**I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender (duh)

CHAPTER 25: COLONY

Into the second year of their journey, Keith continued to focus more on his training.

Krolia was a great teacher. Apparently, she'd been in charge of training new Blade recruits before she'd gone undercover to spy on Ranveig. With her tutelage, his footwork, the strength of his swings, his speed, his anticipation skills, and overall sword technique improved immensely.

It also helped that he hit an unexpected growth spurt, one that would've gone unnoticed by him if Krolia hadn't mentioned it. He was several inches taller, no doubt bigger than Lance now, and he had broader shoulders and more muscle on his once scrawny limbs. If he had a mirror to look into, he wondered if he'd look more like his dad now.

Along with his physical change, his attitude had mellowed out. Maybe living on the back of the cosmic whale for so long was to thank for that – it was quiet and much more peaceful than living cooped up in the sterile Castle or dreary Blade of Marmora base. He'd always enjoyed the outdoors, after all. It almost felt like he was on some sort of camping vacation, temporarily free from the chaotic drive and responsibilities that accompanied paladin and Blade work. He finally had time to think and bond with the mother who had been missing from his life. He finally had time to just breathe and be himself without judgment.

His head felt clearer and his heart felt steadier than they ever had before. He was calmer and more balanced, no longer filled with an angsty dread and emptiness. He wasn't a weak and uncertain kid anymore, and he could feel it.

But Keith wasn't the only one who had grown significantly. The wolf was huge, no longer friendly-dog-sized. He was now the size of a wolf from Earth, and he still seemed to gradually keep growing. How big he would get was unknown, and Keith could only hope he wouldn't get crushed one day when the wolf pounced on him in excited greeting.

The last vision Keith experienced from the burst of Quantum Abyss time-light brought him back to his fight with Shiro. It had been ages since he'd had a vision of the future, let alone this one. But at least this time, he knew (more or less) what to expect.

He'd decided that if he couldn't avoid the scenario altogether, then he would just have to work to change the outcome. His fear of that glowing blade cutting into his neck like butter was what made him get up and dive right into training each morning for the last two years. He was fairly certain he'd physically stand a chance against Shiro in a fight now. He would just have to ignore and deny whatever future Shiro said to him to make him lose hope.

The scenery of the vision was strangely and unnervingly solid this time, although the sound was still a garbled mess in Keith's ears. Shiro had him pinned once again, threatening to slit his throat, and Keith's arms shook as he struggled to push back against the energy blade with his dagger.

"Shiro…please."

" – go, Keith."

"You don't have to fight anymore."

" – already gone – saw to it myself."

Keith was losing his strength again. The sword was inches from cutting into him. But unlike last time, death didn't come for him. He was still holding his own against Shiro, still able to stop him from finishing him. But it was only a matter of time before he exhausted himself. The blade was so close to his face now, he could feel its intense heat start to burn his skin.

Keith wanted to scream in frustration, helpless as his future self was seconds from death. He'd thought he'd been so ready to prevent this moment and change the future that had yet to be set in stone. But maybe it really was impossible. Maybe he was only delaying the inevitable. Maybe he was just meant to die here at Shiro's hand.

…No! No, he would fight this! He had to. He wouldn't let himself die. He couldn't give up. He had promises to keep. He would save himself and he would save Shiro. They would both come out of this alive. They would fix this and make things right!

Suddenly, his future self shouted, startling Keith. He waited for the suffocating sensation of the energy blade cutting into him to come, but it never did. There was a flash of blue light and Keith felt his arm moving swiftly upward. But before he could figure out what his future self was doing, the vision faded to white and he was brought back to the present.

He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the solid landscape of the cosmic whale around him. He was still standing next to the wolf outside the cave, waiting for Krolia to return from hunting. The wolf nuzzled his snout into his hand, and Keith reassuringly pet his head.

He'd been able to fight back. He hadn't died this time. At least, that's what it seemed like, he concluded, his hammering heartbeat already starting to steady. Whatever the future had in store for him, he would live through it.

"Keith, I think we've made it."

Keith straightened, turning to where Krolia was looking on the horizon. The cosmic whale was entering the black mass that was the center of the Quantum Abyss, bringing them with it. He'd known for a few days that they were on the cusp of reaching their destination. But now that the awaited moment was finally here, it almost felt surreal.

"It's been two years," he said, almost in disbelief. But with it came a sense of relief. "We can finally finish our mission."

The mass gave way to a sparkling array of blue lights that swirled past them, each emanating from a light in the distance. The whale flew further and further towards it until they were swallowed by a blinding whiteness. When it faded and their vision cleared, they were streaming down some sort of cosmic tunnel, a million stars zipping past them at unfathomable speeds and becoming glowing streaks of blue and white in the sky. Then as soon as they had entered, they emerged on the other side into a hidden area of space. A rusty red orb with churning clouds floating over its surface sat in their path.

