5. Hearts & Minds
Blue emerged from the wormhole into open space.
"I see the moon!" cried Hunk, noticing the glittering lights. "Wait…"
"That's no moon," said Haggar.
Hunk gasped.
"What? What?" cried Lance, turning Blue every which way.
"My bad," said Hunk, "I keep forgetting she's on our side."
Haggar's frown didn't shift.
"Don't scare me like that," said Lance. "That station is massive and crawling with Alteans. If they already have Yellow, why would they keep it here in the middle of nowhere?"
"Maybe they don't want Voltron to reform?" said Hunk.
"How do we get past them?" said Lance.
Hunk gasped.
"Hunk," said Lance, "I told you not to…"
"I'm not crying wolf!" cried Hunk. "She's doing… something!"
The dark orb expanded from Haggar's hands and enveloped the wolf in shadow.
"You may approach the station," she said.
"Okay," whispered Lance, pushing forward.
"Can I open my eyes now?" said Hunk.
"I'll keep the engine running," said Lance. "If you can't activate Yellow, I'll be waiting for the extraction."
"You're sending me with her?" said Hunk.
"What am I supposed to do?" said Lance. "Put the alarm on and hope Alteans don't steal my wheels?"
Hunk worked through alternative arrangements, gave up. He looked at Haggar's robes. "Um, Your Witchyness?"
"High Priestess is acceptable," said Haggar.
"Would you like a helmet or something?" said Hunk. "Your clothes - while very intimidating - don't really seem... space-worthy."
Dark energy oozed from her hands, covering her body in a purple sheen.
"I'm sorry I asked," said Hunk, popping his helmet on.
Blue sandwiched itself between docked cargo liners, yellow and purple specks jetted from its mouth and latched onto the airlock like ticks.
#
"Yuck," said Hunk, dispelling his face guard. "Nothing like scrubbed station air."
Haggar stumbled on the plating, steadying herself against the wall.
"Um, Your Priestessness?" he said, hand reluctantly nearing her shoulder.
"Do not dare touch me," she said, dark tendrils flaring.
"Okay, that's a no on the toucherino," he said, snatching his hand back. He linked his tablet to the console. "Pidge's hack isn't working. Altean programming is more MacOS than Android."
Haggar placed her hand on the panel, it glowed blue.
"Cool," he said. "Is there anything you can't do?"
"Obtain your silence," she replied.
"Duly noted."
"The wolf is not on the upper level," she said. "We must go deeper."
#
The elevator opened into a large room dominated by a conveyor belt. A spout in the ceiling poured glowing blue liquid into canisters which disappeared into the opposite wall.
"Pretty," said Hunk. "What do you think it is?"
"Not the wolf," said Haggar, moving to the console. "It isn't here either. Access to the lower levels is blocked."
"Maybe we could try knocking," he said, manifesting the bayard.
"Emperor's Peace, my friends," called out a Balmeran in a white lab coat. "You seem lost. The food goo court is on level 10-B."
"Shay!" he cried. "It's me, Hunk!"
Shay looked concerned with his mental health.
"Right, we haven't met in this reality," said Hunk. He noticed the hoktril implant. "Sorry, I had you confused with this other cute Balmeran friend of mine who isn't brainwashed."
"You can take the same elevator back," she said sweetly.
"Let's go, honey," said Hunk, eyeing the gathering darkness in Haggar's fist. "Told you it was left at the Starbucks."
"You will take us to the lower levels immediately," said Haggar, dark energy sparking.
"I see," said Shay, tone hardening. "I will do as you ask. Violence will not be necessary."
#
The three listened in silence to awkwardly upbeat Altean elevator music.
"So…" said Hunk, making conversation. "Is blue quintessence any better than yellow?"
"How dare you?" said Shay, outraged. "Meddling with quintessence is punishable by death, only barbarians would commit such an atrocity. May they soon enjoy the bliss of the Emperor's Peace."
"Oh yeah, Emperor's bliss all the way," said Hunk. "Personally, I only use the blue stuff at home. What is it, again?"
