Alphonse passed his broadsword behind his back and spun it with his other hand. "Ready when you are, Kolivan."

Kolivan opened his eyes where he knelt and slowly stood. He drew his own sword and held it at his side. "On your mark, friend."

Alphonse winked at Krolia and charged at Kolivan with a grin. Kolivan barely moved to engage him in swordplay, but it was enough. Their swords clashed in the throne room from their brilliant display. Alphonse caught glimpses of Krolia where she pretended not to watch. Yet again he saw her look away and 'review' her dossier. She smiled at the chart. Alphonse loved her so much.

Kolivan withdrew and Alphonse followed his lead. They took the lull to regain their breath. Kolivan asked, "Shall we resume?"

Alphonse took a step forward. "As al- AH!"

He fell to his knees and dropped his sword. Pain. Only pain. Pain he'd never wanted to experience again. Pain only one person could cause. He curled up on his side struggling to breathe while the memories from his decade of torture mixed with what he felt from his son.

"Alphonse, what's wrong? Did I hit you?"

Alphonse was cold with sweat where Kolivan gripped his arm. He struggled to shake his head and stuttered, "No. This is her. Keith is in trouble."

"I thought you couldn't feel him directly," Kolivan hissed.

Alphonse pushed up, gritting his teeth against the memories. "It was a cry for help. Our son needs us."

"Alphonse, beloved, are you hurt?"

Alphonse avoided Krolia's gaze. "I'm whole, my heart." He pushed to his feet and leaned on Kolivan to whisper, "We must hurry. Prepare your people and I will meet you when the others are ready."

"What did you mean? Did you feel our son? Alphonse, I need to know if he could threaten the paladins. Did he hurt you?"

Krolia's flurry of questions hung in the air. Kolivan moved first and sheathed his sword. Bowing at the waist, he said, "Empress, I must see to something immediately. While I am away, I will triple your guard. Alphonse, do what you must."

Alphonse groaned, not that he blamed Kolivan for burdening him with calming Krolia. Their wife was glaring at the blade leader. Yep. Not envious one bit. Kolivan would be in the doghouse for sure. Alphonse linked arms with Krolia and they left the throne room. When they walked the garden paths, he noted the extra blades a short distance away. Kolivan had been quick to fulfill his promise.

Alphonse stopped at a bench and sat. Krolia sat beside him and he kissed the back of her hand. "Krolia, your infinite patience is truly a gift of which I am forever thankful, but I must ask for a small measure more."

"I heard you, Alphonse," she insisted. "If the witch's champion reached out, it must be a trap. Sendak's fleet tests our every defense. If we lose you or Kolivan, it may prove too great a loss to recover from."

"I understand your concerns and see the wisdom in your words, but Krolia," Alphonse cupped her cheek, "what if Keith did seek help? What if we can still save him? Despite everything, I know you haven't given up on our son." Her eyes widened and he smiled even as tears threatened. Her eyes were shining when she curled into his chest and he held her tight. He ran a hand over her hair and said, "The rebels have been closing in on Haggar's location ever since Lotor was taken. We only need a little more time."

Krolia didn't reply right away. Alphonse respected her silence. He'd missed so much of this with her. Physical touch had been lacking during that time, and now it helped send the memories back to where they couldn't hurt him.

"You must go, Alphonse. I asked you not to promise the impossible, but if I hold you back, the only one preventing that is me." Krolia sat up on the bench. "I shouldn't delay you any longer."

Alphonse knelt before her and bowed his head. Taking her hand, he swore, "This conflict is coming to an end, my love. I will uphold my oath and bring our sons home."

Krolia stood. "Then go, and do my bidding."

Alphonse stood and saluted her in the galran way. "Vrepit sa."

Lance paced behind Pidge. "How much longer?"

"I'd tell you if I knew, but there's some kind of interference. We could go to Haggar's lair, but unless we know where Keith found him, we won't know what we're walking into. Now sit down and let me work!"

Lance bit back a snarky reply at a sharp look from Allura. Hunk rolled his chair to a second console and grimaced while he typed. "They just vanished. Their signatures didn't even leave their location, so how the hell did they disappear? Keith has never done that before, let alone both of them."

"Wait, play that back," Allura said and pointed at the screen. Pidge did as asked. Allura double tapped an icon and the image enlarged. "There! Keith vanished here! Now look back through the footage. When did Lotor disappear?"

"Oh god, you're onto something," Pidge muttered when the information appeared. "They're still at the manor. That's how she hid Shiro from us." They watched Lotor's signature disappear from the map. Pidge stood and looked at Lance. "We have our target now."

