Hello everybody. I took a risk with this chapter. Acxa's reasons to change sides must be linked with the fact, that she has realized, that her former actions had been wrong, I think this has to be correct, even without knowing the cartoon. In my interpretation of her character, she has received a lot of indoctrination and desensitization during her time in the Galran Empire. I haven't worked out details, but I think I have made this fact obvious enough. Due to her change I assume a huge feeling of betrayal inside of her and my risk was, to let her blame Lotor and Haggar for it. I DON'T know, if this is correct and my apologize for it, if this should be completely wrong, but due to all the information I could get without knowing the cartoon, it seemed to me a possible interpretation and I wanted to have a hard comparison within this chapter, so I decided to choose this way. I hope it has been a fitting decision.

The mission is about to start against Haggar's facility ship and Acxa makes a decision how to deal with the shame. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this new chapter.

The Mission Starts

The plan was simple, on first sight. A strike force and three of the lions would start an open attack on the Galran forces and on some of the facilities for the harvest. Pidge and Keith would join Ronan, AMRASU, Acxa and Krolia to infiltrate another facility, covered by the big attack. They would try to hack the navigation system of some freighters, which were transporting the harvest to the big facility ships, in order to find the location of it. With a bit of luck they could also manage to place some detonators on one or two of the ships in order to deal some serious damage to Haggar's flying facility. Voltron would do the rest as soon as the ship would be located. But the plan had its risks. Splitting up the lions made them more vulnerable, especially for the new kind of bombs. They had to be quick.

Acxa noticed the turning heads, as she entered the hangar with Veronica. The team was gathered and ready for department. She felt the worried looks of her friends, but she did her best to ignore them. Instead she tried to focus on Ronan, who was hugging one kid after another to say goodbye before the mission would begin. Freyda was standing a step beside of them with Tjaàl on her arm. The woman was obviously worried.

Acxa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, in order to push down some of her anger and frustration. Shiro's decision and the intervention of the team were still gnawing visibly on her mood. A gentle tugging at her hand made her open her eyes again. She looked down into Kathy's green eyes. The child smiled so warm and encouraging at her, as she stretched out her arms, in order to be lifted up by the Galra. She felt Veronica's hand rubbing her back and she could feel her supporting smile resting on her without looking into her girlfriends face. Acxa got on her knees with a sigh and picked up the little girl. Kathy wrapped her arms around the neck of the Galra and nuzzled her face against her cheek. The Galran woman buried her hands in the red hair of the child and pressed her head thankfully against her face, while she was placing a soft kiss on Kathy's ear. She felt the little arms tighten around her neck and this gesture managed to bring a little smile on Acxa's lips. Veronica leaned her head at Acxa's and Kathy's and both women walked over to Ronan, Freyda and the kids. The man had released Christina out of a teary hug, as both women reached him with Kathy. Acxa winced a little, as his eye met hers. Ronan seemed to check Veronica, Kathy and the Galra pensively for some seconds and then he smiled. Acxa nearly stumbled at the open and warm smile, the man was sharing with her. Ronan had closed the distance between them and had pulled the Galra into an embrace, before Acxa even had a chance to deny the gesture. Her eyes shot open wide, as she felt his comforting arms around her shoulders and also Kathy was leaning into this hug.

"Promise me to hold a grip on this luck you have found here, Acxa. Promise me to accept your luck."

He pushed the baffled woman back a bit and a dangerous flicker sparkled in his eye for a moment.

"You owe me that General. And even more important, you owe this to yourself, Acxa. Find your honor by stopping this madness for yourself."

He looked at Veronica, who got some tears in her eyes.

"By stopping it for her."

He turned his head to Freyda, who smiled so proud at him. Ronan returned the smile with a look full of love for her.

"I'm doing everything for my love, even living. She has become my honor and she's worthy to live my life for her. To make it stop."

Acxa turned her head away a bit to hide her flushing cheeks, but her eyes met Jessy's. She recognized the fresh stitched and still swollen lip of the teenager. The girl gave her a supporting smile and nodded at Acxa. It made the Galra turning back to Ronan. She was about to answer, when she felt Kathy's lips on her cheek.

"We can help 'ou with outchies. It helps to have family."

The quote brought tears to her eyes and she pressed the child against her, observed by a nodding Ronan. Acxa handed the child to the man with a thankful look. She hesitated a little, but finally she placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. His face lighted up at her gesture and he placed his hand instantly on hers to give back the supporting squeeze. Acxa turned around on spot and her face felt back to a stoic and most controlled look. Only the slightly jerking corner of her eyes told Veronica, that she was still struggling with her anger. The Galra walked over to the team, who had observed the scene with surprise and some kind of awkward shame. She stopped before Shiro, who looked nervous at her.

"I'll never forget the shame you brought to me, Commander."

She closed her eyes for a moment to focus on her next words.

"But I'll learn to live with it."

She turned back to Veronica, who had listened to her words. Only Ronan's hand on her shoulder stopped her from running to Acxa in order to squeeze her joyfully, as the Galra managed to bring a warm smile on her lips for her girlfriend. But her face was stoic again, as she turned back to Shiro. The man was smiling and was about to place a hand on Acxa's shoulder, but his face felt, as she raised her hand to make him stop. Also the team members stopped in motion. It seemed, that they had planned th start a big group hug around the Galra, but her warning eyes made them stop too.

