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He hated the mission before it began. They’d touched down on planet Ikarim, a planet that long since been claimed by the Galra. It became clear immediately why.
The people were psychic.
Lance hated psychics. Anyone with the ability to predict the future, move things with their minds, it wasn’t right.
Still, they answered the call. Now, they were locked in a fierce battle against Galran’s who’d been present on this planet for thousands of years now.
“Red Paladin,” Lance startled, disrupted from his vantage point. He’d been alone only moments ago. An Ikaru watched him, young and nervous. They looked at Lance with a sense of awe.
Lance turned back to the task at hand. Protecting his team and the aliens of the planet. He could do that. He watched Keith take on four Galrans and decided to shoot two of them.
For bragging rights, obviously.
“Red Paladin,” the voice repeated, sounding more concerned.
Lance’s jaw clenched, firing at another Galran soldier. “If you want Keith, he’s down there.”
The alien followed his hand to the paladin in red. They shook their head, jutting a finger at Lance’s chest, long and uncomfortable. It was clawed, sharp and dangerous. “Red Paladin.”
Lance looked to the battle, trying to ignore the alien once more. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be psychic? I’m the Blue Paladin.”
The alien stomped their boot. “It is your destiny to save this planet, Red Paladin. It is my destiny to show you the path.”
Annoyance flashed across his face, but he sighed. He glanced back to Keith, who was definitely handling his own. “What about him?”
The Ikaru had no sympathy. Patience dwindling, they began to tug on Lance’s arm. He stumbled, moving to follow. This alien was surprisingly strong. “Your Black Paladin lover is fine. Come.”
Lance hated psychics.
He followed, winding through tunnels that cut through the mountain. He paused at a door, but the Ikaru merely pushed it open.
With their mind, of course. Because they were psychic.
Lance went to take a step, assuming his new companion would follow, but they didn’t. “You’re not coming?”
“It is not my destiny that awaits, Red Paladin.”
Lance felt the door slam shut. He took a deep breath, then evaluated the room. He was inside the cockpit of an ancient Galran command centre. He could see screens that showed the battle below in frightening detail. His eyes scanned the control panel, wondering if there was something he could use.
Soldiers began to flood the room and Lance ducked behind the table.
The commander grit her teeth, fist coming down on a hard surface. Lance could see her, barely, concealed as he was. “Find him. We cannot let those Ikaru’s prophecy come to pass.”
Something uncomfortable passed over the Galran’s. “They always do.”
“Not this time. Find him. Bring him to me.”
Lance rolled his shoulders. Bayard at the ready, he slipped from the room. It was so easy to incapacitate the soldiers. They hadn’t even known he was there.
He slunk back to the control room, spotting the commander with her back turned. Her fingers were running over the control panel, almost furious.
Lance’s blood boiled when he saw what her aim was.
Keith.
His gun formed before Lance could even think, hitting the control panel with a flurry of sparks. It blew up, knocking the commander back several paces. She snarled, regaining her balance and whirling on Lance.
“Blue Paladin, I assume.”
Lance gave a short, amused laugh. “Least you know the correct colour.”
The commander sneered. “The one dressed in blue, for he shall become the Red Paladin, will be your undoing.” She snarled, lips peeling back to reveal sharp teeth. Lance much preferred them on Keith. “I won’t let that happen.”
Lance shrugged, raising his weapon almost lazily. “I’d really like to see you try.”
It was a swift, painful battle. Lance was a long distance fighter. He managed to slow the commander down, but she was still able to find a solid, firm hit to puncture his ribs.
She was down before she could try again.
Lance checked his side, breath wheezing slightly. Broken rib hadn’t punctured his lung yet. That was good. He turned back to the task at hand, looking over the controls.
Self-destruct looked like a fabulous option. In his experience, destroy the mother ship, destroy the drones and sentries. All that remained would be the soldiers, easy enough to take out.
Lance grinned.
He fled, running back through the tunnels and out into the open. He was clear only a second before the mountain blew up, sending debris flying towards him.
Lance rolled his shoulders, kept a hand against his ribs, and kept moving. He found his team amongst a sea of downed sentries and smiled. He found Keith, standing tall and proud, concern overtaking it all the second he saw Lance.
“Do I want to know?” he asked, looping an arm around Lance’s shoulders to reduce weight.
Lance leant up, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. “I’m the winner this time, babe.”