Everyone had gathered on the Castle's bridge yet again. It was standard protocol but Nayni still wasn't used to being so involved with planning like this. She needed to carve out that self-doubt like a tumor. This was what life was like now and she couldn't let anything hold her back or hinder Team Voltron. Everyone was present, except for Tomyko. That didn't exactly sit right with Nayni. She knew things must be overwhelming for the Altean woman but at some point, she was going to have to come out of her room and face this new reality. The Paladins were gathered around the main display, staring at Pidge's tracking program splayed out before them. Lotor was standing boldly in the front, stroking his chin as he looked over the violet blips swarming around Terrapin.
Pidge hovered over the main control panel and brought up another green section on the screen. On one side of the display was a cluster of red blips of the Queen's militia and the other was populated with the movement of the Galra fleet. The worst-case scenario was playing out just as they had predicted it to. They were now dealing with a war on two fronts. From what Coran had explained, Nayni knew the Voltron Coalition was a substantial fighting force. It didn't matter how big of an army they had at their disposal though, if they stretched themselves too thin they'd be overcome quickly.
Coran seemed to be greatly concerned. His brow was furrowed and his ears had drooped slightly. Nayni didn't need to ask him why. Nothing about this was going to be easy to deal with. She couldn't see how to approach the situation at all. Coran let out a sigh and shook his head.
"The Queen's heading for another of our allied systems," Coran said. "And the Galra fleet heading for Terrapin isn't some trivial scouting party."
They needed to protect both systems, even Nayni could acknowledge that. But they couldn't be in two places at once. Lotor seemed to find their predicament amusing. The way the Galra Prince operated was still a bit of a mystery to Nayni. He was very talented at masking his emotions.
"I still think we should draw them together," Lotor said. "It would make our task significantly easier."
Allura wrinkled up her nose in disgust. She narrowed those sparkling indigo eyes. They all were still struggling with Lotor's involvement but Allura seemed to be having the most difficulty with it.
"I won't allow two enemy fleets to attack a single planet at the same time," Allura said. "That puts an entire civilization at risk. The potential death and destruction that could occur is unacceptable."
Lotor didn't seem to be moved at all by the passion with which she spoke.
"You're missing out on an opportunity," Lotor pressed.
Shiro stepped in before things escalated anymore. He was rather gifted at shutting down a situation before it even started. He seemed rather tired of this argument too. They all were. It just would end up going in circles.
"Let's just take a step back and look at what our resources are before we commit to anything," Shiro said.
Coran typed into the control panel and more windows popped up on the main display. The massive screen was so cluttered with maps and charts that it was hard to take it all in. Pidge brushed her mess of brown hair away from her face.
"Well, Matt and some of the rebels are already in route to Terrapin," Pidge said.
Coran folded his arms behind his back. He wouldn't take his violet eyes off of the main display. Nothing could steal his focus when he'd slipped into this analytical train of thought.
"The Blade of Marmora are tailing the Queen's militia," Coran said. "But they won't be able to handle that fight on their own."
Nayni didn't think either of their allies could hold up against those armies. Hunk seemed to find this particular dilemma to be rather troubling.
"We can't just leave them hanging," Hunk pressed. "I mean these are literally our friends and family we're talking about here."
The Yellow Paladin's loyalty ran so deep. It's what Nayni respected the most about the boy. Lance seemed just as stuck as Hunk was. His eyes kept darting over the faces of his companions. Pidge's brother was up against an entire Galra fleet and their old comrade Keith was going to face off with the Queen. Lance shifted on his feet. He seemed rather uncomfortable with all of it.
"I mean, we've all seen what that spooky Castle can do," Lance said. "They're gonna need everything we've got to survive that battle. I don't like it but, maybe that's where Voltron needs to be."
It wasn't a surprise when Pidge went off on the Blue Paladin. It was obvious that Lance didn't like his proposition in the slightest. He'd been struggling with that idea and it was the only one he could come up with. Shiro was trying to gain control of the dispute. Lance kept shaking his head as he tried to explain his intentions to Pidge but she remained furious. Her hands were trembling and her face was starting to redden from the anger.
