Hello everybody. In this chapter, Freyda will share some shocking informations with the team. I hope I got Shiros title right from the informations I have found and I also hope, that my ideas about the quintessence, Galran forces and human colonies might fit in the universe.

!WARNING! That chapter is the first of some more planned chapters, which were the reason for the M-rating. It contains mentioning of torture, violence against some of the kids and a raping attempt (NO DETAILS, of casue, for none of these aspects), to make it short, some of the cruel aspects, war could cause. I wish all of you some thrilling fun with this new chapter.

Dark Reasons

It was a smaller meeting room, where Shiro and the Paladins have gathered. They were waiting for Freyda. All of them had taken seat on an oval table. Ten chairs were around it with two of them on the opposing ends. Shiro was sitting at one end, reading the reports of the mission again. Hunk and Pidge on the chairs of his left side were busy, discussing about the AMRASU-project. It was obvious, that Pidge was burning for more information about this robot. Lance was making jokes about her curiosity, but she simply ignored him. But Allura and Keith, who were sitting with Lance on the right side of Shiro were awful quite. The events with Acxa and Freyda within the treatment room were still bothering both of them.

The team turned their head towards the door, as the Galra entered the room, followed by the spider-like robot. She greeted the surprised looking Paladins and Commander Shiro with a slight nod. Pidge's focus was instantly on the machine again and also Hunk showed interest in the robot, which took a stand beside Freyda, who had taken seat at the opposite side of conference table.

"Why have you brought the robot with you?"

Shiro's question was gentle but serious. He had read the first reports from Pidge about the mission, the people and equipment, they had rescued.

"Protection."

Her face showed no sign of emotion, but her eyes were burning holes in Shiro's skull.

"But this wasn't necessary."

Allura's gentle voice tried to ease the tension, the situation was building up. Freyda kept focused on Shiro. He started to ask himself, if she ever needed to blink eyes at all.

"That's what I've told Ronan, too."

Allura was about to smile warm at her, when the Galra added a quote.

"I can protect myself."

Shiro's eyes widened in shock and anger. Allura and the others also had shocked and surprised faces.

"What did I say, they don't trust us."

Keith's quote was a bit frustrated. Lance turned to him with lack of understanding.

"But why? I mean, we're Voltron. We're the good guys."

He shut his mouth instantly as the piercing eyes of Freyda met his own. Until now the Galra hadn't shown anything else but a straight serious face. But now she released a sad sigh. She relaxed a bit. This reaction surprised the team.

"It's nothing personal. Especially against all of you here."

She faced Keith now, who frowned at her words.

"But we know, that my heritage means trouble in this situation. You may have less problems with me, but what about the rest of the crew?"

Her questioning look was laying again on Shiro. The commanders eyes showed anger but also determination.

"I can guarantee for your safety on this ship."

She waited some seconds but nodded at him.

"I believe in your honest efforts. But this won't satisfy Ronan. And I won't blame him for this. War has taught us different."

A dark shadow rushed over her face for a brief moment. The corners of her mouth were jerking a bit, but her eyes still tried to melt holes through his skull. He withstood her look.

"I also won't blame him." But now his eyes started to burn as well. "But I won't tolerate any sort of provocation. From no one."

A smile rushed over Freyda's face and she nodded satisfied to him.

"I haven't expected anything else."

She turned to Allura and her face got serious again.

"You have asked for answers, earlier. What do you want to know?"

The Altean was ripped out of her observation of the former scene. Her face got worried.

"What can you tell us about the presence of Galran forces on this planet?"

Freyda face stayed in the former shown serious but pensive look, but she nodded at Allura and it seemed, that this nod was an approval. Obviously the Altean had done something right in Freyda's opinion.

"Six months ago, Galran ships started their attack on the little human colony on this planet. There was no sign of former presence of Haggar's forces within this sector before, so the defenders were caught off guard. The strikes were brutal and effective. Defense systems were crushed and any order broke apart. The people who had survived the first and the second wave of attacks were forced to flee in the underground. After resistance was broken, the Galran started to harvest the quintessence and they hunted the remaining survivors."

Pidge, Allura and the others had to shiver at the stoic report. They all had taken a look at the kids, when they were brought to the hospital for the check-up. They had an idea, what horror was hidden in this brief summary. Freyda went on with her report.

"We think, that a full Galran strike force must be present on this planet. Due to the troops and equipment, Ronan and AMRASU have spotted, we must expect two divisions of soldiers, one tank battalion, and one scout battalion with light vehicles. Normally such a force is linked with two heavy Galran cruisers and four or six small destroyers to support the big ships."

She made a little break.

"Not a chance to stand against this storm, for such a small colony."

"But why such an big force to attack this colony?"

Lance was still shocked by the report, but he didn't get it, why Haggar had send such a strong force. But Pidge answered, before all others.

"Because there was so many other life on this planet. So many plants and animals and microbes. The Emerald canyon was unique. Haggar wanted to be absolutely sure, that no one would stand between her and this rich harvest."

Freyda nodded at her.

"Correct. And she wanted to have as much time as possible. The colony was perfect. Deep in space. Self-sufficient. Small. A perfect target with a high price to win. And her force is strong enough to hold the price against external attacks."

"Which makes sense, because this force is far from home out here"

Keith had placed his elbows on the table and his head was resting on his hands. But Freyda closed her eyes. A little sadness rushed over her face.

"Yes. But maybe not far away from Haggar."

All looked surprised at the Galran.

"She's experimenting with raw quintessence. Some of the weapons, she had used to crush the defense were fueled with it."

A collective gasp was heard in the room.

"How do you know?"

Shiro shocked question was also filled with disbelieve. But Freyda ignored it.

