Green - Voltron Fanfiction - 1215

10

The next day, minutes before an opening would reveal itself again for us to either enter, or them to come out, Allura called out in warning that the red lion was moving. I was standing just behind her to the left, avoiding Pidge's discrete gazes.
"We gotta get down there!" Lance cried.
"It won't be ready for five more minutes." Hunk responded.
I narrowed my eyes. If it's moving but not coming towards us, what the hell is going on?
"The red lion has started attacking!" Coran announced, shocked.
"What does that mean?" Hunk asked, looking around, "Why would the red lion attack? Unless..."
"Allura?" Lance called gently, but she kept her eyes on the monitors ahead.
"Everyone stay focused."
My eyes widened in realization when I thought through what could possibly be happening, "The trials of Marmora." I said aloud.
"What did you just say?" Allura quickly asked.
"The trials of Marmora- they must be putting Keith through the trials of Marmora. A vigorous test all Blade soldiers go through. But why..." I shook my head, "Whatever reason they might have put him through it, he must be failing. He's in distress and that's why the red lion is reacting."
"What does it mean to fail the trials, exactly?"
"One who partakes has a constant opportunity to end the trails. One of the biggest parts of the test is knowing when to stop. If Keith is failing this bad, and the red lion is reacting like this, it means he's slowly killing himself by refusing to back down."
"You expect me to believe that in a base full of Galra, Keith is the only one hurting himself?"
"Yes." I replied quickly, and she pursed her lips and turned back to the front.
"Coran, how much longer until we can get in?"
"Just a few more tics princess."
"Get ready!"
"Please." I insisted, "You cannot attack the base!"
Allura ignored me, and I started to break a sweat. If she starts, I have to stop her. I have to protect them! I slowly took a step back, lowering my stance ever so slightly. I'll tackle her off the platform and throw everyone off balance, in the least bit, stalling them.
"Five. Four." Coran counted, everyone was on edge, "Three. Two... One!"
"Princess!" Shiro called in just as Coran finished the count down, "We're coming back. There's someone you should meet."
"They're alright!"
"Yes! They did it!"
I quickly fixed myself up straight, sighing a breath of relief. Finally.
Everyone got up and ran to the red lions hangar to meet Keith on the way in. I followed close behind, excited to see Kolivan, who no doubt was the one who'd come with them.
The lion landed smoothly, and out came Shiro and Keith first. Kolivan stepped out behind them, and greeted Allura with utmost respect. I blinked, watching him kneel to the ground and remove his hood. I'd never seen him act like this for anyone.
"It's good to see the rumors are true. You're still alive after all these years."
"So is Zarkon." She replied, "Can we consider you our ally in our fight against him?"
I lightly shook my head, glaring off at the far wall. Of course she'd never trust me after all these hours spent watching me. All the times I could have taken advantage of them, and instead helped them, and she still had to ask our leader if she could trust us.
And she still wouldn't trust us even if he said yes.
"Yes." He stood, "But we have little time to discuss this. I just received word from our spy inside the Galra hierarchy. They have become aware of our presence, so the timing for our plan has been moved up."
I stiffened. Thace is walking on ice now, alone.
"How soon do we need to begin?" Shiro asked.
"Now."

Before Kolivan could even begin to describe our plan to the paladins and the Princess, the group flooded Shiro and Keith with questions. He gave them a few minutes, as Shiro and Keith explained what happened with the trials, and turned to me.
"Vrokta." He began, and I straightened out my shoulders, "You've done well, staying with the Paladin's of Voltron and assisting them in their endeavours until now."
"Ulaz sacrificed himself for Voltron and left me here. I... I'm sorry I didn't check in with you before I left."
He put a hand to my shoulder, "You've learned your lesson, but even still, I cannot put all the blame on one of my younger scouts for following someone on a mission when requested. You followed the command of your superiors flawlessly, that is what matters most."
I lowered my gaze to the floor. I didn't have anything more to say.
"Did they treat you well?"
I frowned, "The Princess never trusted me for a second, and she might not for you either, even though you've given your word."
"I know first hand what it's like to give your all for someone and still be held down by their assumptions of you because of how you look." He exclaimed, "You pushed through, Vrokta. You are a fine Blade soldier."
I looked up to him, "What happened with Keith?"
"He is part Galra. He had a Marmora blade, and insisted on keeping it. I put him through the trials, and despite several complications, he pulled through and activated the blade."
My eyes widened, "I... never would have guessed."
"Unlike you, there's not a sliver of Galra in his appearance."
"Will you welcome him in the blade, then?"
"Only if he wishes. He is still a paladin of Voltron." He turned with me to look back at them, "Now that they are our allies, we will be seeing more of them, working on high stake missions with them. Because of the connections you've already made with them, the ease into our alliance may be simpler than I originally planned."
I held back a smile, but he probably noticed anyway. Kolivan's praise was light and often rather aggressive, but he was kind.
"Are we ready to begin?" He called out, silencing the group.
"Yes. We're ready." Shiro replied, and the meeting began.