*Author's Note: My sincerest apologies for my inactivity due to technical difficulties and a recent move, but I'm letting you know that I'm back. Also, you may have noticed a change in the format. Well, when I was reading other stories, I decided to try and replicate that after thinking about how someone mentioned that my previous format was a little... overwhelming and hard to read. I hope that this may be an improvement, but please, feel free to let me know.*
Keith's POV
"You'll need to retrieve the Red Lion from Sendak's Ship." Allura finished as I look over the ship's schematics, and if its scaling is accurate…
"That's a pretty big ship." I commented feeling a little uncertain, "How are we gonna know where the Red Lion is?"
"It's not a matter of 'we.' It's a matter of 'you.'" Pidge spoke up, making the subtle feeling of uncertainty grow.
"Pidge is right." Hunk agrees, "Once we get you in, you'll be able to feel its presence and, like, track it down."
"Yeah. You know how you felt that crazy energy while we were in the desert?" Lance added.
"Yeah. you made fun of me for that."
"And I'm proud of that, but turns out it's exactly like that mambo-jumbo." I glared at Lance when he said that. If I could wipe that smug look off his face…
"Keith, remember, the Red Lion is extremely temperamental." Allura spoke up, bringing my attention back to her. "You'll have to earn its respect."
I subtly nodded before feeling my brother placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, "All right. Here's our plan of attack."
Lance's POV
Hunk and I piloted our lions toward the Galra ship, and to say that both of us were nervous is an understatement. Since the Galra 'Empire' already knew about the Yellow and Blue Lion, the two of us were to act as a decoy while Pidge escort Shiro and Keith to the other side of the ship where they'll be infiltrating it. I send out a communication transmission to the ship, only for it to open and reveal the same alien who sent his threats moments ago.
"Attention, Galra ship." I said while trying to keep a straight face, "Do not fire. We're surrendering our lions."
The alien then closed the communication link, causing me to add under my breath "Hope this works."
We waited for a little bit until we noticed the ship opening a section in front of us — apparently, they'd taken the bait. Now all Hunk and I have to do is wait until Shiro, Keith, and Pidge are inside.
"Pidge, what's your ETA?" I radioed Pidge
"We're in." Was his response; and not a moment too soon, as a purple light began to glow from the ship's opening.
"What's that thing?" Hunk asked me.
"I think that's our signal to get outta here!" I replied before the two of us moved out of the range just seconds before a beam shot out. Moments later, dozens of those fighter ships shot out like a swarm of angry bees.
"Hunk, you dismantle the ion cannon while I take these jerks on a space ride!" I ordered my friend, determined to keep the fighters distracted.
"Ten-four!" Hunk replied before the two of us got to work.
Keith's POV
I cautiously peered around the corner, only to find that the coast was clear. I entered the hall and proceeded to head down it before I heard Shiro hyperventilating, causing me to look back at my brother in concern.
"I've been here before." Shiro suddenly recalled something, "After I was taken by the Galra cruiser off Kerberos, they brought us here."
"So, that means your other crew members, they might be held captive here." Pidge spoke up, hearing the subtle, hopeful tone. "We… We've gotta rescue them."
"Pidge, we don't have time." Shiro said reluctantly, "We have to get the Red Lion and get back to Arus."
"But we can't just leave prisoners here!" Pidge argued.
"Look, no one understands that more than me, but, in war, we have to make hard choices." My brother reasoned firmly, but not unkindly. "Now, let's get moving."
"No!" Both Shiro and I stopped in our tracks and looked back at Pidge in surprise, "Commander Holt is my father. He and my brother were the ones on the Kerberos Mission with you."
"Commander Holt is your father?" Shiro asked in surprise as I now realize why 'Pidge' sounds so familiar. It was a nickname Matt would use for his sister, Katie.
"Yes. I've been searching everywhere for him and my brother." Pidge continues, "And I'm not gonna give up looking when I'm this close. I won't!" She turns around, only for Shiro to speak up, surprising her and me with what he said.
"I'm coming with you."
"What?" I asked.
"I remember where the prisoners are held." My brother explained before turning his attention to me, "Keith, you go find the Red Lion."
"By myself?" I asked; not only is my uncertainty returning, but I worry that I may lose the only family I have left— again. Being the older brother he is, Shiro must have understood my reluctance.
"Minor change of plans. You'll be fine." He reassured me as he placed his hand on my shoulder, something that he always does whenever I get nervous to calm me down.
"Just remember, patience yields focus. So–" the sound of a door opening brought our attention to the possibility of a guard approaching. "Run!"
Not having my brother tell me twice, I decided to run down the corridor while Shiro ran with Pidge down the other way. I didn't look back, nor did I stop until I reached a fork.
"Great. Now, which way?" I wondered out loud as I looked down the two possible paths before my eyes fell on a dark, skull-like insignia on the wall, I guess it's the Galra Empire's emblem. Though… I couldn't stop thinking that I'd seen this before. But the sound of footsteps snapped me out of my musing and I quickly bolted down one of the corridors.
Allura's POV
"Particle barrier up!" I commanded as the barrier activated, only to flicker and power down.