"I'll also forgive you, Commander. But not today. And also not tomorrow. I understand your reasons, but it'll take time to accept them. Or at least to tolerate them for myself."

She turned to the Paladins and her face softened for a brief moment.

"Voltron has saved me and offered me a second chance. It counts for something."

The stoic look returned to her face.

"But it'll take time. No one else has betrayed me so badly before, Commander. No one, beside two people."

Her voice became dark and threatening.

"One of them died, as I dared to see the truth and we're about to start a strike against the other one right now. So I hope you'll at least allow me to decide for myself, when the time will be right to forgive you all, for putting this shame on me."

Shiro stared in shock at the Galra. Also the Paladins watched at Acxa with a mixture of almost panic and disbelieve. The Commander lowered his head and nodded with closed eyes. But to Acxa's surprise, she found a thankful smile on his lips, as he lifted his head up again.

"Of cause, Acxa."

He hesitated a moment, but then he straightened up and hit his chest with his right hand and bowed before her.

"You honors us with this chance to prove our trust in you and our friendship."

Acxa's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth stood agape a bit, as on Paladin after another straightened up to give her the same gesture of deep respect. Her eyes felt on Krolia, who had observed the scenery from the background. Keith's mother nodded at her, also placing her fist on her chest. She looked back to the team and watched in the warm eyes of her friends, who still were frozen in the respectful gesture. It let the face of the Galra lighten up and finally she returned the greeting. She had barely ended it, when Veronica crushed into her kissing her girlfriend, deeply. The human walked with her towards the green lion, giving her a last long kiss, before Axca walked up the ramp.

Ronan had held Veronica at her shoulder until Acxa had straighten up, to return the greeting. He smiled at the scenery and rested his head at Kathy's cheek. The girl stroke carefully over his scar.

"'ou helped her."

He simply nodded, still following Veronica and Acxa with his eye.

"Because Acxa shows sorry?"

He turned to Kathy and lifted an eyebrow. The questioning green eyes of the child had a warm glow, which made him smile.

"Because you showed me her scars, Kathy. And because she tries to fix things."

Kathy smiled at him and kissed him on his scared cheek.

"She needs new family. Family can help with outchies."

She paused a moment and her face felt for a moment. The child relined carefully her own scar and tears came to her eyes.

"I miss mommy."

Ronan pulled her close and let the child weeping out her pain, while he started to hum the lullaby for her. He felt Freyda's hand on his shoulder and the Galra kissed the little girl on her head and joined the humming. Also Jessy came over to join them and with her the rest of the kids. The tears of the little girl run dry after a while and she shared looks with all of them. She was still sniffing, as she turned back to Ronan

"Can we stay here? With all of them?"

Ronan looked at the green lion, which had swallowed Acxa seconds before. He felt the hopeful looks of the kids on him.

"It may hurt her to see me every day."

A shadow rushed over his face and he closed his eye.

"It'll hurt me."

He opened it again and his face got back his warm and gentle shine.

"But she's strong. I'll ask her, if she could handle it."

He was nearly squeezed to death with some joyful screams and would have fallen, if Freyda hadn't aid him stand, as the kids crushed into him.. Ronan laughed and shared a long kiss with Freyda. He was sure, that he had never seen her so proud before. He turned back to Kathy, who had a beaming smile on her lips.

"I can handle that. Your smile will help me."

He placed Kathy back on the ground, after he had received a long hug from the little girl and Christina took her by the hand, in order to give Freyda and Jessy their moment to say goodbye and to wish him luck. The man smiled at the teenager and Jessy pulled him at her as close as she could.

"Come back to me, okay? And be careful, Ronan."

The man tightened his grip, thankfully.

"My big girl. Thank you, for helping us so much."

He placed a kiss on her head, still hugging the girl.

"Thank you for helping me with Acxa."

She had tears in her eyes, as she finally released him out of her arms and the man wiped one of them away, carefully.

"It's a rare scar, Jessy. It tells a story, what you have gained, not what you have lost."

She took his hand and squeezed it with a teary smile.

"Thanks… D…" She hesitated a while, blushing deep before him. "Don't do something stupidly brave down there, okay?"

His eye widened and got filled with tears but his smile was so proud and thankful. He nodded at her and Jessy turned away and rushed after the rest of the kids, wiping her tears away. He felt Freyda laying her arms around him. and got pulled into a deep kiss.

"And you thought, you wouldn't reach her."

He looked her in her beautiful yellow eyes. Freyda's smile gave him strength, as ever, but he saw the hidden shadow. He pulled her close again, giving Tjaàl a kiss.

"Don't worry. With a bit of luck we might make it stop today. With a bit of luck we can find a little peace for all of us, today."

She kissed him a last time facing his eye with a begging look.

"Promise me, Ronan. Promise me to come..."

She closed here eyes for a moment and struggled hard to keep control of her emotions.

"Promise me to be careful. For me."

He smiled and ran his fingers gently over the chain and the ring around Freyda's neck.

"For you, my love. I promise."

She gave him her proud smile again.

"I have double checked AMRASU. He's ready for action. And he's got the special equipment, as you have wished. Keith's mother was a great help in this case."

He nodded thankful at her, which made her look even prouder.

"Make it stop, Ronan. For you."

He smiled so warm at her, but he shook his head, before he got to the ramp of the green lion.

"Not only for me, Freyda. For us."