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Evaluations
Arus
arus-dot-geo-at-yahoo-dot-com
Voltron and its characters are owned by World Event's Productions.
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A child's loss - Keith's Story
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Admiral Benson looked around the rather large room, simling to himself as he looked at the pictures that lined the nearby fire place mantle, and the rather large portrait of the royal family. King Alfor stood along side his wife, Queen Mairie the hand of the young Princess Allura. She looked maybe all of 5 years old in the painting, but it was probably a portrait that Allura herself held dear to her.
"Its the only memento I have of my parents."
Benson quickly turned around, smiling as Allura entered the study, carrying with her a tray with two dishes of food and two cups and a tea kettle. She walked over to a small table in the center of the room, and seated herself on the long couch before it, before taking the tea kettle and pouring the hot liquid into both cups.
"It was done shortly before King Zarkon attacked Planet Arus," she said as she looked up at him.
Benson nodded as he took a seat in a couch across from her and took the cup she offered him.
"My mother died shortly after the first attack," Allura said. "My father, in the last fight he had with Zarkon in the Valley of Zohar."
"I know it must have been tough, Princess," Benson offered as he took a sip from the cup. "Though, from what I see of Arus today, it looks like you're doing well."
Allura nodded as she regarded him. "I learned very young that we are who we are," she said as she took a sip from her own cup. "I knew that if I wanted to change Arus for the better, I would have to learn to fight on my own, and learn to trust others that they would want to the same for my planet. I was elated when our first signal to Garison was answered, and you sent who you could to help us."
Benson nodded slowly. "I wish, at the time we could have offered more," he said. "But with Zarkon's forces so close, and our own forces..."
Allura held her hand up shaking her head. "No, Admiral, you do not have to defend yourself on this," she said with a smile. "What you did was enough, for that time. You have given us the hope we needed, and look at us today."
"This is the only thing about my job that I hate to do," he said.
Allura met his gaze as she watched him pull out several folders from the satchel he was carrying with him. "Yes, it is that time isn't it?" she asked.
"I know that you are not familiar with all of the paperwork we do, but I will be more than happy to walk you through all of this," he said. "Which is why I asked Garison to allow me more time with this than it would be normal."
Allura nodded. "Its just another learning experience, Admiral," she said with a smile. "Actually, Im looking forward to doing these evaluations. After all, they have worked so hard for the welfare of my people and for Planet Arus, I know that they are deserving of any recognition they receive."
"And promotions," the Admiral said. "And I have feeling that all of them do deserve that."
"So, shall we get started?" she asked. "And Admiral, please, don't mind if we do go off on tangents, as Im sure that there is alot that we can share about each of them."
Admiral Benson smiled. "I do have alot to share about them," he said. "Considering that I watched over most of them from when they were only children. Since you've only know them for a little of a year, Im sure that there are some questions you would like to have answered, that you couldn't ask them."
Allura laughed to herself. "Yes, there are many," she said. "I've asked that we are not bothered, unless there is an emergency, so we pretty much have all the time in the world. So, whom do we talk about first?"
Admiral Benson smiled as he pulled the first file from the stack he had before him and opened it slowly.
"Commander Keith Yasuo Takashi," he said with a smile. "If you would like, I can give you sometime to read over the file."
Allura nodded as he handed her the thick file. She quickly looked at the rest of the files that were stacked to the side, and made a note that they were thinner than the file she had in her hands now. As she leaned back against the back of the couch she was sitting in, she slowly opened the file to be greeted with a small photo of Keith at a younger time. His dark hair was not its unruly shape he wore now, but neatly cut, common among the Academy cadets. She smiled to herself seeing that once the cadets were graduated, the first thing they probably ignored was the rules governing as to how one should wear their hair. He did, in tha same image, have the same eyes that she had come to both respect and sometimes fear about him. A seriousness was held in those dark eyes, and she wondered what kind of events would give someone so young, to look at the world as he did.
She quickly lifted the image up and read over the bio sheet that it was clipped to. Her eyes scanned over the neatly typed page, mostly about vitals; birthdate, age, height, weight, hair. Typical information that would be needed in a file of this sort. Her eyes scanned toward the bottom listing any relatives that would need to be contacted and breathed in slightly when she saw that none were listed. She scanned back to the top under parents, and saw two names listed and one name listed under siblings.
Parents: Admiral Kenshiro Hikaru Takashi (father) Commander Mae Ava Takashi (mother)
Sibling: Captain Keitaro Haruko Takashi (brother)
A note was scribbled to the side of their names, indicating that if anyone had questions, they would need to contact Admiral Benson.
"They died on a mission, a long time ago."