"Look, a planet," Keith pointed it out to Krolia, and her eyes narrowed at it in suspicion. She scanned the unidentified territory and her gauntlet screens chirped.

"I'm picking up some readings similar to those of the quintessence Ranveig found," she relayed.

The cosmic whale descended into the planet's atmosphere and landed on a stretch of empty land next to a set of mountains. Its back trembled beneath their feet as it let out a breath, relieved to be taking a much needed rest after traveling for so long without stopping.

He knew the creature probably couldn't feel it, but Keith gave the ground an appreciative pat nonetheless. "Thank you," he murmured. "For everything."

Helmet and mask on, Krolia, him, and the wolf disembarked the cosmic whale and ventured out into the unknown. They climbed over dusty and jagged rocks and gnarled vines and trees, dutifully following the quintessence signature. Finally, they came upon a massive, domed building of Galran design. Their little group stopped, guards up as they took in the remote facility.

"This is the source of the readings," Krolia said, her scanners chirping like crazy now. "Let's go check it out."

It was easy sneaking inside. Much too easy. There weren't any sort of security measures outside – no sentries, no flesh-and-blood Galra soldiers, not even a single drone or camera. The only thing blocking them from making a quick entrance were the massive metal doors, locked tight and only openable with a specific signal code. Whoever had built this place and was managing it had full confidence that it would be a secret, never to be reached by an outsider who was reckless enough to venture into the treacherous Quantum Abyss.

They'd been too cocky.

Locating the ventilation hatch above the entrance, they crawled through and busted their way inside. They dropped down to the floor, now on the other side of the main door. Keith led the way as they journeyed deeper into the facility, on high alert in case an enemy suddenly popped out of nowhere. But the halls were strangely empty and unguarded without a single soul in sight.

"I'm detecting several biorhythms through this door," Krolia whispered, bringing them to a halt in front of it. Her hand hovered over the keypad, preparing to open it. "Get ready."

Keith grabbed his knife and crouched out of firing range. The wolf tensed behind him, set to pounce on whatever foe may be awaiting them.

Krolia pressed his hand against the keypad and it chirped. The door glowed and hissed as it slid open, and they cautiously peeked inside. To their surprise, a thriving landscape greeted them. A field of green grass and pink flowers led to a lush forest. Birds chirped as they flitted from branch to branch before taking to the blue skies, soaring amongst the fluffy white clouds. There was a whole world hidden here, a little slice of serene paradise tucked away in the center of the Quantum Abyss.

"What is this place?" Keith asked, hesitantly stepping onto the grass. The wolf padded around him, curiously sniffing at one of the flowers before sneezing.

"I don't know. I've never seen a base like this before," Krolia admitted, frowning as she watched a flock of birds glide overhead. Then glancing at her screens again, she continued, "The quintessence readings are stronger than ever here."

"Let's keep going," Keith prompted.

They made their way across the field and entered the forest. The trek was quiet and cautious as they walked through the trees, their eyes peeled and constantly scanning their surroundings. The canopy was thick above their heads, providing coverage in case there were cameras or enemies in the sky. Save for the twittering of birds and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze, there wasn't another sound to be heard.

Then, Keith picked up the humming. He inhaled sharply and stopped in his tracks, whispering, "Wait, I hear something."

Their party was brought to a sudden halt, holding their breaths as they listened for the sound. It was high and soft and so faint, Keith almost thought he could be imagining it. But the wolf's ears twitched, confirming that there was indeed a noise, and he turned his head to their left, pointing towards it. Krolia and Keith exchanged a knowing look, their guards shooting up. Then they followed the wolf as he led the way to the source of the humming.

It grew louder and louder with each passing second, and it was quickly accompanied by the gentle trickling of water. They kept their steps as light and stealthy as possible as they crept from tree to tree, pausing every so often to warily peek around the trunks. Finally, the trees thinned, giving way to a stream where a young woman was crouched on the bank and washing a basket of clothes.

Suddenly, the wolf took a hesitant step forward, snapping a twig underfoot. The woman's pointed ears twitched and she stiffened, her humming abruptly ceasing. She turned on her heel, revealing a set of triangular teal markings beneath her widening purple eyes.

Keith stared at her in shock. "An Altean…" he murmured, almost unable to believe what he was seeing.

How was this possible? Altea had been destroyed millennia ago. Allura and Coran were the last survivors. Or at least, they were supposed to be. Just what exactly was this place? What was going on here?

