Author note:
I corrected the Zarcon-Zarkon thing.
Well, Keith's 'secret' is out, but not in the open yet. The two lovebirds will be able to steal a few moments together, but they have to keep it hidden, at least for now.
I must explain who or what Kolak is, he, it, is mentioned in this chapter. He's a sentient machine that the V force met in the V3D show. He thinks everyone should be converted to a machine. A bit like the Borg, say, except he has no organic parts, and he appears quite alone in the series, even though I seem to remember he's part of a race of those sentient machines. He almost succeeded in transforming all the team and integrate them in his massive ship. A bad, bad guy. Thing. Whatever.
In another episode they also met mechanical, sentient dragons that can actually join in a gigantic machine. You see where this is going? Enjoy!
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Realisations and planning
In the following days Allura and Keith stole moments alone and discreetly discussed the best approach to sell the advantages of getting rid of certain archaic laws to the council. Allura knew several would agree, but a small and stubborn clutch of snobbish nobles were clinging to these laws to ensure they would keep both their privileges and the right to control the breeding, to put it crudely.
Put that way, even Nanny had to admit it didn't sound very civilized. Allura had chosen to tell her, provided she would keep this to herself. After the Nikolai incident, Nanny had drastically changed her view on eligibility.
Trying to figure out how to convince the hard headed lot gave the poor woman something to think about. Nanny had been devastated when the count had demanded she return Rose in her true home. She had not seen her for days, and even if Rose sent notes regularly, the joyous atmosphere of Nanny's little nook in the castle had become gloomy and silent.
In parallel, the team met about the new strength of the Opponents. Lotor had expressed it would be too painful to be near the princess at this point, so he waited out such meetings in the Temple of the Lions, where the Opponents could not manifest themselves.
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Servants had installed a comfortable lounge chair not too far from the statue of the Lions. Lotor was sitting on its edge, tense, toying with the book Hunk had lent him.
He was enjoying his first moments of solitude for weeks. It was a welcome relief. Ever since he announced he wouldn't pursue Allura anymore, he'd been on the verge of a humiliating emotional collapse. He even consented to those happy pills Haussman kept insisting he needed.
Here he could let the tears fall, and no witnesses meant a little less pain. He fervently hoped Hagar wasn't spying on him when he acted so weak. He could just envision Zarkon mocking his bleeding heart, guffawing in front of the witch's scrying basin. His father always found such feelings so pathetic and hilarious.
Well, no matter how powerful Hagar was, she certainly couldn't see him in the temple, so he didn't feel self conscious at all when at last, he let the book fall, buried his face in his hands and cried. His harsh sobs echoed in the empty room.
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The V team was in the conference room, leaning on various items. Only Pidge paced a hole in the beige carpet. He had given a lot of thought to the Opponents, and he didn't like his conclusions at all. So he briefed the others on his findings.
"Guys, I think we are in deep s**t. I can't tell exactly when it will hit the fan, but we'd better be ready by then."
"Ready how?" Asked Keith, certain the Green Lion pilot had a sound theory.
"Voltron is without equal, even if the witch divided him in five parts. But remember what we were told by the spirits: the Opponents will give to their chosen the 'same knowledge' the original Voltron designer, Alfor, had."
"If they do," he continued, "then he or she will be able to build a machine that will be at least the equal of ours."
The pilots widened their eyes in realisation and horror. Pidge continued.
"They haven't grabbed Lotor, and I understand he's the designer they want, but since he's protected, what if they just give up to seek another one?"
"I don't think such mecha geniuses come a dime a dozen, though," remarked Lance.
"We know at least one that is capable of it. A sentient machine. We met him: Kolak the Hunter. He, or It, hails from another dimension, but it likes to find new victims here. And if the Opponents discover Kolak's potential, I say again: We. Are. In. Deep. S**t."
"Kolak thinks machines are superior beings," mused the princess. "I can readily imagine him, pardon, 'It', completely taken with the idea of building such a superior one."
Ever the strategist, Keith put in:
"He would have a definite advantage. He doesn't care at all for living things. We are good pilots, but we have something to protect, which is much harder then just destructing. They would have the advantage of total ruthlessness. And he will not be hopelessly in love with one of us."
"It doesn't end there, unfortunately," Pidge continued. "Remember those mechanical dragons we fought a while ago? We barely got out of this one. If such machines were seized, Kolak could modify them and they would fit nicely as bodies for the Opponents, don't you think?"
They paled. Those dragons were sentient, and ferociously defended their territory. They probably would never accept to bow to the spirits, but what if they were overpowered?
"You obviously concocted a plan, Pidge." Said Keith. "What do you suggest?"
