AN: This is now the longest chapter. XD
Not so much action like the last chapter. A good part of this chapter will be from James' point of view/his memories because that was my original intention. Some humor but still a lot of angst/drama.
Side note: Sorry about that line in the beginning. I can't get rid of it.
SH
SH
SH
Pidge didn't know how long she hugged her mother.
It could have been ten seconds. It could have been an hour. But right now, with her mother's fingers going through her hair and that familiar smell of her perfume there was nowhere else Pidge wanted to be.
"Katie."
Pidge buried her face into her shoulder. "Mom."
Colleen closed her eyes. I could have not heard that again. She didn't have the full story of what happened but right now it was enough that Katie was here and breathing. Now if she could just get Sam back. According to Romelle Sam was with Iverson indefinitely in some meeting. Something about the way the teen said that sent alarms but she couldn't get anything else out of her.
She'd leave it alone. For now.
In the doorway Hunk stood by as he patiently waited. It had been years since Mrs. Holt had seen her daughter. He got that. I'm all for hugs. But a part of him just wanted it to stop. It hurt to look. And yet he couldn't turn away. It stirred up memories of hugs from his mom. His dad. Every member of his family. He faintly smiled as he remembered the giant group hug when they dropped him off at the Garrison dorms.
'You ever need to come home just tell us,' his mom murmured into his hair.
'One phone call away,' his father smiled.
...Except they weren't. Not now. Maybe...not ever...
"Hunk?"
"Huh?"
Pidge and Colleen were giving him concerned frowns. He cleared his throat and then stepped up to Pidge's hospital bed. It was time to move her to their new room.
"Ready?"
"Yeah," Pidge quietly said then turned to her mom. "If you need me-"
"Oh I'll come get you," she pushed her bags aside, "but I'm fine for now."
"You guys could probably stay with us in the Atlas."
Colleen shook her head. "You need your team."
"Mom-"
"Your father was the same way. Why do you think he kept talking about Shiro so much before and after a space mission?"
"I guess. Or," Pidge grinned, "because Shiro was the son he wished he had?"
"Watch it young lady," Colleen pinched her cheek.
"What? I didn't say 'instead of Matt'."
"Well now you did," Hunk laughed.
"Hunk's got you there Katie."
Pidge winced as Hunk lifted her up.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to -"
"It wasn't you it's the movement. Let's just go. Allura said she could heal me some more."
"Bye Mrs. H."
"Bye Hunk. Take care Katie."
"Later mom."
The paladins walked in silence for a moment.
"So should we start calling you Katie now?"
"No. Pidge the Green Paladin sounds a lot better than Katie."
"Mm. I totally agree. Pidge is a much better stage name."
"It's better than your Voltron Show persona."
"Hey, we all agreed to never speak of that again."
"Except for Loverboy Lance," Pidge snickered.
"That we will never let go of," Hunk agreed.
"...Hey."
"What?"
"We should tell his mom."
"Pidge. My friend. That is evil." Pause. "We should tell his whole family."
"Now that is diabolical." Her grin curved sharply. "Let's do it."
"Team Punk at it again."
It distracted him a little.
There was limited power in the Atlas.
As a result, paladins and MFEs slept in the lounging room. Lance and Hunk had gathered as many pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags from the Atlas' bunkers. The MFEs were completely out by the time Team Voltron was fully inside. It did not escape their notice that the MFEs had set up on the other side of the room but they were too tired to discuss it.
Lance took the lounging couch. Romelle easily shoved his legs to get on, quickly followed by Kosmo wiggling himself in between them. Propped against the couch were Keith, Shiro, and Hunk. Pidge was laid her carefully with as many pillows as possible. Allura and Coran slept on either side of her to monitor.
Though Allura could not sleep.
On the castle ship she had many a sleepless night cycles. Walking around helped half the time. Sometimes she'd run into Hunk in the kitchen for what he'd call a "midnight snack" though there was no actual night in space. Other times she'd see Shiro patrolling, sometimes Keith would be with him. Some nights she'd join Shiro and they'd eventually make their way to the observation deck for some companionable brooding. She'd only see Lance in the middle of the sleep cycle when he needed the facilities. Otherwise, he rarely woke up until the end of the cycle.
Next to her Pidge grumbled out a math equation in her sleep.
Allura half smiled. Many times she had seen the young teen on the couch furiously typing away. The Green Paladin often fell asleep over her laptop. Shiro would sigh and then carry the teen back to her room.
"Teenagers," he'd quietly huff out in fake exasperation.
Her smile waned. Those sort of nights feel like another lifetime ago. Allura moved her hand down to Pidge's back for another healing. Pidge groaned a little and then relaxed after a moment. Allura's hand stopped glowing. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds as a slight dizziness came. She let in a slow breath as she concentrated. The jewel of her crown let out a low hum as it glowed and the quintessence flowed into her body. The dizziness soon passed. The jewel stopped glowing.
She kept her eyes closed as sleep called to her.
Her sharp hearing picked up a groan from the other side of the room. What is that? Then another sound of distress. And another. Allura's eyes narrowed. She could see the MFEs moving restlessly in their sleep. A nightmare perhaps? She sat up slowly as she sensed an abnormality for humans.
There is something...malignant...clinging to them.
James' sleep was not peaceful.
He dreamt of the past. His failures. His worst fears. His mind conjured distorted happenings of what did occur, making his breath grow ragged and his heartrate increase dangerously.
He was still flying with the MFEs trying to outmaneuver the Galra. There were so many fighters that they were blotting out the sun. The Galra flew faster than before. Lasers grazing more than they used to. Down below the Garrison lost its barrier and now smoke came out from the rubble. His breath was fogging up his visor. He couldn't keep it together. He felt his stomach lurch as a large cruiser popped up, it's deadly ion cannon already charged for him at point blank.
Leifs? Riz? Kinkade!?
No one else was around to help him. He was completely and utterly alone. The cannon shot out. His arm swung forward in a hasty maneuver. Someone caught his hand and held it.
"James Griffin, awaken."
...I-I can't. I want to. So badly - the Galra's laser had him. He let out a choked sound of agony as every part of him was burning away. He barely recognized a hand along his forehead before the scene changed.
Suddenly he was in a field of foreign magenta flowers. 'Juniberries,' a familiar feminine voice softly answered. He felt the cool breeze take away his pain and ruffle his long hair. 'The most exquisite flower of all...'
His mind didn't realize that he didn't have that long of hair. But the glowing hand left his forehead before his consciousness could question it.
He slept undisturbed as the figure moved onto the next MFE.
An eight year old boy was running in the grass of an apartment complex.
In his hands were two things: a toy astronaut and a sturdy but plastic replica of the Calypso space ship. It was nothing like the detailed and highly expensive collector's edition that was made of the same material of the ship itself. But to James Griffin his version might as well have been the real thing.