"Liquid crystal keeps the Empire running in harmony," Shay said as if reciting an instructional video.
The elevator opened into a natural cave, metal piping burrowing into the rock.
"Wait a tick," said Hunk, feeling the ground. "The station's built over a Balmera!"
"Of course," said Shay. "How else would you extract the crystal?"
"The Balmera's a living creature," said Hunk. "You can't just strap it to a machine and bleed it dry!"
"It's not very intelligent," said Shay. "It is akin to harvesting a tree - at optimal efficiency."
"Hey, some of my best friends aren't very intelligent," said Hunk. "Well, mostly Lance."
"You know I can hear you over the coms, right?" said Lance.
"Sorry, Lance," sand Hunk. "Shay, what if you're measuring intelligence wrong?"
"The walls…" said Haggar.
"The crystal must flow," said Shay. "Without it the Empire would collapse into chaos and destruction."
"Maybe you wouldn't need this much energy if you didn't have to brainwash planets into submission!"
"Your mind is clouded by your violent nature," said Shay. "Everything will make sense when you accept the Emperor's Peace."
"Enough!" cried Haggar.
"What?" Hunk shouted back.
Haggar pointed out the glowing wolf carvings.
The ground collapsed beneath them.
#
"I'm okay, I'm okay!" said Hunk. They had fallen into a vast cave lit by what looked like a massive golden coral-mushroom thing. There was something equally massive behind it.
"Yellow!" cried Hunk. "The Balmera kept it hidden all this time!"
"At long last, the Heart!" Shay cried hungrily. "Now we will easily surpass our quota."
"Could you tone down the bureaucrat?" said Hunk. He realized Haggar hadn't gotten up. "Haggar?"
"I do not require your assistance," she gasped from the floor.
"Um, you kinda do," said Hunk. "Look, you don't need to prove you're a badass, I've seen you shut down Voltron with your bare hands. Now let's get Yellow and get the quiznak outta here."
"Can't let you do that," said Shay, tapping her wrist. "I'm sorry that violence is the only language you understand."
The buffest Altean Hunk had ever seen jumped into the cave, sentries rappelling more cautiously behind her.
"Commander Zethrid!" called Shay.
"Surrender or be destroyed," said Zethrid, dusting herself off from the impact. "Personally, I hope you choose door number two."
"Guys, what're you doing in there?" Lance said over coms. "Wormholes are popping up all over the place, we need to go!"
"Ai kae, Shay," sighed Hunk, firing his cannon at Zethrid. "We're coming, Lance. Haggar, we could really use some big creepy magic right now."
"I have expended my strength," she said weakly. "I must feed."
"Great, what do you need?" said Hunk. "Cereal bars? A firstborn's soul?"
"Quintessence!" cried Haggar, grabbing Shay's ankle. She collapsed on the floor.
"Wow, wow," said Hunk, pulling the unconscious Shay away from her. "I was kidding about the soul part!"
"You would jeopardize the fate of the universe for the sake of your enemy?" said Haggar.
"Yes!" cried Hunk.
"Then all is lost."
"There has to be another way," said Hunk. "If only Allura were here, she could ask the Balmera for help..."
"Yes," said Hagara, touching the Heart. "There is much power here, and pain. This creature would like it's revenge. Get the wolf. I will open a path."
"But what about you?" said Hunk.
"You must protect the Prince," said Haggar.
"Me?" said Hunk. "Protect Lotor?"
The sentries opened fire.
"Yeak, okay, sure," said Hunk, dragging Shay to the wolf.
The Heart glowed brighter. A golden-purple beam erupted from Haggar's hand and melted through sentries and station, disappearing into space.
The station exploded.
#
"What the hell was that?" Lance cried as Yellow came up beside him.
"Haggar," said Hunk. "Pretty cool when she's on our side, right?"
"Could use a few more of those mega-beams right now," said Lance, watching the Altean fleet grow.
"Are you hearing that banging noise?" said Hunk.
