Chapter 20: Call of the Paladins

"Galaxy Garrison Gamma Flight Log 51114," Lance's voice had that distinctive lilt suggesting he was feeling especially smug today, which, for the most part, was true. "Initiating descent to Kerberos for rescue mission." The ship's nose pointed downward, and the resulting turbulence nearly knocked Pidge's glasses off her face. It was like being strapped into one of those muscle-crushing, bone-shattering massage chairs at the mall.

"Lance, can you keep this up?" Hunk, positioned behind the pilot, looked visibly unhappy with the current setup, appearing like a giant on the verge of collapsing. If he could, he'd melt into the floor like hot Jell-O.

"Relax, I'm just getting the feel of the stick," Lance gave an exaggerated shrug. No one could see him very well from his position tucked in the corner, but the smug grin he'd worn when he took control was still there.

"I mean, it's not like I—THIS!" The ship suddenly dove, making everyone grip the safety straps tighter. Unfortunately, Luan, forgetting her 19 STR strength, let out a soft grunt that resonated like metal being crushed, something uncomfortable to hear when you were in a pressurized vehicle with only a thin layer of defense between you and the emptiness of space. At times like these, she wondered why she had decided to venture out as a space doctor. Exploring the last frontier didn't seem so appealing with a certain skinny Cuban at the helm, about to bring the crew to the brink of disaster. Though, she remembered that he was also one of the main reasons she was here.

"Lance, if you value our friendship, I swear that..." Hunk thought about throwing something at his head, but everything in the cockpit was firmly integrated into the hull. There was always the emergency first aid kit, but a bandage probably wouldn't do much damage. Luan looked at Hunk with a small, tense, sympathetic smile. "If you need anything to ease the tension, let me know."

"Or this!" He wasn't listening, of course, and sent the ship lurching sideways, causing everyone to jerk violently in their seats. You could feel the pins in your hair coming loose.

Kerberos, one of Jupiter's moons, was closer now. The ice ball was a bleak and uninviting sight. She shivered, not only thinking about how cold it must be, but also about the mission to Kerberos, which always intrigued her.

"Okay, unless you want to clean beef stroganoff out of every nook and cranny of this thing, you better stop doing that, man!" Hunk was gripping the armrests like they were his lifeline. Luan watched silently, attentive to every move and reaction of the crew. He grimaced at the thought of the creamy food. The food in the Garrison mess hall wasn't even enjoyable before you chewed it, much less after.

A frantic beeping echoed through the cabin. Luan, ever the cool and calculating observer, felt her stomach churn. Not from the turbulence, but from the reminder of why she was here. While protective of those she considered family, her patience with Lance was wearing thin. She couldn't help but wonder if her twin brother truly understood the responsibility he had.

"We've picked up a distress beacon!" Pidge shouted over her shoulder, ignoring Hunk's obvious discomfort.

They were now entering the atmosphere of Kerberos. It reminded her of the mythological Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants, her mother used to tell her stories about myths and ancient tales. And this moon was probably just as scary with or without monstrous humanoids. Especially since, damn it, the ground was approaching at an alarming rate.

"Alright, eyes wide open, everyone!" Lance was the only one excited.

"Pidge, track like a meteor." Pidge was focused on the screens in front of him. Even with the relatively bright lighting in the cabin, the monitors cast a glow over his young face. "Copy that."

The ship shook again, this time even more intensely. Alarms blared.

"Stop it, Lance!" Hunk pleaded, squirming.

Lance peeked out from behind his chair. "You're on your own, buddy. We got a hydraulic stabilizer."

He didn't know what that meant, but it didn't look promising.

Hunk pulled the emergency pack that was bouncing off his seat closer to his face, just as the urge to vomit hit him full force. "Oh no..." He muttered. Everyone knew what that meant.

"Oh no. Fix it now, puke later." Lance ordered, his mood turning sour.

"We've lost contact," Pidge informed gently. "The vibration is interfering with our sensors."

"Come on, Hunk!" Luan muttered, watching Lance annoy the poor guy, even though it was Hunk who wasn't on the verge of falling over. "The hydraulics are jammed or something, I doubt Hunk can fix this DISASTROUS piloting!" She'd make a mental note to scold Lance later. If everyone was still alive.

Of the passengers, Pidge was the calmest so far, but even he was starting to fidget nervously.

