Chapter Text
The last thing he remembered was a shifting beam of light at his back, bracing him against the dark ahead. He had stood tall then, until the darkness had clouded his vision and all sensation dissolved into nothingness. Just as swiftly, the light filtered back in and he found himself outside of a cryopod slowly refilling itself with an injection of molten blue liquid, exuding partially crystallized fog from its seams. He shivered, leaning against the pod on unsteady legs and turning on his heel at the sound of footsteps.
It was the princess, still suited up for combat. She had a bowl of a gooey green substance in one hand, and the other worried the silvery strands of hair that curled around the base of her right ear. She quickly placed the bowl on the floor and made her way over to him, stopping just outside of arm’s reach.
She had an instinctual fear of him, and he knew it. How could she not? All she had known of the Galra was violence and desolation. But her aversion was more subdued than he thought it would be. It had been some time since she had awakened to her new reality and he had followed her exploits with great interest, though he had never expected her cooperation. Yet here she stood, willing to be alone with him. He slid his arm off the side of the cryopod he was leaning against, trying to stand up straight, and wobbled slightly.
Suddenly, she was at his side and lending him her arm. He leaned against her after a moment of hesitation and allowed her to lead him to the base of the small set of stairs down from the ring of cryopods in this chamber. He could feel the tension in her shoulders through the thin tunic he wore beneath his armor, but her Altean strength was evident as well. She did not flinch, and he came to rest in a half-crouch at the bottom of the stairs.
“Might I offer you something to eat?” she asked. “Many of those who emerge from cryopods are ravenously hungry upon returning to the waking world.” She offered him the bowl again and he nodded. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t hungry at all, but he knew he ought to eat. Over his many years, he had learned the hard way that the numbness he was feeling now was no protection against his body’s basic needs. “It’s food goo,” she explained, interrupting his thoughts. “Slightly sour and tangy, but nourishing enough for the moment.”
“Thank you, princess,” he said hoarsely. Mechanically, he ate it, and she busied herself with the faintly glowing control panel in the center of the room until he approached her with the empty bowl. She took it, and another shiver went through him when her thumb brushed his forefinger. Surely the cryopod’s effects were not so long-lasting? As he turned from her, she spoke again.
“Thank you, Lotor...” His name sounded strange in her mouth, and he realized it was because he was so used to hearing each syllable uttered with distaste and heavy emphasis. Those who respected him only called him commander. “...for having the strength to do what we could not. I do not know if we could have faced him at the end, altered as he seemed to be by Haggar. However things proceed from here, know that you have our gratitude for that.” He blinked, wondering if he really had awakened from his cryogenic slumber or if this was one of the many aspirational dreams of peace that so often haunted his sleep.
“Of course, princess,” he replied, the timbre of his voice still rougher than he would have liked. He cleared his throat. “This turn of events is for the best, not just for you and I, but for all the universe. Zarkon’s tyranny demanded an end. I am only glad he did not remove the universe’s last hope with him.” She looked puzzled. “I mean you, of course. Voltron,” he corrected. She need not think he was singling her out. Naturally the axis of the universe did not turn on her alone, did it? A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, if he was not deceiving himself.
“There is much to discuss on the matter of Voltron and the trans-reality comet in your possession.” He braced himself for a lecture. They had been over this; had he not proved his lack of ill will sufficiently now that he knew they could be relied on? But she said no more on the matter. “That can be dealt with when the time comes.” She shut down the display above the control panel and reached down to the base of its podium to retrieve a sleek draw-string bag and handed it to him. “Your armor is within. It seems somewhat damaged but it is of a make this ship’s best repair systems are unfamiliar with so unfortunately we could not restore it. But hopefully we have at least managed to tend to your wounds sufficiently?” His hand went to his side where the worst of the damage had been done, but he did not feel even the ghost of a wound.
“More than sufficiently. I am quite well, and grateful in my turn. I will talk about anything you’d like to discuss whenever you are ready. I trust the black bayard has been returned to the true black paladin?” She tilted her head at his choice of words and nodded.
“Yes, all is as it should be for now. And though I know the dissolution of the Galra Empire is what concerns you at the moment, I urge you to rest longer if you feel it necessary. There will be little rest once I inform the other paladins that you are up and about.” It was then that he noticed that she had brought a cot into the far end of the room for him with a small chair and table at its side. He wondered at her for a moment, not only willingly speaking alone with him, but seemingly doing so on purpose. Perspicacious as he generally considered himself to be, he could not guess her reasoning.
“I appreciate your efforts on my behalf, princess, but time is of the essence. And your cryotech has done its job. I am ready for whatever comes.” She opened her mouth in protest but shut it just as quickly.
“Then I will meet you at the bridge in fifteen minutes. The other paladins are not so prompt as I am, so you can expect an audience of one again, at least for a little while.” She had turned away from him before saying this, but by all the stars in the cosmos, he swore he could hear a smile in her voice.