame back up the steps and relight the Kral Zera, whom ever that might be.
"WHO AMONGST YOU IS WORTHY?" The Archivist's voice bellowed and the loud roar of the gathered crowd echoed in response.
Several tense tics passed before a General he didn't recognized took the first steps forward, seizing a torch from the fire, and immediately being impaled. "FOOL! Only the strongest may lay their hands on the torches." A particularly loud Commander hollered as he withdrew his blade from the fallen's back. "That is why I will assume command. I have been on the frontlines of the expanse, where iron meets soul, spreading the glory of the Empire. Not huddled in the centre overseeing already-conquered worlds, growing fat on the victories of our forefathers."
"You speak the truth." Sendak replied. "That is why I should light the flame. I was Zarkon's right hand and will assume my rightful place as Emperor!"
"HA, you cried to the witch to protect you after losing to the Paladins of Voltron, a weak and helpless species protected by their lions." He shot a glare at Thace, daring the other Commander to object.
"ENOUGH." Sendak shouted. "Victory or DEATH!" He charged his quintessence fuelled prosthetic, a final gift from Haggar no doubt. Once again, Keith was glad that the old witch was dead.
The two entered into immediate battle, all others recognizing their best course of action was to just stay out of it. In the end, Sendak proved superior as he obliterated his opponent.
"You are defeated." He mocked. "The Empire is MINE!" Sendak moved to the flame pit, retrieving one of the torches and turning to make his way up the steps of destiny. "I will strengthen the Empire, as no one else can."
"STOP!" Commander Gnov challenged. "You cannot light the torch without facing my blades." She lunged at the hulking mass standing at the base of the steps, and the young Paladin winced as Sendak charged his prosthetic and took aim. She dodged his initial attacks with surprising agility but proved no match for the witch's latest creation. She too fell at Sendak's feet; defeated.
"Now, to claim my throne." He jeered, turning back to the steps and beginning his ascent.
Slowly, Thace moved forward, calmly walking past the Commanders and Generals who no longer dared to challenge Sendak. He clasped a firm hand around one of the torches, holding it high in the air. "Stand aside Sendak." He called and the responding snarl was ferocious, vicious, and enraged as the much larger Commander turned to face his new challenger.
A sinister laugh emanated from him as he charged his prosthetic once again. "It is time to prove yourself through the honourable rite of combat. When I defeat you, my first act as Emperor will be to reunite you the rest of the traitorous Blades, starting with your sister and that pathetic half-breed of hers!"
"You're not getting to the top of these steps, Sendak!" Thace shot back as he lunged forward. Keith felt him his mother's firm grip on his shoulder, holding him back from the slight step he hadn't even noticed himself taking.
The fight was brutal, both evenly matched; Thace with is superior Blade training and agility, and Sendak with his corrupted enhancements. Keith watched with bated breath as they fought, neither fully having an edge over the other. Sendak sneered hateful remarks and Thace mostly ignored him, until one hit too close to home and Keith watched lightning flash in his Uncle's eyes. "You don't even know what you are any more Sendak. So loyal, so brave, and yet so stupid." He chastised.
"I know exactly what I am. I am a warror!" He shouted in return, letting out a particularly powerful blast from his arm.
"You are nothing but another of Haggar's puppets. The witch is dead and yet you carry on her bidding." Sendak roared in response to Thace's words but the damage had been done; the others present were agreeing with his observation. It didn't take long for the once quietly observing crowd to descend into chaos as they turned on Sendak. Weapons were fired at him, blades and knives thrown in his direction, and most importantly: insults. Sendak had lost favour and the mob's support now fell to Thace.
"Traitors! All of you!" Sendak snarled and Commander Throk rushed the steps, pledging his unyielding allegiance to Sendak as he attacked Thace from behind. This was unprecedented. Not only did it break tradition but it gave the other an unfair edge. A two on one fight was anything but honourable.
Calling Red's particle barrier to shield her and the Blades in her proximity, Keith summoned the focus he'd used to protect Allura. Concentrating on the now familiar feeling tingling beneath his skin, he suddenly appeared on the steps behind Throk in a shower of red and gold sparks. Thace's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise and the collective gasp from below had Keith chuckling. He wasn't pathetic and he was going to show them exactly what he was capable of.
