Author's Note: Sorry about the delay in this chapter - I had a short story ("Senior Night") that was dying to get out. Fun story, but it was definitely high-maintenance and demanded every spare moment of my time. Now that's over, and we can get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Thanks to everybody for hanging in there! I've got the best readers.
I only own my own characters, and that's it.
To Cha - Thanks for all your correspondence. Love it!
To bknbu - Did I not tell you to keep that AC on stand-by?
To Craze - Unfortunately, Romelle's not the first partner in her marriage to have an extramarital affair. Refer to SLY for more details, specifically Chapter 28, "Teenage Dream."
To Emie Mac - I've missed you, Love! Good luck with getting the computer working.
To Sally On - I had a feeling you were on vacation. Hope it was fantastic!
To Wade Wells - As you know, two can definitely play at that game. And watch for an important scene in this chapter!
Title Song: "Family Portrait" by P!nk (it doesn't matter how many times I hear this song, it still makes me cry)
The rage that flashed through Lotor's body as he watched the destruction of the first of the robeasts was evident, even without words. Or perhaps especially without words - the Haggarium flashes alone scared Cossack. Wade never flinched. "Where is Maahox! The Voltron Force and its allies are defeating his robeasts yet again!"
In the back of his mind, Cossack remembered his earlier thoughts about the occult scientist, the Predator Robeast, and the separate egos on the ship. This turn of events was hardly surprising.
"Lotor," Wade said warningly, "you need to calm down. There are still two robeasts."
"Yes," Lotor hissed, "and there are three Voltrons, and the Stellar Ship Explorer, and a base camp that's firing on us." He paused his rant, and suddenly he realized that he knew everything about the base camp. After all, he'd been on Crydor once before; back when he thought that former Voltron Force member was going to betray his old teammates. His demeanor changed. "Cossack?"
The general flinched as though he'd been physically struck, "Yes, Sire?"
"I want you to redirect the ship's firepower. Aim for the base camp. I want it destroyed."
Cossack switched on the viewing monitor at full power. Even with the magnifications and clarifications, he could barely see through the static and the blizzard conditions. Wade moved forward to help him out. "If I had my tech sargeant here," he muttered to Cossack, "she would use a computer system to remove everything in the way so that I could get a clear visual of the base camp." He scowled.
"What was that look for, Sky Marshal?" Cossack asked. It was a brilliant idea; he attempted to scan through the computer to see if he could find any system that would do what Wade had just suggested. "I may have something here, just give me a few minutes to download it."
Wade sighed, aggravated. If his old tech sargeant was there - well, technically, she wasn't a tech sargeant at that point, nor was she a lieutenant; she was transitioning to Space Marshal when she was working for him - she would have brought that computer system up in under ten seconds. He supposed that Cossack was the best he could do in the given situation.
Once the program downloaded, they moved any obstacles and static out of the way until they had a clear view of the base camp. The cannons were still firing, though they were firing at the robeasts, not at Lotor's command ship. Cossack pursed his lips. Perfect.
The command ship began to fire all weapons at the base camp. Their firepower was relentless. Merciless. Cossack had only one mission: to destroy it. And he wasn't about to mess it up.
"THE BASE CAMP!" Jeff screamed over the intercom as he watched the camp take hits from Lotor's command ship. "No! Commander, you've gotta cover the base camp - Christiane's in there! We've got the robeasts, you get the base camp."
"On it, Jeff." Hawkins knew how much the tech sargeant meant to his Air Team captain. "All weapons, fire at the command ship. Full power!"
"Son of a..." Aidan's voice trailed off. "Okay, Albegas. We've got two robeasts and two Voltrons. Let them take care of the robeasts. Our mission has shifted - we've gotta help the Explorer take down the command ship."
"You heard my Amigo," Morgan murmured. "Our girl Chris is in there. We've gotta protect the base camp."
"Exactly. Weapons Protocol Beta."
In honor of Taye's and Christiane's red "beta" mecha - and Christiane's skill with a bo and spears - Albegas formed a pointed spear. It wasn't as effective as Weapons Protocol Alpha or Gamma, but it did its job well enough. The robot threw the spear at the command ship, piercing it through its hull. Aidan wasn't sure of how much damage it had done, but if it was even enough to slow their enemies, he would take it.
Watching Albegas with its spear, Allura wondered if Voltron's Titanic Trident was cutting it. "Pidge," she communicated over the open intercom, "do you think Voltron could form my crossbow with Blue Center?"