"You got a bogey on your twelve o'clock," said Lance.
"Wait, is that like hours or vargas?" said Hunk.
"It's like literally in your face, Hunk."
Zethrid crawled into his field of view, spacesuit singed from the explosion. She started whaling away at the wolf's face hull.
"Get it off!" cried Hunk. "My arms can't reach, this is not an anatomically correct wolf! I'm like a sitting tyrannosaur here!"
"Hold steady," said Lance, "you're messing up my shot."
"You are not firing on my beautiful face," said Hunk. "There has to be another way."
"Fine," said Lance, "you're not gonna like it. You need to spin."
"Quiznak," said Hunk, yanking the controls.
The Altean was infuriatingly resilient. Hunk was ready to puke by the time she finally lost her grip and careened into space.
"Can we go now?" said Hunk. "I'd rather throw up on Arus."
"Right," said Lance, surveying the multiple wormholes.
"You do know which one's ours, right?" said Hunk.
"Of course I do," said Lance. "I'm not an idiot."
Blue and Yellow dodged the laser fire and dived into the wormhole. They emerged over a blue planet surrounded by ring stations and multiple Altean fleets. The nearest ships opened fire.
"You're an idiot!" cried Hunk.
"Evasive maneuver!" cried Lance.
They dodged, rolled, and dived back out. The station fleet opened fire again.
"Found it!" cried Lance.
"You sure this time?" cried Hunk.
"Positive!" said Lance. "A solid 60%."
"That's not solid at all!" cried Hunk. "That's mushy at best!"
The wolves dived in.
#
Across the universe, Shuttle 2 exited the wormhole over the golden ridges of Olkarion.
"So far, so good," said Pidge. "Not picking up any Altean readings."
"The Olkari are master technologists," said Lotor, Kova purring on his lap. "You wouldn't."
"Must you bring that cat everywhere?" said Pidge.
"Alright," said Keith. "No harm in being cautious."
"Let me guess," said Pidge, "Allura's coordinates are in the forest?"
"Actually," said Keith, "they're in the city."
"Finally!" said Pidge.
"It would be safer to land in the forest," said Lotor.
Pidge groaned.
"I thought you felt connected to everything now," said Keith.
"Well, sure," said Pidge. "I'd just rather connect with indoor plumbing and wifi. You wouldn't believe what they have on the Olkari web."
"If it's more of that Voltron fictionfan stuff, think I'll pass," said Keith. "I do not have a thing for Allura."
The shuttle landed among giant redwood-like trees.
"Until we can determine the Olkari's allegiance," said Keith, "this is a stealth mission."
"Hopefully it'll go better than last time," said Pidge.
"What happened last time?" asked Lotor.
"Cover got blown in doboshes," said Pidge. "And this time we don't have a cloaked lion."
"Good thing you have me, then," said Lotor, smiling.
#
Kova growled at the underbrush.
"Can you quiet your cat?" said Pidge. "He's going to draw attention."
"That won't be necessary," said Lotor, drawing his sword. "We are already being watched."
They were surrounded by Olkari armed with spears and bioluminescent gauntlets.
"Ryner!" cried Pidge, recognizing the leader.
"Do I know you?" she said suspiciously.
"In a way," said Pidge. "I'm a paladin of Voltron."
"Then you are an enemy to all free peoples," said Ryner, eyes narrowing.
"Pidge…" said Keith.
"I got this," said Pidge. "Where I come from, Voltron is a force for good." She manifested her bayard.
The Olkari fighters were outraged at the weapon, but Ryner silenced them.
"A round Voltron bayard," said Ryner. "But Alfor the Betrayer only made the five, no one was ever able to replicate the process. You really are from an alternate reality?"
Pidge nodded.
"Then we finally have a chance," said Ryner. "Where is your wolf?"
"Yeah, we're still working on that part," said Pidge. "It's somewhere in the city."
"We will help you find it," said Ryner. "It won't be easy."
"Let me guess," said Keith. "The Alteans invaded and your resistance fled to the forest?"
Ryner nodded.