"GO!" he shouted to his Uncle. "Take your place as Emperor." Thace nodded and continued up the steps, Keith squaring off against Sendak and Throk. They fought back and forth for a few moments, Keith hopelessly out matched by the two powerful opponents, before another Commander jumped in to assist and clearly aligning herself with Thace. More and more of the crowd chose sides, rushing the steps to assist their chosen team. In the madness, Sendak was overwhelmed, allowing Thace to reach the topmost steps uninhibited.
The fighting stopped abruptly as a blinding flash radiated out from the Kral Zera monument like a beacon. "The flame is lit." The Archivist announced, dropping to their knees in reverence. "Bow to your Emperor."
One by one the Commanders and Generals took to their knees, regardless of where their support lied. It no longer mattered now, the Galra Empire had a new leader and as loyal citizens, they would follow him. And enraged Sendak vanished from the grounds, disappearing into one of the caverns below the structure and Keith's gut screamed at him that nothing good would come from his escape.
Thace stepped forward to address the crowd gathered before him, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself for his acceptance speech. The Archivist stood to the side, holding up a screen to capture the moment and broadcast it to every fleet and base across the Empire. Every Galra would see this moment whether they be soldiers of the Empire, Blades, or civilians.
Emperor Thace stood tall, his unquestionable authority radiating off him as he continued to clutch the torch he had used to light the Kral Zera tightly in his hand. "With the defeat of Zarkon, our great Empire is at a crossroads. For too long, the people of this extraordinary civilization have been manipulated by a dictatorship that placed a misguided sense of self-preservation above all else. It was a tragic, unfortunate series of events that led us down this dark, never-ending path of power and greed. But now we, the citizens of the Galra Empire, have an opportunity to make right all of the injustices set into motion by our forefathers. We have been given a second chance to come together in rebuilding the Empire, by joining the Galactic Coalition, and ushering in a new era of peace across the universe. It will not come easily, and it not come overnight, but with the unrivalled power of this Empire and the unmatched strength of each and every Galra, we can rebuild. The witch is dead, the manipulative Prince is dead, ZARKON is dead. WE ARE FREE!"
The deafening roar of cheers and applause rang out around him. Peace was always going to be a hard sell, but with Thace at the helm the Empire would finally be headed in the right direction.
It was a strange feeling to arrive at Central Command as Voltron without the intention of destroying it. But that was the situation they now found themselves in as the mighty Defender of the Universe flew up to massive base with the Empire's new leader. There were still a few more quintants before Allura would return to the Castle and in that time the Paladins were to assist Thace with a (hopefully) seamless transition of control.
As they approached, the Paladins once again broke up into their lions, flying into the main hangar and landing to a surprisingly large welcoming committee. This time Thace flew with Shiro, stepping out of the largest lion, the head of Voltron, as Black opened his massive jaws. A round of applause awaited them and Keith felt his heart racing with excitement. Each of the Paladins exited their lions, standing as a group in the centre of the hangar to watch as the new Emperor made his way to the throne room.
During the trip from planet Feyiv to Central, Thace had advised them all of their rolls upon arrival. The Blades were to accompany him to the throne room while the Paladins, Keith included, were to wait in the hangar until called upon. Lance objected vehemently but surrendered when Shiro agreed with Thace. It was important to show he was not working directly with Voltron but was aligned with them, a very important distinction. Their support was a display of power, not an attempt to seize control of the Empire.
The only problem was that it was very, very boring waiting around in Central Command's primary hangar. A few soldiers were standing guard, but mostly it was sentries and Keith kind of wanted to screw with them, only holding back because Shiro had given his disappointed dad face. But a light tap on his shoulder and some conspiratorial words from Pidge had him utilizing his deca-phoebs of covert training to sneak away from the pack.
Once in the clear, the duo reprogrammed one of the sentries to do their bidding. Mostly it had been Keith using his Galran DNA to gain access to the bot's systems while Pidge connected their laptop and worked their magic. "I'm in." They whispered and one of the nearby guards shot them a strange look. Central boasted the same translating capabilities as the Castle and the guard took to watching them with intent. Keith rolled his eyes.
Pidge's search must have proved fruitful as Keith soon found himself in a very unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome, embrace. "Are you crying?" he asked quietly and the small Human nodded quietly.
"I found him, Keith. I found my dad."