Lance nodded. "Alright, here's what we're going to do." He looked around their circle. "Send word to Kolivan. If Alphonse felt what we all did then he's probably already on his way, but we can meet Kolivan and speed up the extraction process. Allura, move the castle as close to Haggar's stronghold as we can get without alerting them. Pidge, you should give your brother a head's up so his people can start evacuating."

"Roger, team leader."

Hunk and Pidge started on the messages and Allura turned toward the bridge. Lance trotted after her and caught her hand. "Don't move us until Alphonse returns. He might need the teleduv to get back."

Allura nodded. Lance searched her eyes. She was still shaken up from what she'd felt earlier. Pidge and Hunk had returned to the castle frantic and scared. Once Lance and Allura told them they'd experienced the same thing, they knew there was no other choice. They needed to intervene now. Hunk was anxious, like usual but maybe a little more so. Katie was pissed. Every little delay or distraction made her lash out verbally if not physically... yet.

But Allura was quiet. The way she was when she worried. When she woke from nightmares where Keith never came home. When Lance couldn't do anything to make the tears slow down. Lance squeezed her hand and let her fingers slip from his.

"God damn it, Matt, pick up!" Pidge screamed and threw the headpiece as hard as she could. Standing, she pulled her hair and paced.

Lance shot Hunk a look and took her place. Hunk went to her and they spoke in low tones. When Lance stole a glance in their direction, Katie was hyperventilating in the corner before Hunk embraced her. Lance returned his attention to the transponder, but Matt never answered. Lance frowned, considering what to tell him. He finally said, "We have a situation. Lone Wolf has been compromised and the Lost Astronaut is found. Proceed with caution. Call when you get this." Lance closed the channel. "Now we wait."

Matt pushed off the wall and stretched his arms above his head. "Come on, Kolivan. I don't have all day." Then he sat in a chair and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He double checked the location and crossed his arms. After another hour passed, the window of time Kolivan had given closed. Matt stood and checked for messages. Nothing.

He frowned and left the briefing room. What could pull Kolivan away without at least a little warning? He walked back through the hub of the empire toward his ship. He was lost in thought when he rounded a corner and ran into someone. He bounced off their chest and began to fall. They caught his wrist and he regained his balance with a quick, "Sorry."

"It is nothing, Matthew," a woman said.

Matt blushed and quickly saluted when he recognized Krolia's laughter. "Your majesty, I-"

Krolia giggled again and linked arms with him. "Calm down, child. You're hardly the first person to bump into me. It seems my subjects are still unused to the 'presence' of their matriarch. Lotor told me so very many stories from when he ascended the throne, I scarcely believed him until our positions were swapped."

Matt let her lead him for a minute before he said, "I mean no insult, Empress, but my ship is the other direction."

"I know." Krolia smiled down at him. "I was wondering if I could acquire your assistance about a certain matter."

"Sure," Matt answered, "though you have my latest anti-spyware. The next update won't be ready for another pheob."

"This is something personal."

Matt glanced sidelong at her. "Alright. I have some time. Kolivan never showed up for our meeting and Nyma isn't expecting me home until tonight."

Krolia put a hand to her mouth. "I have an inkling as to why he left so suddenly. Which is part of why I'm requesting your assistance. Here. We've arrived." She gestured into the room.

Matt entered and went to the console. Krolia shut the door. Matt looked up when the lock flashed. "Uh, Krolia, where is your escort?" Krolia leaned a hip into the table and crossed her arms. The playful attitude from their walk was gone and Matt felt a bead of cold sweat run down his back. Damn, the empress could be intimidating when she wanted to. Matt rubbed his thighs and sat up straight. "What's going on, Krolia?"

She furrowed her brow. "Is it true you are close to locating Haggar's base of operations?"

Matt cleared his throat, hoping he looked somewhat oblivious, and answered, "Yes. We've narrowed it to only a few possibilities, but with the military presence around Keith's colonies, we've had a hard time infiltrating to get a closer look." He was absolutely horrible at lying, but it wasn't completely false. Maybe she wouldn't see through him.

Krolia held his stare for a moment before crossing to the main console. She tapped a couple keys and a closed file appeared on the screen. "This is why I brought you here. The content in this file is sensitive and I don't know who else could break the encryption."

"Who sent it?"

Krolia tilted her head in regal poise. "Gnov gave me this before she left on a mission six weeks ago. She has not reported to me since. I worry."