Tomyko slipped onto the bridge amidst the chaos. Nayni watched her creep across the polished floors like a ghost. Her blurred reflection on the floor followed the slender Altean as she slinked across the room. Her red hair looked dull and limp. It looked as if the woman hadn't slept since she'd gotten here. Lance pushed by Shiro and grabbed Pidge by the shoulders. He crouched down so he could look the girl in the eye.
"Pidge, listen, I don't want to leave anyone behind, trust me," Lance explained. "But what else are we going to do? The Queen is the bigger threat here."
Pidge bit down on her bottom lip and her gaze fell to the floor. The Green Paladin took a deep breath to calm herself.
"There has to be another way," Pidge said.
Coran flicked his hand across the display screen and blew up the scans of Terrapin and the Galra fleet. He twirled the end of his orange mustache between his long fingers.
"Zarkon's flagship isn't with the Galra fleet," Coran said. "They've got quite a few dreadnaughts though."
Pidge toyed with the hem of her green shirt. Her brown eyes seemed to glint when an idea cropped up in her head.
"Maybe I can stay behind with the Green Lion," Pidge said. "The rest of you can go hold off the Queen while I stay behind to help Matt."
It was definitely a possible solution. She seemed completely sold on it but the other Paladins were quite hesitant. Tomyko didn't move from her spot in the back of the room. Nayni watched her face gnarl up in frustration.
"N-no," Tomyko stammered.
They all turned to stare at her. Tomyko went rigid and held her head high.
"You're going to need that Vol-tron warrior if you face the Queen," Tomyko said.
She still seemed to have a difficult time understanding the concept of Voltron. Such a thing didn't exist in her reality, thankfully. Pidge didn't like this fact but even she seemed to grasp the truth of it.
"You will not survive that battle if you enter the fray without it," Tomyko pressed. "No matter what you choose to do, Voltron must be there when you face the Queen."
Coran rested a hand on Pidge's shoulder. She looked upon him as if she was looking to a parent to fend off imaginary monsters hiding in the darkness. Nayni hadn't expected Tomyko to speak up like this. She'd been so isolated and dejected. She'd been so adamantly against cooperating. Maybe she'd finally come to her senses. Allura clenched her fists and sighed. She looked upon the tiny Green Paladin with a great deal of empathy.
"We'll need the Castle with us too," Allura said. "If things go badly we might have to evacuate that system."
Shiro nodded and brushed his white tuft of hair away from his face.
"I know none of us really feel great about it but I agree," Shiro said. "Maybe we can send the Blades back to Terrapin to help-"
They'd seen the army that the Terrapin had amassed. They'd sent some of their ships to aid other planets in the Coalition but they still possessed a substantial amount of ships, fighters, and tanks at their disposal. Nayni didn't feel comfortable with making the call. She had no idea how that could work out strategically. If the Galra made landfall and she had to face their soldiers in close quarters she'd feel more comfortable. She glanced at Lotor. Even in the artificial light of the ship his silver hair seemed to gleam like starlight.
"The Terrapin respect Lotor," Nayni said. "And his ship is very powerful if I recall."
They'd had meetings like this several times now but it still made her a tad uncomfortable when all eyes fell on her.
"And Lotor knows more about the Galra than any of us," Nayni said.
She didn't trust leaving him behind. He'd been helpful up to this point but she knew he was still clinging to that violent plan of his. It was entirely possible he'd bring this Galra fleet into their encounter with the Queen. Lotor grinned. The look in his eye made Nayni's stomach churn.
"The Terrapin are quite used to taking orders from me as well," Lotor said. "I suppose I could direct your rebel forces too, if they're even willing to listen to me."
Tomyko's eyes widened. Nayni could practically see the woman working out a plan in her head. She stepped forward, her cascading red hair fell about her slender body as she moved.