"You'd better sit for this one, guys." Pidge said, sighing deeply. The others sat and waited. Hunk nodded, and Pidge exposed his jaw-dropping idea.
When he was finished, Keith declared that it would be a dangerous leap of faith.
"He wouldn't be alone, Keith," offered Pidge. "I would be the programmer, and Hunk would build. We know what we are doing and we can't be fooled in our respective domains."
"On that scale," stated Allura, "it becomes a matter of planetary defence, and that is my department. It's imperative we keep one step ahead of them. I agree with this."
They argued a bit, but in the end even the commander decided it was the best course of action.
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What he wouldn't give for a box of tissues just now, though Lotor wryly. He was curled on the lounge chair, trying to relax enough to sleep, another thing that became a struggle of late. He was surprised to hear the steps of someone coming in the temple. Surely, the meeting wasn't over already? Or had he cried for hours?
"My Prince?"
Lotor hid his face in his hands again. Master Kovak really had a knack to appear when he was embarrassingly weak.
"Yes, Master?"
"The commander thought it would be just that I should know what happened."
"Great," groused Lotor. "So the entire camp knows?"
"No, only a few select of our people."
Kovak came closer and Lotor dragged himself to a seated position. He saw his master was carrying robes.
"These are gifts. They are freely given," the khiara master stated, as if he was making a ritual statement.
Lotor sighed. The refugee often gave him little gifts to 'drulify' his suite. He had a couple of statuettes, some engravings, and dozens of earrings. But those robes were something else entirely. They were magnificent. He had never seen such intricate craftsmanship, even on his father's ceremonial robes. It would deeply shame the artists if he refused them, so he never even considered doing so.
"Thank their makers for me, please. They are stunning. Not even father has something like this."
"And you can be sure that he never will," said Kovak a bit mysteriously.
The master sat beside his pupil and pulled Lotor in his arms. The ex prince stiffened, but accepted the strangely dignified embrace. Such gestures were rare among drule, and highly significant.
"I honestly never thought Zarkon's son would have such a capacity for love and honour, so great he is able to put either in front of his own needs and wants. I'm honoured and proud to know you and call you my Prince."
"Thank you, master."
The Khiaran master let go and smiled kindly.
"I take it you won't stop your lessons?" Kovak inquired, rising and sounding normal again.
"I need all the distraction I can get. As you can see, I'm miserable. That insufferable red pilot said it all when he stated that sometimes, doing the right thing just s*cks."
Kovak chuckled. "When was that?"
"Yesterday. I remarked that Allura seemed unduly sad, and I asked him if I had done the right thing by their creeds."
"Both their creeds and ours, my Prince. Right on both."
Kovak left, Lotor watching his graceful walk out of the temple. He thought that it was strange that the temple accepted drules in its bosom without even a spiritual hiccup. He sighed. He should have asked for that box of tissues.
Instead, he examined the robes, and was still fingering the exquisite material, the vivid colors that were favored of certain tribes, and following the intricate, complicated decorative designs when Keith appeared.
"We would like you to come with us at the next meeting," stated the commander. "We have something we'd like to discuss with you."
"Would Allura be there? Because I don't think I can."
"She will meet with Coran in the meantime, maybe he knows something we don't about the Opponents. I will relay the point she wishes to bring."
"Can I ask for something in exchange?"
Keith was immediately suspicious.
"I only want to visit the drule enclave, commander. They've been showering me with gifts and the last one is so stunning I'd like to thank the maker in person."
"I see no harm in that. Is it those dresses?"
Lotor shrugged, a bit self deprecating.
"Robes, human. Dress has a definite female ring to it. Yes, those are Royal robes. They surpass anything I have seen so far, and with father being so vain, I thought I had seen the best craftsmanship the empire had to offer. These are remarkable. They must have taken weeks to make."
"All right, but I will accompany you."
"Whatever. So." Lotor gathered his courage. "Did you declare yourself?"
"I did."
"And I was right, wasn't I?"
Keith's cheeks quickly became a delicate shade of pink.
"Mark my words, pilot. If you ever harm would it be a single hair on her head, I will cut yours."
"If I ever harm her, Lotor, I will let you."
"Mmf. Is she happy?"
"I hope so. I think so, since she's, er... taking initiatives."
"You are fortunate beyond belief," Lotor simply stated, trembling.
"I know." Keith knew better then to push the point so he simply left the Temple, Lotor following sullenly.
They went up a level to meet the other pilots in the kitchen for a quick lunch. The meeting would continue later. They walked in awkward silence, Lotor keeping his eyes on the floor. When he paused near workers to ask for a box of tissues, no less then three servants presented him one. Lotor blinked in surprise. Of late, the staff had been so full of kind attentions he didn't even know how to respond.
