KathDMD - Tails is a neverending ball of laughs. Wait till you see what she's got up her sleeve now that she's found her "Pooky Bear". As for Wade, you see him ramping things up. The Space Marshall has what he wants, and he's gonna get it by any means necessary. And I wouldn't worry too much about Lotor...word on the street is he knows more about what's happening than he's letting on.

Author's Note - I had an extremely hard time with this episode. Some things came naturally. Some didn't. I want to be a bit more comfortable with writing this, which is why I said I am slowing down after episode 13. I don't have as much freedom to take liberty as I'd like. With stories I've written in the past, it's never really been an issue. I just hope everyone keeps enjoying the story, even if things become vague.

Disclaimer - Voltron and any related characters are the property of WEP. OCs belong to their respective authors, credit forthcoming.

Episode 12 : Wading Through Chaos

"Commander Stormclaw," Pidge said to him via long range communicator, "Something strange is happening on Arus."

"Strange?" he asked. "What's happening? Has Lotor launched an all out attack? A new weapon?"

"We're not sure," Pidge replied. "There was no haggarium involved. This beast emerged from the catacombs near an old nerve center of the castle. We're not sure what set it off, but we found Drule soldiers nearby. When we searched the area it emerged from we found the following etchings." Pidge switched the screen to show Stormclaw the etchings. He looked closer, and recognized it as a conduit structure. There was some ancient Baltan text etched into it as well, which Stormclaw easily translated.

"You know what this means, Stoker?" Stormclaw asked.

"It's the power structure of a weapon's system, sir," Pidge replied. "Honestly, if I didn't know any better, I'd say it was a diagram of Voltron's weapons systems. While the text is indeed ancient Baltan, the designs are clearly Arusian. Up until today, I had never understood how or why the new configurations of the lions were possible. This begs the question of why the Drules were here on Arus, right under our noses, digging up this information?"

"Our team has encountered similar issues on Nebb, Balto, and Ariel," Stormclaw said. "I think I will send them out to Arus to examine the cavern with you. Maybe they can make heads or tails of it."

"I know you put a lot of faith in these cadets," Pidge replied. "I'll watch over them for you." The screen went blank. Stomclaw hit a button on the communicator panel.

"Space Marshall," he asked, "It appears another splinter cell has emerged, this time on Arus. Their force was able to stop the Drules and sentinel, but have encountered information relating to the other sites. What are your orders?"

"Have the Voltron Force launch and head to Arus," she replied. "If there is anything more we can learn about the operation, I want to know."

"Thank you, Space Marshall," he replied. "I shall alert them at once."

"I know what you're thinking," Kala said aloud as she and Wade rummaged through what looked like scrap. "If it works, this will be nothing short of genius."

"I don't make calculations to not work," he replied. "I don't try to do things. I do them. That is the only way to look at things is in black and white. You never accomplish anything in the confusion of grey."

"Indeed," she replied. "You're under the impression these…things…are still operational?" Wade walked over to a panel in the wall and gave it three timed taps, and it opened to reveal a wrist band. He put it on his right wrist, and pressed a button. Nothing happened at first, but after looking over at Kala with a sly grin, he raised his hands, and the Wade-bots came to life, piecing together as if coming back from the dead.

"Operational?" he asked. He waved at one of the walls, and every one of them opened fire on it, destroying it completely. "I'd say far better than that. Don't misunderstand, Commander, this control is very limited. But once I am back in command, every robotic soldier in the universe will be at my command. However, you and I will need to work on our strategy on the way to Quantus."

"You're really going to do it?" she asked. "Can I exact your revenge? I would love nothing more than to be smeared with her blood, knowing that it pleases us."

"I have plans for her far more excruciating," he replied. She smiled with delight. "I spent years and years rubbing elbows with the likes of Graham and Steele. I will not let them continue to mock me in exile!" He swung his arm around, and you could see a slight purple glow in his eyes as his rage build. "To the ship! The Quantans will have to submit to a new Galaxy Alliance….a Galactic Supremacy!" He laughed.

