KathDMD - Like I told you, I enjoy writing the Gladiator team. They have a unique dynamic that you yourself brought to life. Most of the characters are yours, and it's because of you that they continue to live and breathe in such an awesome universe! As for Lenora and the others...well you know I'm about to get more intot he Watch Saga in this story. The season only has 4 episodes after this. So everything is gonna start coming to a head.
selena devargo - I know you want Hunk with Jessica. But rules are rules! Right now Cinda has to deal with her injuries, and Their relationship needs to see if it can stand the test of this time apart. For now, I'd keep my eye on the antics of the Gladiator team when they find out who steps out of that car...
Author's Note -I honestly had difficulty finding time and motivation to finish this episode. I apologize for the slight delay. I am impressed by where the story is going, but something I wanted in this chapter will have to wait until next week. The end of this one is something you won't want to miss! (And Cubbie, next week, you may be in for a brief yet exciting shock!)
Theme Music : "Boom Clap" by Charli XCX
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 74 : "Black Ice"
Mike walked into the control room with a troubled look on his face. Chip turned to see him and noticed his concern.
"Garrison South discovered an unidentified fractal enter the atmosphere," Mike said with a sigh. "They were supposed to check it out, but haven't returned."
"Are you planning on sending a security team to check it out?" Chip asked.
"Negative," Mike said. "Protocol dictates we give them another twenty-four hours to contact us before moving in. I'm more worried about the Space Marshall."
"Why, sir?" Chip asked.
"Because she left here several hours ago with her husband, Lieutenant Fabrere, and some cloaked individual," he replied. "It was unsettling."
"Not knowing who was accompanying them?" Chip asked. "That's understandable."
"No," Mike said. "What got to me was the look on her face. I could almost swear her lips were black…."
Dariana stood on a balcony just outside the apartment, and looked out over the Garrison. She let out a lofty sigh. Seth came up from behind her….and she could feel his presence immediately. The gentle giant wrapped his arms around her.
"What's bothering you, Dar?" he asked. She continued to stare into the distance.
"Nothing so much as bothering me as making me uneasy," she said softly. "Haggar is still out there, and the amount of evil given off by the Supremacy is overwhelming." He held her tighter.
"You can't blame yourself for what those soldiers did," he said. "Whether they were brainwashed, or blindly followed their own code of honor, there was nothing you could do. You did everything to try and find a peaceful solution."
"I became angry, Seth," she said, turning around. "That's not me. I'm not angry or aggressive. I'm not savage and warlike. I'm not like them."
"No one knows that more than I do, love," he said. "You would never be like them."
"I'm not like Haggar," she said. "I refuse to be. But something is making me feel this way….making me angry….aggressive….violent. It's not me, Seth. Something is terribly wrong."
"Don't sweat it, babe," he said. "We'll get through this." Inside, Tails was intensely reading through a book. Seth turned from Dari to shout to her. "Yo, Tails! You going over those schematics again?" Startled, she dropped the book, exposing the title, Love In Short.
"Um…" she said.
"You're reading….a romance novel?" Seth asked laughing hysterically.
"It's an impressive story of trial and triumph," she huffed. "And….a cute little Baltan girl hooking up with a blue-eyed Aquarian Adonis." She blinked. Seth just continued to laugh.
"Guys!" Roxy yelled from the hallway. "Let's go already! Commander Stormclaw wants us to be in the hangar in the next fifteen minutes to help tidy the hangar and assist with the upgrades to the ships!"
"She's right," Seth replied. "Come on, Dar. You'll feel better once we all have our minds occupied, right?"
"I hope so," she replied as the three left the apartment.
"What are your orders, Marshall Wade?" the Drule general reluctantly asked.
"Lord Kanji believes that some sort of ancient power is hidden on Earth," he replied. "He's ordered us to find it. But that doesn't mean I can't exact a little revenge in the process."
"Your suggestion?" he asked. Wade turned and pointed at a hologram that appeared before them of a giant mechanical beast with arm-mounted cannons and heavy armor.
"We are going to slip past the outer perimeter and launch a direct attack on the Garrison," Wade said. "The machine I built, coupled with the Haggarium-infused core, will be more than enough to distract, and even successfully destroy Voltron and those meddlesome academy brats. It's then we will swoop in and find the Space Marshall….and elimintate her once and for all." There was a brief pause before he turned back to the general. "Well don't just stand there! Prepare for the attack!"
"Yes, sir!" he replied, and left. Wade looked upon his creation again, satisfied that Voltron would meet its end at its hands.
