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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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Sins of the Father - Pidge's Story

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Benson entered Marshall Graham's office, noticing the older gentleman standing at the far window, as he overlooked the base known as Galaxy Garriosn. He then closed the door behind him and hung his hat on the nearby holder as he approached the Marshall's desk.

"Sir, I was told that you wanted to see me."

Graham slowly let out a sigh. "We are concerned with the recent activity by the Drules near the Balto System," he stated as he turned to Benson. "Im making a last minute decision to close up the Academy there, and transfer the students to academies nearer to Earth." Graham motioned to the stack of files on the edge of his desk and Benson quickly took ahold of them.

He slowly nodded as he looked over the files he held within his hands. "Why are there only 10 files?"

Graham breathed in deeply as he took a seat in the chair behind his desk. He then motioned for Benson to take a seat across from him.

"The student files you have are those that have shown up on Drule communications, that we've intercepted," Graham stated. "Its rumored that the Drules are now looking to see if there are any in our ranks that are capable of providing the Alliance with knowledge that could put us at the forefront of the war with them.

Graham then breathed in deeply. "However, there are two inviduals that have appeared in recent communications that have concerned us in another way."

"That is?"

"Lasser."

Benson looked down at the files before him, and pulled out two files that had the name Lasser on it. He slowly opened one of them and was surprised to see the face of a young academy cadet, who looked no older than 10. Big brown eyes, behind large glasses. He quickly looked over the next folder and saw that there was another young boy, around the same age as the first one.

"Pidge and Chip Lasser," Graham stated. "Both of their names came up on three communications between an unknown source on Balto and a known Drule facility near the Balto system border. We became concerned because of whom Lasser is."

"What do you mean?"

"Does the name Galvin Lasser mean anything to you?"

Benson felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand, at the hearing of that name. Galvin Lasser was a name that haunted the Galaxy Alliance no more than 10 years earlier. Galvin Lasser was the first traitor to the Galaxy Alliance, a man who was responsible for the death of nearly 1000 men and women that served under him, and the near collapse of the security that the Alliance held dear. Galvin Lasser had defected to the Drule Empire, leaving behind his family and all those that he betrayed.

"You mean.."

"Pidge is his direct son, and Chip his adopted son," Graham finished. "We became concerned with the sudden interest in both of them, and already confirmed that there had been an attempt on Chip earlier this year."

"An attempt?"

"Kidnapping," Graham stated. "Its all in his file. However, we were quick to react and we moved Chip to a higher security dorm and was escorted to every class he took. Then suddenly, Pidge's name started appearing on the communications."

"We haven't heard anything on Galvin in years," Benson stated. "Do you think that he is now trying to see if he can get his sons to join him?"

Graham slowly nodded. "It has become apparent that the boys are in danger, and we are now taking steps to ensure to their safety. The Lasser boys became our top priority once we learned that their importance hinged on the fact that they are both geinuses."

"Geinuses?"

"More than that," Graham stated. "They're both gifted. Both have accelerated and are taking 4th year level classes. Its become our duty that we make sure these boys are safe from anyone planning them harm. With that, Im transferring Pidge Lasser to the academy here on Earth, and Chip will be attending the academy on New Verona."

"Splitting them up?"

"I dont think it would be wise at this point to keep them together," Graham stated. "This way, we wont give whomever is taking an interest in the two, will slow them down, and give us time to see who is really behind it."

"Sir, do you think its wise to have Galvin's son..."

"Adam, what Galvin did to the Alliance was reprehensible," Graham stated. "But Im not going to hold the actions of what he did against his son. Pidge was only a baby when Galvin betrayed us and the Alliance. He never knew his father, and speaking with his mother, I dont think she ever told him what Galvin did. We can't assume that Pidge will be anything like him."

"Im just concerned over the transfer," Benson voiced. "If it is indeed Galvin inquiring about his sons, then he will also know that Pidge will be transferred to Earth. Chip to New Verona."

"We have the adequate resources to protect them both since they'll be close to the heart of the alliance," Graham stated. "Balto is far too remote and unsafe to keep them there, which is why, under the guise of closing the academy there, we will be transferring them."

Benson slowly nodded.

"I want you to keep an eye on him, Adam," Graham stated. "Is there anyone among the cadets that you can trust to see to the boy's welfare? Its reported that he didn't have much friends on Balto."

