KathDMD - Soltorn is coming, don't worry. As for JC and Roxy...well, message me if you want the bigger story. Hehe. And about Mike...after reading this, he may not be able to take that leave after all. Looks like Len is gonna need allies more than ever.
Author's Note - I enjoyed writing this episode, but have also added a very not-so-FFN-friendly scene that I could not include. If you want to read it, email me (WarzonePrez a o l . c o m)
Theme Music : "Mine" by Taylor Swift
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 82 : "Mine"
JC laid on the bed in the quarters he was given aboard the legacy, staring at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, thinking about everything that had just happened. Moments later, he head the door signal.
"Come in," he said. The door opened, and Roxy slowly walked in.
"Mind if we talk?" she asked.
"Not at all," he replied. She closed the door and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge.
"I know I said we worked everything out," she said, "but I still have some things I want to say. Dari wants to keep the team 'harmonious', or whatever the flack she says. And the best way I know how to do that is to talk, and not let things build up, ya know?"
"I understand completely," JC said. "I don't want you holding back, and I don't want to see you upset or angry."
"I really do love you, Jon," she said, reverting to calling him by his first name. "But like I said, I'm scared."
"And I don't ever want you to misunderstand anything I say," he replied. "I love you with all my heart. I have since practically the day we met." Her eyes lit up. "I don't want to hurt you, or cause you pain. I remember the talk we had years ago about your mother. It took a lot to open up to me about that. You lost just about everything. So I want to be the one constant in your life, Aroxia. I want to be the one thing in your life that will never change, and can never be taken away from you."
"That's all I want," she said, beginning to cry. He held her close and comforted her. "That's all I want."
"Then that's what you'll have," he replied. She looked into his eyes and smiled. He held her chin with his finger, and brought her closer. Their eyes closed, and they kissed. After a few moments, when the kiss broke, she opened her eyes, and he could see a gleam in them. She smiled. She got up off the bed and walked over to the door. He was confused for a moment….until she hit the security lock.
"I'm done talking," she said with a smirk. "Let me show you."
"Captain Brown," the officer on Ops said, "we're ready."
"Alright then," Brown said. "Fire all engines and follow the freighter in a tight formation. We may have sent the Drules running for now, but I have a feeling they'll be back."
"Will the Bogart be joining us, sir?" he asked. Brown frowned.
"Unfortunately, no," Brown replied. Captain Stebbins has been ordered by the High Council to remain on Earth with the support fleet in case the Drules should attack while the Voltron Force is on assignment. I'm afraid for now, Lieutenant, we're on our own." He walked over to the Captain's chair and sat down.
"All engines, full power!" he shouted. "Course set for Planet Hydra! At 1300 hours, we will synchronize, and make the jump to Hypermach." The bridge crew quickly complied with his orders.
"I want the Bogart here as much as everyone else," Brown said, "but I have this bad feeling that the High Council is keeping something from us."
She realized the visions in her mind were nothing more than nightmares. She would never run from monsters, or cower in fear before the enemy. She was stronger than that. She was better than that. She had single handedly toppled the monarchy of an entire kingdom. The visions she was seeing now were illusions. She was convinced of it. She would open her eyes, and the nightmares would be gone. And open her eyes, she did.
"Waking up again, I presume?" Maahox asked. "Fortunately for you, you no longer need to be contained in that claustrophobic tube." She recognized the voice and went to lunge, but was held back by something. "And fortunately for me, we still required minimal restraint in case you were still objecting to your new role in the Supremacy."
"What have you done to me?" she said, her voice sounding to her as raspy and unrecognizable.
"I was positive you have worked that out in your head just before we began the process," Maahox replied. "Perhaps the radiation had an unforeseen effect on your brain patterns?"
"You've turned me into a monster," she said cautiously. All the while, the blood, or whatever fluid ran through her new body, began to boil at the thought.
"I've turned you into one of the most powerful robeasts the Supremacy has ever seen," he replied. A smile beamed across his face. His mechanical eye popped out and floated up to her, just out of her reach, and carefully surveyed his new creation. While she still maintained most of her original form, scales lined her head, her back, and her shoulders. A scorpion's tail emerged from her backside, curling upwards, complete with a barbed stinger on the end. But the eye looked even more closely, studying something even more complex deep inside of her.