Matt raised an eyebrow and examined the file. "What is this?" He scrunched up his nose and chewed the corner of his lip while he scanned the code.

"A bio-metric fretlock. It's malfunctioning and I can't get it to open. This is what we get for outdated security protocol."

Matt didn't take his eyes off the code. "Hmm... It doesn't read like it's corrupted. Are you sure?"

"I would not ask this of you if it wasn't important."

"Of course, Krolia." He cracked his knuckles. "Give me a minute and we'll know why it's acting up."

"Thank you, Matthew."

Matt kept typing. "It's the least I can do, Krolia. And there. Now let's see what-"

"This is Acxa."

Matt blanched as everything in the file opened at once. Visual of the black lion with the Retribution. Keith and Rhea with the black lion. Hidden messages that had gone missing. Footage from after the armistice when he and Katie went to pick up Keith for her wedding. Video of Lethua. Lotor and Keith naked on the veranda.

Matt tried to delete everything but a hand grabbed the collar of his shirt and ripped him out of the chair. He grunted when he hit the wall and barely made it to his feet before Krolia grabbed his throat in one hand. Her talons didn't break skin, but her muscles flexed and he realized it took all of her self control not to hurt him further. She growled out, "What is this, rebel? A trick, or have you truly betrayed us? Has Lotor been corrupted as well?"

Matt struggled to pry her off and choked out, "This isn't what it looks like! I swear on my sister's life, there's an explanation!"

A knock at the door was followed by, "Empress, is everything alright?"

She tightened her grip and Matt could only gasp. Krolia snarled, "Get in here," and turned back to Matt. "You will answer-"

"Krolia can't know, Alphonse. You know what will happen if she finds out."

Krolia's eyes widened at Kolivan's voice. She looked over her shoulder to see her consorts and the black paladin apparently incriminating themselves. Her grip went slack and Matt fell to his hands and knees coughing. Then the door opened. The blades entered.

"What are your orders, Empress?"

Matt rubbed his neck and watched her expression crack. Fear and confusion battled in her eyes. She clenched her hands before her chest to defend herself. Gone was the woman with the strength of a thousand burning suns. "Are you true to your order?"

The blades hesitated before the leader knelt before her. "Empress, your command is all we obey."

Krolia swallowed and forced her hands to her sides. She glared at Matt and said, "Arrest him."

The leader stood, quickly, though he glanced at Matt and back to Krolia. "Empress, he is our ally."

"Are you going back on your word?" The threat in her voice echoed tangibly in the small room.

Matt saw what was happening and tapped his wrist. The cloaking apparatus engaged and he effectively vanished. The blades drew their weapons and Krolia held a pistol in her hands. Matt pushed up and pressed into the wall as she fired where he'd been less than a second before. The room erupted into chaos as he dodged around them in an effort to escape. Fuck! Why were there so many?

He made it to the doorway and screamed. His cloaking failed for a split second where Krolia shot his shoulder. He stumbled into the hall and kept running. The footsteps of the blades behind him drove him forward. He wasn't sure if they had a way to sense where he was, but that didn't give him any comfort. No doubt they could still hear his footsteps and he could feel blood dripping from his shoulder. It was only a matter of time before they pinned him down.

He was out of breath and panicking when he was halfway to the hangars and the alarms began to sound. Soldiers appeared in even larger numbers. He ducked into a side room and pulled out his transponder. Dialing the castle, his throat raw from panting, he waited impatiently. No response. Gritting his teeth, he waited to be sent to message and whispered quickly, "Pidge, it's Matt. I'm at the hub and Krolia found out! She knows we've been in contact with Keith, but she doesn't have all the details. I'm being hunted as a traitor. If I don't message you again, it's because I've been caught. Katie, you have to help him. It's now or never. I love-"

"There you are!"

Talons dug into his shoulder and he screamed as he was yanked out of hiding. The soldier threw him face down on the floor, galra claws slashing long gashes across his back. Hot pain flashed across his body before becoming icy, leaving him shaking with shock. A heavy weight pressed him down, threatening to crush him. Tears streamed as he protested, "I'm not resisting!"

"Silence!"

The soldier's armor ground sharply into Matt's spine. He bit back another scream and forced himself not to struggle. Footsteps circled him. The blades made their way to the center and Matt turned his face to look at Krolia, his cheek smashed into the tile. His wrists were cuffed, pulling at his freshly ripped wounds. She showed no sympathy for him in her cold dark eyes. He was lifted to his feet and made to face her.