A scrawny and pale young man dug through the trash in a back alley. He found a few things and placed them in a bag, even smelling one before placing it into the bag. He scurried along like a thief in the night, looting what he could. Put as he pulled one last prize, he turned and was startled by a robed figure. He jumped back, and began to back up.
"Who are you?" he asked in a scraggy voice. "What do you want?" He pushed over a trash can, then turned and tried to run. He stopped short in front of another robed figure. He began to step back from that one as well. "I swear I didn't take that guy's shoes! He gave 'em to me, honest!" They backed him against a wall, and he gulped. They then pulled back the hoods….looking dead on into those chocolate brown eyes.
"I'm not interested in stolen shoes," Lenora said, staring him down. "I want to know what you know about a murder."
"Murder?" he asked. "Look, you got the wrong guy! I never killed nobody!" Lysette stepped in and pinned him against the wall. He looked her up and down, and her grip around his throat tightened.
"Maybe you'd rather we return you home to face a tribunal," she said through a smile. "I hear the punishment being captured by Alliance forces and being returned like a cooperating slave is comparable to having your…ahem…parts chopped off and fed to you raw."
"I told you, I never killed nobody!" he shouted.
"Over twenty years ago," Lysette continued, "you and several others were sent here by Zarkon to recover an artifact. I want to know what you know about it, and why an innocent man had to die because of it."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" he yelled. Lenora pulled the watch out and held it in his face.
"Maybe this will jog your memory!" she shouted in anger.
"ACK!" he shouted. "Get it away! Keep it away!"
"Tell us what you know!" she shouted.
"Put it away first!" he shouted. "PLEASE!" Lenora felt a surge of anger overwhelm her. She wanted to do to him what had been done to her father. Lysette grabbed her arm, and she slowly backed off, placing the watch back in her pocket. "Look, Zarkon sent me and two others here, just like you said, to find an artifact created by a powerful demon called Komori Syn…..a watch. Zarkon believed it had enough power to allow him to take over the entire Drule Empire and conquer the known universe. I was the one who tracked the watch through dealers and smugglers, from the hands of a garrison navigator, to the hands of a simple nobody. But it was Aran who confronted its owner. But when he came near it, the power burned him. It burned him so badly he fled, leaving it behind!"
"Why does it burn?" Lysette asked. "Is that why you're afraid of it?" He nodded.
"I found the relic, yes," he said, "but I didn't kill him! Aran is the one you want!" He suddenly began to hear ticking in his head….the ticking coming from the watch. "No….NO! He's here! HE'S HERE! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" He bit Lysette's hand and ran. They tried to pursue him, but minutes later they came across his body on the ground, blood oozing from his ears. Lenora turned to her as the drizzle turned into a pouring rain, her dark mascara beginning to run, while the black lipstick remained intact.
"I'm starting to think this watch is cursed," Lenora said.
"Perhaps Lotor will know more about Aran," Lysette replied. "It's not just about your father's murder, Space Marshall. We need to find out all we can about that watch…or what my husband said may come to pass." They pulled the hoods over their heads and ran off into the night.
"Zandee, could you hand me that wrench?" Tangor asked as he held a new panel against Jet Yellow. Zandee stopped checking the systems diagnostic screen long enough to hand him the tool.
"Here you go," he replied. He walked back over to the console.
"You think this modification of Chip's was a good idea?" Tangor asked.
"He seems to think it is," Zandee said, "but we won't know for sure until they test it in the field." The team entered the hanger shortly afterwards.
"Hey guys," JC said. "Where's Chip? The commander asked us to come in and help tidying up the hangar."
"See?" Zandee shouted to Tangor. "I told you if we kept telling him we'd clean up this mess, and kept putting it off, he'd find someone else to do it instead!"
"Yeah," Tangor replied, "but now WE don't have to do it."
"Why do I get the feeling we're gonna get pulled into the Space Marshall's office for this?" Zandee asked. Moments later, the alarms started to blare.
"Voltron Force!" a voice shouted over the loudspeaker. "Report to the control room!"
"Come on," JC said, and the five ran up the stairs to the control room. As they entered, Chip turned to them.
"A small Drule fleet snuck past the outer perimeter," Chip said. "Top priority. Commander Stormclaw needs you guys in the air to put a stop to them."
"You heard the man," Roxy shouted. "Let's move!" They ran to the chutes and slid down to the cockpits. Tangor and Zandee noticed the launch and moved a safe distance away. The five ships launched into the air, and the two looked at one another.