"Is that what's supposed to happen?" Coran asked me before we both decided to check. The castle has been offline for 10,000 years, after all. After opening the side panel, we put our heads beside one another and looked in.
"All the barrier crystals are out of alignment." Coran's the first to notice the problem.
"We have to fix it immediately." I said as I took a look for myself, "Without the particle barrier, we'll be defenseless."
"We're both too big. What can we do?"
I haven't thought of that… I furrow my brows, maybe I can try and shrink down before hearing some squeaking behind me.
*We can help with that.* I look down and saw the mice running into the small opening.
"The mice!" I realized as Coran and I looked in to see them at work.
"How do they know how to do this?" Coran asked me,
"I can hear them talking to me." I replied, "I think our minds are connected. It must be from sharing the sleep pod for 10,000 years."
I watch as three of them struggle to move the crystal back in alignment before the largest one lept in the air and knocked the stubborn crystal in, causing the other three to tumble a bit. I bit my tongue so to keep myself from laughing as the four of them climbed out and onto the controls, prompting Coran to replace the panel.
*Try it now.* I place my hands on the control, only for the barrier to work this time. I smiled as they squeaked in celebration.
"Thank you, friends."
Hearing something, I look over to see Coran straining with two fingers to his forehead.
"Coran, what are you doing?" I asked,
"I'm trying to get them to make me a sandwich."
Keith's POV
I don't know how long I've been running. I looked down both ways in a corridor, turned a corner, and ran down another corridor— only to find myself in front of the same, daunting emblem for the third time.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" I said out of frustration. This ship is like a labyrinth, "Come on, Keith. Think." What would my brother do when he managed to escape? I thought back to remember what he told me… Along with what Pidge and Hunk have said. An idea came to me.
"Patience yields focus." I muttered as I closed my eyes, hoping that no guards would catch me off guard, and try to concentrate. I didn't know what to do, but then I remember how I somehow felt the energy leading me back to the only remnant of both mine and Shiro's childhood home — as well as the Blue Lion later on. If I focus on that…
An image popped into my head; It was the Red Lion. It was suspended from its force field in a cargo bay, and the direction to the said cargo bay became vivid. I opened my eyes and smiled. Gotcha.
Pidge's POV
As I followed Shiro, I'm grateful that he insisted on coming with me to save Dad and Matt. Otherwise, I'd be completely lost– or worse, discovered. Mr. Shirogane was a lifelong friend of Dad's, and they've kept in touch after Mr. Shirogane became a firefighter and Dad joined Galaxy Garrison. So after both Shiro and Keith lost their parents and home to a fire, not only did Dad manage to talk the Garrison into enrolling the brothers, but my family also took them in until Shiro was old enough to become Keith's guardian.
We were about to turn a corner when a floating drone came into our view. It turned and saw us, prompting me to quickly stun it. It powered down and fell to the ground before I ran up to it.
"That thing saw us. We should get out of here." Shiro said, worried that it may have raised the alarm. But I know that I've stunned it before it could happen. Plus, I had an idea.
"Wait. I think this might come in handy." I calmed Shiro down as I opened its side panel and tempered with it before closing the panel again, "Now, I'll reset the controls…"
The drone power back on with blue lighting, signalling that it's friendly. "and it's working for us." I finished as Shiro ran up ahead and looked around the corner. I got back up and looked at my new robotic friend.
"I'm gonna call you 'Rover.'" I said as I proceeded to follow Shiro, "Follow me!"
We ran up to what appeared to be a door to a prison cell, but there was no panel to open it. Shiro ran his hands along the door when Rover floated up to me, which gave me an idea. If Rover had worked for the Galra Empire…
"Open up." I ordered, and as I thought. Rover floated over to a section of the wall and got the door to open.
"Excellent, Pidge." Shiro commented, sounding somewhat glad that I insisted on keeping Rover before the door opened.
"Dad?" I called out as I entered, only to find that the cell had six different aliens cowering near the back wall. They looked at us guardedly, with one of them holding a smaller alien with one eye in their arms in a protective manner.
"Don't be afraid." Shiro spoke up to calm them, "We're here to help you escape."
The alien who was protecting the smaller one seemed to recognize him.
"It's you…" He said, "It's you, the Champion."
The others looked at him as if he was the leader of the group, "If anyone can get us out of here, he can."
"Wh... What did you call me?" Shiro asked before I turned to see Rover floating up to me, informing me that a guard was coming.
"We don't have much time." I told Shiro, "Let's get to the escape pods."
I ran ahead as Shiro began to usher the aliens to follow me. While I was hoping that Dad and Matt were with the prisoners, I know that we can't just leave them here.
The Red Lion's POV
How many deca-phoebs has it been? It doesn't matter… Not after failing to protect my Paladin from an underhanded attack in her one-on-one duel against Zarkon, getting captured by one of his commanders, and Zarkon leaving my Paladin for dead on the same forsaken planet where Black lost their Paladin when he sacrificed himself so we can escape. A presence caught my attention, causing me to activate enough to see a scrawny creature approaching my barrier. And it was wearing my Paladin's armour. How dare… Does it seriously think that it can replace my Paladin?!
