The Voltron Force burst into the Control Room. Pidge flung himself into the Command Chair and began to furiously type commands into the console.
"Lance, report." Coran managed to gasp out as he ran into the control room scant seconds later. Lance noticed with some concern that the Prime Minister was holding his hand to his chest and trying to catch his breath.
"Incoming bogey. It was trying to mask its approach by using the cover of the fireworks, but Hunk and Jeff noticed its descent. We couldn't tell what it was."
"Readings say it's a Coffin of Death. I'm putting it up on the big screen now!" Pidge announced in clipped tones, as the main monitor in Castle Control flickered and was filled with the image of an open ship with its menacing occupant heading towards the Castle.
"Okay. Quick intelligence rundown," Lance began to brief Jeff, "Zarkon uses Coffins as infiltration craft. Coffins of Doom transport people and Coffins of Death transport micronized ro-beasts."
Pidge got up from his seat and offered it to Coran, continuing the briefing when Lance paused for breath. "Coffins can only travel short distances — like from Arus to its moon — so the presence of a coffin means that there's a fleet nearby. That means that Zarkon's troops are probably on their way here now —"
"But Arus has a long-standing tradition of hospitality. The Princess wouldn't like it if we didn't welcome visitors to her planet properly,"
Lance signaled Coran to activate the transit system and ran for his Lion portal. "That's the reason why we always try to give Zarkon's troops a welcome that they'll never forget."
"Okay. Here's the plan." Lance effortlessly took charge of the situation, triggering a videoconference between the Lions and Coran in Castle Control. "Coran, the party's over. Get the guards to usher the people inside the Castle where they'll be safe. We're going to greet our uninvited guests and make them feel at home."
Jeff and Sven exchanged amused glances. This was a side of Lance that they hadn't expected to see but were glad that they did. Neither of them wanted to assume command even though they both outranked Lance. Although they had seniority, neither of them was as familiar with the situation or the Lions as Lance was, which made him, in Keith's absence, the best person to lead the team.
"Hunk and Sven, let's go play with our guest. We have to keep him away from the castle and other populated areas. He might want to play rough though, so don't let your guard down." Lance snapped out his orders in a clipped voice. "Pidge, run a sensor scan and try to find out what frequencies Lotor is using. I want to break into their comm-system later."
Lance realized what he had done the moment he shut his mouth and shuddered with revulsion. He sounded just like Keith! He glanced furtively at his monitors and prayed that the others were too distracted to notice.
He groaned audibly at the reactions he saw in his monitor. It DEFINITELY wasn't his lucky day — the rest of the team had noticed and everyone was expressing various degrees of amusement.
Pidge assumed a mock-concerned expression, "Lance, are you okay in there? For a second, I was sure that Keith was flying the Red Lion. But then I thought, that's impossible. Keith is on his honeymoon and Lance flies the Red Lion."
Lance shot his small friend a look that promised retribution and studiously set about ignoring him. "Jeff, hang back and stay with the Pidgelet. The orbiting fleet will send down a cruiser to energize the ro-beast. The two of you have to shoot down that ship BEFORE it gets to the ro-beast."
He glanced at the rest of the team, with a hint of his normal deviltry. "And if no one has any further questions or constructive remarks, we've got someone to welcome. Rock and roll, guys. It's time to party!"
Without waiting for any acknowledgement, he increased the speed of his lion and dived at the ro-beast. Hunk and Sven formed up on either side of him and they began their attack run.
Jeff spared a second to watch the Lions in action. He nodded his head in professional admiration. Keith had trained his team well. The Red, Yellow and Blue Lions swooped in with supreme confidence despite the heavy fire provided by the approaching fleet.
He jumped into the fray, triggering the weapon systems of the Black Lion and destroying a few smaller cruisers. Beside him, Pidge was doing the same, twisting and dodging as missiles exploded and lasers blasted around him.
Jeff searched the skies until he spotted it — the command ship. It was the largest ship there and it was protected by a number of the smaller attack ships. In his distraction, he didn't notice that a cruiser had a lock on him and jumped when an explosion suddenly blossomed right beside him.
"You okay there, Jeff?" Pidge's concerned face appeared in the view screen of the Black Lion, the image wavering as the youngest space explorer twisted his controls to avoid being caught in the explosions around him.
Jeff nodded casually. Although he was rattled by his close calls, the fighter pilot tradition bred into them by the Academy would not allow such a display of emotion. "I'm okay. This baby is a bit larger than my Strato Fighter."
"Okay, but just be careful. These kittens have some quirks of their own," Pidge warned him, doing a loop-the-loop that brought him behind a cruiser that was shadowing his trail and firing his Lion Claw missiles.
"I'm going for the command ship. Cover me." Jeff spoke with a familiar note of command that had Pidge obeying him instantly. Jeff deftly maneuvered through the intricate cobweb of lasers and missiles until he reached his objective.