Benson slowly stood as he looked down at him. "There is one cadet that I can assign him to," Benson stated. "I'll handle everything from here."

"Adam, I dont want word of whom Pidge is related to, to be released," Graham stated. "There are many students in the academy now that were related to those who lost their lives under Galvin's command."

"I understand," Benson stated. "I'll do what is needed to keep things in order."

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Pidge breathed in deeply as he quietly sat in one of the chairs that were situated just outside of the Academy Provost's office. He swung his legs under it, as he looked around, pushing his round rimmed glasses up his nose.

Suddenly the door to the small office opened, and an older gentlemen stepped out. He smiled as he waved for him to come toward him. Pidge quickly stood, grabbing the small bag he had on the seat next to him as Benson lead him into the office.

"Pidge, I would like you to meet William Shawn," he introduced as he noticed another boy was in the office.

Pidge's expression changed as the second boy stood, nearly towering over him. The boy smiled as he extended his hand to the him and shook his vigorously.

"You can call me Hunk," he said. "Benson here asked me to look after you, and I would be more than happy to show you the ropes around here."

"Pidge, you will be staying in the South Wing Dorms," Benson stated. "William here and a couple of other cadets are the only ones that are staying in that part of the dormitory, so you wont have to worry about being subjected to a bunch of nosey teenagers."

"Thank you, sir," Pidge stated. "I didn't bring much with me from Balto."

"Its alright, Mr. Lasser," Benson stated. "The academy will be helping you out with what you need. William will show you around. YOu'll find that the campus here is a lot larger than the one on Balto, so stick by him until you feel comfortable."

"I will, sir," Pidge answered. "Admiral?"

"Yes, Mr. Lasser," Benson stated.

"Is it true that Admiral Takashi's son attends this academy?"

Benson was surprised by the young boy's inquiry, but slowly nodded. "Why yes, if you mean Keith Takashi," he said. "He is in the same dorm wing as you are. Do you know him?"

Pidge slowly shook his head. "I was just curious."

Benson smiled. "William, please show Mr. Lasser the way to his dorm room."

Hunk smiled as he turned to the young boy. "Listen to me, and you'll be able to get anywhere on this campus, blindfolded."

The young boy managed a small smile. "Everything is different here."

"Well judging by your course schedule, Im sure that you'll be able to handle it."

Pidge slowly nodded. "Do..do you think the class schedule is too hard?"

"If Benson says that you can handle them, then I dont doubt it will be too difficult for you," he said. "Hey, do you like fixing things?"

"What kinds of things?"

"Oh, maybe the Trans W drive of a Aruca Mark 10 fighter jet?"

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Pidge managed to stay with his assigned guardian for much of the first month he was at the Earth Academy. The boy had managed to help him through some of the tougher social situations, as he happened to be the youngest person in most of his classes. He was already accustomed to getting the stares from fellow students who ranged in age from 3 to five years older than he was. So far, Hunk was the only friend he made while on Earth.

Though, it was this day in a long while, that Hunk couldn't be there to help him, so he found himself sitting alone in the lunch courtyard going over his notes from his previous class. Leaning against the tree, he sighed as he tried to work through several calculations. It was at that moment he realized why Hunk was assigned to him when he first arrived. Why no one spoke to him at all.

"Pidge Lasser."

Pidge closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply, recognizing the tone in the voice that had called his name. Slowly putting down the stylus he was using, he turned as four cadets slowly approached him.

"Lasser wasn't it?"

"That is my name," Pidge answered honestly. "May I help you with anything?"

"My father said that there was a guy named Lasser that did some bad things not so long ago," the boy who had called his name stated. Pidge recognized him from one of his classes. Jerrick, a senior, 5 years older than he was, and about twice as tall. "You related to 'em?"

Pidge pushed his glasses up further on his nose. "Im not familiar with anyone who has the same name as I do," he said. "Im not from here."

"Balto wasn't it?"

"Yes."

The boy smiled. "He was from Balto, as well."

And before Pidge could react, he suddenly saw stars, and was face down in the grass below him. As he tried to sit up, he felt another punch that sent him into the tree he was sitting against. His glasses, now long gone, all he could see was a colorful blur of images in front of him.

"My grandfather died because of him," Jerrick stated. "How did the academy accept the son of a rat bastard, who betrayed the alliance and had his garrison slaughtered?"

