Crash Landing: A Voltron Story

Chapter 30 (Wild Ride)

Hunk had left to grab some drinks, while Lance took a dip in the pool. It was a struggle to keep his scales damp, but at one point he wanted to see if he could do what Elegance suggested and shift into a human form.

Elegance. Lance just didn't know what they would do with her. She was currently placed in one of the Cryo-pods. They needed to return her to her home, and also figure out what to do with the green mist. He just didn't know where to start. Hopefully Vladi would be able to answer their questions.

The group finally gathered together in the lounge, Vladi relaxing on one if the couches. A look of contentment spread across his face.

On a table in the center were several water cups, courtesy of Hunk. The rest of team Voltron circled around it, finally ready to hear the tale.

Vladi cleared his throat. "It all started the day of launch...."

~~*~~

Italicized text= Speaking in Russian

"We have breached the atmosphere." Vladi spoke into the communicators while the rest of his crew cheered from behind him.

The entire Soyuz 11 crew consisted of Georgi Dobrovolski, Viktor Patsayev, and mission leader Vladislav Volkov. Along for the trip was NASAs American Representative, Sally Kristen Ride. They all grinned as they sat strapped to their chairs.

"Soyuz 11," the transmission crackled, "You are coming upon an anomaly. Change your course."

Vladi unstrapped himself and rushed to the main console, his teammates trying to call out to him.

"What are you doing Vladi?"

"The ship will alter it's course."

"Strap back in!"

When Vladi could see through the thick window shielding him from the endless void of space, his stomach dropped. A swirling black hole was growing in front of them.

He jumped into the pilot's seat, grasping onto the controls. "Georgi! Get up here and co-pilot!" He flicked several switches and turned the orientation modulator. The nose of the ship tilted away from the ever-growing hole, but they were still being pulled in.

Georgi unstrapped himself and stood behind him. "Vladi, you can't--" He silenced as the swirling black hole was growing larger in front of them. He froze to the spot. What were they to do against this?

"Georgi!"

The pull on the ship was growing stronger; the whole crew being able to feel the tug. Everyone continued yelling at each other, fear driving their senses. Sally all but leapt from her seat and tossed herself in the co-pilot's chair. She grabbed the Dias and began turning the ship with Vladi, struggling against the black hole.

Both Vladi and Sally's efforts were in vain. The black hole sucked the ship in, causing everything to be destroyed in the endless void of space.

~~*~~

"I doe not know ofv vhat happened avterwards, only that I voke up in an empti vield. Sally Ride vas with me, but my crew vas not." Vladi's gaze fell to the floor as he spoke.

Allura placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm very sorry for what you had to go through."

"You mentioned earlier," Hunk leaned forward, "about something called the Change? Does that have to do with this-" he gestured towards the shaggy fur coating his goat-like legs, "-cause I really hope there's a fix to it."

Shiro nodded. "If there's anything you can tell us on how to reverse the effects, that would be amazing."

Vladi took a sip from the water glass in his hand before speaking. "Anyone hoo lands on zis planet goes through the Change. You turn into creatures of this planet that you are kin to. The only vay to reverse it wood be to overcome the faults or live up to the strengths of that creature."

"Did that happen to you? What did you become?" Pidge inquired.

"Nothing." Vladi rubbed the stubble on his chin. "I never vent through the Change, but there 'ave been few aliens that come and go through the Change. I 'elped them as vell."

Lance piped up. "Then how have you never escaped this planet?"

"Wait, you never went through the Change?" Pidge questioned.

Hunk jumped in on the question session. "How do we know what to do?"

"Paladins-" Shiro stated firmly, his wings twitching. "Let Vladi finish."

"It's qwite alrite." Vladi said, noting their downcast expressions. "You must 'ave many questions." He set down his cup on the table and rubbed his hands. "I 'elped people, but they never succeeded in righting themselves. They 'ave joined the species they became and stay on this planet still."

The tone in the room fell as Vladi spoke. Would they ever change back to themselves?

"How do you know this?" Keith interjected, a pout starting to form. "If no one changed back, how could you know?"

"Sally Ride told me."

Coran frowned. "Didn't you say she came through with you?" He scanned the room quickly. "I don't see her with us, is she still planet-side?"

Vladi sighed. "Sally vas taken by the planet itself. I cannot reach her now." His face fell. "Creatures and societies after she left started showing up. I do not know 'ow much time 'as passed, but a ship crashed and I met four purple aliens. They were 'ostile--"

A loud fist pounded the table as Allura stood. "The Galra are here?" She bristled before her demeanor cooled slightly. "Vladi--I apologize--it's just that we are fighting a war against the Galra. They've enslaved millions of planets in their conquest."

Everyone turned from Allura back to Vladi as he hung his head. "I was informed of vhat thay did. Thay changed over the course ofv me knowing thehm. Thay became good peepole."

"We need to change our focus." Shiro announced. "We can't have all our attention directed on the other changed people right now. Our focus should be to fix ourselves and get Voltron back into working order before we stay like this forever. Vladi, any ideas?"

Vladi tapped the side of his nose, a spark in his eyes. "Understanding your species is the furst stehp."

To this statement, several of the paladins groaned. History lessons were the worst.

~~~~~

A/N

Ownership Concern~ The characters portrayed in the Soyuz 11 crew were actual people in history. I have tweaked their stories in order to work them into this book, but I am not claiming ownership of them. THEY ARE REAL.

Update~ Holy Cow! I literally just looked and saw 1.42k reads. That's crazy!

Thanks for continuing even with my spotty updates!

Ps. I have just started college and so its been hard to work on this story continuously. I am trying though.

(Also, I enjoyed history class in high school. Its very insightful!)