The next phoebe was spent quelling small uprisings. Keith donned Empire armour alongside Krolia and a returned Plak as they doled out swift and unyielding justice to those with mutinous intentions. Emperor Thace soon had a reputation of responding with prompt and devastating force to even the suggestion of revolt. Where Zarkon had been apathetic, Thace was deeply invested. He knew all the ins and outs of his Empire. Nothing happened without his approval, not even the personnel changes of a fleet on the outskirts of the Empire took place without his knowledge.
Thace ran a tight ship. Many Commanders grumbled at their reduction in freedom, but most relished in it. Having an Emperor so clearly invested in the Empire he was ruling over had many become devout supporters. As Emperor Thace's popularity grew, the Paladin's presence became less and less necessary and when the day finally came to discuss their future, Keith found himself torn once again.
He knew his duty lied with Voltron, his destiny was intertwined with those of the other Paladins and Keith was honour bound to uphold his place as the Paladin of the Red Lion as they continued to stitch the universe back together. But that duty, and the knowledge of where he should be, did nothing to quell the burning desire to stay on Central as a soldier of the new Empire, helping his Uncle and mother as they worked to repair the damage Zarkon had caused. He was at a crossroads and though he knew what he would inevitably choose, it killed him to have to say goodbye to his family once again.
Allura was due to arrive at Central any quintant now. She had chosen to relocate the Alteans from the Quantum abyss to a planet that had been abandoned by its people in fear when the Empire encroached on their system over 3,000 deca-phoebs ago. The planet, which she had decided would re assume the name Altea, was stunning. Keith had seen it through the video feeds Matt sent to Pidge, but none of the Paladins had had a chance to visit as of yet.
There were sprawling fields of wild flowers and meadows stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions. Brilliant waterfalls plunged from towering cliffs and the wildlife had flourished in the time since the planet's evacuation. Allura had chosen well.
But the biggest change of all was the new Emperor's plans for the long dead Daibazaal. Keith was now certain that Lance had been onto something with this whole 'space madness' thing because he was slowly becoming convinced that his Uncle was losing it. These plans of his were the whole reason Allura was leaving the new Altea to visit them on Central Command. They were going to discuss the probability of repairing the Galra's home world.
The Princess was convinced that, with the refined quintessence left over from the druids, she could use her Alchemy to restore the fractured planet once it had been pieced back together, like she had for the balmera. Thace thought she was magnificent, Keith thought she was nuts.
"You're insane." He'd said to her after hearing the ludicrous suggestion. "Daibazaal is dead; it was destroyed by Alfor 10,000 deca-phoebs ago. Restoring an injured balmera and restoring a dead planet are two different things."
"I do not believe the planet to be dead." She replied curtly and he gaped at her. "If it was, a weblum surely would have come to consume it by now. Don't you agree?" he opened his mouth to argue but she actually had a point. Keith furrowed his brow in frustration as he processed the revelation. "I believe, with the help of the refined quintessence, we can restore the planet's life force and slowly bringing it back to a habitable state. Of course, Voltron will need to place the fractured planet back together, but it's certainly doable."
"And what of the rift?" Kolivan interjected. "Alfor destroyed our planet to seal the rift threatening to tear it apart. Would repairing it open that up once again?"
They'd gone back and forth for VARGAS before finally agreeing that it was worth a shot, the Glara deserved a home as much as any other species. And now Allura was due to arrive at Central so they could discuss their insane ideas in person. Matt, who had stayed with the Princess to help get everything situated on Altea, would be joining her as well. They were to be arriving in an Altean pod as Allura had chosen to use the Castle of Lions as her actual Castle, like it had been on Arus. The archives of the Castle ship serving to revive the lost history of their people and providing them with the knowledge they needed to rebuild their home as it once was.
Pidge found a willing partner-in-crime in Regris and Keith was maybe a little jealous of the attention she was receiving from his kit-hood friend. The two of them would take off in Green at any given moment in search of Sam. She'd found where the Empire's records stated he should be, but Sendak had beaten them to it. In a fit of rage he had gone out in search of the only other Human he knew of to take him as his personal prisoner. The duo was now searching the universe for the former Commander but he hadn't been seen or heard from since, his entire crew vanishing without a trace.
Lance and Hunk whined about wanting to return to Earth, but new missions were continually being assigned and Voltron was still needed. As much as they missed their families, Keith found himself constantly impressed with their never-ending willingness to place the needs of the universe above their own.
