Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Krolia was hesitant to approach the property, the one she had only seen in her dreams since she left. The land is familiar, each rock outcropping and canyon wall brimming with their own stories to tell from when she called this place her home. Her heart thumped within her chest, and she wrung her palms together to keep them from shaking.

It took her almost a half a varga once she landed just to leave the pod, her excitement to see her family the only thing holding back the fear and dread that comes along with it.

No matter the reason, she left her family behind. It was a fact. Now, she could only hope that there would be some semblance of the love she still felt for them, perhaps just enough room for forgiveness not to turn her away.

As she trudged through the sand, her heart lept at the thought of her son. He would be so much older. She wondered if he still looked as human as when she left, or if some of his galran features had grown in. Would he recognize her at all, even if only from details pieced together from stories? Or would he be frightened by the stranger, as other earthlings would likely be.

Half of her was uncertain whether he would hate her for leaving, or understand the reason she left. She supposed that was all left up to the universe.

It didn’t matter anyway. She was here to warn of the impending galran threat. She had heard word amongst the commanders at Randveig’s base, about Sendak’s aquirement of the Blue Lion’s location. It took barely a whisper for her to abandon her post and hightail it to Earth, thankfully with the Blade’s permission. As much as they protested, she was undoubtedly the most qualified, having already extensive knowledge of the planet and it’s harsh climate. They agreed, not quite aware of Krolia’s selfish intentions.

As much as it was her duty to protect the blue lion, she had a duty to her family. The moment that duty no longer needed her in space, the instant she would return. The Blade was not aware of that, nor of the existence of what she left back on earth. Neither were they aware of her latest decision.

Once she was reunited with her family, she did not plan on ever leaving again without a fight.

If they would have her. If not, well…she would have to see.

Krolia took a deep breath and trudged ahead.

Knowledge or Death.

As she looked across the planes, she gasped at the sight of the old tree in the yard. She moved forward, determined. As she got closer she wondered if perhaps she should have picked up some attire other than her empire uniform, but that thought was wiped from her mind as she noticed something important missing from the scene.

The old two story wooden house they had called home, was gone. Only the old shack beside it remained, along with the faint outline of the stone foundation.

What could have happened? Did they no longer own this property? Had they moved?

A wave of panic washed over her at the thought of searching the rest of the Earth to find them, before she noticed the familiar old hover bike parked not far away.

Someone was here.

She took a deep breath.

Krolia slowly walked up the porch to the door, barely taking in her surroundings before lifting her knuckles inches from the door.

But she was a Blade, a stealth operative through and through. Because of this, the small rustle of cloth in her periphery did not go unnoticed.

However, she did nothing.

A cock of a rudimentary rifle sounded from behind.

“Don’t move.”

Her hand stilled before the door, and she glanced up towards the sky with a smile, willing herself not to cry at the sound of her sons voice.

Even if he did have a gun to her head.

Already, she could feel her heart fill with pride.

“Hands up, and turn around.”

She complied, biting back an amused smirk as she turned. It was then she was able to take in the image before her.

He wore a red jacket and dark clothing, just as dark as the shaggy hair framing his face. He held a scowl on his face, rifle aimed towards her and it was then that she saw the bright indigo eyes she knew and loved. An image flashed of the baby she held in her arms, before snapping back to a mirror likeness of herself, with traits of her husband sprinkled in just enough to be a beautiful amalgamation of the two of them.

“So you do understand me...” Keith kept the suspicious glare on his face as he eyed her up and down.

“My name is Krolia.” She spoke softly, but with purpose. She brushed away the disappointment she felt at the lack of recognition in his face. “I...” Was she really going to say this? Harrison would have been amused. Her face revealed nothing, but inside she was holding back a mischievous smirk. “I come in peace.”

Keith said nothing, just cocked an eyebrow.

“Who are you, why are you here?” It was as if he thought he could glare the truth out of her. “Are you actually an alien?”

“I...” She slowly lowered her hands. Keith’s gaze flickered to the blaster at her belt, and she didn’t reach for it. However, his fingers never left his trigger. “I would prefer it if we could speak inside.”

“What? No way. I’m not letting an extra terrestrial into my house.”

Krolia cocked an eyebrow. “So you’re just going to interrogate me on the front step? I doubt this is the best place to gain information, or otherwise keep said extra terrestrial out in broad daylight where the Garrison could find us.”

Keith just glared harder, though she could see his resolve cracking by the second. He let out a stubborn huff and lowered the barrel of his gun.

“Fine.” He said, nodding his head toward the door. “We’ll go inside. But if you make one move, I promise you’re not coming out again.”

A fine threat for a fine boy. She nodded, and grabbed for the doorknob, pushing and lifting just as that tricky shack door had always needed. She’d lost count of the times Harrison said he’d fix that door. Looked like he never got around to it.

She turned to see Keith eyeing the open door, like he was calculating something. He then shook his head and followed her through.

“On the seat.”

Krolia took in the state of the room, before seating herself on the futon. The old deep space radio remained in the corner where she’d last seen it but the rest of the shack was in slight disarray. Papers littered the coffee table and the wall, drawings and scribbled notes pinned to the cork board in some sort of pattern. Cans and a hot plate created a makeshift kitchen in the corner, and stacks of books and other belongings lined the walls.

Had he been living here alone? It seemed like hardly enough room for one person let alone two.

Her son stood before her, analyzing her.

“Now, answer my question. Who are you and why are you here? I take it this isn’t your first visit to earth.”

She took a deep breath. “My name is Krolia.”

“Yeah I got that already.” He growled.

“I am a member of a group called the Blade of Marmora, an operative tasked with protecting the whereabouts of the Blue Lion of Voltron.” She paused hoping for any sort of glimmer in her sons eyes. “I’ve come to warn of an impending threat from the Galran Empire.”

He glared. “What do you know of any lion?”

So it was still protected. She knew she left it in the right hands. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help the pang of disappointment at being looked at like a stranger.

"Do you truly not know of me?"

"Answer me! What is this lion thing you’re talking about?"

"Keith I-"

"How do you know my name?" His eyes widened and his posture tensed. "Are you psychic or something? GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

Krolia raised her hands in surrender, careful to keep her voice low and her posture non-threatening. "I assure you, I am no such thing." Her stomach twisted at the fact that the fierce boy she had seen only minutes ago had shifted so quickly to a frightened kit. She kept her eyes down, waiting patiently for him to calm. Moments passed with nothing but the sound of his labored breathing, until finally, his breaths began to slow, grip on the rifle loosening.

"I--I'm an old friend of your father's."

There was a moment of silence before she lifted her gaze. Keith's eyes were wide, and Krolia wondered if he would even believe her. His eyes flickered over her face, as if he was solving a puzzle, until slowly, he lowered the gun to his side.

She lowered her hands in response.

"That..." He glanced towards the deep space radio in the corner. "...actually explains a lot."

Another pause. To her disappointment, she didn't know her son enough to read the expression on his face. At this moment, she wanted more than anything to read his thoughts.

"Is...Harrison here?" She asked hesitantly. "I was looking forward to...seeing him again."

Keith tensed suddenly, turning his head to avoid eye contact. Dark fringe shadowed his face.

Krolia's stomach dropped.

"He–you're a bit late for that." He fiddled with the leather seam of his gloves. "He died...almost ten years ago."

The Blade of Marmora had always taught her to maintain a stoic demeanor no matter what one's internal struggle may be. To reveal emotion in a critical situation is deadly during a mission, a death sentence for both yourself and those around you. To hold back and push down is a respected and necessary skill.

But in that moment, she had no hope in hiding.

Her mate was dead. Krolia had known such a thing was a possibility. Yet, during her days in the war against the empire, her estranged family were often the only reason she had to wake up, keep fighting. She hadn't let herself entertain any other truth lest she give up on herself.

Perhaps she should have prepared herself better.

"Are…are you okay?"

She looked up from where she had sat on the sofa to see Keith had set down his weapon and moved from his place across the room. His hand hovered hesitantly over her shoulder as if questioning whether he should offer comfort.

It was then she noticed the tears that had escaped down her cheeks.

The fought back the impulse to wrap her son tightly in her arms and never let go, and instead took a moment to compose herself. She met eyes once again with Keith, the bright indigo shade the same as her own.

"I apologize." Krolia answered, wiping her cheeks. "I had considered it a possibility, but...to have it be the truth..."

Keith stared back once again with that analyzing tilt of his brow. She’d seen last seen that look on his father’s face.

"Who are you, really?"

She sighed, the weight of the words she longed to speak resting heavy on her tongue.

"I'm your mother."

Chapter Text

“Papa?”

“Hmm?” His father turned his attention from where he was seated next to the radio to see Keith peeking around the door frame of the shed, stuffed hippo clutched tightly to his chest. “Hey kid, what’cha doin’ out here?” His dad gave a small smile and opened his arms wide. Keith skittered across the floor to him.

“What are you doing?” Keith asked, eyeing the large radio. “Are you talking to aliens again?”

His father chuckled, though the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well, if I am it’s a pretty one sided conversation.” Keith cocked his head, and his father sighed. “Just, testin’ it, making sure it still works.”

“Are you sad?” Keith wondered aloud, placing a tiny hand on his father’s shadowed chin. He wondered if the machine was broken, or the aliens really didn’t want to talk to him. That would be really mean. A larger hand came to cover his own as his dad leaned into the touch.

“Naw, not anymore since you came in.” Keith was then lifted up to sit on his father’s knee, as they scooted closer to the radio. “Wanna help me?”

Keith’s eyes lit up, indigo shining bright at the prospect. “Really?”

“Sure.” His father moved forward to adjust one of the dials. Keith held his hippo tightly, listening to the instructions with serious intent. “This adjusts the frequency, it changes different channels like the tv.”

“What about this one?” Keith reached toward a smaller dial, and his father gently pulled his hand back with wide eyes.

“Uhh…no not that one. That one’s very important, it encrypts the signals so people who aren’t supposed to hear it, don’t know what we’re saying.”

Keith turns to face his father. “OH!” Keith whispers loudly, covering his hippo’s ears. “So you’re secretly talking to aliens?”

His father bursts out into chuckles, then bends to kiss his forehead. “Yes, so don’t touch the radio without me okay?”

Keith nods as if given a mission of the utmost importance. “Okay Papa.”

“Good. Wanna try?”

He helps Keith lean forward to nudge the dial. Keith listens curiously as the high pitched sounds echo through the static. He turns the dial more, and gasps when he hears the sound of speech coming through.

“Is it the aliens?” Keith squeaks, clutching his hippo tightly.

His father shakes his head no, then bends forward to listen closely. “Sounds like Japanese. The radio can get Earth channels too.”

“That far away?”

“Yep.”

Keith thinks for a moment. “Can it talk to mama then?”

His papa stills for a moment, his face a mix of emotions Keith doesn’t know how to explain other than sad, and perhaps a little hurt. Like when he’s running in the yard and stumbles and scrapes his knee. For a moment Keith thinks he’s said something wrong, until his papa tries his best to smile.

“I think she’s a little far for that.” He gathers Keith in his arms and hold him tight. He places a kiss to his forehead and ruffles Keith’s hair. “But maybe one day, when you’re a little older, we’ll be able to hear her.”

Keith always believed in aliens.

Extraterrestrial sentient life is a completely legitimate theory, though many have disagreed. There is no way in the massive extent of the universe, that other intelligent life did not exist. His father thought so, and so had he.

He just never expected to actually meet one face to face. At least, not until he would finally travel beyond the atmosphere, up into the stars.

After the incident at the Garrison, that would never happen.

So how did one just happen to wind up on his porch, clearly ready to knock on his door?

It was too much to just be coincidence.