"Astronaut Higgins calling the Garrison," James voiced out loud as he slipped the toy pilot through the top hatch of the Calypso. The pilot was now seated inside but with his head still visible. "I've collected my samples from Saturn's rings."
He then cupped his hand over his mouth to muffle his voice like a walkie talkie.
"Kkksh. Garrison to Calypso. That's great news."
He moved his hand away to speak normally. "It's sweet like rock candy."
"Kksh. Higgins, don't eat alien rocks! Who knows what could happen?!"
"I-I feel weird."
"Kkksh! Oh no! Quick, wash your mouth out!"
"But I feel...stronger. Better. Like Superman!"
He ran around, making the Calypso do twists and flips.
"Kksh! Your flight readings are off the chart! You'll reach home before dinner!"
"Woo hoo! Save me some dessert Garrison!"
From her bench nearby, Mrs. Griffin looked over her book to see her son. Her hair was straight and light brown with darker brown eyes. She was not too skinny but not overweight, not tall but not short. She wore mom jeans and a plaid green shirt with some sensible walking shoes and her hair in a low bun. Nothing in particular stood out about her but she wasn't someone to fear either.
"James looks like he's having fun."
Mrs. Griffin turned around to see her husband walking up the pathway. She surmised he came from the parking area since he was still wearing his khaki work pants and plain white shirt.
"He still likes to play with those space toys."
Mr. Griffin caught just the barest whiff of concern in her voice. "All kids go through the dreaming phase," he waved off. "Let him ride it out. Don't you let your kids do that in school?"
"I don't discourage it," she agreed. "Creativity is important for the growing mind."
James' eyes were wide open but it was like he wasn't seeing anything.
His head felt…light. But in a good way.
He turned his head to the couch. Then back to his team. It must be morning. No one else was around, not even the space wolf. He rubbed his face hard. Soon, someone stirred next to him. He opened his eyes again. They were better adjusted to the low lighting. Leifsdottir's tired eyes were half opened as she regarded him.
"You're leaving," she questioned with no inflections.
"Just for a short while," he murmured. "Go back to sleep."
She slowly blinked. "Will you return?"
"What?"
"You need to come back," she murmured slower as sleep gradually started taking over, her eyes drooping lower and lower. "Don't disappear like mother. Father…"
"Ina."
Leifsdottir was out again.
He sighed and leaned over to lightly touch her shoulder. "I'll be back." He squeezed her shoulder. "I promise." He then pulled his legs out from the sleeping bag. His boots were nearby. He reached out for them.
"She lived in a foster home since she was five."
He lifted his gaze to see Nadia sitting cross legged on top of her sleeping bag. Her glasses were on the floor as well as her green headband. He rarely saw her without either accessory.
"I know," Grif quietly said.
"I'm surprised she told you. She's so quiet about her personal life." Nadia put her chin in her hand. "Took forever for her to tell me anything."
"I didn't weasel it out of her," Griffin lightly frowned.
Nadia caught the insinuation. "Hey, I didn't push too hard. I'm not a jerk." She picked at some lint on her pants. "So how did you find out?"
James gave her a flat look. "Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't. Just curious."
James was looking back at Leifsdottir's sleeping form. Rizavi transferred to the main Garrison in the middle of cadet training so she didn't know...
"We went to the same cadet school. A kid used to be in the same foster home with her but ended up getting adopted. He said something mean to Ina about it once. Word gets around fast in the Garrison." He ran a hand through his hair. "Kids used to say she couldn't get adopted because she was too weird. Just a handful of real petty kids but still."
"And let me guess," Rizavi let loose a half smile. "Leader stepped in one day."
James didn't respond. He thought of that day, how the boy sneered in Ina's face just because she did better than him in flight tactics. James could see himself in that boy. And instead of Ina there he kept seeing a quiet but fierce boy with messy black hair...
"I just did what I should have done," James gruffly voiced out.
Rizavi frowned as he shoved his boots on. "Where are you going?"
"Out," he threw over his shoulder. "I'll return shortly."
Nadia pursed her lips as she stared at the closed sliding door. Then she grabbed her boots too.
"Let him be," Kinkade's even tone of voice drifted over.
"He's going to talk to the refugees."
"I know." Ryan turned around in his sleeping bag. "He doesn't need us holding his hand every time."
Rizavi rolled her eyes. "Of course you'd see it like that." She hastily did her laces. "It's called being supportive Kink."
He didn't react to the hated nickname. "Nadia," he quietly sighed, "you need to respect people's space."
"Not with something like this."
"You don't get it." He sat up. "Your family's safe in some bunker in the mountains."
"Some of my family." She harshly pulled up her ties. "The rest went dark in the first twenty minutes of the invasion."
She horribly knotted her ties. She hadn't even noticed that Kinkade had walked over. She stared at his bare feet in front of her and then slowly looked up. She expected a quirked brow or even a thin look of exasperation. The somber expression wasn't expected, let alone the barest hint of sympathy. She put her forehead against her bent knee.
"...It's stupid," she quietly breathed out. "But being a part of James' search...it makes me feel like I'm doing something. You know?" She turned her face upwards to see him. "I hate that we're stuck in some bubble while the rest of the world is being overworked or hiding for their lives. They're just civilians. We're the ones that actually signed up to fight."
Ryan crossed his arms and then looked away.
"Go."
She didn't need to be told twice. She shot up on her feet. Then stumbled back down to snag her glasses.
"...Riz."
"Yeah?"
"Could you ask -"
"James always asks about your nana's city," she grinned.
Kinkade tsked but said nothing else.
It was summer break. A ten year old James held up a flyer.
It was crinkled and wore the lines of being in his pocket several times and then repeatedly unfolded, looked at, and then folded back into a manageable size. His father scratched the back of his neck as he was once again presented with the same flyer.
There were a couple of Garrison pilots holding onto their helmets against their sides. The dark haired one in the middle stood out. He looked rather young for a pilot but apparently he'd been breaking old Garrison records left and right. At least, that's what he understood from his son.
"Is that pilot Takeshi Satogo you've been talking about?"
James had been holding his tongue until his father finished. But now he had a chance to talk. "Takashi Shirogane," he corrected enthusiastically and then couldn't hold it in anymore, "the youngest pilot in the Garrison. He's testing out the new Astro Drifter. It's the fastest jet in the Garrison and is supposed to go the highest for a non-space plane." He rapidly tapped at the sleek jet in the background. "The Garrison's open to the public to watch!"
"Son," Mr. Griffin sighed. "It's in the middle of the week during the day. Your mom has that teacher's conference and I'm working. You know that." Seeing his son's deflation, he half smiled. "You should see if Oliver's going. I'm sure his folks can take you."
'I want to go together,' James almost blurted out but stopped.
He heard his folks talking about the grocery store. The manager was finally retiring. His dad was working more hours to get that position. He wasn't old enough to completely understand how big an issue this was but he wasn't too young to not know that the higher income would really help out. They weren't poor but they certainly weren't well off either. Not like Oliver. He had a pool, game room, and an area to play basketball.