"Not without Vince, I don't think," Pidge frowned. "Why, do you think the Titanic Trident's not enough?"
"It might not be," she replied honestly.
"It's okay, Allura!" Lance shouted. "Use it like the Blazing Sword! And do it quick, 'cuz Ugly is hot on our tail!"
The robeast with the three sets of teeth lunged towards Voltron. Allura slashed at it with the Titanic Trident, but it hardly slowed the monstrous concoction down. Only when she heard the words "Ray Beam Whip!" out of Jeff's mouth did she notice any slowing on the robeast's part.
Vehicle Voltron had ensnared the robeast with its whip. It didn't last long, but it was just enough time for Lion Voltron to slash it with its Titanic Trident. As the creature began to howl with pain, swinging wildly at both Voltrons, Aidan narrowed his eyes.
"Dude, I'm gettin' tired of this. Weapons Protocol Alpha."
Albegas put its hands together, much like the Voltron did to create the Blazing Sword. Except for the fact that swords were overrated. Christiane had nicknamed the alpha protocol the "Shining Axe."
Watching Albegas with the axe in its hands, Jeff grinned to himself. "Let's not be outdone here, team. Form Blazing Sword!"
As Albegas used its axe to hack up the muddy-brown robeast, the Voltrons tag-teamed the larger robeast. Between the Blazing Sword and the Titanic Trident, it was easy to overpower the three-mouthed monstrosity.
"Sweet!" Rocky bellowed. "We showed those ugly things who's boss!"
"Yeah, but the problem is the command ship," Cinda pointed out. "It's still shooting. Not only at the three of us, at the base camp, too."
The words had no sooner rolled off Cinda's tongue than the explosion went off. The base camp was on fire.
At the first explosion, Sven uttered a string of curses in Norwegian, not even bothering to keep the volume of his voice under his breath. Not that Christiane cared. She was prolific enough at stringing along curses in English, none of which she shied away from using now.
"We've got to get out of here!" Sven yelled, grabbing the seer's arm. "Now!"
"You don't need to tell me twice!"
His slate-blue eyes turning to ice, the Black Ice tech armor surrounded his body. Grabbing Christiane, he extended the tech armor to her just as the second explosion went off, and a chunk of the ceiling caved in on them. It blocked the only exit.
"Out! We've got to get out!" he screamed, flailing his battle axe at the wall to cut them an escape route. "Blast that Lotor. I swear I'm going to kill him and keep him dead someday."
"Um...sure. I don't doubt that." As Sven hacked away at the wall, Christiane gazed at the wall of fire consuming everything in its path, headed straight towards them. "Uh, you think you could hurry up with the emergency exit there, Friend?"
"Got it." He broke through the final layer of stone and pushed against it, making an opening large enough for them to get through. He grabbed Christiane's arm and dragged her into the blizzard.
The scene they entered into was epic. Along with the heavy wet snow falling to the ground, there was a downed pink tentacled robeast, two ugly hacked-up robeasts fighting off three giant robots, the Explorer, and Lotor's command ship, which was still firing at the base camp. Sven would have laughed at the absurdity of it if he weren't concerned about being trampled by either a robot or a robeast. Or shot by Lotor's command ship.
Pidge's quick scan detected two life forms on the ground. "Keith! Allura! I've got a reading on life forms on the ground. Two of them. It's gotta be Sven and Christiane."
"Then let's pick them up," Allura commanded. "Where are they now, Pidge?"
"They're near the base camp. We'd better hurry up and get them, before the base explodes!"
Aidan and Jeff both froze at Pidge's announcement. "Stoker, go get 'em, NOW!" Aidan screeched, better than even Jeff could have done. "Whatever you do, don't let Chris get hurt." He paused. "Oh, and the Viking, too. You should probably get him, too."
Pidge choked down a laugh. "On it, Dalloway."
While Albegas and Vehicle Voltron took over fighting the last of the robeasts, Lion Voltron sprinted towards the base. Even though the blizzard was still raging on, it wasn't difficult to make out the burning base camp in the distance - the dark smoke was vividly striking against the whiteout. The only thing they had to be careful about was not crushing either of the people they were attempting to rescue.
"Hunk, Keith," Allura asked, "do you see anything on the ground?"
"Nope. Nothing here," Hunk answered.