Standing face to face with a giant purple alien would scare the bejeezus out of anybody, so forgive him if his methods may have been a little severe. But if there was one thing this life had taught him, it was not to trust easily.

It used to be ‘trust nobody,’ that is, until Shiro came along. It was only by giving his father’s outlook on life a chance, that he’d allowed such a person like Shiro to lift him up and support him like no one except his Pa ever had.

But Shiro was gone.

Not dead, but missing. Keith knew it in his bones.

He knew the Garrison were just trying to cover their asses. Shiro was the golden boy, the best pilot of the generation, and Iverson deserved that punch.

Keith’s only regret whilst being dragged off Garrison property, was watching his only path to space disappear in a matter of minutes.

As much as Shiro believed in him, he still managed to become a disappointment.

But grounded or not, Keith wouldn’t stand idle.

Something in his gut told him there was more to the story. Now that he was on his own in the desert, there was nothing else to do but search, but the more he found the more confusing it became.

Meeting Krolia was like the first puzzle piece snapping into place. It started with the eyes.

Something as simple as a classic shade of a crayon had started his mind churning the moment he made her turn around. Almost every teacher, classmate and foster parent had made some sort of comment about the unique shade of indigo that made up his iris, whether it be to mention its beauty or label it freakish, more often the latter than any sort of praise.

But he’d shaken it off, more concerned with finding out whether the alien on his porch was here for peaceful or malicious intentions.

Then there was the door. A simple thing really, just a lift and a push that was needed to encourage the door to move properly. Even Shiro, after being reminded multiple times whenever he visited, always managed to get himself stuck outside with a sheepish pout.

His dad always said he’d fix that door.

But no time to think about that. There were priorities here.

Until it finally hit like a freight train.

Keith had never seen anyone else cry for his father. No one else but him had ever shed tears over his death. He’d seen the saddened heavy faces of his father’s fellow firefighters, the pitied looks of his social workers and foster parents.

No matter what, Keith was always mourning alone.

So when the alien on his couch started crying, he was more…confused…than anything. Had, Krolia she said her name was, truly known his father that well? He wasn’t prepared for this, much less any sort of social interaction. He tried to do something, anything to fix what he said, perhaps how he said it.

As he hovered over her, he saw pieces of himself from years ago, grieving and…alone. It reminded him of those old war movies where the unassuming wives of soldiers would open the front door to two officers in uniform, only to collapse in tears before the message was delivered in full.

No, that was impossible. As the thought occurred to him he considered maybe he’d been alone in the desert for a bit too long.

Or not.

“Are, you alright?”

Keith snapped back to reality as the alien on his couch asked him the same question he had voiced to her earlier. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing that resembled English or Korean came out. His eyes gazed off into nothing, his body frozen while his mind connected the dots.

“I…” Krolia started. “I understand this may be difficult to believe—”

“No…” Keith interrupted, his voice barely a whisper. “It’s…not.”

He looked up, for the first time truly taking her in. She was tall, limbs long and lithe, but with an obvious strength to her stature even as she hunched in her seat. Her skin was a dark shade of lavender, with two markings along the sides of her cheeks, pointed toward bright yellow eyes with familiar indigo. Her expression was curious, cautious but unmistakably caring. As the seconds passed, the fact of his mother sitting before him brought up wells of emotion he didn’t know how to deal with simultaneously.

Astonishment,

Frustration,

Anger…

Joy.

Keith clenched his hands into fists, turning away as he felt a single tear drip down his cheek. He wiped it away with a gloved hand. There was a tense silence as Keith reigned in the storm in his chest.

“I’m sorry.”

Keith looked back in confusion. “W-what?”

Krolia wiped her cheek as more tears escaped. “I’m sorry. It’s the first thing I promised myself I would say when I returned to you. I don’t expect you to accept it, especially now that I know you’ve been without your father for so long, which I can only blame myself for… but…I wish for you to know. I would not have left you for a single moment if it didn’t mean keeping you safe.

"I do not expect for you to welcome me in. If you want me to leave, I will respect your wishes…but,” She straightened, wiping her cheeks once more before looking him in the eye. “I came here with the intent to fulfill my duties to my family… to you.”

He took another look at her, everything in the logical side of his brain telling him not to believe, that it was too good to be true. Invisible scars left from foster mothers and parents telling him they cared, only for them to cast him aside when he became ‘too much to handle’ seemed to hold chains around his heart, warning him.

But deep down there was this ache, this instinctual need to run into her arms and hold her close, just as he used to imagine as a child. The joy he had tampered down over time, wanted nothing more than to be released, set free.

He thought of Shiro, how his life would be now if he hadn’t opened his heart just a little to let love like that in. How his father used to speak of his mother with a sparkle in his eyes, how she loved him more than anything in the universe.

How everything he loved, he somehow lost.

But here she was.

Would he take it?

There was only silence between them, Krolia allowing him to process a response much longer than anyone else would have waited. Willing to accept any decision he’d make, even if it meant her exile.

Once he spoke, it came out cracked and broken.

“Okay.”

Chapter Text

Krolia exhaled shakily.

“Thank you.”

Keith nodded, letting his bangs hide the expression on his face. “I’m, uh, not very good with this kind of thing but, yeah.” He fiddled with the edge of his glove. “Honestly this is a lot to take in, so, I might need some…time to process but…” He gave her a hesitant smile. “Uh, do you need water or food?” He glanced toward his makeshift kitchen. “Do you eat the same stuff as I do or…?”

“Yes, my hydration pouch supply is low, and whatever you eat should be fine.” She paused. “As long as it isn’t strawberries. I do not appreciate those.”

“Don’t worry. I’m actually allergic to strawberries, so I tend to…not buy those…” He trailed off as he belatedly made the connection. He turned quickly to his food supply to avoid looking at Krolia’s expression.

Keith picked up two different cans, weighing them as though he had any other options other than chili beans and rice. He lit the gas burner and started to prepare the pot, pointedly keeping his attention on his task, only sparing a few quick glances towards Krolia every so often.

She too kept her eyes elsewhere, scanning the room with a new perspective. Keith felt a twinge of embarrassment at the state of the shack, realizing she had probably known what it looked like once upon a time.

While the food was busy heating in the pan, he moved to pour them both a glass of water from the plastic jug, making a mental note to himself to pick up more the next time he went on a supply run to town. Gathering his courage, he turned to hand her the water glass, which she accepted with thanks and a polite nod.

He took a sip from his own cup, just now realizing how much the summer heat had drained from him. As he wiped some of the sweat from his brow he scanned over Krolia’s attire. It seemed like some sort of flight suit, much more streamlined and high tech than any of the Garrison standard suits he’d laid eyes on. It was a dark gunmetal with deep red accents, the chest glowing with a bright violet insignia even in the daylight. His hand naturally gravitated toward the dagger at his belt, the one that bore a similar glow, fingers brushing the hilt in a comforting habit.

A mountain of questions were on the tip of his tongue, yet there was a certain hesitance that kept him from voicing them. Before he could get caught up in his own thoughts, the sound of boiling drew his attention back to the task at hand.

Keith prepared the food in silence, then settled down at the coffee table with two bowls. He placed one in front of Krolia and seated himself across from her, using a small stack of books as a seat.

“This is perfect, thank you.” Krolia gave a slight smile and proceeded to eat, though she gave no indication of whether she disliked or enjoyed it. Keith supposed if he had just ended a long journey, he’d be so hungry he wouldn’t care what was set in front of him.

Had she traveled far? Did she have a home planet? She mentioned something about being a member of some group, the Marmora? She was probably a soldier, she certainly looked like it. He wondered if she had a ship of some sort, if that was how she ended up here in the first place all those years ago. She had also mentioned the lion. Could she know what the strange carvings on the wall meant?

Could she know where Shiro was?

Suddenly, Krolia broke the silence. “Have you been living here…for long?”

Have you been living here alone? Keith knew what she had meant to say.

He shook his head, trying to piece together his answer in a way that wouldn’t incite deeper conversation. He couldn’t deal with discussing his childhood at the moment.

“I was enrolled as a cadet in the Garrison. I was training for years to be a pilot, but, I had a few issues recently, with one of my commanding officers. Left a few months ago.” He took another bite of his food.

“They didn't hurt you, did they?”

Keith paused, taken aback by the question. “What?”

“Harrison–your father was very protective of you, of us. He often worried what would happen if the Garrison should learn of our existence.” Her brows furrowed, eyes scanning him as if looking for injuries. It was an expression Keith wasn’t used to seeing on anyone but Shiro, and sometimes Adam.

He shook his head. “No, they didn’t know about…that.” He thought about all the standard physicals and medical exam required for cadets. His heart skipped at the realization of how many ways they could’ve discovered the truth, before he’d even had the chance to find out himself. They’d been close, too close. “To be honest, I didn’t have a clue, until, you know…five minutes ago… so…”

He couldn’t help but mirror the guilt that showed on her face.

“I can’t imagine that you have never questioned it? Galran blood is strong, very different than human.” She hesitated. “It must have been very difficult.”

“Galran?” He fixated on the word. “Is that…is that what you, what I am?”

She nodded.

“You mentioned something about a threat…” Keith trailed off as a wave of dread washed over him at the realization. His blood ran cold. What did this mean? Were his mother’s people a threat to Earth? Surely his father knew better than to trust someone with that sort of intention—

“Keith.”

Keith snapped back into focus, feeling the familiar rise of panic in his chest. He looked down to see Krolia clasping one of his hands tightly, her brows furrowed and worried.

“Keith listen to me, you have to breathe.”

He looked into her eyes, which were strangely grounding and calming. He exhaled shakily before inhaling deeply, Shiro’s voice steady and sure in his mind, counting for him.

“Keith, I know what you are thinking but I don’t want you to misunderstand. It is true the Galran Empire is dangerous, and very much a threat to Earth. But I need you to know that there are galrans fighting against the empire’s tyranny and destruction.” She paused, brushing a stray lock of fringe from his eyes. “The Blade of Marmora is a group of honorable and brave soldiers that are working to take apart the empire from within and bring peace to the universe. That is who I am. That is the blood that runs through your veins, not the blood of conquerers. Do you understand?”

Keith let hers words sink in, allowing himself to listen and understand. He exhaled slowly, letting relief gradually wash over him at the surety in his mother’s expression. He nodded.

Satisfied with his understanding, Krolia gave a smile and squeezed his hand, before letting go and placing her hands reservedly in her lap. “I apologize for not making that clear. I’m afraid the events of this day has affected me in many ways.”

“Yeah… I…me too.” Keith replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “You mentioned something else. About a lion?” He looked up to see her listening carefully. “What is it exactly?”

Her brows lifted. “The Blue Lion of Voltron?”

“Yes!” Keith perked up. “I’ve, been looking through dad’s notes, the maps he’s kept.” He moves from his seat to search through one of the piles of books across the shack floor. “There’s these carvings, deep within the caves in the canyon.” He pulls his dad’s old notebook out of its hiding place, opening it to the last page, and setting it in front of her. “I know my dad had something to do with it, but I haven’t been able to find out what it is exactly. I think he knew what they were, but some of his entries…I couldn’t remember enough to read them. ”

Krolia stares at him for a moment, almost, disappointed. Keith feels vulnerable under her gaze, before realizing it was likely aimed at herself rather than him.

“It seems your father was not able to tell you as much as I had hoped.” She turns toward the notebook set in front of her. He watches the subtle shift in her expression as her purple and yellow eyes scan down the page.

“This is my writing.”

Keith takes in her words for a moment, before looking back down at the strange symbols in a brand new light. What he thought was his Pa’s secret code, was in reality a completely developed language, his mother’s language.

How had he not seen it before? Unfortunately the few symbols his father had taught him had faded from his memory with time. Once he discovered the notebook, he had mourned the loss of it. Perhaps now he would have a chance to relearn.

