Chapter 21: The Last Altean Princess Part 1
Everything in life seems settled and good for the original Paladins and their families, until an unexpected call for help from an unlikely place sets them on their first full Paladin mission in over twenty-five years. Are they still up to the task? Can they save the Universe again?
August 2nd, 2345 (6 1/3 Years Later)
"Mom, have you seen my shoes?" Caitlin's voice carried down the stairs, through the kitchen, and to the dining table where Katie and Kale were sitting across from each other, engaging in their standard Saturday morning programming session.
Katie looked up from her screen. "Which ones?"
"The white sneakers."
Katie glanced at the pile of shoes by the back door: flip flops, cadet boots, Caitlin's older water shoes, and two pairs of sneakers, one white. "They're in here."
"Awesome!" The sound of feet pounding down the stairs, followed by the clatter of dog claws, heralded her imminent arrival.
Katie's fifteen-year-old daughter breezed into the kitchen in a vivid yellow tank-top and lavender shorts. Caitlin's long, thick dark hair was braided back from her face and twisted to stay out of the way, the rest a wild fall that almost reached the small of her back. She already had her day-bag slung over her shoulder, packed with everything she needed for today's surfing competition except the board itself. She snatched up her shoes and slipped them on while standing, one at a time without losing her balance. "Thanks, Mom." She grabbed her sunglasses off the table. "You're coming this afternoon, right?"
"You know we wouldn't miss it." Katie smiled. "We'll be there in time."
"You too, right Microchip?" Caitlin reached over and ruffled her twelve-year-old brother's hair.
"Hey!" Kale dodged her hand, almost. "Yeah, I'll be there. I've got this and football practice first." He paused and picked an apple out of the bowl on the table, taking a bite.
"Well, that's good. You should get your butt out of a chair more often. You'll get fat."
"Will not," Kale snorted. "Just because not everyone spends fifteen hours in hyper-mode like you, doesn't make it so."
His school football team—real football, soccer, not what was known as American football—had scheduled summer training which, coupled with his being in the middle of a growth spurt, meant lately he was a bottomless pit, though it all seemed to be going into height at the moment—and early puberty.
"Just teasing." Caitlin grinned.
"Did you finish your morning chores?" Katie asked.
"Juni's been brushed, the greenhouse is watered, and I finished helping Dad tune up the car. Got it covered! Can I go now? Josh messaged me that he's almost here."
Joshua Shirogane—Shiro's middle son and Caitlin's fellow Garrison Cadet—was giving Caitlin a ride to the skyport where Lance was picking them both up in a borrowed civilian aircraft to head to the competition. Somehow Katie should not have been surprised that Shiro and Curtis had bought a hovercraft like they had at the garrison. Shiro—and Keith—had taught Caitlin how to handle one when they were teaching Joshua.
"You have a helmet?" Katie asked.
Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mom. Josh is bringing one. We'll be in town, it's not like we'll be jumping off any cliffs with Dad hanging off the back."
"I knew we should never have told you that story," Hunk chimed in as he and Kailani came up from the basement, where they had been working on a bird feeder that Kailani had wanted to make as a summer project. Hunk had helped with the construction, and now Kailani was painting it. The back yard was full of little painted garden decoration projects, all originals by Kailani, who had demonstrated early on a drive to create art—the first efforts involving lots of scrubbing work off the walls and providing her with age-appropriate materials. Now six, there were no longer wall messes, just hundreds of pieces of art, and not all drawn or painted on paper. This year, since she was old enough, they had signed her up for an art themed day camp, which she was loving.
Katie had to admit her younger daughter already looked like an eclectic artist, with paint-splattered cover-alls, and a bandana tied over her light brown hair that was nearly as naturally tight-curled as Hunk's mother's, even though she was the one who most resembled Katie otherwise, besides looking like Katie if she had ever really been able to get a tan. She didn't burn like the Holts, but she was still fair compared to her older siblings.
Caitlin turned and grinned at her father as she popped her shades on. "But it's one of your best," she countered. "See you all later. Don't be late!" Then she was out of the kitchen, through the living room, and out the front door.
"Okay, Mom, I think I've got it," Kale said a moment later.
Katie looked down at her screen. Sure enough, Kale had managed to come up with a solution to the programming problem she had proposed to him. "Nice work."
He finished his apple and got up, tossing the core in the trash. "I'll go get my gear."
Hunk looked down at Kailani. "And it's time for you to get cleaned up before we leave the house."
"Yes, Daddy." Kailani smiled, and followed Kale upstairs.
Juni, who had been sitting almost since the conversation started, yawned, and lay down on the tile, in the warm sun coming through the window.
"A nap in the sun sounds like a lovely way to spend the rest of the day," Katie chuckled as she closed her computer.
"As if we'd ever have the time." Hunk came over and leaned down, kissing her. "This summer has been crazy busy."
"I'm just glad they gave the Cadets a summer leave. It's nice to have Caitlin at home for a little while." Their daughter had moved into the barracks last year, and while they still saw her all the time, they rarely had her home for more than an evening meal. It reminded Katie of when Matt had gone to the Garrison, and how much she had missed him even though he wasn't that far away.
"If you can call running off to Mexico with Lance for a surfing competition home."
"It's not that far." Katie stood up. "She's been working towards this for years. I'm looking forward to seeing how she does."
"I am too," Hunk admitted. "And it's definitely better than her running off into space without permission in a mechanical lion."
Katie laughed. "Hey, we both did that. She's already a much better cadet than either of us."
Hunk chuckled. "Yeah. She hasn't vomited in an engine yet."
"Somehow I don't think Caitlin is ever going to have that problem."
There was nothing Caitlin loved more than the thrill of freedom and the wind in her hair. It was one of the things that made her love surfing, and almost any outdoor activity really, but she also loved zipping across the landscape on a hovercraft with her best friend, going as fast as they could once they were out of the neighborhoods. Their instructors at the Garrison never let them do anything exciting outside of a simulator, and even in the first year those had gotten old for her pretty quickly. It didn't matter if she was pilot, communications, or engineer on an assigned mission, she always got top marks. What she really wanted was a challenge.
Though today's competition in Puerto Escondido counted as a challenge. Caitlin could hardly remember back before Uncle Lance had started teaching her to surf, and she hated living so far from the ocean, where she couldn't practice every single day. Years of hard work had led up to this afternoon, when she would test her skills against some of the world's best. She didn't expect to win, but it would be an amazing day no matter what.
Uncle Lance was waiting for them next to a pod with a cargo compartment that was just big enough to carry the hovercraft. He was easy to spot, in his bright blue-and-pink juniberry-print Hawaiian shirt. "Ready to hit the beach?" he called out with a grin.
"You know it!" Caitlin bounded off the back of the hovercraft the moment they stopped. "You better have my board."
Lance chuckled. "She's in the back, waxed up just like you left her and ready to go." He looked at Joshua. "Little surprised you wanted to come."
"Why is that weird?" Joshua asked, shrugging. "As if I'd miss my best friend crush her opponents?"
Caitlin smirked. "Josh just wants to flirt with the girls on the beach."
"Okay, that too," he admitted, grinning shamelessly. "Girls dig a guy in uniform."
"You're not in uniform, Josh."
"It's a concept!"
"All right you two. Let's get on board and get going, we don't want to be late."
"Yes, Sir," they chorused.
Joshua pulled the hovercraft into the pod bay, and then they joined Lance in the cockpit. As soon as they were buckled in, they were off to Mexico!
It wasn't a long flight, but it was so relaxing to just be on her way to an adventure, with Josh, and Uncle Lance, who was unequivocally one of the coolest people—especially adults—that Caitlin knew. He had always been that way. He was funny, and athletic, and a great teacher. He was also patient, and kind, and he knew so much about a lot of things.