"Good idea. Thanks dad."
He turned around before his father could see his disappointment.
Shiro and Keith silently stood side by side.
The council sat together at the long table with solemn faces and folded hands. Allura and Iverson stood off to the side of the meeting room. No one had spoken since the paladins entered the room. Someone finally cleared their throat, a man with wavy brown hair and tan skin.
"These charges are grave," the councilman spoke with a slight accent. "Officer Takashi Shirogane has attacked the Admiral. The Red Paladin has attacked Councilman Sablan."
"Black."
The councilman frowned. "What was that?"
"Keith Kogane is now the Black Paladin," Shiro calmly murmured.
"Then why is he wearing red?"
That wasn't the first time someone pointed it out. The answer was more complicated than either cared to attempt to start. Instead, Shiro and Keith slightly shrugged almost in unison.
The councilman stared long.
Allura closed her eyes at their blasé attitude. Shiro sighed to himself, having caught her motion. He would have offered her a sheepish look if her eyes were open. Now was the time to lay on those diplomatic skills.
"I apologize council," Shiro slightly inclined his head. "It has been a rough couple of days."
"A rough couple of years," the councilman dryly intoned. "Regardless, we cannot ignore what has occurred. Both the Admiral and Sablan are still out, unfortunately. Even so," he folded his hands in front of his face as he looked at Shiro, "only Takashi Shirogane is a member of the Garrison. Though, he was declared dead years ago along with Samuel Holt and Matthew Holt. As for the...Black...Paladin," he cleared his throat as his gaze shifted to Keith, "he was expelled years ago. He would have to be brought forward to a government court, not the military's."
Keith withheld the urge to frown. "So then..."
"We are unable to formally sentence either of you." The councilman rubbed his forehead. "We can't try a dead man and we have no authority to try a civilian."
Allura did not relax just yet. He wasn't done. She could see it in all their faces.
"However..."
There it is. She gripped her hands together to keep from fidgeting on their behalf.
"After what happened, you are both considered a threat. Guards will be posted to watch you around the clock. Neither will be allowed to leave the building without prior approval."
They didn't like that. Allura can feel the frustration in their quintessence.
"If I may," Allura stepped up.
"No you may not." Another council member spoke up. "You are not a part of this hearing. I don't even know why you were let in."
"I am here on their behalf," Allura lifted her chin. "As a witness to tell you that neither party acted in their right minds." There were murmurings but Allura continued. "Shiro or Councilman Sablan."
"You dare suggest a council member -"
"The MFEs recovered your first line of fighters' military ids." She turned to Keith. He dug out the dog tags of the councilman's granddaughter. Shiro pulled out Adam's from under his uniform. "They were tainted in druid magic and were the source of the malicious intents."
"Magic?" the original speaker of the councilman scoffed. Sam Holt had mentioned druids when he stated who interrogated him and his crew. But magic had not been brought up. "Next you'll be telling me Voldemort is real."
"Druids do look like him," Keith murmured under his breath.
Shiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Allura looked puzzled at the reference but was quick to move on.
"The druids are highly dangerous. They are not to be taken lightly."
"We have no reports of magic users," the councilman drawled. "I think we're fine."
"There probably aren't any druids left thanks to the Blades," Keith bit out, "but it doesn't mean their influence is completely gone."
"Well if they're gone then why worry about them? We'll simply -" The councilman choked on his words as Allura undid her cadet over layer. "What on Earth do you think you're doing?"
Allura's eyes stayed narrowed. "Showing you what druid magic can do."
Deftly, she let the orange layer collect in the crook of her elbows and then turned around to show her back. The white tank was low in the back. All eyes stared at the dark black spider webbing that was bundled at the base of her neck and then branched out along her upper back. Even with her dark skin the scar was easy to see. The scarred tissue was raised like bulging veins, marring her otherwise perfect skin.
"My god."
Iverson was the only one that saw her eyes close in a deep frown. He stepped up to pull up her cadet shirt and put it back along her shoulders. She blinked at the unexpected act of mercy.
"As you can see," Shiro spoke up, drawing the eyes on him rather than her, "druid magic has lasting and unpredictable effects."
"Some of Sendak's lasers have been reinforced with druid magic," Keith circled back. "The dog tags were being worn by both Shiro and Sablan. It's dark magic and evil." He narrowed his eyes with a frown. "I don't care if Harry Potter is your only reference for this crap but it's true."
"Your MFEs had traces of druid magic," Allura threw in when they still looked skeptical. "If their spirits weren't so strong the magic would have torn their fighters apart and themselves."
The council murmured to each other. Then their rep spoke up.
"How do we combat against this?"
"I can reinforce the fighters."
The councilman's eyes narrowed. "In exchange for what?"
"You get rid of the guards around my team and their families, including the Holts."
"Your team could have killed the admiral and a fellow council member."
"Your councilman made an attempt on my life multiple times," she sharply cut in. Then she relaxed her glare. "I do not hold him fully accountable due to the druid influence." Allura lifted her head regally. "Those are my terms. I'll even cleanse the remaining dog tags so no one else is in danger of corruption."
"...We'll need a moment to confer."
"Please do," Allura murmured.
The paladins filed out. Iverson stayed behind to offer his two cents to the council. Shiro grabbed Allura's arm to get her attention.
"Thank you for showing them."
She shrugged. "We needed to show another example of druid effects." She gave him a small smile. "I think you've been showcased enough times these past couple of days."
He kept his hold on her arm. "Your scar is the mark of a fighter," he lightly squeezed. "A warrior."
The only markings that should be on a princess were her birthmarks. She knew he knew the standards and expectations of the Altean court. The time she wasted taking care of her hair, skin, nails, and teeth were numerous. While she had natural beauty it was also something that required effort to maintain.
But we're not on Altea.
None of that mattered anymore. Not with the universe in peril.
"It's a badge of honor," Keith added.
"Exactly." Shiro smiled. "You know how many people would kill for that?"
She half rolled her eyes. "You are taking it too far."
"No it's true," Keith gestured to his cheek scar. "Sylvio's jealous of this."
"He's a child," she half laughed.
"He's just the only one who's vocal about it," Shiro grinned.
She buttoned up her cadet shirt.
"It's a paladin initiation," Keith murmured in half seriousness.
She paused. "The others have scars?"
"Yeah."
"Of course."
It should have been obvious. But hearing it made her feel better.
Watching Shirogane fly blew away any lingering disappointments.
That night, James dreamed of the viewing. Then the next day. And the next. In his dreams, he started off on the ground watching like he had in real life. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air and wafted into his dreams. He could even feel the cold can of his soda.
Then his dreams shifted so he was sitting behind Shirogane in the plane.
Weeks later, he was the one flying the Astro Drifter.
