Survival of the Innocent (A Voltron fanfic) (Book 1 of Fates Entwined)

Echo Part 2

Allura is in Galra armor carrying a box. Shiro is curled up inside the box with a resigned expression. Allura approaches the ship.

"Halt," a Galra soldier says, some floating glowing canisters pass down the ramp and into the depot, "Move along."

"Whew," Allura sighs, once they are inside.

"They're in," Lance grins.

"What do you think they have in all those giant containers?" Keith asks, feeling the energy and a sense of recognition.

"Well, I suspect that it's sporks," Hunk answers, causing everyone to give him deadpan looks, "What? This is an advanced race we're talking about here. Surely, they've learned that it's foolish to have forks and spoons when one tool will efficiently do the job."

"Maybe this guy will tell us. What is coming in and out of this station?" Pidge says, her laptop hooked up to the drone.

"Interrogation detected. Initiating lockdown."

"Not talking, eh?" Pidge frowns, immediately starting to hack.

"Whoa. Check out this guy. Whatever's happening here that requires the base to be kept secret must have something to do with that scary dude. I'm going to go check it out," Keith says, pointing out a weird witch looking guy, the feeling of recognition growing immensely alongside a growing sense of dread and horror.

"How about we just lay low and you don't blow our cover?" Lance says, before using a scolding tone of voice, "Keith, think about what you're doing. Don't walk through that door!" which Keith ignores, barely aware of anything beyond his instincts, as Lance looks at Pidge's unimpressed look, "I think I told him."

"You are a paragon of leadership, Lance," Pidge sasses.

"Shiro, are you all right?" Allura asks, seeing Shiro in pain from a flashback.

"I just remembered how I escaped from the Galra prison ship. Listen, most of the ship's personnel are sentries."

"So?"

"When I was a prisoner, I timed their pattern. It was Keith's idea."

"Do you remember it?"

"Let's find out."

Shiro manages to lead Allura, avoiding all the sentries. Meanwhile, Keith watches the canisters and weird guy enter a room. He follows, barely managing to get inside, before the door slams shut.

Hunk starts to mess with the wiring of the sentry and Lance laughs as Hunk makes it hit himself.

"Why are you hitting yourself? Stop hitting yourself! Quit hitting yourself!" Hunk jokes.

"Stop torturing it, Hunk," Pidge says, acting as the adult.

"I'm sorry. I just... I need something to keep me busy, so I'm not worried about Keith getting caught or Shiro and Allura getting blasted by robot things or someone finding us here, like, right now..."

"Stop it, Hunk! I think we can teach it to help us. Would you like to help us, Mr. Robot?" Pidge asks, but the robot starts to rapidly shake its head, "Whoops."

"Quick question. Does Allura talk about me when I'm not in the room?" Lance asks.

"Oh, yeah, all the time," Hunk replies.

"Really?"

"Yeah, yeah. She's all like, 'Oh, Lance. He looks so fine. I'm all atwitter. Then, she turns red and she makes me swear not to tell anyone.'"

"I knew it!"

The Galra drone hits Lance, so Pidge says, "Whoops."

Keith sneaks into the room, seeing many of the canisters. The Lions start growling when one canister starts to empty into a huge orb in the centre of the room and the weird guy starts to use purple lightning magic on it, dripping a purple version of the liquid into a tube below.

"Something about this is very wrong," Keith whispers to himself, a tightness in his chest at the familiarity and almost echoing emptiness that starts to appear as the life fades from the liquid.

At the same time, Shiro and Allura continue their escapade through the Galra ship, eventually reaching the appropriate console. They take down the sentries.

"We only have a few minutes before the next patrol comes by. Watch the door," Shiro orders.

"Got it."

"Okay, Pidge, start the download."

"Generating access code," Pidge says, working hard, "We're in."

"Pidge, I think there's a problem."

"Sit tight. I'm trying to work around this."

"Scanning for information," the computer says.

"Pidge?"

"I'm on it, I'm on it!"

"What's going on here? Who are you?" a Galra soldier demands, approaching Allura.

"It's about time you got here. Where is the rest of your squad?"

"Uh, what squad?"

"Hurry up, Pidge," Shiro whispers.

"Almost there."

"The squad that is to escort me and my associate to our ship."

"Who's back there? What's going on?"

"We are part of Zarkon's high command. Our work must not be disturbed."

"Where's Chief Information Officer Plytox?"

"Uh, he's in there. Say hello, Plyrox."

"Uh...Uh.. It's "Plytox"!" Shiro corrects, trying an impression.

"Oh, sorry. See?"

"Oh. Vrepit sa, sir! I get his name wrong all the time, too," the soldier whispers.

"Whew," Allura and Shiro sigh in relief.