Caitlin knew why Uncle Lance wasn't married and didn't have kids. She'd never had to ask, because she knew the story of how Allura—from whom she got her own middle name—had sacrificed herself to restore the universe and all of its realities, and about the deep love they had shared. Caitlin had never been in love, but she knew how much she loved her family and her friends and how much it would hurt to lose them. It was still a shame though, because she privately thought any kids would be incredibly lucky to have him for a dad. He was certainly an awesome uncle and godfather. There were questions she could ask him that she just couldn't ask anyone else.
Like the last time she had entered a competition, just with other surfers her own age, right after she turned fourteen. She'd had fun, placed third, and met a lot of really great people. They had gotten along really well, she thought, until they all went off to their afternoon plans, and no one had invited her along. She had also noticed that none of the boys flirted with her, though they did with almost every other girl there. Not that she really cared if they did or not, it was just… notable.
Afterwards, she and Uncle Lance had gone for milkshakes at one of her favorite cafes along the ocean.
"Uncle Lance, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Hypothetically… if you were say, seventeen again, would you date me?"
Lance had almost choked on his milkshake. "Hypothetically… I'm not sure I can answer that."
"Okay so I don't mean you specifically just… am I even dateable? Is there something weird about me? I have tons of friends, guys and girls, and we get along great but… they flirt with a lot of other people, just not me. Not that I really want them too necessarily, I just don't know why they don't."
Lance had smiled at her then. "The first thing you have to learn about teenage boys, is they're pretty dumb when it comes to understanding girls, or other boys, or even their own feelings, even when they think they're experts. Trust me, I speak from personal experience. You are a capable, intelligent, beautiful, talented young woman. Obviously, they like you as a person, or they wouldn't hang out with you. If they're not flirting with you, take it as a sign of respect."
She had stared at him as if he had sprouted eye-stalks. "Come again?"
"They know bad pick-up lines and word play aren't going to work on you. They're being genuine with you, because you're always genuine. You don't play stupid flirting games. Besides which, they're probably a little intimidated."
"I'm intimidating?" Was that a compliment or an insult?
"They don't want to look stupid in front of you, even though they know you're too nice to take advantage of it. You're also very outright in saying what you think, and you're incredibly good at a lot of things."
"Not everything."
"But they don't see that. People often oversimplify things, even people, when we're all really complicated. But to answer your question, you are absolutely dateable. If I had known you when I was a girl-crazy teenager, I'd absolutely have flirted with you… but I flirted with everyone and made a fool out of myself on a regular basis. So, I'm not your best base comparison. You are a great person the way you are. Nobody's perfect and that would be really boring if we were. Ask your friends, if you want to be sure. If you decide you want to be flirted with… initiate it a time or two. Let them see you're open to it. If not, then just keep doing what you're doing. Eventually, I can assure you there will be others who grow up enough to realize that someone like you is hard to find, and exactly who they would like to develop a relationship with."
It had been very sound advice, and a relief. Going into the Garrison, it had made it much easier to just decide she wasn't going to worry about it one way or the other. She could just be herself, and let people see that. They would react however they did, and that was not her concern. Besides, she had way more important things to think about than dating.
Still… "One more thing… can you please never tell my parents we had this conversation?"
Lance nodded. "My lips are sealed."
There had been many good conversations over the years, and Lance's perspectives had always proven to be spot on no matter how serious, or silly, the topic.
The conversations on the flight were silly and fun ones, with Joshua along. It had struck Caitlin more than once that Joshua and Lance had a lot in common when it came to base personality, and they got along almost like brothers, but with less actual bickering than Joshua had with his real brothers. Not that they didn't all love each other and get along, but they were three totally different people.
"There it is ahead," Lance diverted the conversation as the ocean came into view, and they came in for a landing in an open field near the beach.
There were hundreds of people here already, and Caitlin's mind immediately switched gears. It was time for surfing!
Someday Hunk was going to figure out how he had ended up with active, athletic children, but that was probably not today. As much as it puzzled him, he was proud of them for all of the things they worked at, and their chosen physical pursuits were no exception.
Watching Kale at football practice brought back memories of elementary and middle school physical education. Hunk had almost always been defaulted into the position of keeper, mostly because his teachers wouldn't let him sit out, and because his natural size made him useful for blocking goals even if he wasn't all that fast. Not that he had been great at it, but it was better than huffing and puffing all over the field.
Kale, on the other hand, had proven to be not only quick, but he had stamina, and his mathematical brain meant he was really good at calculating mid-run, and his shots were more accurate than most of the others on the team. Currently the coach was trying him out as the Center Forward, which meant they got to see a lot of Kale, and he almost never stopped moving.
It was only a practice, but that didn't mean it wasn't enjoyable to watch. Especially for Kailani, who cheered for her brother and his "team" with as much enthusiasm as if she was watching the World Cup.
Katie sat beside him, riveted to the field as well, and Hunk wondered what their teenage selves would have thought if they had ever been told that one day, they would have emotional investment in middle school sports.
At the end of the practice, Kale's team had won two of three short practice matches, all by several goals, many of which had been made by Kale, though several were by other players to whom he had passed the ball when the other side was sure he would take a shot.
"The team is looking good," Katie commented as Kale took off his cleats, and joined them, shouldering his bag.
Kale grinned. "Coach is happy, well, with some of us. He was saying he might keep me Center when we start in the fall."
"Congratulations!" Katie hugged him, briefly. "Do you want to grab a shower before we go to your sister's competition?"
Kale nodded. "Please, if we have time."
"If you hurry."
Fortunately, Kale wasn't one to dawdle in the shower. It didn't take them long to drive back to the house, and for Kale to get cleaned up and changed, before they headed for the Garrison, where Hunk had reserved a pod so they could fly quickly to Mexico.
When they landed, Katie parked them right next to the one Lance had flown, and they all disembarked.
"Lance said he'd be in the first group of stands," Katie said as she squinted in the bright afternoon sunlight.
"I'm sure we'll find him." Hunk looked around. Lance was sure to be wearing something loud, but then so were most of the people here. As they walked towards the stands, he was impressed by the size of the crowds. Caitlin had said some of the best surfers in the world would be here today. He suspected they warranted more of an audience than the junior surfers did. Not that he knew all that much about the sport as a competitive sport, despite having listened to Lance and Caitlin go on and on about it for years now.
"There's Uncle Lance," Kale said, pointing him out.
They moved through the crowd until they found him, saving a row of seats. "There you are!" Lance waved. "Her first round is in a few minutes."
Beside him, Joshua grinned and waved too.
"Glad we're not too late," Katie replied as they joined Lance on the front bench.
"Hey, I got out of practice on time," Kale pointed out as he steered Kailani to the bench.
Something delicious wafted past Hunk's nose. Looking up, he realized two things. One, it had been three hours since lunch, and second, there were food vendors! He was about to ask if anyone else wanted anything when a loud growl from his son's stomach answered that question.
Hunk grinned. "Hungry?"
Kale nodded, looking vaguely abashed. "I forgot to grab a snack after practice."
"Kale and I will go grab snacks and drinks," Hunk offered. "Does anyone else want anything?"
"A cold drink would be nice," Katie replied. "Something refreshing in the heat, but not too sweet."
"Fruit!" Kailani chimed in.
Somehow Hunk should have expected the fruit request from his third fruit-bat child. "Hydration and fruit. Got it. Lance?"
Lance held up a cup with a straw in it. "I'm covered. Thanks, Buddy."
"I'll come too," Joshua offered. "Extra hands."
"Sounds good." Hunk turned to Kale. "All right. Let's go find something to eat before someone mistake's your appetite for a shark."
Kale laughed as he followed his father. "No worries there. Sharks don't growl."
The few things Katie really knew about surfing beyond the physics came from Caitlin babbling at the dinner table, so she was grateful to be sitting next to Lance, who spent the first few surfers explaining what she was really looking at, and what the judges were looking for when scoring someone on their ride.
Several had gone, but not yet Caitlin, when Hunk and Kale returned, arms laden. Kale handed her a drink that proved to be a limeade. Joshua gave Kailani a lemonade and a cup of fresh pineapple and mango slices.