“What does it say?”

She took a deep breath. “It recounts the tales of Voltron, along with what little is known about the origin of the war.”

“Can you read it to me?” Keith asked quietly, half expecting her to refuse.

Instead, she smiled. “Of course.”

Chapter Text

It's now or never

Come hold me tight

Kiss me my darling

Be mine tonight

Tomorrow will be too late

It's now or never

My love won't wait

When I first saw you

With your smile so tender

My heart was captured

My soul surrendered

I'd spend a lifetime

Waiting for the right time

Now that you're near

The time is here at last

The bright sparkle of a baby’s laughter fills the room as Krolia sways back and forth to the rhythm of the music, her own voice hushed as she sings along with the deep croon of the singer. She can’t help but mirror Keith’s grin as she bounces him on her hip, stopping suddenly with the beat, then resuming along with the chorus, earning another squealing giggle.

Sunlight streams through the thin curtains of their home, the one she never dreamed she would have. She clutches her infant son tightly to her chest, reveling in the softness of his dark hair as she sways side to side, weaving through the narrow halls, through the kitchen into the living room.

Their house is small, and she can never leave their land without the threat of danger, but she makes do. Music has become a window to the rest of the world, a way for her to experience and learn about the planet that has given her a home.

For though she must hide, she’s never felt more free.

They dance, swaying to the melody echoing through the home, when there’s a familiar patterned knock on the door, along with a rich laughter.

“And what do we have here?” Harrison smiles as he sets down his pack on the floor, still dressed in his fireman's uniform. His smile reaches from ear to ear, and her heart flutters the same way it did when he first offered her shelter and care all those months ago.

Keith’s face lights up at the sound of his father’s voice and his arms reach out enthusiastically.

“We’re dancing.” She states, giving her mate a welcome home peck and handing Keith over. She furrows her brows as she looks at the ground between them. “You’re tracking in dirt.”

“Come on, dirt doesn’t hurt. Lets this little guy get a good immune system, right?” Keith squeals as Harrison nuzzles his cheek, tickling him with the stubble on his chin.

Krolia rolls her eyes. “That’s not how it works.”

“I’m kidding.” He chuckles. “I’m sure he’ll grow up big and strong just like his mama.”

She huffs, but can’t help a smirk from lifting on her face. “Flattery will not keep you from dusting the floor later.”

“Aww, worth a shot.” He whispers conspiratorially into Keith’s ear, who continues to gnaw on his papa’s shirt collar.

Suddenly, both parents tense as a firm knock on the door echoes throughout the house. A chill run downs Krolia’s spine.

They make eye contact, a wordless conversation between the two of them. Then, like a trained recon team, they step into action. Harrison hands Keith to Krolia, then silently steps into the hall, grabbing her knife from it’s hiding spot and slipping into the hall closet. She covers Keith with a soft coat over her shoulder, not only to muffle sound but for a sense of security as well. He whimpers slightly, and she hurries to soothe him, hoping he can’t sense the pounding of her own heart.

She can hear the voices at the door. Thankfully, though Harrison has turned it down slightly, the music drowns out any subtle noises that might catch the attention of the other humans. She, however, can hear their words through the din of the radio.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, Mr. Kogane?”

“Uh yeah, that’s me. Can I ask what ya’ll are doing on my property?”

“Sir, I’m Senior Cadet Kensey and this is Lieutenant Commander Iverson from the Galaxy Garrison. We discovered evidence of an asteroid of unidentified origin landed on your property approximately 14 months ago? We are here to investigate the crash site, but we would like your permission to begin examining the area.”

“I didn’t think you folks were the kind to ask permission.”

“Uh, well…”

“You’re a smart man Mr. Kogane, I’m sure you can appreciate the courtesy.” A deeper authoritative voice that must be the captain speaks up.

“Courtesy hm? Well unfortunately I’m not feeling up to having visitors crawling over my property all hours of the day, so no, I’m afraid my permission is denied.”

“Sir…”

“Now I recommend you lot get off my property before I call the real authorities hmm?” There is the sound of a rifle being clicked into place. For a few long moments, all Krolia can hear is the sound of the music and her own heartbeat.

“I would recommend cooperation next time Mr. Kogane.” The captain calls, though his voice dims as if he is stepping away. “You wouldn’t want to find yourself in the way of research would you?”

Krolia waits. Minutes pass before she hears a set of boots walking toward the closet. That same patterned knock sounds on the wall, and the hand gripping the blade relaxes. She opens the door.

Harrison peeks around the door. “Coast is clear, they’re long gone.”

She removes the coat from her shoulder. Keith’s violet eyes peek out curiously, yet hesitant, a bit shaken by the sudden bout of hiding.

Harrison smiles, though his brow is furrowed in worry. He kisses the top of Keith’s head.

“That was too close. I doubt next time they’ll be so kind.”

“They probably have record of the crash. I hoped their scanners weren’t advanced enough to track the impact point but, I highly underestimated them.”

“Don’t worry, next time we’ll be ready.” Harrison held Krolia tightly, their son safely cradled between them. “I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you two are safe.” He placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. “I promise.”

Keith busied himself, stuffing water pouches and other supplies they would need for the hike into the hot desert. He closed the flap of the bag, pausing momentarily as the orange and grey Garrison insignia stared back at him, taunting.

Adam was given ownership of most of Shiro’s belongings. At least, the ones Keith hadn’t managed to grab before anyone noticed. It’s not like Adam would need them anyway.

Keith was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of Krolia stepping through the back door, hands full of various shirts and her discarded flight suit.

“I managed to find a few things that were still intact. I didn’t realize that the insects of this climate consumed fibers as a food source.”

She set down the tattered clothing into the small trunk Keith had given her, closing it with a snap and laying her flight suit on top. She brushed the dust off her sleeves and stood confidently with her hands on her hips like she’d worn those clothes every day of her life. “Is this sufficient?”

Keith nodded, unnerved by the sight of his alien mother in civilian wear. The red checkered flannel had been his fathers, but the white undershirt and denim pants fit her perfectly, along with the brown work boots laced up to her shins.

He had figured out a while back that the trunk that held a few pieces of women’s clothing he had found, had been hers. Krolia seemed surprised that they had been kept so neatly, and thanked him, running her clawed fingers delicately over the cloth. Keith decided not to mention the times he almost burned them, once he discovered what they were.

“They should be fine.”

She gave a nod, and bent to grab her laser pistol , strapping it to her hip. Keith wasn’t sure it was that necessary for their little outing, but hey, who was he to judge? “Ready?” She asked.

Keith slung the bag over his shoulder and checked his supply belt and dagger. “Yep.” He said, turning towards the door.

“Have you applied sunscreen?”

Keith halted in his steps, turning to her with a confused tilt of his brow. “Uh, what?”

“Sunscreen? It protects your pale skin from the sun’s radiation, correct?”

“I don’t need it.”

She gave him a skeptical look.

He rolled his eyes and stepped out the door. “I’m fine. Now, are we going or not.” Keith tried to fight the rise of embarrassment with a scowl, as he stepped into the dust.

Okay, maybe he should’ve packed sunscreen.

As the two of them hiked through the shallow canyon, Keith could almost feel the distant star in the sky laughing at him, the redness on his cheeks just as much embarrassment as it was exposure. Thankfully if Krolia had noticed, she didn’t mention it, so he kept trudging forward.

He held his father’s map in his hands, mentally tracing out the routes he had already traveled, and those he had not. Krolia however, knew exactly where she was going by the sureness in her steps, climbing over the red rocks with strength and ease. He wondered momentarily how much of his physicality was inherited from her, if her strength exceeded that of humans by much.

He pulled out a small notebook, jotting the thoughts down on the small pages he kept hidden in his pocket, where he kept most of his ideas and wonderings that came to him throughout the day. Shiro called it his conspiracy journal, after discovering it’s main subjects were cryptids and extra-terrestrials. Some piloting notes were in there too, he wasn’t a complete weirdo.

But given the current circumstances, who would blame him?

He passed over the pages filled with Kerberos notes, basic trajectory calculations and transcripts of the (very limited) released crew recordings. Part of him wished he hadn’t let his anger get the best of him, maybe then he could have tried to hack into the Garrison’s encrypted files. Not that he was actually that good with computers. The other half still relished in the feel of Iverson’s skull under his fist.

“How much further?” Keith called as he hurried to catch up with Krolia. He jumped easily down from a small ledge where she stood waiting.

“There’s two entrances, one on the north side, but that one is blocked. The alternative is halfway up the peak, where there’s a small cave we should be able to enter through. That one is blocked as well, but we should be able to dig through by sundown.”

Keith huffed, already half exhausted by the dry heat.

“If someone hasn’t dug through already.” He mumbled.

“Trust me, if someone had, the empire would already be here.”

They began to hike up the steady incline of the canyon, towards the distinct set of peaks in the distance. As their path became steeper it became more difficult to maneuver, but they managed well.

At one moment Keith stumbled, only for Krolia to catch him securely by the wrist, keeping him from slipping or stumbling further down the rough slope.

“Thanks.”

She nodded, readjusting her grip on his gloved hand and easing him back up. If she held on a little longer than necessary, well, Keith wasn’t going to mention it.

As they grew closer to their destination, Keith felt a familiar pull in his gut, the same one that had led him to the strange carvings on the other side of the peak. He had just moved back into the shack. Now it was like a constant presence in the back of his mind. As unnerving as it was, it felt, safe. Like it was calling out to him, promising answers.

By the time they neared the peak, it was as if Keith was leading the way. Krolia didn’t seem to mind. Anticipation caused his heart to beat faster, as he hurried down to the base. This was closer than he had ever been before. The lion was here. It had to be.

“This is the cave you were tlking about?” He stood outside the entrance, one that was small and could be easily dismissed in the shadows of the canyon. Krolia stood beside him.

“Yes, this is it.” She gazed into the cave, and Keith could see the weight of the memories in her eyes.

They entered, both of them having to bend slightly as they walked through the shadowed tunnel, until they reached a clear dead end.

“What now?”

“We dig through.”

“…you didn’t happen to bring a shovel with you…cause I don't think we thought this through.”

Krolia didn’t seem bothered by Keith’s comment. Instead, she started removing loose patches of stone from the surface with her claws. Keith wondered if she had planned on digging through by hand, staring down at his own pale, soft fingertips.

“We should be fine. What we have will work.” She pressed her fingers, analyzing a rigid stone patch, then held out her hand. “Hand me your knife.”

“What!” Keith’s hand hovered protectively over his blade. Okay, maybe it had been hers once but that didn’t mean he was going to let her use it.

“I promise you, it’s much stronger than any of this brittle stone. There is no way it could be damaged.”

Keith clutched the handle with the same grip of a child having their stuffed animal torn from their hands. Logically, he knew he was being stubborn, if a bit unreasonable. But no one except himself had laid eyes on it for years, not since his last social worker had discovered it and confiscated it. Part of him worried she would want it back for good.

The other part of him kicked himself. They had a job to do damn it. Hadn’t he agreed to give her a chance? They were supposed to be working as a team.

He relented, slowly removing the dagger from its sheath. She eyed the wrapped hilt strangely for a moment but thankfully said nothing about it. “I promise you will have it back, but it should do the job.”

Keith winced as she directly stabbed it into the cave wall. He shook it off. If anyone should know how strong it was, it was him. He used it for hunting, building, even cooking. That thing could cut through the wing of a hover bike.

Don’t ask him why he knows that.

Don’t ask Shiro either.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t still painful watching his most prized possession being jammed into a stone wall. Thankfully, the knife embedded itself like butter, and to Keith’s relief, pieces of the wall began to fall away.

“Stand back.”

