The New Paladin

3: Enemies

The nauseating feeling of gravity suddenly turning on made Lance's eyes flicker open.

Then his whole body was pitching forwards as he staggered on wobbling feet.

He sank to his knees gasping on air, he wanted so desperately to run, to get away but the effects of the pod left his body and brain sluggish.

He couldn't breathe.

"Hey, hey come on breathe." A warm voice encouraged. "Shiro he's out of the pod... It's not good."

What wasn't good? He didn't want to be bad. He didn't want the pain that came with being bad.

What was wrong with him?

He tried to focus on the unsteady rise and fall of his chest. He tried to swallow but his dry throat hiccuped as his body trembled.

Yellow and black swirled in his vision before something cold brushed against his cheek.

The cold feeling startled him making him pull back harshly. He blinked his eyes several times before he found the people from before staring at him.

"Hi." Lance breathed voice tight. "Um I'm sorry about this, just freaking out over nothing... Don't mind me."

The two shared a glance before the yellow one shuffled closer pulling him into what Lance would only guess was a hug. The hard armour against his shoulder didn't help but the action was appreciated.

After a few more minutes Lance felt more in control, his breaths more stable as his body accepted the oxygen helping his body to relax.

"You okay?" Shiro, ah that was the black one's name, asked as he squeezed Lance's shoulder.

Lance nodded looking around. He didn't want to meet his gaze.

"Here." Hunk smiled offering his personal effects.

Lance blinked at them, they were clean, probably cleaner then when Lance was given them, and looked like they had been left as they were.

Cautiously he took them before he examined the blaster checking that it was still loaded and that it hadn't been tampered with.

"I'm sure you've got a lot of questions." Hunk said quietly. "We do too in fact... The others are waiting for us in the control room, do you feel up to talking and such?"

Lance sighed heavily. "Who are you working for?"

"Pardon?" Shiro frowned.

"Like... Are you friends with Zarkon or whatever?" Lance emphasised meeting Shiro's gaze.

Shiro sighed. "Before the war we were... But he changed and we tried to do everything in our power to stop him, to stop the monster he had become."

"How do you know about Zarkon?" Hunk asked looking perplexed.

Lance winced as he got to his feet wobbling slightly but he quickly fixed it. "Causes he's the tyrannic ruler who wants control of everything and everyone."

"But that's impossible... It's been 10,000 years." Shiro frowned.

Lance span to face them lifting a communications tab. "This was 3 days ago." He clicked the main button before a small image appeared on the floating blue screen.

On it was Zarkon, eyes glowing faintly as he stared at the camera. "Anyone joining rebellions or forming groups to disrupt the Galran way will pay with their lives and your planets will suffer worse than the rest. You have no hope of escape."

Lance closed his hand around it eyes flickering on the floor. His eyes then locked onto the podium that he had hidden behind.

His stomach twisted as he frantically ran to it pulling the side open again.