The change woke him up earlier than he had to. He stared up at the glow in the dark stars and planets on his ceiling. That was the first time he had been the pilot. Not even as a younger kid did he pretend to be flying the fighters or space ships. He had only been reenacting missions with well known astronauts. Through the walls of his room he could hear his folks moving around the apartment. His mom was in the kitchen getting the coffee machine ready. His dad just closed the door to the bathroom to take his daily shower.
"Pilot James Griffin," he quietly murmured out loud.
Slowly, a smile bloomed on his face.
In the civilian sector Hunk bumped into Rizavi.
"Hey Rizavi -"
"Hi bye," she quickly said as she continued fast walking.
Hunk blinked at the abruptness. "Ok..."
He shrugged and went on to the McClain's room. He promised Sylvio he'd come by and fix his toy. Some robot or other that could transform into a car.
Rizavi stopped once she was outside the old paladin dorm room as James talked with some of the rebels that snuck out the refugees. I have no idea if they just started talking or not.
She slid down against the wall of the hallway.
She wanted to sleep for ten thousand years but she didn't want Griffin to do this alone. She closed her eyes for a while. She nearly fell back asleep but someone nudged her boot. She snorted awake to see James with his arms crossed.
"No news," she deflated.
James frowned. "I didn't say anything."
"You get this wrinkle between your brows when you hear something you don't like.
"...They didn't have news but they did say the Aussie might know."
"Uh who now?"
"He's a veteran scout nearby." James shrugged. "Supposedly he has the most information out of any other station." Sigh. "But I can't go right now. The barrier was just fixed."
"You know," she grunted as she stood up, "we could spare you for an hour."
"..."
"Oh come on. We won't burn down the kitchen ma!"
"It's not that I don't think you can keep the place safe," he frowned. "It just feels wrong. It's a personal mission."
Duty before family. Wasn't that what all of them were doing? Rizavi scratched the back of her head. But if they were in the other's shoes.
"If it were me...I'd go."
"If it was you," Griffin replied after a pause, "I'd encourage it."
"Then you should -"
"Nadia, please don't."
James wouldn't put his family above his duty. He couldn't. Not with such high stakes. Maybe he shouldn't think about searching anymore.
...But he really wanted to.
"I, uh, promised Veronica I'd meet with her," James mumbled out. "See you for practice later."
"Sure," Riz said.
She frowned as he watched him go.
The day Keith Kogane transferred to James' school was a bad sign.
Followed by several terrible, headache inducing problems. The kid was a loner from day one. He never spoke in class unless he absolutely had to. In group projects he couldn't even do the bare minimum. The teacher kept assigning James in the same group with Keith in the hopes of James' organizational skills and work ethics would rub off on the kid but to no avail. The emo kid was totally not a team player.
It grinded James' gears so bad.
Even now with Takashi Shirogane visiting their classroom Keith Kogane was just staring off into the window. James was quick to dismiss the emo kid just like everyone else was. Today was going to be a good day. His personal hero was here. Everything else could just fade to the background.
"So," Shirogane smiled kindly. "Who wants to see if they have what it takes to be in the Garrison?"
James shot his hand up immediately.
Sablan woke up and came up to speed.
What he had to say made the council rule in Allura's favor. Now without a guard Keith split with Kosmo to look for Lance. Shiro walked with Allura to the hangar to look over the damage done to the MFE fighters. Allura lightly ran her hand along some scorch marks.
"I can feel the druid taint."
"So Sendak's cannons were reinforced with druid magic." Shiro frowned. "Or there's some druids on the cruisers."
"The council said they had not encountered any magic users."
"I don't trust the Garrison to have noticed that," Shiro flatly said. "But Sam would have noticed."
"I suspect the same."
Her hands were on the plane. When they started glowing Shiro put a hand on her shoulder. She hadn't mentioned doing something like this.
"You can do this later. You're still healing."
"I'm much better."
"Head injuries take a while to heal even for an Altean."
"I have help."
Allura turned around fully to point at her crown. A memory of hers flashed through Shiro's mind as he stared at it.
'This crown has been passed on for generations.' Allura stared up at her mother's blue eyes then to the shining jewel in the crown. 'It was made from the first Balmeran crystal given to our people.'
He blinked slowly as the memory dropped back to his mind.
He thought of when Allura was captured by the Galra and the fact that some of Allura's quintessence lingered in the Castle of Lions for them to make a wormhole to Zarkon's central command. If that's a Balmeran crystal, then...
"Your crown's been absorbing your quintessence for over ten thousand deca-phoebs."
"Also my mother's," Allura's fingers trailed the crystal, "my grandmother's, and all others before me."
"That's a lot of quintessence."
"Yes and no. Due to its size it can only carry so much. But I had not known how to tap into it until Oriande."
Her eyes clouded a little. His face grew solemn.
"At least there was that upside," he quietly ventured. "Despite everything else."
"...But was it worth the cost?"
"..."
"Do not answer that," she immediately apologized. "I need to move forward, not look back." She gave him a small smile. "Staying in the past helps no one."
"Yeah. That's true." He rubbed the back of his neck. He felt the chain of Adam's dog tags. The druid magic had heightened his negative emotions to such a high degree that he was still feeling its lingering effects. "But moving on...that's easier said than done."
She hummed in agreement. "We have to try."
With the fate of Earth in their hands, they had to. She placed her hands back on the first MFE fighter. She closed her eyes as she focused on absorbing the quintessence in her crown and releasing it into the MFE plane. That was her strong point. Absorption and release. It was how she deflected Haggar's attack, how she transferred Shiro's essence, and how she allowed Shiro to see Adam's final memory.
There was immediate resistance.
The druid magic was snapping at her. She frowned as she drew out more energy from the crystal. Technicians stopped in what they were doing as dark purple energy clashed with blue white. There was murmuring all around them but Shiro kept his eyes on Allura.
The paladins could talk all they want but seeing was stronger than words. The hangar glowed with the blue light and then it went back to normal. There were more people coming over. Allura wiped her forehead before turning towards a technician.
"It should be easier to repair the fighter now."
"Oh, uh thanks."
She moved on to the next one.
"Oh."
James honestly wasn't sure what his parents would say to him wanting to be a pilot but his father's 'oh' wasn't even on the list. Though, it was more of his dad's tone than the word itself. It was like he chose wrong from a career list he wasn't privy to see.
"The Garrison has a summer cadet program for those interested." He pulled out a colorful brochure for his parents to look over. "We stay in the dorms and even get a taste of what the coursework is like."
"James honey," his mother gave him a tentative smile. "That's great."
"But," his father picked up where his wife left off, "these fees are pretty high for a military school."
"Astro-military," James corrected with a smile. "With my grades I'll get a scholarship easy peasy."
"It's still military." His father frowned. "If there's ever a war you'll be called to fight."
"Dear," Mrs. Griffin murmured.
"It's something he needs to think about," Mr. Griffin said to his wife and then turned back to his son. "Let's drop the fees for now. You know that the Galaxy Garrison requires every cadet to learn how to shoot a laser rifle, puts them through boot camp, first aid training, and other survival skills?"