"You have that modified shuttle too," Tomyko said. "I'm an excellent pilot, I could do a lot of damage with that thing."
Hunk's gaze narrowed. He looked over the Altean with a great deal of suspicion.
"How do you know about that shuttle?" Hunk asked.
Tomyko's pointed ears drooped. She looked deeply ashamed now.
"I was looking for a way to get off this ship a few days ago," Tomyko confessed.
Nayni wasn't surprised. The only reason she must've stayed was because she really had nowhere to go. She was wanted by the Queen and the Galra would want their hands on any Altean they stumbled upon. Hunk was rather infuriated by Tomyko's confession. He just kept giving her the most disdainful glare that Nayni had ever seen.
"Cool, so you were willing to just ditch us all and steal some of our stuff," Hunk said. "That gives us tons of reason to not trust a single thing you say."
Shiro held up his hand to try and calm Hunk before he got even more worked up.
"It doesn't matter, she's here now," Shiro said.
Shiro's gaze flickered over Lotor and Tomyko. There was clearly something more he wanted to say but he seemed unsure of himself.
"-but," Shiro went on. "I don't think any of us are completely comfortable with leaving the two of you at Terrapin by yourself."
The Paladins nodded in agreement. Nayni's heart started beating faster. She knew what needed to be done. The Paladins needed to be together to fight the Queen. They needed the Castle and its powerful weapons systems. And Nayni knew that Coran could operate those defenses on his own.
"I'll go with them," Nayni said.
Coran went rigid. Nayni folded her hands behind her back to hide the fact that they were trembling slightly. Coran and Nayni had spent quite a bit of time apart in the past but things had shifted so drastically now. The idea of not being by his side during a battle was terrifying to her now. But she needed to do this. She was the expendable one. They needed someone for this job that could send out a distress beacon if needed. All they needed was an ally they trusted. They didn't need an expert pilot or military tactician. They just needed someone loyal and with a pulse.
"If things get hairy enough-I'm also rather talented at punching things," Nayni said.
She didn't sound very convincing. Allura didn't seem to be a fan of the suggestion. It touched Nayni that the Princess had such concern for her but the way she looked at her made Nayni feel rather old. Allura looked at her the same way that Nayni used to look at her mother when she'd gotten elderly and frail. Allura didn't need Nayni to take care of her anymore. She was perfectly capable of handling things herself. But Nayni still couldn't bear the thought that their dynamic had completely reversed.
The rains of Puig were a stark contrast to the ones of Altea. Nayni had grown up knowing the molten rock falling from the sky. It was like watching fiery stars come hurtling towards the ground. Rain on Altea was not a joke. Anytime Nayni had traveled off world she always felt so vulnerable because rarely did they have the same emergency shelters that were placed around Altea in case someone was caught in a storm unexpectedly.
The skies of Puig were blanketed in thick blue-grey clouds. It cast the sprawling desert in a dim light. She watched the green droplets of water descend from the sky. They coated the dusty ground with a thin layer of viscous fluid. Allura was leaning against the splintered pillar of the overhang. She looked like a young woman now. She was still an adolescent but running around amidst this war had aged her soul much faster. She rarely saw the Princess smile anymore. The edges of her lips were always down-turned in a frown.
The added humidity to the air was making the edges of their prosthetics peel off. They were going to spend another day hiding in their shack away from the rest of the villagers. It was not only boring but it frustrated Allura to no end. She would watch the newsfeeds and get worked up. All the Princess wanted was to join the fight. She wanted to help everyone she could. She detested sitting back like this, running like a fugitive. Nayni had started to tire of it too.
Every time she communicated with Coran, the news was bad. It seemed no matter what effort was being made that Zarkon's supernatural army kept pressing forward. He'd taken the homeworld of the Yellow Paladin despite all of the efforts that had been made. It had been a devastating blow to everyone's morale. Another world was now smoldering and enslaved. The sad truth was it was just another addition to the ever-growing list.
