KathDMD - The trials are just starting, love. That Air Team is going to go through hellfire and brimstone if they hope to fix their piece of the Nexus. Maybe a certain seer will finally realize what the Krelshi have been telling her...
Author's Note - 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 117 : "Air Forged"
"Commander?" Jenny shouted into her Voltcom. "Commander, can you hear me?" There was nothing but static. "We're cut off."
"There's no way we're gonna be able to move these rocks, Jenny," Rocky said.
"Then we'll just have to press forward," Jenny said. "There must be another way out, or something in here that could help us."
"What do you supposed riled up the Krelshi?" Wolo asked.
"I don't know, Wolo," Jenny said, "but let's hope that the others hand hold their own against them while we're trying to escape." They began walking further into the cave.
"I'm sorry," Dixie said as they walked.
"You don't need to be," Ken said. "You didn't know we'd get stuck in here."
"No," she said, "I mean if I hadn't slacked off, Voltron would never have been damaged."
"Nothing we can do about it now, Calla," Jenny replied. "The past is the past." They wandered into a room, and the doors slammed shut.
"What is this?" Rocky asked. The lights came up, and the room appeared mechanical, with wires and switches everywhere. As they looked around, they saw pulses of light moving around the room.
"This is kinda creepy if you ask me," Wolo said.
"One of these switches has to open the door, right?" Jenny said.
"Wait!" Ken shouted. They all stopped in their tracks. "What is this is some sort of test? Like we have to flip the right switch or….boom?" Dixie smacked the back of his head.
"Quit screwing around, Hunter," she said.
"No, Dix," he replied, "I'm serious. I swear I've seen patterns like this before. When we were studying complex multi-phasing systems circuitry, the example used was very similar to this. The question is, where is the puzzle supposed to lead us?"
"Are you saying you know how to interpret this, Hunter?" Jenny asked.
"Maybe," he replied. Dixie frowned. "Don't gimme that look, Dix. I'll figure it out." He walked up to one of the switches. "Here goes…." He closed his eyes, and they all flinched when he threw the switch. They slowly opened their eyes, and watched as the light pulse travelled from the door they entered, through he switch, and all the way to the other end of the room, where a door opened.
"Whew," Rocky exclaimed, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"See?' Ken said, a look of smug satisfaction across his face. "Told ya I'd figure it out." They all started walking towards the door. Dixie grabbed him and put her lips to his ear.
"I thought you said that switch over there was the right one?" she whispered.
"Well it's a good thing I didn't go with my gut then, right?" he whispered back. She rolled her eyes, and the group continued on.
"Hold your fire!" Jeff shouted. Cliff was poised to let loose another barrage of blaster fire.
"Jeff!" Cliff shouted. "They're trapped in there! We have to do something!" The Krelshi regrouped, then landed in front of the entrance as if standing guard. Jeff turned to Cliff again.
"I said stand down!" he shouted. "That's an order!" The pilots put away their blasters, and deactivated their voltcom weapons. They made their way to where Jeff was standing. Jeff turned back to Christiane.
"You tell me, Chris," he said, "what's our next move?" She took a deep breath.
"I'm not sure," she replied. "I hear the Krelshi talk amongst each other…but using words in their language I don't understand. The entity I spoke to…it seemed angry and cruel…but I felt something that was more like….protectiveness."
"Do they think they need to protect this place from us?" jeff asked. Before she could stop him, Jeff turned to the line of Krelshi in their way. "Do you think we mean harm to this place? That you need to protect it?" The Krelshi stood firm, the one in the center simply letting out a loud roar.
"Jeff," Krik shouted, "someone is coming!" Everyone turned to see a group coming towards them quickly. As they got closer, they saw they were riding wild lions.
"It's the Lion Riders of Ariel," Shannon said. As they approached, their leader dismounted and walked towards Jeff.
"I am Chief Callan," he said.
"I'm Commander Jeff Aki," Jeff replied, "from the Stellar Ship Defender."
"You are from Earth?" he asked.
"Yeah," Jeff replied.
"Why have you come here?" Callan asked. He looked over at the Krelshi. "It would appear you are in a standoff with the Krelshi."
"Several of our crew members are trapped in the cave," Jeff replied. "The Krelshi attacked us, and will not let us go near the cave."
"This cave is protected by the Krelshi," Callan said. "No one belongs here."
"But we have to fix Voltron!" Christane said. Callan looked over at her.
"Voltron?" he asked. "What has happened?"
"Voltron was injured by a robeast," Christaine said, approaching Callan. "My brother, Admiral Keith Kogane, said we would find a forge here."
"Keith Kogane?" Callan asked. "You are his sister?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Keith Kogane saved my life on many occasions," he said. "If there is anything I can do to help, I will."
"What we need is to get inside and find out friends," Jeff said.
"Are they Voltron Force?" Callan asked.
"Yes," Christiane replied. "They pilot a team of vehicles that help to form another Voltron, built by an earth scientist named Dr. Loring, with the help of King Alfor of Arus."
"Now it makes sense," Callan said. "This is the location of the Forge. But as for why the Krelshi are behaving this way, or preventing you from finding your friends, I do not know. There must be a reason…perhaps a trial of sorts. All we can do now is wait."
"We haven't got time to wait!" Jeff protested. Cliff came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Easy there, Jeff," Cliff said. "We're all worried. I don't like these Krelshi things personally, but if Chief Callan thinks the team might be safe, and we should wait, then I suggest we do just that."
"I think that would be the best thing to do," Krik said.
"Aw, not you too, Krik," Jeff said.
"I have a feeling it won't be long until the team emerges from the cave unharmed," Krik said. "You can call it a premonition if you like." Jeff looked at his Miran friend for a moment before replying.
"Alright," he said. "We can give them two hours. But if they aren't out by then, we're gonna do everything we can to get them out, even if I have to take the Defender right through the Krelshi to do it."
"Do you see anything?" Jenny asked.
"These hallways are too dark to see anything," Wolo replied, squinting his eyes to try to see.
"There has to be a way out of here," Ken said. He rounded a corner and entered a long hallway that was wider than the others. "Look! That down there looks like a way out! Come on!" He took off running down the hall.
"Hunter, wait!" Jenny shouted.
"Hunter, look out!" Dixie shouted, and he turned just in time to hear a sharp metal sound, and the sight of a solid blade coming right towards his head.
To be continued….