"Not responding," Hunk groaned as he unbuttoned himself, crawling across the cold metal floor towards the main gearbox. He leaned over it like a drunk would over a toilet.

"Never mind, guys... and our lovely nurse," Lance could feel the daggers Luan was glaring at him as he tried to keep the mood light despite the palpable tension. A cold glare from Luan, which seemed to lower the temperature of the room, hinted at her considerable desire for revenge, a subtle effect of her power.

"Your doctor," he hissed in a cold tone.

[Due to continuous action, you have leveled up the skill Killer Intent.]

While he mentally dismissed the system notification about leveling up in Killer Intent, his brother simply ignored it like the damn idiot he was.

"Ah, ah, ah - you're just a cadet. You don't have a medical license yet!" Lance wagged his index finger.

Normally, Luan tolerated Lance's arrogant attitude—in fact, he was fun to be around most of the time. But this wasn't one of those times. Right now, he wanted to use his knowledge of the human body to do some very nasty things that would probably get him kicked out of the Garrison. That didn't mean he couldn't get revenge on his twin later; he just had to be more subtle in his approaches.

The other two passengers felt a chill run down their spines as they saw the promising smile the doctor gave the pilot's back. "We're preparing for a visual approach."

"Lance was clearly defying all logic, hurling it straight into space. 'I don't think that's advisable with our current mechanical and, uh, gastrointestinal issues,' Pidge said, giving Hunk a stern look. 'I agree,' the engineer murmured, concerned.

'Stop worrying. This baby can handle it, can't she, champ?' Lance patted the panel lovingly as the ship began to shake. 'See? She was shaking her head. She was shaking her head.'

Pidge gave a look that was somewhere between pity and murderous intent, but it didn't affect the pilot at all. Having a twin brother who had been communicating with the spirit of a magical lion for as long as he could remember... Besides, said brother was training the family to access and master magic. Training in magic to learn how to survive true murderous intent was horrifying but more effective. Compared to that, Pidge's deadly gaze was almost cute. The tense atmosphere was palpable, filled with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.

'Now Luan is busy trying to fix his hair; the pins he had tied into a tight bun have started to fall out and roll across the floor. Maybe he should have worn a ponytail, but it's not like he knew things would get this messy. Maybe he should just cut it? But his parents would be devastated, especially his mother.'

'Pidge, calm down and inform them their ride is here,' Lance instructed.

Pidge, with her short stature, had to unbuckle herself to reach the communicator. It was an odd place to hide it above the communicator's head, but oh well, maybe this was just an older, poorly-designed ship. Not that he could tell the difference between a passenger plane and a rocket anyway. He left the details to the engineering experts (Pidge and Hunk).

'Attention, moonship—' Lance yelled, but sudden turbulence threw him to the ground.

'What are you doing? Buckle up. And Hunk, stop shaking!' Lance whined.

Well, the shaking wasn't really the big guy's fault, was it?

'I'm trying to—oh, no...' Hunk then began to vomit into the gearbox. The acrid smell made Luan shudder. Quickly, he pulled out his hypo gun and sprayed the big guy. The engineer closed the gearbox, and no one commented on it. Hunk was shaking, his skin not its usual healthy color. Without thinking twice, Luan pressed his hand to Hunk's forehead, feeling it was cold, as he quickly assessed the situation. It could be a stomach virus, or maybe a nervous breakdown.

Luan focused on the patient, ignoring the rest of the cabin as he made his diagnosis.

"Attention, moonship, this is Galaxy Garrison Rescue Craft One Victor Six Three Tango," Pidge called into the comm as Hunk eased himself back with Luan's assistance, who was monitoring his health after the incident. Pidge glanced sideways at Lance, concerned for Hunk. "Against crew recommendations," she added, noting the tension in the room.

"At this rate, you're the ones who need rescuing."

"There's no time for that now. They're sinking, and we're going in!" Lance accelerated, keeping his eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching barren terrain. Frozen outcrops flew past the screen.

"Watch out for that ledge!" Pidge pointed, her jaw clenched, on the verge of jumping out of her chair.

"Don't worry," Lance replied in that overly confident, smug tone. It was as if he had captured not just a canary, but the entire aviary. "In my first year of flight school, they called me 'The Tailor' because of the way I threaded the needle."

