Chapter Eight- New Mission

Shiro watched nervously as the hidden hangar of Black Lion opened the lion emerged. She knew that Black was the head and torso of Voltron, but she hadn't expected her to be this big. It wasn't the size she was nervous about; it was whether she would accept a new paladin. Black halted before her and she clasped her hands as she gazed up at her. Please, please accept me.

Black lowered her head, her eyes flared, her mouth opened, and the ramp descended. Shiro beamed. Black had accepted her and that meant that her new mission was to defeat Zarkon as part of Voltron. Of course, I first have to learn to fly Black and how to form Voltron. She entered her lion and took her seat to study the holographic controls. After an hour, or varga, of this, Allura contacted her over the lion's comm link, asking her to come inside. "Understood," she said and guided Black back into the hangar before joining the others in what looked like a weapons vault. There were tall cases with armor in them and a jewelry-like case with odd-looking weapons inside.

"Now, that all of the lions have been found and have new paladins, it is time to present you with the traditional paladin armor." She gestured to five suits, each one white with a different accent color: Black, yellow, red, blue, and green. It was clear to Shiro that she would wear the black one as she was the black paladin. Similar thoughts had clearly gone through the heads of her new team for soon all of them had slipped on their armor.

Allura smiled happily at this before leading them to the odd weapons. "These are the traditional paladin weapons called Bayards. Each one responds differently to the paladin who wields it."

"Princess," Shiro said as she looked inside the case. "I see only four."

"Ah, yes. I'm afraid Zarkon still has the black Bayard. I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I'm an excellent hand-to-hand and I have a weapon of my own." She showed the knife.

"Oh my!" Coran exclaimed as he came closer to study it. "Is that Luxite?"

"Uh, yes." Shiro put it away.

"Luxite is a rare metal, my dear. I did some studying to bring myself up to speed and found that the planet it came from was mined to death."

"It was? I wasn't told that."

"It is likely that those in that fighter group of yours weren't around when that happened though Galra can live a long time."

Everyone was silent as they got their Bayards. Keith was especially thoughtful. My knife is exactly like Shiro's and while the metal is from another planet, the Galra made them into weapons and the metal became rare over time. But, if my knife is used by the Galra, how did I come to have one?

Shiro didn't call headquarters over the next few movements as she was busy developing a bond with her lion and her teammates as well as freeing planets from Galra rule. While the aliens were joyful to be free, they were suspicious of Shiro whenever the paladins exited their lions. She didn't blame them for their hostile stares and didn't let it bother her. It was Allura and her team who assured them that she was against Zarkon as she had suffered from Galra treatment.

"What kind of treatment?" one alien asked her suspiciously, despite the assurances.

"Not as great as yours. Just genetically altered into my current form and gender and forced to fight in Zarkon's arena."

"Altered?" the alien gasped in horror. "Then, you weren't born a Galra."

"Correct. It happened a deca-phoeb ago but I have become used to my body."

Voltron's return and Shiro's story spread through the worlds they visited and freed and Shiro's presence was warmly received. After freeing several planets, they gathered in the lounge to discuss their success while acknowledging that there were still many more to free. "I'm thinking of asking those we free to join that I'm thinking of calling The Voltron Coalition," Allura said. "They would assist us in fighting for Zarkon as they choose as well as support other free members."

"That sounds like a great idea, Allura," Shiro said.

"What about that group of yours? They could be great allies."

"I don't know. Our group operates in secrecy and it's not easy to get to headquarters. I learned to navigate the way in and…I should report in." I really should and I feel a terrible loneliness that almost hurts. Why does it hurt, though?

"Can you provide the coordinates?" Allura asked.

"I can give you coordinates a safe distance from it for the base is between two black holes and a blue star."

There was silence and Pidge said, "That's genius and definitely not easy to navigate."

"Identify yourselves," said a voice Shiro knew as one of the Blades but not one of her pack. Nevertheless, it was pleasant to hear.

"Coran, opening a hailing frequency," she said. Once open, she said, "This is operative Shiro and the paladins of Voltron."

There was a pause before they got a reply. "Shiro, you and one other may approach." The connection ended.

"All right. Keith, you're with me."

"What!?" Lance exclaimed. "Why Keith? He's a hothead! You need someone who can stay calm."

"The temperature of that star is intensely hot and Red Lion can withstand those temperatures. Also, Zarkon's bond with Black Lion hasn't severed yet so it needs to stay here. Let's go, Keith."

Red Lion touched down on the surface of the base and both paladins got out. Shiro stepped toward the spot where the lift would show while Keith looked around. "This is it? Looks like just a plain asteroid of rock."

"Looks can be deceiving," Shiro said just as the lift doors slid apart and the lift rose with two masked Blades on it. She saw one of them was Antok and she refrained from chirping at seeing him. Instead she and Keith joined them and they went down below the surface.

The lift opened to reveal the hall Shiro had beheld phoebs ago and walked many times since then. Standing at the head was Kolivan and Shiro felt her loneliness ease at the sight of him as well as the mysterious hurt fading away. They stopped at the steps leading up to Kolivan's platform. There was a brief silence.

Then, Kolivan opened his arms. "Shiro, welcome home. I missed you."

Shiro handed her helmet to Keith before bounding up to Kolivan and into his arms. She purred softly to him and he responded in like. "I missed you too," she said softly.

"I imagined it hurt being away from me as mates feel pain when separated too long," he said and Shiro was relieved at finally understanding her pain.

"Now," he said a little louder once Shiro had returned to Keith and accepted her helmet. "What brings you both here?"

"Princess Allura is thinking of forming an alliance between the free planets and Voltron. It is our hope that the Blade of Marmora would become our allies as well."

"An alliance." Kolivan nodded thoughtfully. "It would be-,"

A scuffle to her left drew both her and Kolivan's attentions as well as those in the room. Antok had Keith face-down on the floor and was pulling out a knife: A Marmora knife!

"Which Blade did you steal this from?" the tailed Galra growled.

"I didn't," Keith said. "I've had it for as long as I can remember." He looked at Shiro with almost pleading eyes. "Shiro, you know me."

I do know. "Antok, please release Keith. I've known him for years and he's no thief."

"Then, how did he get this?" Antok asked, holding up the knife.

As Shiro looked at it, a possible explanation came to her and, to her, it made sense.