KathDMD - I haven't forgotten about Lisa and the baby, but right now there are a few things you need to focus on...General Dari's recovery, and Lieutenant Centa's quest to prove herself to Twyla.

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.

Episdoe 115 : "Awakening"

"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."

Lieutenant Centa walked into Twyla's office to see the Commander staring out her window, a smile beaming on her face.

"Commander?" she asked.

"Ah, Lieutenant Centa," Twyla replied, "please, have a seat." Confused, the Lieutenant sat down at the desk. "I trust you've heard about the Supremacy's loss on Earth?"

"I have heard rumors," Centa replied, "but yes."

"I'm not saying that Lord Kanji's strategy is flawed," Twyla replied, still staring out the window, "but his trust in that filthy human was indeed misplaced."

"With all due respect, Commander," she replied, "placing your trust in anyone at all is a mistake."

"You're probably right, Lieutenant," Twyla said with a sigh. "I don't expect you to even trust me, in light of the circumstances."

"Don't tell me you are feeling the slightest bit of guilt over the General, are you?" Centa asked.

"Not at all," Twyla snapped back. "She has been asking for this for a long time. I placed too much trust in her own arrogance. At one point I had the chance to be an Empress, and she blew it."

"When was this?" Centa asked.

"It doesn't matter, Lieutenant," she replied. "All that matters is that Dari is out of the picture, and we can finally continue our conquest of Terra and rid ourselves of these bothersome humans once and for all." She turned to her. "Go to the lab and check on the progress of my latest robeast. With any luck, the Supremacy will be sending another fresh shipment of materials that will allow us to better armor our robeasts, and put an end to Voltron once and for all." She turned back to the window.

"Yes, Commander," Centa replied with a salute, then turned and walked out of the office. As she walked down the hall, she thought to herself. "I have to know more about what the Commnader meant by that. I don't remember anything about her nearly being declared Empress, or even challenging Zeppo."

"How is she?" Hotaru asked as she walked into the room. Tetsuya sat at Dari's bedside observing her.

"She is still asleep," he replied. "I can't even tell you when I think she'll wake up. If what Commander Dalloway said is true, she might not be happy to see where she is."

"That doesn't matter," Hotaru replied. "You and I were put in a position to help people…no matter who they are. I'm sure we're happy she's alive, even if she's not."

"I know," he said. "If I had to guess, she won't be able to go back."

"You think not?" she asked.

"It's part of the Drule code," he replied. "I met a man once by the name of Zandu. He was a young pilot on the service of the Drule Empire. One day, during a routine training exercise, his ship was inadvertently shot down. He was rescued by an Alliance ship and nursed back to health. They even repaired his ship in the hopes he could return home and spread a message of peace to the citizens of Drule. But the moment he tried to return, they shot him out of the sky as if he were the enemy. He's had to spend most of his life living on Earth, which hasn't been easy."

"I hope that if she does have to stay here," Hotaru said, "it won't be such an ordeal. I think we should make her feel at home."

"Kind of hard to do when the only thing your home has ever known is war," he replied. They were silent for a moment.

"I'm going to check on the team's progress," she said. "Admiral Benton had informed me they are on their return trip, and I want to make sure their voyage is uneventful."

"You do that," he replied, and she left. He looked down at General Dari's face. The young woman had been brought there in full military garb, armor included. This was the first time any of them had seen a Derinja woman without the dressings and coverings they were accustomed to seeing. Her jet black hair flowed on the pillow she lay on, her eyes closed peacefully. He looked closely as she breathed peacefully, the green skin of her face smoother than he'd imagined it to be.

"I never thought I'd see the day," he said to himself softly with a chuckle. "I come face to face with the enemy, and she's more attractive than half the women on Earth." Her eyes fluttered slightly.

"Sharp words coming from a dull mind," she muttered.

"You're awake?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Just too weak to retort your oblivious comments. Your whole race betrays you…betrays the lot of you."

"I wasn't asking for an opinion on the human race," he snarled. "I was asking how you were feeling."

"Why did you save me?" she asked.

"Because it was the right thing to do," he replied.

"The right thing for you," she snapped back, letting out a cough. He tried to calm her down. "I would have rather died a martyr than be here in this bed being tended to by savages that want to use me for information and treachery."

"Still convinced we're the enemy, eh?" he asked. "You believe what you want to believe. Point is we saved your life. And no, I'm not asking for anything in return, and neither is the rest of the team. If the Supremacy would have you, we'd send you back."

"But as you said, that will never happen," she replied, her eyes finally opening to meet his gaze. She was surprised at what she saw, however, but tried to not obsess over it. "I guess I had to learn one lesson the hard way."

"What's that?" he asked.

"My superior officer had it in for me from the start," she replied. "The Derinja are being used by the Drule Supremacy for their own means….or at least this fleet is. I should not have trusted her."

"That's the past," he said. "You have the chance to start over here."

"I don't want to start over," she growled. "I want to end it."