Keith's heart was pounding as he scanned the ground near the fiery base camp. He took little comfort in knowing that Pidge had scanned the two of them on the ground. Until he knew Sven and Christiane were safe - meaning they were rescued and physically aboard Voltron - he wouldn't be able to breathe easy.
"Nothing here, either," he added reluctantly.
Suddenly, in the whiteout, Allura could make out two specks. Though she couldn't tell for sure, in her heart she knew it was Sven with Keith's sister in tow. "Voltron! On one knee! Black and Red, pick up our friends!"
Sven saw the robot kneeling down to pick them up. Teeth clenched together, he pushed Christiane in the direction of Voltron. "Go! Black Lion!" he ordered as his hands left her back. "Now!"
"What about you?" she cried out, her voice barely audible over the screeching in the background. The Explorer had managed to land another successful blow to Lotor's command ship, and the noise of the hull being ripped apart was deafening.
"I'll be right behind you. Now go!"
Blindly, she sprinted towards Black Lion. She vaguely noticed Red Lion reverently being placed on the ground to pick up Sven. She ran with everything in her, headed towards the mouth of Voltron's right leg.
In the background, she could hear another explosion occurring in the base camp. It was clear that Lotor wanted the base levelled. She was lucky that she and Sven had gotten out in time. Even though she'd only known him a short time, she considered Sven to be a hero as well as a friend. She also deemed him worthy of the Space Marshal.
She climbed into Black Lion's mouth. She didn't know where she was headed, or where this might go, but she was ready. Anything was better than being Lotor's captive. And if it meant she would end up in Jeff's arms, then she was willing to go anywhere.
Christiane stood at the threshold of the cockpit, staring at the one person she thought she might never see again and might never have a relationship with: her brother.
He looked small in his pilot's seat. Not that he looked small physically; as a seer, she could sense a person's inner torment, and her brother's inner conflict made him appear small to her, like a child. Her turquoise eyes met his, and before he could open his mouth, her hands were on either side of his face. She dropped her forehead to his, and for a brief moment, she sat and absorbed everything from him. There was no need for words.
Fighting off the tears in her eyes for the time being, she strapped herself into the rear seat of Black Lion's cockpit. Bringing up the computer screen, she began to tap the keyboard, desperately trying to send a message to the other mecha that she was safe, as well as determine that Sven was safe.
As she was doing that, Sven had climbed into Red Lion, seated behind Lance in the cockpit. Without greeting Lance, he sent opened the private communication channel to Black Lion. "Christiane! Are you all right?" he asked frantically as he strapped himself in. "Did you get into Black Lion okay?"
She picked up. "Yeah, Sven, I'm okay. I was about to send a message to all of the mecha that I'm safe." She paused, feeling herself smile before she was aware that she was doing it. "Congratulations, Sven Holgersson. You're part of my family portrait now."
"I'm honored," he replied dryly before he cut the transmission off.
She exhaled with relief, then opened up a full communications channel to the rest of Lion Voltron, Vehicle Voltron, Albegas, and the Explorer. "Teams, this is Tech Sargeant Christiane Kogane of Albegas. I am safely aboard one of the Lion Voltron mecha, so if you'd all like to get off this miserable planet, I am more than happy to oblige."
Keith chimed in after her. "After we destroy these two robeasts, I want everyone to know that I am shutting down all communications to Black Lion." He turned his head towards Christiane and winked. "I need time for a private conversation with my sister."
They heard several disappointed groans in reply, but neither one of them cared. "All right then, let's do this." Keith tilted his head in his sister's direction again. "And then, I think we need to have a conversation that's long overdue."
Christiane nodded in reply.
"Okay, teams, you heard the man," Aidan shouted out. "Let's finish off these ugly things. Rah frickin' rah."
"Hey!" Morgan cried indignantly. "You swiped my catchphrase."
A Shining Axe, a Blazing Sword, and a Titanic Trident brought about the end of the remaining two robeasts. Then, as Jeff attempted to contact the Explorer, he noticed Lotor's command ship retreating with a smoking hole in its hull. "Well, teams," he noted, "it looks like Lotor and company won't be bothering us any time soon."
"Indeed," Allura agreed. "All forces, back to Arus. I think we deserve a little bit of a break. And I do believe there's a celebration in order, too."
"Here's to that," Keith agreed. "I'm looking forward to it. But for now, Black's communications are going offline. I'll talk with you all later." And with those words, he shut down all communication channels to and from Black Lion to have a private conversation with his sister.