Voltron: Defender of the Universe - Youth Will Be Served

[Disclaimer Continued: Once again, for entertainment purposes. All canon characters and situations belong to the rightful owner, no copyright infringement implied or intended.]

[AN: A major annual summer commitment suddenly evaporated, so moving this story along came to mind. There were initially going to be two phases to this chapter: A Hawkins/Newley phase, picking up on the end of Chapter 2 followed by a Chip/Ginger phase. I was nearing 3,000 words typed – then I recalled my intent to focus on 1,500 to 2,000 per chapter. I decided to make the phases into separate chapters outright. I have also recently enjoyed processing my in-progress text through an online text to speech reader. Not only has it given me the fun of imagining my story as a light novel audiobook, but it has helped me shape the "voice" I want for the text in the mind of readers and eliminate typing errors I'm prone to make. Finally, thanks to FFN Pen name Thisisfunwhattooksolong for helpful critique that I have tried to address seriously. Enjoy! BMillsWrites]

Chapter 3: Expectations On File

It was still easily within the standard hour when Captain Newley transmitted the impeded review request that Ensign Stoker had filed. No message of any kind accompanied that transmission. Commander Hawkins acknowledged receiving it, simply noting his thanks for the prompt compliance. Whatever tension lingered between the two men faded as the morning progressed. There wasn't time for such things in the complex routines of overseeing the ship and its crew. Newley was returning to the bridge from his midday meal period and Hawkins had yet to leave for the one he, as usual, delayed as long as possible. The Captain requested to speak briefly and privately, and the Commander agreed. When both men were seated in the Commander's ready room, Newley spoke, "Sir, this Gemini-Vee file, is it on the up and up?"

Commander Hawkins nodded. The tone of his reply reflected that it was an uneasy truth. "It's as real as real gets. According to the late King Alfor of Arus, the presence of two pilots related by blood respectively for the original Lion Voltron and the Vehicle Voltron entrusted to the Alliance exponentially increases the intangible quality of each Voltron to overcome an opponent. He instructed that potential pairings be given a test that he devised, and only those with a perfect score be referred to him – noting that time was of the essence. Shortly before he was killed, he was sent the results from the only Alliance pairing yet to score perfectly on his test – the Stoker twins. The King regretted that they were so young, but being twins was the ideal relationship, and most importantly, he was out of time. One of his last communications to the Alliance was that all was ready for the return of the original Voltron, and the deployment of ours. You said earlier that you thought Ensign Stoker was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now you know that the right time wasn't going to wait for the Stoker boys to be any older. The time came when the Alliance and Arus needed the quality that works because of their connection."

"Is there any explaining –" Newley began, but the Commander put his hand up abruptly.

"If you're asking how it works, no one alive knows," Hawkins revealed. "If King Alfor knew, the secret died with him – but I don't think he wanted to analyze it. In all the classified transcripts that I've seen, he insisted that the quality was intangible, He was confident that, with the right pairing, it would work. Maybe he was avoiding calling it magic – there's a persistent mystic aspect to Arusian culture. Personally, I think he was concerned that trying to peg why it worked would interfere with the quality itself. I think I'd leave it at that." It was as much a warning as it was a personal approach.

Captain Newley then wondered, "Does Stoker know what he's really part of? Does either boy have any idea?"

Commander Hawkins offered one slow shake of his head sideways "No. There are complex reasons for keeping them out of the loop. Part of it is their age, though they're both easily capable of processing the concept. Part of it is maintaining the intangibility. They shouldn't over-think something that just happens because of who they are. Finally, both of them have a tendency to put pressure on themselves about responsibilities. Reports indicate that Pidge Stoker turns that pressure into impulsive aggression. We've seen that Chip Stoker directs that pressure into anxiety. That's really why we have him – the more sensitive of the two – on our crew while his brother was sent to Arus. It was determined that structure and the leadership to bring Chip along in stages would best maintain his confidence, and hopefully build it up – decreasing the risk of impairing that intangible quality. Frankly, I think the Alliance owes it to both boys not to reduce them to tools that have been plugged in to improve functionality. They deserve to be fostered toward their full potential, just like any other young person on duty in the Alliance. The different assignments were the first right move, but events have created a disparity in their situations, one which has not been to Chip's advantage."