"I don't know details, but it seems, that the raw power is able to create more destruction, when it's used the right way. But it's also more dangerous and much more difficult to handle. Haggar has constructed a mobile facility to work with it. A ship to run her experiments and to construct these kind of weapons."

Pidge nodded at this quote.

"It would make sense. Raw quintessence couldn't be stored for long. It could become instable. Shorten the logistic efforts is a good option."

"But she must also have found a way to stabilize the quintessence better than normal. At least to keep the state long enough before the final use."

Hunk was scratching his chin.

"And it isn't an answer for my question."

Freyda's look changed into a frustrated one at Shiro's quote.

"It doesn't matter. But if you in doubt about this news, ask the General. She probably knows much more about it."

Her voice hasn't changed. It was still the stoic sound, like during her report, but her quote had pushed some of Keith's buttons. The others looked surprised and alarmed as well, but he has stood up from his chair, walking slowly to Freyda. The Galran focused on him. She laid back in her chair, crossing her arms before her chest.

"But he's asking you, now."

He had reached her and bowed down, to face her look.

"We have saved you from this planet. I think this counts for something."

"Keith."

Allura tried to sooth his anger, he was already showing in his voice, but her beg felt on def ears.

"So how do you know all this?"

He slammed his hands on the table in front of her. The rest of his team took a shocked gasp but Freyda hadn't even jerked. She only had raised an eyebrow and on of her fingers. Her arms were still crossed before her chest.

"Keith… Don't move..."

He recognized the shock and fear in Pidge's whisper. Something was wrong. An energetic humming was near his ear. Freyda slightly nodded at AMRASU and the robot moved slowly back one of his legs from Keith's head. But the plasma flame stayed activated long enough, so that Keith could realize, that only the finger, Freyda was still holding up, might had saved him from the fatal strike.

"Correct. It counts for something."

The shocked silence hung in the room. The team shared stressed looks between Freyda and the robot.

"You may think, we're cruel, selfish and ungrateful."

She nodded at the chair beside her and Keith took seat with still a pale face.

"But things aren't so simple. We came to this planet to find peace. But instead war found us. We have seen, that in chaos there is often no difference anymore between friend or foe. Do you know, why these kids are with us? Because, they have lost everything. Patrick and Christina's parents died at the first wave. No one took care of them, so did I. Sam lost his family at the second wave and again, no other surviver was willing to take care, so Ronan brought him home. We found Clarissa at the body of her father. She still hasn't talked much about what has happened, but it seemed, that he was killed for the food, he had stocked for his daughter. For the same reason Jessy and Kathy have lost their parents. We have fond Jessy fighting for her life, as some men tried to rape her. She had led us to Kathy. We have given both shelter as well. Kathy's scar was the result of her hopeless try to protect her mother from another survivor. Jessy had saved her two weeks before Ronan had helped her, but she came too late, to save the mother of the little child. So Jessy took over this part as best as she could."

Shock and grief was crushing down on the team. Pidge was crying heavily as well as Hunk. Shiro was staring a hole in the ceiling with teary eyes. Allura was pressing her hands on her mouth, while her tears ran down her cheeks. Lance was grabbing the plate of the table so hard, that the skin over his knuckles turned white and Keith still faced the Galra with teary eyes, his hands formed to trembling fists. Freyda wiped away some hot tears out of the corners of her eyes. She faced Shiro again.

"You see, I trust you, otherwise I wouldn't share this story." She shared a gentle look with any shocked member of team. "All of you." But then her stoic serious look returned. "But we had only survived thanks to Ronan and the fact, that we always were picky with trust and giving informations."

"How long have you survived with these children?"

It was the teary muffled voice of Pidge.

"We've lived together with all kids for five months and thirteen days now. Ronan has managed to hack in the Galran com system to create hidden unusual signals to draw attention. It was the only chance to get help without drawing attentions of the Galran forces as well."

"And how long do you and Ronan live together."

An angry flicker rushed over Freydas face at Lance question. But she took a deep breath and returned to her former expression.

"Longer. About two years."

She took a deep breath again. She had guessed the next question, Lance wanted to ask, before he got the chance to do so.

"I was part of the invasion troops on Hades. My first campaign. I had to suffer the ultimate shame. I got captured. He saved me."

"What?"

Lance had jumped up at his shout-out. The others looked at her with confusion. Freyda closed her eyes. For the first time, the Galra was struggling with herself. She looked hurt and ashamed.

"From this."

She opened her jacket and showed the team her arms. They were full of old round burning marks.

"These weren't earned in combat."

Her voice was shaking in anger.

"He nursed me until I was on my own feet again. He defended me against human and Galran forces. For the humans I was simply an enemy, for the Galras a shame and a traitor. But for him I was a worthy life."

Tears floated her eyes and she turned away to hide them. She put on her jacket again and waited a moment, until her eyes were dry again.

"I stayed with him an helped him to fight his own pain, from this day on. We left Hades and the war with a stolen Galran ship, as I was pregnant with Tjaàl. To search the peace to raise a child. But like I said. War found us again."

She faced Keith again, who was embarrassed chewing on his cheek. She hesitated a moment, but then she took one of his hands.

"You care for her."

He gave her a questioning look. Her eyes kept locked on his.

"The General."

His eyes widened. He was about to nod, but Freyda was faster.

"I respect that. She'll need your support. And the support of her Amarzzari. And probably of all her other friends."

"What have you told her in the treatment room?"

Allura's voice was shaking.

"A ritual greeting. Old, but most important to maintain honor."

She blinked and looked at Allura.

"A warning. 'Fate is calling'."

She stood up and kept looking in the shocked face of the Altean.

"Maybe Ronan will tell you more or the General, cause I won't. It's their business."

She nodded as a goodbye, leaving the room with AMRASU and left a shocked and speechless team behind.