Its mouth moved as it placed its hand on my barrier.
"Let's get outta here." It squeaked, "Open up."
There's no way I'm letting that thing replace Marmora.
"It's me. Keith. Your buddy."
I'm not 'your buddy.'
"It's me! Keith, your–" It's not like I'm deaf…
"I am your paladin!"
No, you're not! Do you really think that you can replace her?!
While it tried to knock on my barrier, I sensed sentries approaching with their weapons ready. 'Keith' then activated the armour's shield to protect itself from the laser blasts.
"I'm bonding with you!" It squeaked again, "Hey! Come on! We're connected!"
You're going to have to do better than that.
I watched as 'Keith' summoned Marmora's bayard, which takes on the form of a bladed weapon, and ran forward.
"You're not getting this lion!" 'Keith' proclaim as it push one of the sentries away with the shield and sliced another with the bayard before getting overwhelmed. I have to admit that 'Keith' reminded me of my Paladin with its tenacity. I watched as it got up, noticing the controls in front of me. It activated the helmet's bottom half and pushed the button, opening the hatch on the floor.
Keith held onto the control panel while the sentries get jettisoned into space. I admit that I am impressed with how Keith thinks on his feet with this one, though I am curious about how he'll get out of this one. He looked up at me before trying to close the airlock, only for the debris to hit him, dazing him for a bit.
It didn't faze him and reached again, but a second, heavier debris hit him. Keith lost his grip and fell out into the void! While he can't replace Marmora, I cannot let him die. I lowered my barrier and flew out of the airlock and caught Keith in my mouth.
*What you did was reckless.* I wish I could preserve the look on Keith's face, *But you reminded me of her. I know that you can't replace her, but I can see potential in you as a paladin. I accept you, my Paladin.*
Keith smiled as I guided the seat to the controls for him.
"Good kitty. Let's roll."
I am not a 'kitty'.
Shiro's POV
Pidge and I ran toward the escape pod with the liberated prisoners, thankful that there were no guards present. I ran ahead to get the pod ready, looking back to see Pidge and the prisoners running up. I ushered my hand for them to see me.
"Hurry!" Pidge encouraged as the prisoners ran toward the open escape pod.
*Halt* I had to jinx it, Pidge turned around to see five robots making their way toward us with their weapon drawn. I ran over to protect her, and to buy the prisoners time. I may not know what exactly happened to me when I was abducted from Kerberos, but I cannot let it happen to Pidge, or make the prisoners' escape attempt to be in vain.
Pidge has her bayard, but I'm unarmed. Thankfully, Keith and I knew hand-to-hand combat. So I got myself in position, only to hear a faint buzzing. I look to see that my right arm activating. The hand glowed with an energy that felt somewhat familiar, but at the same time, it felt perverted as an antagonizing pain brought me down to my knees.
"Shiro?" The sounds around me became distorted as I can hear Pidge calling out to me with concern. "Shiro, what's wrong?"
I can see that the sentries were closing in and aiming their weapons to fire, I can't let them hurt Pidge. But the pain…
"The first time is always the most painful." a memory of someone's voice rang in my head, "Quintessence is a living force that is both within and around us. Concentrate on your breathing, and feel it flow like the water in a stream."
I took a couple of steady breaths before the pain subsided. I look up with a determined look and lunged forward, drawing the sentries' attention onto me as they open fire.
My body somehow moved on its own as I quickly took the sentries out, almost as if, I was using some sort of muscle memory. When the last guard fell to the floor with a thud, I realized what I just did before noticing the escape pod launching into space.
"Thank you, Shiro." The alien that called me the 'Champion' said before the pod door closed, causing my eyes to widen since I haven't even told them mine or Pidge's name.
"Wait! How did you…" I called out, but the pod is gone.
"Shiro, that was amazing!" Pidge said as she fist-bumped my arm, "Where did you learn to fight with that?"
Her question made me look down at my arm. When I was dealing with those sentries, I was also using fighting moves that were unfamiliar to me, as well as using the glowing hand, as if I was creating a barrier to deflect the laser blasts.
"No idea." I said as I formed a fist in my hand, I was so deep in my thoughts that I almost forgot that we were still on Sendak's ship.
"But we have to get back to the Green Lion. There may be more on the way." I told Pidge, earning a nod from her.
"Hey, Shiro." She spoke up as we ran, "When we have a chance, can I analyze your arm?"
That… wouldn't be a bad idea. But I just hoped that Keith found the Red Lion.
Normal POV
The Yellow Lion opened its mouth as Hunk used its cannon on the force field, hoping that a continuous attack will break it.
"Come on, just break, you stupid thing!" Hunk said with frustration before the barrier finally gave way, "Score one for Hunk!"
Not wasting a second, Hunk rammed the Yellow Lion into the ion cannon, disfiguring one side of it before noticing the Green Lion flying over him with the Red Lion.
"You guys made it!" Hunk said excitedly.
"Kitty Rose has left the stage!" Pidge announced.
"Let's get the heck outta here!" Lance said, prompting Hunk to pilot the Yellow Lion after the other three lions back to Arus.
"I hope I stopped that cannon. I could barely make a dent in it."