The wolf took another step towards the Altean, making her yelp at the sight of it. She lost her balance, falling onto her butt and knocking over her basket as she tried to crawl away.

"Wait!" Keith emerged from the trees, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. "We're not here to hurt you."

The woman froze, her eyes narrowed and her shoulders tense. She made no further attempt to flee though, regarding them suspiciously.

"Keith, her quintessence signature…it's similar to the quintessence we've been tracking," Krolia said, frowning at the data on her displays.

"What?" Keith took a look at the readings. Sure enough, the patterns practically matched. So the strange strain of quintessence they'd been tracking this entire time had belonged to an Altean? No wonder they couldn't identify its source.

The woman squinted at Krolia, getting a closer look at her face beneath her helmet visor, before her gaze landed on the symbol on her uniform chestplate.

"You're Galra…" she realized, a fresh wave of fear flashing across her eyes. "Who are you? Did Lotor send you?"

"I'm Keith. This is Krolia," Keith carefully introduced themselves. "Lotor didn't send us. We're with the Blade of Marmora, allies of Voltron."

"Voltron?" She frowned, yet some of the tension left her shoulders. "I thought Voltron was only a child's tale. Has the legendary hero really returned?"

"Yes," Keith said. "Zarkon has been defeated. Lotor has taken the throne. Voltron and the Galra Empire are working together now."

"No! No, you can't!" she exclaimed, her brow pinched with a frightened anger. "Lotor is a bad man. Please, you cannot trust him!"

She was trembling slightly, desperate and pleading with them. What exactly had Lotor done to her to make her so shaken up? Keith frowned, his suspicion towards the new emperor growing by the second.

"We'll hear you out, we promise," he assured her. "What's your name?"

She hesitated for a moment. "My name is – "

"Romelle!"

She startled at the voice and scrambled to her feet. Keith, Krolia, and the wolf instinctively moved to hide behind the trees again, concealing their presences just as another Altean woman marched towards Romelle.

"Luka…" she murmured flatly.

Luka's eyes were bright with irritation as she scowled at her. "I heard voices. Who were you talking to?" she demanded. Her attention landed on the tipped-over basket and the damp clothes strewn along the bank. "And what are you doing out here? We have machines to wash these for a reason."

"I was talking to myself," Romelle lied. Before Luka could press her anymore on the topic, she quickly added, "And I like washing in the stream. The water is purer here, and I like the solitude. It's peaceful. It helps me think."

Luka tsked. "Don't give me that. The last thing we need is for your overactive mind to wander." When Romelle didn't respond, she rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, continuing, "Ever since Bandor left for the sister colony, you've been isolating yourself from the rest of us. I'm starting to think it's driving you mad. …You should be happy for him and your parents, not selfishly sulking out here. I would give anything to be chosen."

Rage and sorrow twisted Romelle's features. Her hands curled into fists and she blinked back tears. "What do you want, Luka?" she ground out, doing her best to glower at her.

"Merla asked me to invite you to the council meeting," she replied, unfazed by her anger. "She thinks the social interaction will liven your spirits."

"I don't want to go."

"How can you be so childish and ungrateful?" Luka snapped, indignant. "Those meetings are for our wisest and most devoted leaders. You shouldn't even be allowed to go."

"Why do you care? It's not like you actually want me there," Romelle fired back, growing just as exasperated. "Just go to your silly meeting and leave me alone."

Luka glared at her for a long minute, her gaze full of disdain. "Fine. If you're being like this, then don't come," she huffed, already turning to leave. "I swear, Merla and Tavo are wasting their time worrying about you."

Keith and Krolia waited until they could no longer hear her footsteps and she was well out of sight before they emerged from the shadows. Romelle continued to frown where Luka had disappeared. Then she let out a heavy sigh and knelt to collect her clothes, now dirty with mud and grit. Keith tentatively bent down to help her and she granted him a tight smile.

"So there are more Alteans here," he concluded, and she nodded.

"Yes. Many, many more."

When all her garments had been retrieved, she scooped the basket into her arms and moved away from the stream to a more secluded section of the woods. She sat on a large rock and set her things on the grass next to her before folding her hands in her lap.

"My name is Romelle…as you've already heard," she began slowly. "Thousands of Alteans live here with me. Our colony has existed since the war with Zarkon began."

"How is that possible?" Keith asked. They'd all thought for sure Allura and Coran were the last of their kind.

"Lotor saved the Altean people. There were many off-world on trading expeditions when Altea was destroyed," she explained. "They were forced into hiding for decaphoebs until Lotor tracked them down. He hid them on this remote planet, protected from the outside by the Quantum Abyss. Lotor became their savior, worshiping him like some sort of god." She shifted on her makeshift seat, tensing as she glared at the forest floor. "But he is anything but those things. He is nothing but a deceiver."

