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As Color Fades Away
Chapter Twenty-Five
Shiro and Keith crouched at the end of the hall as Yanden moved down it, calling the attention of the pair of guards stationed a few yards down from a nondescript door save for a large keypad panel that had no keys to speak of.
That was where Lance was being held.
And the door was coded to only Haggar's signature to open it.
Yanden had imparted that fact to them as he outlined his plan to them in the storeroom. The witch was taking no chance of the Paladin escaping, he said, and had made the security impossible to crack. But...
He believed he had a way in.
Yanden had been assigned to monitor the camera feed of the Blue Paladin's cell following the Kri Za Kri as the witch had demanded that only officers of competence be allowed to have any sort of role in dealing with her prisoner and she had hand-selected him based on his performance. Those sharp eyes of yours cannot miss much, hmm, Liuteneant? she had purred at him.
Yanden had tried very hard not to recoil as she laid a hand on his arm.
She had been right though.
His eyes did not miss much.
And they had been opened wide to just how much of a monster the witch truly was.
He had known she and the Druids were cruel creatures. They were respected for it as much as they were feared for while Haggar served Emperor Zarkon she had too much free reign to make any of them comfortable. They had seen far too many of their comrades turned into her monsters when they had failed in their tasks, had seen the gleeful way in which she tortured creatures for fun.
It was not that the Galra were immune to such barbaric cruelty. The eighty-first battalion commander for example, Theodek. Yanden understood he was suffering the loss of his brother, but the level to which he delighted in seeing the human Paladin in pain was... extreme. He had always been a bit blood-thirsty though; it was why he had been made a commander but had been kept lower on the battalion ranks as such a thing could make him unpredictable. The loss of his brother had brought out even more of a monster and he claimed such violence in the name of revenge.
Yanden understood the need for revenge.
He still did not approve of such violence being carried out on a child, no matter whose armor they wore.
It was no wonder the witch had sought him out. They were a perfect pair and it made Yanden disgusted.
He had been further disgusted to see the lengths to which they both stooped to break the child's spirit. Yanden had seen firsthand how strong it was, how resilient. He had been reluctantly impressed by the strength of the enemy.
A strength like that should not be butchered as the witch was trying to do.
He'd had no option but to watch as Theodek had cut the boy up, burned him, drowned him, taunted him, and watched as the boy slowly, slowly began to curl in on himself.
There was nothing Yanden could do though, he told himself. He had lost his chance for a mercy killing at the Kri Za Kri as despite the commander's threat and rank Yanden was unconcerned about meeting his end at the other Galran's hand. The cell the boy was being held in was sealed to all except the witch and her magic and he knew he would never be allowed in. He had resigned himself to being a silent watcher, a sympathizer, to the torment.
And then he had seen the witch use her magic inside the cell.
She had summoned a portal, a crackling space of black energy, and retrieved a vial that he recognized as saliidda. His stomach had further clenched as she had injected the entire thing into the Paladin followed by another one of the adrenaline shots.
There would be no escaping that torment for him and every breath would be agony.
Her cruelty knew no bounds.
But...
An idea had formed in Yanden's mind as the witch opened the cell door, summoning one of the guards stationed outside to come in and retrieve the various torture implements and empty syringes for disposal as even chained and blinded and possessing as much threat as a blade of grass she would leave no potential weapons for the Paladin to take advantage of.
She had summoned that vial with her magic.
Would it thus have her signature?
He'd called for his replacement to watch the camera feed and had scurried off to intercept the guard turned janitor. He had been lucky, the Galran in no hurry to reach the incinerator on the level below, and had relieved him of his burden via a completely accidental run-in that had sent the bloodied items rolling down the hall.
Yanden had pocketed the syringe that had trace amounts of saliidda still clinging to its sides.
Even with this possible key he did not quite know what he hoped to accomplish. It was not as if he could go in and retrieve the Paladin. He knew he could rig the cameras to go on a loop and allow for such a distraction, but guards had been stationed across the entire containment floor and he would be spotted before he'd even made it out of the hall.
If Yanden were to go into the cell it would be for a mercy killing.
He did not yet want to pursue that option, but he would do it. It was the most kindness he could give the battered child.
He'd returned to his post on the camera, fingers treacherously hanging over the keys as he made to loop the footage. If he did this then it was as good as committing to it.
He'd made the loop.
It was as he did so that he caught a flicker on a different camera, the feed to Haggar's favorite torture chamber.
The door had just closed.
He pulled up the feed of the room, noting that the motion activated lights had turned on.
But no one was there.
A few minutes later the door opened again and Yanden's eyes had widened.
Someone was aboard the ship.
And given the timeline... it could be none other than the Paladins of Voltron.
He tracked their path across the cameras as coded hallway door opened and closed and then a stairwell door heading to his current level.
They were somehow tracking the Paladin.
They were here to rescue him.
He... He could assist them.
He could willingly assist the greatest enemy to his Emperor. His hand clenched on the console. It was treason of the highest caliber.
