Shiro knew they needed a miracle. He didn't expect them to actually get one. He definitely didn't expect it to come in the form of the Castle of Lions exiting a wormhole right in front of him.

He'd been busy trying to lead a couple of the pirate fighters away from the main group, to be able to pick them off more easily, and had to bank hard to avoid crashing right into the Castle. It sent him into a terrifying, uncontrolled spin. He had never needed to fight so hard to regain control of anything he had flown before. When he finally did, his head was spinning and his stomach was churning.

It took him a couple of seconds to regain his senses and to realise exactly what he had almost crashed into. Once he did, he let out a loud cheer.

"Shiro! Are you okay?" Matt's concerned voice came over the comms.

"Hell yeah!" Shiro shouted as he watched all five lions peel out of their respective hangers on the Castle of Lions. He had never witnessed it himself, and he had to admit that it was a spectacular sight. He wondered for a brief moment who was currently piloting the red lion, since he was pretty sure that would be Keith in the black. But it wasn't important right now, he'd find out later.

He felt the familiar presence of the black lion resurface in the back of his mind, immediately followed by a wave of relief. Shiro sent a wave of affection back at his lion, I missed you, too.

"Friends of yours?" Matt asked.

"Oh, yeah." Shiro said, grinning hugely as he shot back into the fray, "Quick, contact the Castle and tell Allura not to shoot us! They won't know who's who out here. Drozan, we can try to lead the pirates to the lions so they can take them out for us."

Drozan acknowledged and ordered the rest of the Rebel pilots to get ready to carry out the plan as soon as the paladins knew not to shoot them.

"Shiro," Matt said a moment later, frustration evident in his tone, "Could you please tell this Coran guy that I'm not a pirate trying to pull a fast one on him!"

Shiro heard the click of his comm being connected to the Castle's, "Coran, it's Shiro. Tell the others not to fire on the black fighter pods." he shouted, "The pirates are the colourful ships. I'm leading a few of them past you! Please get them off my tail!"

He flew right past the Castle's bridge as he spoke, five pirates close on his tail.

"Right." Coran acknowledged.

A moment later the Castle's cannons took care of his tail.

"Thanks." he said as he swung his pod around to join the fight again.

As he did so, he heard Coran relay the information over the paladins, and connect everyone's comms.

"Alright, boys!" Matt said, "The Power Rangers are here to offer their assistance! Lead the pirates to the giant, colourful, flying lions!"

Shiro rolled his eyes as he followed the command.

"Did… did I just hear someone call us the Power Rangers?" Lance asked incredulously as Shiro goaded a few more pirates into chasing him.

"Dude, I take offense to that!" Hunk added.

"Wait - Matt?!" Pidge exclaimed, her lion suddenly stopping its attack on the pirate pods.

"Guys, fight space pirates now, be offended later."

"Excuse you, I can do both!" Lance said even as he took out a number of pirate pods with his sonic cannon.

Shiro put himself in the line of sight of a pirate and started a game of chicken with it while another one followed close on his tail.

"Shiro," Rolo said in a resigned voice, "Please tell me that's not you playing chicken with a couple of pirates."

Shiro didn't answer. He had to hold steady for a few more seconds.

Almost… almost...

He heard Matt sigh, "Of course he is."

Now!

Shiro threw his pod into a barrel roll at the last second. For a few moments all he could see was a blur of stars tinted orange by the explosion caused by colliding pirate fighters.

Rolo swore. Matt sighed.

"Shiro," Drozan barked, "That was dangerous and unnecessary."

"I agree." Allura said, making her voice heard for the first time since the Castle of Lions arrived.

The feeling he got from Black was that he shouldn't have tried something like that without him.

"I knew what I was doing." Shiro defended himself.

"SHIRO?!" four voices sounded over the comms.

"Hey, guys." Shiro greeted as he lead another tail toward the black lion.

"Guys, focus now. Reunions later." Matt said, clearly imitating Keith's earlier tone.

"Shut up, Matt." Shiro said fondly, "He's right though. Keith, you've got this. Show these guys that Voltron is much better than the Power Rangers."

"You got it." Keith said and immediately sending the others to different strategic points around the attacking fleet, his voice taking up a commanding tone that Shiro had never heard coming from him before. He felt a swell of pride rise in his chest. He'd worried that he hadn't had enough time to properly prepare Keith to take on the role of a leader, but it seemed that he needn't have. Keith really did have this.

The battle didn't last much longer. At first it seemed as if the pirates wouldn't give up. Then Keith gave the command to form Voltron. Not long after, the pirates evidently chose life over fighting the legendary defender of the universe and fled.

For a few minutes all that could be heard over the comms was the cheers of both teams as Voltron disbanded.

Once they had calmed, Matt called the Rebels back to Penelope.

"Except for you, Shiro." he said, "You go to the Castle and give them the coordinates for the base. There's no way I'm giving it out over lines that could be hacked."

"Yes, sir." Shiro said, resisting the urge to tease Matt for his paranoia partially because he understood the paranoia, but mostly because the other rebels would hear and not all of them would take the teasing lightly.

"That is so weird." Lance said, "Hearing Shiro take orders."

Shiro merely laughed and Matt snorted.

"Can't I come onto your ship, Matt?" Pidge asked eagerly.

"Sorry, Katie," Matt said, sounding genuinely put out, "I would say yes, but our bay area is nowhere near big enough for your lion. I'll see you soon, Katie. I promise."

Shiro smiled as he turned his pod toward the Castle, with a distinct feeling in his chest telling him that he was finally going home.