KathDMD - What is it about the Krelshi that has you fired up? There is a dynamic behind them that a lot of viewers of the Lion Rider episodes, especially Five Forged, that people haven't picked up on. Oh, and about Jeff...Callan is the reason they haven't blasted the place apart yet. Jeff is holding to the two hour deadline. If they don't hear from Jenny and the others soon, the Defender is gonna level the mountain...and the Krelshi!

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 118 : "Deep Within"

Dixie ran at Ken, diving out of the way of another blade, the held out her arm. A miniature version of the Falcon appeared on her Voltcom and fired at the blade about to slice Ken, cutting the control arm and allowing it to drop to the floor in front of him. He picked himself up and continued running.

"Wait for me, you stupid blit!" Dixie shouted, running after him. The others followed. Ken's Voltcom glowed, and two spinning laser blades appeared in his hands. He threw them at the approaching mace, cutting through it, then slicing through a boulder rolling towards him.

"Keep going!" Jenny shouted, firing her arm cannon at another blade coming at them, and flipping over another.

"I didn't sign up for no workout," Rocky shouted, a set of nunchucks forming in his hands, ducking a blade, then deflecting several projectiles with it.

"It's a test," Wolo shouted, forming his staff, and springboarding over a trap opening in the floor. "Like Jenny said, we need to keep moving!" He deflected some more projectiles and continued following the others.

"Hunter," Dixie yelled, "if I die in here because of you, I swear I'll…." Ken dove through the doorway and turned around, catching the spinning laser blades, which then vanished into his voltcom. Dixie flipped over another blade and rolled through the doorway as well. Moments later, Jenny, Rocky and Wolo arrived as well.

"You gotta admit, that was intense," Rocky said.

"Let's catch our breaths," Jenny said, panting, "before…" The door behind then slammed, and several strange towers rose from the ground, glowing with power, the humming sound from them growing in frequency.

"This doesn't sound good," Rocky said.

"Not good at all," Ken said. "Run!"

"How long has it been?" Christiane asked Jeff quietly.

"About an hour," he replied, "and still no word from them." He looked up at the Krelshi again. "I still have an uneasy feeling about this." He looked over at Cliff and Krik. "Guys, what's the status on the Module?"

"Power levels are still dropping," Krik said. "We're not sure how much longer before its systems fail."

"Chief Callan," Cliff said, "you seem to know more about this than us. You said Keith Kogane led his team through this tunnel before?"

"Yes," he replied. "There was a problem with the Black Lion. The lions themselves landed here hours before their arrival. They seemed to think they needed to come here to be repaired…and in the end, they emerged from the caves with a man simply known as 'the Blacksmith'."

"Maybe we can contact Arus and see what Kogane knows," Cliff said. Jeff nodded, then tapped his com.

"Sparks," he said, "send an ultrawave communication to the castle of Lions on Arus. I want to know everything they know about these caves."

"Will do, Commander," he replied, ending the com.

"I hope the team will be OK until we can get this figured out," Jeff said aloud to himself.

In the Castle of Lions, the communications console flashed. Pidge opened the com, frazzled.

"This is Head Tech Sergeant Sparks of the S. S. Defender calling the castle of Lions," Sparks said. "Do you read me?"

"Yes, Tech Sergeant," Pidge replied. "What's going on?"

"Commander Aki needs to speak to Admiral Kogane," he said.

"The Admiral is in Med," Pidge replied. "We are currently experiencing a situation here. What is it about?"

"The Air Team has been trapped in a cave on Ariel by the Krelshi," Sparks said, "and he needs to know anything you know about the Forge."

"Things are hectic here right now," he replied, "but I'm sending you my logs. Pass them on to the Commander for me. Hopefully they'll be of some use."

"Are you in need of any assistance?' Sparks asked.

"We have things handled for the moment," Pidge replied. "We'll let you know if we need you. Castle out." The com ended, and Pidge went back to the testing he was working on.

"What are these things?" Dixie shouted, avoiding the laser fire.

"I don't know," Ken replied, rolling out of the way of another blast. "Power signature matches that of Voltron."

"How can that be?" Wolo asked.

"No time to debate it," Jenny said. "We need to cut the power."

"How do we do that?" Rocky asked.

"Short them out," Jenny said, firing at one of the pillars, the final shot taking out the first laser.

"I can't get a clean shot!" Dixie said, trying to aim the Falcon. Just as the tower was about to fire, a spinning laser blade hit its mark, destroying it. She opened her eyes and saw Ken catch it. "Thanks Hunter."

"Makes us even, Calla," he replied, dodging another laser.

"Three more to take out," Jenny said. Wolo catapulted himself over one, turned and stabbed his staff through the laser, destroying it.

"You mean two," he said.

"Time for a little muscle," Rocky said, charging at another one. He dove under the laser fire, then stood up, striking the laser with his nunchucks, destroying it. Dixie dove out of the way of another blast, turned and was able to fire, the Falcon hitting its mark, destroying the last one. A door at the other end of the room opened. They all got up, breathing heavily.

"How many of these traps are there?" Rocky asked.

"At least three," Ken quipped, gasping for air. They continued through the door to the next room.

Jeff paced back and forth in front of the shuttle. Christiane looked back at the Krelshi with a look of worry on her face, then back at Jeff.

"Any word from Arus?" Cliff asked.

"Not yet," Jeff said. "Sparks is supposed to contact us the minute he hears anything."

"I hope the others are alright," Cliff said. "It's been over an hour, and we haven't seen any movement from the cave.'

"No movement from the Krelshi either," Jeff snarked.

"I see that," Cliff replied. "Not sure what it all means. One thing's for sure, if the Krelshi think they're keeping the Voltron Force from getting in there, they're sadly mistaken. The only reason I'm holding back is because of Chief Callan."

"I agree," Jeff said. "But you have my word. We reach the two hour mark with no sign of them, and we're blasting our way in." Just then, Jeff's voltcom beeped. He tapped it, and an image of Sparks appeared.

"Sir," he said, "I was able to get in touch with Arus."

"What did they say?" he asked.

"They are currently having issues of their own," Sparks replied, "but Lieutenant Commander Stoker was able to provide his logs of the incident. He said it will hopefully give us the information we need."

"Patch them through to me if you can," Jeff said. "I need to know everything I can about this." The com ended, but the voltcom glowed, receiving information from the Defender.

"What does it say?" Christiane asked.

"I guess we'll find out as soon as it loads," he replied, a curious look on his face as he watched the progress bar slowly creep to full.