"Good," Stormclaw said, "you're all here. I just spoke with the Space Marshall, and she's ordering you to fly to Arus."

"What for, Commander?" JC asked.

"The Arusian forces uncovered another one of the splinter cells," he replied.

"Another sentinel?" Dariana asked softly, suddenly shaking.

"The sentinel was destroyed by Voltron," he replied, "but in the wake of the destruction, they found plans and carvings we have barely been able to make sense of. That's where you come in."

"With all due respect, sir," Roxy said, "If the splinter cell is defeated, as well as the sentinel, then why are we needed? We're not archaeologists."

"Roxy," Dariana said softly, "There is more to this than we know. Every time I have the dreams, something like this happens. There must be some connection between the etchings and what I am seeing."

"Oh, Kovinx," she replied, "the only reason I'll agree to this is because you're my friend and I trust you, you know that, right?" Dariana tensed up slightly, but felt relieved. She considers me a friend?

"Then let's get a move on," JC said, running for the chutes. The rest of the team followed and launched from the hangar.

"Are the ships nearing Arusian space?" Keith asked Pidge via the communicator in his voltcom.

"Affirmative," Pidge replied. "They should be arriving at the landing site any moment."

"Good," Keith said. "I haven't had a chance to meet these cadets, but I'm anxious to hear what they know about all this." Moments later, he heard the ships approaching. He put his hand above his eyes to shield them from the sun as he watched the jets descend and land nearby. The cockpits opened, and the team emerged, heading for Keith and his entourage.

"Welcome to Arus," Keith said. "I'm the Prince Consort, and commander of the Voltron Force, Keith Kogane. And you are?"

"I'm Cadet JC Grend," JC replied. "This is Sheri McGovern, Seth Derringer, Dariana Kovinx, and this is…"

"Aroxia Truvall," Keith said. "What are you doing here?"

"My job, sir," she replied smugly. "I pilot Jet Red."

"Red," he remarked, smirking. "I figured you'd take after Lance."

"With all due respect, SIR," she said again condescendingly, "could you please show us the artifact?" Keith's smirk left immediately, taking on a tone of seriousness.

"It's right over here," he replied. He led them over to a workstation set near the cavern entrance, and lifted the stone tablet from it. "By all means, see what you can find out from it. Pidge seems to think it's a conduit diagram, something left over from Voltron's creation." As Dariana got close, Tick disconnected from her voltcom and ran up her arm and across her shoulders. It turned to her and clicked a few times. It hopped over onto the tablet. "Another space mouse? Friendly guy, isn't he?" Tick hopped back over to Dariana and looked into her eyes, clicking slowly and repeatedly for a few moments. He then scurried back down her arm and latched onto her voltcom again.

"He wants me to examine it," she said softly.

"You talk to the mouse?" Roxy asked.

"Go on, Dar," Seth said. Dariana approached the tablet and went to grab it. Suddenly her eyes turned white again, and she reached out to the tablet. Wires emerged from her fingertips like white light, and attached to it. Energy seemed to flow between them. Then in an instant, the connection broke, and Dariana fell backwards to the ground.

"Don't worry," the man said to her. "The Arusians and the Terrans are still arguing over where the weapon would best be stored. I am taking you to her now, that we may appeal to her. Your soul is precious to them, but I know she will not let them take you. No amount of invincibility is worth the life of a child. And no child's death should be the price of a war we don't want." As they entered the next room, Dariana looked up and across the room and saw a figure standing there. She had jet black hair, and wore a deep red magnificent robe. As she turned, Dariana saw her face. It was that of a Drule…one of the most beautiful Drules she had ever seen. Her beauty, she reaclled, seemed a match even to her own mother's. The woman took several steps towards them.

"What is it you want, Olan?" she asked in a sweet voice.