Yanden found that it did not bother him as much as he thought it would.
He'd set his pre-recorded camera feed to loop on the Blue Paladin's cell for the next thirty dobashes, summoned his replacement again with the excuse that Haggar had summoned him and none would dare question it, and exited, trying to figure out where the Paladins would be going.
Each step he took he felt the wrong feeling that had been curling his insides righted itself.
Based on the last door he'd observed the Paladins to enter through they were on the opposite half of the floor from where the Blue Paladin was located. He did not know how exactly they were tracking him, but given the fact they had located the torture chamber full of the human's internal fluids he would assume it was somehow tied to the molecular level of the human.
There were two rooms on this floor that they would track to. The cell, that they could not get in, and the high-level storage room where Yanden know the Paladin armor and weapon had been put for safekeeping until the technology department had a chance to dissect them.
He chose to go there as he could not wait outside of the Paladin's cell without rousing suspicion and they would need somewhere in which to likely speak. He also knew the storage room had no cameras. He'd arrived within a dobash and had set up to wait.
Not even two minutes later the door had opened without a body and he'd allowed himself a smirk.
He had then had to waste precious minutes convincing them of his sincerity but eventually they had agreed to work with him. He tried not to let the relief show on his face.
Yanden explained the security and the purpose of the vial, transferring it over to the Black Paladin's hands. He had told them too about the saliidda that had been injected into the human and its ability to enhance sensation.
Based on the darkening glower on the Black Paladin's face he understood what that meant for someone as injured as the Blue Paladin.
Yanden had also relayed his knowledge of the collar the child wore. It was of the Druids own design, not meant to be removed once applied. Besides its ability to deliver powerful shocks via the crystal conductor it also monitored vital levels and had tracking embedded.
In short, it was going to be one of their biggest obstacles. They would need to remove it, somehow, or disable it before they left as otherwise they would be broadcasting their location and they would be hunted down and Yanden knew his battalion, the third, which was made up of snipers and hunters, would be assigned to the task.
"The next time we meet it will be as enemies and I will not show you mercy," Yanden told them. "It is in your best interest that that day never comes."
He had left the two Paladins with one parting statement before he guided them to the cell. "It was the Blue Paladin's mercy that ultimately led to my actions today. I ask that in your escape you consider that same act of mercy upon my comrades. We may be on opposite sides of this conflict, but we all bleed the same."
"Thank you," the Black Paladin had murmured, so much behind those simple words. Yanden had caught that gray gaze with his own, inclining his head. He did not need thanks though. He did this because it was the right thing to do.
"Come," he'd called, turning for the door. "We are losing time."
And now here they were. With a chance to rescue Lance that without the Galran lieutenant would have resulted in their discovery outside of the cell when Shiro's arm no doubt set off an alarm.
Shiro knew that thank you did not even begin to cover how he felt, but it had been all he could offer and the Galran had not wanted even that.
Yanden had successfully drawn the guards attention and Shiro hurried from his crouch towards the door, syringe in his hand.
He prayed this worked.
Keith caught his eye as he joined him outside the cell door.
On the other side was Lance.
They had no idea what they would find.
But there was no time to contemplate what ifs, to prepare. They had to hurry, had to warn the others that the entire thing was indeed a trap. But not until they had Lance.
Shiro took a deep breath and held the syringe up to the pad.
It glowed a sick purple...
And the door opened with the barest hiss.
Shiro and Keith practically stumbled in, shutting their cloaking off as the door shut behind them.
The sharp scent of blood and sickness and more burnt flesh, stronger even than the torture chamber, assaulted them and even with their visors pulled down both felt their eyes water.
Shiro's head gave a new ache.
His own pain was pushed aside as tear-blurred eyes adjusted to the dim purple lighting of the cell... and fell on the limp, bloodied form on the floor.
Lance.
But...
But not Lance.
There was no way that thing could be Lance.
And yet Shiro knew it was.
The broken, bloodied, beaten slender form, curled up as much as blood-splattered chains would allow was Lance. The figure lying in a pool of blood, flesh torn open and angry burns stretching on dark skin was Lance. The tear-streaked, flushed cheeked, clenched eyes all belonged to Lance.
"Lance," his name passed as a breath from Shiro.
He took a staggering step towards him, a dull splash sounding beneath his foot. He glanced down.
Water.
And blood.
He dropped to his knees next to Lance, holding out a trembling hand, afraid a single touch would shatter him.
Lance reacted in no way to his presence except to let out a soft little moan, tucking his head further against his chest.
"Lance," he whispered again. His hand descended on the hunched, curved shoulder.
"N-no," Lance whimpered, his voice so hoarse and ragged that it took a tick for them to register it as a word. "No más."
Shiro looked towards Keith, the same horror reflected back at him.
Keith sank to his haunches next to Shiro, tucking shaking hands up underneath his arms as he didn't know what else to do with them.