Allura looked up at Benson when he spoke. "Excuse me?" she asked.
Admiral Benson breathed in deeply. "Admiral Takashi, his wife and son," he said then looked to her. "I guess he didn't tell you did he?"
Allura slowly shook her head as she flipped over the paper and saw another picture had been placed there. A family portrait. She placed the file onto the table before her as she removed the photo from the file and looked at it. An older gentleman stood tall and strong, dressed in his Alliance uniform. A man with sharp dark eyes, and neatly cut black hair. The grey of the uniform he wore, only helped to give authority to his look as he wore a slight smile, his hand placed comfortably on the shoulder of the young woman who stood beside him.
She, was a slight contrast to the young man, with amber eyes, and long auburn locks that framed her nearly porcelain white face. In her smile, she could see the loving warmth that she embodied, her eyes full of caring, for the man that stood with her, and to the two boys who finished off the image before her. They looked like a loving couple, proud parents of two equally handsome boys.
The older boy, who bore a close resemblance to Keith, if he wore his hair the same way, stood to the right of his father, staring intently and smiling at whomever was taking the picture. He looked to be about 15 or 16 years of age, already threatening to be taller than the man he stood next to. He too wore a Garison uniform, however that of a newly graduated cadet. Several medals adorned the young man's navy blue uniform, as he wore them proudly.
Lastly, her eyes came to rest on a very young boy, who looked all of 3 or 4 years of age. Smiling widely as he stood to the right of his mother. Unruly black hair framed the young boy's face, which gave Allura enough to know that this was Keith when he was just a child. He wore a simple white dress shirt, a small tie around his neck as he held onto the hand of his older brother. Though, she did not see the seriousness in his eyes that now existed in the eyes she had come to know.
"What happened?" Allura asked as she forced herself to look up from the picture and meet Benson's gaze.
Benson breathed in deeply. "Its a long story," he said.
"We have time."
Benson smiled as he took a sip from his cup and then proceeded to pour himself another one. "If there is anything you need to know, Princess Allura, is that the Takashi's were highly regarded Alliance officers, who rose in ranks very quickly that surprised many of us. I knew the Takashi's personally since I attended the academy with Keith's father. He was a gifted student, as well an excellent leader. And it wasn't surprising to see that Keitaro followed in his father's footsteps, even besting his father in many of the academy records set by his father. Keith was expected to do the same."
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Keith smiled as he watched his older brother spar with several students of the dojo they attended. Keitaro was only a handful of students who became grandmaster at a young age, earning the respect of both the students and other teachers who taught Kenpo Karate. Keith respected his brother for the raw talent that he possessed and envied him at the same time. He was everything that was expected of the son of the only person in the Galaxy Alliance history, to earn the title of Admiral before the age of 30. Keitaro was living up to that expectation and even surpassed them, in many ways that surprised even the highest officers of Galaxy Garison. Keitaro Takashi, was already a Captain at the age of 18, and one of the Alliance's best commanders.
After the small show, the class was excused for the day as Keitaro came to sit down at the dojo's doorway, smiling as he roughed up Keith's hair, who smiled up at him.
"Aniki, you're getting so much better!" he exclaimed.
Keitaro smiled down at his younger brother. "Its not as easy as you think it is," he said with a smile. "If you keep on being the lazy little boy you've been lately, you're going to fall behind."
Keith crossed his arms and pouted. "I dont get enough time to practice," he grumbled. "The examinations have already taken up most of my free time already."
Keitaro only smiled. "Ah, I almost forgot about that," he said. "How many more do you have to take?"
"Four," Keith grumbled. "Why can't they just let me in? Considering who I have as a brother and father."
Keitaro let out a hearty laugh. "Nepotism isn't something as seen as a positive thing, Keith," he said as he stood to walk back inside the dojo. And the Academy has to be sure that they are taking in the best students. Im sure you know that."
Keith turned around as he watched as his brother start to put away some of the equipment in the dojo.
"What is it like? You know, in space?"
Keitaro turned to his brother as he kneeled before one of the sparring mats. "Its quiet," he said. "You only have the sea of stars before you, and that's all you can think about."
"But you have seen battle?"
Keitaro nodded. "We may have alliances with other planets, Keith, but there are many who do not like what we do, or what we have to offer," he said. "But in time, as planets and their leaders learn that working together peacefully is the only way to resolve problems, we are forced to do battle."
"Do you hate it?"
Keitaro slowly shook his head as he rolled up the mat before him. "Its what I've always wanted to do," he said. "Its not all traveling in space and fighting. Sometimes, we get to visit other planets and see what they have to offer. Some planets are quite beautiful. Others, even more crowded than our own Earth."
