You're welcome. Same here, not much happened but that's good by me. I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying what you've seen of the Voltron universe! "This here has become my favourite story, im following so far (Wan High is also great and fun to read, but this has taken the lead)." :'D That really means a lot! Unfortunately this fic is coming to a close. But I'd rather give it a natural end, then try to draw it out longer than I should.
"And I'm definitly a fan of Keiths choise of music." I may or may not have projected some of my own taste onto him lol. "Maiden for wake-up was a good pick from Acxa :)" xP She did a good thing and she didn't realize it.
"I really like the little part about the CD-player. Like I have written in another review for "Palms" I love the mixture of her almost child-like curiosity and her way to handle this curiosity." I think that was my favorite bit of the chapter as well. It was mundane thing, but its something that really allowed me to put my interpretation of her character in. "I don't know, if this mixture of child-like curiosity and sometime almost logical and strategic way of exploring new things is a canon part of her character or the way you're interpretating her character, but I like it." I think it's mostly interpretation. Aside from social interaction, we as viewers never really saw her exploring the world around her. "Mixed with her own pride to handle things on her own and to find out for her own, how thing works, creates such a lovley and adorable part of her peronality." Exactly lol. She's such a dork. A really adorable, lovable space dork. "Sorry for drifting away from the chapter a bit, but this really had caught my interest, so I hope you could light up some of my dark spots I have about Acxa." No problem at all, I love this kind of conversation.
"And Keith has addressed his advise for her at her logical part and it seems he has found the right words again. The problem is, that she still doesn't know if she liked to be her old self again or not. During her time at the Galras, her human heritage had caused troubles for her." Yes, she had a lot of struggle being as she was an outcast. And it really confuses her and causes conflict. "I think she's putting too much focus on how others might want her to be, in her opinion, instead of how she really want to be for herself." She definitely is, she really just wants to fit in and find a home somewhere. "when she'll meet her former Galra comrades (or friends?)." I like to think that they are all friends though they had their falling outs. "She needs to realize the positive aspects her mixed heritage holds up for her. Instead of focussing on the things, which had set her apart from each species." Exactly, that kind of introspection would do her well.
"And it's good to see, how she's helping Keith to find more self-confidence." I figured that she needed time to show the things she is secure in and give Keith his moment to vent. "In this situation she shows, that she could watch the situation from a different point of view, easily." It's one of those things where she has an easier time giving others advice than helping herself lol. "But it's always easier to manage this switch at anothers problems than at his own, to my experience." Exactly!
"Filnally comment about this chapter, wow what a nightmare again for Acxa. I'm starting to questioning myself, if this is only due to the horror she has seen and she was put through or if the quintessence is still working in her body and mind." I will say this, because it won't spoil anything; it is simply due to what she had been through. At this point the quintessence is no longer in her. "but I would be happy to get more informations from you)." Is there anything in particular that you'd like to know about it?
Their invasion is more or less full scale. There is no subtlety. No sneaking around. Acxa had said that an attack of this sort is best done directly. Keith agreed that she had another good point; they wouldn't be able to maintain the manpower they needed for the mission and sneak around at the same time. It was either creep about with wit and intellect or numbers and brute strength. The last time they had gone for stealth, it had almost ended poorly. The last few times, in fact. So, this time, they will utilize a new strategy. This time they will take the Galra approach to fighting.
Keith's heart pounds as they near the compound. If things went well, if they managed to breech the laboratory, a few of them would sneak off to a stealthier mission. Preferably Acxa and Pidge would be the ones for that. They are the smallest, and this side mission is mostly for the sake of Acxa anyways.
"Do you really think we can take her down already?" Hunk asks. "I don't think that I'm ready for this."
"You are ready, Hunk. We've fought Haggar before, we beat Zarkon, we beat Lotor, and we survived a weblum. We can infiltrate a lab and beat Haggar again." Keith replies, he has to keep Hunk's morale and sense of courage up. They can't afford a lapse in either of those things today. "We're a team Hunk, and if we can remember that, we'll be fine."
The laboratory looms ever closer.
They will be there within the hour.
.oOo.
Acxa knows that a lot is at stake. Her shot at being half-Galra again—or at least the ability to choose. Ezor and Zethrid's freedom—their lives, perhaps. The lives of the other prisoners, both Galra and human alike.