"I do," James blinked in surprise. "I just didn't know you did."
"You've been interested in space missions and air shows since you were six. I may not follow the Garrison happenings closely but the thought did cross my mind that you might consider it, if your interest persisted." Pause. "But I hoped it would die out to be honest."
"...You don't think I can do it."
"I didn't say that."
"But that's what you mean."
"James, we're not a military family. Granted, your grandfather was in the army reserve but he never saw action. He just stood guard over some retired tanks and then called it a day after his shift. All I'm saying is..." his father put a hand on his shoulder, "we're normal people, living normal lives."
All James could hear was, 'You're average.'
But extraordinary things didn't happen to average people. He looked around at their living room in their new house. It was small and rented but his folks were so proud of being able to move out of the apartment complex. He was ok with his life. Content. But inside...
"My grades are the best in my class."
"And that's real fantastic son. You have your mother's smarts." His father leaned in to face his son directly. "But piloting is more than acing an exam."
James thought of his teacher introducing him to Shirogane, praising his high grades and discipline. But Shirogane had turned away to look at Keith in the simulator.
He pulled away from his father without a word.
It was quiet out in the canyon.
Lance could see why Keith and Shiro liked running out here with their hover cycles so much. He kept his eyes down the scope as he spotted Kosmo stalking something in the bush down below. He flexed his fingers as they started to stiffen.
"How many more do we need?"
Keith peered into the burlap sack. They were wearing Garrison flight suits like the MFEs since their paladin armor was too recognizable. Food was low. With the added refugees things were even tighter but they meant what they said. They'd help take care of them even if it meant hunting outside the particle barrier. They weren't far off but still. It was a high risk.
"It depends what he finds."
"The wolf has a name."
"You guys gave him one. But he -"
"Hasn't told you yet," Lance finished with a half grin. "You do realize how crazy that sounds right? It's not like Kosmo can talk." Pause. "Right? Or can he?"
"Krolia and Coran didn't mention speech capabilities."
"That's going to be so weird if he can. But also not the most bizarre of things to happen to us." Lance muttered to himself. "What kind of name do you think a wolf would give himself? Space Alpha? Fang Master?" The Red Paladin smiled widely. "His Lord Fluffy Tail?"
"Lance."
"His markings kind of look like lightning bolts. Oo! McLightning Thunder Claws!"
"Why a Mc in front?"
"For McClain."
"That's your last name."
"I know."
"You can't claim him Lance."
"Fine. But he's the team pet. The Voltron mascot. He even has a 'v' marking on his chest. It was so meant to be."
"He's no one's pet. He's family."
"You're totally a dog person. Honestly I pegged you as a cat person at first. You sure act catty at times. Or maybe a lizard person."
"Can you just focus?"
"I'm always focuse-"
Kosmo dove into the under bush. Some hares jumped out suddenly.
"Lance -"
"Let me focus!"
Kosmo snagged one. Lance's sniper bayard got two more.
"See? I always get my mark."
"You missed one."
"But we have three more so win-win."
"It was a big hare."
"Quiznak Keith!" Lance loudly groaned and pulled out his sniper again. He quickly looked around and then shot out. "There. I got the fat bunny rabbit so you can make chewy rabbit stew and a hat out of its hide." In a nicer tone he turned to the wolf, "Kosmo, could you go fetch it for your whiner master?"
"He's not a pet!"
For days, James stayed silent about the summer cadet program.
Then those days turned into weeks. And the weeks turned into a month. His teacher kept reminding him of the deadline for the scholarships and the program. He did his essay more out of obligation and to get his teacher off of his back. He stared at his computer screen as he read the essay prompt.
'Why you deserve this scholarship.'
He must have stared at it for half an hour before he started typing.
'I want to be more than average.'
He typed a whole lot of other things. If asked later, he couldn't recall what it was he wrote. Once he got to the required word count he did basic spell check, saved it, then uploaded it to the Garrison website. At this point he didn't care if he got it. He wrote what was true and he wasn't taking it back.
If they didn't accept that then this program wasn't for him.
Allura arranged a meeting with Sablan.
She sat quietly in one of the meeting rooms as she sipped some water. The councilman nervously straightened his uniform before entering the room.
"Princess Allura, I apologize for the wait."
"It was not long at all."
They briefly shook hands and then sat back down. He noticed no one else was around. He thought for sure one of her fellow paladins would be here just in case. Not that he would have blamed her.
"Princess, I want to apologize again. These past couple of days I've been out of sorts but this morning I woke up refreshed. Renewed, I would even say."
"That is due to me." She sipped more water. "I took the liberty of cleansing the remaining druid magic from your essence."
"Magic. Yes. The council did explain. It's hard to take in to be frank."
"...Councilman, I would like to show you something."
"Oh?" His eyes widened as she drew out dog tags from her pocket. "Is that my granddaughter's?"
"Yes, it is." She did not hand them over yet. "I cleansed this as well however...I sensed a lingering memory in the tags." She held out her hand with the dog tags. "I can show it to you, if you wish."
"...Is it...when she died?"
"Most likely," she quietly said. "That was the case for another id I did."
He did not speak. He took a breath in and then nodded. She scooted her chair closer and gestured for him to take her hand. His hand shook a little but he did not withdraw. Allura put her other hand on his and then leaned forward so their heads touched. She heard him take in a sudden breath as her hands glowed and then -
Galra lasers were everywhere.
She tried twisting her plane in a complex move to throw the fighters off her tail but they followed her effortlessly. Sweat was along her face. Their planes were not fast enough. Their ammunitions were too weak.
"Titan, your six!"
Her partner wasn't going to make it. She nose dived sharply to intercept. Her lasers shot out rapidly. It didn't even dent the Galra fighter but she did manage to get its attention. Quickly she turned around as the Galra gave chase.
"Wildc- Clarissa look out!"
She was surrounded. Her radar blared red in warning.
She thought of her mother and her sister. Then she thought of her grandpa in the Garrison watching her die. She hoped he wasn't in the control room. She didn't want him to hear her involuntarily screaming as the lasers ripped her wings apart and she was free falling down into the ground -
Sablan pulled away. "I shouldn't have - " he choked out. "'m sorry," he covered his face with his hand. "I didn't realize -"
Allura pulled him into her embrace. "She died to protect her fellow pilot," she softly murmured. "A hero's death."
"Yes," Sablan lowly replied. "But I would have rather she lived."
Allura closed her eyes as Sablan quietly cried into her shoulder.
James didn't get the ultimate scholarship but he did get one of the smaller ones.
His teacher shook her head in disapproval. "You can write better than this."
He shrugged. "Piloting isn't just about grades or writing."
He walked away like he didn't care but inside...Deep in his soul, he felt a fire ignite. His scholarship wouldn't be enough. He needed to make plans. Hit up his new neighborhood for manual labor he could do in exchange for money. Maybe he could even just go door to door and see if anyone was willing to donate. He'd dog walk, cat walk, bird walk - heck, he'd car wash too if that's what it would take.