He then let out a groan when he felt two legs come to wrap around his own and force him to the tatami mat below him. As he was about to sit up, he laughed when Keith came to sit on his chest and pin his arms to the mat below.
"Then I have to do the best that I can do, so I can become better than you! And then we can both travel into space together!"
Keitaro smiled. "Oh, is that all its going to take?" he asked.
Keith let out a scream as Keitaro brought up his legs and wrapped them around his brother, pushing him off of him. The little boy then twisted himself out of his brothers hold, slowly getting to his feet as he took a defensive stance. Keitaro laughed as he kneeled on the mat and stared at his younger brother.
"Dont hold back."
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"Ittai!"
Keitaro shook his head as he lifted his brother onto his back, and the nurse who worked for the dojo handed him a small ice compress.
"Keep it iced for the night, make sure no direct contact," she instructed. "It will swell a little. Keitaro, next time, please be careful. He's only six years old."
Keitaro blushed a little as he shifted his brother on his back and bowed slightly to the woman. "I'll be more careful," he said with a smile. "Anyway, father will probably give me a talk down when we get home."
"Well if its any consolation, just let him know that Keith's ankle will be okay in a week, just keep off of it for the time being and NO sparring or practice until its healed."
"Yes, Anko," Keitaro said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."
The woman smiled as he watched as Keitaro left the small complex that was their dojo and head down the street. Keith shifted his weight, holding on tightly to his brother, feeling a little down for getting injured.
"Im sorry," he said.
Keitaro smiled to himself. "Dont blame yourself," he said as they walked down the quiet road. "I was the one who egged you on."
"Father is going to be mad at me."
Keitaro shook his head. "He won't," he said. "He'll probably just yell at me for spraining your ankle."
Keith leaned his head against his brothers back as he walked down the small street as it joined a much more busy one. "You're going to go on another mission soon?"
Keitaro slowly nodded. "Next week," he said. "This time I will be joining both mom and dad."
"What kind of mission?"
"Just an escort," he said as they passed by several tall buildings. "We're going to escort Ambassador Naris back to Planet Ebb. Very boring, but it will give me a chance to test out the new Alliance fighters."
"They let you test everything that is new," Keith said.
"Well, mom helped to design it," he said. "And she wanted to make sure that she trusted the person who tested it."
"Mom designed it?"
"Yeah," he said. "After 40 different design submissions. Hers got accepted over the thousands of others that were offered."
"Dad must be proud."
"Very much," he said. "Hey, when I return, and we have a successful test, I'll convince her to allow me to take you up in one."
"You'd do that?"
Keitaro nodded. "However, you have to promised to ace those four tests," he said. "Nothing lower than perfect, okay?"
Keith nodded. "Well, the next one is on science and math," he said. "I always do good on those."
"But the third is your knowledge of at least three other languages," he said.
"Mom's been studying with me," Keith said. "I know seven now."
"Seven?" Keitaro asked. "Well, I only know four."
"Liar," Keith said with a smile. "You know ten."
"I know four fluently," Keitaro corrected. "The other six, I only know phrases that were used in the tests."
"WHAT?"
Keitaro laughed. "And a few slang and colloquial phrases," he said. "Just enough so I could past the tests."
"Three is all you need."
"But what three, I didn't know," he said with a smile.
Keith looked around and saw that they were passing by one of the main buildings that was apart of the Galaxy Garison base here on Earth. Keitaro came to stop before the building and smiled.
"Just to think, Keith, you could be here in a few short weeks."
Keith slowly nodded at the building that towered above them. Flags from the different planets lined the outside of the building and the watched as a group of cadets entered the building as another exited.
"If I pass those tests, I can be the youngest to ever attend," Keith said with a smile.
"Younger than I was," Keitaro said. "You should be happy that they were willing to give you an exception."
Keith nodded. "I hope that I can do the best that I can."
He then heard quiet giggling which caused the two brothers to turn slightly to notice a group of young cadets staring at them. The girls smiled, then waved at the both of them, before turning to run back toward the building.
"Why do they do that when you pass by?" Keith asked, irritated.
Keitaro laughed. "You wouldn't understand if I told you," he said.
"Girls are icky."
"No they aren't," his brother said as he started to walk down the street again. "In fact, they can be very nice."
"No way," Keith said as he burried his head into his brother's back.
"But you like Michelle," Keitaro said. "Why dont you find her icky?"
"She's not a girl," Keith said.
Keitaro let out a laugh as he shifted Keith's weight on his back. "You like her because she gives you nice things."
"She gives you nice things too."