Hatred roiled off her person, but a helpless light shone in her eyes. It was an oddly familiar sight, and it prompted Keith to crouch down next to her so they were on an equal level.

"What did he do, Romelle?" he gently asked.

She took a deep breath to steel herself. "Decaphoebs ago, well before I was born, Lotor said he was creating another colony, one far from our own," she continued. "He said it was in order to increase our odds of survival. He claimed he needed to determine which Alteans would be suitable candidates and able to survive the harrowing journey. He tested everyone, taking only a select few in a cargo ship to the second colony. Being chosen by him to go became the highest honor for my people."

"Do you know what he was testing for?" Krolia inquired.

"I don't know," she admitted, and there was no missing the bitterness in her tone. "We are not allowed to communicate with the second colony for fear of compromising the other's location. I've always thought it was a strange rule. So many families are separated, yet Lotor refuses to let us speak with one another. But no one except me seems to ever question any of his actions. They are all too devoted to their so-called 'god.'"

"Is your family on that second colony?" Keith asked.

"Yes. My mother, my father, so many of my dear friends…and recently, my brother, Bandor, was taken," she affirmed. "But…he managed to escape and returned on his own."

"Escape?" Keith repeated, the knot of dread growing in his stomach. "What do you mean?"

"He gave me a communicator he made before he left." Romelle rummaged in her pockets before producing a small device to show them. "It never worked when I tried to contact him and my parents. But one night, I received a call from him. He sounded so weak and frail…He told me to meet him in the forest. When I went, I found him in a transport that had crashed through the colony dome. He looked…horrible. So thin and deathly pale and dried up, like the life had been sucked out of him. He couldn't move. He could hardly speak. He told me Lotor had been lying about the second colony. And then he…he died in my arms."

She paused, letting out a shaky sigh as the tears welled. "I wish I could've taken him home with me. I couldn't even give him a proper burial. Lotor was too quick to track him and I had to flee before I was discovered," she croaked, pressing her trembling palms to her pooling eyes. "When I returned to the crash site the next day, there was nothing there. He got rid of the wreckage and had patched the hole in the sky. I have no evidence against him. No one would believe me without it. And I'm afraid if I say something, Lotor will send someone after me. My brother is dead and I – I can't go to anyone about this. I can't do anything about it."

She sobbed, the weight of her secret and her bottled-up grief getting the better of her now that she had finally shared her story with someone. The wolf gingerly nuzzled his head against her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. Romelle gasped and swallowed in shock at the touch. She granted him a grateful pet on the head before scrubbing her tear-stained cheeks.

Keith's heart admittedly ached for her. She was so frustrated and lost without her family, stuck in a place she felt she no longer belonged. That loneliness, that sense of helplessness that made you feel like you were on the verge of drowning…He understood how she felt. Very much.

"You're not alone anymore," he finally decided, standing at his full height once more. "We'll help you, Romelle."

She sniffled, her eyes puffy and red around the edges as she looked at him. "You will?" she asked. "Why? You don't even know me."

"I know. But sometimes…we all need a hand." He held out his for her to take, and Krolia smiled at him proudly, knowingly. The heat rose to his cheeks beneath her gaze, somewhat embarrassed, but he didn't retract his offer.

Romelle blinked at him in surprise, the sadness swirling behind her eyes giving way to a newfound hope and determination. A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips and she took his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. With a new ally on their side, Krolia got right down to business.

"We've been trying to track down a strain of pure quintessence that we suspected was linked to Lotor somehow," she said, pulling up the readings on her screens for Romelle to see. "It led us here."

"Are there any storage facilities around here?" Keith asked. "Somewhere Lotor may be hiding it?"

"No. This colony only consists of our houses, shops, and the council hall," Romelle replied, regretfully shooting down that train of thought.

"We need to find that second colony," Krolia determined. "If your brother returned on the brink of death to warn you, Lotor is hiding something dangerous there."

"Romelle? Romelle, where are you?"

Romelle jumped and Keith and Krolia went rigid at the sound of the new voice. It wasn't Luka again. It sounded like another woman, and she was gradually drawing closer.

"That's Merla. We need to leave this place, we can't let her find you," Romelle whispered, worry etched into her features. She plucked up her basket and swiftly began to hurry upstream away from the nearing Altean, gesturing for the two intruders and their wolf to follow her. "You can hide in my home. I'm the only one who lives there now, it will be safe."

Keith nodded, their little party already moving after her. "Lead the way."

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