"Lance," Shiro repeated. "Hey, buddy. It's Shiro. And Keith."
Lance only let out another whimper and tried to curl in more, chains dully clinking.
Keith felt his blood boil.
He welcomed the rage in place of the sick fear. His hand clenched at his side.
He was going to make them all pay.
Shiro placed a hand on Keith's shoulder, jolting him out of his darker thoughts. "I know what you're thinking," he said. "Believe me, I know. But not now. We've only got a few dobashes left before the camera comes back on and Lance..." Shiro swallowed thickly.
Lance was their priority.
Keith nodded. There would be time to fight later. To get their own revenge. But Lance came first.
"What... what do you need me to do?" Keith asked, hoping it didn't come out as wavery as it sounded to him.
His hands were trembling again.
"I need to cut the chain," Shiro said, his prosthetic whirring to life and bathing his face in a purple glow. "I don't know how... how awake he is so if he moves I need you to keep him still, all right?"
"Ten four."
Shiro carefully lowered his arm towards the links on the floor, not aiming to take off the individual manacles at this time, but just to free Lance from the chain holding him tethered to the floor.
Lance let out a moan and Keith reached his own hand out, pressing down on Lance's shoulder to keep him braced away from Shiro as he began to cut into the chain. Lance shuddered at the contact, a soft phrase in Spanish that Keith didn't catch whispering between his lips.
Keith took a deep breath and started to speak. "Hey, it's okay," he said, voice hitching as Lance let out another whimper and shifted below his hand. "We're gong to get you out. It's going to be okay. Just a few more ticks."
He had no idea if anything he was saying was comforting in the slightest but it was better than the silence broken only by the harsh whine of metal being cut through. Based on Shiro's soft curse it was not going as well as he wanted it to.
Keith wondered what the chains were made of if even Shiro's arm was having trouble.
"Almost there," Keith attempted to comfort. "Just hang on, a few ticks more."
Sparks were flying now as Shiro pressed down, nearly halfway through the link, when Lance's soft moan turned into a higher pitched keen of not just pain but of terror.
"Lance," Keith tried to speak over the growing sound but Lance was not having it and he thrashed against Keith's hand, pulling even a louder cry.
Something was wrong.
"Shiro, Shiro stop," Keith called, having to use both hands now to press Lance into the ground as he tried to back away and Keith was afraid he was going to hurt himself if he kept moving. "Shiro!"
Shiro did so immediately, the chain finally falling into two pieces and separating Lance's hands from each other and the floor.
"What is it?" he asked, gaze flicking to Lance as guilt gnawed his stomach. He'd done something, he knew it. But he had held his hand away and other than a gentle wash of heat—
Heat.
Burns.
"Oh, Lance," Shiro dropped the chain with a clatter and Lance winced again. Shiro mentally kicked himself. "I'm so sorry buddy, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. It's all right." He brought his human hand out, going to brush Lance's cheek, which other than the tear streaks looked uninjured; possibly the only part of him that was.
At the contact though Lance let out a low moan and jerked away, the action sending his shoulder colliding with Keith's knee and he tried to back away with a small cry.
"Lance, hey," Keith reached his hand out, trying to steady Lance. His hand bumped against one of the many bloodied cuts that adorned Lance and Lance...
Lance wailed.
Keith wrenched his hand away as though he'd been burned and Lance curled up in front of them, hands drawn now to his chest — and oh God, his hands, Keith's stomach flipped as he really saw them for the first time.
His stomach gave another heave as he realized why his touch had hurt so much.
The Saliidda that the Galran had warned them about, the poison that enhanced feeling.
Enhanced pain.
They were hurting Lance.
"Oh God," Keith's hands were shaking again. "Lance, I...I'm so sorry. I didn't... I didn't mean to..."
Lance just let out a choked sob.
"We need to knock him out," Shiro said quietly, guilt rolling in him too. He should have done so the moment they'd found Lance, seen the state he was in and realized he was not aware of their presence as anything more than new sources of pain.
He knew of a pressure point on the back of the neck, but... but it was covered up by the thick metal collar. That just like Yanden had said had no latch. They were going to need to cut it off of him. Shiro glanced at his prosthetic. He'd never tried to use it on something so intricate; one wrong cut and he'd slice through Lance's neck.
It needed to come off though before they left. Somehow. But not yet, not while Lance was still awake and terrified and in so so much pain.
Shiro clenched his metal hand into a fist. It was not the safest of methods and definitely not the kindest, but knocking Lance out was a kindness at this point. "I'm so sorry, buddy," he apologized.
And he brought his fist down on the back of Lance's head.
Much to his relief, Lance went instantly limp.
He exchanged a look with Keith who gave him a small nod.
He'd have done the same.
As quickly as Shiro could he sliced through the chain holding Lance's feet tethered, the chain resistant like the other one and he frowned at it. What was this material?