"She gives me different things," Keitaro said.
"You like her?"
"I like her very much."
"Mom and dad like her?"
"I would assume they do," he said. "Otherwise they would have said something to me by now."
"Are you going to marry her?"
Keitaro breathed in deeply. "Someday," he said. "That is if she still likes me."
"She likes you," Keith said. "Cause I like you."
"You're my brother, you dont count."
Keith smiled as he closed his eyes and held tighter onto his brother. "Promise that you guys will return for my acceptance ceremony."
Keitaro slowly nodded. "I promise," he said. "Even if I have to strap on a booster rocket to our ship, I promise that we will be there."
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Admiral Benson smiled as he stood before Admiral Takashi, Commander Takashi and Captain Takashi. It was rare that the Alliance would send a family to do a simple mission as an escort duty, but the missione would also entail the testing of Commander Takashi's new ship design for their fighters. Captain Takashi had the honor of test flight, which he knew would be the only qualified one to do so.
"We can only offer our thanks for watching over our son, Adam," Admiral Takashi said as he shook Benson's hand. He then smiled down at Keith who stood by Bensons side. "Now, you only have two more tests to take, so study hard, alright?"
Keith slowly nodded. "I'll do my best."
Admiral Takashi reached out and roughed up his son's hair as he kneeled down to him. He extended his arms to his son and took him into a hug.
"Sorry that this mission is taking all of us away," he whispered. "But its only a short one. We should be back in two weeks."
Keith nodded in his embrace. "Bring me back a souvenir," he said.
His father laughed as he held Keith at arm's length. "You be good, and dont give uncle Adam a hard time, okay?" he said. "Now, the next two tests are going to be hard, but I have faith in you. Remember, most kids who took these tests are usually much older than you. But dont feel as if you need to impress anyone. If you can't make it this year, there's always next, okay?"
Keith nodded. "I promise to do my best," he said. "Remember, my acceptance ceremony is in two weeks."
"We'll be there, promise."
Keith hugged his father one last time before he stood. His mother then gave him a hug and kissed him before standing, making room for his brother.
"Do your best," Keitaro said. "I expect you to be in the top ten."
"Keitaro..." he heard his mother exclaim.
Keitaro laughed quietly as he hugged his brother. "The hand to hand combat is real easy, which is what I have trained you for the last three weeks for," he whispered. "Just remember to keep cool and level headed. The examiners will take it a little easy on you, but that doesn't mean you should hold back."
Keith nodded as he pulled away from his brother. "I'll do more than my best," he said.
Keitaro smiled as he kissed his brother on his forehead. "That's from me," he said. "Good luck."
Keith nodded as he watched as his brother stood and joined his parents. With a last round of goodbye's, he watched as his parents and brother head toward the awaiting transport ship. Admiral Benson smiled as he took the boys hand into his own and they watched the last of the soldiers and crewmen board the ship, with the Ambassador following his family aboard.
With a slight heavy heart, Keith watched as the ship readied and slowly lifted off, with an escort of fighters trailing behind.
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Admiral Benson smiled as he buttoned up the small dress uniform Keith wore, adjusting the way it settled on the little boy's frame. His wife then walked into the room and handed him the small sash as he tied it around Keith's waist.
"My how handsome you look," she commented as she smiled down at the young boy. "Just to think number one in your class."
Keith looked up at her and smiled. "A promise is a promise," he said with a smile.
"Well, be happy that you only get to wear this a couple of times," Benson said with a smile. "Are you ready?"
"Fix his hair honey," Mrs. Benson said as she handed her husband a small brush.
Benson smiled as he ran the brush through the young boy's unruly hair. "Its about time we cut this," he commented. "But I guess we can have your parents address that."
Keith looked up at him. "Are they going to be there today?"
Benson slowly nodded. "Their ship is scheduled to land just before the ceremony," he said. "I've arranged it so that a transport is there to greet them and bring them straight to the Academy building."
Keith smiled. "I can't wait to see them," he said.
Benson smiled as he pulled out a small case from his pocket and opened it. "This is from the Academy, since you scored the highest on your tests. All top ten students are given this, so this one is for you."
Keith watched as the Admiral placed a small pin on the lapel of the boy's uniform. "Your father recveived one, and your brother as well," he said. "However, they both didn't get to be number one."
Keith's eyes brightened. "I hope that they will be proud."
"Keith, I dont see why they wouldn't be," he commented. "Okay, look we're running a bit behind, so let me get ready and I will take you down in a few moments. Dont move around too much, okay?"
Keith nodded as he watched Admiral Benson leave the small room to get ready himself. His wife then smiled as she walked over to him and kneeled before the boy as she turned him to the mirror.