He complied, but before he could question it, he was distracted by a glow coming from her hand.

Keith stared with wide eyes as the dagger effervesced, lighting the interior of the cave with a bright light before fading, the vapor solidifying into a sleek, silver curved edge sword.

Before Keith had time to react Krolia swung down on the remaining part of the wall. The blade sliced through the red stone with ease, the rest of the wall crumbling away as she pried it like a crow bar. The light appeared again as it dissolved into her hand, reforming before them into it’s familiar compact shape.

A small choking noise escaped from Keith.

Krolia casually flipped the blade in her hand and handed it to him, hilt faced out in offering. Keith was frozen, his jaw hung agape, his eyes flicking back and forth between the hilt and her eyes.

She huffed, grabbing his hand and placing the hilt in it. “I’ll show you later, now come on.” She gracefully climbed through the hole in the wall she just made. “We’re close.”

Keith shook himself out of his stupor and sheathed his dagger. “Damn alien tech…” he grumbled to himself, as he followed.

The tunnel wasn’t long, the light at the end visible from the moment they tore down the barrier. They walked through slowly, almost reverently, knowing the end of the end of their search was over. The tunnel opened up into a grand expansive cave, light filtering in from the ceiling, scattered over a pool of crystal clear water.

“Whoa.”

Chapter Text

Both mother and son were held in awe by the vast cave that greeted them as they exited the tunnel. Water trickled down through stone to gather in a crystal pool, the faintest rays of sunlight making their way through cracks in the smooth cavern ceiling. What took Keith’s breath away however, was the treasure that stood proudly in the center, a treasure like he’d never seen before.

The Blue Lion, for that’s what it truly was- there was no other way to describe it, towered over them nestled within a bright blue sphere that illuminated the cavern. Blue light reflected off the surface of the pool, creating flecks that danced around carvings almost identical to the ones Keith had discovered, all telling the same story of the majestic beast.

It seemed like a barrier of some sort, no doubt more alien technology. Keith stepped forward, his heart pounding in his chest. The lion is mechanical, complex and armored, though he wondered how something like that could even get off the ground. Nonetheless, the only word Keith can use to describe it is majestic. He can’t help but notice the tension in his gut that led him here has faded, from taut desperation to a soft gentle murmur. A pleasant rumble, almost.

Before Krolia can say anything Keith lifts his hand, gently resting it on the shield. Small ripples emanate from his palm, but the barrier does not yield.

“This is incredible.”

“It is, isn’t it.” Krolia says with a sigh. “I never thought I’d see it again.”

Keith closes his eyes. “It feels almost, alive.” He paused, letting the warm welcoming sensation wash over him. It’s cool, calming, yet he can sense power lingering just beneath the surface, itching to be unleashed. He opens his eyes, looks up to the lion and smiled. “She’s happy to see us.”

There’s no response from Krolia, so he turns, only to see her staring at him with an expression he can’t read. “What?”

“Keith, can you...can you talk to it?”

He furrows his brow. “It’s not really talking, it’s more like a feeling. It’s the same energy that brought me out here in the first place.” He paused. “You can’t feel it?”

She shook her head. “Keith-“ she started, but she seemed at a loss for words.

Keith just felt more confused. “Could my dad feel it?” He turned back to the lion. “Maybe it only trust’s humans?”

“No.” She bent down to his height and grasped both shoulders in her hands. “Keith, do you know what this means? These lions have powers we are not even aware of. There is a reason Zarkon has been hunting them all this time. I—I can’t help but think...you’ve been chosen, somehow.”

“What?” Keith’s eyes widened. “That’s insane, I’m not—“

A rumble of affirmation interrupted his thought. Suddenly, vague images flickered through the forefront of his mind. A cockpit, drenched in red. The sensation of flight, pure exhilaration. The heat of fire.

The lift of wings.

“Keith, what is it?”

A helpless smile lifted on his cheeks and a chuckle escaped him. Perhaps the chance to see the stars wasn’t flushed down the drain after all.

“I think—I’m meant to fly it.”

There was a pause as Krolia absorbed his words. “Are you certain?”

Keith shook his head, more out of astonishment than anything else. “I don’t know how else to explain it. It’s barely there, an instinct, I just...know.” He turned to Krolia, though when he registered her face his smile faltered slightly, his gaze turning toward the floor. He probably sounded insane. Yet, Krolia said he could be chosen, whatever that meant. She couldn’t really believe that could she?

And if she did, how long before she was proven wrong? Could he really be meant for something greater, when he didn’t even know what that something was? What if the lion made a mistake?

Despite the dread Keith felt in his gut, Krolia just smiled. “Then it has chosen well.”

He watched for any bit of hesitance in her eyes, any sign that she was just trying to say what he wanted to hear.

All he could see was her indigo eyes sparkling in the dim cavern light.

Pride.

She was proud of him.

But...did she really know him enough to be?

He shook aside his thoughts. There were more important things at hand. If Krolia was right, something dark was coming, something that had to potential to destroy humanity as well as the rest of the universe. And this, this lion, Voltron, was the key to stopping it. He could fight. He could fly, just like Shiro wanted him to.

Keith gasped.

“I can find him.”

“What?”

“Shiro!” Keith clutched his hair.“The—The Kerberos crew, I can—they’re still out there, I know it! I can find them!”

“Keith slow down. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He caught his breath. “A-about a year ago, the Garrison they—they sent up a crew of three to one of the moons of Pluto.”

Keith spoke of the mission failure, of the obvious cover up by the Garrison. How Shiro was his best friend, his mentor, the fated pilot of the Kerberos mission. How the Garrison had practically shut him out after asking too many questions.

”The Champion...” Krolia muttered.

“What?” Keith asked.

Krolia scowled, though she took a moment to gather her thoughts. Seconds dragged by, the silence deafening as Keith waited with bated breath.

“I wouldn’t doubt Sendak’s forces are behind his. They’ve been scoping out the far corners of the universe, scouring planets for the whereabouts of the lions.” She looked up at the Blue Lion, then proceeded to seat herself in front of it on the ground. Keith followed, listening intently to whatever information she had to offer.

“I was undercover, having earned the rank of Lieutenant under Commander Randveig within the Empire. With rank, comes access to rumors. Information travels quickly among generals, especially those on the outer corners of the empire where not much else is happening,

“Within the central hub, and all across the galaxy, it is common for there to be fighting pits, games were prisoners as well as various beasts are pitted against each other, for the high officials entertainment.”

A cold shiver ran down Keith’s spine.

“I heard tell of a certain fighter, the ‘Champion’, they call him. He is one that has had many consecutive victories, but what stands out most is his race. He’s human, Keith.”

No...

By that point Keith was trembling. He clasped a hand over his mouth, holding back a sob as he willed his tears not to fall.

She only said one. One human. It could have been any of them, but Keith knew better. Unless Matt or Sam had been able to use their cunning to outsmart their opponents, there was no doubt which of the three thrown into a gladiator ring was most likely to survive.

And not just survive.

But win.

He could hardly begin to think of the horrors that Shiro could be facing right at that moment. Cutting down another life to fight for your own? What about the rest of the crew?

“Who—Where—is he okay?” Keith’s could hardly speak as his lip trembled. He hardly noticed Krolia had pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly on the stone ground beneath the Blue Lion.

“I did not see for myself, only heard tell.” She took a shakey breath. “If I am honest, the moment I heard he was human I feared the worst, that somehow they had found you, that I had failed at protecting you. I have a contact, another Blade stationed within the central hub and called upon him for info. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to learn the Champion was not galran as well, but I still knew something had to be done.

That was when I decided to come back. The possibility of it being you out there scared me, and I knew I had to ensure you were safe. If the Galra were abducting humans, who knows how long it would’ve taken them to see Earth as valuable target. I was then tasked by my superiors with coming back to protect the Blue Lion, and my contact was assigned to protect the ‘Champion.’ So do not be afraid. There is hope for your friend yet.”

She held Keith tighter as he cried, knowing that even if his friend escaped, as she had all the faith in Ulaz, there was no way to know how he would return. Not after surviving the horror and bloodshed of the pits.

Not after the witch.

Chapter Text

They sat together on the dirt floor of the cave, neither one of them aware of how much time had passed while they sat in silence. Krolia took advantage of it, simply enjoying the company of her son for as long as she could. Eventually Keith’s tears dwindled and they separated, gradually, eventually ending up sitting and staring at the Blue Lion above them.

The light from outside had dimmed as night took the day’s place, but neither felt like making the trek in the dark back to the shack. Krolia also knew she wouldn’t break the obvious connection that had formed between her son and her charge.

“Can you still feel it?” Krolia broke the silence as Keith sat on the ground staring up at the lion, his arms wrapped around his knees.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “It’s not as strong as it was, like, once we found her she doesn’t have to reach out as much but...it’s still there. Just barely.”

She looked up curiously at the still dim eyes of the majestic statue. “Is she waiting for something?”

Keith furrowed his brows. “I think so. I’m not sure what though.”

Krolia paused, carefully choosing her words as to not instill doubt in her son’s mind. She did not miss how little faith he had in himself. Harrison always told her she was better at reading body language than any human he knew of. Momentarily she wondered just how much of her kit’s body language and distress had been missed, just by being out of reach of his own kind.

“Do you think it would open up to you?”

Keith laid his hand on the shield and closed his eyes. He was still for a moment before he let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. “I’ve...kind of been trying this whole time. I can’t figure out how I’m supposed to fly her if she won’t open up to me. The only response I get back is the same flashes and...something along the lines of the word ‘wait’.”

“Wait? Perhaps it thinks you need more training.”

Keith groaned, a cloud of dust settling as he plopped backwards onto the ground. “Noooo. That can’t be it. I’m a fucking great pilot.”

Krolia stared down at her son and cocked an eyebrow. “And pray tell, how many space crafts have you flown?

Keith simply glared up at the ceiling, though it looked more like a pout than a glare. “I’ve got top score in the simulator...” he grumbled.

“Simulations are far from actually flying. I should know, the first ship I flew as a Blade, I snapped off a wing on an asteroid five minutes into the field.”

Keith shot up, his eyes widening. “You’ve flown through an asteroid field?”

“I’ve flown through far more difficult scenarios than that, but yes.”

Keith cradled his head in his hands. “I’m just...tired of waiting. It seems like all I ever do.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t even know what I’m waiting for

Krolia hummed, shifting closer, careful in allowing some space to remain between them. “What exactly has it shown you?”

Keith lifted his eyes back up to the lion’s. “It’s less pictures, more feelings. Like, I can feel the controls, the inside of the cockpit. The drop in my stomach.” He hesitated, and began to wring his hands. Krolia could tell he was holding back.

“Anything else?”

“Warmth? Like, not just heat but…power? I don’t know.”

“Like fire?”

Keith tensed.

“I guess so.”

“Remember how the legend tells that there were five lions?” Keith nodded. “Well, each lion is said to have an intimate connection to a specific basic element. Those elements determine the lion’s powers and special abilities. The Blue Lion is the guardian of water.” Krolia watched as the pool beside them ran clear and clean. “The Yellow and Green Lions are guardians of the earth and forest, while the Black Lion is the guardian of the sky.”

“And Red is...fire.”

“That is correct, at least according to the legends. Some say there is a sixth lion, but that is likely false; ten thousand years is a long time for any tale to grow and shift, especially across the vast expanse of planets within the empire. I hardly believed the legends myself before I saw it with my own eyes.”

“So, you’re saying, maybe I’m meant to fly one of the others?”

“It is possible. I would say with the visions the Blue Lion has given you, perhaps you are to pilot the Red Lion. I cannot say for certain however, only you know what you see.”