Shiro had a difficult time adjusting to life on Central Command. At first he was plagued with violent, sometimes all consuming, flashbacks to his time as a prisoner. The gladiatorial arena had been repurposed as a paid athletic sport instead of a brutal prisoner disposal grounds. Though the matches were still mostly lethal, fighters now had the option to surrender. Not many chose that route however, they were Galra after all and regardless of who was in command, nothing was viewed upon with greater distain than surrendering. Shiro hated it, he hated knowing the matches were still going on and he tried desperately to convince Thace to abolish them to no avail. Keith was dead certain the entire Empire would revolt if the gladiator ring were destroyed. He sure wouldn't be impressed, though he'd never tell Shiro that.
All in all, the first phoebe of Emperor Thace's rule had gone smoothly. Give or take a few minor bumps along the way, things were certainly looking up. So naturally, they all had to go to shit when Keith's communicator went off during a standard debriefing.
A room full of stern eyes turned to glare at the Red Paladin and Keith fumbled for the device in his pocket. "Is that one of our Blade coms?" Kolivan asked in surprise. The Marmora lines hadn't been used since the coronation of Emperor Thace, but Keith had kept his device on him at all times; just in case. "Connect it to the screens." He commanded and Keith obliged. It took a moment for the device to load the distant, weak signal and even then it failed to load the video feed. But when the voice from the other end rang out over the speakers, not a soul in the room had been prepared for what they heard.
"Keith? You there, kiddo?" It took a tic or two for the heavily accented English to fully register in his mind but the moment it did, Keith was jumping out of his seat to stand.
"Dad?" he asked worriedly, "What's going on?"
"Ya'll need to get home fast as you can. Shit's hit the fan 'round here." He made a shuffling should, as if adjusting his position before continuing. "Some giant alien space ship showed up about a week ago claiming to come in peace and spoutin' a bunch of bullshit about forming an alliance. I know a Galra when I see one and this ain't no Marmora member. This fuckers with the Empire."
"Who is it? Dad, what does the Commander look like?"
"Big scary dude, all purple and fuzzy 'cept fer his one arm that just kinda floats there – it's unnatural. Said his name is Sendak er somethin' like that."
Keith paled and the debriefing room of Central Command had gone eerily silent. Though the translators tried their best, the words must not have been crossing the language barrier very well. Only the Human Paladins and rebel fully understood what was being said. They glanced around, exchanging meaningful looks amongst themselves before Shiro spoke up.
"Mr. Kogane? This is Offer Takeshi Shirogane, has the Garrison agreed to work with the Galra Commander?" He was tense though it didn't come through in his voice, which remained composed.
"Nah, Harrison was able to understand their messages on account of that dumbass kid of mine handing in Galactic Common as a made-up language for a project." He mumbled 'Dumbshit.' Under his breath and Keith felt himself blush. "Good ol' Debbie recognized it and handed out Keith's language notes to the Garrison's senior command. She took over communications with Sendak and Sanda launched a full investigation into how Keith managed to submit an actual alien language for his project. She had a lot of questions I didn't care to answer." There was a pause as he shuffled around some more, before his voice came over the coms again, louder and much closer to the mic than before. "Look, ya'll need to hustle, Sendak – he has Sam. Since the Garrison ain't bout to surrender he says he gonna destroy Earth and all of Humanity, starting with Sammy."
The twin gasps from the Holt siblings was deafening in the silent room. Keith's heart went out to them but they couldn't make any rash decisions, that's what had led to their botched rescue attempt of Allura and nearly gotten them all killed. This had to be planned out, strategized, precisely plotted down to the last possible detail.
It was Krolia who finally spoke up. "Kolt? We're on our way. Tell Sendak that Earth is willing to work with him if he hands over Sam Holt. We'll be there in less than a movement to handle him." Her voice was terrifying. A Galra whose mate was being threatened was not a Galra you wanted to mess with, especially when that person was Krolia. Sendak's promise to wipe out Humanity was enough to push her over the edge, a boiling rage simmering just below the surface and flashing in her eyes with every breath.
"Less than a week, dad." Keith clarified and the only response he received was 'bring your mother' before the line cut out. Though clearly still enraged, Krolia blushed under the watchful eyes of the various Galra Commanders present; some previously employed by Zarkon, and others former Blades.
"Looks like we're going home." Shiro noted solemnly. "I just wish it was under better circumstances.
"After all you've done for this Empire, pledging a fleet to assist you is the least I can do." Thace added in solidarity. "If Sendak wants a war, he'll get one."