"As much as Adam loves the uniform, he still has problems dressing in one," she said with a smile and started to retie Keith's tie. "Your parents will be so proud."
"I can't wait to see them."
She smiled as she looked in the mirror and grabbed the brush again. "I can remember when your brother was anxious about his acceptance ceremony," she said. "He couldn't stop fidgeting."
"But he is the best," Keith said with a smile. "And I want to be just like him."
She smiled. "Oh, I think its just best to be just yourself," she said. "And be the best that you can be."
"Elena."
Mrs. Benson looked up and watched as her husband walked into the room, adjusting his own uniform coat as he grabbed his tie. She walked up to him and did him the favor of tying it on.
"Go on you two," she said with a smile. "I'll see you both at the ceremony."
Admiral Benson nodded, kissing his wife on his cheek before he took Keith's hand and led them out of their home.
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Keith stood as still as he could as he looked out into the audience before him. There were 50 cadets standing with him, atop a small stand, each dressed in similar uniforms as he. The top ten students who placed the highest were set off to one section, and he looked at each of them. His eye caught another student, with caramel brown hair and sharp eyes, as he fidgeted in the uniform he wore. He remembered seeing him before, at one of his test sessions, since he was one of the few that grumbled about where he was sitting, and wanted to be nearest the windows in the room.
Lance Michaels
Keith studied him from the corner of his eye, as he stood only 2 away from where he was. He placed fourth in the top ten. He was two years older than he, but one of the few that were admitted who were under the age of 10, the average age that the Academy had let students in. The other student who was allowed in who was also uner the age of 10, stood just behind Keith, Sven Richardson. A quiet kid, who said more in the way he looked at you than what he actually said. Keith admitted to himself that he was kind of scared of him.
The ceremony began with the announcement by the headmaster of the academy, then followed by a speech by Admiral Benson. Keith smiled to himself as Benson acknolwedged the new recruits and proud to see the talent exhibited by the new class.
Keith looked out among the audience who attended the ceremony, trying to look out for his parents and his brother. There were over a thousand people in attendance; family members, acquaintances, all who came out in support of their children.
He couldn't see them.
He began to fidget a little more, and an uncertain worry settled on him. He constantly scanned the audience before him, hoping to catch a glance of those who were close to him.
Benson's speech had come to an end, with the audience clapping. Keith swallowed hard as the audience stood, which prevented him from searching the audience again. His attention turned to Benson as a two soldier's from the Garrison approached him, slowly pulling the Admiral away as another Admiral took the podium.
Keith couldn't help but start to feel a little ill. When he turned back, he saw that Benson was now gone, and as the audience settled once more, he frantically began to search the audience again.
The speech by the next admiral was drowned out by his own worry. Where was his parents? They were supposed to be here.
The time seemed to go by slowly from that point. Keith had searched the entire audience but he could not see them. The ceremony had come to an end, and as the cadets around him were excused, and started to mingle with each other, he found himself searching for Admiral Benson, but could not find him anywhere.
The attendants and cadets were then ushered out of the auditorium they were in, and the crowd had gathered on the steps of the Academy Building. Keith searched once again, but could not find his parents or his brother. Not even Admiral Benson.
He started to loosen the tie he wore around his neck as he seated himself on the steps to the building, watching as happy parents took their children home, for their own celebrations.
Suddenly, Keith felt alone.
Slowly, the number of people dwindled, as his fellow classmates left with their loved ones. Even the two he had seen earlier, Sven and Lance, were with their own parents. Lance had met his gaze and in his eyes, he could see the questioning there. However, he was quickly pulled away as his parents escorted him away from the building.
Sven was one of the few left as his parents were speaking with the other Admirals. Keith stared at him as the boy leaned against a nearby pillar, his arms crossed. But soon, he too was taken away by his parents, leaving Keith alone, on the steps.
Where were they?
The promised they would be there.
"Keith Takashi?"
Keith quickly turned around at the mention of his name as two Garisson soldiers approached him. He slowly got to his feet wondering what was going on.
"Keith Takashi, please come with us," one of the said.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Please, Admiral Graham would like to see you."
Keith's eyes widened. Admiral Graham was in charge of the entire Garrison base, and not many people got to meet with him. He slowly nodded as they escorted him from the building.
Where were they?
The promised they would be there.
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"Please, let me break it to him."
Keith could hear Admiral Benson's voice echo down the hall they walked as the two soldiers escorted him to Graham's office. He wondered what was going on. Why did Benson leave early? Where was his parents? His brother?
The soldier who had spoken to him at the Academy building lightly knocked on the door they approahced.