For his dream, he'd do anything.
Pidge was already in the server room.
Allura silently walked over and gave the teen a hug from behind. Pidge froze not because of her healing back but because of the unexpected gesture. Her face flushed a little. Everyone seemed to be hugging her even the janitor.
"Thank you Pidge. For saving me."
"Yeah well, I couldn't hesitate again."
Allura pulled away to look at her. "What do you mean again?"
Pidge kept her eyes on the screen. "Back in the castle when Kuron was running away with Lotor...I had a clear shot. I could have stopped him. But then he looked up and I...couldn't." She pushed up her glasses nervously. "We didn't know it wasn't Shiro at the time but even so...I didn't take the shot and look what happened."
"Pidge -"
"No, let me sulk a little. It's been on my mind for ages."
Allura softly sighed. "You're allowed one dobosh."
"That's way too short."
"That's all I'll allow because it wasn't your fault."
"Well, technically you're right. It was all of our faults."
"Yes it was. Though some more than others, I would argue."
"No, this is my sulking time not yours."
"Actually, your dobosh is up." Allura pushed Pidge's screen down. "You didn't hesitate for a tick when the castle was about to explode and you jumped in to block a laser for me without hesitation. You've redeemed yourself twice over." Her blue eyes were serious. "You have no need to jump in like that again."
"You don't have to tell me twice. That quiznaking hurt."
"Good. Now then, we have some memories to convert."
The ceremony for the new cadets was probably longer than it should have been but James didn't care. He walked tall in his cadet uniform as he approached his family.
"What do you think?"
His mother's eyes were wet. She nodded her head with a smile and a hand to her heart.
"It suits you."
He turned to his father. There was a nervous squirming in his stomach.
"My son's going to be a pilot," his father slowly said. "Not what I thought would happen but...This is happening?"
"Yeah dad. It's happening."
"...Ok."
James closed his eyes as his father pulled him in.
"Ok," he echoed.
James hadn't meant to spy.
He was honestly looking for Veronica but then he got lost. He wasn't usually in the engineering part of the Garrison. He was still wondering why Veronica was. He tried messaging her again but she still hadn't responded to his first text. Just as he was about to double back he heard voices. As he got closer he subconsciously slowed down.
"I used to daydream about coming home to a peaceful Earth," Hunk rasped out. "And it would give me the strength to keeping fighting because, hey, the more we fight out in space then there's no reason for the Galra to branch out to Earth."
James stopped ten feet away from the room doorway.
"And then we finally get here and I see Lance with his family and Pidge - quiznak, it was so good to see that for both of them. But I just - being around their families...In none of my daydreams did I think I wouldn't see my family. And it just hurts Keith. I don't know where they are or if they're even alive -" Hunk paused as he choked on that last word. "My heart doesn't feel like a paladin. I feel weak and so...so alone."
James leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
Keith was now talking to Hunk. James half heard, mainly catching the part where they were going to look for the Garrets. James quickly walked out of the corridor and over to the armory.
He needed a Garrison suit for this.
James got into his first fistfight.
He had several verbal fights with Kogane but it had never gotten this far. But the emo kid's showboating held back the team for yet another week in the simulators. All other classes were much further along.
"Thanks a lot," James groused.
"My pleasure."
Keith had said worse before. James knew that. But the way he just boredly stared off into space like none of this mattered to him - oh, that just riled James up. It was one thing to act out in grade school where it only affected himself. But here in the Garrison everything they did was for the good of the whole. Teamwork was one of the many foundations of the Galaxy Garrison.
"We all know you're here because Shirogane vouched for you."
That at least made Keith's head turn. "I can outfly anyone in the Garrison."
So he did want to be a pilot. And yet he was squandering this opportunity for what? His pride? His tiny ego? James' hands fisted by his sides in anger. Suddenly, he had the urge to make Keith feel what he did. To really get a reaction out of him.
"Is that what mommy and daddy told you before -"
Keith's fist struck his face faster than he could follow. He went down and Kogane was immediately on him for another hit. All James' frustration with this kid just spilled out of him. He struck out, getting Keith's face.
Iverson was quick to separate them.
They now sat outside of an office waiting for their reprimands. James couldn't stop glaring at Keith for one second. It was all this kid's fault. Shirogane overlooked him because of Keith. Him and the rest of their squadron couldn't move on because this little idiot's ego knew no bounds.
He hated him.
The door opened. Takashi Shirogane slipped out of the office. James stood up for his turn. His folks couldn't come in person so they were going to have a phone discussion. He swallowed as he noticed that Shirogane was still partially in the doorway. He looked up at him.
There was disappointment in Shirogane's eyes.
James quickly looked away. He hated Keith for this humiliation too.
No one spoke in the AW-Cruiser except for Veronica to give Grif directions.
James kept his eyes forward for the most part. They got out in the pretense of getting up to date information from the rebellion so they had to go at night. The cruisers had radar cloaking tech but only for a certain amount of time. It didn't prevent sentries and drones from seeing them if they came upon them but it did help with the low orbit satellite the Galra had.
He maneuvered around a boulder, glanced in the rearview mirror. Looked forward again to go through a smoother path. His eyes drifted back up only to see Keith looking back this time. He didn't look away. Keith raised a questioning brow. There were still questions running around James' mind but one in particular had him puzzled.
"For all your dealings with the Galra, you guys don't seem familiar with their tech. The alerting drones, the low orbit lasers, even the Frankenstein sentry. Or what you guys call a ro-beast sentry."
Hunk kept looking out the window. He was too high strung to try to answer. He left it up to Keith. Keith sighed to himself. They were going to tell them at some point. He saw no harm in starting.
"That's because that sort of tech is new to us."
"But we've been dealing with that tech since the beginning of the war," Veronica turned around to look at the backseat. "How could you not have been exposed to any of that?"
Keith looked to the side as he tried to determine how to start. "When we fought Lotor, we entered something called the Quintessence Field. It's like another dimension. I guess." He looked at the mirror. "Once we left that field, three years had passed."
The stunned silence was thick.
"You're joking," Veronica said in disbelief.
"Even if we were," Hunk sourly said, "that's a pretty bad joke."
"You guys were fighting Zarkon's heir for three whole years?" James' eyes were almost bulging. "Holy crap. How did you not die?"
Both paladins shrugged.
"That field is pure energy." Keith looked at Hunk. "I'm sure that's what kept us alive, but we didn't even feel the passage of time in there..."
"Did you feel those two years on that space whale?" Hunk curiously asked Keith.
"Every quiznaking second," Keith mumbled.
"Wait," Veronica's eyes narrowed, "So you guys lost five years?"
"Oh no. Keith did. The rest of us just lost three."
"I traveled for two years through the Quantum Abyss," Keith murmured.
"With his mom," Hunk added. "That's also where he found Kosmo, our space wolf."