Lance remained unconscious throughout the entire procedure. Shiro carefully rolled him onto his back, eyes widening as brand new horrors were uncovered all over Lance's front. More burns, cuts... there wasn't a piece of skin that didn't seem to be untouched.
"Oh, Lance," he whispered.
He slipped a hand beneath Lance's shoulders and another underneath his knees, straightening up and cradling the broken form to his chest, painting the white of his armor red. Lance let out a soft whimper and Shiro froze.
The boy's eyes were still closed and based on the fact they were not wrenched shut as before Shiro knew he was still unconscious.
Unconscious and still feeling pain.
His breaths were shallow little pants, too high and thin for Shiro's comfort. It sounded like he was having trouble breathing. Shiro shifted Lance as best he could, pillowing the dark head higher on his arm to try and reduce the compression on Lance's chest. The breaths remained shallow but Shiro liked to think they evened out some.
"What's our plan?" Keith's voice broke into Shiro's thoughts.
"We need to contact the others," Shiro said. "Let them know we have Lance. But we should refrain from doing so until we're closer to the exit... if we get cornered now we're going to be in a tough spot."
Keith nodded.
"My cloaking is going to be useless," Shiro continued. It may be able to hide the DNA scanner but an entire extra person? No. Lance would be completely visible in Shiro's arms. "That means," he met Keith's eyes, "you are our only offense."
Keith's bayard shimmered into a sword and his shield appeared on his other hand. "Got it."
"Lance and I are going to to draw any fire that we encounter," Shiro said, hating that he was putting Lance into this position but unable to do anything about it. "Use that. They won't see you coming and I need you to take them out before they can retaliate."
Keith's expression darkened. "Won't be a problem."
"Keith." Shiro's voice was harder too and Keith looked at him, surprised by the tone. "Don't lose yourself to anger."
Keith startled.
"I'm angry too," Shiro said, more gently. "But we are not here to get revenge, we are not pursuing any enemies that flee. We are escaping and that is priority one. Understand?"
"I understand," Keith nodded. He swallowed thickly, trying to tamp back the dark fire of rage that had been creeping back up. Shiro was right. This was not the time for anger and revenge.
"We make for the hangar," Shiro said. "I'll figure out how to cut the tracker off then when we've secured the door. We're leaving and contacting the team as soon as that is done. Ready?"
Keith's gaze traveled to Lance, lying so still in Shiro's arms, and then to Shiro who was just as defenseless.
They were counting on him to protect them.
He would not let them down.
"Ready," he echoed.
And with a fierce protectiveness burning in his eyes, Keith pulled open the door.
xxx
"Behold your Paladin," Zarkon gestured at the limp form dragged in front of his feet. "Now surrender the Black Lion to me."
"Not... not yet," Pidge said, trying her best to keep the waver from her voice, not helped as she heard Hunk vomiting over the comms.
That... that couldn't be Lance. The bloodied... thing, more a lump of broken and bleeding flesh than a person, down below was not Lance.
She wished Shiro was here.
"We need to… to verify that that is Lance," she managed after a few ticks.
"You have three dobashes."
Pidge didn't both that with a response, shutting off the external communication and gagging silently, flipping her visor helmet up so she could press her hands to her mouth as though to convince her stomach contents to remain inside.
She reached a shaking out hand to her console, pulling up Allura and the Blue Lion's feed.
The Blue Lion's cloaking was only good for thirty dobashes and they could not afford to waste it with having Allura hover about while they figured out Zarkon's angle. They would only have about ten minutes after accounting for the twenty minute trip at the Blue Lion's speed to the base and so they had to make those ten minutes count.
But Pidge received an error message when she attempted to connect to the Princess' headset.
They were still not in range.
Fuck.
She could have used Allura's level head right now. Her own was swarming with numbers and percentages and she was making herself dizzy as both she and the Green Lion ran the odds based on what had happened thus far.
She hovered her hand to contact Shiro but her earlier concern stayed it.
If this was a trap he did not need any potential distractions.
She would verify first if this was indeed Lance, remove at least one of the unknown variables. With that data she could then proceed.
Green sent her agreement.
Pidge nodded. Plan decided. She reached out to Hunk's comm then for him to complete the verification scan.
Hunk did not respond.
"Hunk!" she shouted, panic creeping into her voice. He couldn't have fainted, could he? Possible, she decided. She laid on the transmission button again. "Hunk!"
"Sorry, sorry," he mumbled a tick later, voice hoarse. "I'm here."
"We need a scan."
Her words were a bit more clipped than she'd like but she knew Hunk understood.
"Starting it now."
Hunk had uploaded a version of the DNA scanner he'd made for the rescue team into Yellow's hardware, but he'd added a few additions that Yellow's advanced systems had been compatible with. In addition to the molecular component he'd also inputted a range for Lance's weight (dropping it nearly ten pounds at the lowest) and his height, that one trickier as he doubted Lance was going to be vertical when they saw him and he hated that he'd been right. Forget vertical, Lance wasn't even horizontal. He was more of just a... a pile. A pile of bloodied limbs and flayed skin and he didn't want that to be Lance because if it was then his brother had gone through something unspeakable and please don't let that be Lance.