"Haggar," he replied, "the forgers have come to the conclusion that the child's essence be used to fuse the matrix…to breathe life into the weapon. I protest at the sacrifice of a child's soul! What say you?" She breathed in deeply, the kneeled down to get a look at the little girl. Her eyes were every bit as piercing yellow as any Drule, but her lips, unlike the rest of her face, were darkened to a midnight black, a sign of one with power that has yet to mutter a single incantation.

"Yes, she is powerful," she replied. "I see why they believe she would survive the process of dividing her soul. But they do not realize she is far too young. While the humans bicker over a spirit, the Arusians bicker over unification. No, Olan. I shall not allow the child to be slaughtered. The prophecy says that this sacrifice is mine and mine alone."

"I thank you for sparing the child," he said, "but to sacrifice your own soul? Is there no other way?"

"A great many things will come to pass that even my power cannot save you from," she said. "War and famine shall spread across Arus and Terra for their bickering. The weapon will bring light to where there is darkness. Good shall love him, and evil shall fear him. It is through the tests of time that the weapon, and our peoples, will bring an era of peace. For all this to come to pass, I would gladly sacrifice myself for the sake of this child….my own flesh and blood…my Kovinx."

JC and Seth managed to catch Dariana as she blacked out again. They tried to steady her on her feet, but she remained mesmerized."

"Dar!" Seth shouted. "Snap out of it!"

"Come on, Kovinx," Roxy said. "Come back to us." Dariana's eyes fluttered, and she looked up at Seth.

"Arus and Terra will pay for their bickering," she said softly. As she became more aware, she became more frightened. "Seth….they're going to sacrifice….they're going to split her soul…."

"Shhh," he whispered to her, stroking her shoulder-length dark grey hair. "Nothing's gonna happen to you. I promise." Just then, JC's voltcom started buzzing. He tapped a button.

"Grend here," he said.

"Cadet Grend," Stormclaw shouted, "Quantus is under attack!"

"Is it the Drules?" he asked. "Lotor?"

"Worse," he replied. "It's Wade."

"He's still alive?" Keith said angrily. He turned and began running.

"Where are you going, Kogane?" Roxy shouted.

"To get the Lions!" he shouted as he ran.

"We should get going too," JC said. "Dariana, are you ok to fly?"

"I'll be fine," she said defiantly. "I have to be." They ran for their ships and took off.

Keith ran into the control room with Vince, Larmina, Hunk and Lance. Keith went to grab the key for black. He pounded his fist.

"Where's Daniel?" he asked angrily.

"We should be arriving at Quantus in two point three five eight minutes," Tails said. Then her ship shook from a laser blast. "But I could be off."

"Split up and concentrate your fire on the warships," JC shouted.

"I think we should be taking out the smaller ships!" Roxy protested. "They're doing more damage!"

"I don't have time to fight with you Truvall!" JC shouted. "I gave a direct order!"

"With all due respect, SIR," she said angrily, "your orders blow!" Roxy broke formation and began taking out the robot drones.

"Ignore Truvall, team," he shouted. "Continue focusing fire on the war ships." The team followed JC and were able to take down one of the ships. Roxy dove in and out of laser fire, taking out drones here and there.

"Roxy," Dariana shouted, "please come back!"

"No can do, Kovinx," she shouted. "I gotta focus!" Just then, Jet Red was hit, and she was sent spiraling to the planet below.

"JC!" Seth shouted, "They took out Roxy!"

"Snart," JC said under his breath. "Cover me, team. I'm going after her."

"We can't let you do that," Seth replied.

"You disobeying orders too?" JC asked him. There was a moment of silence. "Tails, you're in charge till I return."

"Whoo!" she shouted over the com.

Stormclaw tuned in to an incoming transmission being received on all frequencies.

