Hope everyone's enjoying the story so far...
Chapter Eight
Allura surveyed the destruction sustained by the town and preceded to the medical camp. The glow of the sinking afternoon sun drew muted pinks and deep indigos in the sky. She approached the survivors on portable beds, or seated on chairs. She stopped to lend a calming presence to a child sitting alone on a medical bed.
When a nurse finally returned to tend the wounds of the child, Allura stayed with the girl. She only left the child's side when Allura saw her drifting to deep sleep. With a parting smile, she continued going from bed to bed, conversing with her people, asking gently if they were staying with an injured member or if they were seeking a place for the night; they were indebted to their princess's efforts and the Voltron team. She offered those homeless to go to the awaiting Castle transport vehicles so they can spend a night at one of the Castle's converted auxiliary hangar bays.
An hour later, the nurses activated the portable heat lamps in different areas of the medical camp for the survivors once the temperatures started dropping to a cooler evening. Her heart went out to the families who had recently lost loved ones during this brief incursion of Lotor's forces. She clenched her fist in frustration. She began turning options in her mind as she contemplated measures she can likely adopt to defeat Lotor, since it seemed terminating him only led someone to re-animate him in the end.
Feeling frustrated at the turn of events befalling her people, she decided a stroll would help her calm down. She left the medical camp and was on her way out of the area. She was greeted by one of the Castle's medical staff returning from their short break to relieve the doctors and nurses on the ground. The camp was set up to attend the less injured citizens, preventing congestion at the hospital with peripheral cases. The princess trudged slowly along the road, surveying the broken buildings under the flood lights.
Hunk had rolled in with several heavy machinery into town from the castle to help clear the street littered with debris. He had delegated the cleanup work to the three cadets who manned respectively each heavy load vehicle.
At the next corner, Allura saw Red and Black lions on hover mode. Keith and Lance would coordinate with Chief Andros and his officers on the ground. The pilots were using the lions' sensors to sweep for other survivors trapped inside buildings. The constabulary officers clambered into their landspeeders following Red Lion to check the rest of the town while the other group followed Black Lion, heading to the opposite side of the town. Ahead to her left at one of the remaining intact drone storage units, was Pidge. He was salvaging any working onboard drone control board to examine the wayward program.
Allura found herself heading to the park, picking her way through carefully since the ground had been dissected by blaster rays; pieces of the statues had littered the ground too. She looked back at the scene on the street and felt the abject horror of what her people were going through again. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she failed to stop the snaking arm around her neck, followed by a stinging pain coming from her back.
The moon was shining high as the rescue operations changed to the Charlie shift, and the emergency crews relieved the wearied on-site Beta teams. The rescue efforts would continue through the night and will mostly like extend to the next day or until every person was found.
It was already past midnight when Red Lion made its way back to the direction of the castle just as the Yellow Lion was flying out toward town.
"You lost a bet?" Lance said through the comm and gave his friend a wave from the cockpit window as they passed by each other.
"Yeah, Pidge got me good at the Defenders Game," Hunk waved back. "Pulling double duty?" He also noticed his friend's cracked voice over the comm. Lance sounded exhausted.
"Didn't realize it until Red here roared a friendly reminder to me," Lance replied, not bothering to hide another yawn.
"Who is it this time?" Hunk good-naturedly teased his tired friend. He knew Lance's flirtatious streak.
The Red Lion's pilot chuckled over the comm. "We all just practically had a day in Arus, which was rudely disturbed by the Drules and Wade's 'I-Want' demands so I can have an off-day."
"Uh-huh," Hunk said, not believing a word, "Don't tell me you want a re-match so I can find out her name." He laughed, recalling the incident where he 'defeated' Lance at the gym ring not so long ago.
Lance burst out laughing too. "One round with you on the mat was enough. Good thing Keith wasn't there to see my glaring defeat at the GA Flight Academy."
"It was all for a good cause and for the kids," Hunk reminded Lance as he adjusted his lion's thrusters.
"I'm coming clean, big guy. No one today. All mind in the job. Ask me tomorrow," Lance joked while he transmitted the latest statistics of the medical camp and status of the rescue efforts for Hunk's reference.