Keith looked back up into the eyes of the metal beast. Something stirred within his gut, barely noticeable if you weren’t looking for it, an affirmation. Keith’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but he couldn’t help but feel the hopelessness once again sink into his chest at the one problem that remained.

“How am I going to find Shiro then?” He mumbled more to himself than to Krolia.

She set a hesitant hand on his shoulder. “Have faith in the Blades. I know my contact will ensure the job is done, and you should too. Patience is an honorable trait.”

Patience yields focus. Keith huffed as the familiar mantra rang through his head.

“Even then, what are we going to do? The Empire could arrive any day now, right? I know we could put up a good fight…together…but unless we get the lion away from here, Earth is doomed.”

“I suppose the only way is to find the Blue Lion’s pilot.” Krolia mused.

“Ugh, how the hell are we supposed to do that? If no one’s found it yet, for freaking, ten thousand years, that means no one else has been able to sense it like I have.”

“Perhaps they have not been close enough. Your father’s property is the only civilized structure within miles of this location.”

“Then what? Search the whole world? What if they’re not even on earth?” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I’m tired of searching for things that are impossible to find. I’m tired of searching for answers to puzzles that don’t even have an answer.” He turned to the lion, fists clenched at his sides. “Earth’s survival is at stake, the whole damn universe is at stake! You call me here for what, a wild goose chase? Why do you have to be so cryptic?” He lifts his fist.“Why can’t I just get a straight answer?!”

“Keith don’t–”

The moment Keith’s hand comes into contact with the shield, he’s hit with just as much energy as he gave, no surprise to Krolia. Keith falls on his backside into the dust in a burst of light, but when she moves to help him, his eyes are wide with epiphany as well as surprise.

“Keith are you okay?”

“I… know him.”

“Who? Did you see something?”

Keith looks back up at the lion in awe, but then furrows his brows and shouts at the beast. “You couldn't’ve told me that before?!”

“Keith, please, don’t antagonize the ancient being.” She grabs him by the hand and tugs him up. “Now, what did you see?”

“The pilot, he’s…I can't remember his name but I’ve seen him before.” Keith’s face is bright with a smile as he grasps Krolia by the shoulders. “He’s a Garrison cadet!”

Krolia furrows her brows, about to respond in question when suddenly her ear twitched. Her gaze snapped toward the entrance to the cavern.

“What is it–” Krolia lifted a finger to silence her son, yellow eyes trained in the direction of the sound. Instead of glaring in offense however, his own instincts were alight at the sudden change in her demeanor. His hand gravitated toward the blade behind him.

“Footsteps. Get to the tunnel, now.” Krolia murmured, then rose to her feet in one smooth motion, running to the entrance with silent steps while Keith followed closely behind.

Someone was close. Way too close.

Chapter Text

Keith’s heart beat faster once he noticed the subtle change in Krolia’s demeanor. He kept his steps silent as they hurried back towards the entrance to the cavern and slipped through the tunnel back to where they had dug through. She put a hand out to stop him and they froze as Krolia listened once more.

“You think it’s Garrison?” Keith whispered.

She nodded. “I know it is.”

He pondered for a moment to consider how much sharper her hearing must be, until his own ears suddenly caught the crunch of gravel beneath boots. Thankfully the sound didn’t seem to be getting closer, as if they were wandering at a steady pace.

“What are they even doing out here?”

“I doubt it is merely a coincidence that my arrival was just two days ago. I thought I had been more careful this time entering the atmosphere, but it seems the Garrison’s technology has improved over the years.”

“What happened last time?”

“Let's just say my landing left a bit of a mark.”

“Oh.” Keith winced, before brushing aside his curiosity to think. “They’re probably more on edge, after the whole Kerberos incident. Finding out you’re not alone in the universe can be pretty unnerving for non-believers.” He unsheathed the dagger from behind his back. “Okay, I’ll create a distraction, get them away from here while you build the wall back up.” He moved to step through the gap when Krolia suddenly yanked him back by the wrist.

“What? No, we are not splitting up.”

“Are you serious? You’re a tall purple alien, no offense but you’re kind of hard to miss.”

“I do in fact, take offense.” She glared while keeping a firm but safe grip on his arm as if afraid he’d bolt. “I can get us across the canyon without being seen and I will not risk you getting captured.” She released her grip and climbed through the wall. “Now, let’s both start repairing the wall and after that we stick together to lead them away from the Blue Lion, understood?”

Keith let out a tense breath, not too keen on taking orders. “Fine.” He agreed, knowing protesting would only waste more time that they didn’t have. She gave a satisfied nod.

He bent down to help her place the stones back into place on the wall. Once they finished it wasn’t as invisible as it had been before, but at least it wouldn’t draw attention from outside the cavern.

“Now, follow me.” She whispered, checking that the outside was clear before moving silently down the trail. He followed, doing his best to match her steps.

“Can you see?” She asked.

The desert could get extremely dark, almost pitch black, but tonight the moon cast a dim light on the canyon. He nodded.

She gave a thumbs up and beckoned him forward, moving a bit quicker than before but just as silently. Honestly, Keith was impressed, regretting his earlier comment. Being ordered around kind of set him off, but she was simply trying to come up with a plan that wouldn’t split them up. That was understandable, especially from her perspective. She probably didn’t appreciate him doubting her skills either. He internally berated himself. Hopefully he’d be able to apologize later, but for now he simply followed her lead without question.

They approached a corner and she froze, back up against the wall of the canyon. Keith did the same and listened, now able to hear the voices of the Garrison scouts.

“If the landing point is two klicks from here, why the hell is Sanda making us scout the canyon? I can’t see shit with these night vision goggles.”

“The hell if I know, I’m just following orders.”

“I do. Heard something about a similar incident in this area a few years back. They also get a lot of fuzzy readings in this area, something about the canyon messes up their signals.”

“Damn, this is some Area 51 shit then.”

Krolia caught his attention and pointed upwards, before beginning to climb higher above the path they previously took. Keith adjusted his pack, before beginning his own climb. While the scouts wandered the base of the canyon, they would climb above and out of sight.

“Dude, you’re totally bluffing.”

“I’m totally not, look here.” From this angle Keith could see the three scouts, likely lower level officers. Two held standard issue rifles, while the third held some sort of scanner. “Check out these readings, watch the frequency.” Two of them gathered around the third as the device in his hand began to beep like a Geiger counter. The officer slowly turned until the beeping stopped suddenly.

“Holy shit you’re right!”

Keith’s stomach dropped. He didn’t know what that device was, only that it could possibly lead them to the Blue Lion. Yes, their entrance was covered up but it could still be noticed if you looked closely enough. Keith looked up at Krolia to see her staring down at him with the same worried expression. She gestured for him to follow and climbed up and over the edge of the precipice.

However, he paused. Keith looked back at the officers, now headed directly towards where the lion was hidden. They had two goals, protect the lion at all costs and find her pilot.

He knew exactly what to do.

“Keith!” Krolia whispered as she reached her hand down. “Hurry, we need to come up with a plan.”

“I already have one, there’s no time, just, you have to trust me okay?”

“Keith, no.” Krolia hissed as Keith began to climb back down. This was more difficult than he thought however, as his foot slipped on an edge, causing rocks to dislodge and skip down the face of the canyon.

The officers halted in their investigation and turned in the direction of the noise.

“Keith. I’m not leaving you.” Krolia’s hand was outstretched, the rest of her still hidden in the shadows beyond the edge of the precipice.

“I have to get in the Garrison to find the Blue Lion’s pilot, they won’t let me in otherwise. I can get out easy, I’ve done it before. Trust me. I’ll be fine.”

“Galaxy Garrison! Identify yourself.” The officers shouted, still unsure of his location

“Krolia, they won’t hurt me, I promise.” He murmured, pleading with her. A small feeling in his gut reminded him it could very well be a lie, but Keith knew this was the only way to do this, to keep both Krolia and the lion out of the Garrison’s hands. Even if the two of them were able to take down the officers, it would only draw the attention of the institution ten-fold. No, he couldn’t risk her being on the Garrison's radar. He couldn't risk her being torn from him again. Not when he just got her back. “Please, let me show you I can do this.”

A wave of guilt ran through his gut as he watched the conflict play out on her face until it eventually settled into a painful resignation. She gave a single nod, and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Three days.” She whispered. “I will come back for you.”

He nodded and gave her what he hoped was a grateful smile, before he released his grip and let himself slide down the dirt slope.

“Hey, you! Stop!”

Keith landed firmly on his feet at the bottom, sparing a half second to glance up where Krolia had disappeared as smoothly as if she had been a ghost. The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk before he turned and started to run.

He couldn’t make it too easy for them could he?

“It’s a kid! Get him!”

Keith led the chase away from the direction of the lion’s cavern, climbing and leaping through the jagged stone path, the officers stumbling blindly behind him. He needed them to catch up to him eventually, but for now he decided to revel in the little freedom he had left.

“Hey!” Keith shouted behind him with a chuckle. “Tell Commander Iverson to kiss my ass!”

Chapter Text

Keith’s gut churned with both dread and anticipation as they finally reached the Garrison. In the darkness of the desert, the ominous entrance was lit only by the headlights of the transport buggy and the light through the window of the guards office. As they escorted him through the facility along the familiar route towards the detention room, he couldn’t help but hold his head high despite the cuffs around his wrists and the firm grip of the officer on his arm.

The Garrison may have expelled Keith, but they didn’t break him. He didn’t doubt Iverson would be expecting the sad belligerent shell of teenager, which after Shiro’s disappearance he may as well have been. However, that was not the self-sufficient young man who the commander was currently getting up at 0200 hours to see, much to Keith’s pleasure. Still, part of him yearned for the satisfaction of his rebellion being witnessed by other cadets, to prove he wouldn’t stop fighting.

So that they could see the Garrison hadn’t won.

“Oof.” Keith grunted as he was thrust into the cold metal chair with force he deemed a bit excessive. He shot a deathly glare toward the scout he had named ‘tweedle-dumber’ in his head.

“Whoa, wait,” he said as the officer moved to exit the detention room,“You’re not gonna uncuff me?”

“Iverson’s orders.” He huffed, clearly over with the events of the night, and closed the door behind him.

Keith groaned, leaning forward to rest his head on the icy metal table. While this wasn’t the worst thing, it put a slight damper on his escape plans. The Garrison didn’t take lightly to those who interfered with a sanctioned expedition, which is exactly what Keith did, so of course they were pissed off.

The Blue Lion wasn’t far from the border that separated the government property from property, or rather, his father’s property that was technically on hold until his eighteenth birthday in six months, despite the fact that Shiro had helped him become an emancipated minor. Keith could easily argue that he had just strayed over the boundary a little too far. Who could tell in the dark anyway? He was just a dumb kid after all.

Keith inhaled deeply, then exhaled. He needed to form some semblance of a plan, one that would get him out before Krolia risked herself to come after him. He couldn’t let that happen, but she wouldn’t have let him go unless he agreed to her time limit.

He hoped Krolia had made it back safely without any problems, but he didn’t doubt she could take care of herself. She was no doubt a stealth operative, he had been impressed and a little awed by her sheer skill.

Another wave of guilt washed over him. They had been getting along so much better than he expected, despite the awkward tension and hesitance that would creep up between them every so often. He thought about how she’d held him before the Blue Lion, not chastising or mocking. Even Shiro hadn’t seen him break down like that. He’d been doing his best to keep himself in check, but with everything that happened, everything she had told him about Shiro, it felt like all the loneliness and desperation from the last year flooded out of him.

He didn’t deny the simple fact that it had been his mother, real, alive and here, holding him and comforting him that weakened some inner part of him. How did she feel about that? What did she think of him? Keith signed, hoping he hadn’t ruined everything before it even started.