Pidge, skimming along behind Jeff, whistled in admiration at the moves he was putting the Lion through. Keith was the best pilot that he had ever flown with, but Jeff was a close second — no wonder that the two Voltron Commanders competed neck-to-neck in the Academy.
The young space explorer fired his Lion Torch at some attack ships and triggered the comm-channel, "Jeff, that's Lotor's command ship. He's probably going to focus on you, thinking that you're Keith..."
Pidge threw the Green Lion in a sudden climb to evade some attackers and continued without missing a beat, "Lotor has... designs... on the Princess, you know, and Keith has foiled all of his plans, to date."
"Noted. Any suggestions? What do you guys normally do with him?" Jeff asked as he dodged a series of missiles and let loose his some of his own. The Black Lion's proton missiles unerringly hit their targets, giving Jeff a little breathing room.
Pidge chuckled, firing his Ion Darts at a cruiser that was getting a little too close for comfort. "Irritate him and taunt him until he gets pissed enough to launch a ro-beast. Form Voltron, kill ro-beast, chase him out of Arus airspace. He should be familiar with the routine already. God knows, we've run through it often enough."
Jeff shrugged, "Well, I guess the wedding irritated him enough and he's already launched the ro-beast. Let's join the others and work on the rest." He led Pidge in a steep dive and met Lance and the others as they climbed up to join them.
"Great. We were coming to get you guys," Lance's voice rang out over the communications channel. "Jeff — this Voltron has only five parts and can stay volted in for more than five minutes. Think you can adjust to it?"
Jeff snorted in disgust and began to run through the activation sequence that was as familiar to him as breathing. "Ready to form Voltron. Activate Interlocks. Dynotherms connected. Infracells up. Megathrusters are go." The Black Lion led the team in a steep vertical climb as they lined up in v-formation.
On board the Doom ships, the soldiers covered their eyes as a flash of light signaled the formation of the mighty robot. When they opened their eyes, they froze in awe and fear. The blipping of their radio and Lotor's furious voice roused them from their stupor. They began to attack Voltron in earnest.
"Lion Torches!" Hunk and Sven began to fire their weapons at the attack ships, hitting their targets with outstanding accuracy. Lance and Pidge swung their Lions around, swatting and biting the attack ships that swarmed around Voltron like bloodthirsty mosquitoes.
Lance triggered the comm-channel, noticing that Lotor's command ship had managed to break free of the battle and energize the ro-beast. "Let's go after the ro-beast before he starts attacking the towns. Jeff, form the Blazing Sword and take it from there."
Jeff nodded and echoed Lance's words, "Form Blazing Sword." The Red and Green Lion heads came together and as they pulled apart, a beam of light formed and slowly solidified.
The ro-beast jumped up with an enraged roar and charged at Voltron. Jeff waited until the last minute, then ducked. The ro-beast couldn't react in time. Jeff struck quickly, cutting it cleanly in two. The ro-beast exploded in a burst of light and sound and ceased to be.
In his command ship, Lotor's face tightened in a characteristic show of temper and frustration. He began to pace. Beaten by Voltron again! How was he going to explain his defeat to his father? He didn't realize that he had spoken out loud until a brash voice answered him.
"The same way you normally do, I suppose. God knows, you should have enough practice by now!"
Lotor whirled around; ready to kill whomever it was who had spoken to him so disrespectfully, only to find Lance's face grinning at him from the main view screen of his ship.
"Good evening, Your Highness!" Lance's voice rang out loud and strong over the speakers. "I'm sorry that you were late for the reception. His Highness, Captain Keith was expecting you but he had to leave for his honeymoon. I'm afraid you'll have to settle for us."
Lotor's hand tightened on the grip of his sword.
"I know, I know," Lance laughed. "It's horribly impolite, but well, what can you say? You know how newlyweds are. You were once one yourself, right? Their Royal Highnesses are young and in love. They couldn't wait to be alone."
Lotor sent a murderous glare in Lance's direction.
"Anyway, let's get down to business," Lance continued cheerfully, "You have thirty seconds to retreat from Arussian airspace. I'm preparing to send you some goodies from the reception which I'm sure that you will enjoy." With that, Lance triggered the weapons systems of the Red Lion, aimed all his weapons at the Lotor's command ship and began to whistle a merry tune.
Jeff's eyebrows drew together — that tune sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before?
Lotor snarled deep in his throat and nodded to the helmsman of his ship. The man wordlessly triggered the ignition systems and set a course for Planet Doom.
For once, the Prince of Doom had perfect timing. Barely had Lotor left Arussian airspace when Jeff burst out laughing. He knew what Lance was whistling — an old Broadway tune called "I wonder what the King is doing tonight."