KathDMD - Alot of people were captivated by the Allura/Dariana scene. As you will see, though, the scene was supposed to be pivotal, but not taken as most readers took it. And JC was always well aware of Roxy's abilities. He loves her, and knows her from head to toe. As for what will happen to Roxy when the race ends...well, read on and find out! And the search and hints at the sabateur are about to begin...
selena devargo - Don't worry. Lysette and Marina have their parts in this story, and if you want the bombshell dropped, this little story arc I'm cooking will do more than just that!
cubbieberry - Allura is fine! She's in the safest place in the castle with the most timid of the force. What could possibly go wrong? Well...
Author's Note - Been trying to keep the story flowing, and so far so good. Need to stay heavily cafinated and keep the creative juices flowing. The DWC has been a huge influence in my life and my writing, and I thank them, and especially my muse, for allowing me to bring this story to life. It's one of the few things that keep my sanity in check.
Theme Music : "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks
Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP. Space Marshall Lenora Hawkins and associated characters are the property of KathDMD. Lieutenant Lysette Fabrere and associated characters are the property of selena devargo.
Episode 60 : Battlefield
The remaining ships flew through the remaining obstacles and made their way around the twin suns. Each dropped out of the automatic guidance sequence and began making gravitational adjustments manually. Within moments, however, two of the ships were set back to automatic.
"Cadet Rowling and Cadet Cease have been eliminated!" the announcer boomed. "Be advised, once the ships make the final approach, those competitors will return to the hangar, and will not participate in the final test!" Roxy tried her best to hold it together, and managed to pull her ship through the turn without a scratch, passing off Sam easily. Sam was able to pull through the turn, along with the other two remaining competitors. Roxy was now in the lead and making a beeline for the finish, with Sam close behind.
"I won't let you do this!" Sam shouted.
"Then stop whining and get better!" Roxy shouted back. Just then, laser fire struck Sam's ship. It spun out of control. Roxy gasped. "What the…." She looked around and saw a Drule scout ship firing on the contestants. She immediately pulled out of the approach and headed towards the ship.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said, "this is not part of the competition. I REPEAT, this is not part of the competition!" Keith began contacting Castle Control.
"Drules," JC said, looking over at Seth and Tails. "Get to the ships. She's gonna need some backup." The three tried to make their way through the crowd to exit the area to where the Jets were. Roxy flew right at the Drule ship.
"One of the Arusian cruisers has veered off course and is heading right for us!" the pilot said. Over the com, a familiar voice boomed.
"Don't just sit there you fool!" Brak shouted over the com. "Blast it into a million pieces!" The ship opened fire. Roxy expertly dodged the laser fire.
"At least now I got their attention," Roxy said. "I don't have any weapons, but maybe I can do a little better." She flew past them, within inches of crashing. The Drule ship turned and began following closely. Roxy held the controls tightly as the ship followed. She got on the com. "Get back to Arus! I will hold their attention!"
"My controls are shorted out!" Sam shouted. "I can't move!" Roxy led the ship closer and closer to the twin suns.
"Sensors indicate the heat shields won't hold much longer, sir!" the pilot said.
"You heap of junk metal!" Brak shouted. "I want those ships destroyed at all costs!" The ship followed Roxy closer and closer. Her own heat shields were beginning to fail. Suddenly, she pulled up, using the gravitation field to sling her ship around enough to break orbit. The Drule ship was not that fortunate, and it burned up and exploded on approach into the sun. Roxy flew to where Sam's ship was drifting.
"Hold on," she said. "I'm going to give you a push. Once you hit Arus' gravitation, you should be able to glide to the landing." Sam nodded, and as the ship was nudged, it began to hurl towards the planet. Down on the surface, the first of two remaining jets crossed the finish and landed safely, the second one behind. As Sam's ship hit the atmosphere, she did her best to hold it steady.
"I'm coming in too fast!" she shouted. "I can't stabilize the systems!" Moments later, three tractor beams locked onto the vessel, and it slowed. Green, Blue, and Black had locked on and slowly lowered Sam's ship to safety. Roxy finally burst through the atmosphere, and came flying towards the landing, but then pulled up at the last second.
"What's she doing?" JC asked.
"Snart," she said to herself. "The landing gears are jammed!" She aimed for a thick field and landed belly down in it, scraping to a halt. Only when the ship stopped, and emergency vehicles approached, the cockpit finally opened, and Roxy climbed out. She removed her helmet and began walking towards where the other competitors were.
"Miss Truvall!" one of the emergency workers asked. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" She shrugged.
"Just my pride," she replied as she continued to walk.
"See what to the end?" Allura asked, slightly frightened.
"The Legacy did not begin with your father," she said, "and shall not end with you." Dariana guided Allura's hand to the wall. As she touched it, sections illuminated. The lights began to change, forming words in ancient Arusian language. She looked at them and read carefully aloud.
"The final mark of the defender is the power they wish to seek," she read. "The power is in the very soul, torn asunder by the struggle." She looked back at Dariana, who was smiling.