He thumped his forehead again on the table. Right, the plan. He shifted his wrists in his cuffs, not painfully tight but without any room to slip his hands through without dislocating his thumb first. He was completely willing to, but the security cameras may catch on too quickly. Same thing with the knife strapped into his belt. The scouts hadn’t seemed to notice it, but he didn’t want to risk calling attention to it.

Thankfully they hadn’t latched the cuffs to the table or the chair. He could probably fight his way out if he could, Iverson was big but not terribly fit. If an opening presented itself, he could probably get past the commander and one, maybe two guards with his hands bound.

But then what? Run through the hallways and knock on all the dorm doors until he found who he needed? God, why couldn’t he be better with names. Why was he so horrible with talking to people? It’s not like anyone would listen to a guy with cuffs banging on their door in the middle of the night, much less the weirdo loner kid.

He would wait then. Bide his time, get as much information from Iverson as possible without revealing too much. The Garrison were already too close to the Blue Lion, and based on what Krolia said, they already suspected something about her. Keith needed to figure out how much they knew, and if the Kerberos cover up was any indication, it was too much already.

He wondered how much they knew about him.

Suddenly, the scanner beeped as the door creaked open. Keith lifted his head and glared as Commander Iverson walked in, uniform pressed and ready despite the darkened bags underneath his eyes. Keith eyed him up and down, his mind automatically measuring the level of threat the commander posed

“Well, well well.” Iverson grumbled, bending to place his hands flat on the table. “Care to tell me why I was called in here at this ungodly hour, Kogane?”

Keith didn’t answer, letting the silence drag on.

“Answer me.”

“I don’t know.” Keith grumbled.

“You don’t know?” Iverson scoffed. “You don’t know why you were caught disrupting a Garrison sanctioned operation.”

“I didn’t disrupt anything.” Keith glared. “Why don’t you tell me why officers were snooping around my land in the first place?”

“It’s classified, Kogane. You should know a little something about security clearance, seeing as you used to be a cadet. And I can assure you we avoided your property as surely as possible. Now, you didn’t answer my question, what-were-you-doing-there?”

Keith laid back in the chair, feigning disinterest. “I was hiking.”

“Hiking. At one in the morning.”

“It’s cooler at night.”

“Uh huh.” Iverson narrowed his eyes, before straightening. “Don’t think I’m that stupid. You Koganes have a knack for meddling in classified business.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Keith’s heartbeat quickened. He’d never heard Iverson refer to his father before.

“I told you to stay out of it with Kerberos, but this, this is different. You know something, something you shouldn’t.”

“You’re insane.”

“No, I know just what I’m talking about, and so do you. You’re gonna sit here until we figure out exactly what that is.” Iverson leaned forward, eyes narrowed in an attempt at intimidation. “Do you understand?”

“You can’t do this. I didn’t fucking do anything.”

“I most certainly can.” Iverson turned and scanned the door open, before looking back over his shoulder. “And I would think about cooperating. Your precious Shirogane’s not here to bail you out anymore.” Then he shut the door.

Keith clenched his fists, before letting out a frustrated yell that echoed in the small room. He breathed heavily, grasping onto the smallest threads of focus beyond his anger. Now was not the time to lose control. He inhaled shakily, then exhaled. Iverson was an asshole, but right now he was just a barrier. Priority number one was the Blue Lion, and staying here any longer was not going to help her find her pilot. He got himself into this mess, and he was going to fix it.

He just hoped he didn’t make it worse.

It was hard to keep track of time in the artificially lit room. Keith was used to the sun, instinctively knowing what time of day by the shadows that stretched across the desert hills. There was no clock and the large viewing window only let in the bright led light from the hallway.

So for the time being, he was stuck.

However the extra time allowed him to think through his next move rather than rely on reacting in the heat of the moment. By the time the hours had passed, he knew exactly what he was going to do.

Well…somewhat. It was less of a plan and more of a general idea, but hey, he’s trying.

It wasn’t until the first set of officers passed by that Keith could tell dawn had approached. Soon, Garrison cadets began to trickle through the hall, the first set of early risers headed to the mess hall to avoid the crowd. Keith used to be one of them.

The windows in the detention room have standard two way control. Usually it was both ways that were blocked out, but given that none of the cadets glanced his way, it was one way at the moment, like Iverson wanted him to watch the life he used to have pass by, mocking him.

But, well, fuck Iverson. Keith preferred it, as it let him track every officer that moved outside the room.

As Keith waited whatever they had planned for him, the traffic in the hallway thickened, cadets laughing, talking and bumping past each other while on their way.

Then he felt it.

The gentle pull in his stomach that he now knew to be the Blue Lion, shifted somehow. A ghost of a whisper brushed across his mind, calling his attention to something, someone nearby. His head shot up, and he noticed one of the cadets in the hallway had suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Brown hair and brown skin looked down at the floor confused, brow furrowed like he’d just forgotten something back at his room, or where he was headed. His buddy, a much taller and broader guy, did a complete one-eighty when he noticed his friend stop so suddenly, his face wildly broadcasting his confusion.

The buddy’s lips moved, but the other boy didn’t answer. Milliseconds passed like hours, until the boy’s head turned, bright blue eyes locking directly with his.

The Blue Lion’s pilot.

Keith held his breath, realizing the boy couldn’t actually see him by the way his eyes didn’t quite lock on. The boy’s gaze seemed trapped, drawn to whatever it was on the other side of the darkened window.

Keith was frozen in his seat, the whisper becoming louder, clearer. Could it be that the other boy could hear it too?

Suddenly, the boy seemed to snap out of it as his buddy clasped him on the shoulder, his mouth moving before he was gently ushered back on their way through the hall.

“Wait!” Keith shouted, finally able to move as he lunged out of his chair and pounded his cuffed fists on the window. “Hey! Stop! Wait!” He continued, ignoring the fact that the entire room was sound proof, but by then the two cadets had passed the corner and were out of sight.

Keith let out a frustrated growl as he kicked the wall one last time for good measure. However, when he looked up, two very angry Garrison Officers along with two armed guards were heading down the hall straight towards the detention room.

Keith cursed. Detention rooms were for misbehaving cadets, but if the armed guards were here...he couldn’t be taken anywhere more secure or his odds of getting out in time were slim to none. As the scanner to the door beeped, Keith backed up into the furthest corner, readying himself for a fight.

The first guard barely got in before Keith launched a front kick into his gut, slamming him into the wall. There was a spray of blood as he swung his cuffed fists into the next guards face, but then the wind was knocked out of him as the first guard recovered and tackled him by the torso. Keith shifted his momentum down, rolling the two of them backwards and kicking the first guard off him. He jumped to his feet.

Keith’s adrenaline spiked as he watched the second guard lift his rifle. Running out of options, he ducked at the last second and flipped the table between them, barreling forward. Once the second guard had slumped to the ground the other two officers were easy, as one spinning back kick launched one into the other through the doorway and out into the hall.

Keith took the opening and bolted, sprinting down the hallway and around the corner, the sound of more armed guards and potential officers following not far behind.

But, being Keith, he knew these hallways like the back of his hand, knew all the nooks and crannies the security cameras couldn’t reach, where he would often disappear alone with his thoughts.

So when the guards followed him around the last corner, he was long gone.

Chapter Text

“I’m telling you man, something in that meatloaf yesterday is not agreeing with me.”

“Lance, what did I say. I told you, don’t eat the meatloaf. The Garrison cooks know nothing about proper food preparation. Yet what did you do?”

Lance pouted. “But I was hungry! De Santo’s PE class is ruthless man, you’re lucky you’re just doing engineering and don’t have to pass the stupid physical.”

“Hey! We have a physical requirement, it’s just not as…rigorous as the fighter pilots requirement.” Hunk trailed off.

The two cadets meandered down the halls, Lance laying a hand on his stomach delicately. It wasn’t like a typical stomach ache, not painful exactly. Nonetheless the fluttery and slightly nauseating feeling had not improved since last night.

“I swear it’s tickling me man. You sure nothing in that meatloaf was alive?”

Hunk placed a comforting arm around his friend’s shoulder. “You sure you aren’t just nervous? I know the physical exam is a big deal, but I know you, you got this man!”

Lance sighed. “I know, I just…I already just barely made the program, but even that’s cause Keith dropped out. What if I really don’t have the stuff it takes?”

“Just, hear me out. You work way harder than anyone else I’ve seen, and if that’s not fighter pilot material, then I don’t know what is. Who cares about the order on the list? I’m sure you’ll be climbing it in no time.” Hunk gave Lance a reassuring pat on the arm. “I believe in you man.”

Lance took a deep breath, his hands in his pockets and shoulders hunched in as he walked. “I…thanks man but, I don’t know…what if—”

Lance faltered as the subtle pull in his stomach suddenly became taut. He gasped, feet frozen in place as a cold tingle ran up his spine, culminating into this unmistakable…presence…in the back of his mind. It was unnerving, alien the only word Lance could think to describe it.

“Uh, Lance, you okay buddy?”

It was strange, like something deep inside him was telling him to wait, watch, and Lance turned to the mirrored image beside him, nothing but his own reflection looking back at him.

These mirrors were windows, he knew, but he couldn’t shake off the feeling that something, someone, was behind that door.

“Lance!”

Lance was suddenly dragged back into reality via a firm shake of his shoulders from Hunk. The awareness of his surroundings came back to him as the other cadets passed by them with a few curious glances. He let out a shaky breath as he patted Hunks bicep in assurance.

“Sorry man, I’m fine, just zoned off a bit there.”

“You sure?” Hunk crooked an eyebrow, before ushering him back down the hallway. “Did you forget your meds? We can head back if you need to.”

“Naw, man. I’m good, promise.” Lance patted his roommate on the shoulder, before trotting ahead. “Come on, let’s go! We gotta get there before all the chocolate chip pancakes are gone. You don’t want to be left with blueberry do you?”

Hunk eyed him with concern, but shook it off, following behind as Lance booked it towards the mess hall.

Lance shook it off. The ache in his stomach had died back down to a gentle flutter, likely just nerves like Hunk said. But as he walked further down the hall, he couldn’t quite shake off the memory of looking at himself in that mirror. The more he tried, the more it brought along the suspicion that something strange, something big, was going to happen.

Only what it was, he didn’t know.

By the time Krolia stepped into the shack, the sun had managed to peek over the dry dusty horizon. She felt numb, her hands clenched tightly into fists in an effort to focus on her task. She concentrated on the next step, on what she could do to prepare for Sendak’s arrival while Keith focused on his part of the mission.

The mission. When did coming home become a mission again?

It seemed there would never be a time without a mission, not while the Empire still existed. As much as protecting the Blue Lion was a part of that however, she wouldn’t forget that her main mission, was Keith. Her son hadn’t given her much of a choice as to his part in it earlier that morning, but as much as it pained her to let him go, the look on his face had told her that this wasn’t something she could fight. If she hadn’t, he would undoubtedly resent her for it, which in turn would affect the very foundation of their fragile relationship.

She was sure he could take care of himself, as he had apparently been doing so for a very long time. But the Galaxy Garrison was still the same Garrison she had evaded for all those years, and just because Keith had slid past their radar so far, didn’t mean they wouldn’t catch up to their mistakes.

Despite the fact that the two of them had been in the shack merely hours before, the emptiness of the room was jarring. There was a small part of her that didn’t feel..worthy enough, to touch.

“I suppose we could make this into a playroom or somethin’.” Harrison stood with his hands on his hips in the center of the shack, surrounded by clunky human electronics, dusty books and broken hoverbike parts.

“Do you seriously consider this to be a sufficient place? You’ve said you have no experience with kits but I didn’t think you lacked such common sense.” Krolia stood hesitantly by the door, eyeing the rest of the room while her hand rested on her growing stomach.