"I don't appear much different at a first glance," she said, looking down at herself, "however, it feels strange."
"I always say, strange is good," he replied. "I am glad you seem to be accepting your new form.
"I do not accept it," she hissed. "And I will not work for you or that pathetic human! I am a General in the service of the Drule Supremacy!"
"You are a loyal and obedient soldier of Lord Kanji himself," Maahox replied. "If you do not wish to take the orders of the Sky Marshall, then perhaps you would prefer the wrath of Lord Kanji himself." She gritted her teeth. She despised Wade, and would do anything to see him permanently destroyed. But Maahox was right.
"He knows you have done this to me?" she asked. Maahox laughed.
"You and King Bhorn really thought that Marshall Wade was NOT in control of Korronith?" he asked sarcastically. "While he has his own reasons for wanting the destruction of Voltron and the Galaxy Alliance, the end justifies the means, dear General. Lord Kanji will bring the Empire back to its former glory, and re-conquer the kingdoms that claim to form Council. And that's just for starters. And the moment Bhorn doubts the power of Lord Kanji…the First Kingdom shall fall to the power of Legion." Maahox laughed as he left the lab. Soltorn stood there, fists clenched, knowing full well of Kanji's legacy.
Dariana sat on her bed looking through a book she had brought with her. It was then Seth came in.
"Hey," he said. She looked up from the book and smiled.
"Hi, Seth," she replied.
"Are you doing alright?" he asked. "I came to check up on you. I know after all that's happened to us in the last few days, it must be taking a toll on you."
"It's hard, Seth," she replied. "I'm not going to lie. Up until I joined the Force, the feelings I felt and the things that I sensed were rare and insignificant. Now I hear voices and feel feelings that are so overwhelming. I know what my grandmother is trying to teach me, but sometimes it's so hard just to tune it out and just be me, you know?"
"I understand," he said, sitting beside her. "Babe, I may not be a seer, a lamia, or really anything special. But I did come from a huge family. As the oldest, a lot of things were expected of me, and because there were so many of us, there were time I would get lost in the shuffle, or my mind would get lost in the crowd of voices around me. There are times I wanted to run away from it all. But in the end, I know I couldn't, because I was a part of a greater puzzle…and one that needed me to hold it together."
"The team is important to me," she said. "Voltron is important to the universe. Just like you are important to me. Every thought and interaction we have, every feeling we feel, is felt by them. We are a family, Seth. And the ships are all connected to us. It's like I said, if we are broken, the ships are broken. They're not just ships, Seth. They are a part of us. Just like they come together to form Voltron, we come together to form a team. That's the essence of Voltron. The Lion Spirits dwell within them, and within us."
"I spent years back on Ariel learning about the Krelshi," he said. "Though no one truly knows their origin, the legends on my planet speak of the five elements, much like Voltron, coming together in each of us, making us whole. The Krelshi, in much the same way, are like the Lion Spirits. They are a part of us. They bind us. It's one of the basic beliefs one learns if they plan to train to become a Lion Rider."
"I understand," she replied. "I'm just glad that everyone isn't fighting anymore. As long as we remain unified, we can face anything. My only issue is controlling my powers."
"I'll help you, babe," he replied. "I've never let you down before, have I?" He smiled at her, and she smiled back. "I'll go get us some hot tea. Then maybe we can talk some more about Ariel and Nebb, OK?"
"I'd like that," she replied. He gently kissed her, then got off the bed and left the room. She pulled her legs back up and folded them, and opened the book and began reading again, the title in bold print, 'Maneater In The City'.
Kala pushed a button on the console, and the viewscreen showed Marshall Wade standing in his office.
"Do you have everything you need to complete the plan?' he asked.
"Everything is on schedule," Kala replied. "As you planned, the armies of the Fourth Kingdom have been placed at your disposal, granted their leader is still in our custody."
"They will learn respect, whether Soltron is killed or not," Wade replied. "Maahox should be joining you with the General shortly. Feel free to test her abilities on the people of Hydra."