She is not used to having so many people depending on her actions. It is daunting. Intimidating to the point were a teeny fragment of her mind wishes that she was on the other side of the war again. The side where she was only one solider and her actions had less consequence. She wishes that she didn't have the moral code that she did. But at the same time, she can't fathom herself without it. She isn't the most secure in body, but she is confident in her soul.
She readies her weapons. If nothing else, she will save Ezor and Zethrid. And if her life is what she must give to do so, then she will fall trying. A noble, wholly Galra death.
"Wow, you look pissed." Lance comments.
"Hmmm…" Veronica trails off, "I'd say it's more like grim. She looks grim."
"What's wrong?" Lance asks.
"I'm thinking about my death."
"Oh…wow." Nadia comments. "You have a way with words."
Acxa's face flushes. She still forgets that humans are not quite as blunt as her people. "I mean, I am thinking of who I am willing to die for if I have to."
Veronica squeezes her hand. "You're not going to die. We won't let that happen."
But they don't realize that she will die for them if she has to. She hasn't known them terribly long, but they have shown her more compassion and acceptance in that small window than anyone has afforded her in her lifetime. She will not let them die for her.
.oOo.
When they touch down, Keith is overpowered by a nauseating smell. It is the scent of death and corrosion with an unbearable acidic tang. He wonders how Haggar can tolerate it. He wonders how Acxa had dealt with it. He spares her a look, and he can see it on her that she is uncomfortable. He hates dragging her so close to terrible memories, but he knows that she'd have fought him if he hadn't.
He hugs her close before the latch opens.
Shiro faces the laboratory with hard eyes. As soon as the loading dock hits the ground with its rebounding metallic bang he calls for them to attack. They surge forward with a fury and a purpose.
Keith looks to Acxa. "Stay close to Pidge and I, if you can. Once we make it into the lab we'll go for Haggar's research notes."
"We'll go for the prisoners." Acxa argues. "The notes are secondary."
"If things go as planned, there will be enough fuss for the prisoners to free themselves and fight with us."
"What about the ones who are in the middle of being experimented on?" Pidge questions.
"That's where Lance, Allura and Veronica come in." Keith reminds her.
"Right."
"And if they need back up, "Hunk, Shiro, and Coran will step in." Keith adds. "Everyone else will be fighting Haggar's army."
"Coran's in this battle." Acxa looks completely befuddled.
"Every man we got is on the field today." Keith replies.
"He's more competent than he makes himself out to be, he'll be okay." Pidge notes. "Look out!"
Just on time, Keith ducks under a Galra blade. He draws his own weapon and brings it down on his opponent. A swift and sturdy kick to the man's kneecaps had him toppling. Keith dashes forward, he can't waste all of his time. "Pidge, Acxa, don't spend too much time on one person. Stun and run."
Hunk chuckles next to him. "Stun 'n run. I like it."
Keith rolls his eyes, at least they'll remember it. He notices though, that Acxa is already a few leagues ahead of them. She weaves her way in and out of the soldiers. What she now lacks in physical strength, she makes up for in speed.
"Damn." He hisses, she might just be getting too far ahead. "Okay Pidge, forget stun. Just run." He tries to mimic the way Acxa moves. Pidge imitates her nearly flawlessly. He is having trouble, he's not short enough to go unnoticed nor to doge blades and shots like they do. He speaks into his communication device. "Once you make it inside, find a spot to wait for me, I'll be there as soon as I can." He huffs as he ducks under a deadly looking beam.
.oOo.
Acxa throws herself behind a pillar. She hadn't exactly meant to get so far ahead of the group. She hadn't expected to have the capability still. She readies her gun as a figure appears. It raises its hands, "don't shoot."
Acxa lowers the gun. "How far back is Keith?"
"Pretty far." Pidge frowns.
"We'll break into the laboratory." Acxa says. "It will be easier for him to find us in there."
She peeks her head around the pillar and motions for Pidge to follow. All of the enemy forces had surged forward, leaving an unguarded gap between themselves and the door.
"Wow, that's convenient."
"For now. It'll be heavily guarded when we get inside."
"We could plant a bomb, that'll get the doors open and maybe take down some of the guards." Pidge suggested.
"That will work. It should anyways."
Pidge pulls a few mines from her arsenal and syncs them up with her detonator. "Think you can plant them?"
Acxa nods.
.oOo.