"Perfect. Thank you." Katie looked at the wrapper in his hand. "What did you find?"
"A torta," Kale grinned as he unwrapped what proved to be a sandwich with shredded pork, lettuce, avocados, and other vegetables. He dug in eagerly.
"And what in the Solar System is that?" Katie stared as Hunk sat down next to his son with a huge paper bowl piled high with what looked like…
"Empanadas," Hunk grinned. "Roasted pork empanadas. Anybody want one?"
"I'll try one." Kale reached over and took one off the top. "Ooh…hot." He took a bite. "That's good!"
"Can I have one please, Daddy?" Kailani asked, looking around her brother.
"Of course." Hunk blew on one a few times and handed it over. "Pidge?"
"Sure." Empanadas weren't very large. What had shocked her was how many there were. Katie took one, blew on it, and took a bite. It was delicious.
"There she goes!"
Joshua's exclamation pulled her attention back to the water, where Katie could see Caitlin in her distinctive vibrant fuchsia two-piece that stood out against her green-and-purple surfboard.
She heard a choking sound and looked over at Hunk. He was staring out at the water, and Katie realized what had happened. Caitlin hadn't told her father about her new surfing swim-suit.
From Lance's commentary, it appeared to be going well. Caitlin got up on the wave without any problems, riding it in even as it curled, and coming in without getting knocked off the board. Lance's explanations were far more detailed, but Katie couldn't really see some of the more subtle things he was describing.
What mattered was that Caitlin was beaming as she hit the sand, carrying her board out of the water and rejoining the other young surfers off to the side. She got several high fives and was clearly happy with her performance.
They apparently each got to go three rounds, so they sat and watched for quite a while. In the end, Caitlin came in second. She looked thrilled as they awarded her with her prize.
"I never asked, what is the prize for placing well in a competition like this?" Katie wondered why she hadn't thought about it.
"Caitlin didn't tell you?"
"I didn't ask."
"Surfing Competitions have cash prizes," Lance explained. "Second in her group for this competition is Ten Thousand GAC."
She'd had no idea it was that much. Of course, that came out to about One-thousand in Earth currency. "I wonder if she has a plan for that money?"
Joshua shrugged. "If she does, she hasn't told me what it is either."
Caitlin was coming their way now, her board up on a rack with the others. "Dad! Mom! Did you see?!"
And in that instant, their fifteen-year-old daughter could have been seven again with the joy and pride written on her face.
Katie managed to not feel jealous that her daughter filled out a two-piece swimsuit better at fifteen than Katie could now. She had no problem with other people wearing them, and the one she had picked was designed to stay on while surfing, so it was hardly indecent. "You were great!"
"Wonderful job," Hunk agreed.
"Nice work, Moana," Kale grinned, flashing her a thumb's up. The reference was old Earth pop culture, but as soon as Kale and Caitlin had watched the movie when they were kids, he had started calling her that. Fortunately, Caitlin considered it a high compliment.
Hands on her hips, Caitlin turned to Joshua. "What about you, Crash? Still think surfing is a waste of time?"
"I never said it was a waste of time," Joshua insisted fervently. "I just said… it didn't sound all that cool," he admitted, looking sheepish. "Obviously I was wrong."
"So very wrong."
"Crash?" Katie looked at Joshua. "I don't think I've heard that nickname before."
"It's kind of new," Caitlin grinned wickedly. "Josh crashed the simulator so bad beginning of last term he got the worst score in cadet history."
Katie grinned, looking sideways at Lance. "Someone beat your low score?"
"And we let him drive Caitlin around on a hovercraft?" Hunk continued that with a displeased glare at Joshua.
"It's not like that," Joshua shrank back a little in his seat. "I was trying this new maneuver I thought would work and… it didn't."
"He was showing off for Liliia Sobeski and it backfired," Caitlin added. "Normally, his scores are almost as good as mine."
"I'm going to beat you someday," Joshua quipped. "When it really counts."
"I'm sure you will. Just, not at surfing."
Eventually the banter died down, and Katie managed to start herding the family back towards the car. Caitlin was riding back with Lance and Joshua, just as she had come, since they had to bring the hovercraft back anyway, and she still needed to collect her board, and change. They wouldn't be too far behind.
Hunk flew back on the return trip, and they waited for Caitlin to get home before deciding on dinner, since it just seemed fair to let Caitlin pick after her performance earlier. Then they—along with Lance and Joshua since they were there—all went out for Caitlin's choice of fresh seafood.
Not a surprise, though seafood was not inexpensive. Still, her hard work deserved celebrating, and Katie had no problem with that.
They said good night to Lance and Joshua at the restaurant, then headed home.
The house took much longer to quiet down at night these days, and Katie knew that only Kailani was actually asleep when she and Hunk retired to their bedroom. Caitlin was almost certainly chatting with friends on her computer, and Kale had been deep in a book every night the past week.
"Today was fun," Katie smiled as she stretched, then snuggled up against Hunk's side. "It's nice to have Caitlin to ourselves for a bit, and the whole family together."
Hunk shrugged as he pulled her in close. "Is it really ourselves?"
"Having her home and getting to go watch her do something she loves that doesn't involve running into our daughter at the Garrison is as close as we're going to get."
"Well, that's true."
"And Lance and Josh are basically family too, so it's not sharing there."
"Also a good point."
"Her own point this morning about not running off into space was pretty good too," Katie finished. "She's as grown as we were, or at least, as I was, when we fought the Galra. She's a Cadet, not a little girl."
"Oh, I noticed," Hunk assured her.
Katie smiled. "Don't like the new swimsuit?"
"Did you know?"
"Of course, I did. It was in the laundry two days ago. She wanted to make sure I followed the right washing instructions so it wouldn't get messed up. It's designed to stay on very exactly so nothing shifts while surfing. Don't tell me you have a problem with two-piece bathing suits now."
"It just caught me off guard. Sometimes, in my head, she's still five, or twelve. Half the time she's still covered in dirt or sand, or flour, like she was when she was a little kid."
"That does make it harder," Katie acknowledged. "Of course, they're all growing up. It's just what people do. I mean, I guess it's easier to see now why my mother freaked out and grounded me even though we saved Dad and Matt, and later, the Universe. We look a lot younger from this side of the generation line."
"I think I'd have a heart attack if Caitlin ran off in an unknown alien spacecraft to save the Universe," Hunk admitted. "I mean, I almost did when we did it. The Cadets all look like babies now… and I don't think I like feeling that old."
Seeing as they were both in their early forties, Katie found that a little funny, but she decided not to tease him. "Good thing we're not that old then," she commented glibly instead. "Or I'd have to suggest we just go to sleep and get plenty of rest."
Hunk turned to look at her, and she watched the lightbulb go on behind his eyes. "That would be a shame," he agreed, a smile spreading across his face. "But it's still the weekend…"
Katie nodded. "So, who says we have to be responsible?"
August 3rd, 2345
The ocean waves were perfect, the salty breeze in his hair, filling his nostrils. In front of Lance, the surf competition was going on out on the waves. Though he had already been to the competition, he remembered. Still, it had been an excellent day, watching his goddaughter—and surfing student—account herself well. As he watched, Caitlin repeated her last run of the day, and arrived safely on shore. Lance felt a swell of pride in his chest at her progress.
"How lovely."
Lance froze at the sound of that achingly familiar lilting voice. He turned around, to find Allura standing on the beach beside him. "Allura?!"
She turned to him with a wistful smile. "Hello, Lance. It's been a long time."
"I'll say! Am I dreaming? I have to be dreaming."
"You are dreaming," she nodded, looking sad. "But that doesn't mean I'm not really talking to you." She stepped close, and pulled him into her arms, kissing him in a way that felt incredibly real, and very familiar.
Lance wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. How long he was lost in the kiss he didn't know. Breathing was unnecessary in dreams. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" he asked softly, when their lips parted. She felt so real…. He couldn't let go.