"Did you finish welding that panel on?" Zandee asked.
"Sorta," Tangor replied.
"She said we need to look for a man named Aran," Jon said. Lotor scratched his chin.
"One of Yurak's top spies," he replied. "I'm not surprised he's stayed hidden so long. I haven't seen him since before I returned from training. That, Commander, was a long time ago."
"So you'd have no idea where to find him?" Jon asked.
"Not now," he replied. "But if I had access to communications, I might be able to find out more."
"I'm leaving that up to the Space Marshall," Jon said.
"I don't blame you," he replied. "I want to solve this mystery as much as you do, but I don't want to jeopardize my request for asylum."
"She said to meet them at the Garrison's south gate," Jon said. "We'll discuss it further then." Lotor nodded his head, and the two took off running.
"There they are, team," JC said. "Maintain a tight formation until we're in firing range."
"You got it, boss," Seth replied.
"Hang on," Tails said, "I have a transmission coming in over the ultrawave." As she fine tuned the frequency, it became clear to them who it was.
"Ah, the Voltron Force," Wade said. "I was wondering how long it would take you to pull up your training pants and fly up here to join us."
"There's an entire Garrison fleet waiting to take a chunk out of you, Marshall Wade!" JC replied. "And your fleet looks pretty flimsy from here!" They opened fire, and took out a few of the ships on the fly around.
"Don't they teach you anything at the Academy?" Wade shouted. "You honestly think I'd head strait into the jaws of my enemy without a plan?" He turned to the ship's captain. "Open the bay doors!" The ship opened up, and something nearly round dropped from it and began to plummet towards the ground.
"Snart!" Tails shouted. "What is that?"
"I don't know," Roxy replied, "but it can't be good."
"Seth, you and Dari check it out," JC said. "We can handle this fleet." Blue and Yellow veered away from the group and flew down to where the object landed. As they pulled up and around it, they watched as it expanded….and realized what it was.
"It's a robeast!" Seth shouted.
"It's worse than that," Dariana replied. Just then the monster charged with energy, and the field exploded, the entire surrounding area covered in a thick layer of ice. "There's something very wrong with that robot."
"JC!" Seth shouted. "We got a robeast down here! It's making a beeline for the Garrison!"
"Reinforcements are on the way," Stormclaw shouted over the com. "Air units will engage the enemy shortly. Grend, get the rest of your team down there and form Voltron!"
"Yes, sir!" JC replied. "You heard the Commander! All units, get in formation! Ready to form Voltron!" He pulled the yokesm, turning them ninety degrees, beginning the process. "Activate interlocks! Dynotherms connected! Infracells up! Megathrusters are go!"
"Let's go Voltron Force!" they shouted. They flew in Wing formation, splitting to star formation as the energy field took hold.
"Form feet and legs!" JC shouted. "Form arms and torso! And I'll form the head!" Voltron arched back as the energy field exploded, its eyes lighting up with power.
"Let's take this thing out!" Roxy shouted. "Firing Stingray Missiles!" Missiles launched, but they only exploded on the surface of the beast. It did cause it to turn and fire a blast of icy cold at Voltron. They turned to dodge it, but it hit Red and froze it solid.
"What happened?" JC asked.
"I don't know!" Roxy shouted, pulling her controls. "Everything's frozen!"
"Now you see the true power of my creation!" Wade shouted over the open channel. "The brilliance of science encompassing the power of magic! A strategy even haggar herself couldn't entertain!"
"We need to defrost!" Roxy shouted.
"We need to move!" JC said pulling the controls.
"SNART!" Tails shouted as another beam grazed Voltron. This time it hit an access panel on Yellow, blasting it open, freezing the boosters. Voltron continued to plummet out of the sky.
"We've lost booster control!" Seth shouted. "Dari are you alright? Dari?"
"Papa," the little Drule girl said to the man beside her, "where are we going?"
"To Arus, child," he replied. "The Defender is about to awaken, and not a moment too soon. The great evil will be upon us, and we must be ready."
"What is the great evil, Papa?" she asked.
"A long time ago," he replied, "a great man was given a great gift. But the gift soured him, turning him against his fellow man in his lust for endless power. His greed tore him apart, and the old ones locked him away, for fear that his greed would overtake even themselves."
"What happened to him?" she asked. He let out a sigh.
"Greed found him," he replied. "The Komori Syn."