That was his mantra as Yellow cast a beam out onto the platform, not a single Galran shifting as it ran itself over Lance's form. Hunk's gaze moved to Yellow's cannons and he had the horrible thought of unleashing them upon the platform once he was certain the figure below was not Lance, taking out flesh and blood Galrans without a second thought.
His stomach heaved at that.
That was not him.
The scanner gave a beep as it finished.
Don't let it be Lance, don't let it be Lance, don't let it be—
It was Lance.
One hundred percent.
The body weight had dropped almost eight pounds but otherwise it matched Lance's signatures exactly.
That was him.
"Pidge," Hunk choked out. "Pidge, it's..."
What sounded like a sob echoed across the line.
Hunk felt like joining her.
But they couldn't. Not now.
They had to proceed with the plan now, the what to do in case Lance was actually being traded to them version. The Galrans had said only the Black Lion could go down and Shiro was to exit, but obviously that wasn't possible since Shiro wasn't actually in the Lion.
Which meant Hunk was going to have to be the one to go since Pidge could not without also taking the hologrammed Red Lion with her and that wasn't suspicious at all and they could do nothing that could further endanger Lance.
Hunk's hands shook. It was going to be okay. He was going to go down there, retrieve Lance and...
And...
And it was somehow going to be okay.
"I'm gonna contact Shiro," Pidge said quietly. "They need to get out of—"
"Paladins!"
Both near jumped as Allura sounded in their comms, her voice high and for her the barest note of panic.
"Allura?" Hunk returned.
His hands were shaking again.
Something was wrong.
Allura wasn't supposed to contact them first, the same reasons why they had not reached out to Keith and Shiro. And if she were here already in range it meant their countdown had begun and they had less than ten minutes before she was visible and then the Galrans would know something was up as the Blue Lion absolutely should not be here.
"Do not commence the trade," she called out. "Something is not right. The Blue Lion—"
She cut off, static buzzing.
"Princess!" Pidge shouted into the comms, but she received only feedback.
Well fuck.
"Paladins," Zarkon hailed from below. "Your time is up. Surrender the Black Lion now or the trade is off."
And the Galrans would then no doubt open fire, taking the Lion by force.
What did they do?
Lance was right there, the scanner proved so, and Pidge was not about to just leave him based on some half-assed warning from Allura.
"Hunk," she started. "You start—"
"No!" Allura cut back into their channel. "Do not move!"
"Allura—" Pidge started.
"That is not Lance!"
Her words froze Pidge's hands on the controls.
"...what?" Hunk whispered.
How? The scan had showed it was him, a perfect match.
"There is no quintessence!" Allura's voice was high. "It is not him. Fall back. Fall back now."
But as she spoke a tether of dark energy shot from Zarkon's hands and encircled the Black Lion's muzzle, tethering her to him.
He had apparently grown impatient.
And now they could not leave.
"Hey!" Pidge slammed her hand down on the console. "Let the Black Lion go now!"
She'd realized within the space of a tick she had not selected the relay transmission that projected her words in Shiro's voice from the Black Lion.
Double fuck.
All around them the escort ships began to angle their cannons and artillery on the surrounded Lions.
Triple fuck.
Zarkon's eyes narrowed although he did not release his hold on the Black Lion. "You thought to trick me?" he snarled. "You foolish little hum—"
"Give us back Lance!" Hunk shouted, opening up his external comms, voice cracking with fear but with a strength behind it as well. "The real one!"
At that Zarkon's expression went from angered to almost comical surprise. If the circumstances hadn't been what they were Pidge might have even laughed. As it was there was no time for that as her hands flew across Green's console, activating the shields for the about to be massive incoming attack.
Green told her the odds of them both surviving without the shields at such a close range barrage was in the low thirties. Pidge was going to make that at least seventy.
"Well, well," Zarkon's expression morphed into an almost feral, wild smile. "It seems this is no longer a trade at all. In which case..." He turned his gaze from the Lions and to the surrounding battleships. "Fi—"
A torrent of blue energy slammed into the platform.
It exploded.
Pidge let out a yelp as the blastwave sent all of the Lions backwards, the hologram flickering out of existence, and the Black Lion freed for the moment from Zarkon's grasp.
She had no doubt it was only temporary. Such a blast, enough to easily kill a person, would not harm someone like Zarkon. They only had the element of surprise and it was gone now.
"Retreat!" screamed Allura over the comms, volume searing. "Hurry!"
The Galra though were determined to not let that happen. Even without Zarkon's final order they had begun to fire upon the three visible Lions, the Black Lion not fighting back as attacks pinged into her side as all of her concentration was on the platform covered in a haze of smoke and the flickering of purple light.
She opened fire on that, cannon pumping out blast after blast.