Inside his cockpit, Hunk typed a short message to Pidge telling his friend he lost his friendly bet, and in a few seconds Hunk received a digital copy of an unreleased track from his favorite group, Stereolactic. Storing the file to his personal folder, he said "Glad the cadets and I have managed to get the roads cleared quickly this afternoon."
"You think we'll get the emergency efforts done by tomorrow?" Lance asked.
"I believe we can." Hunk looked out from his cockpit window and saw the flood lights on cranes, lighting the demolished buildings. "Yellow, out."
"Roger that, Hunk." Lance replied, automatically falling into the archaic form of answering communication calls.
Silence soon descended inside the Red lion's cockpit and in Lance's mind, he could hear his lion roaring again.
"Easy there, friend. We're almost home." He unconsciously patted the side of his console. Over the years, Coran had finally relented and gave permission to the current lion pilots to read the journals of the previous Voltron pilots that he had managed to safeguard throughout the Zarkonian Wars.
Apparently, the mystical side of the individual lions would eventually permit some sort of neural connection with their respective pilots and right now, Lance heard his metal friend's tiredness. Lance sat back, listening to the soft hum of the cockpit controls and reached inside his flight jacket. He took out a well-preserved leather-bound journal.
There was a large "V" emblazoned on the journal's face which Lance could still feel the power emanating from the battered letter. His gaze traveled along the edges, and he ran a finger on the alien symbols embossed across. Set under the "V" inside a sun shape, was a faded monogram "RC" sitting between twin volcano peaks.
Former Commander Ordrel "Runner" Crall from the Ioron sector was the Red Lion's pilot from 60 years ago. Lance had tried looking up the planet, but all of that now was space dust. He wasn't sure if the commander's home planet had met a cataclysmic extinction event those years ago because he couldn't find any footnote about the planet. He shuddered at the dark thought. There had been a time in Earth's history; it came close for his own planet to disappear off the Sol System.
Lance couldn't deny his own fascination with the old commander. He imagined if the man was like him—roguish good-looking and a sharp marksman, yet he would like to think all of the previous Red pilots had been. He flipped a very tan page. He knew Coran would have his hide for taking the journal out from castle's walls, but reading the journal takes off some boring sentry duties once in a while. Unfortunately, Runner wrote only a few pages. In fact, he only recorded two experiences around the mind link with Red. Lance managed to decipher them while not getting cross-eyed, and yet for all the time Lance had spent flying Red, he wondered if Runner's experiences back then was a result of his own alien difference. Lance guessed Runner would have been at least humanoid in physiology, because if he were as wide as Manset, he would have seen changes made in the command seat. As far as Lance could tell, there were none. Unfortunately, there weren't any other Red journals Coran had managed to save for comparison.
However, anything about Voltron's ethereal side ran over Lance's head so he just took it all in stride and sat in hope he would one day understand the unlikely integration of science and magic in Voltron's makeup. He checked his lion's energy reserves. "We both need a recharge, all right." He tucked back the journal and maintained cruising speed.
Reaching the castle's great hangar bay, Red flew in gentle ease. Lance powered down the great mechanical beast and soon he sleepily stepped out from the maw of his lion and had the elevator in his welcoming sights when a concerned Keith strode out to meet him halfway.
"Lance, did Allura say she'll be out longer than usual?" His commanding officer asked.
The second-in-command of the Voltron Force stifled a yawn as he swiveled, facing Keith's piercing and worried gaze. "I've been trying to reach her at the comm, but still no answer," Keith added without missing a beat.
"She didn't give me any heads up," Lance replied and was immediately alert. All traces of tiredness had fled his mind as he regarded his friend. Keith normally didn't get too overly concerned about Allura's safety; he knew full well how much all of them helped in teaching the princess many of the defense moves, especially Keith, who had been thorough with his training modules for her. Allura saw the importance of it too since she didn't want to be viewed as the weakest link of team, and they welcomed a gentle if fighting spirit into their ranks.
Lance also knew something else beside deep mutual affection had developed between his two closest friends; whatever it was, he'll have to figure out later. He was heading back to his lion and had disengaged the auto command to stow Red Lion back to its hidden den under one of the Arus's volcanoes for a recharge when Keith stopped him.