"I wish it was for pleasure," Allura admitted, the same longing he felt deep in her eyes. "But I've come…with a mission."
"A mission…" Lance almost laughed. It was just so Allura. "What's the mission?"
"The Paladins of Voltron are needed, or reality may once again be in jeopardy."
"From what?"
"When I restored the universe, that included nearly endless realities, with only a few exceptions, but it also created new ones. There is one, exactly one, in which Lotor survived and successfully claimed his father's Empire, but where Honerva never tried to destroy reality." As she spoke, Lance started to feel the dream shift around him. They were floating in space.
"Well, that's awful," Lance acknowledged. He still regretted never shooting Lotor in the first place.
Allura nodded. "The problem is, he has a captive that must be rescued. She is the most powerful Altean alchemist who may have ever existed, but she is young, untrained… vulnerable."
"Another alchemist… a child?" His hatred for Lotor stirred once more. Of course, he would take children captive. He had murdered many with his experiments.
"Yes, she's only four of your Earth year's old, and her timeline turned out very differently. All of the Paladins in that reality… they're dead. There's no one to save her, and Lotor plans to use her to do precisely what he did with my help, but by force if needed. He'll destroy her, and his attempts will threaten to undo everything we did."
"If there's any way for me to help you, you know I'll do anything," Lance's words poured out with the love and heartache throbbing in his soul. She would vanish when this dream ended, and he didn't think he could handle it. "But you said the Paladins, and another reality. We haven't seen the Lions in two decades."
"I'm sending them to you," Allura replied. "All of you. Without me, there is a Lion for each of the previous living Paladins. I return Blue to you. But you must save her. I…this is all I can do directly. I cannot manifest physically to alter the universe, and I can't bring myself back… oh how I wish I could." Tears filled the corners of her eyes.
"We can use the Lions to go between realities." That much of the plan was obvious. "So, we go in, find Lotor, shoot him up, rescue this girl, and then come home."
"That's the gist of it."
It had been a long time, but Lance didn't think his ability to read his beloved had lessened. There was something big about this, something very personal. "Allura… who is this girl?"
"She's… our daughter."
Lance's hands tightened reflectively on her arms as his heart flipped. "Ours? We have a daughter? But how?" He would certainly have remembered being intimate with Allura, and any child they had would be an adult now, not four.
"In her reality, that Allura and Lance, even though the battle was hard, and the universe falling apart… they did marry, and eventually had a little girl… our little girl. But they both died in battle… trying to keep her safe, and then to rescue her. She's alone, and terrified. But you can save her… and bring her back to our reality, and she can grow up safe, and happy, with her father."
Lance had never considered the possibility of having a child he didn't know about… because he'd never put himself in that position. He had never been so flummoxed. "Won't she know I'm not her Lance?"
"I can speak with her, in a limited fashion," Allura admitted then. "My…other version, was already teaching her to control her alchemy. I have been guiding her, and I can tell her that her father is coming. But if you want… you can be that father. I can give you all of the memories of that Lance, of Melenor… of us."
Lance swallowed. Their daughter was named Melenor, after Allura's mother. "Wouldn't that be weird?"
"You will be able to tell which are your own memories, and which are the additional ones. They will be more as if you had learned the information, or watched a film, but it will all be accessible like your own memories. You'll remember her entire life from her first moments, to the last time she spoke to her father: her likes and dislikes, her favorite songs and stories, everything her father knew about her. And she'll be prepared for you. It's the only thing I can give either of you and… she only exists in this one reality. It was the only one where we ever had a child."
And they had both died… it was horribly unfair, but Lance was used to life not being fair. "Give me the memories. I'll save her. We'll save her… and I'll protect her for the rest of my life."
Allura hugged him tight again. "I knew you would. I love you…"
"I love you, too…" the last word died in his throat as his mind was suddenly flooded with a torrent of memories that unfolded rapidly into his mind, but whole and complete as if he had lived them himself: himself and Allura, officially engaged, fighting the Galra, their small private wedding, their wedding night…. Thousands of memories, almost entirely focused on their relationship, every intimate conversation, every private moment—apparently, he was an excellent lover, that was nice to know, and Allura was… incredible—and then finding out years into the battle, that Allura was pregnant. He watched her stomach expand as her pregnancy advanced, and himself taking care of her. Then the birth, and a tiny warm skinned, white-haired half-Altean girl came into being. He was hers from the moment they met eyes and he held her in his arms. For a brief moment, there was perfect peace.
But it did not last. As she grew into a precocious, intelligent little girl, who picked up on her mother's accent, the Paladins continued to fight…and die. Lance knew—though thankfully without the emotional immediacy of their relationship—how each of his friends had died. In the end it was just the two of them left, still fighting, with only two lions. There was no longer a Voltron. Then Allura was killed when Lotor went after Melenor, and Lance…. He felt the madness and fury that overcame that other Lance, as he died in what was essentially a suicide run against Lotor's ship, trying to rescue his beloved little girl and get vengeance for the death of Allura, and of all of his closest friends. That had happened almost in the modern day.
Tears ran freely down his face as he came back to himself, to Allura standing in front of him. "When do we leave?" He had a daughter he knew he would save, or die—again—trying.
"As soon as the lions arrive. You have a couple of days. They can only move so fast, but they are coming. Gather the Paladins, and Coran, you must include him for this to succeed. Thank you, Lance. I knew I could count on you."
There was a finality to her words, and a sadness. "Allura…. Don't go."
Her face flushed. "I don't have a choice but I think I can manage to… stay the night."
Lance awoke with a start, his bed soaked with sweat. Out the window, the glow of not-quite-pre-dawn, and the vague sound of young roosters failing to crow properly, told him it was still incredibly early. For a moment, he had no idea why he had come awake so fast. Then it returned to him in a rush. Allura… Melenor…. He almost fell out of bed as he tried to jump to his feet, and tangled in the sheets.
Normal dreams faded quickly, but every moment of last night remained locked, crystal clear in his memory as if it had just happened. His mind and soul told him Allura had been with him last night.
His body told him Allura had been with him last night.
It was all there, a jumble of thousands of memories his brain was going to have to take time to fully process and make sense of, but the directive was clear. Lance grabbed his communicator, and started dialing.
First call: Katie and Hunk.
It was obvious the moment Katie picked up that he had gotten both of his friends out of bed. Or at least, Katie. He could see a lump beside her still under the covers. She blinked in the glow from the phone light. "Lance? What's going on?"
"Sorry to wake you after you got home so late," Lance apologized, "But there's an emergency, I need everyone's help… for a mission." He shook his head, trying not to babble. Calm down, you can do this.
Katie was frowning. "Sounds serious. What's it about?"
"Can I… I'd rather only explain it once, but I need all of us, the Paladins."
She looked vaguely dubious, and Lance couldn't blame her, but Katie sighed and nodded. "All right. Have you called anyone else yet?"
"No. You two were first on the list."
"I'm flattered. Have them all meet at our place. We have the biggest living room, and the best coffee. Hunk can make breakfast."
Lance chuckled. "Sounds like a plan."
Normally Katie's living room was only this crowded during birthday parties. She couldn't remember the last time they'd all gotten together for a mission briefing. Whatever this mysterious mission was that somehow needed the Paladins. And Coran, though he was calling in from Altea, and up on the big living room screen. It wasn't just them though.
Shiro, Curtis, and Keith took up the couch. Lance had been offered a chair, but was pacing the room like an anxious animal. Acxa had taken the chair.
The teenagers had flatly refused to go upstairs, and were now perched anywhere they could find, or sitting on the floor, or leaning against the walls. Heith, Joshua, and Nathaniel had come with their parents, and they and Caitlin, and Kale had demanded to know what was going on if it involved their parents and some kind of crazy mission. Kailani, at least, had not been interested in the meeting of a bunch of adults, and had gone out into the back yard with Juni.
Gabriel arrived last, because Shiro had called him at the barracks, and the twenty-year-old junior officer had come to join them.
