Author's Notes - including this upcoming episode, only three left till mid-season. Like I said, I plan to slow down to maybe posting one episode a week at that point. End of episode 10, Dariana asked the Space Marshall about Haggar. There's more behind the scenes that will be leading up to the finale.
Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP.
Episode 11 : Unfolding Revenge
"'Haggar' is a name I was hoping never to hear again," the Space Marshall replied. Dariana could feel the tension building, and knew this was a touchy subject. She still felt the need to press on.
"I am told she was an evil witch," Dariana replied. The Space Marshall looked at her glaringly, then abruptly stood up.
"That, Cadet Kovinx, is an understatement to say the least," she replied. She made her way over to a cabinet in the corner of the room and pulled out a bottle. She poured a drink, leaving the bottle on the top of the cabinet. "She was evil personified." She quickly swallowed the entire glass, then sat down. "She's destroyed civilizations and ruined lives. And all in the service of King Zarkon. No one knows where she came from, but everyone who's lives were forever changed or destroyed by that monster remembers her well, and remembers the day she was destroyed when Voltron launched its final attack on Doom."
"I did some research on my own," Dariana said, trying to shift the toping a bit. "I know during the days when Voltron was outlawed, the force from Arus discovered a substance that countered the power behind Voltron itself. This substance would cause energy spikes, drain power cells inexplicably, and manipulate the minds of living creatures infected with it."
"What is the point you are trying to make, Cadet Kovinx?" the Space Marshall asked, seeming perturbed.
"Voltron's power surges," she replied. "I think the Supremacy may be using robeasts infused with this substance, and it is having an effect on the ships." She took a deep breath. "Ma'am, this may sound strange, but during my blackouts, these effects seemed to be countered." The Space Marshall raised an eyebrow.
"Any idea why or how?" she asked.
"No," Dariana replied. "All I know is it relates to the blackouts. The blackouts come with the dreams, and the dreams keep bringing me back to 'Haggar'."
"You see her in these dreams?" she asked.
"No," Dariana replied. "I hear of her. But what I hear is only good. I have yet to hear anything bad about her in the dream. It's as if she is a symbol of good and light from how she is described in my dream. That's what I can't understand how everything to do with her in this realm is the exact opposite." The Space Marshall stood up slowly and took her glass back to the cabinet. She poured another glass.
"I suggest you get some more rest, Miss Kovinx," the Space Marshall said. "If you have any more dreams, feel free to share. And if you and the team can figure out what this Supremacy splinter cell is trying to do, you have my approval to investigate."
"Thank you, Space Marshall," she replied. "You know I will do my best for the team, this planet, and the entire Galaxy Alliance." She stood up, saluted the Space Marshall, then left her office. The Space Marshall quickly drank the entire glass she was holding.
Lotor sat in his throne room, brooding as usual. His latest defeat made his blood boil. Part of him knew something bigger was happening out there, but his rage masked any sign of it. It was when he heard a knock on the door that his temper flared.
"I don't wish to be disturbed!" he screamed, throwing the chalice at the door, the remaining red liquid spilling to the floor. Wade and Kala entered the room.
"With a temper like yours, your majesty, it's a wonder you're able to get in an intelligent thought," Wade said, pressing his luck. Kala stood her ground, not only fearless, but quite aware of what Wade was planning.
"Aside from insults, Sky Marshall," Lotor scowled, "why are you here?"
"In light of your recent defeat at the hands of the Voltron Force, I felt it was only fair to have a meeting about strategy."
"It was strategy that handed us defeat on the Miran border!" he screeched.
"It was a mediocre robeast against an entire Terran fleet," Wade replied. "I have something bigger in mind."
"And what would that be?" he asked.
"The Emperor has been after Quantus for some time due to its supply of lazon," Wade replied. "They have had bad luck trying to secure its capture due to the efforts of the Voltron Force."
"This doesn't make me feel any better, you know," Lotor said through gritted teeth.