Luan could see Pidge rolling her eyes so far back into her skull that they might get stuck there. "They didn't know! The only person who wasn't around your first year was Pidge." As Lance boasted, Luan continued to monitor Hunk with increasing concern. Each minute seemed to lean away from nervousness and more towards the possibility that the young engineer had contracted a stomach virus. Unfortunately, it would be disastrous if he did, given the high risk of cross-contamination in the ship's current conditions.

"Come on, come on!" Lance gritted his teeth, and only now did he probably realize his mistake.

The ship hit the side of the ledge, and everything shook, the screens flashing red.

"We've lost a wing!" Hunk exclaimed, shocked and outraged.

"Oh man," Lance muttered as the ship 'crashed,' the screens going black.

"Simulation failed," a robotic voice announced over the speakers, as if rubbing it in.

The doors to the simulation pod opened with a hiss. Commander Iverson's stern gaze fell upon his team.

"Get up, cadets!" Iverson's voice was gruff, gravelly. He wasted no time pushing their buttons. But then, what were senior officers for, right?

"Good job, Tailor," Pidge growled as everyone scrambled to exit.

There was no time to retrieve fallen hairpins; they were lost forever. It wouldn't look dignified to pick them up on hands and knees anyway. Instead, they lined up with Lance, Pidge, and Hunk in front of the rest of the class. Half of Luan's hair hung over his shoulders, the rest struggling to maintain the shape of what might have once been a neat bun.

"Let's see if we can't learn something from this," Iverson shouted, walking in front of the four. It was hard to tell if he was genuinely displeased or relished the chance to discipline some cadets. The medals on his pressed uniform gleamed under the harsh lights. "Can someone point out the mistakes these four so-called cadets made in the simulator?"

The other cadets watched like vultures, some laughing aloud while others remained unreadable. It all added to the painful embarrassment.

"The engineer vomited into the main gearbox!" a boy with messy hair and tanned skin said, raising his hand. He was familiar from many classes, though his name always slipped Luan's mind.

"Not an approved engine system lubricant," Iverson leaned into Hunk's space, intimidating him. "What else?"

"The communications equipment was not secured with a seatbelt," a girl with her hair in a bun added, her arms crossed sternly. She looked like the type not to tolerate mistakes.

"The pilot crashed!" another girl with glasses and brown hair blurted out, running her hand through her hair as if about to...

"Well, if anything, at least no one has decided to choose. But there's not much for a doctor to do during simulations—other than pray. So there's not much to really mess up."

"Fix it," Iverson ordered, hands on his hips. "And worst of all, all this bickering among yourselves. If you're going to perform poorly individually, you'd better at least work as a team!"

One could only hope that was the end of his lecture. But Iverson didn't rise to the rank of commander without having vision.

"Galaxy Garrison exists to mold young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astroexplorers. However, mistakes like these are exactly what cost the men on the Kerberos mission their lives." Iverson's words struck a harsh chord, like a knife to the chest. It was bad enough they had to use the Kerberos mission as a role-playing scenario... now they were going to degrade the memory of...

You caught yourself. Thinking like that made it seem like they were... not dead! You had to believe they weren't.

"That's not fair, sir!" Pidge clenched her fists, brow furrowed. There was a palpable shift in the air. Even the other students weren't so giddy anymore.

"What did you say?" Iverson turned on his heel, ready to impart a hard lesson to Pidge.

Lance swiftly wrapped his arm around Pidge's shoulders, placing his palm over her mouth—her mouth, which was quite large in proportion to the rest of her. "Sorry, sir. I think she bumped her head when she fell out of her chair. But point taken." The smile he sent the commander was unconvincing.

"I hope I don't need to remind you that the only reason you're here is because the best pilot in your class had a disciplinary issue and failed," Iverson growled, hands clasped behind his back. The look in his tired eyes was unsettling. "Don't follow in his footsteps."

With a mental sigh, I decided to intervene before the situation escalated further and activated my Medical Authority ability. I was surprised when I first received this ability a few months ago, thinking it should have come when I first joined, only to later understand why...

[Description: This ability allows the Stellar Healer to invoke medical protocols in critical situations, ensuring the health and safety of the team. When activated, the user's medical authority is respected, granting them a level of immunity to punishment for insubordination.]

[Note: Ability unlocked after demonstrating exceptional medical competence and leadership in emergency situations.]

"I suggest you stand down, sir," I stated firmly, standing at attention.