"I may have some bad news about King Lubos," said Keith.
"Lubos and most of the others were hokked," said Ryner, holding up a small black box. "We reverse engineered captured devices to develop an electrical override, but it's very short range."
"Like a tazer," said Pidge.
"How do we get close enough to use it?" said Keith.
"I'm afraid the solution is disappointingly obvious," said Lotor.
#
Pidge, Keith, Lotor and Ryner strolled into the city, hoktrils glued to their scalps.
"Emperor's Peace!" an Olkari greeted them merrily on the street.
"And to you too, good sir/madam!" Pidge replied.
"This is stupid," whispered Keith.
"If it sounds stupid but works, it is not stupid," said Lotor.
"The coordinates you provided lead here, the palace complex," said Ryner, placing her hand on the wall. Neon green lines crisscrossed the black metal, a door appeared.
They walked into a vast automated assembly line.
"Those machines are really pumping," said Keith.
"But what?" said Lotor.
Pidge noticed arrow-shaped plates and disturbingly long metal needles. "Hoktrils. It's a hoktril plant."
"It pains me to see Olkari industry warped into enslaving the universe," said Ryner.
Kova growled.
"Someone's coming," said Lotor. "Hide."
"...well keep looking!" Lubos shouted into his communicator. "We cannot allow that unidentified shuttle to interfere with our test subject farm. Hey you, do try to keep up."
A lizard-like Altean noncog rushed to fan him.
"By Lubos," said Lubos,"if a civilization of techno-wizards can't get air-conditioning right, what good are we?"
"Right away, sir," the officer replied in coms. "Praise Lubos."
"He's not hokked," Keith whispered behind the conveyor belt. "He's just a sellout."
"Recent models are increasingly miniaturized," whispered Ryner. "It may not be readily apparent." She stood and pointed the override. "Hey, Lubos!"
"Help!" squeaked Lubos, hiding behind the Althean hybrid.
The noncog spun the fan and fired from the handle, blasting the override from Ryner's hand.
"Not bad for someone without eyes," said Lotor, charging with his sword drawn.
Keith tackled Ryner away from the follow-up shots. "Override's fried!"
"Going to Plan B," said Pidge, grappling an aerial conveyor belt.
Lotor parried laser shots and got to melee range, sword clashing against fan. "Impressive ability," he said. "Imagine what you could do with a real weapon."
The noncog spun and kicked the sword onto the belt. It disappeared down a chute.
Pidge swung onto Lubos as he tried to crawl away and zapped him with her bayard. He collapsed on the floor. The noncog stopped cold, fan handle an inch from Lotor's throat.
"Did you overdo it?" said Ryner.
"Just enough to fry electronics," said Pidge.
Lubos came to on the assembly line floor.
"Lubos?" Ryner said gently.
"Attack!" he cried.
"Tell her to stand down," said Pidge, bayard in his face.
The noncog relaxed.
"Told you he was a sellout," said Keith.
"How could you?" said Ryner.
"There's no fighting the Alteans," said Lubos. "They're too powerful!"
"Not if we fight together," said Keith.
"And we'll have Voltron," said Pidge. "You're gonna help us put him back together."
"Fine," said Lubos. "Just don't hurt me!"
#
Lubos led them down the lower levels of the complex.
Ryner watched in horror the different stages of mass-producing consent. "How could you corrupt Olkari engineering like this?"
"Actually, it was your resistance that gave them the idea," said Lubos.
"Impossible," said Ryner. "The resistance fights for freedom."
"Yes," said Lubos, "but you do so with that neuro-botanical interface of yours - an elegant design, if I may say so. Now don't get me wrong, Alteans will crush you without hesitation if needed, but they find it so distasteful."
"Poor Alteans," said Lotor. "I'm sure our genocide hurt them more than it hurt us."
"When they saw the interface they immediately thought: can this be applied to animals? When initial tests proved promising, the next step was logical: mind-controlling fully sentient species."
"Barbaric," said Ryner. "Everything is cosmic dust, but isn't it obvious you cannot treat a person the way you would a rock?"