“Oh, don’t give me that look!” The corner of Harrison’s eyes crinkled with his teasing smile. “I may not be as advanced as you but I ain’t that dumb. I’d clean it up real nice, put a fresh coat of paint on these walls. Maybe even fix that damn door.” Harrison walked around the room, the far off look in his eyes telling her he could see exactly what the little structure would look like. “It’ll be perfect.”

Krolia let out a shaky breath, caught off guard by the sudden memory. She clutched the collar of her red flannel to her chest as if it was the only thing keeping her grounded. Her vision blurred as the sight of the empty shack replaced the one of her smiling mate, his scent and rumbling laughter no longer remaining after so many years had passed.

For the first time in a long time, she let her tears fall freely, as she fell to her knees on the warped wooden floor. She wasn’t on a base, other Blades passing through the dark halls, nor was she on a mission, where every moment you had to be on guard lest you ruin decades of progress.

She was home. The only place in the universe where the rest of the universe didn’t matter. Though part of it was missing, both the structure and the life it housed, it was still standing.

So Krolia wept, let herself mourn over the warm embraces and the hearty laughter, the stubborn squabbles and the comforting nights.

The missed first steps and the lost memories.

Nothing she would ever let be taken from her again.

Chapter Text

Keith holds his breath as the stomping of boots echo on the other side of the door, fading as his pursuers continue down the hallway. Once the sounds are far enough away, Keith lets out a breath of relief. This specific supply closet was placed just far enough into the security camera’s blind spot that he should have been able to slip in unnoticed. With the number of times Keith had hidden in here successfully, he doubted they had any idea about it.

“What are you doing here?”

Keith just barely managed to restrain his yelp as he jumped, feet automatically planting in a defensive stance as he spun to see a pair of round glasses reflecting the glow of a computer screen. At second glance, he saw the person behind the glasses, glaring at his intrusion on their apparent workspace.

“WHO—who are you?” Keith said in a harsh whisper, glancing toward the door as he debated bolting again. He narrowed his eyes. “How do you know about this place?”

“Uh,” They adjusted their glasses, lifting an eyebrow as if the answer was obvious, “camera blind spot? I’m assuming it’s why you are currently using it to hide from the guards running after you.”

Keith opened his mouth then closed it again, not sure how to answer that, or why this person was so calm being in a confined space with a cuffed fugitive.

“I’m Pidge.” They said. “Have a seat.” They gestured to the space on the floor in front of them. Not sure what else to do, Keith slid slowly to the floor, cross legged with his cuffed hands in his lap.

“Need some help with that?” Pidge grabbed something from their side pocket and pointed to his cuffs. Keith remained frozen while she leaned forward and unlocked the metal restraints, the rest of her face becoming illuminated by the light from her laptop screen.

Keith’s eyes widened. “You’re...you’re Matt’s sister, Katie, right?”

Pidge stiffened, before resuming her task and clicking the cuffs free from his hands. Keith took a breath of relief ad began kneading at the reddened skin beneath the edge of his gloves.

“Yup. Pronouns she/they, but he/him in front of the suits.” She said, putting the key back in her pocket and going back to whatever it is she was doing on her laptop. “Congratulations, you’re smarter than 100% of the people in this god forsaken place.”

Keith stared curiously at the cuffs on the floor. “How’d you get a key?”

“The Galaxy Garrison isn’t above cuffing fourteen year olds either, especially those who are caught snooping in the commander’s office.”

An awkward silence passed as Keith took in her words, before weighing the situation and deciding what to do next. Pidge had the closest connection to the Kerberos mission besides him, and if her apparent workspace in one of his secret hiding spots was anything to go by, she was looking for answers too.

“I’m Keith, Shiro’s—“ Keith paused, surprised by his own instinct to say ‘brother’, but unsure how else to describe it.

“Yeah, I know.” Pidge swiveled the screen of her laptop towards him, which displayed his Garrison file, every piece of information they had collected of him over the years, including the disciplinary counts. “You’ve got quite the record here haven’t you?”

Keith leaned forward, staring at the laptop which was currently logged into one of the secure Garrison databases. “How—“

“These dodo’s have no idea how to modulate their own backdoors.” She muttered, pulling up the security cameras from around the vicinity, including the one to his detention room. Iverson was currently standing in the middle of the room, shouting at one of the officers at the scene who was holding an ice pack to his head. One guard was being led out by medical staff while the other was still unconscious on the floor. “To be honest I’m impressed by the raw teenage rebellion, but what I want to know is why they arrested you in the first place?”

“Why do you want to know?” He asked, though rather than any sort of accusation, it was a genuine curiosity.

“I think you know the answer to that already.”

Keith looked back at the screen, his brows furrowing as he chose his words wisely. “They were scouting the desert, down in the canyons near the edge of my property.” He glanced up at Pidge. “It sounded like they were looking for something, I wanted to know what.”

“So, what, you got yourself arrested?”

“What?”

“Keith, you just evaded five armored guards in a highly secure facility. You don’t get arrested unless you want to.”

Keith huffed. “Fine, I did it on purpose. I just, I had to know why they were there, what they were searching for.”

“You think it has something to do with Kerberos, don’t you?”

Keith huffed, and nodded. Maybe he knew a little more than he let on but if his hunch on what Pidge was up to was correct, she was looking for answers just like he was. A father and a brother, god, it was hard enough without losing them both at the same time.

He only wished he could give her some sort of hope, but unlike Shiro, they had no way of knowing what the Galra Empire had done to them.

If they were even still alive.

He looked up suddenly, realizing Pidge had been talking to him.

“What?”

“I said, we should team up, find out what’s going on and reveal Kerberos for what it is. I’ve clearly got the brains and you’ve got the brawn.” Keith raised an eyebrow and Pidge rolled her eyes. “Not that you don’t have brains. But, the Garrison want you even more than they want me. I don’t know why, but if you don’t know something already, with me you have the best chance at finding out what happened to Shiro, and me what happened to my dad and brother.” She gave him a pleading look, and at that moment he saw his own desperation in her eyes and realized just how young she was. She stuck her hand out. “What say you?”

Keith paused for a moment. Almost everything he knew was dependent upon Krolia, and pulling in another person to their operation was dangerous, risky. He’d have to somehow reveal the existence of aliens while hiding the fact that his mother was one, he was one. But if the past few hours was any indication, he couldn’t do this without help, and she deserved to know what happened to her family.

And if the Galra were coming, the world would know soon enough.

“Yeah.” He said, grasping her hand in a firm shake. “I’m in.”

“Cool.” She said, turning her laptop and continuing to type furiously into it. “I just have one question, and our continued partnership is completely dependent upon your answer.”

Keith furrowed his brows in confusion. “What is it?”

She looked up at him sternly and adjusted her glasses as they gleamed in the dim light.

“Are you a believer or a non-believer?”

Chapter Text

"Come on, the coast is clear."

Keith peeked out the supply closet door as Pidge ushered him forward down the hall. Along with cracking into the security camera feed she had also been able to set a temporary loop just long enough for them to high tail it back to her room without being seen.

"Which way?"

"I'm in the south dorms, second floor." She said as she pulled him along. They stopped and hid behind a corner as a pair of junior officers passed them, before continuing on. They took a few shortcuts, one of which Keith was fairly impressed to learn he had never been through, before reaching the safety of Pidge's room. After making sure no one followed, he shut the door behind them to see her typing on her laptop, likely reactivating the live security camera signals.

Keith took a glance around the room. It was one of the single dorms, barely more than eight feed wide and twelve feet long with only a single bed, the mirror image of the last one he had been assigned. "Huh, aren't those for senior cadets?" He couldn't help but ask, before belatedly noticing the two golden strips on her shoulders. "Oh...wait, aren't you like...how old are you?"

She raised an eyebrow and Keith immediately regretted asking. "I'm fourteen, but when you create your own cadet profile like I did, age can be adjusted." She sat herself at on the bed, gesturing for him to sit at the desk chair across from her. "When you've got scores like mine, they don't question a lot of things." She looked up with a glint in her eye. "I have a feeling you know exactly what I mean."

Keith sat himself in the chair backwards, resting his arms on the wooden back. He shrugged, his attention fixed on a scuff on the floor. "Something like that."

Pidge looked at him for a moment, the clicking sound of keys slowly dwindling.

"Hey...you okay?"

Keith looked up to see careful concern written on Pidge face. He averted his eyes, straightening himself on the seat.

"Sorry, yeah...it's just, been a crazy 24 hours for me."

"Yeah, no kidding." Pidge looked at him for a moment more, before thankfully deciding to let him be. She set her laptop beside her for a moment, turning to rustle through her drawers. "Are you hungry? I doubt those morons gave you breakfast like decent human beings."

He was about to protest before his stomach betrayed him with a growl. Before he could answer he was pelted with a granola bar.

"Thanks."

"No problem." She sat herself back on her bed cross legged, chin resting on her palm. "So, what data do you have?"

"What?"

"Data, evidence." Pidge gestured with her hands. "We're gonna need solid proof if we're gonna convince anyone important that there's intelligent life outside our planet."

"Wait, I thought you already found evidence?" He furrowed his brows.

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Of course I did. I want to know what you found. No one goes berzerk on a superior officer like that without knowing something good." She sat back with an impressed smirk.

"I...I don't know I just," Keith took a deep breath. "What they said about Shiro, when they labeled it 'pilot error,' I just knew they were lying. Shiro doesn't mess up like that, not in a way that would have been at the cost of his entire crew." Keith knew Shiro wouldn't have accepted the mission if there was the slightest chance his disease would endanger Sam and Matt, not to mention the mission itself, not matter how badly he wanted to fly into the stars. "They blamed it on his disease Pidge, despite all the testing, all the rigorous training he had to go through to prove he was fit enough to pilot the mission in the first place. It was the easy way out, it reeked of cover-up, especially when they refused to release the final transmissions."

He ran a hand through his hair, remembering the complete lack of answers they'd even given Adam, the defeated look on his face as he exited the commander's office while Keith had been forced to wait in the hallway.

"I knew-I know he's still alive, it's just," Keith chose his words carefully, thinking back to how he felt before Krolia illuminated the truth to him. "a feeling."

"Soooo...you punched Iverson in the face, because of a feeling?"

Keith's face shifted into a scowl, though it looked more like a pout.

"Hey, not judging." Pidge lifted her hands. "If anything I'm just more impressed. But from what I gather, you've got nothing, right?"

I have everything. Keith thought. But he couldn't risk what he knew just yet. He had a time limit. The sooner he could unite the Blue Lion and it's pilot, the better the chance they would have to avoid (or in the worst case fight) the oncoming threat. If Pidge had solid proof, their chances would skyrocket.

He'd recently decided kidnapping would be put on the back burner until absolutely necessary.

"What did you find?"

Pidge scrambled off her bed and crawled underneath it, pulling out a series of various computers and processors that were connected haphazardly to a folded satellite dish and antennae. She slipped out a memory chip from one of the ports and inserted it into her laptop. "I found the real deal."

Keith sat beside her on the bed as she handed him an ear bud. The moment she pressed play, Keith's breath was knocked out of his lungs.

The Kerbero's final transmission.

The sound of Shiro's voice caught him off guard, the musings of Pidge's father and brother melting into the background. He met Pidge's stare, her own eyes welling with emotion as she gave him a knowing look. He forced his eyes away, focusing on the sounds of ice, the hissing of machinery and the scientific chatter of the crew while they went about their business.

And then the tone shifted.

Concerned voices morphed into frantic shouts, until it was drowned out completely by what sounded like a roaring avalanche, and a high pitched whine that made him flinch. It went on for a few minutes, Keith frozen, unsure if he should continue listening before it suddenly became quiet. He glanced at Pidge, thinking that was the end before she brought a finger to her lips. Suddenly, he heard voices in the background, chilling and graveled, neither of which belonged to the crew.