Commander Iverson abruptly turned to face me, his expression hardening in surprise at my boldness. His gaze was piercing, capable of making even the bravest retreat, but I held my ground.

"What did you say, Sub-Stellar Healer Mcclain?" the commander demanded, advancing towards me head-on.

"According to protocol Delta 21, paragraph 13, subsection 7, all rescue team members must undergo isolation and medical procedures before and after rescue simulations," Luan continued in a firm, resolute voice. "Due to an unannounced test today, the team's medical assessment was not conducted properly. My senior engineering teammate's unknown medical condition went undiagnosed. Therefore, the entire simulator can now be considered a potential contamination zone."

"In addition to the risk posed by this unknown contamination, I suspect that both myself and my teammates may be carriers of this unidentified disease. Therefore, I kindly request that you step aside to avoid any potential spread."

The room fell silent, tension thickening. Commander Iverson swiftly assessed the situation, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information. It was evident he had not anticipated such a direct challenge to his authority.

If I were any other cadet not in the medical corps, I might face arrest or expulsion for insubordination. However, due to the strict protocols the medical corps follows regarding team health and safety, I have some leeway. Nevertheless, such actions would typically warrant a reprimand for a medical corps cadet. However, I have been recognized as a prodigy in my field. If not for my decision to wait for my brother, I might have already attained the rank of warrant officer and been transferred elsewhere—an aspect that has irked my superiors, who suspect my brother is holding me back.

"Are you questioning established safety protocols?" Iverson asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"No, sir," Luan replied respectfully, without hesitation. "I am simply following protocol to ensure the safety of the team and the integrity of the simulation."

Iverson watched Luan for a moment longer before finally nodding slowly. "Very well, Sub-Cadet Macclain. Prepare the team for immediate medical procedures. We'll get this sorted out right away." Luan nodded and began guiding Hunk out of the simulator, while the other cadets' looks swung between admiration and nervousness at his audacity. Commander Iverson followed behind them, leading the way to the Galaxy Garrison medical facility.

--- (Lance's POV)---

"That was a disaster," Lance muttered, dropping his uniform carelessly on the dorm floor. He looked at Hunk, concerned. "So, how are you holding up? That simulation really took its toll."

Hunk, adjusting his favorite track carefully, hummed a tune that Lance didn't recognize. "Oh, I'm feeling better now. Took some antibiotics for the stomach bug I caught. I guess the training was more intense than I expected. Fifth simulator, and I haven't crashed one yet? A true cadet in the making, I'd say." Lance blamed the simulator.

"It was so weird. Nothing like real space. You'd thrive out there," he mused to himself.

"Don't sweat the simulation," Hunk said, as if reading Lance's thoughts.

"Huh, me?" Lance muttered. "No! No way!"

"Pidge and I were just discussing that," Hunk said.

"What about Luan?" Lance asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Dude, you know your twin isn't going to yell at you. Luan gives that look, and then we're... well, you know how it is," Hunk replied, chuckling. "Besides, if Pidge wasn't yelling at you, and I hadn't puked..."

"Iverson would've had a field day," Lance decided dismissively, giving Hunk a reassuring smile. "Hey! I know what'll cheer all three of us up!"

"Oh no," Hunk groaned.

Lance shrugged into his favorite jacket (a gift from his older brother, Luis) and grinned broadly. "Come on, Hunk, live a little!" he urged.

"Yeah, um, last time I lived a little, we almost got kicked out," Hunk said dryly.

"Pfft, details," Lance scoffed. "I know a great pizza place just outside of town—we can be back before midnight!"

Xxx

"This is a terrible idea," Hunk repeated as they approached Pidge's dorm. Lance let out a soft laugh as they both slipped into an empty stairwell, waiting for a guard to pass. A wave of excitement washed over Lance as he navigated the patrolled hallways of the Garrison. It was nothing like dodging daily training sessions with his twin brother, who always managed to find him—damn ninja.

"Relax," Lance whispered. "Look, Iverson said we need to stick together, right? This is sticking together! A night out, pizza, maybe meet some girls. Let's grab Pidge."

"I'm just saying, for the record, right here—this is a bad idea," Hunk said skeptically.

"You know, for someone in a space exploration program, you really don't have much of a sense of adventure," Lance teased.

Hunk scoffed. "All your 'adventures' end with me in the director's office!"

"Hide," Lance hissed suddenly, pulling Hunk into a corner. "Over there!"

