7. The Guns
"Okay, you can stop holding hands now," said Lance, entering the damaged bridge.
Allura and Lotor quickly broke apart.
"How did they find us on Arus?" said Keith.
"If they've compromised your lions," said Lotor, "they may be tracking your connection."
"The lions would never do that!" cried Hunk. "Except maybe Blue, he's always too friendly with strangers."
"Hey!" cried Lance. "For all we know, they detected the Galra crystal when the battleship went online."
"Unlikely," said Lotor.
"If any of the original paladins are alive," said Pidge, "they may still have a link with the wolves."
"Wolfie wouldn't do that," said Lance. "Though Black might. He seems to have the harder time letting go."
"Hey!" said Keith.
"Zarkon and Alric are dead," said Hunk. "Gyrgan and the Green and Blue dudes went into hiding."
"That still leaves the Empress," said Lotor.
"She would have to be kilophoebs old," said Allura. "Quintessence is illegal."
"Something that gives you superpowers and makes you immortal?" said Lance. "I'm willing to bet there's a healthy black market and elites keep a stash of their own."
"Until we find out, we have to assume they can still track us," said Keith. "Where are we?"
"The Gamara system," Slav said from under a console. "Don't mind me, just trying to repair the worst of the damage before we all die horribly in a fire. I can give you the odds…"
"Thank you," said Allura, "that won't be necessary."
Slav shrugged with six shoulders.
Lance watched the mournful white dwarf surrounded by a paltry asteroid belt. "Who bothered naming it?"
"The destruction of Feyiv sparked outrage among several Altean factions," said Slav. "They challenged the Empress's rule at the Ecclesia. This was before the hoktril age. She executed the leaders and destroyed the opposition's main world - Gamara. Surviving dissenters were driven underground. They founded the Guns."
"Something tells me we're not just here for the history lesson," said Pidge.
"This our main base of operations," said Slav. "The Alteans never thought to check back."
"We can't risk leading the Fleet to them," said Keith. "We need to…"
Alarms blared throughout the bridge.
"Maybe it's invisible Ezor," teased Hunk. "For all we know she could still be in the ship."
"Stop saying that," whispered Lance, looking around the bridge. "She'll hear you!"
"Is it the Fleet?" said Keith.
"No," said Allura, checking the console. "We have an intruder on level five."
#
"Hold it right there!" cried Lance, aiming the rifle down the hallway.
The black-clad intruder jumped over him and kept running.
"He's heading your way, Pidge," said Lance.
"Already past me," Pidge replied.
"Anyone else getting a weird sense of deja vu?" asked Hunk.
"He's heading to the cargo hold," said Allura.
"Don't let him reach the wolves!" cried Keith.
As the intruder burst into the hold Lotor fired a green beam from his rifle.
The intruder dodged, rolled up to Yellow and fired at the mech.
"No!" cried Hunk, "Not Yellow!"
A blinking device crashed to the ground beside the intruder. He blasted it point-bank.
"Oh," Hunk said sheepishly. "Guess that giant Altean put it there."
"Blunt as usual, Kolivan," said Slav, walking up to him.
"Bringing a tracking device to our base?" said the Altean, lowering his hood. "You're getting sloppy, old friend."
"Vrepit sa," they said, clasping arms. Multiple arms.
"That's actually more of a yes sir rather than a greeting…" said Lance.
"We use it to honor the dead," said Kolivan, looking at Lotor's gun. "You've brought us a new recruit."
"And allies," said Slav.
"Voltron is ready to assist you," said Allura.
"Voltron?" said Kolivan, looking at the mechs. "The legends speak of five."
"We're still working out that part," said Hunk. "You wouldn't happen to know where…"
"We have no information regarding the Red Wolf," said Kolivan. "Our agent reports Hira is testing practically the entire Altean military in her quest to control your lions."
"But aren't they bonded to us by destiny, or something?" asked Hunk.
"The lions will accept anyone they deem worthy," said Allura.
"So it's more an open relationship kind of thing," said Lance. "Keeping their options open, seeing what's on the market…"
"We have to stop her before she succeeds," said Keith.
"We would have preferred a more cautious approach," said Kolivan, "but your intervention has given the enemy an unparalleled advantage. I agree, we must act quickly."
#
"The Black Wolf is your birthright!" roared Zarkon. "It is the only thing that matters!"
"I'm sorry," said Allura, walking into the holodeck. "I'll come back another…"
"It's fine," said Lotor, pausing the AI. "Just having a little chat with father. Please, sit down. It'll be nice having a two-way conversation for a change."
They watched the frozen hologram in silence.
"He grew increasingly obsessed towards the end," said Lotor. "He was convinced the wolf was the only solution, and the solution to everything. No one dared defy him - myself included. I can see him becoming the tyrant he did in your reality. Were it not for him, I wonder if a settlement could have been reached."
"If it's any help," said Allura, "from what I've heard of the Empress, I don't think she'd care. It's shocking to think I'd be capable of the things she's done."
"Except you're not," said Lotor. "In your reality your father didn't die in your arms, you didn't decide the whole universe would pay."
"Yet I keep wondering," said Allura, "what would it take for me to snap like that?"
"May your ancients protect us," said Lotor, snapping his fingers.
Allura laughed, moving closer. "I want to apologize. Using the Galra crystal was the right decision. I should have trusted you."
"Then we're even," said Lotor, also moving closer. "I should have trusted you and your friends. After a lifetime of defeat, it's frightening to rekindle hope."
"Why is it so dark and romantic in here?" Lance called from the hatch. "And what's with the angry Zarkon hologram? Anyway, Keith and Altean Kolivan are working on a plan. Slav was helping, but he kept giving 0% predictions and they kicked him out. We're meeting on the bridge in five."
#
"Everyone on board?" said Keith, looking at the team.
"Could we go over the wormholing into the Altean Fleet part again?" said Hunk. "Just wanna be sure we looked at all the options."
"Sorry I'm late," said Pidge, entering the bridge. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."
A Balmoran peeked through the hatch.
"Shay!" cried Hunk, "It's so good to see you! Are you…"
"Hokked?" she said. "Not anymore, thanks to Pidge."
"Good work, Pidge," said Keith. "Shay, you'll be safe with Slav and Kolivan while we're away."
"So it's true?" she said. "You're taking the fight to the Alteans?"
Keith looked at Hunk. He nodded regretfully.
"Thank you," she said.
"All in a quintant's work for my man Hunk," said Lance, putting his arm around him.