"Sir, we've brought the child."
The door to the office slid open and Keith looked up as Admiral Benson stood there.
"Cadet Takashi?"
Keith's gaze then shifted over to the older man who stood at the large desk in front of him. The two soldiers who had brought him here, were excused as Keith slowly approached the older man.
"I had hoped to meet you under better circumstances, cadet," the older man said as he rounded the desk and came to stand before him. "Your father and I know each other very well."
"Sir, what is going on?" Keith asked. "What has happened?"
"Keith?"
Keith turned as Admiral Benson approached him, slowly kneeling down so he could meet him at his level.
"We received a report from Planet Ebb, just a short while ago," he said. "Your parents and your brother had just left and were on their way back, when their transport ship was attacked by enemy ships."
Keith's eyes began to widen as he breathed in deeply. "What...what are you saying?" he asked as tears started to form in his eyes. "What happened to them?"
Benson slowly shook his head as he pulled him into his arms. "Im sorry, Keith," he said as he held him tight. "No one survived."
Benson felt the boy tense in his arms, as he struggled to free himself.
"No," he heard him cry. "Its not possible."
"There's no possible way, they could have survived," Benson said as he held Keith at arm's length. "I'm sorry, Keith."
Benson watched as Keith tried to fight his hold off of him, pulling away. "No," he nearly yelled as tears poured from his eyes. "No, you're lying. They're at home now, waiting for me, aren't they? They just couldn't make it today, but they are waiting for me, right?"
"Keith, please," Benson said as he reached for him again.
Keith shook his head as he moved out of his reach. "No, its not true," he said. "I'll show you. They'll be there."
"Keith!"
Benson stood as he watched as he ran out of the office. He was about to go after him, when he felt Graham place a hand on his shoulder.
"Benson, I'm going to have to worry about his future," Graham said as he turned to his former student. "The Academy has dorms that he can stay in, but I still need a guardian to look after his affairs. Admiral Takashi has always trusted you with Keith's welfare, so Im extending that to you."
Benson turned to Graham and slowly nodded. "I'll be more than happy to," he said. "What about Takashi's estate?"
Graham slowly nodded. "Its already being taken cared of," he said. "Please, go on. Before he does something that we all regret."
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"Tousan!"
Keith slammed the door to his home open, only to be greeted by silence within.
"Kaasan!" he yelled. "ANIKI!"
He frantically ran up the stairs that would lead to his parents bedroom and pushed open the door to see that it was vacant. He breathed in deeply as he ran down the hall again, to open the door to his brother's room, only to see that it was empty as well.
"WHERE ARE YOU!"
He quickly ran down the stairs, searching all the rooms, only to find it as empty as the next. He was now standing in the kitchen of their home, as tears edged at his eyes. He slowly fell to his knees as he cried, hoping that nothing that Benson said was true. Eagerly hoping to hear the their voices.
The sudden sound of a door slamming caused him to breathe in deeply, quickly standing as he watched as the hallway light turn on. He found himself unable to move, and could only will himself to walk toward the hallway. His ears hoping to catch any sound, any familiar voice to say they were home.
As he entered the hallway, turning slowly to the entrance of his home, Keith could see only one person standing there.
"Keith?"
"Michelle?"
The young woman slowly walked up to him, tears edging at her own eyes.
"Im so sorry," she said. "I just heard."
She was quick to catch him as he fell to his knees, as he began to cry. She held him close as she seated herself on the carpeted floor, slowly rocking him. She closed her eyes as he continued to cry, knowing that all that he had loved was now gone.
The door to the home then opened again, and she watched as Admiral Benson slowly entered. She nodded as he approached her, Keith having fallen asleep in her arms after crying. She slowly stood as she lifted him into her arms.
"He fell asleep just after I got here," she whispered.
"Thank you, Michelle," he said as he took Keith into his arms. "Im know this is hard on you as well."
Michelle slowly nodded as she looked at him. "Im leaving at the end of the month," she said as she slowly removed a ring she wore. "My assignment to Planet Keris finally came through. I think it came at the right time."
"Are you sure?" Benson asked.
Michelle slowly nodded. "I will be here for the memorial services," she said as she slowly wiped the tears at her eyes. "I know I wont be able to continue here, knowing Keitaro isn't here. I wish I could stay here to help Keith, but I dont think I'd be able to stay sane here."
Benson slowly nodded. "I understand."
"Please give this to Keith when he wakes up," she said handing him the ring she had just taken off, smiling to herself as she placed it in his hand and curled his fingers over it. "He didn't have time to let them know, so its better that it remains such."
