Season 8 Rewrite | Plance

Episode 9 (Part 1)

LOTOR POV

"Allura, are you okay?" I gripped the edge of the hospital bed as Allura finally jolted awake. The two guards stationed at the doors subtly radioed back to the Bridge as Allura sat up groggily, but I ignored them.

"What's going on? Where am I?"

Coran bit his lip nervously. "You're in the medical bay." I tucked back a strand of hair that had escaped during the long night.

"When we got back from Clear Day, we found you collapsed on the ground," I spoke quickly, trying to mask my nervousness. Coran interrupted before I could continue.

"You've been asleep for two quintants." Didn't I know? I barely slept. "The entity. It's missing. Did you..." I'd been dreading what comes next. Allura looked down into her lap.

"I did what needed to be done."

"What needed to be done? What are you talking about?" Coran stared at the princess worriedly. I sighed.

"The entity, it's connected to Honerva in some way." I'd known this was coming, but that didn't stop my sense of dread at the prospect of what Allura had done.

Allura nodded and continued.

"I believe we can use it."

"Use it? I..." Coran shook his head. "I swore to your father I would look after you, but I fear I may have let him down. This is a dark path."

Allura's eyes met mine.

"It's the path toward defeating Honerva," I mumbled. Allura tore her gaze from mine and nodded curtly.

KEITH POV

Despite being angry at Allura for touching the dark entity, and despite it being more dangerous than we can even imagine, we have to take advantage of its connection to Honerva, right? Maybe this will finally bring about Honerva's downfall. It was quickly decided (against my better judgement) that Lotor would be coming too, courtesy of Allura's concise orders. Now she had this thing festering inside her, she wasn't taking any nonsense. Soon enough we were ready for our venture into Honerva's mind.

PIDGE POV

I found Lance pacing by his lion before we left.

"Hey. What's up?" 

He saw me and ceased the pacing.

"I'm not sure about this, Pidge. We're messing with stuff we don't fully understand. You could get hurt - anyone could get hurt -"

I placed a hand on his arm before he descended any further into his paranoia.

"We are Voltron. This is what we do. Whatever's there, we've probably faced worse. And anyway, we've got our sharpshooter covering our backs." Lance gave a tentative smile.

"I knew the nickname would catch one someday." He gave a few exaggerated knuckle cracks and some sharp exhales. "Okay. Let's do this."

KEITH POV

Honerva's mind was... different. And not in a good way. An expanse of glittering dark stretched into the distance, the only things obstructing the nothing being me and my teammates. And Lotor.

"What is this place?" Lance's voice seemed to be swallowed by the space.

"It's like - it's like the universe can hear what I'm thinking." Lotor stared into the dim constellations surrounding them.

"Remember how the Olkari told me that everything is made of the same energy?" Pidge hovered next to Lance. "I think it has something to do with that."

"So thoughts are linked between, what, some kind of cosmic connection?" Hunk asked.

"Yeah, but I think we are the thoughts inside a network of... other people's thoughts?" I felt about as confused as Lance looked.

"We should go," Lotor began, but I cut in before he could finish.

"You don't get to tell us -" But I was interrupted by a slicing pain in my head. The others could feel it too, I could tell - we were trapped in this agonising torture - before I blacked out.

When I came to, Lance was speaking. "Allura, this is too dangerous. Honerva's gonna use this connection to find us. And find you."

"No." Lotor looked angry but determined. "This is how we are going to find her."

***

They were gone. Dragged beneath this wall like lambs to the slaughter. I could still feel the ghost of Pidge's nails in my palm. I hammered against the impenetrable floor, grunting with the impact. But then I felt hands pull me away, trying to raise me off my knees. I spun around, ready to fend off the wraithlike fingers that had taken my friends, my family, but they weren't there. Instead, Lotor stood in front of me, hands on hips and not looking impressed.

"Having a temper tantrum on this side of the wall won't do us any favours," He drawled. I scowled and slumped to the floor. "Although, if you need something to do until they get back, it doesn't look like there's much else." He sat beside me, admittedly with a lot more grace.

"You make it sound like they will come back. How do you know?" I stared into the murky depths beneath us.

"Well, how could I even consider another outcome?" He stared dolefully ahead. I scoffed.

"Don't pretend as if you care." His eyes widened innocently. "It's my team in there, and I can do nothing. Nothing. I'm useless."

"But you have faith in your team, don't you?," Lotor started fiddling with a panel in his armour. Who gave him a paladin uniform?

"Of course I do. But they could be in serious trouble." I watched as Lotor hissed off his helmet. After seeing that he wasn't suffocating, I did the same.

"Allura and the others can take care of themselves. It seems the only thing we can do is wait and hope for the best."

***

I know this is short!! I just thought I'd get this out there before I'm revising and examing in full force. part 2 to come asap.