He is panting and sore but he has almost caught up. He can see them lingering at the door to the laboratory and wonders why they haven't just went in. He rams his elbow into the stomach of a Galra and watches him drop. He is so close to being in the clear. He is caught in a tangle of limbs, mostly Galra and struggles to fight his way out of it.
By the time he wiggles his way out of their grasp he is even shorter of breath and frighteningly low on stamina. He catches sight of Allura in a midair twirl, she lands elegantly behind her foe and lands a hard kick on the Galra woman's head.
An explosion rocks the battlefield.
The door to the laboratory has been blasted open and the dots connect.
He pushes himself onward and throws himself into the tumult within the lab. It is smoky and flames still lick the entry room. It is hard to find Acxa and Pidge amid the chaos. "Where are you guys?" He askes into his communication device.
Their connection is staticy but he can hear Acxa mutter some directions. He requests repetition. Instead, she pings him her location and he hurries towards the dot pulsing on his hologram map. She and Pidge are huddled under a desk, he knows that the sneaky part of their battle has begun. He watches Acxa run her eyes over her own map. She purses her lips in concentration and finally speaks. "Third floor, to the right. That's where the prisoners human prisoners are being held. The Galra prisoners are to the left. While group B frees those, have group C check floor four, that's where the UV rooms are."
"Alright so Allura's group to floor three and Hunk's to group to floor four." He bit his lip, so far things weren't going according to plan. He was a fool to not consider that one group—in this case, his—would make it to the lab before everyone else. As quietly as possible he relays the new plan. "Groups B and C, this is Keith from Group A…"
"We know who you are." Lance cuts him off.
He scowls to himself but he doesn't have time for petty arguments. "This is group A, reporting that we've breeched the lab so there will be a slight change in plans. Group A will proceed with finding the research notes. The first group to make it in, B or C will be in charge of freeing the prisoners who aren't in the UV rooms on floor…"
"Three." Acxa repeats herself.
"On floor three. The remaining group will free those who are being experimented on. According to Acxa there are multiple UV rooms in this lab."
"If you lose your sense of direction just follow the tubes of quintessence, they go into the UV rooms." Acxa adds.
"Confirm?"
"We got it Keith." Hunk says.
"We understand too." Veronica states.
"The rest of us hold our ground on the battlefield?" Kinkade asks.
"Correct." Keith replies. "You and everyone else will stick to the original plan."
.oOo.
She doesn't vocalize it, but she wants to abandon her post and make her way to floor three. She wants nothing more than to find Ezor and Zethrid.
"What floor will the notes be on."
Acxa frowns. "They will probably be with Haggar herself. Either her sleeping quarters or an office of sorts." She peers at the map. "The top floor."
"Great." Pidge grumbles. "Of course they're on the top floor."
"That won't be a problem if we can swipe some uniforms, preferably the ones with helmets."
"Way a head of you." Keith smirks, dumping a pile of clothes in front of them. "Pidge is the smallest so she'll take that one." He hands it to the girl. "This one is probably going to be a bit big on you."
"It doesn't matter as long as I won't be tripping over it." Frankly she just wants to get things moving. She slips into the enemy uniform and pulls the helmet over her head. It doesn't fit too poorly, but it isn't exactly ideal after having been spoiled with custom fit uniforms.
They try to exude an air of confidence as if they are supposed to be there as they climb a few flights of stairs.
"Ya know, elevators were invented for a reason." Keith remarks to no one in particular.
"The last thing we need is to get stuck in an elevator, Keith. This is the most fool proof way." Pidge counters.
"I guess."
They make it to floor four and Acxa fights the feeling of dread that washes over her as the soft buzzing meets her ears. She tries to block it out and ascends the staircase that much faster. At last they reach the seventh and final floor. That is when the commotion begins a few floors down. The sound of an alarm lets her know that either group B or group C had successfully opened the holding cells. She curses softly to herself, "we have to hide."
"But we're in uniform." Keith frowns.
"Something tells me that only Haggar and maybe a few specific soldiers are allowed on this floor." Pidge agrees.
Acxa watches as Pidge punches a few numbers into her stolen uniform's digital operating system. "Help me out with this." She whispers to Acxa. "What do these symbols mean."
"They are command prompts." Acxa replies.
"Do any of them control the power."
Acxa points at one and Pidge hits it. She hits the red symbol and the power cuts. They conceal themselves in the shadowed areas behind a row of file cabinets. Now it is a matter of waiting out the sound of footsteps.