"Their error comes from relying heavily on ships and not enough on ground troops," Wade replied.
"So you are suggesting a ground army?" Lotor asked. "My troops are highly skilled, but are thinning in numbers."
"That is where we come in," Wade replied. "With the help of Maahox, we can put together a robot army capable of taking the grounds before the Voltron Force could even bat an eyelash. The problem is I need several things to make that happen."
"What things?" Lotor asked suspiciously.
"I need to locate the Void," he replied. "I am one of the few people who know a way to track it. I need to collect my surplus of robots that were stored there shortly before my exile."
"Is that all?" Lotor asked.
"I do need one more thing," he replied. "But that is in the hands of the Space Marshall. It will take a lot more planning to get that."
"With your permission, your majesty," Kala said, "we can launch a small portion of your fleet and seek out the Void, or what remains of it, and retrieve what we need."
"Of course," Lotor replied. "But take Maahox with you. He may be more useful to you than his is to me."
"Excellent," Wade replied. He and Kala left the room.
"Are you sure you will be able to find the Void?" Kala asked him. Wade smiled.
"Kala," he replied, "the half I need isn't hidden from our view."
Dariana walked into the dorm room and crashed onto the bed. Roxy and Tails came over to her.
"What's wrong, D?" Tails asked. "You look exhausted."
"I'm fine," she replied. "I've just been thinking a lot about my dream."
"Where were you anyway?" Roxy asked. "You left here really early this morning. It wasn't your turn for the perimeter scan either."
"I went to speak to the Space Marshall about my dream," she replied. "I asked her about Haggar. The name alone made her cringe in fear. I could feel her tense up. She had the same reaction you did….of this evil, terrifying nightmare of a creature. Nothing as described in my dream. I don't understand it."
"What else did she say?" Roxy asked.
"She pretty much acknowledged the information I found about the substance that causes the mayhem to happen with Voltron. They call it 'haggarium'. It's highly unstable, and no one but the Supremacy knows where it comes from. We may find the answers we seek if we can find the source of this 'haggarium'."
"Are there any leads?" Roxy asked.
"No," Dariana replied. "But we do have my dream. In the dream, the men were supposed to meet on Ariel for the construction of the weapon. Perhaps we can find some answers on Ariel. Maybe even the weapon itself. I just hope we're not too late."
"I'll grab JC and Seth, and we'll head there now!" Tails shouted.
"Wait a second," Roxy said. "JC doesn't need to be told every detail of our lives. We can do this ourselves."
"We do have clearance to launch," Dariana said.
"Then let's get moving, team!" Roxy shouted, and the three ran out the door.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Tails asked Roxy over the com. "What if we need Voltron?"
"It'll be ok," Roxy replied. "We have the Lion Riders there. And there's nothing on Ariel we can't handle."
"I would have felt safer if Seth were with us," Dariana said softly.
"But he's a man," Roxy replied. "Just like JC. Can't trust them to do anything right."
"Seth is from Ariel," Dariana said. "He would know more than any of us what to expect." Roxy went silent. They approached Ariel and landed near the corrite mines.
"This feel right to you, Dar?" Tails asked.
"Um," she replied, "if I were to build an indestructible war machine, corrite would be the substance I would use."
"And if I were gonna run off to Ariel without telling the rest of my team," JC said behind Roxy in her ear, "I would have made it a bit less conspicuous." Roxy turned to punch him in the face, but JC was able to back off as she swung through the air. She shot him a dirty look."
"Oh, hey guys!" Tails said with a cheesy grin.
"How did you know we left for Ariel?" Roxy asked angrily.
"Aside from the boom we heard from the jets taking off, and the sight of three colored ships zooming off into the sky?" JC asked. "Dead giveaway."
"Whatever," Roxy said, folding her arms and turning away from JC. "So, Kovinx, you getting anything?"
"I'm not a seer, Roxy," she replied. "I don't know. I can only deduce that…"
"I know we're on the right track," Seth said.
"How do YOU know?" Roxy asked.