Krolia narrowed her eyes and holstered her pistol. With a terrifying glare, she asked, "Why did you run?" Matt clenched his teeth. Krolia stepped closer and he inhaled sharply through his nose. She grabbed his jaw and demanded, "Who are you protecting?" Matt winced, the pain showing in his eyes. He looked up to avoid her disappointment and anger as fresh tears streaked his face. Krolia's tongue clicked in disgust and she shoved his face away. "Take him somewhere private. Inform me if he speaks before I am ready for his interrogation."

Two blades stepped up and reached beneath Matt's biceps to lift him forward. He whimpered as they carried him, his toes barely scraping the floor. Salty sweat stung the cuts on his back. His eyelids fluttered and his mind was starting to blank as unconsciousness threatened to overtake him. He closed his eyes. Bare the pain. Just manage. Krolia didn't know. She didn't know they'd been fighting for her. Kolivan and Alphonse would clear this up as soon as they got back.

"Rebel."

Matt blinked himself awake to see he was in a small room. They'd laid him on a metal table and his wrists were manacled with a short chain to the corner. Someone touched his back and he lurched away from the searing pain and an astringent smell. The blade who had spoken caught the front of his shoulder before he fell off the table and Matt clenched up instinctively.

"Rebel," he soothingly said again, "the healer, a blade, is here, even though she would not have you treated until you've told her what she wants to know. Word has been sent to Kolivan, but he has yet to respond. My advice is this. Say nothing until our leader returns. Somehow, information has been siphoned without our knowledge. Until we find and eliminate the threat, we can't risk revealing our secrets. Do you understand?"

The doctor resumed their task and Matt hissed and bit his cheek. He took several rapid breaths and closed his eyes until he grew used to the new pain. "Look into Gnov. She's the one who sent the file to Krolia. I doubt she intentionally meant to cause this, but she might have created your leak." He swallowed the lump in his throat and asked, "How long?" He finally opened his eyes and repeated, "How long do I need to keep silent? Please, this is Krolia we're talking about. I won't be able to hide from her forever."

"We know how close you are to the empress and her family." The blade looked at his companions and squeezed Matt's shoulder reassuringly. "Try to last as long as possible if only to help Kolivan's objectives stay hidden."

Matt winced as the doctor moved on to the gunshot wound. "I- I understand. Please hurry."

The blade offered a kind smile. "Stay strong, Holt."

Matt furrowed his brow against another round of pain and grinned through it. "I'll do my best."

When the healer finished, the blade removed his hand from Matt's clammy shoulder and his men formed up around him. They left, taking what little comfort they'd brought with them. Matt curled up on the table. The bandages pulled and his muscles protested. He couldn't go full fetal like he wanted. Pillowing his head on an arm, he tried to think about something else. Anything else. This was the easy part. Waiting. And yet the longer he laid there, the worse his anxiety became. Oh god, he needed Kolivan or Alphonse to get through this. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

Acxa took Rhea to the cafeteria for supper. Food, an hour of play, and then bedtime. How she looked forward to bedtime. Ever since Lotor had joined the manor household, Keith had less free time. Haggar had insisted on more lessons as well. If she wasn't training Keith to near exhaustion, he helped keep Lotor in line. He was almost as tired as Acxa was at the end of every day.

The baby took so much out of her now. Frenik and Nent insisted her fatigue was normal. Even Keith reassured her that his own mother had difficulty carrying him to term and Honerva had needed Talias's full abilities delivering Lotor and her safely. Still, it would have been nice if Keith were around to help more with Rhea.

These short trips away from the manor were such a relief. Time she could hide from her mother and the other druids. Time where the blades could openly help care for Rhea. Time was something she felt hopelessly short on. This baby wouldn't stay unborn forever. The bump had begun to show. Soon dresses wouldn't hide her condition.

Acxa leaned into the wall and let Rhea run ahead. She spun around in circles. Acxa watched her with a loving smile for another minute before pushing off the wall. The baby kicked and she rubbed her stomach saying, "It's time to settle down, Rhea."

"Yes, mama."

Acxa went to the prep station while Rhea climbed into her chair at the table. "Your teacher, Daiyak Vabreta, made this for us. She remembered how much you love potawka." She dished out two servings of the strange fruit salad and prepared something a little more filling to accompany it. Carrying them to the table, she tapped the back of Rhea's hand when she reached forward. "Ah ah ah. Remember your manners, precious one."