Allura held out her slender hand. She caught a few globs of the rain. She ran her fingers along her palm. The sticky green droplets clung to her fingertips. The Princess let out a sigh and flicked the globs onto the floor of the dusty porch. Nayni could feel that they were about to have a conversation that they'd had many a time since the war had started. Ever since Alfor had sent the two of them on the run, it would always come up. Nayni had never quite had an answer for her. There were just so many times that the Guard Captain could tell the Princess that they had a duty to keep hiding.
Allura's head was hung low and her ears were drooped. Even clad in this Puig disguise with a frown plastered on her face she was still such a strikingly beautiful young woman. She shouldn't be hiding on this far off planet. She should be in the Royal Palace chasing off the suitors that weren't worthy of her. She should have a smile on her face with her rich brown skin illuminated by the brilliant lights of the Palace chandeliers. She should be anywhere but here. Allura turned to look at the Guard Captain. The humidity had made some droplets of moisture accumulate on her flesh and her brown skin seemed to be sparkling.
"You said we'd have to be moving on soon, Nanny," Allura said.
Her indigo eyes fell to the ground. She was going to make the same plea she always made.
"Maybe we could go to father," Allura said.
Nayni never really knew where Alfor was. It had been part of her agreement with Coran that she'd never know their location. It would just be a risk they couldn't afford. But at this point, Nayni wanted it too. Allura was too wise now to fall for Nayni's terrible lies. She'd never really fallen for them anyway because Nayni was awful at lying.
"That would be the best change of pace wouldn't it?" Nayni said.
She shifted in her creaky wooden chair. She's spent many an evening on Puig sitting on this porch and watching the shifting colors of the sunset. Now the sky was just full of drab clouds and the horizon was masked in a thick veil of green-grey fog. Allura actually smiled. It was the smallest of grins but it warmed Nayni's heart.
"We could actually help with the fight," Allura mused. "I could help father put a stop to all of this."
Nayni wasn't sure how Alfor would feel about that plan. She knew he'd be overjoyed to be reunited with his daughter but he'd be rather displeased to see Nayni disobey his orders. Nayni leaned back in her chair, the woven strips of wood squeaked in protest. She was surprised that she hadn't actually broken the thing yet.
"You could try piloting the Black Lion," Nayni said. "I bet you could do it."
That idea actually made Allura's ears perk up. Allura shook her head.
"Father would be more suited for that than I would be," Allura said.
Nayni didn't agree with that. Allura could do anything she wanted. Nayni believed that girl was capable of achieving the impossible. She felt it down to her core.
"Well, if your father piloted the Black Lion than someone would have to pilot the Red Lion," Nayni said. "The whole point is to restore Voltron completely, remember?"
This conversation had taken a much lighter turn than Nayni had initially expected. It was a welcome change. Nayni could see Allura piloting the Red Lion too. She shared many traits with it. They were both fiery and independent. They both were difficult to sway. Allura was skeptical, it took facts and sound logic to win her approval. The Princess seemed to find this idea just as ridiculous.
"I don't know but-" Allura said.
Nayni could tell by the tone of her voice that she was about to be teased.
"Coran could maybe pilot the Red Lion," Allura said coyly.
The idea of seeing the Royal Advisor clad in the Red Paladin armor made Nayni flush. Honestly, picturing Alfor in the Black Paladin armor was just as pleasant of an image. Red was definitely Coran's color. She could see it so clearly in her head. He'd strut around in that armor with that signature devilish grin and flashing little winks to anyone he came across. But at the end of the day, it would be so nice for him to come home to her. To have him seize her by the waist and kiss her like some actress in a dreadful teledrama would be splendid. Nayni was letting her imagination get the better of her.
Thinking of Coran was such a bittersweet experience now. Nayni would still blush and try to hide her embarrassment but it'd been so long since she'd seen him. She missed him desperately. She wasn't even certain that she'd ever get to see him again.
