Taking A Chance

Krolia's Send Off

They entered the hall and Lance was surprised to see Alfor standing with the others.
Lance still had hold of Keith's hand, their fingers entwined. He hated this place and the thought of what may have occured here Keith wasn't telling him about. He understood if Keith had a relationship with anyone here it was none of his business, they hadn't been together at the time. What made him angry was how they treated him, the room they gave him, and Alkarah. That made him the most angry.
‘You're going to break my fingers in a minute,' Keith said.
Lance realised he had tightened his grip on Keith's hand.
‘Sorry,' he said, as he relaxing his hand.
‘Hey, I can takecare of myself remember,’ Keith said.
‘I know you can,’ said Lance. ‘I know your stronger, and smarter than me…’
‘That's not what I meant,’ Keith said.
‘But it's true,' said Lance, ‘and that's just reality. It doesn't mean I don't hate the way you've been treated, and think about what Alkarah could have done to you. And it doesn't mean I wouldn't give it my all to protect you if I had to. You'd probably have to scrape me off the ground, but I'd try.’
Keith gave a soft chuckle and leaned into Lance’s chest. ‘That means everything,’ he murmured. ‘Let's just hope is doesn't come to that.’
Lance smiled against Keith's cheek. ‘Yes, let's hope. I'd rather spend time making love to you, than healing in a pod.'
‘Which you better do when we get back to the Castle,’ said Keith, ‘it seems like forever ago since we've been together.’
‘I promise as soon as we get back I will fuck you into the sheets,' Lance whispered, 'but you have to promise me something.’
‘What's that?’ asked Keith.
‘I want Galra you.’ Keith pulled back and looked him in the eyes.
‘Hmmm, someone has a Galra fetish then,’ Keith said.
Keith turned into his Galra form as Lance watched, and his breath hitched in his throat.
‘Only for one Galra,’ Lance said.
A gong sounded in the hall and Keith turned to stand next to Lance, as they moved to stand in a row of with some other Galra. Across from them, another row of Galra stood. Kolivan held an infant in his arms, but there was no time to question it.
Lance followed suit when the other Blade members pull up their hoods and their face masked materialised.
The floor between them slid open and Krolia's body, rose into the room laid out on an alter, in her hands a Galran blade lay on her chest.
From the left side of the hall, three figures entered, dressed from head to toe in white robes, their faces obscured. In their hands they each carrived a bowI that released a pungent smoke into the air.
Lance assumed them to be some sort of priest.
They moved cup to the alter. One stood at Krolin's head, and the other two on either side of her. The priests raised the bowls into the air and chanted in a language Lance didn't understand. The roof of he hall opened and the sun filled the opening.
Lowering the bowIs the priests tipped the contents onto Krolia's body which burst into flame.
Everyone's masks disappeared as they watched Krolia burn, smoke rising through the open roof. According to Keith this symbolised her freedom and her spirit could go where it wanted without the restriction of a physical body.
The whole ceremony only lasted 30 minutes.
‘Let's talk to Kolivan then get out of here,’ Keith said.
Keith looked over to Shiro and pointed to Kolivan. Shiro nodded and indicated they were going bacto the Castle.
They turned to find him an saw Kolivan heading in their direction.
‘Keith,' he said, ‘I wanted to introduce you to your brother, Jaya,’ Kolivan said.
‘Brother?'
‘Yes, he was born a week before your poisoning,' said Kolivan. ‘Krolia wanted to tell you, but then you argued. The Blade still has some work to do in this area, and I wanted to know if you could take him back to Earth with you for a short time.'
‘Oh...um, sure,’ Keith said. He looked up at Lance who nodded.
Kolivan signalled and another Galran brought over a bag that Lance took from them. He had no idea that Kolivan and Krolia were mates.
Keith took the Jaya from Kolivan.
‘We wanted to talk to you,' said Keith when the other Galran walked away. ‘We think there's a spy in the Blade.'
Kolivan's eyes narrowed. ‘A suspicion I agree with, and one Krolia was investigating.’ Kolivan sighed. ‘I believe it was this spy who killed her.'
‘She was murdered?' asked Keith.
‘You need to go to Earth and keep yourself safe. Don't talk to anyone else here about your suspicions,’ said Kolivan. ‘Krolia discovered the truth about your father the day we got the message Earth was under attack.'
‘You think that's why she was killed?' asked Lance.
‘Yes,’ said Kolivan. ‘I suspect who ever it is knows Keith has strong Altean power, and for some reason it makes him a dangerous to them. I will come to Earth with any news I discover.'
Keith nodded. ‘Be careful.'
‘And you,’ Kolivan said, before turning and leaving the hall.
‘Why isn't anything her easy,' Keith sighed.
‘Who knows,' said Lance, ‘but let's get out of here.'
They headed towards the door Shiro and the others had left through earlier. They froze when the bases alarms filled the hall with their shrill sound. Moments later, the building shook as it took blaster fire and they ran towards the door.
Pieces of ceiling fell around them and Keith held Jaya protectively to him.