"My dearest Allura," she said, her voice still differentiating, "how you have grown. For years my spirit lay dormant, waiting for the day you would need to resume your father's work."
"My father's work?" she asked. "Who are you?"
"I am your father's willing sacrifice," she replied. "The only daughter of the Witch Haggar. And the secret he whispered to the one man who would faithfully carry on the Legacy." Dariana walked back to the wall and touched it as well. "These walls hold answers. From the lips of Queen Ariella herself, you know I speak the truth. Her and her descendants will continue to guide you." She turned back to Allura. "The young one will not understand. She will not be aware of what transpired here. Please give her the answers she seeks." She breathed deep. "The power of the Defender is one with my mother. A power the other half of her soul craves to return. You do not remember my sacrifice, child, for you were but a babe. The secret of Voltron lies not only in the soul, but the heart. The peoples of the Council of Planets feared my power….they feared the prophecy. My own mother hid me, just as your father hid young Loken. I did not understand what he was then, and what he would mean to the people of Arus….and the universe. Tell her….tell her that is why I spared his life. He is my son. He is her father. But he is the key to Voltron." The glow on the walls and in her eyes faded, and Dariana passed out on the cold stone floor.
"Sergeant Kovinx?" Allura asked as she tried to rouse her, but she was out cold. Allura helped her to her feet, but before she could leave, the turned and saw an object on her father's sarcophagus. She picked it up and carefully examined it….a short metal arm with a golden lion's claw at the end. She placed it into her pocket, and carefully helped Dariana out of the crypt.
"We apologize for the interference with the events," the announcer boomed. "We have a winner! First place goes to…." Roxy walked into the arena and walked up to Sam, who was standing near the other eliminated contestants listening to the announcement. "…Marina Caletti-Deville!" Lance approached Marina and shook her hand in congratulations. Lysette approached her as well and gave her a big hug. Roxy nudged Sam.
"Hey," she said, "I'm sorry you didn't get to finish the race."
"I still made it back here before you," she said with a smirk.
"True," Roxy replied. "But at least we all made it back safe and sound." Sam looked at her again.
"I had you all wrong, Truvall," she said. "What you did out there for me was awesome. If it wasn't for you, that scout ship could have wiped us all out. You gave up the race to save us." She placed a hand on her shoulder. "I mean, I still think I could beat you in a rematch…"
"Don't push it, Derrick," Roxy replied.
"I'm just saying, thanks," she said. "Well, I guess we should go congratulate the winner." They both started to walk over towards Marina, but Lance stopped Roxy.
"Hey Truvall," Lance said, "can I have a word with you a sec?"
"What is it?" Roxy asked. He pulled her aside, and Sam continued on.
"I just wanna say I'm proud of what you did out there," he said. "Honestly, if I had the choice, I would have made you Red's pilot."
"I'm already a pilot, McClain," she said. "Honestly, I entered this contest for all the wrong reasons. I don't need to win a contest to be Voltron Force. I AM Voltron Force. I just let the person I was get in the way of my own judgment for a while."
"It's all good, Truvall," Lance replied with a smile. "In the end, it all worked out. You stopped the Drules and saved those cadets. I couldn't ask for a better pilot."
"I had one heck of a mentor," she said to him with a smile. She gave him a hug, then ran over to JC and the others.
"Hey Roxy," JC said, "I'm sorry you didn't win. I know how much becoming the red Lion pilot meant to you."
"I'm the one who's sorry," she replied. She looked over at Tails and Seth. "Could you give us a moment, guys?"
"Oh alright," Tails replied, grabbing Seth by the sleeve and dragging him away. Roxy turned to JC again.
"Look," she continued, "I signed up for the competition for the wrong reasons. I was just so frustrated with how you treated me in front of your mom. I wanted to show you that I was more important to you than you made me out to be. But honestly, I was fooling myself." He grabbed her hand, and placed his palm on hers.
"Roxy," he said, "there wasn't a moment I didn't think about you, or about how much I care about you. I felt like an idiot for what I said to my mom. I just wasn't thinking clearly…and I know that's no excuse, but that's what it was. You are the most important thing to me. And the thought of losing you…"
"Unthinkable," she replied. "I won't ever second guess you again."
"And I'll try not to be a great big snart bag," he said laughing. "I do love you." She smiled.
"I do too," she replied. "Sometimes I can be a little impulsive."
"A little?" he asked, laughing.
"Sometimes even I do things and don't think first," she replied. "Sometimes if I don't get the point, I just need someone to pound it into me."
"That's what SHE said!" Tails shouted. They both shook their heads. Roxy turned and ran after Tails, and Tails, seeing the incoming attack, took off running away from her. Across the field, Lysette was still busy congratulating Marina.
"I can't believe you're gonna be a Lion pilot!" Lysette said.
"I still have one more test to pass," Marina said. "I have to be taken to Red Lion, and see if it will accept me. It's one of the biggest and final tests for a Lion pilot."
"I'm sure everything'll work out," she replied. "I even got messages from the girls back at the Burly-Q. Everyone's excited about your big win today." She looked her in the eye. "Look…I know for a long time you've been kinds living in my shadow. Now this is your moment. The whole universe is proud of ya, girl. And I am too." They hugged. Suddenly, Lysette's com began to buzz. She hit the button.
