Taking A Chance

Another Blade Mission

Kolivan followed Shiro from the hanger.
‘You were cryptic in your message earlier,’ Shiro said.
He had been in the control room when Kolivan contacted them requesting an urgent meeting with them, but he refused to say what the meeting was for even though he had used secure channel.
‘I need to speak with Keith, as well as the rest of the paladins,’ Kolivan said, as he stifted the bag on his shoulder to a more comfortable position.
‘Keith will meet us in the control room as soon as he can,’ Shiro said.
He had sent Adam up to fetch Keith and Lance, hoping he wasn't walking in on anything. This was a time for them to spend together and he felt a stab of annoyance their moment was about to be ruined.
He and Adam had been beyond thrilled that Keith had said yes, especially when there had been a moment of doubt when Keith froze up. They thought his fear of commitment would crush him and he would run from Lance. When the word 'yes' come out of his, Shiro had been overjoyed.
They entered the control room to find Pidge and think had joined them, and Adam followed them in.
‘They're on their way,’ Adam said.
Kolivan looked impatient as he waited, and he glared at Molly in Adam's arms.
Five minutes later Keith and Lance entered the control room.
‘I spoke to Krolia,’ said Kolivan. ‘Is it true you're leaving the Blade?'
The others in the room looked shocked.
‘Yes,’ Keith said.
‘You are making a mistake,' said Kolivan. ‘You are good at what you do, and we don't want to lose you.'
‘I've already made my decision,’ said Keith, ‘and you coming here isn’t going to change my mind.’
‘Your mother...' began Kolivan.
‘Don't call her that,’ Keith snapped.
Kolivan's eyes narrowed. ‘She made a mistake saying what she did, it was uncalled for. We need you to stay in the Blade.’
‘No,’ said Keith. ‘We're heading back to Earth, and all going well, we'll be staying there, and the Blade won't be part of my life any more.’
‘We shall see,' said Kolivan. ‘For now, we need you, Shiro and the one they call Sharpshooter for a mission.’
‘No way, they are not going on a mission,’ Keith said, quickly.
‘There is a base located on a planet not far from here,’ said Kolivan, 'and our intelligence says they have details of the attack there, as well as the location of the teledove they will used to get their fleet to Earth.’
‘You have other people to get the information, why do you need us?’ asked Shiro.
‘We need Keith's skills to access the information,’ Kolivan said.
Shiro frowned. ‘Which is what?'
‘The information we need will be encrypted with high security system,’ Kolivan said.
‘Then we would need, Pidge,‘ Shiro said.
Kolivan laughed. ‘The green paradins skills are excellent, and are talked about by many, but while with us, Keith has become an expert hacker, who reads Galran, and can activate all Galran system he touches.’
They all stared at Keith. ‘What? I got bored when we weren't on missions,’ he said.
‘I'd hate to know what you could do if your put your mind to something,’ Coran muttered.
‘The three of you together would make a formidable team,’ said Kolivan. ‘The base is heavily guarded and all your skill will be needed to pull this off, and with green lion having cloak, you can get in close to the building.‘
Keith shook his head. ‘No, they aren't going on a mission.’
‘You can't do it alone,’ said Kolivan, 'and the others are all on missions of their own.’ From the bag at his feet Kolivan removed two Blade uniforms and handed one to Shiro and one to Lance. Keith looked furious as the two men took them.
Keith wanted to rip the uniforms from their hands and throw them back at Kolivan, only he didn't. The information they were going to get was important. He'd been to these types of bases before and there was no way he could do it alone, and he knew if they were to save Earth, the information would be vital.
‘Kolivan, how do they expect to power the teledove?’ asked Allura. ‘Only an Alteran of royal blood can generate a wormhole.’
‘Because they have such a person,’ said Kolivan, ‘your father.'
‘What? No, that's not possible,' tears shimmered in her eyes.
‘Like yourselves, King Alfor was put into a cryo-pod and has only recently been awoken,’ said Kolivan. ‘We are going to attempt to free him once we have the location of the teledove.’ He held out a datapad to Keith. ‘This has the bases location.’
Keith took the datapad knowing he'd been backed into an corner.
Five hours later, they were on their way to the base in green lion.