"I'm glad he's not present to hear you say that," Nayni sighed. "That notion would make Mister Smythe puff out his chest like a Frillband bird during breeding season."
She would tease him but she would love to see that again. Allura snickered. They both couldn't fully enjoy the amusing scenario they were concocting. Their hearts were aching for the same reasons. Though Nayni harbored a secret one that was particularly heavy on her. Allura perked up a bit. She seemed to have seen an opening and she wanted to seize it.
"Well, if we go to father, I can tell him in person and vex you," Allura teased.
Nayni chuckled.
"It would be lovely but we can't," Nayni said.
She killed the mood with one swift move. Allura's cheeky smile fell away and she looked out at the desert. All they could hear was the sound of the thick green raindrops plopping on the earth.
"Aren't you tired of all of this?" Allura pressed. "I know you can't stand it either. Neither of us want to be sneaking around like this while we watch everything we love go up in flames."
Nayni did hate it but she had been given a job to do. She missed Coran and Altea. Her heart broke a little more with every day that went by but she could not betray Alfor in such a way. She wouldn't change the plan until the order came from his royal lips.
"I am tired of it, Lurie," Nayni admitted.
Nayni held out her hand. Allura crept over to her and knelt down. She hated that the Princess was taller than her now but she'd always known this day would come. She'd just wished that those years had gone by a bit more slowly. Allura held onto the tips of Nayni's thick fingers just as she did when she was a child. Nayni held onto the Princess's hands. Nayni's grasp was firm and reassuring.
"I know it's hard when all of your gut instincts are screaming for you to do something but you can't," Nayni said. "Doing the right thing isn't always easy. Sometimes its hard to accept. But I trust your father's judgment. This is where we need to be. How we feel about it doesn't matter."
Allura nodded. She knew it was true too. Nayni was certain they'd have this conversation again. Allura needed to be reminded again and again why things were the way they were. Nayni needed that reminder too sometimes. She wanted nothing more than to go back home. She wanted to stand side by side with her Guardsmen and defend Altea. She wanted to be apart of this fight just as much as Allura did. She wanted to be with Coran too. Nayni felt a twinge of guilt over it but it was true. She missed him the most. He was the one person she was truly fighting for.
Lotor was going through the steps of his preflight check before they left for Terrapin. Nayni watched the Galra Prince creeping around inside his strange vessel. It was so sleek and well designed. It looked more like some kind of perfectly evolved insect than an inorganic vessel. The hangar was dimly lit and the tension in the air was thick. Tomyko was hovering around the shuttle pod that Pidge had modified. The woman was going to great lengths to not look any of them in the eye.
Coran had stolen away to Nayni's side before they departed. She knew they were going to have a chat before they parted ways for the mission. They hadn't done it in front of the Paladins. They never would show such vulnerability that openly in front of them. Nayni could feel his presence behind her. Just knowing he was there made her back feel as if it were tingling. It was as if some electric energy had kept them bonded together now.
When she looked at him, his posture was rigid and his expression was grim. Nayni didn't expect that Lotor or Tomyko would be within earshot. They both seemed so wrapped up in making their own preparations to care about these two old lovers. Nayni approached him as quietly as she could. Every step she took was still far too loud for her comfort. They both were trying to maintain formalities but she doubted that was going to last terribly long.
She looked up at him and tried to smother the worry and sorrow that were starting to take hold of her. Even after all they'd been through she still never knew how to start off a difficult conversation with him. Nayni chewed on her bottom lip awkwardly. He reached up and stroked the curve of her cheek. Nayni grabbed him by the wrist and kept his hand close to her face. During times like these, any moment could be the last time they saw each other or touched each other.
Coran looked over the hangar cautiously before he pulled her closer. Nayni buried her face in his chest and took in his scent. She savored the warmth of his body. She needed to carry these memories with her on this mission.
"I'm not terribly keen on this plan," Coran said. "I quite enjoy barking orders at you in the heat of battle."
He always turned to humor to try and distract her from the state of things. She smiled and ran her fingers along the edge of his collar.