The fact that Lance was not objecting to the extended amount of family involved meant that this was, at least, not some kind of secret. Or, it was one they shouldn't keep from the people who mattered most.
Hunk served out coffee, tea, and fresh breakfast crepes, pressing Caitlin into kitchen service as part of the right to stay.
Finally, everyone was seated, and looking expectantly at Lance.
"Okay Lance," Shiro spoke up first. "We're here. What's going on?"
Lance ran one hand nervously through his hair. "I know this is going to sound crazy, and you might not believe me but last night…I talked to Allura."
"What did she say?" Keith asked.
Lance blinked when no one else spoke. "What, that's it?"
Keith shrugged. "If you say Allura spoke to you last night, I believe you."
"Really?"
Keith smirked. "Even you wouldn't make something like that up."
"You wouldn't lie about this," Katie pointed out. "And we've all heard crazier things. What did Allura say? You said we had a mission…for the Paladins."
Lance nodded, still apparently a little stunned they just all accepted the pronouncement that a dead princess had come and talked to him to give them a dire mission.
Katie privately thought it was a very Allura thing to do.
Lance took a deep breath. "The Universe is in danger, again. There's one reality where Lotor is still in power, and he's got a hold of the last, and most powerful Altean alchemist that has possibly ever existed. She's naturally stronger even than Allura was, and she's already coming into that power, but she's only four years old. She's a captive, and if we don't rescue her, he will use her to do what he got Allura to help him with, only he won't stop there. He'll use her to conquer other realities, and if he does, he will succeed."
"So, rescue mission to another reality. Sounds pretty par for the course for us," Keith nodded.
"What do we know about this reality?" Shiro asked thoughtfully. "I'm assuming it doesn't have its own Voltron or Paladins, if we're needed."
"It used to," Lance answered, his voice softer. "Over the past twenty years we—they— all died, in combat. Those Paladins failed in the end. But this Lotor knows they're dead, he knows he has nothing to fear from Voltron. He'll never be expecting an attack from a fully functioning Voltron with all of its Paladins. He thinks he's already won. All we have to do is attack his ship in space—he has one that's basically his floating flagship and throne room—break in, rescue the girl, wreak havoc, and get out."
"That is pretty much what we do best," Katie acknowledged.
"Not to put a damper on this, but we don't have Voltron," Hunk pointed out.
"We will," Lance surprised all of them. "The Lions are coming. They should be here tomorrow."
The room went quiet at that pronouncement. Or at least, the adults did.
"Wait, the Lions…. The Lions of Voltron, are coming back?" Caitlin burst out with excitement.
"Like, those lions." Joshua pointed at the old playset in the back yard. Only Kailani was still small enough to play on it easily. Parts of it were still useable by the teens, but they couldn't easily squish themselves into the lions anymore.
Lance nodded, and he looked around at the rest of them like they were the mildly crazy ones. "Reach out to your Lions. You'll feel them. I've been able to feel Blue coming since I woke up."
For a moment, Katie was almost afraid. Years ago, in times of desperate need, she had tried to get Green to come to her, and had found the connection empty. Hunk had tried with Yellow. They had come to accept that Voltron was no longer part of their lives.
But now…
Katie took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She centered herself mentally, then reached out the way she had years ago, seeking the mental and spiritual connection that was her unique bond with her Lion. It had been instinctive once. She had managed it by accident with the Atlas once too, almost sixteen years ago.
What she hadn't expected, was the immediate and warm greeting that washed over her, in overtones of sunshine and jungle green. Shocked, she felt tears on her cheeks as her old friend enveloped her. Hello girl, I've missed you.
There was definitely a feeling of anticipation, of hurrying, of coming. This was real.
Katie opened her eyes and looked around the room. Hunk's eyes were as teary as hers. Keith still had his eyes closed. Shiro looked somehow both surprised and yet also at peace.
The looks on their family member's faces were more telling. Acxa looked curious, Curtis mildly concerned. Gabriel looked serious and focused. The kids ranged from mildly confused to excited. Caitlin was practically bouncing on her toes.
On the screen, Coran looked both anxious and slightly awed, and uncharacteristically quiet.
"Well then," Shiro spoke up. "I guess we need a plan." He looked at Lance. "Did Allura give you any information about what we can expect? Or about this hostage? Anything we can use."
Lance nodded. "She gave me… most of the memories that belonged to that reality's version of me," he admitted. "I don't know everything, but I know that we'll have a base to work from. Because they never worked with Lotor… they never lost the Castle of Lions."
A sharp intake of breath from the screen was the first noise Coran had made since the conversation began in earnest. Everyone looked at him.
"That's why we need you, Coran," Lance addressed him directly. "Allura said we couldn't do this without you. No one knows the Castle like you do. It'll be one of our biggest assets."
Coran nodded. "I'll be on my way as soon as we're done," he promised, his voice thick with emotion.
"Do we know anything about the state of the Lions on the other side?" Shiro asked next.
"Not everything," Lance admitted. "Apparently, as the Paladins died, in that reality the Lions all went dormant. They wouldn't choose anyone else. Not that there was anyone to repair them… eventually." He looked uncomfortable, and Katie could imagine that having memories of the deaths of all his friends, even if they weren't his memories, and they were all sitting here with him, must be incredibly unsettling.
"Okay, so we know what our resources are. What about this girl?" Keith changed the subject. "What do we know about this Altean alchemist? Where did she come from? I thought only Alteans of the royal line were supposed to have strong powers like that."
"You have a good point." Shiro nodded. "Lance?"
Katie watched Lance's face. Her friend looked like he didn't know how they would take what he was about to say, but then that was pretty much par for this entire conversation.
He took another calming breath before looking at them again. "Her name's Melenor. As I said, she's four years old and… technically, she's my daughter. Mine…and Allura's."
Talk about dropping a bomb. This one was atomic.
This time Coran wasn't the only one who gasped, but it explained… everything.
Like why Allura—or the spirit of Allura, or the universe or whatever she really was now—had come to them. Perhaps it really was only issues of universal safety that could allow her to do something like this. Katie had no idea how the laws of the universe worked beyond physics, even having experienced them for herself. But if it was her own daughter… Katie would have broken the laws of physics to save her children too.
"We'll save her then," Keith replied without hesitation. "Even if it wasn't to protect all of reality. She deserves to be safe with someone who loves her, and to grow up in a reality where no one is trying to control her because of who she is."
Around the room, a chorus of nods, even from Curtis, though he was squeezing Shiro's hand. Katie suspected there would be a lot of conversations later, between the Paladins and their families.
Lance looked both relieved, and like he almost still couldn't believe how easily they had agreed to a mission as risky as any they had previously undertaken. They all had more to lose now. "Thank you, everyone… this means so much to me. To…both of us."
"As if we could do anything else," Coran spoke up.
"Where will the Lions be landing?" Katie asked.
"Where-ever we tell them to," Lance replied with a little shrug.
"Then I suggest we have them land at the Garrison," she continued. "There's no way Hunk and I can vanish without reporting this, and it will probably cause the least stir on the planet. The Lions might need maintenance before we leave, and that's the only place where we'll have access to the tools we need."
"All good points." Shiro nodded. "So, the Garrison it is. Do we know how much time we have to prepare? Can the Lions take us through time as well as reality on this one?"
Lance paused for several seconds, with a look of hard concentration on his face. "To some extent…yes. The point at which we need to enter that reality is close enough that there's about two or three days of time we can fudge and still arrive in time to mount the rescue. Allura said there's very little difference, so the amount of time we spend over there should be the same amount here. No time dilation issues."
"That's good," Keith replied. "None of us needs to show up older than we already are, or come back to find that we've missed a few years."
"We've done more than enough of that," Katie agreed.
When they ran out of things to consider, the group split up to go back to their homes—and Coran to hop a pod for a quick teludav trip to Earth—and start planning. There was a lot to do and very little time to do it.