Benson opened his hand and saw that it was small diamond ring. His eyes widened. "Michelle?"
"It was the night before he left," she said with a smile. "I gave him my answer the morning he left. I loved him very much, Admiral, and he was going to tell them when they returned. I can't live knowing that part of my life is now gone."
Benson slowly nodded as he looked at her. "If there is anything you need, Michelle."
She slowly nodded. "Just make sure that Keith grows up knowing how much his parents...his brother meant to everyone," she said. "If there is anything you need, Admiral. Please dont hesitate to call me."
Michelle sighed as she looked to the sleeping boy he held in his arms and leaned over to kiss him on his forehead. She then said her good-bye before leaving the home. Benson looked down at the boy he held, then scanned the now vacant home.
He slowly turned and headed for the door, careful not to wake the young boy he held. Reaching, he turned off the light, and the home was suddenly thrown into darkness. As he closed the door behind him, he knew it was the last time he would ever set foot in the home of Admiral Takashi.
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Benson could only watch over the young boy as the weeks passed by following the memorial services held for those who lost their lives on the transport ship from Planet Ebb. The Academy session had just started and he hoped that the classes and maybe the interaction with his other classmates would be enough to help him cope with the loss.
He made sure to have the instructors report to him if there was anything they would be concerned about, but he was a little concerned over that they reported nothing; that he was doing well in all of his academics, scored excellent on all his tests, but one instructor made it a point to say that he made no friends; and found the boy in the Academy's libraries or practicing alone in one of the physical exercises taught to the new cadets.
He was about to see Keith on that when he was visiting the Academy during a lunch hour, to find him sitting alone under a tree, with a book in hand, oblivious to the other students who played around him. That was when he watched as a young boy with brown hair had finally approached him.
Lance Michaels.
Admiral Benson smiled, having known the young boy's father, as they had attended the Academy together as well. He found it ironic since Loren Michaels, Lance's father, was Kenshiro's best friend and rival through their years together.
He then gasped when he watched as the older cadet suddenly pull the young Takashi to his feet and deliver a punch to the young boy that sent him sprawling to the grass below him. Another boy had come running when he saw the commotion, as he helped the young Takashi to sit up, then start yelling at the older cadet, his thick Scandanavian accent echoing across the field.
Sven Richardson.
Richardson. Benson couldn't help but laugh to himself, seeing how these three had suddenly found each other. That's all he needed. The three stooges of past found each other through their own children. Loren, Kenshiro and Bjorn, the three stooges who had caused many problems in the Academy as they did well on their work. Now, here were their children, Lance, Keith and Sven, as they argued with each other, over something that he could not make out.
He knew that Keith was in good hands now, and that Lance and Sven would provide the comfort and friendship he would need to get through these lonely times.
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"We never found out what happened to the transport, other than it was a Drule attack," Benson said as he leaned forward, staring down at the cup he held. "The few remnants we did find of the ship lead us to the conclusion that no one had survived."
Allura slowly nodded as she place the file on the table before her, having gone through it as he related the story to her.
"And what happened to this Michelle Townshend?" Allura asked as she leaned over to read her name from the file.
"She died while serving on Planet Keris," he said. "She and Keitaro were classmates while at the Academy, while he went in to military service, she went in to medical service. He had proposed to her the night before he left on that mission and she had said yes that morning. I could understand why she wasn't wiling to stay on Earth, only to be reminded of him, but her assignment had put her into the heart of an on going conflict between two warring nations on Planet Keris. She was caught in a blast, the destroyed the hospital she worked in."
Allura slowly nodded. "Did Keith ever know?"
Benson slowly nodded. "I told him just after he graduated from the Academy," he said. "I gave him the ring, that his brother gave to her. Told him that it was something that was dear to him, and he should keep it close. I dont know if he still has it."
"So he has no other family on Earth?"
Benson shook his head. "Both sets of grandparents died before he was born," he said, he then smiled to himself. "You could say that Keith was actually a miracle child of sorts, considering the age gap between him and his brother."
"Miracle child?"
"When Mae gave birth to Keitaro, the doctors were afraid that if she had another one, she would not be able to handle it, since she had lost so much blood that first time," he said. "She was already 40 when she got pregnant with Keith, and the doctors were scared that her age combined with the knowledge about what happened with Keitaro, they were adamant about her getting off of duty, so she could stay bedridden while she was pregnant.
"Of course, Mae wouldn't consider it," he said with a smile. "She worked on all the way up to the month of his birth. No complications this time around, but enough to say that enough was enough. Kenshiro had to make sure she agreed to see that no accidental pregnancies would occur again."
Allura smiled. "And the age gap didn't bother their family."
