The New Prince

Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Deteriorating Illusions

Haggar gleefully worked in her laboratory. A smirk crept onto her winkled lips at the sight of the Vidscreen showing the words she wanted to see, Configuration Complete. "Good," she replied to herself as she retrieved the new chip from her laboratory device. Smiling, she thought she had outdone herself. Everything had gone according to plan, so far. The Voltron commander had opened doors that she never thought possible. Soon, victory would smile upon the Empire. She nodded in agreement, lately the days felt so much brighter on Doom. It seemed like something truly impossible.

"Tell me it's complete."

The witch turned around when she heard the familiar voice of Zarkon echoing through her lab.

"It is." Haggar nodded, facing him. "It took most of the day, but it is complete. When would you like to begin the procedure?"

"When he returns. I wouldn't be surprised if he still thinks of her, even as far away as he is now." Zarkon answered as he looked at the chip rotating through a crystal tube that sat on the witch's lab table. "Will he experience the same effects he had last time?"

The witch shook her head, "No. His body is used to the object, I'll pull the original out and insert the next one immediately. It will feel like...a computer rebooting."

Zarkon laughed at the comparison. "Amazing how the humans wanted to make robots out us and we end up using their technology against them." He paused for a bit, lost in that thought. "Did you add everything we discussed?"

"Yes, I've made sure that he'll have nothing close to human feelings. He will have the mentality and thoughts of a Drule."

Zarkon smiled, "Everything is coming together perfectly."

The witch smiled.

"Not everything!" The king heard another voice echo in to the lab. He knew the voice and turned around. "I've been trying to find you today my Lord. After the prince's departure, I wasn't allowed access to speak to you. My apologies on barging in this way." The woman's tone of voice seemed frigid. Zarkon knew her anger resonated with his willingness to purposely ignore her by working most of the day on future projects his son would soon take over.

"What is wrong Starr? You have everything that I promised. When he comes back he will be yours in every way."

"He's already been mine my Lord." She answered him with a cold but satisfying tone.

Zarkon's eyes turned bright yellow with fury, "You were to wait until he returned from the mission and I presented you at the ceremony. It is Drule tradition."

"I'm not a Drule and neither is he." She hissed.

The king snarled with anger and slapped the treacherous woman. "Whether or not you look like one, you have accepted being part of us, therefore you are one. Start accepting our ways Starr or else!"

Her eyes watered with pain and fury. Zarkon had a mighty hard hand. She ignored it as she snarled. "If I hadn't, I wouldn't have found out what I did last night."

Zarkon and Haggar looked at her in question, "What?" The old witch asked curiously.

"He dreams of her! His conscious still remembers her! Sooner or later, he will break out of your little brainwashing scheme and he'll remember who he really is. "

"The Princess of Arus," Zarkon repeated, more to himself than anyone else. That woman was a disease. The entire Arus dynasty is a damn disease! He turned to Haggar, "His human tendencies still lie in his subconscious."