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"You want me to WHAT?" Lotor exclaimed, completely stunned.
"We want you to help us keep one step ahead of the Opponents, and to do that, we need to upgrade Voltron while we can," Keith announced seriously. "Let's face it. Hunk says you're a genius at designing ergonomic and efficient machines. You even impressed Pidge, something I didn't think was possible."
Keith sighed. "The Lions spirits are all excited with this idea. They've been giving us giddy spells ever since Pidge brought it up." Keith blew an exasperated breath. "We feel this need to giggle insanely all the time," he groused.
"They told us that when Voltron was devided in five parts by Hagar, the lions that resulted were all they could achieve by redirecting the magic to create something they had to design on the spur of the moment. They would like you to try to redesign the Lions, and if the new bodies please them, they'll have no problems transfering. It would also give us back up machines, a definite strategic advantage."
"You overestimate me, humans. I can design, but there is a far cry between the conception and realisation. I can't build as well. Even the butterflies took me a while. It's a special talent that I admit I don't have. It takes a rare, entirely different kind of patience and creativity. When following a plan, you come across a myriad of snags, like working around unexpected material restraints..."
"That's where I come in," Hunk cut in. "I'm not much of a designer, but give me a plan, schematics, and I can build just about anything."
Hunk was more excited then they'd ever seen him.
"Can you imagine?" He asked, grinning like a loon, "actually building Lions?"
Lotor crossed his arms, unconvinced. "And I can't program myself out a paper bag."
"I'd be in charge of that," said Pidge. "I can program anything Hunk builds. Leave all the circuitry and actual material constraints to Hunk, and the programming to me."
"So it's a team effort," Lotor stated. "You do realise I'm not a team person."
"That has got to be the understatement of the year," threw in Lance.
"Actually that won't be much of a problem," said Keith. "Most of these tasks are separate."
Crazy schematics were already flying in the drule's head. He had to admit such a endeavour was an extraordinary challenge. It might put his mind off... He crushed that thought in its tracks.
"I need a couple of terminals."
Lotor began to list software and an entire lab set-up.
The commander just brought his comments and objections, but they agreed with surprisingly few problems.
"The system would be closed," Keith demanded. "No access to the net for obvious security reasons."
"Agreed, hacking can go both ways. I know at least that much. And if there is one thing we can agree on, it's that we don't want that technology in the hands of Kolak... or Zarkon."
Keith nodded.
"Pidge, you're in charge of the computer setup. Hunk, you'll need a lot of material, how do you plan to get it without arising curiosity?"
Hunk Shrugged.
"And that's where I come in," announced Lance. "I know a couple of less then honest critters who can find and secretly deliver enough restricted material to build an army in a hurry."
"Smugglers?" Keith asked, scandalized. "Don't tell me the Lost Net harbors smugglers..."
Lance smirked.
"Smugglers, hackers, thieves, cutthroats... Dishonest fellows all. But they have a common goal: preventing the monopolization of power. It's bad for business, for ordinary citizens and for economics in general. It's something many farmers, servants and crooks agree on."
He put his feet on the table.
"The Lost Net answers to no government," he continued. "It has people everywhere. So you need a few tons of restricted material for the Greater Good? No problemo."
"I don't want to know, Lance," said Keith with a scold. "Just do it and don't get caught."
"As if!" Lance huffed. "Give me a week."
"Provided we can get Sven to replace you. We can't risk being short of one pilot even if things seem quiet."
"Ok. But I can already make a few inquiries." Lance sauntered away to rummage in his mysterious reseau.
"Allura wants us to point out, in absentia, that she needs to figure a way to finance this without putting the treasury up front. It'd be too obvious."
"That's also my part," giggled Pidge, a wicked smile playing on his elfin features. "Remember how I hacked into Zarkon's financial card castle?"
Lotor lifted his eyes on him. The little Baron looked devious.
"I now hold all the cards," announced Pidge. "I can siphon a little here, a bit there, with none the wiser."
Lotor smirked for the first time since the lake event.
"Are you saying that dear father will actually finance the upgrading of Voltron!?"
Pidge just grinned. The pilots chuckled. Lotor burst in helpless laughing.
"Oh," he managed at last, tear-eyed and still coughing up laughter, "this is too precious!"
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Well, another chapter. I thought the idea of Zarkon paying for this hilarious. ^_^
The comment Lotor has on not being able to hack himself out of a paper bag comes from another fic, but I can't remember which. So I humbly state I didn't think of it first, I can't claim credit for this one.
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