A Sacrifice for Understanding

Chapter 7

Lance knocked on the door of his family's home in Cuba, his heart pounding. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from inside, and moments later, the door swung open. His mother stood there, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief as she stared at her son.

Without a word, she pulled him into a tight embrace, her arms trembling with emotion. Behind her, his father and siblings quickly gathered, their expressions ranging from astonished to overjoyed. His mother, eyes brimming with tears, cried out, "Lance! I thought I might never see your face again!"

"Lance..."

The word lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning.

Ever since Shiro had been found and the Castle of Lions destroyed, Lance's departure had been eating away at Keith, lingering in his mind more than ever. The Red Lion remained silent and still on the barren moon they had been stranded on for days, a silent testament to the weight of the situation.

Shiro, now recovered from his soul transfer into the clone, sat beside Keith at the foot of the Red Lion, his presence steady but somber. "You ready?" he asked quietly, breaking the heavy silence.

Keith glanced at him, confused. "Ready for what?"

Shiro let out a soft sigh, his eyes distant. "We're going home."

"How are the children? Are they asleep?"

Lance's voice was steady, but a faint hint of exhaustion lingered as he nodded. "Took a while. The Galra invasion really took a toll on some of them." His gaze shifted to the older members of the group. "How's the recovery going for the senior citizens?"

"They're struggling. The shock of everything... it's a lot for them."

Just then, Lance felt a shift in the air, a familiar presence—Blue and Red Lions entering the solar system. He glanced at Veronica, a sense of tension creeping into his chest. "Looks like we're about to get some help."

Veronica turned to him, her face showing confusion before realization dawned. "They're here?" she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.

Lance nodded, but instead of the relief he expected, a deep concern gnawed at him. He feared that the Paladins' arrival, while a sign of hope, would only bring more danger to the people he had been working so hard to protect.

The paladins received the message loud and clear: they couldn't approach Earth with their Lions. With no other choice, they commandeered a Galra ship, the cramped space only adding to the tension. It wasn't ideal, but it was their best option.

Their journey, however, didn't go as planned. The ship crash-landed, and they had no choice but to make their way into a nearby city. As they entered, they were met by the unmistakable hum of Galra drones patrolling the area. Instinctively, the paladins moved to take the drones out, but a woman's voice called out, stopping them in their tracks.

"I suggest you let us handle them," she said, her voice firm and authoritative. "These drones will only alert the Galra to your presence. Our weapons will neutralize them without causing a scene."