"This is nuts, Mom," Caitlin commented when the others had gone. "Totally, amazingly cool, but also completely insane."
Katie put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "All of that is entirely true, but this used to be just another day at the office for us. It's a mission like anything else."
"Through realities!" Kale chimed in.
"Which we've done before," Katie replied, keeping her tone calm and even. Now was not the time for everyone to start over-reacting. "Sure, it's been a while, but this is exactly what we trained for and did. We'll be there and back within a few days." That was the plan, anyway. "Now why don't you two go find Kailani and Juni and take them both out to the park for a bit? I think we could all use a little time to think and decompress. It's been an eye-opening morning."
"Sure, Mom." Caitlin clearly wanted to bombard her with questions, but since becoming a Cadet, she was also better at following suggestions-as-orders. This was not something to have a fight over.
Kale didn't look like he really wanted to tag along with his sisters to the park, but he nodded. "I'll get the leash." As they both disappeared to get dressed upstairs instead of standing around in pajamas, Katie realized that Hunk had disappeared.
She found him in the kitchen, eating another crepe. "Somehow, I don't think that's the most efficient way to put away leftovers," she commented, keeping her tone light even as she had a feeling their family was going to be having one of those conversations, in a way she probably should have anticipated.
"I'm still hungry," Hunk replied without looking her direction.
"You think this is a bad idea."
"I seem to be the only one, but yes, I do." His hands were clenching the fork so tight, she realized she could see them trembling slightly. He was upset, and angry, even if he was holding it in. "This is crazy, Pidge. We were supposed to be done with dangerous missions like these. Now we're all going to run off into another reality, again, just like that? What if something happens? To you? To me? To anyone? What will that do to our families? We haven't even been training for this, and now we're running after an even more powerful, power-crazed Lotor and a fully functional Galra Empire? It's crazy."
"Then why didn't you say something?" He had often and long been the voice of reason, and reasonable fear, in their time as Paladins.
"I couldn't do it to Lance." Hunk finished the crepe, and started on another one. "If Allura is asking this of us… if this is really the only child they had in any reality, how could I have said no? I think this is a terrible idea with almost no chance of success, but I'm coming anyway, because I know I can't talk the rest of you out of it, and if I don't go, it's guaranteed to fail without all five Lions. Only Voltron can pull off this mission, and as much as I hate it, that still includes us."
"I wish there was another way, but I certainly can't think of one," Katie admitted. "In any case, we have a little time before the Lions even arrive. Maybe you and Yellow can make peace with this by then. If you weren't meant to come, Yellow wouldn't be talking to you."
"I really prefer having control over my own destiny."
"Well, if you keep attacking the crepes like that, your destiny is going to be back on report."
Hunk's spine stiffened and his whole posture tightened further. He didn't speak. Instead, he stuffed the last bites of crepe into his mouth, swallowed, and stood abruptly, taking his plate to the sink. "We're out of a few things, after that. I'm going out." With that, he headed for the front door, stopping only long enough to pick up his keys and put on shoes. Then he was gone.
Katie sighed, and let him go. She hadn't meant to make the crack, true as it might be. She was also tired, and trying to process everything they had just been told. And the truth was… while she couldn't think of another way, that didn't mean she really wanted to. Feeling Green in the back of her head again, coming closer, filled her with a little thrill of elation and anticipation. It was almost twenty-five years since she had last seen or felt her Lion, and she had missed that connection. It had been a large part of what had helped her connect with the universe, and nature… something she had not done naturally or willingly at first, but came entirely naturally to all three of her children.
Well, if he was out, there were plenty of dishes to do. Katie turned to it. At least it would give her something to occupy her hands, while she worked through her thoughts.
Hunk hadn't lied about them being out of several grocery items that needed replacing, but he still felt little bit like he was running away from the conversation as he walked through the general grocer. He didn't want to argue with Katie about this, but he had terrible misgivings about the entire mission. Every mission had potential dangers, even ones that were supposed to be peaceful and diplomatic. That was just the nature of the work.
But you could be attacked, kidnapped, wounded, taken prisoner, tortured, lost across space, lost across time, lost between realities… and what would happen to their children if either—or likely neither—of them ever came home? What if they were trapped in that other reality? Or what if one or both of them died?
Every worst-case scenario—and a lot of bad memories—ran circles in his mind as he replenished the ingredients depleted by the unplanned briefing.
But he'd told Katie the truth. He couldn't destroy Lance by voicing his many objections, or by refusing to go. Not at the expense of an innocent four-year-old in the hands of a madman… or Lance's sanity. Not going might break him.
It was lunchtime by the time Hunk finished finding everything they needed. Or so his stomach reminded him by growling vociferously. He should go home, but he wasn't sure he wanted to face any of these conversations just yet. He needed to clear out his thoughts, but his home kitchen was too crowded.
Not that he could ditch his family either. So he pulled out his communicator and sent Katie a simple message. Still shopping. Need me home for lunch?
After a minute, he got a reply. Caitlin's making lunch. We're fine. Take all the time you need.
To shop, or to work out his thoughts. Katie knew him well enough that he was sure she meant both. Feeling a little less guilty, he looked around where he was, and decided that it was definitely a day for something indulgent. Not that he felt like sitting in a crowded restaurant. So, he dropped into a fast food place, picked up one of their deals and carried the bag with him, along with his few bags of groceries, over to a nearby public park area that had tables. It was on the edge of the city, and looked out over the desert. Though there were plenty of trees, so it was nicely shaded.
He was just deciding where to sit when he spotted someone he had not expected. "Lance? What are you doing here?"
Startled, his friend turned around on the bench he was sitting on. "I could ask you the same thing," Lance replied, looking momentarily stricken.
Something was off. "Looking for a place to eat my lunch." Hunk held up the bags. "Before I lug the shopping home. Mind if I join you?"
Lance gestured at the seat next to him. "My bench is your bench."
Hunk realized why Lance had picked this particular spot when he spotted the bottle in Lance's hand. For a moment, he was surprised, but this whole thing had to be much harder for Lance to process than any of the rest of them.
He sat down and opened the small paper sack, which was packed with hamburgers. He unwrapped the first one, taking it down in a few bites.
"You didn't want to eat at home?" Lance asked curiously. "Everything you make is better than those."
"Depends on your perspective." Hunk shrugged and opened another one. "My daughter has taken the Garrison's Nutrition class into her heart and soul and has practically taken over the kitchen at home while she's on leave. She's determined to starve me."
"A coup de kitchen huh?" Lance finally smiled. "Sounds dangerous."
"Very. Everything's delicious, but the portion sizes are so…"
"Normal?"
"I was going to say small and insufficient. But I guess we could call them normal." Hunk shrugged. "Not all great food is gourmet. Sometimes, it's just comforting." He started on the second burger. When it was done, he looked pointedly at the bottle. "You want to talk about it?"
"I'm just… overwhelmed," Lance admitted. "Last night, I went to bed just living my life. A life I thought I was happy with and now… it's like there's a hole in my soul all over again. It was Allura, Hunk. She looked so real. She sounded real. She… felt real. But it wasn't just a message she gave me. She gave me all those memories, and they're my memories, except they're not. They belong to a different Lance, who lived a completely different life, but in a way they're still me and it's just a lot to process. I have memories of getting married."
"I hope that those are good ones, at least," Hunk commented.
"It was small, since we were all still at war, just immediate family and the Paladins. You were my best man," he smiled slightly. "Pidge was Allura's maid of honor. Allura even talked her into a dress; said it was Altean custom." He went quiet then for a minute before continuing. "Even though we were still constantly at war… we were happy together. I can remember everything, and while I can tell they come from outside my original memories, all the emotions that come with them are entirely real. Love, sorrow… intimacy." His face flushed, and Hunk got the feeling it had nothing to do with alcohol. "We never… I mean, my Allura and I never… but now I have memories of the two of us that are so real, so tangible, so…incredible. I had no idea."
Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Hunk knew academically Lance had never had sex, but it wasn't like it was something he thought about. His friend had been hopeless with girls when they were Cadets, and while he had never said anything, Hunk had been fairly certain he and Allura had never gotten that far in their relationship. Allura, being a princess, had always struck him as the wait until marriage type. But if Hunk even tried to count the number of times in the past seventeen-ish years had engaged in sex, he simply couldn't. To have that much intimate knowledge of Allura shoved in his head at once must have completely blown Lance's mind…and not necessarily all in good ways. "If Allura gave you those memories, they're a gift," Hunk replied softly. "She saw them, and she wanted you to have that knowledge of her."
Lance nodded. "I know, and I appreciate it, but right now it's all a jumble I'm still trying to sort out, and it just makes me miss her even more." He took a long drink, then continued where he'd left off. "It's not just those memories. I remember finding out I was going to be a father, and the entire pregnancy and… delivery. I have thousands of memories of my daughter, and our family, making things as happy as we could for her, even as the universe was falling apart around us. Her favorite color is blue. She loves strawberries, and her voice sounds like Allura's, right down to the Altean accent. She looks like her mother. We named her after Allura's mother, of course, but I always call her Mellie… unless she's in trouble, which isn't often because she's a very good girl." His voice broke, and his eyes looked wet. "This place we're going, this Lotor we're trying to get around… that Lance was the last one left. He lost everyone he loved. All the Paladins, one by one… until it was just him, Allura, Coran, and Melenor. Coran died protecting Allura. Lotor killed Allura when she wouldn't help him, and kidnapped Melenor. And I—well that me—he went crazy with the loss and rage. He went after Lotor in what was nothing more than a grief-fueled suicide run. He kept telling himself he could make it, and he could rescue her but, from the outside, the plan was full of holes. He was shot down mid-space. Not that I have that last memory. Allura just told me that part."
"That's better than giving you what it feels like to go insane from grief," Hunk agreed. "But it does sound overwhelming."
"I have to save her, Hunk. If I don't… now… I could never forgive myself. And I know why Allura brought this to me, but right now it feels like a very mixed blessing."
"I can imagine." Hunk definitely never wanted to go through the agony of losing Pidge again. And he had been lucky in the end, when she and Kale had turned out to be alive. It still haunted his nightmares from time to time. "I'd say it's crazy, but crazy is kind of what we do."
"I feel bad dragging everyone into this, even though really I guess it's Allura dragging everyone into this, in a way. Unless I've completely gone insane, which… could be possible."
Hunk shook his head. "I mean yes, you could, but you haven't. Yellow's back in my head. That's all the evidence any of us needed. I won't pretend I like this, Lance, but you're my best friend, and after everything you've done for me, and Caitlin, and all of us… I would be the worst friend in existence if I didn't try to help you save your daughter."
"It feels like such a long shot," Lance admitted. "And I don't even know all of it. I keep having to sort through my mind and find information. What if we fail?"
We will probably all die then. Not that he needed to say that out loud. Instead, Hunk shrugged. "There is one thing we have going for us. We're the Paladins that succeeded." When they had been younger, fitter, and in their training prime, but they had succeeded.
Lance nodded, and smiled weakly. "That we are. I hope it's enough. It's got to be."
It had been a surreal meeting, and rest of the morning, for Shiro. After they left Hunk and Katie's house, Curtis had suggested the whole family go out for a walk, and lunch. It had been a while since they'd had a full family outing, with Gabriel and Joshua almost always at the Garrison. Most days it was just Nathaniel at home, and while he liked having a little more privacy, he missed having his brothers around.
Shiro had agreed. There was nothing better at times like this than having family around. It also gave them a chance to absorb what was going on. Of all of them, only Curtis had been around in the Voltron days, and he had been on the Atlas when Shiro had captained it, and when the Atlas had transformed. He knew what it meant to risk a life to save the universe. While the boys had grown up on Voltron stories, as they got older, and learned to see the world as more than a child's adventure, Shiro suspected there had been a little more disbelief with the distance. After all, they had never seen the Lions.
"I still think maybe Uncle Lance had just finally lost it," Gabriel commented skeptically over his melanzane di parmigiana. "How can you just take his word on something this…"
"Unbelievable?" Shiro smiled at his eldest son. Gabriel was the most common-sense of all of them. Very technical and by the book, and he preferred things he could verify. "I think you'll find that a lot more is possible than you've ever seen. Besides, even if I didn't believe him, I believe the Black Lion." The moment he had reconnected with Black, he had known the truth of what Lance was saying. But how to explain that knowing was based on experience and knowledge less than any kind of blind faith, was difficult.
"You believe a machine?"
"The Lions are more than machines. They were the first combination of technology with Altean alchemy. They have an innate intelligence that allows them to bond and communicate with their Paladins."
"You've told us that before," Gabriel pointed out. "What if they're misfiring? Or what if this is some kind of trap?"
"Wow, Gabe," Joshua snorted. "You're even more dull than usual. We're talking about Voltron. Don't you think we should believe the expert?"
Gabriel shrugged. "I'm just saying no one seems to be considering that this is anything other than exactly what it seems."
"Experience," Curtis replied. Below the table, on the bench seat, his hand intertwined with Shiro's, as he squeezed his fingers. "Everyone on Earth had to reconsider everything we thought we knew about space, technology, and our place in the universe when the war against the Galra came here. If you didn't live it, it's hard to understand. Even watching it, sometimes it was hard to believe what was happening in front of your own eyes. But it's real, every bit of it. So, if the Lions are coming, that means they're really needed."
"I think it's cool," Nathaniel finally chimed in his opinion. "Will we get to ride in the Lion?"
Shiro smiled. "I think we can make that happen."
Katie was beginning to worry about Hunk when she got another message.
Ran into Lance. Taking him home to get his things, then bringing him to our place. Home by dinner. Sorry for the delay. Do you want me to pick up or does Caitlin want to cook? Love you.
That sounded both helpful and slightly ominous, but given Lance's behavior during the entire meeting that morning, Katie suspected her friend was still overwhelmed. When she asked Caitlin, she smiled.
"Cook for Uncle Lance? Sure! I've got a new three-lentil curry I've been wanting to make. I got the recipe from Advika Khatri the barracks. I can run out and grab ingredients."
"That would be great. Thank you." Katie replied to Hunk's message in the affirmative. Caitlin's got dinner. When do you want to tell my family about this? Or yours? If they didn't, everyone was going to find out when the Lions landed at the Garrison. At least, hers would, even though her father had retired to work on his own personal research. Which the Galactic Coalition was now funding through private contracts. The Athena was between missions, so Matt and Veronica would certainly know as soon as the Lions were identified entering the Solar System.
There was just no nice quiet way to do this without making everyone suspicious.
Her communicator pinged. Invite your family for dinner too. Might as well get it out in the open now. I'll call my folks myself.
Well, that was simple enough. "Looks like we're having the whole family. Get extra."
Caitlin nodded. "Got it."
Dinner at the Kogane household was no louder or quieter than usual, though Keith found himself answering more questions than Heith had ever asked before about his time as a Paladin of Voltron, and how that worked with him eventually joining the Blades. Since his son had only ever known him in his roles in diplomacy and humanitarian work, it made sense that he'd have questions. Not that he hadn't been curious about it when he was little, but he had hardly asked everything.
"It's weird trying to imagine you and Uncle Lance hating each other," Heith admitted as he shoved his vegetables around on his plate. He had already finished his meat. "Or… you and Mom trying to kill each other. I mean for real."
"Well, I can't say if we were ever really trying to kill each other," Acxa grinned across the table at Keith. "But beating you was sure fun."
"Funny, seeing as we won."
Heith grimaced. "Can you two stop flirting at the table?"
Keith chuckled. "Sorry, kiddo. I refuse to admit defeat in any competition."
"Since when is flirting competitive?" Heith stared at him.
"Since always," Keith and Acxa said in unison, before bursting into laughter.