"Oh, man," Hunk groaned as Lance pushed him behind some (thankfully empty) trash cans. Lance leaped out, using his agility and training with Luan to effortlessly catch himself on the pipes and scale the walls, staying above the guards' sightline. Lance listened intently as the guards passed. Satisfied they were far enough away, he silently dropped to the ground, knees bent to absorb the impact, and deftly slid the lid over the trash can where Hunk was hidden. Hunk emerged with a mix of admiration and envy for Lance's skills, quickly straightening up and stumbling a bit, though fortunately without drawing the guards' attention. Lance shot Hunk an annoyed glance as he finally freed himself from the trash can. Hunk grinned sheepishly. "I'm good," he said.

"Alright then, let's go," Lance said briskly. The two hurried in silence the rest of the way to Pidge's dorm until they were interrupted by the sound of an automatic door unlocking. Lance instinctively stepped back and signaled for Hunk to hold back. They watched as Pidge slipped out of the room and dashed toward the roof.

"Where do you think she's going?" Hunk whispered to Lance.

"Only one way to find out," Lance replied before sprinting after Pidge, Hunk's silent footsteps close behind.

Approaching Pidge proved surprisingly easy, and Lance wondered how Pidge managed to evade Garrison surveillance without enduring the intense training his twin brother had gone through. They followed Pidge to the roof of the academy, where she was setting up a radio, wearing headphones and adjusting the controls.

"Out for some mischief?" Lance teased mischievously.

"Whoa!" Pidge jumped into a defensive stance before realizing who it was. Her eyes widened when she saw Lance and Hunk. For a moment, she looked like she might protest or apologize, but then her face broke into a mischievous grin.

"Lance! Hunk! What a surprise," Pidge said, trying to sound casual as she adjusted her headphones. "I was just... testing a few things up here. Nothing major."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Testing? What exactly are you sneaking around testing on the roof of the academy in the middle of the night?"

Hunk glanced nervously between them. "Pidge, don't you think this is risky? What if they catch you?"

Pidge rolled her eyes, though Lance caught the hint of hesitation in her movements. "Relax, guys. It's not like it's my first time exploring up here. Besides, I'm just trying to enhance our communications. You know, something that might come in handy."

"You and your 'improvements,'" Lance muttered, though a smile played on his lips. He admired Pidge's determination to always try to make things better, even if it meant breaking a few rules in the process.

"Okay," Hunk finally said, resigned. "But I hope you know what you're doing."

Pidge nodded, her eyes shining with excitement. "Of course I do! Now, let's see if this works as expected."

As they watched Pidge adjust the controls of the makeshift radio, Lance felt a mix of emotions. He was worried about the potential trouble they always seemed to invite, but he was also proud of Pidge's courage in forging her own path. Deep down, he knew the night was just beginning, and with Pidge leading the way, things were bound to get even more interesting.

"With this stuff?" Lance said, pointing at Pidge's equipment. "Man, that doesn't look like Garrison tech. Where'd you get that?"

"I built it," Pidge said proudly.

"Wow, you built all that?" Hunk asked, reaching out to touch it, but Pidge swatted his hand away.

"Hands off!" Pidge exclaimed. "Anyway, with this, I can scan all the way to the edge of the solar system."

"Seriously?" Lance said. "All the way to... Kerberos?"

Pidge blushed and looked away. Lance noticed her unease about Kerberos, something he'd picked up on in previous conversations.

"What's with you and Kerberos?" Lance asked. "You always light up when someone mentions it!"

Pidge slapped Hunk's hand away again. "Second warning, Hunk!"

Hunk chuckled sheepishly.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Pidge said, finally meeting Lance's gaze. She patted his shoulder, her expression serious.

"Just think about it! Dr. Samuel Holt, the Garrison's most brilliant scientist—his papers are studied across the system! Takashi Shirogane, the Garrison's most skilled pilot, setting a new standard for all future pilots at just seventeen! And Matthew Holt, the youngest cadet ever selected for an outer space mission. That's a real dream team, Pidge."

"So if they 'failed,' how do you believe?" Pidge asked, his eyes shining with new hope.

Pidge's eyes lit up as he immediately looked back.

"Anyway, I've been scanning the system," Pidge said. "And heard some alien radio transmissions."

"Wow, aliens," Hunk muttered, a slight tremor in his voice as he considered the possibility.

