Children Of Lotor

Six

"Ash? What do you mean especially Ash?" Keith's eyes began to glow yellow as his anger bubbled up. Lance wrapped an arm around him to remind him to calm down. Keith looked at him and breathed in deeply, exhaling loudly. His eyes reverting back to a violet shade. "What does he want with my son?" Keith asked, this time in a more gentle tone. Shiro had gotten up from his seat and began making his way over to the middle control panel. Tapping on a few buttons, a large hologram appeared in front of them.

"This..." Shiro pointed to the hologram map. Different planets spread across. Some highlighted and others crossed out. "This is what we believe Lotor is after. All the planets that are crossed out have been abducted by Galran fleets. The ones highlighted are safe and have formed alliances with Voltron."

"So, what does this have to do with my children?" Keith scanned across the map, then back at Shiro. His eyebrows narrowing.

"We've been receiving a lot of reports about high levels of quintessence. All these planets you see here reported such thing."

"What Shiro is saying is that Lotor is gaining as much quintessence as possible, so sooner or later he can unleash a full blown attack." Lance chipped in. Shiro nodded in agreement.

"The route he is taking is leading him straight to us." Shiro pinched a certain area on the map and had it zoom in. "I wouldn't be surprised if he gets here in four quintants."

"Just four?!" Keith's eyes widened. "When were you going to report this to the rest of us? We need to start preparing! By Voltron, this is not enough time!"  Lance squeezed Keith's shoulder, drawing him in closer to himself. Isabela began to fuss, kicking off the blanket that was wrapped around her. Lance took it and sighed, rubbing the little girl's forehead with one finger.

"Let's get her back to bed. We'll talk about this later on." Shiro nodded towards Lance's request as he guided Keith out of the bay.

~
Allura stood with Coran and Shiro by her side. She examined the map Shiro had displayed out and nodded fiercely.

"Yes, this calls for total security." She unzoomed the map and looked up at her paladins. "Voltron, I'm afraid what Shiro and Lance discovered on their mission is true. We must be on high alert and strengthen our security. Be ready at any moment for Lotor to attack."

"Can't we just wormhole out of here?" Pidge called out from her chair. Shiro shook his head, stepping a little closer.

"It's already too late for that. Lotor has his eyes set on us as we speak."

"We really can't do anything, but fight back." Keith had his arms crossed over his chest. "I don't want that bastard to even get a glimpse of my children." He let out a low growl.

"Mom.." Everyone was cut off and shot their attention to behind the red paladin. Lilith stood in the doorway. Her raven hair a little messy from sleeping and her pointy ears twitched showing that she was nervous.

"Sweetheart, you're supposed to be asleep." Keith went over to her and brushed a few strands behind her ear. She looked up at him with the eyes she acquired from Lotor's genes.

"I can't sleep anymore." She looked past Keith at everyone else who was watching. "What's going on? I heard you say father's name." Lance gulped. Shiro looking at him with a worried stare.

"Listen Lilith, I know you know who that man is, but I don't want you calling him that." She nodded. "Everything is alright, we're just preparing that's all. Go back to bed and check on your brother. He gets worried when you wander off." Keith let her go, watching as she went around the corner to their rooms. He sighed and came back to his seat beside Lance once he was sure she had left.

"How long have they been knowing about him?" Shiro asked, making a little gesture with his head towards the door. Keith slumped back in his chair, looking up as if the answer would be floating right there.

"Lilith's been knowing since I conceived her brother. Ash knows little,but I'm pretty sure he's catching on. They've been more curious ever since Isabela was born."

"They see that she looks different from them." Lance stated. He had reached out his hand for Keith to hold.

"Yes, that does make sense. It's normal for them to be curious, but that curiosity could be dangerous."

"You're very right, Shiro." Allura pitched in. "So that's why we need to train more these couple of days and show Prince Raisin we cannot be beat!"

"Fuck yeah!" Pidge jumped up from her seat and pumped her fist in the air.

"Kate, watch your language." Matthew, her brother, scolded. He had been silent the whole time in his corner, looking amongst tablets of coordinates.

~
After pinpointing exactly where Lotor may strike next, everyone filed out of the room. Shiro stayed behind to examine some more. He hadn't noticed that Keith was watching him.

"Do you really think he wants Ash?" Keith came to Shiro's side, looking down at the panel he was working on. Shiro got startled a bit, looking slightly downward at Keith.

"Oh, Keith." Shiro zoomed out on the panel after jotting down one more thing. He let in a sharp breath after hearing Keith's question. "It's the most logical explanation as to why he's building up power against us." Keith sighed as well, crossing his arms. He looked down at the map, reading over some of the coordinates and other notes.

"He told me the second time I was abducted that he wanted an heir." Keith leaned his body against the counter, supporting himself with his hands. Shiro had closed the map and now paid attention to his comrade. "He wanted a male and that if he got a male he would train him to be the strongest Galra in his fleet. He would be a slave to his commands."

"It's like he's trying to do the same thing that Zarkon did to him. He wants to use Ash as a tool to overthrow the throne." Shiro huffed, bringing himself away from the middle panel. He began tracing his fingers over other control panels. The kingdom of the Ja'al was visible through the huge open window in the front of the castle ship. They would have to leave soon if they didn't want Lotor and his fleet raining havoc upon these people.
"Well, all I know is that Lotor is right about one thing." Keith looked at the black paladin with a confused expression. "Ash is the strongest Galra I know when it comes to natural strength and talent." Shiro gave a smile and a thumbs up towards Keith which caused him to smile as well.

"Yeah, Ash and Lilith both are getting stronger as the days go by. It only feels like yesterday they were little kids. One straddled in my arms while the other is glued to my leg." Keith looked down. A melancholy expression on his beautiful face. Shiro put an arm around him, pointing to the fine scenery in front of them. Blue trees swayed in the wind that was beginning to pick up along with small snow flurries. And the castle, an odd ice looking structure, stood in the far distance.

"Don't worry. They are tough kids. They'll be great warriors one day." Shiro reassured his friend. "Besides, you have a little one still. Can't believe she's already a year old, but I'm sure Lance wouldn't mind making another." A thud on the shoulder came soon after making Shiro laugh. A flustered Keith at his side.

Word count: 1298

WOOT WOOT