Voltron Defenders of the Universe: Rise of Legends

(Season 1) Chapter 33

The Yellow, Black and Red lions  touched down together in the same mine. The Balmerans waited for them as they ran up. "What happened?" one of them asked. "There's a monster up there that Zarkon sent to destroy us." Keith told them. "A monster? Will Zarkon's savagery ever abate? Perhaps our people were never meant to be free?" Shay said to them.

"Don't you think about giving up hope for freedom. Freedom is priceless. We will make sure your people get it, Shay." Kiara said stepping forwards. "No one should ever be a slave to another." she turned to look at the other three seeing if they argued with her.

"Shay, don't give up. Zarkon's power grows with every planet he conquers,  but is weakened by being that fights back." Hunk told her. "Fight back against a monster like that? -How?" she asked them.

    "I don't know, but we can beat it. Tell her Keith." Hunk said directing his attention to the Red Paladin. -"Can we?" Keith asked. "Of course we can. We just need to plan that can work without damaging this place and losing the lions." Kiara said. "I don't know how we will do it... but." she looked at Shay. "We will keep fighting." Kiara felt determination flaring up she won't let them give up.

Shiro nodded his approval. "Kiara is right. We can beat it. This our first mission and we're not going to fail. We can beat it. We just need some time to come up with a plan. Kiara would you help me?" he asked her. "Yes." she replied. "Good, I'm sure we can figure out something." he finished.

"See? Told you we can." Hunk said happily. "Thanks Shiro, Ari." he said. Kiara shrugged. "Ah, no sweat." she said. Then the Balmera cried. Kiara staggered back eyes wide. The cavern began to rumbling. Sharp jolt like a shock rushed through her.

"No, no." she said stuttered. "Kiara what's wrong?" Shiro asked her. Her sea-blue eyes widen and her skin turning a bit more pale. Everyone looked over at the young alien hybrid. Kiara looked up as the Balmeran said her worst fear. "That great noise comes from the Balmera itself. Our home crumbles beneath our feet. The Balmera is.." "Dying." Kiara choked out. "It's' in so much pain, it's overwhelming. she said wrapping her arms around her.

"You can feel it? The Balmera?" Kiara nods. "Y-yes. Zarkon is killing it or was.." she shut her eyes. Holding back tears. All her time. She was around animals that felt the worst. It was like something was trying to swallow her. "Keith keeps her steady." Shiro said.

Keith nodded and put his hand around her waist keeping her up. Keith could feel Kiara's body caving in. So he tightened his grip to keep next to him and up right. Everyone was looking at her with concern. Keith wishes he knew why she could feel Balmera's pain. He wanted to help her more than just support her.

Kiara couldn't believe what it had put up with for so long. Shutting her eyes for a few seconds calming her racing heart leaning into her companion.

"Coran, Allura are you there?" Shiro calls the Castle. "Shiro, we're here." Allura told him. "The Balerma.." *We already know. Our scanners are showing the life energy draining from Balmera.*

"I'll repeat. Why can you feel the Balmera pain?" Rax asked her. Kiara let out a sigh, removing herself from her friend's reluctant hold. She knew the time would come when she'd have to explain her race. Kneeling down running her hand over the ground.

"I'm able to feel it.. Because.. I'm an.. *pause*.. I'm an Azarathian." she said looking up to the others.

Everyone had shocked expressions or confused ones. 'She's what?' Keith recalls the time he found out that his co-pilot was an alien. He was in shock then as well. Even hearing her explain her race was still shocking that she wasn't a human.

*Imposible... Azarathians have been long extinguished from the universe.* Coran said.

*What's an Azarathian? Pidge asked

Kiara shook her head. "Unlike most Azarathian who might feel other people's and animal's emotions, I am only able to feel the emotions of animals around me only. I feel their pain and this is one of the results. I'm Afraid I can't tell you much about them Pidge." She says,

As she stood back up she felt Keith quickly steady her once more. As he placed a firm hand on her shoulder once more as cries subsided. Everyone pulled up the Balmera on a computer screen. Aka only Hunk and Pidge did.

Kiara looked down casted as she saw the image on the monitor. There was no way she could save this beautiful creature it her more than they would know. Then Pidge's voice cut in her earcom.

*How does that happen?* She asked.

*Removing crystals from a Balmera is like removing a vital part of the might beast. The Balmera needs time to regenerate itself to stay healthy, but the Galra's greed may have cost this mole Balmera its life.*Coran finished.

Kiara looked down at her feet. She hated this part of her. The feeling she failed something she should have saved. "So, what's going to happen?" Hunk asked. "It's core will collapse, destabilizing the entire skeletal structure. Anything or anyone remaining on the Balmera at that point will be crushed to dust." Coran explained.

"How long before its core collapses?" Shiro asked Coran. *Probably a matter of hours.* "I am shocked it lasted this long." Kiara said from where she stood next to Keith.

"It put up with Zarkon for so long." Kiara said, letting out a long sigh. "This thing knows what it's like to live, it still gives you all a home even if it's dying." She looked up with a soft look in her eyes. "It last this long proves it was fighting this whole time." Kiara finished.

"Are you sure?" Shiro asked her. Kiara nodded. "This Balmera was suffering so long and slowly perishing. It still cared for those who lived on it and put up with Zarkon in order to give you all a home to stay in." she let a half smile across her face. "I'm thankful for the Balmerans who called this place home." she added. "What should we do. We have hours, then all gone?" Hunk asked.

"I don't know." Kiara said. "Coran? Allura?" she asked her voice tired and heavy with sorrow. "We'll evacuate the planet. We need to get all Balmerans to the Castle of Lions before the planet implodes." Allura says.

"Okay, that sounds like a good plan, but how on earth do you plan on landing the Castle with that monster thingy on the surface?" Hunk asked her.

Kiara understood what he meant. 'There must be more Balmerans than we think living here.' she thought letting her body straighten up. The Balmera wasn't feeding too much of its emotions into her and she knew it would get worse closer to death's door.

Keith shot her a look but kept his hand on her shoulder as she looked at the screen before them. Seeing it on screen and the way she acted were now making sense to him.

*You'll need a distraction.* Pidge siad joining in the conversation.

*We'll engage the beast in our lions. With a discraction, Allura and Coran will land the Castle and load all of its citizens.* Shiro instructed.

*Or we could laod Balmerans into our lions a few at a time and shuttle them to the ship.* Lance offered. *No engaging ferocious laser-eye guy. How long would that take?* He asked.

*Days? Weeks?* Coran said

"We only have hours!" Kiara jumped in. "We do it the other way or come up with something new." she added.

"Look we don't need to beat this thing. We need to bait it away from the ship. Provoke and evade." Shiro said. "Okay, here's the thing. I'm worried that we're going to be really, really good at the provoking part, and then, really bad at the evading part." Hunk started explaining.

He was right. She had seen and felt the effects of them trying to evade attacks. They had work to do in that field. --"but if this is what it takes to save Shay and everyone on the planet, then I'm in." Hunk finished.

"Can you contact the other Balmerans?" Keith asked them. "I can, but I know not what they'll say." Shay repelied. "All that matters is that you try. Trying is all we can hope for." Kiara said to her.

*It's the only option. I'm coming down, Allura said. "Princess no! It's too dangerous!" Coran said to her. *Someone has to be there to lead these people out.*

*You're coming down? That thing will spot your pod and blow it to pieces.* Pidge said over the intercom. *Let me worry about that. You just focus on keeping the creature distracted.*