Pidge searched frantically the ground before him for his glasses. But before he could, he felt someone pick him up and hold him by his neck against the tree. Pidge gasped as he struggled against the hold on him.

"Trash like you will only end up betraying us again," he stated. "Why should we trust you? He was your father, and like your father, you will end up betraying us all!"

"I dont even know my father!" Pidge choked out.

"The academy doesn't need traitors here," Jerrick stated. "And Im going to make you pay for what he did to my family."

"Jerrick! That's enough!"

Pidge breathed in deeply when he felt the hand that was holding him against the tree yanked from him. A dark blur stood in front of him as he searched around for his glasses. Then he felt a hand grab him by his elbow, and someone gently placing his glasses in his hand.

"Hey, its gonna be alright."

Pidge quickly put on his glasses, to see that a dark haired boy was holding Jerrick back as the three other cadets stood by and watched. To his side, a young brown haired boy helped him to his feet, cleaning off the grass that was stuck to his clothes.

"Let go of me, Takashi!" Jerrick yelled as he tried to release himself from the hold that Keith held on him.

Pidge was dumbfounded. He watched as Jerrick struggled in the dark haired boy's arms, and when he tried to strike out at him, the dark haired boy simply ducked and pulled him into an arm lock.

"So, Jerrick, you think its fair for you to fight someone younger and smaller than you?" Keith asked as he pushed the boy away. "When Hunk leaves, you figure that its time for you to pounce on him?"

Jerrick sneered at him. "Why are you protecting him, Takashi?" Jerrick asked. "YOU know who his father was. What he did."

"And what does he have to do with it?" Keith asked. "Last I looked, this boy didn't do anything to you."

"He's the son of a traitor," Jerrick stated. "Traitors do not belong at the academy."

"Last I looked, you weren't Admiral Benson," Keith stated. "Nor are you Marshall Graham. So if you have a gripe, take it up with them."

Jerrick could only mumble under his breath as he eyed the three boys, sneering before turning to leave with the cadets he had come with.

Keith turned to Lance as he helped Pidge collect his books and paperwork and smiled as he approached them.

"How are you?"

Pidge couldn't find his voice as he stared up at the young boy who stood before him. "Im...Im fine," he stammered.

"Sorry we should have been here ealier, but we got delayed by Professor Muniz," Lance stated. "We're Hunk's friends."

"Hunk's friends?" Pidge asked.

"Yeah, he asked us to look after you while he is on vacation with his family," Keith said as he knelt down to him. "Im Keith Takashi."

Pidge looked to his extended hand and slowly took it. "Keith Takashi?" he asked. "As in Admiral Takashi's son?"

Keith slowly nodded. "You heard of my father?"

Pidge smiled. "My mother...she used to serve with your father, a long time ago," he said.

"Well then, at least we have that in common," Keith said. "This is Lance, he's my roommate."

Pidge turned to the brown haired boy as he handed him his bag. "Dont worry about Jerrick," Lance stated. "If anything, he'll get what's coming to him."

"Im sorry to have put you through this," Pidge stated. "I've always been..picked on."

"Hey, dont worry," Lance stated. "That's what me and Keith here will help you out on."

"What?" Pidge asked.

"Listen, Pidge, those boys, like the others who used to pick on you, they only do so because they feel the need to make people feel bad about themselves," Keith stated. "It makes them feel as if they have the power to control you. By picking on you, they think that they are able to tell you what you can do."

"Then you know about...that is..."

Lance placed his hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't something that could have been kept a secret for long," Lance stated. "How long have you known?"

Pidge sighed. "When I was researching for a class project, I learned of what my...father did...all those years ago," he said. But he then looked to them. "You guys dont care?"

"Last I looked, you were Pidge Lasser," Keith said. "Not Galvin Lasser."

"What can I do to keep those boys from picking on me?" Pidge asked.

"If you promise to listen to what we say, we promise that you will forget all those who picked on you, and you'll definitely be a little more confident in who you are," Lance said.

Pidge slowly nodded. "What can you guys teach me?"

Lance smiled. "Oh a few things," he said.

"What do you know about Karate?"

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Allura read over the file in earnest, then placed it down on the table before her. "Galvin Lasser?" she asked. "I didn't know."

Benson slowly nodded. "You're familiar with what he did?"