"I'm serious! They keep saying that word. Voltron," Pidge said.

Lance straightened up as he recognized the name. Luan had mentioned something about Voltron when he'd told the story of the blue lion, Lapis Lazuli, and the other lions a while back. Lance hadn't paid much attention during the lectures, but he vaguely remembered something about a magical alien cat robot that had chosen him and his brother as its pilots, called the Paladins. There had been mention of other lions out there, but the instruction had been clear: not to tell anyone outside the family.

"Voltron?" he repeated, his voice wavering a little as he tried to keep his cool. "What's that?"

Pidge looked down, his eyes bright with excitement, while Hunk remained silent, absorbing the revelation with a mixture of fascination and apprehension.

"Yes! And it's getting more intense than ever today! I think something big is about to happen. But I don't know if it's good or bad." That wasn't a good sign, Lance thought from his experience with sci-fi movies.

"What do you mean, 'bad'?" Lance asked, as the garrison's emergency alarm broke the silence. As if to answer, the loudspeaker vibrated. "Attention, students. This is not a drill. We are on lockdown! Security situation Zulu Niner. I repeat: all students are to remain in the dorms until further notice."

"Zulu Niner?" Lance muttered, trying to remember. "Hey, this is not for..."

"What in the world is that?" Hunk exclaimed, his voice tinged with concern. His shoulders stiffened as he pointed toward the horizon. "Is that a meteor? A really, really big meteor?" he muttered.

Pidge straightened his back and picked up a pair of long-range, military-grade binoculars. "It's a ship!" Pidge exclaimed.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this," Lance breathed. "That's not one of ours!"

"No," Pidge agreed. "It's an alien ship. It's closing in fast!"

"Wait, so there really are aliens out there?" Hunk asked in alarm. "Like, beep-boop, take me to their leader?"

"Come on, Hunk," Lance said, chuckling lightly as he patted the engineer on the back. "That's a little stereotypical."

"But we have to go see that ship!" Pidge exclaimed, already running toward the ladder.

"Oh man, yeah," Hunk muttered. "Welp, I guess there's nothing to do but follow them to the barracks."

"Hunk, come on!" Lance insisted, following Pidge.

"Oh shit," Hunk groaned, "this is the worst team-building exercise ever!"

The three of them made their way out of the garrison as carefully as they could. It wasn't as hard as Lance had expected, and soon they were running across the desert.

"Get down!" Pidge whispered, ducking behind a rock. Hunk and Lance followed suit.

"Whoa," Lance muttered. "What the hell is that thing?"

"It's an alien ship," Hunk squeaked.

Something about the ship gave Lance a bad feeling, maybe the fact that it was an alien ship.

"Okay, so, an alien ship," Lance said. "How are we going to get past all those guards?"

"Wait!" Pidge said. "There's a camera in there. I just pulled up its feed. Look!"

Lance leaned over his shoulder to peer at the screen. His eyes narrowed. A man, a human, was strapped to a table. His arm was metal, a prosthetic, and he had a scar across his nose and a mop of white hair.

People were talking to the man, but Lance was too busy inspecting him to listen.

"That's Takashi Shirogane!" Lance realized. "The pilot of the Kerberos mission! That man is my hero!"

"I guess he's not dead in space after all," Hunk said.

The thought of how confused and scared Shirogane must have been when he woke up surrounded by humans in hazmat suits was enough to make Lance grit his teeth in anger.

"Where's the rest of your team?" Pidge asked anxiously. "He's awake!" he exclaimed suddenly. Lance rushed to their side, next to Hunk, and the three of them watched Shiro struggling against his restraints.

The desperate look in his eyes was not one they ever wanted to see again.

"Do you know how long you've been gone?" Iverson asked Shiro.

"I don't know. Months, years? Look, there's no time," Shiro insisted. "Aliens are coming here for a weapon. They're probably on their way. They're going to destroy us. We have to find Voltron!"

"Voltron!" Pidge repeated.

"Sir," one of the men said, "look. His arm has been replaced with some kind of cyborg prosthesis."

"Put him down until we know what he can do," Iverson ordered.

"What?" Lance whispered. "They didn't ask about the rest of the crew," Pidge muttered angrily. Lance frowned, sharing her anger.

