KathDMD - The Lysette scene was one of my favorites, and yes, selena devargo loved it! Kovinx's conversation with Coran wasn't just two friends reminiscing (you know, she used to babysit him and Alfor when they were younger, but that's another story), but an attempt to let he and Kerza know of the events unfolding. Dillin….yeah, he was talking out of his ass. His words were his own, but it was amplified by the haggarium rage. The Len and Wade confrontation wasn't what I had in mind for their final battle, but as you know, this isn't the end!
Megazord Prime - "Epic" is indeed the word, my friend.
Author's Note - My muse has been missing for three weeks now. It's hard to write without her in my ear.
Without my muse, I am nothing.
Theme Music : None
Disclaimer - Voltron and all associated characters are the property of WEP. Space Marshall Lenora Hawkins and associated characters are the property of KathDMD. Admiral Lysette Fabrere and associated characters are the property of selena devargo.
Episode 93 : "Aftermath"
"Kelly," Lenora said from behind the makeshift holodesk that was put in place during the repairs, "before you and the others depart for Terra, I want your advice on how we should restructure the Council."
"If it were my decision," Kelly replied, "I'd dump the idea altogether."
"You know I can't do that," Lenora replied. "Galaxy Garrison is more than just a military organization for Earth. It's a governing body for the entire Alliance. We may not be in charge of the peoples of all these worlds, but we have a duty to assist our allies, and represent their interests. I've been looking over possible candidates, and trying my best to assemble a council that resembles something more like a senate."
"Elected officials?" Kelly asked.
"Yes and no," Len replied. "I would like for the Council to be made up of ambassadors, but then we have to deal with people who are more or less here for life. We have to be careful who is put into these positions, and take careful consideration as to whom would best represent their people in such a council."
"I do have one request," Kelly said. "While I, myself, would like to serve on the Council, whether to represent the Bajans or the Terrans, I do believe Terra needs some sort of representation on the Council. I know Terra is more of an ally at the moment, and not officially a member of the Alliance, but don't you think that's something we should work towards?"
"You have a point," Len replied. "I'm going to officially put you in charge of getting the Terrans on board with this, and to attempt to select an ambassador that could represent them on the Council. It makes sense, mostly due to the presence of Voltron on their planet. It would allow us to more freely share information with your base, and provide you with more resources to not only affect repairs to the Gladiators themselves, but an additional squadron to assist with ground and air forces, should the Drules decide to attack Terra or its surrounding systems."
"Now you're talking," Kelly replied with a smile. "I'll get to work on it immediately after we touch down on Terra. What about Justine? Don't you think she should be a part of this mission? Setting up a more official academy branch on Terra would be a great idea to boost our forces there."
"That will happen eventually," Len replied. She looked up from her desk to meet Kelly's gaze. "I have other plans for her at the moment."
"I hear the Defender is going to heading out again tomorrow," Justine said, sitting at the bar, gently shaking her glass, the last bit of her drink swirling around inside of it.
"Yep," Cliff replied. "We're not headed back to Delta Five just yet, but Jeff said he has an idea about where to go to make the repairs to the damaged power core."
"Something happen during the battle?" she asked.
"Weeks ago," he replied, "Voltron was up against a hard hitting robeast, and it managed to blast a nice size hole in his chest. Ever since then, we've had a strange power leak, and the whole blasted thing goes haywire. Jeff said if we don't figure out how to properly repair it, we may lose the Air Team, and possibly Voltron altogether."
"As much as I'd like to see the team back home for good," she said, "I know how important the mission is, and how important the Voltron Force is to the galaxy."
"You know I won't be gone forever, Love," he said with a smile. He gently lifted her chin with his finger, meeting her gaze. "Once we finally find livable worlds and complete our mission, the force will be home for good."
"I hate being patient, Cliff," she replied. "I just wish the job didn't take you so far away for such a long time." Suddenly, a noise came from her pocket, alerting her. She reached down and pulled out a small datapad device, tapping on it. Moments later, her eyes widened, and a smile appeared on her face.
"What is it, love?" Cliff asked.
"A message from Admiral Fabrere," she replied. "The Space Marshall needs me to go to Ariel to talk with their leader about setting up an academy branch there."
"That's great news," Cliff replied, "but why this excited?"
"She said I'll be travelling aboard the Defender," she said ecstatically, "and that once the mission is done on Ariel, I will be accompanying you all to Delta Five to assist with setting up operations there!" Cliff smiled.
"That's wonderful!" he shouted, standing up. He wrapped his arms around her and practically lifted her off the ground, hugging her.
"Oh my gosh," she said, "I gotta get back to the apartment. I have things to pack, preparations to make….we're leaving tomorrow!"
"I'll be glad to help you pack," she replied with a mischievous grin. She elbowed him, and the two left the bar.
Roxy paced back and forth in the living room, JC and Seth sitting on the couch.
"Why so tense?" JC asked.
"I'm anxious to know what our next assignment is going to be," she replied, not once looking over at them, but continuing to pace. "I'm glad we were able to stop Wade, but there's just something ominous about pretty much the entire council stepping down. Did all of them really blindly follow that crackpot Dillin and his orders, or were they all in on it too? If I wasn't so worried about the backlash this could cause from the Supremacy, I'd be mad as hell that these snartbags are still walking the streets."
"The Space Marshall knows what she's doing," Seth said. "I'm guessing everything now is all a matter of cleanup. I hear her office is pretty trashed."
"The whole damn universe is trashed," Roxy snapped back. "What about the people from Hydra?"
"Dillin is going to stand trial," JC replied. "I wish Wade could stand trial for the genocide, but he was destroyed along with the Void."