"Because we're surrounded!" Seth replied. Roxy looked, and sure enough, a small squad of Drules had them completely surrounded.
"We aren't just gonna let them take us, are we?" Roxy muttered.
"Truvall," JC replied, "you should know me better by now." He whistled, and the Lion Riders surrounded and attacked the Drules. JC pulled out his katanas and ran into the fray.
"I knew there was a reason I kept your useless butt around," she replied quietly as she drew her pistols and began firing. Seth fired crossbow shots, and Tails began taking them out with her throwing axes. Dariana's eyes turned white again, and she ran ahead, the charger handles forming. She began striking them one by one in quick succession, keeping up with JC. Once the last of them were taken care of, Dariana's eyes returned to normal, and she almost fell over. JC caught her.
"The enemy will be here within the hour!" a man shouted. "They may try and stop us!"
"The defense systems are in place," the second man replied. "If the enemy tries to land here on Ariel, and they trip the security alarms, the missile will launch and annihilate everything on the planet, and take our enemies with it!"
"What about the project?" the first asked.
"Others will continue our work," he replied. "Just make sure the girl is safe. Have you spoken to Haggar?"
"She has not yet arrived," said the other man. "I told you before, Haggar will not allow the girl to be harmed. But I will do what I must to protect the light."
"Are you alright?" JC asked.
"No," she replied. "Look!" He turned his head, and the rest followed. The mountain opened up, and a gigantic missile launched from it into the sky and into space.
"What the hell just happened?" Roxy asked.
"A defense mechanism," Dariana replied weakly. "We have to stop it."
"Hurry and get to the ships!" JC shouted. He helped Dariana into Yellow, and everyone else boarded their ships and took off.
"It's way too big!" Seth said.
"That's what SHE said!" Tails replied. Roxy groaned.
"Everyone in formation," JC shouted. "Ready to form Voltron. Activate Interlocks! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Megathrusters are go!"
"Let's go Voltron Force!" they shouted. The ships flew in wing formation, then as the field took hold, switched to star formation.
"Form feet and legs!" JC shouted. "Form arms and torso! And I'll form the head!" Voltron arched back as the energy field exploded, and its eyes lit up with power.
"JC," Dariana shouted, "we can't destroy the missile. Not here, and not by normal means. If we do, we and all the people below will be either affected by the nuclear blast or irradiated."
"Then we need to take it where it won't harm anyone," JC replied. "Let's redirect it towards the sun!" JC pulled the yokes, and Voltron flew at the missile.
"Shield integrity is unstable," Seth said. "I'm transferring power to compensate, but we need to keep pouring on the speed."
"Grab it!" JC shouted. Voltron grabbed the missile and was able to slow it.
"Come on, Tails," Roxy shouted, "let's send this thing sailing!"
"Aye aye, Cap'n!" Tails replied in her best pirate voice. Voltron used its boosters to help redirect the missile's course.
"Now we just need to give it a push," JC shouted. Voltron let it go, then tracking a running start, flew at it at full speed and smashed into it, sending it sailing faster towards the sun. As it got caught in the gravitational pull of the sun, it was drawn in, and exploded. Voltron hovered far enough away to see it spark and disintegrate.
"Everyone ok?" JC asked.
"We're all fine," Dariana replied. She knew of all of them, she was the one being asked.
"Then let's get home," JC replied. "I haven't even eaten at all today!"
"Next time stay home!" Roxy shouted back.
"Seth," Dariana said, "I'm afraid."
"This is a disorganized mess!" Kala said, looking through a room filled with deactivated Wade-Bots. "What do you intend to do with this?"
"With the right control," Wade replied, "Take Quantus. And more importantly, if we can reactivate the link-up, I may be able to remotely access my personal guard. Imagine the look on the faces of the Garrison High Council when they see my face…and I'm in control again." An evil grin appeared on his face. Kala could read the thought….I will not only take back my control, I will humiliate her, and hand her a fate worse than death.