"No. No, no, no," Shiro said, struggling to escape. "Don't put me down! We don't have time, let me go! I'm going to kill you!" He was too late and passed out moments later. Lance grimaced. So Iverson wasn't taking him seriously—that was a big problem. If aliens came for a weapon... well, someone had to get to it before they did.

"Shiro is a legend! Why didn't they listen to him?" Pidge demanded.

"We have to get him out of here!" Lance added.

"Uh, guys, I hate to be the voice of reason here, as usual," Hunk said, "but we were watching here because we couldn't get in there."

"That was before we were properly motivated," Lance said. "We have to think. Maybe we could dig a tunnel and sneak in?"

"Maybe we could grab some protective gear and sneak in," Pidge said. "We could pose as medical technicians."

"Or," Hunk said thoughtfully, "could we dress up as cooks, go back to the dorms, and sneak into the kitchen for a late-night snack?"

"Hunk, this is serious," Lance said, trying to stay focused. "What we need is a distraction."

Lance looked around, taking in the barren landscape around them. The base was bustling with activity in the distance, lights flashing and voices echoing between buildings. He needed an idea that would divert their attention long enough for them to infiltrate.

"We need a solid strategy," Lance thought, remembering Luan's teachings on tactics and improvisation. As Sun Tzu had said in The Art of War, all battles are won or lost before they're even fought.

"We could create a distraction," Lance suggested aloud, with a smile on his face. His eyes fixed on the base. "If we can access one of the transport vehicles, we can make enough noise to attract the guards."

"Great idea," Pidge agreed, already starting to mentally calculate the possibilities. "We could activate one of the maintenance vehicles. They're big and loud enough to distract attention."

Hunk scratched his chin thoughtfully. "But how are we going to activate it without alerting everyone?"

Lance frowned, thinking quickly. "Maybe we can short-circuit some nearby electrical system. That usually causes quite a commotion."

"I can do that," Pidge said confidently. "If we find a control panel near the entrance, I can hack it and cause a small electrical problem."

Hunk looked around, worried. "What if they catch us before we can get in?"

Lance took a deep breath, considering the possibility. "Then we'll have to improvise. But we'll try to be quick and discreet."

"Your brother's going to kill us," Hunk groaned.

Lance had to hold his tongue to keep from reflexively correcting his friend. Unfortunately, even with his female status, there were many traditionalist families who didn't agree with some individuals' desire to be themselves, something he'd learned in school when he told his classmates that Luan was a woman. The three of them looked at each other, a silent agreement passing between them. They were about to venture into the unknown, in search of answers and perhaps a way to save Shiro and learn more about Voltron.

"We need to do this quickly," Lance said with determination. "Remember what Luan taught us about strategy and how every move counts."

Pidge nodded, remembering Luan's stories of his own escapades and how he always found a way out of sticky situations. "Hunk, are you ready?" Pidge asked, looking at his friend with a mix of concern and determination.

Before Hunk could speak, Lance felt a tug on the back of his head and immediately turned around. He knew that feeling. It was something that had been with him since he moved to the garrison. The connection was weak and incredibly fragile, but Lance would recognize this kind of energy anywhere. The energy nudged in one direction as if to say "look." His head reflexively turned in that direction before the sounds of explosions echoed in the distance, splitting the air with a deafening boom. Lance jumped in fright, even though he had been warned by the strange sensation moments before.

"That was convenient," Lance muttered, looking at the large flames burning in the distance.

"It's the evil aliens!" Hunk shouted. "They're here! Oh, they got here so fast!"

"Look!" Pidge exclaimed, pointing to the tent where Shiro was being held. A red hoverbike landed silently and a dark-haired figure jumped out of it instantly. Lance grabbed Pidge's binoculars and adjusted them desperately to focus on the figure. Red jacket, dark clothes, and a mullet peeking out from under his mask. It was Keith. Lance frowned angrily.

"No way! He's not gonna beat us here. Always trying to outdo me, idiot!"

"Who's... who's he?" Hunk asked.

"Keith, that's who!" Lance said. "Oh man, I'd recognize that mullet anywhere!"

Lance jumped from his position and ran down the gently sloping cliff where the three of them were resting. Hunk and Pidge followed close behind.

"Who's Keith?" Pidge asked.

"He's my rival," Lance explained. "Well, sort of. I mean, it's his fault we're rivals and all."

He slid to a stop outside the alien ship and hesitated when he felt a sharp sting in the back of his head, making him a little dizzy.

"Lance? What's wrong?" Pidge asked.

