Alright, time for chapter 5! Hopefully we'll see some big developments here, and I'm trying to give this chapter a distinctly scary feel, kinda inspired by the movie Annihilation, which should give you an idea of what I'm going for with this chapter, although not all of this fic. I've taken a lot of inspirations for the story of this fic, including Black Panther and District 9 (weird combo, I know, but I think the comparisons will soon become evident).

(-)

Lance's dread had fully set in once Turan's crack team of scientists, as well as the Altean, had been able to confirm that there was a large deposit of quintessence located on planet A. At this point, the former Red Paladin had no idea what to expect from the next three planets, but he had learned from the war that large amounts of quintessence usually attracted uninvited guests willing to go to unthinkable lengths to take it. Although Turan had assured him that that was not his intention, it did not shake Lance's trepidation about going forward.

Still, he traveled. In truth, he didn't know how to stop himself. He wanted to go on just to see what they did find. The curiosity that came with the trepidation was unlike anything he had felt in a long time – he was actually feeling some kind of twisted excitement, a feeling that had been alien to him for the past three years. Lance had, in the past, wondered if he would be better off dead, and wondered if that was what he actually craved. He had quickly shoved the thoughts far into the back of his mind, but they always lingered. Now, he was beginning to think that what he actually missed was the action, the battle, something that he had grown to excel at over the course of the war and promptly discarded once it was over. The amount of time and skill he had invested into it, only to lose it, made it seem pointless, wasted even. Now the chance to potentially put his skills back to use gave him an excitement that he knew he shouldn't have.

The findings on Planet A made Planet B even more perplexing and ominous. Lance had been expecting a strange planet, yes, but for all intents and purposes, Planet B was just an exceedingly large asteroid. There were no signs of life, plant or animal, anywhere on it. The planet was a dark rock floating through the vastness of space with no life, completely barren, as if it had already surrendered to the void.

"This make no sense." Turan could be heard muttering to himself through the hallways of the Tartarus. "This planet was supposed to be the perfect landing point. A new colony. Free of life yet capable of hosting it."

While Lance guessed that with significant modifications, Planet B could host life, it was hardly an appealing home. However, he thought that a developer like Turan might appreciate that. An entire planet, one to mold in his image. In fact, this was the exact thought that his benefactor began repeating later on.

"Yes, we'll salvage it!" he began saying to his team. "We can create a superb colony out of this planet."

"That's why I never trust these businesspeople." Lance was startled by a voice to his right, which he found came from Morgan, Jack's deputy on the security team. "Only thing they care about is making a profit. Doesn't matter how much they've got already."

Lance hadn't talked to Morgan much, but he did appreciate the attempts to socialize. It was strange that it came from Morgan though. The tall, dark man had made almost no attempts previously, and came across as a man of few words. "Not always." Lance replied. "I think he cares about the science-ey side as well."

"Possibly." Was Morgan's response. "But cash is king. This whole trip was a money-making opportunity for him. He's garnered a lot of good publicity from working with the coalition – and recruiting a former paladin? That's probably his next marketing step."

Lance had considered this possibility before, and hadn't entirely ruled it out. Still, he wasn't sure he cared. He needed something to occupy his mind, something to have as a purpose, and so far, this journey was providing it. "I've thought about that." Lance replied carefully "And you may be right, but there's more going on here."

"Oh, definitely." Was Morgan's response. "But you didn't know that at first. Why'd you come on the mission on the first place?"

"Well, four unexplored planets, created at the end of the war, it… sounded interesting… I felt like I had to."

"You miss, it, don't you?" A pregnant pause lingered afterward "The battle."

"Yeah, I do." Lance sighed. "I never thought that I would… I guess I just became so good at it… I guess it's a part of me now."

"You're not the only one, man." Morgan responds. "Trust me, I know the feeling."

Lance looked up, a tired but hopeful glimmer in his eyes. "What's your story? I'm guessing you know mine."

Morgan nodded. "I do. Mine isn't as interesting. Left my home in Georgia when I was young to join the marines, always wanted to join the garrison but I wasn't one of the guys they chose. Lost a lot of my squadmates, came back home. Then the Galra invasion happened, I lost a lot of my family." Morgan's head was hung down; this wasn't a story he liked telling. "I joined up with a band of rebels and they became my new family. After the war I started taking jobs like this; its my way of coping, I guess."

A dark look enveloped Morgan's face. Lance knew that his memories were haunting him in the same way Lance's did. "Hey man, I know I don't know you that well, but you've fought for an honorable cause and if I get the chance, I'll fight with you. I've got your back." Morgan's face returned to a look of professionalism. "Thank you. That means a lot. I'll do the same."

(-)

The third planet appeared to have actual life on it, though the scanners made it unclear as to what it actually was. A relatively normal landscape appeared on the ship's screens once camera-bots were sent to the surface, clearing the way for a physical exploration. The same amount of small ships that had been sent before would also go this time, with Lance manning Morgan's ship while Turan remained in Jack's. Lance's feeling of trepidation only increased as his ship reached the surface of the world. A breezy landscape full of natural wonders greeted them as they landed, a field spread out as far as their eyes could see. Small animals grazed, unbothered by the ship's approach. "That's strange." Lance thought to himself. As the crew stepped out, he could tell that Morgan was on edge as well.

As they stepped through the field, the feeling that something was off only grew. His feel sifting through the plants and grasses, Lance watched as several of the scientists leaned down to collect natural specimens. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched one of the scientists reach down to touch one of the curiously earth-like animals, which had only began to react when the man was right above it. It took Lance a few seconds to react when the hand passed straight through the animal.

At first, the scientist seemed quite shocked. He jus stuttered, and the animal itself ceased to move. Lance was the only one who had seen it directly, and he began to move as quick as he could. "Guys? Lets get out of here! Quick!"

