The New Paladin

5: Warmth Of The Sun

Lance stood next to Hunk feeling suddenly lost.

They were stood in one of the hangars of the castle where the Altean pods were.

Shiro and Pidge were getting ready to leave, off to find the green lion.

Lance would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly curious and excited.

He has heard the stories of Voltron. Heard about its power when combined and he had seen several carvings and ancient makings about it.

But he had thought it was just a children's story, to stop people from losing hope against the ever growing population of the Galran empire.

"So, Lance you wanna come with me?" Hunk asked gesturing to another pod once Pidge and Shiro had taken off. "I need to go and get Yellow."

Lance blinked at him. "Me?"

"Yeah." Hunk smirked. "I'd like to get to know you, I mean you did wake us all up and make this all possible."

Lance found himself smiling. "Yeah, sure okay."

Hunk nodded before he stepped away to talk to Allura, probably to get permission.

Lance noticed the glare sent his way but refused to rise to it. She could probably kill him in half a second.

He just clutched tighter at the satchel sending his glance outside the bay door.

"You're going with Hunk." Keith's voice said as he stood next to him.

"Yeah, he wants me to-"

"If you try anything, if you hurt him or anyone else for that matter, you'll regret it." Keith mumbled.

It wasn't the most threatening tone but Lance understood the message. He gave a gentle nod before Hunk was waving him over.

The pods were faster than Lance expected and a lot more comfortable than the fighter that he had stolen.

"So, what are you exactly?" Hunk asked. "I mean you're not part of the rebels or any other group we have on our radar."

Lance shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, thank you for getting us out of the stasis pods." Hunk smiled glancing his way. "How are you at piloting?"

Lance watched the controls shift to him causing him to flinch grabbing ahold of them. "What? Why?"

"I need you to pilot the pod while I get Yellow." Hunk chuckled. "If you don't want to then we can land and we can walk to her."

Lance gave a faint nod. "So the lions? They're sentient? Keith mentioned it. What does it mean?"

"You see when a paladin gets chosen by the lion their thoughts and feelings are linked, I can sense where my lion is because of this bond." Hunk explained with a shrug. "It's pretty cool when you think about it."

"So once you're linked... Is there anyway to not be a paladin?" Lance asked as the planet came into view.

"Not unless the lion is willing to break the bond." Hunk admitted. "The lions are stubborn, stubborn as hell."

Lance smiled.

"So you're from earth? When did the galra come?" Hunk asked.

Lance knew it was just a question. There was no real harm behind it and yet-

"Hunk." Lance said quietly eyes wide.

Hunk must have looked ahead as well, the planet that they were on now was covered with Galran buildings.

Lance felt his grip on the controls tighten. This wasn't good.

"Okay." Hunk frowned. "You know how I said about you piloting? You're gonna need to do your best."

Lance made a noise of complaint before he turned the controls narrowly dodging a shot fired their way.

"Wow, these structures are unlike anything I've ever seen." Hunk admitted as he looked around.

"They've been using them for centuries." Lance grumbled dodging another hit before he ducked the ship through a narrow gap. "Where is your lion?"

"I have no idea." Hunk frowned. "I know she's here but I can't even think of a way down there."

"Well if thoughts aren't working try feelings." Lance said sharply as he spun the pod back  around as a fighter came after them. "You said you're connected by thoughts and feelings right?"

Hunk blinked at him before he nodded, his eyes then closed and Lance wasn't sure what to expect.

But then Hunk was pointing.

Lance followed the the gesture hoping that Hunk was talking or rather encouraging him to follow the gesture.

"Where are we going?" Lance asked as they neared a clearing, then he saw it.

A tunnel carved into the wall ahead of him. He swerved the pod to a stop before he opened the cockpit.

"Go get your lion." He said meeting Hunk's wide gaze. "Go!"

"Okay!" Hunk replied as he jumped out. "Be careful."

Lance smiled slightly before he launched again. He couldn't make such a promise, not with his tendencies to get into trouble.

His mama always used to tell him that he should watch himself more often, he was sort of wishing now that he had listened more to her.

Shaking away that thought he turned towards the incoming fighters and launched the ship straight at them. He managed to dodge around them before something made the whole ship jolt.

Hovering above him was a fleet ship, it was huge and had its tractor beam on Lance.

"Unidentified ship, you are in Galran air space, prepare to be boarded."

Lance's eyes instantly fell to his satchel. "Oh boy." He whispered as he tried all the controls to see if anything would help him get free.

Nothing worked.

"This isn't happening." Lance breathed out as he looked down.

He was far too high up to jump or attempt an escape from the pod, and once he was in the Galran ship he would be surrounded by Galran's.

He didn't think he could face that again.

Not again.

Opening the glass of the pod caused Lance's hair to suddenly dance in the wind, it forced tears to his eyes but he quickly blinked them away.

He had to focus.

"This is going to hurt." He mumbled looking up.

He raised his blaster and fired.

He watched the blast as it flew through the air before it hit the tractor beam.

Then everything sparked.

As the beam faded away it sent a shock straight through him.

His eyes rolled back before his body fell limp.

When he came back to the present he found Hunk leaning over him shaking his shoulder.

"Lance please... Oh man you had me so worried." Hunk breathed out as Lance groaned.

"What happened?" Lance asked reaching up to rub his head.

"I don't know, I got Yellow and when I got out of that tunnel you were falling. I managed to catch you but... You're bleeding."

Lance frowned slightly before he touched under his nose, ah yes. He'd had a nosebleed.

"It's fine." Lance sighed. "You got your lion?"

Hunk grinned. "Want to meet her?"