"Y-You found your mom?" James stuttered.
Keith looked away. "Yeah."
"Huh," Veronica sat back. "So that's why you look older than the others."
"Weird space stuff happens to us all the time," Hunk sighed. "You eventually start to stop questioning certain things."
"We heard you guys were missing. Commander Holt speculated you were in some top secret mission but in reality," James frowned, "Voltron was gone."
"...Yeah," Keith closed his eyes. "Because of our disappearance...we lost a lot of people."
"Good people," Hunk echoed.
That was something they couldn't fix, no matter how hard they tried.
"We're here," Veronica quietly said.
James slowed down his vehicle and parked.
"We're very disappointed in you."
That's all James got from his parents, the Garrison administration, and his hero Shirogane in that disciplinary meeting. That and he'd be moved to another class. His roommate was snoring in the bed across from him. He stayed wide awake in bed just looking at the ceiling. His glow in the dark stars were back in his room at home. There was absolutely nothing to see, nothing to look at. Just empty space.
He turned onto his side.
"I don't understand," Veronica frowned. "I thought the labor force slept outside of the work camp."
"They did, until a couple of days ago," the man nicknamed the Aussie responded. He looked away from his laptop to look at Veronica. "They've upped security since the last refugee breakout."
"Oh no."
Hunk stepped up to Veronica. "What's that mean?"
"We can't break your parents out."
Keith and James lowered their heads as Hunk leaned over the glassless window sill.
"No..."
"I'm so sorry Hunk," Veronica put her hand on his shoulder. "If we could we would."
"...Can I just see them? Before we go?"
The Aussie tossed Keith the binoculars. The Black Paladin handed them over and then stayed near the Yellow Paladin for moral support. James stayed near the Aussie as he downloaded data onto a jump drive.
"Our listing was updated this morning." The Aussie pulled out the drive and handed it over to James. "I've put as many notes as I could."
"Thank you."
"We're counting on all of you," the Aussie murmured. "My rebels' spirits are high from watching the Paladins fight. Them MFE planes pack a wallop as well from what I've seen. Them Galra can't keep up."
"Let's hope it stays that way," James lightly joked.
The Aussie patted his back.
They left soon after Hunk found his parents. No one said anything else about the matter, not even when Hunk's eyes were still wet from tears. James kept trying to drive faster but Veronica was quick to keep him in check.
He couldn't help it.
In his pocket was a drive with vital information. Would he finally find his parents? Would Ryan know which bunker his nana was in or if she somehow got stuck in a work camp? The Aussie did not specify what kind of information he had and James had been too wired to think to ask. Now it was all he could think about.
Leifsdottir was waiting in the Cruiser bay.
"I calculated the odds of you leaving," Ina said in greeting. "All probabilities pointed to here."
"Sorry." Her use of the word 'leaving' made him wince. "I forgot to tell someone. But I had company if that helps."
Leifsdottir stared and then turned around without blinking. James and the others followed her out. Veronica pushed up her glasses as she leaned to the paladins.
"She's mad."
"Doesn't look like it to me," Hunk murmured.
"Ina doesn't do a loud 'mad'. More like quiet sulking. Nadia, on the other hand..." Veronica covered her ears. "You'll hear ringing for days. Ryan sulks too but he'll throw icy glares and barely talk to you. Not that he speaks a lot to begin with. James...You know, I've not seen him really upset before."
"I have," Keith and Hunk answered at the same time.
Leifsdottir led them to a small meeting room. Rizavi and Kinkade were already seated inside. Griffin took a moment to cross his arms.
"Ok, I'm not that predictable."
"Leifs tracked you down through your comms," Riz chirruped. "Didn't take too many guesses as to why you would suddenly leave the compound."
"That is a horrible violation of -"
"Your privacy, Garrison ethical rules, blah, blah," Riz made her fingers move like a mouth talking. "Hand over the goods."
"And if I don't?"
"Please. I know you're dying to see what information you have."
Griffin glanced at Kinkade. His knee was bouncing a little. He was just as anxious to see what James had. He sighed but tossed Rizavi the drive. She gleefully ran over to the computer and slid it in. He walked over to the front of the room to stand in front of the small projection screen. If he noticed that Keith, Hunk, and Veronica were standing in the back he gave no indication.
"Ok, there's a lot of information but there looks like there's an index..." Rizavi pulled it up on the projection. "Wow. Whoever you saw is super organized. It's listed per person, according to what city they're from."
"Look for Kinkade's nana first," James murmured. After searching for so long he suddenly was hit with nerves. "You skipped her city."
"I know! Just hold it and...there!" A listing of names appeared. "So I only know her as nana. That's not going to be listed here..."
Kinkade kept his eyes on the list. "Keep scrolling."
"Ok. Or you could not tell me," Riz muttered under her breath. "Just say when."
"..."
Rizavi scrolled all the way to the bottom. "Did you see-"
"No," came Kinkade's curt response.
"I'm sorry," Griffin said.
Kinkade slightly shrugged. "I'll keep searching."
"We," Ina quietly replied.
"What she said," Rizavi grinned. "Ok, now Grif."
Griffin took a slow breath in as she scrolled.
"There's a lot of B last names," Riz muttered out loud.
"Riz," Kinkade started out in warning.
"I know Kink," Rizavi half rolled her eyes. "Keep the side commentary to myself."
They were getting to the tail end of the F's. Then beginning of the G's -
"Griffin! There, I see it! I see it! Is that -!"
"Dad," James sighed in relief. "Hey, there's a drop down. Could you -"
"Yeah hang on," Rizavi beamed. "Maybe there's some contact in-"
All eyes were glued to one word and one date.
"What?" James whispered.
"Grif," Kinkade murmured.
"It's a listing of the fallen," Keith's quiet voice carried to the front.
"I," James kept reading the word 'deceased' but his mind just couldn't register it. "I don't..." He stepped backwards, bumping into the conference room table. "But mom...Was she -"
Rizavi couldn't speak but she did quickly go back to the listing. There wasn't another listing for Griffin.
"James," Veronica murmured.
"Grif." Rizavi's eyes were glossy. "I am so, so, sor-"
"Go back," James said. "Where, when did he..." he couldn't say the word. But there was something about the date that popped out to him. He read the short description. Faction leader #76. Stationed Carson Central. "You were a grocery store manager," he whispered. "What the hell were you doing leading a group of rebels? Why -" his eyes widened suddenly as it clicked. "Carson Central on the 5th...the day we provoked the Galra to chase us. Leifs," he choked out, "we hid around there."
"Griffin," Kinkade stood up. "It's not -"
James gripped his hair tightly. "I killed my dad."
Hunk turned his face to the wall as tears streamed out.
"James," Veronica quickly got to the front. "Don't you dare-"
"It was my fault," Ina quietly voiced out. "I suggested we hide when our fighters' levels were low."
"Oh Ina," Nadia bent over with tears leaking out. "It was all our faults."
