Brighter Than the Stars: A Voltron Fanfic (Keith X OC)

Chapter 4

"Do not follow through with this. I am begging you."

Pidge's face was twisted in fury. "You could be one yours knees sobbing for all I care. Zarkon has my dad, and I'm going to get him."

"If you exchange your father for me, Zarkon will kill me," Lotor shot back, his eyes flashing. "I am his greatest opponent right now. Taking me out would only increase his strength."

"An opponent off the board for him, and an opponent off the board for us," Pidge said, and Violet flinched.

She couldn't stomach the thought of letting Lotor die, cruel as he was. And Lotor was right - if he was gone, Zarkon would have nothing in the way of him and his throne. Violet preferred no emperor to Zarkon as emperor.

Lotor noticed her hesitance and pleaded, "Violet, you know the threat Zarkon is at full power. You are choosing between me and him. It's not even that much of a decision."

"You forget we're also choosing between you and Sam Holt," Violet replied. "I'm sorry, Lotor, but this is Pidge's father."

Lotor growled. "You're putting one person over the entire universe!"

"Putting one person over the rest of the universe is what we do," Violet said sharply. "Being a paladin of Voltron means choosing that person and damning the consequences."

"It's foolish."

"Everything has the potential to be foolish. It depends on how you look at it."

Lotor smirked. "That's something I would say."

The words hit her in the chest. Violet stumbled back, her voice failing. It was exactly something Lotor would say. He was right. They were alike.

But to what extent?

"You're lying!" Pidge yelled. "We can't trust a thing you say!"

"And Zarkon is so trustworthy in comparison?" Lotor demanded. "My father is known for many things, but being a man of his word is not one of them. He has ruled for so long by taking everything he could get. I might not be honest, but I'm certainly more honest than him."

Violet blinked. "You're saying he'll betray us."

"To hold Voltron and myself in his vile grasp at last? No question," Lotor replied.

He was right - because it was exactly what Violet would do.

If she was faced with choosing either Voltron or Lotor, she'd find a way to get both - even if that meant going back on her word. In war, having advantages mattered more than having morals. And Zarkon had no morals. Which meant he would double-cross them.

But, as Violet looked at Pidge and Shiro, she realized that they would make the trade anyway. Pidge's father was within her grasp - she'd do anything to get him back, however foolish.

And that was what Zarkon was counting on.

"That's it," Shiro said, cutting through Violet's thoughts. "Here's what we'll do. Lotor, I understand the danger of trading with Zarkon, but we can't just let Sam Holt slip away. I'll take Pidge and Matt on one of the pods, and we can wormhole with Lotor to the meeting point. If necessary, the castle can lend us a hand."

"I'll go too," Violet jumped in. "You'll need someone to keep an eye on Lotor."

Shiro nodded, his face open, trusting. I'm sorry, Shiro, she said silently. I didn't want to go behind your back.

But it needs to be done. Zarkon's reign has lasted long enough.

This ends today.

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