"You've been out longer so it's your turn to take a breather," he suggested firmly.
"What was the poll on Wade overriding the drones' systems even after a reset from Castle Control?" Lance asked.
"Pidge suspects Wade used a worm program. Could even be the same technique which led to Voltron's decommission in the first place, and since Allura acquired GA satellites orbiting Arus -"
"Listen," Lance abruptly began, "we were all in the discussion. It wasn't your fault to recommend it to Allura, and I think if Wade didn't go dark side on us, it would have been a wise move for planetary defense." Lance wasn't sure why Keith would lay blame on himself when it was a sound judgment.
"So Pidge's running diagnostics on all five, in case there is a hidden program that will turn those systems against us?" Lance clarified.
Keith nodded. "We'll definitely start reviewing operations proposals and see what security upgrades we can come up for the lions too."
"And here I was already getting use to all of Pidge's recent upgrades," Lance commented mirthfully. "Which, I have to say was a record for me by my standards."
"It had to be done if Pidge found a rogue program in Castle Control," Keith reasoned. "Arus will be defenseless once Voltron goes rogue again."
"Right, and Wade made it clear he wanted to be included in our enemy list too," Lance agreed. "I'll keep the fort." He started toward the elevator.
"I'll radio in once I find the princess," Keith said over his shoulder and headed to one of the castle's auxiliary garage where their smaller ground vehicles were parked.
Taking the driver seat, Keith activated the tracking program, and as expected, nothing came up on his screen. Next, he switched to Blue Lion's location, and the signal came strong; Blue was at the same spot where he had left Allura that afternoon before joining Lance in the rescue operations. He began reviewing his actions starting from the last time he saw Allura at the medical camp.
The compact vehicle hummed its finely tuned engine and zoomed into the night. Keith glanced out the window as the stark Gray Horn Mountain range rose at a distance and stood black as the sky. He turned his attention back on the road and pressed his foot further on the accelerator and the vehicle zipped along the road.
Allura woke up with a thumping headache, but thanks to the bumpy route, it jostled her senses to full wakefulness. She was on the floor of the vehicle, and they were traveling very fast, judging from the zipping shadows through the window. She felt her arms sending tiny needles pricking her skin, which meant the trip had been longer than an hour. It also meant she was well beyond the outskirts of town.
She rolled on her back when the groundspeeder encountered a bump and was surprised to hear a male voice groaning from the farther end of the vehicle. She was about to whisper Keith's name when she stopped herself. She shifted her position with whatever freedom her bounded arms and feet allowed her, and saw the rest of the passengers with her—two men bound and gagged, and neither man from the Voltron Force.
"Anyone starting to wake up before our arrival?" Marsh called over his shoulders from the driver's seat.
Allura jerked at recognizing the voice. She mentally activated her tracking beacon installed in her Voltcomm, and hopefully, the Castle's computer would alert any of the team members to mount a rescue for her. Of course, she knew by now that the team would have been worried since she had not checked back with them since this afternoon.
"I'm sorry I have to do this, Princess, but I can't let you tell your friends this soon." Marsh looked down at her over his shoulder.
"Keith, can you hear me?" Allura pushed the thought through her bond as she saw a glass divider slide up to protect the driver's compartment from the sleeping gas that was descending on her.
Already four hours behind the vehicle carrying the princess, Keith finally saw the blip of Allura's Voltcomm trace going online. It flashed on his screen; he pushed the accelerator as far as he could. He had been steadily cruising along the rugged terrain when the bond stirred too.
Keith caught his breath as he applied the brakes. His mind reeled while simultaneously marveling at the sensation. He couldn't deny he had been out of practice and unprepared to maintain the open bond-link to Allura since his return; the simple thought-brushes he and Allura had shared earlier in the day hadn't prepared him for this intense mental touch. He took a deep breath and let his own meditation techniques guide his concentration.
"Allura, show me," he prodded her gently through the bond. He began seeing her projecting images of gas, two unknown men bound and gagged. Just before Allura's eyes fluttered closed, she sent Keith a final image of Marsh Nevs face back to him.
Keith reached out tentatively through the link; he was relieved to sense she was in no immediate danger. Allura can handle herself with all the extra training skills he had taught her; he wouldn't have to worry too much whenever she found herself separated from the team.