The Black Lion, Pidge knew, was more than aware of how dangerous Zarkon was. And she was the only one who stood a chance of holding him off, especially with Haggar at his side.
Now it was time to finally contact Shiro and Keith.
She'd gotten all of her answers now.
She just prayed that they had gotten Lance.
Pidge keyed up the comms even as she steered Green around to block a blast aimed at the Black Lion's flank, jolting inside the cockpit and the shields flashing a direct hit. She growled and returned fire.
"Shiro," she called, dodging another blast as space became a battlefield. "Shiro, Keith, come in."
She received a burst of static.
"Shiro come in!"
More feedback.
"God fucking damnit respond!" Pidge shrieked into the comms even though she knew it wasn't her technology that was at fault.
There was something disrupting her signal.
Some sort of satellite, she was sure, or maybe even a sort of cell tower. She just had to find it. Where was it, where was it, where—
Her search was halted as a blast, larger than before, crashed into the Green Lion's side and they were sent spinning, smashing into one of the smaller Galran ships and causing it to explode on impact and Pidge screamed as fire flared all around her and Green roared out in pain.
All around her warnings flashed red that the shields were back down to only thirty percent. Another hit like that and she would be dead in the water.
Or dead.
It really could go either way.
And a large blast was headed her direction just now, the same ship still pursuing her.
"Pidge!" came Hunk's terrified scream and a moment later he and Yellow were there, intercepting the blast, the larger, sturdier Lion groaning under the hit but withstanding it.
"Pidge, pull back now," Allura commanded, she and Blue still invisible but clearly a part of the fight if the exploding ships to their right were any indication. Black continued to blast the platform and so far no return fire was incoming.
A small miracle and they would take it.
"I'm not leaving without Lance!" Pidge retorted.
"Paladin, that is an order."
"No!"
Fuck that. How could Allura even ask that?
"Now!" And behind Allura's sharp tone there was genuine fear. "Pidge, go! I... I cannot lose—"
Allura's words were swallowed by loud blaster fire but Pidge still heard them.
I cannot lose you too.
"I'm sorry, Allura," Pidge said quietly, a direct contrast to the battle raging outside. "But I can't do that. Not without Lance."
"Pidge—"
"I'm going to find them," she interrupted. "And we're all going to go the fuck home."
And before Allura could try and protest again Pidge wheeled Green around, activated her own cloaking under the cover of Yellow's side, and took off.
They either all went home together...
Or they didn't go home at all.
xxx
Keith was beginning to wish he had a blaster.
He loved his sword and wielded it with a finesse and skill that not many could claim... but it was not very useful when trying to mow down multiple enemies all bearing guns of their own from a distance.
It was not useful at all.
And it was going to get them all killed.
He and Shiro had made it out of the cell without issue, Keith going out first and under the guise of his cloaking easily dispatching the two sets of guards on either side of the hallway entrance of the cell. He'd gestured for Shiro to come out then and they had taken off down the hall at a quick clip, Keith in the lead and Shiro trailing behind. They both knew eventually there would be a crossroads where Keith could not dash out and disable all of the guards without notice, but they would use this setup for as long as they could.
It had ended sooner than they had liked.
They had been making good progress and had gotten through almost the entire floor and back towards the stairwell they had come in on, but at that point alarms had begun to sound and reinforcements had started to arrive, drawn by the sound of blaster fire and no doubt the trail of (unconscious) bodies and broken sentries Keith was leaving behind.
He was respecting both Yanden and Shiro's wishes. And if he was honest, he didn't want to kill these soldiers. Not really.
He would not hold back though if he encountered Haggar or the Galran commander.
Keith's cloaking went out just before the staircase.
They were cornered now in the hallway they had come from by several squadrons of sentries. Normally such a thing would be a cakewalk for Keith but he wasn't just fighting for himself. He had to protect Shiro and Lance too and could not afford to dive in head first, be as reckless as everyone always told him he was.
But a sword was no match for several dozen weapons firing from a distance and he could do nothing much about it until the sentries drew closer.
"Shiro," Keith panted, blocking another blaster shot with his shield and then reaching out to strike a charging sentry. His sword clanged against the metal and he grit his teeth against the pain as the sentry got in a hit of its own, blaster searing against his arm, as it fell. "I... I can't hold them."
The admission stung but it was true.
He couldn't do this alone.
But Shiro couldn't fight either. He was protecting Lance, his own shield drawn and raised in front of them as best he could while still holding Lance in his arms.
Lance, who Keith could only tell was alive based on the barely there rise of his chest.
He didn't have much time.
They needed to go.
Keith swallowed. He knew what he had to do.
He also knew Shiro wasn't going to like it.
"Shiro," his voice was pitched low and yet he knew Shiro heard it. "You have to go."
Keith definitely heard the sharp inhale.
"I'll make a path—"
"Like hell," snapped Shiro. "What the fuck, Keith? You honestly think I'm just going to leave you behind?"