Allura nodded. "Who isn't?" she asked. "Took his garrison into a skirmish with the Drule forces near the Cerrulean Quadrant, and when his commanders realized it was a trap, he had them killed. It was later learned that he had defected to the Drule side, and has been serving under them." She then looked to him. "Were your concerns about those reports that Graham intercepted true?" she asked. "Was it Galvin looking for his sons?"

Benson nodded. "We found out about 6 months after we transferred the boys to the new academies who was sending the messages to the Drule outpost," he said. "It was an officer that served under Galvin, but Galvin had ordered him to stay behind to keep an eye on his sons. When it was time, Galvin wanted to bring his sons over to the Drule Empire."

"So Galvin was still alive?"

"Yes, and he learned that both of his sons were highly gifted, and he wanted to use their gifts as leverage," Benson stated. "When we questioned the officer, we learned that Galvin was fast losing his usefulness to the Drule Empire and he needed some kind of barter to make sure they didn't do away with him. He offered to retrieve his sons, and hope to use their intelligence to improve their technology."

"And by moving his sons away from Balto...what happened?"

"Galvin was found a year later," Benson stated. "Slave ship heading to a remote Drule aligned planet. One of our squadrons intercepted it and were able to free the slaves on board. That's when they discovered that he was aboard. I never told Pidge or Chip that we had found their father."

Allura nodded. "What happened to him?"

"He is currently serving a life sentence on Balto," Benson stated. "Though, we have him under solitary confinement, as we last heard, the Drule Empire is more than willing to see him assassinated because they fear that he would betray them and reveal to us the secrets he learned while he served under them."

"And has he?"

Benson shook his head. "And we dont plan on pressing him either. What he's done, is in the past, he's paying for his crimes, and there is nothing more that we can do."

"Thanks for sharing this with me, Admiral," Allura stated. "Pidge has been nothing but an inspiration to our team, considering his age. To know of his history, only makes me realize the hardships he had to endure, and how lucky that he had so many people willing to look after his welfare, despite a history tainted by sins of his own father."

Benson nodded. "Hunk really took to Pidge like a big brother," he said. "That first year was difficult for him, since he had to start over again. Hunk helped him through it, and when Keith and Lance offered to help the boy learn to protect himself, he began to show a confidence that was certainly foreign to him."

Allura nodded. "And confidence is something that he cherishes," she said. With a smile she slowly handed a disc to the Admiral. "As before, a review by Coran, myself, and this time from Commander Takashi."

Benson smiled. "I guess that would be appropriate."

"Admiral, as you already know, with the destruction of Balto, Pidge has been made a citizen of Arus," she said as she leaned forward. "Pidge has found a home here on Arus, and has been very important to the recovery and rebuilding of what we have lost over the years. He is still a child, and he knows that he is, which is why the children here also looks up to him as a mentor, and a peer. There is nothing more than my wish that he understands that his coming here has been a blessing to my people."

Benson nodded. "I'll read over your report, princess," he said. "And because of his dual citizenship, the Alliance knows that whatever we deem necessary for his placement and possible promotion, that he is the one to decide his future."

Allura smiled. "Im sure that he will more than likely appreciate that you have faith in his judgement."

Benson nodded. "Now, its not normal for me to ask this, but one last review to do, however because of the circumstance surrounding Sven's case, I know you were not prepared for it," he stated. "So, Im just going to base his review on questions I ask of you."

Allura nodded as she looked down at the last file she held in her hands. Sven Richardson. The man that had been nearly killed in his duty to protect Lance from Haggar's attack, and then survived the turmoil he experienced on Doom. The man she had replaced as the pilot for Blue Lion.

"Sven was only with us for a short time, Admiral," Allura stated. "But know that he was instrumental in helping us push back Zarkon's forces. He is an asset to the Alliance that we can never forget."

Benson nodded. "The reason why we need a review done for him is that he has recently sent in a request to leave service and we are trying to determine what would be best for him."

"Leaving?"

Benson smiled. "Seems that he's grown accustomed to life on Pollux, and has been offered a position within the court under King Bandor," he said. "Its only customary that we allow him to retire from service, so that he can concentrate on serving them."

"I see," Allura said with a smile. "Well, Admiral, it seems from the stories you shared thus far, the friendship that they all shared was a unique one. What kind of story does Sven have?"

Benson nodded. "One last tale?"

"Last tale?" Allura asked. "Oh, Admiral, you mean its the start of a whole new one."

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 TBC
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