"Lieutenant Fabrere," Commander Stormclaw's voice spoke from the com.
"Yes, Commander," she said, "what is it? These long range communications aren't cheap. Is something wrong?"
"I will need you to return to Galaxy Garrison as soon as possible," he replied. "We may have a lead in the Voltron sabotage, and we will need your expertise."
"I gotcha," she replied. "If it's one thing I know, it's how to get a man to talk." She smirked, and Marina put a hand over her face and shook her head.
"Just don't get into any trouble, ok?" Marina said.
"Me?" Lysette quipped. "Trouble? Ha! Trouble always find me. And believe me, I can handle it."
"That's what she said!" Tails yelled from across the field, still running from Roxy.
"That girl's got good ears," Lysette said, laughing. "Just let me know how everything goes, ok?" She gave Marina another big hug before finally leaving.
Haggar skulked slowly into Wade's office. The man himself stood, as always, at the window, looking out over the surrounding operations.
"Marshall Wade," she said, "I received word that Brak attempted to disrupt the competition being held on Arus."
"And failed miserably, I'd wager," he replied.
"Lord Kanji will be furious when he finds out Brak went against his orders," she said. He turned around and looked at her horribly gruesome face, and didn't even flinch.
"He's not going to find out," Wade replied. "That is unless of course you're willing to end up like the general."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she sneered.
"Don't take me for a fool," he replied. "I know very well you were the one that ordered that idiot to attack. And if I can figure it out, so can Kanji."
"And what do you propose?" she asked.
"While he wouldn't hesitate to end your miserable life….again," he said, "it would be in all of our best interests if you kept your record with him clean. The Arus campaign will be made or broken by your actions tomorrow evening."
"The abduction?' she asked.
"Precisely," he replied. "I was half expecting one of those dim-witted cadets from the Academy to win the competition. But instead, we need to deal with Lieutenant Carletti-Deville. She was a relatively capable officer, from what I remember. We need to make sure that Lord Kanji's plan goes off without a hitch. It will be critical to defeating and dismantling Voltron, as well as the entire Arusian monarchy."
"All new personnel please report to Meeting Room 1 for a briefing on the launch," an announcement boomed throughout the hangar. The cadets dropped what they were doing, and headed for the doors.
"At least we got most of the leg work done," Chet shouted.
"The Sea ruggers still need a bit of fine tuning," Eddie added, "but they should be up and running in no time."
"I wonder what new information they have for the launch," Ken asked. Dixie shot him a glare as they walked into the hallway. As they walked towards the Defender's loading doors, they passed several other members of the crew. Dixie looked back and raised her eyebrow.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"That's Tech Sergeant Bhed," Ken replied. "I read up on just about everyone on the Defender. He's in charge of day to day operations in the engineering department. Making sure everything from the ship to its shuttlecraft are running smoothly."
"Has he been with the crew long?" Jenny asked.
"Are you kidding?" Ken exclaimed. "He has been a part of the crew since the Explorer originally launched on its initial mission. Without him, the Explorer wouldn't have gotten through all the tight jams it was in during its original run. You know, before Sky Marshall Wade grounded the mission."
"Right," Dixie added. "Can't believe that dirty blit is still running around out there somewhere."
"Well, I'm not looking to find him," Mai said softly. "That man gave me the shivers. He had the entire planet fearful of Voltron."
"Well, that's one snartbag we won't have to worry about much anymore," Dixie replied. "The High Council and the Voltron Force ran his sorry butt the hell out of here. And ever since the Drule takeover a while back, the Garrison has stepped up defenses to keep something like that from happening again."
"I'm worried though," Jenny said.
"About what?" Mai asked.
"When I was aboard the CJE," she continued, "I caught sight of a Drule stronghold under the bay. It's something the Garrison has yet to fully look into. I just hope they are prepared enough in case they try something."
Len walked out of the bedroom and caught sight of Jon putting on his boots before leaving for the Garrison. He heard her enter and looked up.
"What are you doing up?" he asked in a near whisper. "With the twins sleeping so well through the night, I thought you'd be getting some rest while you can."
"I know," she replied. "I'm just worried, that's all."
"About what?" he asked.
"You," she replied. "We still haven't found the saboteur yet. Should we really be launching the Defender this soon? What if the saboteur is aboard? I know you're keeping your feet firmly planted here, but…I can't help but worry."
"Lenora," he said, "we'll find them. If not just for our sake, for the sake of everyone affected by the accident. Mike already has a lead in the case. I think we'll have a breakthrough very soon. Maybe even before the launch."
"I guess so," she replied with a sigh.
"You sure there's nothing else bothering you?" he asked.
"No," she replied. "I'll be alright." He walked over to her and kissed her softly.
"I'll be home later this evening," he said. "Give the kids my love."
"I will," she replied as he walked out the door. Before going back into the bedroom, she looked at her hand and opened it. In her palm was a pocketwatch. After a brief pause, she closed it, then turned and wet back into the bedroom.