"Apparently so," Benson said. "Keitaro was the big brother that he could be. He loved Keith dearly, and was pretty much there for everything they did. It was very rare to see them seperated for any length of time, unless it was a mission that he needed to do for the Alliance. In fact, Keitaro was considering in becoming an instructor at the Academy, so that he could stay behind and watch over his brother."
"Just so he could stay on Earth?"
Benson nodded. "He loved the space travel and worked hard to do so, but he was always a grounded invidual," he said. "And that's the difference between the brothers. Keitaro wanted to stay behind; Keith had always wanted to go out and explore."
Allura smiled as she poured herself another cup of tea. "You do know that he keeps nothing about his past in his room?" Allura asked.
The statement surprised Benson. "Really?"
Allura slowly nodded as she placed her cup down. "The only pictures he has are the ones that have been taken recently," she said. "So says my Nanny."
"I guess its his way of not being reminded of the hurt he had to endure," Benson said. "I dont blame him."
Allura looked down at the file before her and slowly removed the picture of the family portrait. "May I?" she asked.
Benson looked down and slowly nodded. "I have more copies back on Earth," he said. "Hoping that one day he'd ask for them."
Allura nodded. "Now for my evaluation," Allura said as she placed her cup down, and retrieved disc from the stack before her. "This is of course, and combination of results as assessed by his teammates, Coran and I. I've also had two impartial reviews done by Dr. Gorma and one of the captain of my guards."
Benson slowly nodded as he took the disc from her. "Summary?" he asked.
Allura smiled. "Attentive, effective, intellegent," she said quickly. "Knows exactly what is needed to be done, and sees that tasks are done as cleanly and simply as possible. Not afraid to turn to others for help, if its something he is unfamiliar with."
"I hear a 'but', coming," Benson said.
"A little anti-social, preferring to drown in our libraries than to interact with some of the people on Arus," she said with a smile. "Dignitaries and of course visiting ambassadors seem to disinterest him, however he is very cordial when he is needed to escort them or to see to their welfare. When he is headstrong about something, sometimes it does take him a while to admit that he could be wrong about something, but then again, he hardly ever is."
Benson nodded. "However, he gets along with the others?"
Allura nodded. "Lance he is the most comfortable with," she said. "And at times, they can be each other's rivals. He treats Pidge with utmost respect as well as like a younger brother, and is always concerned for his welfare. Hunk, is of course, like the big brother for our entire team."
Benson nodded. "Performance wise, how would you rate him?"
"Above Average," she said with a smile. "If the Galaxy Alliance decides to assign him elsewhere, it would sadden us all to lose him."
"I see," Benson said. "I will definitely read over your reports when I do get back to Earth." He then paused for a moment. "And how is he working with you?"
Allura met his gaze, almost surprised by the question. She never had really thought about it.
"We get along fine," she said with a smile, though wondering if that was what he wanted to hear as an answer.
"So, even though he is the acting commander while piloting Voltron, you have no problem following his orders?" he asked.
Allura nodded. "We do get into our disgreements however," she said. "Though I do see the reasons behind many of the orders he has given."
"Disagreements?"
"Its not something I dwell on, Admiral," she said feeling a little uncomfortable about the line of questioning. "I usually end up forgetting what we disgareed about. Call it ego, call it stubborness; we have our moments, but what team is perfect?"
Benson nodded. "And he has no problems following your orders when you are not with Voltron?"
"We have our moments there too."
"Princess, you dont have to feel as if you are defending yourself," he said noticing the slight discomfort that passed over her. "Or defending him. These are just normal questions concerning the chain of command. Realize that you are under some special circumstances concerning the way things are happening here. I just want to make sure that everyone is comfortable with where they are."
Allura nodded. "If its all the same Admiral, I wouldn't ask for another commander to lead our team," she said.
"Just to let you know Princess, Keith asked for this assignment," Admiral Benson stated. "The Galaxy Alliance was actually against his assignment here."
"Considering what you've told me, Admiral, I can understand their position."
Benson nodded as he grabbed the file before her and closed it. She nodded as she leaned forward as he placed another file before her.
"Well, for now, you have nothing to worry about concerning Commander Takashi," Benson said. "However, we have much more to cover."
Allura smiled. "So who is next?"
"Commander Lance Erick Michaels," Benson stated with a smile. "Im sure that you have a lot to say of him."
"A lot you say?" she asked with a smile. "That's and understatement."
"So where shall we begin?" Benson asked. "Or do you want me to give a life history of our esteemed slacker?"
"Slacker?" Allura asked. "You've peeked my interest, Adimral."
To be continued...