"We're engineers, not philosophers," shrugged Lubos. "Alteans value life over freedom. I don't blame them."
They reached an abandoned storage level, far removed from the shiny steel and glass above.
"Why are we stopping?" said Keith.
"That's it," said Lubos. "There's nowhere left to go."
"The structure continues beneath us," said Ryner, hand on the metal plating.
"Well, yes," said Lubos, signaling the noncog for the fan. "The complex grew over previous iterations of the royal palace back to ancient times. You can't add a simple air conditioning duct without digging up some primitive silicon-based electronics, then the archeology department is all up your exhaust vent with forms. Trust me, I've tried."
"Let's keep going," said Ryner, sliding the floor open.
#
They delved into an ancient tunnel system.
"The craftsmanship is old," Ryner said reverently. "Early post-Awakening period."
"Awakening?" said Pidge.
"Bronze tools, writing, agriculture, cities, you name it," said Ryner. "That's when Olkari civilization got kickstarted, and the archeological record says this region was the epicenter. It was a blinding flash, then technological development slowed again."
"I think I know what started it," said Keith, pointing at the glowing carvings.
"And I think I know what stopped it," said Pidge, tapping the ground. "Igneous rock. There was a lava flow."
"How are we getting it out?" asked Lotor.
"After we get the wolf," Ryner told Lubos, "you're taking me to the test subject farm you mentioned. I will not allow you to keep experimenting on our people."
"Interesting story," said Lubos, smiling oddly. "The first trials with Olkaris ran into a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Testing a will-sapping device on an individual that has none to start with is worthless. But where to find the strong of will in a universe beaten into submission? Some more ambitious scientists suggested using Alteans, but they were quietly turned into test subjects themselves. Luckily, an opportunity was provided by the Olkari resistance."
"What are you saying?" said Ryner.
"Did you really think your scrappy band of freedom fighters was keeping the Alteans at bay all these deca-phoebs?" said Lubos. "You are the farm."
"Monster!" cried Ryner.
"And once I contact the Alteans," said Lubos, "they'll be happy to help extract the wolf."
"What makes you think you'll get away from us?" said Ryner, slamming him against the wall.
Lubos laughed maniacally, then blinked in surprise. "Ryner? What's happening?"
"You expect me to fall for that?" said Ryner.
"There's trickery afoot," said Lotor, "but I don't think it's Lubos."
The noncog tripped Keith and slammed him into Lotor.
"Wait," said Pidge, "the noncog was controlling Lubos the whole time?"
"Get me a weapon!" cried Lotor, shoving Keith off.
The noncog aimed the fan handle at Pidge.
"Narti?" said Lubos. "What are you doing?"
Lotor grabbed the blaster from Keith's holster and fired. The impact sent Narti flying down the tunnel.
"That's… quite a kick," said Lotor, realizing the blaster had morphed into a full rifle with neon green filigree.
"You can activate that?" said Keith.
"You can't?" said Lotor.
"But it's Altean," said Keith.
"Mother's side," said Lotor. "Tragic story."
"I'm glad you're bonding," said Pidge, "can we finish later?"
Narti rolled blinking red spheres towards them.
"Everyone down!" cried Ryner.
"Kova," cried Lotor, "here, boy!"
The tunnel collapsed.
#
Keith and Pidge ran their wrist lights over the debris.
"I'm sorry about your cat," said Pidge.
"He was a good cat," said Lotor.
"Ideas?" said Keith.
"Anybody else feel that?" said Lubos.
The tunnel shook.
"Please tell me the volcano isn't still active?" said Keith.
"Wait," said Pidge, "it's…"
Bulging tree roots cracked through the ground, a wolf's howl echoed through the tunnel.
"Nice to see you too, Green," said Pidge.
"We can use the tunnel system to exit elsewhere," said Lotor.
"We'll drop you off in the forest," said Keith. "We can't fight the Altean Fleet right now, but we'll be back."
"We'll be ready," said Ryner.