"That's the only good to come out of all this," Roxy snapped again. "We'll never have to worry about that military upstart and his annoying voice again." She looked JC in the eye. "Commander Kala is still out there. She is just as much to blame."
"And we'll bring her to justice," JC replied. "Until the new Council is formed, Earth and the Galaxy Alliance is in no position to be declaring war against anyone."
"And we have bigger problems than Kala, Roxy," Dariana chimed in as she walked into the room. "Lord Kanji is still out there."
"We don't even know who he is or what he's about," Roxy fired back. "All I know is Wade and Kala blew up an entire planet. They are no better than Zarkon was, and need to meet the same end."
"For once, I agree with you, Roxy," Tails said, walking into the room as well. "Zarkon obliterated Balto when I was barely old enough to blink. We can't allow that kind of destruction to continue. I'm glad Wade has been eliminated, but Kala is still a threat."
"You have to believe me when I say Kanji is somehow the source of all this madness," Dariana replied.
"Dari," Roxy said, "you're my friend, but until we have any kind of evidence this Lord Kanji guy exists, our target is Kala." She turned away from her frustrated. Dariana walked out of the room. Seth stood up.
"Rox," he said, "you know what she is. You know damn well we can't take her thoughts and feelings on things like this for granted."
"We can't chase after ghosts, Sergeant," Roxy shouted back in an official tone. "We have to go after the enemy we know before they strike again, and not chase after an enemy that might not even exist." He stared her down for a moment, then turned and walked away.
"Whatever," he said, and left the room. Roxy finally fell backwards into a chair and sighed.
"You're not gonna turn on me too, are you?" she asked JC.
"No," he replied, "but I'm not letting go of any possibilities. I'm going to take a wait and see approach to it. We can't let our guard down just because we scored a victory." Roxy nodded in agreement.
Christiane walked up to Keith as he finished a conversation with one of the security guards. He turned to meet her, and the two hugged.
"I missed you so much," she said. "How have things been on Arus?"
"Somewhat chaotic," he admitted. "Allura and Alexander are doing fine though." She blinked twice.
"And the new addition?" she asked. He laughed.
"I could never hide anything from you," he said. "The pregnancy has been fine, a few stressful moments not withstanding. In fact, Allura is due in the next few weeks."
"That's great news," she replied.
"I heard there's an issue with your Voltron," Keith said.
"Yes," she replied. "Keith…I was trying to diagnose the system issues, and when I touched the cold metal, it was as if I were touching the skin of a living being. I saw things I didn't completely understand."
"What damage was there?' he asked.
"A robeast managed to penetrate something in the Strato Weapons Module," she replied. "It followed by a strange energy leak….and strange power surges have been causing configuration changes with Voltron's weapons." Keith's eyebrows raised inquisitively.
"Could it be possible….that the vehicles have a nexus?" he asked.
"They're alive, Keith," she replied. "I don't know how or why, but they are. Added to that, I had a vision of Alfor. I saw him as a young man talking to Dr. Loring. I think he was trying to create and grow his own nexus crystals." She looked him in the eye. "The immediate problem though is the power leak. Chip took a look at the damage, and strange information is being released that even the universal translators can't decipher. He has no idea how to patch it, and is afraid if we attempt to, we could do more damage in the process. Chip mentioned Ariel…."
"The Blacksmith," he said. "He must have contacted Pidge. We had a similar issues when Wade smashed a hole in Black Lion with a corrite projectile. I'm unsure of the ties your Voltron has with Ariel, but if you saw Alfor in your vision talking to Dr. Loring, maybe there's more to Vehicle Voltron's creation than we know about." As he finished talking, Marina came running up to him.
"Keith," she said, "we need to get everything together for takeoff. Coran needs to speak to Allura in person about the Council, and suggesting a way to unite the Alliance planets in the Denubian…." She turned to look at Christiane. Christiane looked back at her. "Oh, I don't think we've officially met. Lieutenant Marina DeVille, Red Lion pilot." She held out her bare hand to shake. Christiane felt something odd, then reached out herself, grasping her hand. Without so much as a flinch, a surge of everything filled Christiane's mind. She saw visions of Marina's past, but the ones that stuck out were visions of her older brother. Keith realized he hadn't told Christiane about Marina.
"And this is Christiane Aki," he said, "my…." Christiane pulled Marina to her and wrapped her arms around her. She closed her eyes and hugged her.
"Sister," she said softly. Marina felt confused.
"What?" Marina said carefully.
"Christiane is my little sister," he replied. "Maybe I should let you two talk. I need to talk to Len quick before we depart." He walked away. Christiane pulled back and looked into Marina's eyes.
"Let's start from the beginning," Christiane said, preparing herself to explain to Marina who she is, and how they are sisters.
"Are you sure they are unable to detect us?" a gruff voice in the darkness said.
"Of course not!" another voice replied. "For all they know the entire thing was destroyed!"
"But are you even positive he survived?" the first one asked. "I barely made it out of there alive with one of the escape pods."
"Quit your whining, Dhaz!" the second man snapped. "Commander Kala ordered us to retrieve anything we could find here, and that's exactly what we're going to do. She seems to think he's alive…and I never question the commander."
"Good point," Dhaz replied in his usual demeanor. They walked down the wrecked corridors and crawled through debris until they arrived at the shield generator room. They pried open the door and climbed into the room. They cautiously looked around.
"If anything," the other Drule said, "we can salvage for parts."
"Did you hear something?" Dhaz asked, turning around with slight paranoia.
"No," he replied. "What did you hear?" Two clicks and a bang.