"Grif," Kinkade put a hand on his shoulder.
James had his hands on the table now to steady himself as his breathing got ragged. They couldn't see his face because of his bangs. Water droplets dripped onto the table.
"James," Veronica rubbed his back soothingly. "It's no one's fault. It's how war goes," her voice broke a little near the end of her sentence. "It sucks like hell but it is not your fault or the MFEs."
"...It's ours."
All heads turned to Keith. They hadn't even heard him approach. The projector lights shone on his eyes, revealing a liquid sympathy and weight in them that was completely out of place for his age.
"Keith," Veronica frowned. "I know Voltron was missing but you guys -"
"It's true," Hunk hiccupped from the back but was unable to say more.
"Sendak attacked Earth because of us," Keith quietly said.
"For the lions," Kinkade said.
"Yes." Pause. "And for revenge." James' head slowly lifted up. Keith made eye contact with him. "We've fought Sendak before."
It didn't take long for that to settle.
James lunged at Keith. The Black Paladin had foreseen this and braced himself for several hits. Griffin gripped him by the front of his paladin armor and lifted a fist up. It connected with the chest plate again and again.
"We should have ended him," Keith half whispered.
Anger increased on James' face rather than sorrow. Griffin's fist was tightly clenched on his armor. This time when his fist connected with the plate he moved it so he was gripping Keith with both hands. James shook him. He yelled wordlessly in his face for as long as he could. Then he shoved Keith away from him.
The anger was dissipating. Sorrow returned full force.
He sobbed over the table. The MFEs came around him, comforting him each in their own way whether with their presence, tears, or a hand on his shoulder.
From the beginning, James knew it was going to be rough.
He struggled to right his fighter. He could see the others were in the same predicament. He tried giving orders but he was having a hard time strategizing at the same time as flying. His eyes widened as the ground came closer - the screen went black. He hit the side of his controls and let out a long frustrated breath before Officer Williams' voice sounded out into their simulators.
"Run it again."
The experimental simulation was restarted. Five minutes later they crashed.
"Again."
James could feel sweat along his forehead. "We need a break."
"Fighter pilots don't have that luxury."
"We've been going on over an hour," Rizavi bit out. "It's not like we'll actually be flying this kind of tech anytime soon."
There was a pause on their mentor's side. James narrowed his eyes. Officer Williams seemed to be pushing them harder lately for tech that didn't even exist yet.
"We'll take that break," Adam's voice was carefully neutral. "There's something you need to see."
"What?" Rizavi asked without missing a beat.
"The Garrison made a plane that has these controls, didn't they?" Kinkade murmured from his simulator.
"Very astute, Ryan. But it wasn't made by the Garrison."
James got out of his simulator. He waited for the others before walking to the control room. Officer Williams was by the door before they even exited the simulator area. The overhead light was shining on his glasses so James couldn't read his expression. Despite the Garrison's offer to fix his eyes Adam insisted on keeping his glasses. James' eyes slid over to Rizavi's frames. He didn't get why they'd decline.
"Take a water break. I need a word with James."
The others spared Griffin a look before going through the doors. Adam moved. The light was off his glasses. James inwardly sighed. It was Officer Williams' lecturing look.
"I can't pilot and plan at the same time," James started. "I've tried all the tricks you suggested but -"
"Some skills can't be taught. I know."
A two ton rock weighed in James' stomach. "...Does this mean I can't -" he couldn't even finish the question.
"You're still the squadron leader," Adam calmly intoned. "We just need to rethink this." He pushed his glasses up in thought. "Nadia has quick reflexes but doesn't think everything through. Ryan's skills are unparalleled but he does best following rather than leading. Ina...she has a brilliant mind but her focus strays to the wrong details." He shook his head. "If she could only stay on course..."
"Then that's where I come in." James felt a smile tug on his lips. "I'll guide her where to look."
Adam slowly nodded. "It's worth a try."
"...Officer Williams?" James felt like a kid again for asking but he needed to know the answer. He was an only child from an average working class family. They had no pilots in their family. Everything about him was average except for his grades. "Why do you keep doing this?" Pause. "It would be easier to find another leader."
Adam was quiet for a while.
"You're right. There are other candidates better suited."
Grif felt his shoulders drop just a little but he was grateful for his mentor's frankness. Officer Williams didn't put up with BS and he didn't give them BS. It was one of the things James appreciated about him. He saw Officer Williams step closer. James fixed his posture. Steeled his nerves for whatever was next.
"But pilots like you offer something that not everyone can."
James frowned. "Like what?"
Adam's eyes grew distant. It happened from time to time without him realizing it, James suspected. "Security," Adam quietly murmured. "A sense of belonging." His eyes refocused. "You glue your team together." He put his hands inside his pockets. "Many people don't realize how important that is in squadrons."
James' eyes lowered. "...And in partner flights." His eyes suddenly widened when he realized he said that out loud. "Uh, sorry sir. I only meant -"
"Don't be. It's true." Adam turned around before James could see his face. "Let's get going. You'll be running another set of drills before dinner."
James sighed. "Great."
"What was that?"
"Yes sir," Griffin quickly replied. "Excellent plan."
Adam glanced over his shoulder. "Smartass."
James lightly grinned behind his back.
"I learned from the best, sir."
James found Shiro on the couch in the Atlas.
There were blankets and several cups of hot cocoa on the low table. He didn't think much of it at the moment though. He stepped up quietly as Shiro read something on a tablet.
"Uh, Shirogane sir?"
"Griffin," Shiro put down his tablet and stood up.
"I don't know how to ask this," James' eyes darted behind him but he couldn't see anyone. "But Hunk suggested -Well."
James' eyes widened as he was pulled into an embrace.
"Veronica told me," Shiro quietly said.
He ducked his face in Shiro's shoulder. "...I don't want to talk about it."
"We don't have to." Later they might, but not right now. Shiro lifted his head to see someone duck back behind the doorway. "The rest of you guys can come in."
Slowly, Ina came out. Then Nadia dragging Ryan. Kinkade was quick to shrug Riz's hand from his sleeve. Hunk stayed behind and watched them approach. They sat on the couch and drank the hot drinks.
Space Dad time always seems to work.
SH
SH
SH
AN: People probably hate me right now. But I ended it kind of uplifting? I totally headcanon Shiro adopting the MFEs. But let's be honest, at this point he's the Universe's Space Dad.
I'm really having to narrow down what to write with the last season coming up. 0_0 I think I'll only have time to do one chapter before the new season comes out. I plan for it to quick and just hitting pivotal moments. Maybe later I'll do like bonus chapters or one shots but for now, gotta keep my eyes on that deadline.
...Why does this sound like homework? XD
Lolol. Watch season eight come out and debunks all of my guesses about the MFEs. XD I'm totally expecting it. Oh well. It is what it is.
Random question: I think I have this labelled as K+. With all the heavy angst do I need to bump this up to T? But the show's pretty dark too so...*shrugs*