"Oh really?" Newley reflexively bristled. "I'd think it would be the other way around. I'm sure things have gotten pretty lax on Arus – an Alliance unit re-imagined as knights for a princess in a castle, like some fairy tale. I still say that Ensign Stoker needs more years behind him, but at least he's getting pushed to grow up under by-the-book circumstances."

Hawkins nodded ruefully, "That might just be the disadvantage I mean." Seeing that Newley was about to object, Hawkins continued, "It's not that Pidge Stoker is getting by all that easily. According to reports, Princess Allura's life-long nanny has asserted jurisdiction over him too as a ward of the royal court. As I understand it, that includes studies in court protocol and noble interests: art, music, oratory, and so on. Still, the leader of the Arus team permits and encourages that treatment precisely because Pidge Stoker doesn't have to do those things exceptionally. Instead, he gets to be a 12 year-old who may or may not like or enjoy the experiences – sometimes putting a lot of effort in them and sometimes finding creative ways to avoid them."

"So you're implying what, that being more regimented is costing Ensign Stoker his childhood? His non-Voltron duty rotation factors in limits because of his age," the Captain insisted like a challenge.

The Commander countered calmly, "It does in terms of scale, but it doesn't in terms of expectations. In everything he does, Chip Stoker is surrounded by people who are least seven years older than he is and, though he's doing the same things they're doing, he's always pushing himself to do everything the best that they can do – not his 12 year-old best, their older best. He's shown that he can over-achieve and he wants to over-achieve. A healthy appreciation of that – his own and by the Alliance – when it does happen, is appropriate. However, a constant sense that he has to over-achieve to be of any use at all is unhealthy for Chip."

Newley thought he'd found an opening against involving Stoker in the approaching diplomacy, "Commander, then isn't bringing Stoker with us tonight just making what you see as his disadvantage worse? You said yourself that you expected him to do the Explorer proud – the same as the Voltron team leaders."

"What I have every expectation of," Commander Hawkins explained without reacting to the challenging undertone, "is that Ensign Chip Stoker will be polite, aware of the interests of the Alliance during the occasion, and candid about the careful research that's going into the Alliance's search for habitable worlds. In fact, on that third score, Chip might be the most capable we have to offer. Those three outcomes will do the Explorer proud – but I want them from a 12 year-old who looks 10, and not from a gifted child who expects at least seven years more of himself. There's every chance that his politeness will be awkward. He'll likely oversell the "good" of the Alliance to contrast the "bad" of the Drules. His description of exploration research will likely be both highly enthusiastic and a little tedious. If – and probably when – that's the case, then good – because he's 12, and a 12 year-old being that way is honest and real."

"Is it so necessary to ensure the function of this "Gemini-Vee" quality that we risk the Gogus Corporation colonization option?" asked Newley, as tactical as ever.

Commander Hawkins leaned back in his chair and steepled the fingers of his hands in thought. "I'm choosing to take a more long-term view, Captain Newley. In that view, the risk isn't as severe as it may seem at first. The Gogus Corporation asked for the youngest member of the Explorer crew. I absolutely believe that the request deserves the honesty of Ensign Chip Stoker. That benefits him – not to be a better working part in an invincible mech, but to be a more confident 12 year-old boy. If that's not what the Alliance has immediately in mind, it still certainly won't negatively impact the "Gemini-Vee" quality. If it's not to corporate liking either, then I accept that responsibility … and there are always other systems to explore." Newly nodded, if only to acknowledge a reality that he wasn't going to change in the Commander's general approach to the evening. Hawkins finished up, "I think it's finally time for me to get something to eat, so I'll see you back on the bridge."

"Of course, Commander." Both men stood and the Captain made his way to the ready room's door. He paused, "You might see if Stoker needs to join you. I saw most of the Voltron Force members in the Lounge when I got my meal, but he wasn't there. He might not understand how little eating actually goes on at diplomatic dinners."

"Actually, I've asked him to try understanding a lot about tonight without a lot of time to do that. He might be trying to stuff himself with information instead. It's more likely that the help I assigned him for the day is overdoing his prep schedule." The Commander mused, "Either way, thanks for the notice. I'll check in on him."