"You have to!" Keith snarled, decapitating an advancing sentry. "Lance doesn't have time! And you're not staying either."
Keith would never, ever, let Shiro fall into the Galra's hands again. He would rather die than see that happen.
"Damnit it, Keith," Shiro snarled, heart in his throat and fear twisting his insides. "That's not how this works."
"Shiro—"
"I'm not saving Lance to abandon you," Shiro growled, blocking a blast headed his way that sailed past Keith's defenses. "I will never abandon you." His voice broke. "You know that. Don't ever suggest it again."
Keith swallowed and gave a minute nod.
He didn't know how any of them were supposed to get out though.
They were all going to die.
"Switch with me," Shiro ordered. "Now."
Keith was at his side within the space of a breath and Shiro lowered Lance to the floor, Keith taking up a guard position in front of him and raising his shield.
"Contact the others," Shiro said. "We need backup."
He disappeared a second later.
Keith dimly noted that both apparently had to be cloaked to see one another.
Shiro was tearing through the sentry ranks like butter and Keith took the distraction for all it was worth, raising his hand to activate his comms.
Static burst in his ears.
What the...?
He tried again, calling out for Pidge, Hunk and even Allura.
Nothing.
Something had gone wrong, Keith could feel it.
Shiro flickered back into view, the hallway around them ringing with silence save for the crackle of broken sentry pieces.
"I can't make contact," Keith said, stepping to the side as Shiro bent down and lifted Lance back into his arms, both wincing as Lance let out an unconscious whimper. "The signals jammed or something. Shiro, I..."
"It's going to be fine," Shiro said, voice more calm than he felt. He couldn't afford to give into panic now. "Let's just get to the hangar. Focus on that."
Keith nodded and took up the lead position again, charging up the stairwell as quick as he could and Shiro's deeper inhales coming from behind.
The reinforcements had not yet made it to this level, no doubt still heading towards where the fighting had been, and the two Paladins broke into a run for the hangar. They paused only to get through the security doors, fortunately still accepting Shiro's hand as a code, although both times it had taken some awkward maneuvering to reach out and get his palm on the keypad around Lance.
Lance had remained disturbingly still throughout all of it.
They were entering the last hallway leading to the hangar when Lance screamed.
It was not a whimper or one of those breathy gurgles.
It was a wail, and he thrashed in Shiro's arms.
Shiro tightened his grip to keep hold and Lance yelled louder, scream echoing down the hall.
There was no way anyone in hearing distance didn't know where they were now.
"The collar," Keith gasped, zeroing in on the cause of Lance's sudden pain. The metal ring was let up a brilliant purple, clearly activated. Keith reached out a hand to the collar before he could stop himself, as if somehow doing so would relieve Lance's own suffering, and yelped as his fingers sizzled against it.
Lance screamed louder.
"Lance, Lance it's okay," Shiro tried to console, lowering Lance to the ground. "It's okay buddy. We're going to get it off. Just a tick. Okay?" He activated his prosthetic, trying to stop his own tremble as deadly fingers angled down towards Lance's neck. "Keith, hold him, I have to—"
Blaster fire interrupted him, pinging on the ground just in front of where they were all crouched.
Keith had his shield pulled within half a tick, shuddering as blasts impacted it, Shiro right beside him with his own.
They'd been found.
"Keith," Shiro met his eyes. "Get Lance to the hangar."
What?
No.
"Shiro, no," Keith protested. "You just... you just said..."
"You trust me, right?"
"Always," Keith choked out against his own volition. "But Shiro—"
"I'll be back," Shiro promised. "I swear, Keith. Get Lance to safety. I'll meet you there."
Shiro had every intention of keeping that promise. He had almost two dobashes of cloaking left, more than enough to take out the sentries and secure their exit. But... but in case he didn't... he needed Keith and Lance to be safe.
He needed them to go.
"Okay," Keith choked out. "Okay."
Shiro gave him a soft smile that didn't quite meet his eyes... and vanished.
Keith didn't waste any time, trusting Shiro to have his back and block any further incoming blasts. He turned his attention to Lance, who had gone silent and Keith's heart jumped into his throat.
He was almost grateful to hear Lance's soft whimper as he braced a hand on the bloodied back.
Alive.
For now.
He had to hurry.
Keith awkwardly shifted Lance into a fireman's carry, pretty positive that such a position was not good for someone with a head injury but he lacked the strength and build to carry Lance as Shiro had done. He sent a silent apology and broke into a jog.
He realized the problem as soon as he reached the hangar door.
It was a keypad open.
He needed Shiro's arm.
God fucking damnit.
He sent out a mental call to the Red Lion, but even if she were to arrive in the hangar she could not help him here. Her method of blasting open obstacles would not work, not when the hallway was narrowed without offshoots and no cover to hide behind. He and Lance would be roasted if the explosion didn't get them first.
Keith lowered Lance as gently as he could to the ground so he could withdraw his sword and shield once more and stand guard.