"You fools." The voice sends chills down Acxa's spine. "There are more of you than there are them. So how is it that they've managed to free the prisoners and kill our power supply?"
Acxa's heart thunders but she knows what she has to do. "Cover me." She whispers and before Keith can protest, she leaps from her hiding spot and lands a kick on one of Haggar's six guards. He topples as a cussing Keith charges for another. Pidge takes down another.
Acxa has the witch by the throat.
This time she gives a raspy chuckle. "Do you really think I'm going to let you do that again." In a twinkling flash of quintessence, the woman is no longer in her grasp. She feels a burst of energy erupt against her back and she stumbles forward and to the ground.
"Acxa!"
"Focus on your battle, there are still three guards left." Acxa scolds.
"Make that two." Pidge comments.
Acxa throws herself to the side as another burst of energy is thrown towards her. She pulls her gun and fires a few rounds. Only one hits the witch, but she remains unfazed.
Another guard drops and then the last.
"Oh now, this isn't a very fair fight is it." Haggar's grin is taunting. She materializes behind Keith. "How about you call off your army. Return my prisoners and I'll let him live."
Acxa swallows.
"Not so nice is it?" Haggar's smirk widens. "Being on the other side of this."
"Don't call them off." Keith winces as she squeezes him tighter.
"You know, it's a shame." Haggar mutters. "You could have been an honorable solider. You could have ruled the galaxy with me." She drums her fingertips on Keith's head. "I was going to make you a full-blood Galra, you know. But I worried about your loyalties."
"You were right to worry." Acxa confirms.
Haggar sighs, "yes, a shame." She repeats. "You could have been powerful." She claws at Keith's hair line until a thin trail of blood trickles forth. "You still can be, I can't give you full Galra blood. All you have to do is let the boy…and that girl, die."
To be a full Galra…
Acxa clenches her fists. It would be so nice to have that. It would take away the insecurities she harbored. It would take them away without her having to throw away her Galra advantages. She would have a chance to be something.
"You can be a full Galra and you could marry my son."
Her heart flutters at the mention.
"I can't imagine him turning you down then."
It surprises her how much she truly misses Lotor. The kind Lotor who had saved her from the streets and from being completely outcasted. The Lotor she cherished before the quintessence had taken over.
"Think of it as a second chance. A grand rebirth."
.oOo.
Keith says nothing. He says nothing because he knows that she is smarter than that. He says nothing until she locks eyes with the witch and asks, "can you really make that happen?"
Her soft voice is dribbled with sincerity and a heat rises to Keith's cheeks. "Are you really going to hear her out?"
To his surprise, Haggar doesn't punish him. She doesn't even silence him.
"He doesn't understand." The witch continues. And he realizes what she is doing. She hadn't hurt him because that would have brought some reality back to Acxa. "I'll make you an offer. You come with me now, and I'll make the boy a full Galra too." She strokes his hair. "He's already halfway there."
"You'll make Keith a Galra too?" Acxa repeats.
Haggar nods. "And then you can choose. You can have my son's hand in marriage or his. Hell, you can have both if that's what you really want. All it takes is returning my prisoners and one last trip to the UV room, how about it?"
"Okay."
"You really do like to flop sides, don't you!?" Pidge exclaims.
"You don't understand." The look in Acxa's eyes is so terrifying foreign. It is a perplexing mixture of longing and sorrow and of victory and relief. "This is my only chance."
"You had a chance with me." Keith says, his voice hitches.
She smiles softly, "I still do, when we're both Galra."
Haggar motions for her fully recovered guards to take hold of him and seize Pidge. "Come on then." She sets a falsely tentative hand on Acxa's shoulder. He is forced to follow them down the hall. To his horror, there is a UV room at its end. His final plan, to use the commotion below, is obliterated.
"I'm sorry, Keith."
Keith turns is head, he won't look at her if he can help it.
"I do care about you."
He almost gives it a bitter laugh.
.oOo.
Acxa lets Haggar lead her into the room. Her head dips and her heart is heavy because she knows that he hates her. He hates everything she is, was, and would become. He hates her with everything in him. But that is fine by her, because he would love again her in the end.
This UV room is different from the one she had been in. A dome of quintessence pulses so brightly in front of her. A tear makes its way down her cheek. She waits for Haggar to lock the door before smashing the thing to pieces.
Her world is lost in a bright magenta burst and the sound of shattering glass.
With any luck, it will burn the witch away too.