"Um, aliens?" Hunk suggested. "Evil aliens? Coming after us?"

"No, no," Lance replied, shaking his head to clear it. "It was just the adrenaline. Come on, we need to rescue Shiro!"

By the time Lance entered the tent, Keith had already led the medical team out. Keith's bangs were plastered to his slightly sweaty forehead, his muscles tense with the strain of holding Shiro.

"Hey, no, no," Lance protested. "No, you're not going to save him. I'm going to save Shiro!"

He walked over and helped Keith support Shiro. Keith looked at him with a blank stare. "Who are you?" he asked.

Lance's face fell, and he felt his heart break a little. Keith didn't remember him. His damn rival didn't remember him. "What do you mean, who am I?" Lance shouted indignantly. "Lance! I'm Lance! We were in the same class in the Garrison, remember?"

No light of recognition lit Keith's eyes. "Oh, you're an... engineer?" Keith guessed.

"No! I'm a pilot!" Lance said, frustrated. "We were rivals, Lance and Keith, racing each other all the time!"

"Oh, yeah," Keith replied, looking disinterested. Lance nodded smugly. "You're a cargo pilot."

Keith's words hit Lance harder than he'd expected. Was that what he was now? Just "a cargo pilot"? "Not anymore," Lance muttered. "I'm a fighter-class pilot now, thanks to your tricks."

"Ah," Keith said. "Well, congratulations."

They helped the barely conscious Shiro out of the ship and onto Keith's hoverbike. Hunk and Pidge climbed in as well. "Uh, guys?" Hunk called. "They're coming back, and they don't look happy. We need to get going. Can we hitch a ride?"

Keith jumped in as well, and Lance followed, glancing worriedly at the approaching Garrison officers.

"Can they catch up with us?" Pidge asked, alarmed.

"No," Keith replied bluntly. "Hurry up! Let's go!" Lance ordered, helping Hunk and Pidge onto the hoverbike's wing while making sure Shiro was secure in Pidge's hands. Keith sped off.

The Garrison officers followed. Lance held on tight as the bike roared to life and they raced away from their pursuers. Lance glanced worriedly at the fast-approaching jeeps. "Can we go faster?" he asked.

"Maybe if we shed some unnecessary weight," Keith replied.

"Huh, maybe," Lance said, looking around. He stopped and scowled at Keith. "Oh, very funny." Then he remembered Luan, who had been talking enthusiastically about the hoverbike and how he had fixed it up from what used to be a piece of junk. Luan had explained so many details that Lance felt he knew the bike as well as his own bedroom.

"These bikes usually have a double fuel tank, right? I think this would be a good time to use it, Kogane!" Lance shouted over the wind. Keith's face was determined and Lance almost thought he wouldn't answer.

"They do! But I took the second one out to save fuel!" Keith shouted back.

"Why the hell would you do that? Without the double fuel tank, the bike is unbalanced!" Lance protested, frowning.

Keith grinned. "I don't need a balanced bike to do that!" he shouted, leaning the hoverbike to the left. The bike veered, forcing two of the jeeps to collide with each other.

"Oh, man, Mr. Harris just knocked Professor Montgomery down—no, wait, he's fine."

"Lean to the right, Big Guy!" Keith yelled.

"Uh, I hate to break it to you," Hunk said, pointing to a cliff ahead of them. "But I think there's a cliff over there."

"Oh, no," Lance muttered.

"Oh, yeah," Keith said. Pidge and Hunk began screaming and begging for Keith to stop the hoverbike, but he sped up, an increasingly psychotic grin spreading across his face. With that, Keith carried them over the cliff. Lance decided that Keith wasn't allowed to send everyone to their deaths without consulting Luan first, because he was sure that with his sister's crazy powers, she would definitely bring him back in the most painful way possible just to kill him slowly and painfully. As the hoverbike fell free, Lance couldn't help but let out a loud scream, a mix of panic and excitement. The wind roared in his ears, the almost euphoric sensation of freefall. For a moment, he felt free.

But they didn't die. Instead, they left the Garrison officers behind. Lance looked back and smiled.

"That was more amazing than I imagined," he admitted.

The hoverbike sped across the landscape, leaving the pursuers behind. Lance couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so alive.

"I think I'm going to throw up," Hunk said.

"Where are we going?" Pidge asked.

Keith didn't look back. "Home."