"Citizens of the Galaxy Alliance!" Wade shouted. "Quantus has been the first planet to be annexed into the new Galactic Supremacy! Those that wish to join us may do so in peace. Those that resist…well, they will be swiftly dealt with. Earth has one hour to comply with out demands." The transmission ended. Stormclaw gets on the communicator.

"Galaxy garrison to the Explorer!" he shouted. "Do you copy?"

"We hear you loud and clear," Sparks replied via the com.

"Quantus has been taken by Wade!" Stormcalw replied. "Notify Commander Hawkins immediately, and divert course from Outpost 227 back to Quantus!"

Roxy held her head as she climbed out of the cockpit. She looked up at the raging battle above.

"Great," she said to herself. "Grend is never gonna let me live this down." Suddenly laser fire was whizzing past her. She dove behind the ship and saw an army of Wade-bots approaching. "OK Truvall, you got yourself into this, and now you gotta get yourself out." She held out her hands, and guns formed in them from her voltcom. She started to fire into the crowd. Some were knocked down, but it was almost neverending. Just as she was about to be overrun, laser fire hit the crowd closest to her and obliterated them. Jet Black landed nearby, and JC hopped out.

"You look like you need a hand," he shouted, katanas appearing in his hands from his voltcom.

"I don't need your help!" she shouted, firing at more of them.

"We gotta get you back in the air," he shouted. "It looks like their forces are way outnumbering us down here."

"You don't think I know that?" she asked angrily.

"Look out!" he shouted, and dove in front of her, blocking a few laser blasts that were aimed directly at her.

"Behind you!" she yelled as she fired at one about to pounce on JC.

"Let's thin out this crowd," JC said. "Cover me!" He ran into the fray, avoiding laser fire, and began hacking away at wade-bots left and right. Roxy kept the fire power up, trying to make a dent in the numbers. Moments later, things died down, and JC staggered out of the smoke towards her.

"Well done, Truvall," he said, gasping for air. "I knew I could trust you."

"Grend you are so full of…" she started to say when he suddenly out of nowhere kissed her.. She pulled away shocked, then swung back and slapped him hard. Then out of nowhere she grabbed him and began kissing him hard, her hands running wildly through his hair. Once broken, there was a moment of tension where they just stared at one another, looking into each other's eyes.

"Roxy, I know you can fight," he said, "but right now we need to regroup. As your friend, I'm asking you to take Red and return to Mira. We're not making a dent here." She paused for a moment, then blindly nodded yes. "I need you to wire your voltcom into the weapons console. That should be enough to power the shields and get you to the charging station. I'm going to buy you some time."

"I can't let you do that," she said softly, much differently from her usual self.

"That's an order, Cadet," he replied. He ran back to the ship and took off.

"Stubborn blit," she muttered under her breath as she climbed into Red. She did as he said, and connected the voltcom to the weapons console, and systems came online. She was able to take off and escape.

"JC!" Tails shouted. "We have a robeast!" JC looked at the RadialTrac, and sure enough, there was a large lizard-like beast with drills for hands.

"We're down one ship," JC said. "Take evasive action and head for Mira. We need to recharge and regroup. Send a message to Galaxy Garrison and request backup."

"You got it, chief!" Tails said, and began transmission as the four were able to escape the remains of the invading armada. Down on the planet, The remaining wade-bots made way for a figure walking towards the entrance to the lazon mines. As she approached it, she stopped and smiled.

"Victory for the Supremacy," Kala shouted, "at last!"

The Space Marshall was sending out a message to the Explorer.

"Explorer, this is the Space Marshall," she said. "We received word that we have lost Quantus. Redirect course back to Earth. I repeat, return to Earth!" Suddenly the screen changed, and she saw Wade-Bots walking through the streets of New York, and throughout the Garrison. "Security! I need security to the lobby! Do not let them pass!" Suddenly the screen went black. She pressed buttons franticly, but nothing happened. Then she felt a presence inches behind her.

"Hello, Lieutennant," Wade said. Her eyes dilated as a feeling of dread came over her.