He found himself crouching though next to Lance, unable to look away.
It was why he was able to see the shock collar activate this time.
One moment it was a ring of silver metal and the next there were a series of purple lights beginning to glow.
Lance jolted back into consciousness with a hoarse scream.
Keith swore, dropping his shield and reaching instead to intercept Lance's hands that had risen up to try and tug as futilely at the collar as Keith had done.
But at Keith's touch Lance's scream rose in volume and his eyes flew open.
"Fuck!" Keith gasped, losing his grip on Lance's hands in surprise.
Because while Lance's irises were still a deep shade of ocean blue, the whites of his eyes had been turned solid black. They stared past Keith he realized with a sense of cold dread that Lance was not actually seeing him.
What the fuck had they done to his eyes?
Lance let out another cry, throwing his head back so hard that it cracked against the ground, but even that wasn't enough to send him unconscious.
His hands moved back towards the collar and Keith caught them again, feeling blood slide against his palms.
Lance wailed.
"I'm sorry," Keith whispered, feeling tears prick his eyes at how useless he felt in the face of Lance's suffering. He couldn't do anything except cause him more. "I'm sorry."
The lights went out on the collar and Lance's cries turned into quiet gasps. Keith released his hands and Lance pulled them back to himself, curling up around them.
In Lance's silence Keith could hear the sounds of a battle still going strong.
It had been more than two dobashes now.
Shiro's cloaking was gone.
Keith's stomach clenched.
Shiro was alone, uncloaked, and fighting against what sounded like a small army. Maybe on a good day it would be possible, but today was not a good day. Keith knew Shiro had to be feeling the same exhaustion that was picking away at him, if not even more so, not to mention the heavy feeling of sickness that had taken up permanent residence in his gut.
But he couldn't leave Lance alone; not when he was in so much pain and defenseless and Shiro had tasked Keith with keeping him safe.
But Shiro wasn't safe either.
Keith's hands clenched. What did he do?
God, what did he do?
The decision was made for him though as the hangar door gave a hiss and the keypad lit up on their side.
Someone was coming through.
The Galrans must have a secondary entrance to it and were moving to flank them.
They would regret that.
Keith's gaze narrowed and he summoned his sword and shield to him. He stepped over Lance's prone form, taking up a guard position in front of this newest threat.
He wouldn't let anyone ever hurt Lance again. He had no idea what was going to come through the door...
But he did know that he was going to win.
Because under no circumstance could he afford to lose.
Author's Notes:
Scene set: (Icy is dressed up as Maleficent and all the readers are the Good Faeries) *Faeries come running up a flight of stone stairs and observe Icy standing at the top.* "Where is Lance?" the faeries demand. *Icy chuckles and sweeps back her evil cloak to reveal a bloodied Lance on the floor* "Here's your precious Paladin," she sneers. *evil chuckling and she disappears in a crackle of lightning*
So, was the reunion what you pictured? :D A number of you were on target when you noted that Lance was still pretty out of it and might not realize he was actually being rescued. He just knows various levels of pain and fear at this point, which Keith and Shiro are getting the joy of experiencing. As I said, this rescue is going to span a few chapters since I've been leading up to it and we've got a lot of moving pieces. Now I have three "sets" (thanks, Pidge) to keep track of and keep them all in a semblance of a concurrent timeline. *cracks knuckles and immediately winces* I've got this. Also the cliffhangers? Prepare yourself. I consider myself a queen of them and this rescue is going to have them in spades :D
And in perfect timing, I have some gorgeous sketches of Lance from the lovely heyheroics who I cannot love or thank enough. Like God, my stomach is knotting and they're just sketches. You can see them from the link on my profile. Do check them out!
Thank you so much to the amazing reviewers. I can't believe how many of you commented last chapter and it just makes me so happy. I live for feedback and you guys are amazing. Shout outs to: Sirrius The Moonblade, dragoscilvio, Alexa, Oliviadbell, KarleighH, Jennyfish26, Rookblonkorules, shakespeare13, Guest, Guest, wingedflower, LishaChan, Violinworld,PaintedWings45, Spacenerd7, Merlin's Knight, Finnesotan, vickydd, WhiteWolf100101,luminoslight1313, StrawberryFever3, stealingthestars, JustADamFrenchFry, QuestionablyCapableGhoul, sally3015, Wolf of the Demise, fireflame159, Tony WildRiver, Justanangryfangirl, 3, 0WolfFaerie0, Jadegem02, Aperson, death jump, Stargirl720, , WindGemini, saumya, Lasagna, Multifangirl6, Arivoctix, Pheonixwarrior123, Guest, Guest, Arrowshaft, angelicana1230, Guest, LuckyDream, Eeveecat1248 and FanaticFangirl2602!
I would love to get your reactions to this chapter! Favorite part? Line? Scene? Thoughts for the rescue? There's so many different ways this could go after all :D Thank you all so much for your feedback and encouragement. It really means the world to me.