"I rather be with you and the Paladins," Nayni admitted. "But this is for the best."
Pidge wanted someone to be there for her brother that she could trust. All of them wanted somebody there to keep an eye on Lotor and Tomyko. She was confident that things would go well for Terrapin but she didn't know what would happen with the Queen's militia. Their previous encounters with them had been close calls. She couldn't hide her fear from him.
"Do your best to bring them all back to me," Nayni pleaded.
He tenderly rubbed the back of her neck and Nayni let out a sigh.
"And you better come back in one piece," Nayni said. "I've gone through far too much effort to have you to just lose you now."
She didn't like his silence. He kept planting kisses on her forehead and she could feel the coarse hairs of his mustache tickling her skin. When he held her she felt a thousand times stronger. She felt as if they could do anything but Nayni knew that wasn't exactly realistic. He pulled her closer and tilted her head. She could feel his damp, warm breath on her ear.
"I couldn't stand to lose you again," Coran whispered.
He'd thought her dead once. He'd thought that she'd been dead for thousands of years. Coran had actually mourned for her. This fact had slipped her mind. They'd barely discussed it but Nayni couldn't imagine that agony. She'd stepped into that sleep chamber knowing it was possible to lose him but he'd truly thought she was gone. It hadn't just been a possibility to him. It had been a fact for Coran. They'd lost everything but even she had to admit the thought of losing him was one of the harder ones to bear.
"Don't do anything rash," Coran pressed.
She wasn't sure if she could keep that promise. Lotor was a bit of a brat and Tomyko's temper would probably push Nayni over the edge. She patted him on the back.
"Well, I rather not disappoint you so I will do my best," Nayni said.
It wouldn't truly matter if they broke their promises to each other, they were probably going to be overjoyed to be back in each other's arms no matter what happened. And if one of them was lost, the other would just keep carrying on. It's what they were best at. It's what they'd always done. It would be heart wrenching and awful but they would keep moving forward.
"I love you," Nayni whispered.
He squeezed her so tightly that she could barely breathe.
"I love you too," Coran said.
Nayni wriggled onto her tiptoes to kiss him. She had intended for it to be a rather formal gesture but it quickly became something else. Coran grabbed her by the back of the head. They got rather carried away but Nayni took no issue with him sliding his tongue into her mouth. This wasn't exactly the place for them to have their way with each other. It would've been a splendid parting gift but Nayni didn't want an audience. It was painful to pull away from him. She found herself feeling rather flustered again.
"Have you finished?" Tomyko snapped.
Coran and Nayni looked to the Altean. She stood rigid with her head held high. Her stare was icy cold. Nayni had already accepted that this woman wasn't her wife. But Tomyko still seemed to be wrestling with this fact. It probably didn't help that the Coran that Tomyko had come to know was a monster in her reality. Tomyko clenched her jaw.
"We need to get going," Tomyko said.
They did need to leave but her attitude didn't exactly have Nayni eager to be in her company. Nayni gave Coran an awkward pat on the shoulder and smiled half-heartedly.
"Don't worry, Coran," Nayni assured. "We both know I'm exceptionally good at babysitting difficult children."
Tomyko scowled. Nayni never thought she'd have this sentiment about another person but the woman really needed to loosen up a bit. Yes, these circumstances were slightly awkward and very stressful but there was no changing things. Nayni couldn't undo the horrors that had occurred in Tomyko's reality and she certainly wasn't going to change the state of her own. Tearing herself away from Coran was still agonizing but she did her best to hide that from the others.
Tomyko stood on the pod's loading ramp. Nayni marched up behind her, trying to look as intimidating as possible. She partially did it for herself. She needed to feel as big and scary as possible if she was supposed to keep Lotor and Tomyko in check. Neither of them were going to be easy to deal with. Lotor especially would be quite troublesome. As long as Nayni believed that she could, she'd be able to do her duty. She'd stick them in a corner like a couple of pouting children if that's what would be required.