The Gold Paladin

Stayin' Alive

Lance, Pidge, Shiro, Novae and Slav all flew in the Blue Lion, heading back form their escape trip from Beta Traz with Slav. Novae sat further in the back, not wanting to speak to many. After all, she had just revealed that she was of the same blood as the race that was trying to take over the universe. 

Shiro turned back and looked at the Gold Paladin as she stared at her hand, a look of disgust and pain in her eyes. He walked over to her and knelt down to her level.

"Novae, are you okay?" He asked.

Novae sighed, "I am... not as well as I had hoped to be, Takashi." She answered, clenching her hand into a fist, "I carry the enemy's race within my blood. I am proud, for it is the blood given to me by my father.... but it is painful."

Shiro could never understand the pain she was feeling, but he could at least be there to help ease the pain. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Whatever blood you carry, you're still Novae." He said. Novae smiled back, thanking him for his kind words. Shiro felt calm as she smiled, remembering the times she smiled at him back in the prisons. She had always smiled at him in the prisons, and whenever she did, Shiro always felt calm and secure.

But know knowing more about her, he could now see the pain behind that smile. The horrible pain of her being in this war from childhood. Novae gently clutched the stone around her neck and gently stroked it with her fingers.

Everyone stayed silent for a little while longer during the trip.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Lance asked.

"Let's call Allura and let her now that we have Slav and we're ready for her to use the teludav." Pidge said.

"You didn't say we'd be traveling by teludav." Slav shouted. Shiro's face turned red and his anger boiled over.

"What's the problem? We're traveling by teludav. So just count your hair follicles or fluff a pillow, or whatever you need to do to make sure we survive the wormhole trip in this reality!" He shouted. Lance, Pidge and Slav stared at me shocked and almost afraid.

"I was just going to point out that the teludav is a very efficient form of travel." Slav said nervously.

Novae chuckled, "Please forgive Slav. He truly believes in cause and effect through different realities and natural worlds."

Slav turned towards Novae and gasped at the sight of her face.

"You? You are the Blue Star of the Rebellion?" He asked shocked when Novae nodded.

"We have spoken only once, Slav, but I am glad to finally meet you in person." Novae said politely.

"Oh good, with the Blue Star here, our probability of success in whatever plans ahead have gone up by 225 percent." Slav said.

"Paladins, are you there?" Allura's voice suddenly asked through one of the communication links.

"Princess, what's happening?" Lance asked.

"That monster that attacked us on the Balmera before has returned!"

"What?" Everyone shouted.

"I need you back here immediately."

"You got it, Princess. Sharpshooter is on the way." Lance said.

"Sharpshooter?" Pidge repeated.

"It's my new nickname that I gave myself. Just-- Just pass it on."

"Ready when you are, Allura." Shiro said.

The wormhole opened in front of the Blue Lion and the team flew through, passing through to wherever it was leading them.