"An excellent idea," she said. "But what of the lason shipment?"
"That is part of the plan, dear Kala," he replied. "If the Alliance puts up a fight, and I know they will, we will launch the projectile at the cargo vessel. Once penetrated, it will begin to irradiate the lason shipment."
"You intend to destroy the shipment?" she asked. He looked at her and laughed.
"I intend to use the shipment to send a message to Galaxy Garrison High Council, and that rotten excuse for a Space Marshall," he said. "It will serve us well as a detonator."
"A detonator?" she asked.
"Just make sure you launch the incendiary device in the exact coordinates I've sent you," he said. "Let's just say, the people of Hydra, no matter how drenched they all, will get a real bang out of it." He ended the com.
"We're about to make the jump to hypermach," the Lieutenant said.
"Start the countdown," Captian Brown replied, gripping the arms of his chair tightly.
"Making the jump in five…..four….three….two….one…" the Liuetenant said, and then the entire fleet sped off at hypermach speeds towards Hydra, remaining in formation. However, when they came out of it, approaching the system, a blip appeared on their scanners.
"Sir!" the Lieutenant shouted. "Unidentified fleet approaching our present course."
"Keep a tight formation," Brown said. "I want weapons systems armed and ready. If it is a Drule Fleet, we'll be ready for them." He hit the com. "Members of the Voltron Force, please make your way to your ships! Possible enemy craft are on an intercept course! Prepare for a possible confrontation!"
"Gentlemen," Lenora said, standing at the head of the High Council table, "we have received word that while the Voltron Force was able to stop the Drules from attacking Quantus and the shipment of lason to Planet Hydra, the Legacy has detected a fleet on an intercept course with the freighter. I am once again requesting that we commission the Bogart to meet up with them to provide additional support."
"I strongly protest," Colonel Dillin argued. "Sending the backup fleet would put Earth in a position vulnerable to attack! To even suggest doing something so preposterous…."
"I understand your concern, Colonel," she replied.
"Then you must understand all our concerns," Commodore Mitchell said. "We have been somewhat blindly following the plans you laid out for us since reconvening the High Council, and while we no doubt have confidence in your decisions, those you have made of late have been questionable." He leaned on the table. "Lenora, listen to reason. We can't just send ships out all willy nilly, hoping that will solve the problem with the Drules. I'm not saying we shouldn't protect our interests, but we at least have to protect our own worlds!"
"I haven't been making these decisions lightly," Lenora replied. "I've weighed the possibility of an attack on our soil with the potential the loss of this shipment would have on future attacks on us. Seven hells, people, it's like a ticking time bomb!"
"I suggest we adjourn for now and reconvene tomorrow after some of us get some rest and think this over," Colonel Dillin said, shooting Lenora a look. Her eyebrows lowered.
"All those in favor of adjourning until tomorrow?" Mitchell asked. More than half the council members raised their hands. "All opposed?" Lenora and Mike raised their hands. "It's settled then. We will reconvene tomorrow to discuss this after some rest and thought." The council members stood up and made their way out of the room. Commodore Mitchell walked up to Lenora, who sat in the chair feeling defeated. "Lenora, you can't keep fighting everyone on this. Maybe you mean well, but….some of us think it's best if maybe you stepped down."
"Step down?" Mike asked. "Are you mad? Throwing out leadership in the middle of a potential war? That's military suicide! Hell, this woman gave you back your job!"
"And I'm not saying I don't appreciate that," Mitchell said. "Look, I've been on High Council for a long time. While rumors spread around the Garrison, I always had faith in Marshall Graham's decisions. I have faith in you, Lenora…but I think the council is not as optimistic." He looked up at Mike, who was pretty much giving him a death stare. "Forget I even said it. Just please….take tonight and think about what everyone said, ok?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, then walked out of the room.
"I can't let them win," she said softly to Mike. "Things do need to change, but not the way they see it."
"We'll find a way," he replied. Outside, a dark figure rounded the corner and pressed a button on his watch.
"The wheels are in motion," he said. "Once the plan is set, the systematic takeover of the entire Garrison military will be a reality."