"Huh?" was Morgan's reaction, before the entire landscape began to flicker. No one spoke as it morphed before their eyes, the illusion they had been seeing revealing a far more treacherous world of a canyon surrounded by mountains, with four tall trees in a perfect square at the top of the canyon.

"The world… it was an illusion!" one of the crew repeated in astonishment. "Yeah, no shit." Morgan responded. "Let's move! Back to the ship!" as they fled to it, one of the trees began to flicker. Then, something began to emerge from the tree itself. Branches began to break off, forming themselves into deformed arms that stretched to an unnatural length, while a mass of headless bones attached itself to the arms, spontaneously growing deformed flesh to fit its body. It clearly sensed the crew, as it jumped into the canyon just as everyone was loading up.

'Get in! I'll shoot it down!' Lance yelled, pulling out his long-range laser rifle he had been provided with for the trip. He took the best quick shot that he could. Unfortunately, he was still out of practice, as the shot closely missed the creature. This had an even worse result, as the creature began to center in on him. Fortunately, the ship had been equipped with cannons, and Morgan had quickly taken control. Shots fired out at the creature, which gave Lance the time to get inside.

"What is that thing?" Lance asked with a horrified expression on his face. None of the scientists seemed to have any explanation for its appearance, and the ship was rocked as the creature jumped onto the front. Lance looked at Morgan, and a quick understanding was formed between them. The creature rammed itself into the ship, aiming to break through it, but Lance and Morgan hopped out the top to battle the creature.

Lance grabbed a sidearm he had been keeping with him as he popped out on top and fired it into what passed for the creature's stomach. An inhuman growl followed, and it turned its attention to Lance. It's attention was then grabbed by a blue knife sticking itself into its chest, its laser burning through its skin. Lance gave a quick nod to Morgan, who hit his mark with two more knives as the creature lumbered towards them. Lance's time to shine.

Fortunately, the creature seemed singularly focused on the last thing that had wounded it, in this case, Morgan. As Morgan readied his last throwing knife, Lance prepared his high-powered rifle and switched it to it's highest setting. "a bit closer…" he muttered as the gun seemed to grow heavier in his hands. As he looked down the sights, aiming for the headless neck, one more knife pierced the chest of the creature. A dull roar rang out, and the clock was accelerated by the creature beginning to sprint. Shit Lance thought, adjusting his sights. The fear was palpable in Morgan's eyes as the creature got closer to it's target. Now or never. Lance fired one shot. Then another, and another. All three hit their target. The creature fell down, right in front of Morgan, as grey blood spurted out of the beck. "Close one." Was all Lance said. "Thank you." Was Morgan's response.

As the ship departed, the crew watched several other deformed creatures pop out of the trees, rock formations, and even the ground itself. Lance reached his realization when he saw an all-too familiar flash of purple behind each creature as they appeared. "No…" was all he said.

(-)

As the shaken crew recovered from their ordeal on the Tartarus – every other crew having only seen the changed landscape, and left at that point – Lance asked Turan for a private audience. "of course, Lance!" the magnate exclaimed "anything"

"We have to turn back." Lance said when they were alone.

"We've come so far already, Lance." Turan responded. "We can't just… give up!"

"You don't understand, Martin. What I saw on that planet… those creatures weren't from this reality. That planet is a gateway to other realities, extradimensional creatures come over! That planet will be destroyed!"

Turan's expression turned more serious. "Ah. I wondered if you would realize."

"Wait, you knew?" Lance was shocked "You can't mess with other realities! This is dangerous? What are you planning?"

"It's not what I'm planning."

"What do you mean?"

"Let me show you something." Turan began to go to his private quarters. Lance kept his hand on his sidearm, wary of a further betrayal. He doubted that Turan stood much of a fighting chance against him, but he wanted to be careful anyway. As the private room closed, Lance watched with curiosity as his benefactor opened a hidden compartment, revealing what appeared to be a strange window.

"Lance, extradimensional forces are planning to invade our dimension, our reality."

"Bullshit." Lance responded, "How could they?"

"Is it really that hard to believe? With all you've experienced? Come, look through the window. See what I've seen."

As Lance cautiously approached, he saw a mass of ships. Altean ships, it appeared. "What exactly am I looking at?" "The invaders."

"Wait" Lance stuttered as he saw a face he didn't ever anticipate seeing again "That's…"

General Hira of the Altean Empire, the force that the Paladins had escaped from during their excursion into an alternate reality.

"You've seen them too?" Turan reacted, surprised. "Then you probably know what they're capable of!"

"Well, how would they get here?" Lance asked.

"The last planet was only the beginning, Lance. The next planet? It's a full gateway. A natural one. The mission was never to explore it, it was to confirm it and then destroy it."

"Wait, what? Why wouldn't you tell the coalition? Or the garrison?"

"They can't be trusted with this, Lance!" Turan began to raise his voice. "We're already heading there! Only you and I know the destruction they can cause! Once we close the gateway, the universe will finally be safe, but only if we save it!"

Turan's eyes were bloodshot, his voice sounding pained and his face looking disturbingly like Lotor's during his insanity. Lance backed up. "Alright, I get it. Let's do it. We'll do it. Save the Universe, you and me, okay?"

Turan began to calm down. "Yes, yes, you understand now. We must do it. Us. Only us.' Lance nodded in response. "Now, you should ready yourself. We have an interdimensional gateway to destroy."

(-)

As Lance entered his quarters, he quickly moved towards his communicator. Lowering his voice so no one could hear him, he set his messages to send to his fellow paladins and the garrison.

"Guys, Lance here. Something's very wrong with this mission. Like, alternate reality level wrong. Galactic invasion level. Get here as fast as you can. I don't have time to explain. Hurry. Lance out."