Only when the levity died down did Heith ask, "So, what happens if you don't come back?"
It was a serious question, deserving a real answer. "Then I'll expect you and your Mom to take care of each other," Keith replied honestly. "That said, this is a rescue mission. We don't have to fight the entire Galra Empire again. This one strike will guarantee they can't mess with us, here, in our reality. As long as we stick to the mission objective and work together, we should be back in a few days. I have no intention of dying, or getting stuck there."
"That's good," Acxa replied. "Because I would be furious with you if you did."
Heith grinned. "Mad enough to go get him?"
"If I had to," Acxa agreed, her expression turning serious, then resigned. "This wasn't how I wanted to tell you this, or the best time but… I'm pregnant."
Keith almost choked on a carrot even as Heith's mouth dropped open. "You're what?!"
Acxa shrugged. "Surprise?"
"Umm… yeah." Keith set down his fork, food forgotten. They hadn't even talked about having more kids in over a decade. He'd just sort of assumed that given their son was already fourteen they were done. It wasn't bad news, just very out of the blue. "Wow." If I don't come back, she really will hunt me down and kill me. As if he didn't already have enough reasons to want to succeed… or stay.
Acxa's smile had returned. "I know what you're thinking, Keith, but I want you to go on this mission. Even if this girl wasn't Lance and Allura's daughter, stopping any version of Lotor from damaging the universe is worth the risk. Just don't lose three years of time on the way back. I'm not changing all those diapers."
Keith reached across the table, placing his hand over hers. "I'll do my best."
Heith had the vaguely disgusted look of a teenager who just realized that his parents regularly had sex. "I have to say, this is really weird and awkward right now."
Keith grinned. "Think of it as a free lesson in how to talk to girls without getting your face smashed."
"None of the girls in my school would smash in my face."
Acxa smiled at her son. "Then you probably wouldn't want to date them, anyway."
Dinner that night at Hunk and Katie's house was only slightly less chaotic than the impromptu breakfast they'd had that morning. Fortunately, Caitlin's recipe made more than enough for eleven people, and everyone found it delicious. With a folding table shoved up against the end of the dining table, they managed to fit everyone around it, including the high chair holding Veronica and Matt's two-year-old daughter Marisol hostage.
"Come on now, Mari, try a bite," Matt gently cajoled and encouraged her.
Marisol looked down at the strangely colored dish and shook her head. "No… tank oo."
Matt looked frustrated.
Colleen chuckled. "At least she's polite about it."
Sam turned to Katie. "Now, why don't you tell us what this is all about. You said you had some news?"
Katie nodded. "Yes. We have a mission. A Voltron mission." The statement was met with the expected stunned silence. Matt still held a spoon in front of his daughter's face, though the lentils were forgotten. Without waiting for further reaction, Katie quickly outlined the basics of the situation, keeping it short and minimizing Lance's part of it to save her friend a million questions. The fact that the Lions were communicating with them enough was more than enough to convince her family of the importance of what was going on.
Neither of her parents looked pleased.
"I can't say that I like the idea that this is even a threat," Sam admitted, frowning, "But if it required Voltron, then it must be serious. There's certainly no one better."
"Just… be safe," Colleen replied, looking tense.
"We'll need you to watch the kids," Katie said.
"Well, of course," her mother nodded.
Caitlin looked like she wanted to object, but she wisely held her tongue.
"You make us sound like babies," it was Kale who surprised her by objecting. "Wouldn't this plan have a better chance of success with a bigger team?"
"We're taking Coran," Katie pointed out. "Can you think of anyone better?"
"Well… not for dealing with Altean tech," Kale admitted. "But—"
"You're not coming," Hunk spoke up sharply. "None of you. You don't have the training, the skills, or the experience."
"Neither did you."
Katie cringed as Hunk stared at his daughter.
"What?" Caitlin asked, shrugging. "It's the truth. You were cadets when you became Paladins of Voltron, and if I remember correctly, you weren't even very good ones. Well, Mom was, but she was also pretending to be someone else. Even if only you five have a mystical connection to the Lions of Voltron, that doesn't mean you couldn't take back up. You won't have any friends in this other reality, right?"
"Look, I get what you're saying," Lance surprised Katie by speaking up, "But we were frankly lucky we didn't die on a daily basis for a long time. No, we don't know entirely what we will find on the other side, but the more people we take, the more likely we are to be noticed. The goal is to sneak in, make the rescue, and get out again, without being destroyed. Anyone else along runs the risk of being a liability. It's not worth risking more lives than we have to."
The sound of her favorite Uncle shooting her down was something Katie suspect Caitlin had never expected. She looked stunned, and a little hurt. Then, she sighed. "Fine. I see your point."
"This is crazy," Matt said, shaking his head. "If you need help tuning them up, just ask."
"Oh, you bet we will," Katie nodded. "I'm hoping they won't need too much maintenance. Given how long they went without it and the shape they were still in when we found them, a couple of decades shouldn't be too bad to shake off."
"Of them, maybe," Lance nodded. "I'm not so sure about us. I need to hit the shooting range in the morning. It's been a while."
"We'll need our sharpshooter." Katie smiled encouragingly.
"Hopefully I can still live up to the name."
"Oh, you'll be fine," Veronica spoke up, with surprising sharpness. "You're great."
"I'm very out of practice," Lance countered.
"What did you tell Mom and Dad?"
Lance suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "That we have a mission, and we'll be back in a few days."
His sister's eyes narrowed. "You didn't tell them you have a daughter?"
"I… chickened out." Lance looked away. "I just couldn't figure out how to explain it and if it doesn't go well, I didn't want them to feel even worse." He looked back at his sister. "Please, don't tell them. It'll be easier to explain everything when we get back."
"You want me to lie to our parents."
"I want you to just not talk to Mom about it for a few days," Lance countered. "Please, Veronica."
"Fine," she relented. "But you'd better come back alive, with this kid, and don't expect me to help smooth things over if Mom is mad."
"Thanks. You're the best."
"I know." Veronica turned and looked at Matt. "Are you going to get any of that into her?"
"I'm trying."
"Here, let me do it."
"No, I've got this," Matt insisted. "Come on, Marisol. It's yummy if you try it."
Katie was impressed with the amount of skepticism on the toddler's face.
"You are so not convincing, Uncle Matt." Caitlin chuckled.
"Can you do better?" Matt looked at his niece.
"Of course, I can," Caitlin shrugged, reaching her hand for the bowl and spoon. "It's all in your delivery."
"All right." Matt ceded them. "Prove it."
"I made it." Caitlin stood up and came around the table. "Which is why it makes me so very sad, Marisol, that you don't want to eat my magical curry."
Marisol looked at her, but there was curiosity there. "Magkal?"
"Yeah, you know, like Princess Pollen," Caitlin named a character Katie only vaguely recognized as a popular character on one of the current young adult educational shows. "This isn't just curry, it's special curry that will make your tongue tingle, and your mouth smile, and when you're done, you'll want to sing and dance. But, if you don't want princess powers." She shrugged. "I guess I can't make you. I'll just have to eat it myself."
The spoon wasn't even half way to her face when Marisol reached out urgently. "Wan it!"
Matt was staring at her in disbelief.
"Oh…. I don't know," Caitlin didn't give in. "It's my favorite."
"Peeeease?"
"I guess I could share a bite." Caitlin slowly moved the spoon towards her cousin's open mouth. As soon as it was in, Marisol bit down. Then she made a wide-eyed face, staring intently at the spoon, before sitting back. The spoon was empty. Marisol swallowed, and her eyes lit up. "Mouth ingling!" She opened it wide.
Caitlin set the bowl down and handed Marisol the spoon. "Eat it carefully. You don't want to spill any magic."
Matt watched his daughter happily eating her dinner, doing her best not to spill it.
Caitlin grinned. "See? It's all presentation."
Matt shook his head. "Well, I'll be."
Veronica chuckled. "Guess you've got some practicing to do."