Voltron- beyond the stars

7- Assemble

After I had parked the Maroon Lion in its hangar Allura had guided Keith and I back to where she was.
I silently sit criss cross next to Keith pondering about what to name my lion. What suits a giant alien robotic lion? And should it have a feminine or masculine name? What aboouuut Roo? Yeah! I like that.

I'm shaken from my thoughts when Lance and Hunk barge in the room.
"You made it!" I exclaim, standing up, "I was starting to get worried you all wouldn't get back in time," I admit.
"Pshh, can't get rid of us that easily," Lance replies popping his arm. "But it was a nightmare. I almost puked out there! I felt like Hunk," he continues, placing his hands on his hips.
"Dude, imagine how I felt. I am Hunk!"
"Yeah, we had a pretty hard time too," Pidge grins at Shiro.
"Have you found the red lion yet?" Shiro prompts.

"Allura just located it! There's a bit of good and bad news," Coran nervously reveals.
Oh no.
"The good news is, the Red Lion's nearby! The bad news is, it's on a Galra ship now orbiting Arus," Coran finishes, crossing his arms.
He said it like air-us. Is that where we are?
"But wait! Good news again! We're Arus!" Coran perks up.
"They're here already!?" Shiro gasps.
"Wait, I thought you said it'd be a couple of days," I fret.
"Well, I guess my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting is more of an art, not a science," Coran apologizes.
Okay that was funny though.

The screen behind him flickers and an image of a purple... alien pops up. It has only one eye and furry ears placed on top of its head. Like a kitty.
"Princess Allura, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire," it spoke in a low and gravelly voice.
Galra?!
"I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the known universe," Sendak continues, "I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over or I will destroy this planet."
And with that his transmission is over, his words still lingering in the air.
Bad kitty.

"All right, let's not panic," Shiro says.
"Not panic?! Th-the scary purple alien thing is driving its battleship towards us right now," Hunk panics. "We only have five lions-"
"Technically only four working lions." "That's right, thank you Pidge. Four working lions, and a rusty 10,000 year old castle," Hunk finishes, walking into the center.
"Actually its 10,600 years old. You see, it was built by my grandfather-" Coran starts.
"Thanks Coran, thank you for that," Hunk interrupts, placing a finger on his mouth.
I hold back a laugh, and bite down on my lip.
"You see, now is the perfect time to panic!" Hunk concludes.
"Wait!" Allura pipes in, "This castle has a particle barrier we can activate!"
"Girl you've already activated my-"
"Lance!" Shiro scolds.
Oh my god. I look over at Lance, who mouths 'what?' qnd smirks with a shrug.

"The particle barrier won't hold Sendak's ion canon forever," Coran calls, diagrams of the ship projected onto the screen.
"The Galra technology must have advanced since we last fought them."
Yeah no shit Sherlock, it has only been 10,000 years.
"Panic now?" Hunk whimpers.
"No," Shiro quickly assures, "We just need to figure out our plan for attack. Aaand figure it out quickly."

"I say we pop through a wormhole and live to see another day," Lance suggests.
Really? You really want to run away?
"I second that. Yes. We tried to find all the lions, and failed. We only have four, can't form Voltron."
But we know exactly where the other two are! And if we just get Keith's, then we can unlock Shiro's!
"I guess we could form a snake. Or a worm! To get through that portal that you were talking about Lance."
"Then it's settled," Lance concludes.
Settled?!
Lance saunters over to Allura.
"Allura, you ride with me," he flirts.
"One of you can take the old guy," he shrugs.
Coran grits his teeth, and I swear I can see his face turning red.

"We can't just abandon Arus! The Galra will just keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them," Pidge points out.
"If we run, Sendak may follow follow us and leave this planet alone, like when we left Earth. We form the snake thingamajig and sssss out of here," Hunk counters.
"And what if Sendak does follow us? We'd lead him straight to Earth! And we won't have Voltron to stop him! We have to stay!" I shout, annoyed at the boys' selfishness.
"Luna's right. Plus, Sendak could also destroy this planet, and come after us and destroy Earth. Staying is our only option," Keith growls.
"Well here's an option. Shut your quiznak," Lance snaps, making a zipping motion with his hand.
Allura and Coran simultaneously gasp, their faces contorting into a look of absolute horror.
"I don't think you're using that word correctly," Keith shoots back.
"What do you know Mullet?" Lance sasses, leaning in.
"We're staying!" Keith yells in his face.
"Leaving!"
"Staying!" Pidge shouts.
"Snake!"
The four boys are staring each other down, standing their ground. I gulp, and reach my hand out to tug on Keith's sleeve. He needs to back up.
"Guys, stop!" Shiro interrupts.