Dariana blanked out, but her body moved like lightning. She unstrapped from her seat and ran for the cockpit doors.
"Dari!" Seth shouted. "What the hell are you doing?" She came out of the cockpit as Voltron was in freefall and ran and dove off intot he air, heading right for the beast. Voltron landed with a thud, and Dariana reached out, her chargers forming in her hands. Both fired at the beast, stabbing into it, and she swung around it, and pulled herself up. She managed to enter it from a small kink in the armor. She climbed feverently through the beast as it moved.
"JC!" Seth shouted. "She's inside it!"
"We can't destroy it while she's in there!" Roxy shouted.
"Tails," JC asked, "can we defrost Red?
"If Roxy can activate the Jet Torches," she said, "There might be a way to speed the process."
"Reroute all power to Red," JC said. "I have a plan. I just hope Dariana knows what she's doing."
Inside, Dariana climbed to near where the head was. She reached her right arm upwards, and Tick detatched from her Voltcom. She smiled, and her pure white eyes blinked at him.
"Go, my little friend," she said. "Cut the power to the central core. "I'll handle the rest." It let out two affirmative clicks before scurrying away. She made her way deep into the chest cavity….and it was there she saw it. She reached out, and wires came out of her hands, launching into it.
"Now!" JC shouted.
"Firing Jet Torches!" Roxy shouted. Fire spewed forth from Red. "come on, girl…..we can do this…." The ice exploded, and Voltron spun to face the beast. They grappled and held fast. Voltron was slipping, however, with Yellow still frozen tight.
"We don't have enough leverage!" JC shouted. "We have to brace ourselves!"
"Come on, Dar," Seth whispered. The beast wound up for another blast, but as it was about to launch it, and explosion came from its chest, and an ominous crystal flew through the opening and fell to the ground. Dariana appeared, carefully looking out through the opening.
"There she is!" Tails shouted. "Seth, we have to move!"
"Not gonna be easy with Yellow froze," Seth said. At that moment, he saw her jump. He pushed the lever with all his might, and Yellow broke free of the ground, allowing Voltron to lunge forward. Dari turned in mid air and fired one of her chargers. Tick appeared from the beast and scurried down the length of the cable. The beast swung around in a rage, and the charger broke loose, and they fell. Voltron lunged and caught Dariana, and as she pulled the charger in, Tick scurried up the line and leaped to her. It rested on her forearm a moment before taking his place on her voltcom. She made her way back into Yellow, and into the cockpit once more.
"What happened?" JC asked.
"That crystal!" Tails shouted.
"I'm gonna smash it!" Seth yelled, and Blue lifted up and stomped the crystal, shattering it. The beast began to smolder, but it turned to charge again.
"The power source is eliminated," Dariana said, "and its control system has been compromised. We have to strike now!"
"Form Blazing Sword!" JC shouted. Red clanked against Green, pulling the beam of energy that became the blazing sword. As the beast ran blindly at him, Voltron swung, slashing through the beast, which fell apart and exploded.
"All ships, retreat to sector 5," Wade ordered. "You've won this time, but I won't rest until I have put an end to Voltron and Stensson once and for all!" The ships made a hasty retreat as the remainder of the air squadron continued to fire at them, chasing them off.
The team walked out of the control room headed back to the apartments. Seth turned to Dariana.
"What happened out there?" he asked. "I've never seen you like that."
"I'm not sure myself," she said softly. "I was only partially aware. I had another one of my blackouts."
"You think it was Kovinx in control again?" JC asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I thought that part of her left me when Vehicle Voltron was restored. But I had a disturbing vision of the past…farther back than the days of Alfor."
"What did you see?" Roxy asked.
"I saw the little girl," she said. "Little Kovinx and the man she called 'papa'. He mentioned a great evil…Komori Syn."
"Where did you hear that?" Jon said as he and a cloaked figure approached them.
"Jon said he'd meet us here," Lenora said. "It's not far from Garrison headquarters, so it shouldn't take long to get here."
"I hope so," Lysette replied. "Places like this downtown district give even ME the creeps. That's saying something." They heard a rustling behind them.
"Who's there?" Lenora shouted. "Show yourself!" Suddenly she heard it again….
Tick…..tick…tick….
She reached into her pocket and pulled out the watch. For the first time in a long time, she was compelled to open it.
"Don't!" Lysette shouted. Just as Lenora opened it, she saw that the watch had been running for quite some time….and the hands had made their way almost back to the same position they started….the time of her father's murder. The watch slammed shut, and everything around them went dark.