Acxa went to the cupboard and filled two cups with juice. She set them at their placings and knelt behind Rhea's chair. Wrapping her arms around her daughter, she folded her hands around Rhea's. She squeezed her in a mother's embrace and said, "We are grateful for what the universe bestows until we return to sacred flame and cosmic dust." Acxa kissed Rhea's temple and stood. "Let's dig in." By the time she sat, Rhea had shoved two spoonfuls in her mouth.

They ate together, Acxa helping as needed and Rhea filling the room with childish babble and laughter. It was familiar and warm. Acxa was hesitant to admit that it distracted her from other more worrying concerns. She gathered their dishes and returned them to be cleaned before sitting with Rhea in the lounge area of the cafeteria. Rhea came over and moved Acxa's arms until she could sit between her legs.

Acxa watched as she drew a picture. It was Kova and someone. Acxa ran a hand over Rhea's curls and asked, "Are you going to give that to Apothica?"

"It's for gramma."

Acxa's eyes widened and she clarified, "Really?" Rhea nodded enthusiastically and drew a smile and Honerva's long white hair. Acxa let her finish the drawing and lifted Rhea into her lap. "When we land, we'll have to ask your father if we can interrupt his lesson so you can give your grandmother your gift."

Rhea nodded again. "I like when gramma smiles."

Acxa held Rhea against her chest and kissed her forehead. "When did you see her smile?"

"When she pets Kova. When daddy plays with magic. When she looks at you and uncle Lotwor." Rhea nuzzled into her and pushed her head under Acxa's chin. "She wants you happy, mama."

Acxa held her breath and closed her eyes. "I am happy, little one. I have everything I could ever want."

"So why don't you smile anymore?"

Acxa squeezed her tight. There wasn't an answer she could give that would preserve her daughter's innocence. She rocked her and asked, "Want me to tell you a bedtime story?"

Rhea's face brightened like the sun. "The one about how the hallaballa learned to fly?"

"The halliaballus? I'm not sure if I remember it all. Will you remind me?" Acxa smiled and shared a giggle with Rhea. "Let's get ready for sleep and I'll tuck you in."

Acxa stood and lifted Rhea onto a hip. She'd grown so much in the short pheobs she'd spent with them physically and emotionally. Acxa loathed how quickly time passed. Far too soon, Rhea would be too big to carry... to snuggle... to protect. Acxa cherished every moment of coddling the child allowed. Even when her back started spasming, she ignored it in favor of doting on her daughter.

When they reached the captain's quarters, she released Rhea into the room. Acxa followed a few steps behind. When Rhea struggled to untie her dress, Acxa helped free her. Dropping a nightgown over her head, Acxa instructed, "Now brush your teeth." When they finished in the bathroom, they settled together on the couch for the promised story.

Acxa held Rhea's head to her chest and began, "Long ago, there was a place of immeasurable beauty. Streams of crystal waters fed bountiful lakes and oceans. Lush fields of wild flowers and violet meadows fed the thriving animals and people. Diabazaal, the birth place of our heritage." Rhea yawned and snuggled in. Acxa sighed with a content smile. At this rate, Rhea was going to fall asleep before the mythos of the story split from the historical. She continued the story until Rhea's breathing leveled out and she grew heavy.

Her own eyes were hard to keep open. The idea of carrying Rhea to bed was suddenly unappealing. Carefully cradling her daughter, Acxa laid out on the sofa. She brushed Rhea's curls aside and kissed her forehead. Rhea smiled and Acxa held her close. "Sweet dreams, child of my heart."

"Commander, you'll want to listen to this."

Sendak watched his fleet attack the empire's armada for a few more ticks before saying, "Let it play."

"Pidge, it's Matt. I'm at the hub and Krolia found out! She knows we've been in contact with Keith, but she doesn't have all the details. I'm being hunted as a traitor. If I don't message you again, it's because I've been caught. Katie, you have to help him. It's now or never. I love-"

"Where did this come from? Who is the intended recipient?"

The coms officer tapped away and answered, "It came from the Empirical Central Hub and was sent somewhere behind our front line."

A strange sense of understanding came over him. He could feel his officers gaze on him, watching for his reaction. It came slowly. A grin that grew with the knowledge this message revealed. "So, Prince Keitaran, your true colors are revealed at last." A dark chuckle escaped him and he turned to leave the bridge. "Hold our position here. Press our advantage, but wait to eliminate the armada until my command is given."

"Sir, what are you going to do?"

Sendak paused in the doorway. "I'm going to pay the witch a visit. This kind of thing is best told... in person."