An old memory flashed in Keith's mind. He remembered how Lance once argued with him that all his exercises would turn the princess into the next Xena, warrior princess, but when Allura told them what she wanted to learn, they wisely dropped the topic. Of course, not without asking who was Xena, and giving Keith a death glare. Keith had explained to Allura that Xena was fictional character from an old Earth TV show which Lance liked to watch at the rec room and not an actual princess in distress. Although, he could tell from Lance's smirk that that was what the princess thought. His lips quirked up in a semblance of a small grin. He knew his heart was smiling that day, and no other princess has enraptured his heart like her. He reached beside him to drink from his water bottle. The action was enough for the memory to fade as he concentrated in the present.
He consulted the map; according to the direction the vehicle was heading, it was going to Oliyar Province. Keith resumed his high speed pursuit. He had asked the onboard computer working for possible short-cuts but when the computer found none, he gave Castle Control an update.
Pidge had Vince search other best possible routes for the commander in case the Castle's database had more information than the vehicle Keith was using. The Green Lion pilot's brows lifted as he skimmed through a different file while Vince took care of the routes requests.
"Well, according to the constabulary records, Deputy Marsh Nevs has a very spotless record. He could take you on Keith." He didn't bother playing down the tiny mirth in his tone since he knew Keith had always been stellar officer up until becoming the most wanted man—courtesy of Sky Marshall Wade. "He was honorably discharged after two tours during the Zarkonian Wars when he was mortally wounded. However," Pidge called up for additional information on screen. "There's a supplement note. He's wanted for questioning for the murder of Zanir Gor." The diminutive Baltan shared a glance with Vince, who was equally concerned for the princess. "Do we contact Chief Andros?" Pidge asked.
"I'll contact Chief Andros, but for now, I don't want the constabularyin this until I get the princess out first."
"It's odd. Why would he take the princess to Oliyar?" Vince mused aloud. "Because I don't see anything special there at all." He had been multi-tasking and was going through the province's information stored in the Castle data banks. "They have a few mineral ores, a decent population density like the town near the Castle, and some agriculture resources."
"Transmit everything you have on Nevs and the provincial information, Vince." Keith ended the transmission.
When they had completed their tasks, Pidge set the Castle defense on auto and waved to the young cadet to join him to the castle's kitchens one floor down. "Lance will be waking up soon," he said when they entered the elevator and pressed the button for the kitchens. "So let's grab something to eat and head to the hanger," he suggested. "I'd like to run a diagnostic on all the lions anyway; then we can work on the satellites later." He strode out of the elevator, took an empty satchel out from a shelf, and began filling it with his favorite fruits, energy drinks, and a couple of his favorite Baltan sandwiches.
"Good idea," Vince agreed as he chose also to make a couple of sandwiches for himself. "That battle with Wade's robot lion and the Drule Spider Robeast might have done something else to the lions." They packed their food and headed back to the elevator that would send them down to base of the castle where the primary hangar bay was located.
"Wouldn't it have been easier if he had taken Black?" Vince asked as they approached their destination.
"He could have," Pidge replied as the two young men left the elevator and slowly made their way up to computer consoles set up at one of the cat walks. The Black Lion was parked in front of them.
"Hello, Black!" The Baltan young man reached up in a manner of patting the mechanical beast's side. Even though operating under limited sentience due to the mystic side of Voltron which came to the creation of the lions, it still stupefied the rest of the team. Black gave off a feel that he was watching over the diminutive Baltan and the new cadet, Vince.
"The lions were drained by the Haggarium from the Spider/Lion Robeast. We can't risk draining Black or any of the lions if Lotor decides to make a surprise attack at night."
"Two specials for one; has he done that before?" Vince lowered his bag under his own working console that Pidge appropriated for him to use. He booted his console on and glanced in awe at the lion's schematics. There was beauty that went into the lions' engineering, and Black was no exception. He decided to download the battle recordings for study.
Pidge scrunched up his face whenever he found himself in deep thought. "Yeah, years ago. And Allura never wanted us to be caught flat-footed again." They were soon silent as they became absorbed in checking the lion's systems and busy with their respective musings.