"Relay to Commander Sendak the life forms have been obtained. Check for communication devices."

"Yes, Leiutenant. Vrepit Sa."

And then static.

Keith tried to contain the churning feeling in his gut as he slowly removed the earpiece. Pidge collected them carefully, while his gaze was far off and his hands were shaking.

"Keith, you okay?"

He jumped up as the wave of nausea came over him and bolted into the bathroom, promptly throwing up the little contents of his stomach into the toilet.

Pidge hurried into the doorway, bending down beside him hesitantly.

Keith pulled back, his eyes glazed over as he stared down at his palms, flexing them underneath the leather of his gloves as if they held the answer to all his questions.

That was the Galra. The people whose blood ran through his veins.

"Hey, Keith." Pidge hesitantly tried to get his attention. "It's okay, the first time I heard it...let's just say my reaction wasn't any better." She set a palm on his back, and Keith startled at the contact. She pulled her hand away.

"Sorry." Keith mumbled.

"It's okay." Pidge said, kneeling beside him. "I know it was hard but, do you know what this means? It means we have proof! Not just proof of the existence of aliens but proof that those numbnuts running this place are covering it all up!" She said. "And that's not the least of it. I've got other recordings, chatter I've managed to pick up from deep space. I've got readings too, signals from both my device and the Garrison satelite that record strange activity entering and exiting the atmosphere. We can take, them, down, Keith, figure out what happened-"

"Wait what did you say?" Keith's eyes widened.

"I said we can take them-"

"No, before that. The Garrison satellite?"

"Yeah, they've flagged certain activity in the atmosphere that hasn't originated from earth."

"Fuck." Keith cursed. "Show me."

Pidge gave him a strange look before running to get her laptop. When she sat down beside him again she pulled up the readings she had apparently been monitoring actively. "Here." She said, pointing to the numbers highlighted red on the screen. "They started running this program about twenty years ago, originally designed to monitor asteroids, flight traffic and spacecraft deployment. I should know, it was one of the first major projects my dad worked on." She scrolled up to that point in the data. "They managed to pick up something, but the trajectory didn't match an asteroid, almost like a downed spacecraft, but they had no record of one in service at that time. They must have found something, enough to start actively searching for similar instances and flagging them for confidential record keeping."

Every word Pidge said only set Keith more on edge. "Have they found anything else?"

"Yeah, there's a few instances within the next two or so years, but then nothing for over a decade...oh shit."

Keith leaned forward to see where she'd stopped scrolling, besides the latest set of data was a set of numbers marked in red.

Two days ago.

"Fuck, fuck fuck fuck..." Keith got up and started pacing the floor, before freezing and turning around. "Pidge, can you delete that data?"

"What?" She asked, looking at him like he was insane. "Keith this is scientific gold-"

"No, not yours. Can you delete the Garrison's records? Keep the real data for yourself."

"Well, yeah, easy." She tilted her head. "Can I ask why?"

Keith bit his lip, the emotions swirling inside his head not giving him enough room to parse out an explanation. The shock of the recordings, Shiro's voice and thoughts of where he is now, the sudden spike of fear for Krolia, all alone in his shack in the middle of the desert. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again as his grasp of the English language failed him.

Pidge sat there, staring at him for a moment too long, before she suddenly gasped and shot to her feet.

"YOU'RE HARBORING AN ALIEN!" She exclaimed with point of her finger.

"WHAT!" Keith jumped back. His stomach dropped as he stared in terror at the wild grin of the cadet in front of him.

"Yes! Yes you are! That explains it!" She jumped up and down in her excitement like a young child on Christmas morning. "It's why the Garrison was scouting your property wasn't it! Holy crap, your property is the only hint of civilization for miles from the crash site, the alien would have no choice but to go to you for help! Oh my god, are they injured? It's why you took on the scouts, isn't it? You fucking found an alien!"

Keith was frozen in place, overwhelmed by Pidge's high pitched tirade and not really able to process what to do next. There was no denying it at this point, he'd completely and utterly failed at that.

He let out a shakey breath as he ran his hands over his face and sunk to the floor. He mumbled something in his hands.

"What?" Pidge approached him and crouched down, mildly concerned she may have broken the boy.

He let out a breath, lifting his face from his hands and meeting her gaze. "She...She didn't crash this time."

Chapter Text

Keith paced back and forth in the small dorm room, his nerves out of whack and his eyes slightly bloodshot from the lack of sleep. Pidge had to leave for class, any further action for their plan delayed as it was necessary for her to maintain her schedule to avoid any suspicion placed on her. While Keith had managed to escape the officers pursuing them, it seemed the higher ups didn't feel it was necessary to broadcast their failure by informing any of the cadets of his escape, as no announcement had been made over the compound intercom. Pidge however, was currently monitoring their search via her phone in class and had promised to return to her room as soon as she was able to, or if their search came a little to close to him.

It helped that she was enjoying submitting false reports to throw them off their tail.

Nonetheless, Keith couldn't help but be impatient. He needed to contact Krolia, let her know he was safe at the moment, something Pidge promised was possible but with the way she refused to let him touch her equipment without her, he didn't want to try just yet, even if it made him antsy. It was a strange feeling, knowing there was someone else that was concerned for his well being, or so he assumed. Whether she was worried or not, Keith couldn't get the last glimpse of her face out of his head, and it didn't help the tug he felt in his own chest, not from the Blue Lion. His hand gravitated toward the blade at his hip.

It was weird, different than it was with Shiro. Not so...brotherly, and he didn't know how to explain it.

He shook it off, continuing to pace the room. He hated waiting and not being able to act. Part of him sneak out of that door and see for his own eyes what Iverson, and apparently Admiral Sanda's, next play was, but he'd already gone ahead of one of his group already. He looked at the clock, and let out a grumble and flopped onto the bed.

*Knock Knock*

Keith jumped up at the sound, his feet planted and hands at the ready. A few seconds passed before it happened again, a light but impatient knock, not the sound of a guard about to beat down the door.

"Hey, yo Pidge! It's Lance" The voice sent a cool shiver down his spine, almost like he could feel the Blue Lion nudging him forward.

Lance, that was his name. No way, it couldn't be this easy, could it?

"Piiiidge...my man, you in there? I have like three problems I need help with and my class starts in like an hour..."

Keith was frozen to his spot, his heart thumping in his chest. He heard a frustrated huff and before he knew it he swung the door open.

"Oh hey-AACK!" The cadet's eyes widened as Keith grabbed him by the collar and dragged him through the doorway, slamming the door and locking it with a *click*.

"Whoa!" The boy held his hands up as Keith held him against the wall. "Hey man, I'm not looking for trou...KEITH?!" The cadet's brows shot to the ceiling, his voice shrill in astonishment.

"Shush! Or are you trying to get us arrested?"

"Whoa man, I don't know what's happening here but what the hell?." Lance whisper screamed. "I'd greatly appreciate it if you took the hands off the goods."

Keith eyed him discerningly, before taking a deep breath and releasing the other boy's collar from his fist.

Lance's shoulders sagged as he looked down at his wrinkled uniform. "Aw come on , I just ironed it this morning." He grumbled, attempting in vain to smooth the fabric. "Don't you know how important it is to look pressed for the ladies?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "No. I don't."

Lance rolled his eyes in a way reminiscent of a six year old sticking their tongue out at you. "Well, Mullet, it's not like that's a surprise. What are you doing here anyway? Isn't this Pidge's room? I thought you got booted out? Listen, If you expect me to just drop all the hard work I've been hauling my ass for just so you can have your spot back-"

"Hey, slowdown." Keith lifted his hands in surrender. "I'm not here to take anything from you. I just want to know how you found me."

"I wasn't looking for you if that's what you meant. I was looking for Pidge." Lance eyed him skeptically. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Actually, I uh..." Keith cursed mentally, as much as he'd thought about what he was going to say, his general way with words was essentially nonexistent. "I was looking for you."

"Me?" Lance straightened, a curious but less defensive look in his eye. "You snuck back into the Garrison, because I know there's no way Iverson would let you even step foot in this place without busting a blood vessel...to look for me?"

"Uh, yeah?" Keith could feel the suspicion rolling off the cadet, he had to fix this fast, though he wasn't sure how. Before Lance could ask why however, Keith stiffened as he heard footsteps outside and pressed his ear to the door to listen, only exhaling when they diminished down the hall moments later.

"Uh,dude, you're freaking me out a bit."

Keith sighed, running a hand through his hair before seating himself on Pidge's bed, avoiding eye contact. "Sorry, I just, I was listening for the guards. That's why I'm in here, Pidge helped me hide."

"Holy crap, the alarms earlier! That was you?" Lance's face instantly brightened like he was...impressed?

Keith nodded, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "Uh, do you remember this morning, when you passed by the detention rooms?"

Lance's brow quirked in confusion, before his eyes widened. Keith could tell he knew exactly what he was talking about.

Lance took a hesitant step back. "Yeah? What about it?"

"I saw you through the window. I was under arrest and waiting there for hours, but then you stopped and...looked straight at me."

The other cadet shifted uncomfortably. "So?"

Keith huffed. "So? You feel it too right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about man." Lance bristled. "Listen, I don't know what kind of trouble you've gotten yourself into but don't go dragging me into...whatever is happening here." Lance turned and stomped toward the door. "Unlike you I've worked my ass off to get here and I'm not going to let my rival sabotage me just cause he's jealous-"

"Wait!" Keith grabbed Lance by the arm and tugged him back. Lance shot him an icy glare and Keith half thought he might sock him, but his face shifted once he noticed the seriousness of Keith's gaze.

"It's like ice right?" Keith whispered.

Lance avoided his eyes, but Keith knew he understood when his shoulders relaxed.

"Like a tug, this pull in your gut and this presence at the back of your mind." Keith held on, afraid the other boy would bolt. "Like there's something more out there for you, like it's telling you you're meant for something greater than what's here."

They stood there in tense silence, neither brave enough to speak another word. Keith probably sounded crazy, but he wasn't about to let this chance go to waste, he doubted he would have one again. He let Lance's wrist go.

Rather than walk away however, Lance let his arm fall to his side.

"Like water." He muttered. Lance nodded, finally looking up to meet his eyes.

"What is it?"

Keith huffed. "I can't tell you yet. We have to wait for Pidge and...I know where it's coming from though, I can bring you to it."

"Great, of course you have to be all emo and mysterious." Lance threw up his hands and sat himself on the other side of Pidge's bed. He leaned forward to hold his head in his hands. "I thought I was going crazy." He muttered.

"Heh, yeah. Me too." Keith said, sitting beside him on the bed. "Except I was in the middle of the desert all on my own, so...that didn't help me feel any better."

Lance's head shot up. "Dude, that's where you've been all this time?"

Keith glared. "What about it?"

Lance lifted his hands up in surrender. "Hey, not judging, to each their own I guess." He chuckled to himself. "I told Hunk it wasn't last night's meatloaf."

"Who?"

"Oh, Hunk, big brown guy, orange headband?" When Keith's brows just furrowed more, Lance sighed. "Dude, he's been in the same year as us since like, forever."

"Uh, sorry. I'm not good with names...or faces."

Lance leaned back with his arms behind his head. "That's alright. When you've got a rivalry like ours it's not like you focus on much else."

Keith's nose wrinkled in confusion. "Like......what?"

Before Lance could open his mouth however, both boys jumped the door to the room burst open and then slammed shut.

"Alright partner! Let's contact some extra-terrest..." Pidge trailed off as she noticed the third body in the room. "Uhhh...heeeey,Lance..."

...

"I'm sorry, what?"