Keith was being dragged across the floor, the cold biting at his skin. Two cloaked figures, their hands scaled and reptilian, gripped his wrists with brutal force. Blood bloomed across wounds that marred his body, leaving a slick, acrid trail.
“Lance!” Keith’s scream tore from his throat, a desperate surge of defiance as he thrashed against his captors. “Lance, help me!” Lance strained to run, but his legs moved through thick syrup, each stride futile. He opened his mouth to shout, but the sound died before it could form. There was nothing he could do.
“Lance,” Keith’s voice was a fractured whisper, barely audible. “Lance, please… please help me.” Lance’s eyes burned with unshed tears. He bit his lip, tasting blood, trying to choke down the rising panic.
“Lance, Lance!” A voice sliced through the darkness, but it wasn’t Keith’s. Lance wrenched his gaze away from the unfolding horror, finding only blackness. “Lance, wake up!” He jolted upright, slamming his head into Pidge’s.
“Shoot, sorry Pidge,” Lance mumbled, rubbing his temple where it collided with Pidge’s. He blinked slowly, trying to clear the lingering images of the nightmare. Pidge shook her head, stepping back from the bed. She adjusted her glasses.
“You’re fine, Lance, just… check around next time you bolt awake like that, alright?”
“Yeah, sure thing,” Lance replied, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and shuffling his feet into ridiculous slippers. He continued to massage his temple.
“Anyway,” Pidge said, her voice laced with genuine concern. “Are you okay? That looked like a pretty bad dream.”
“Yeah, just a nightmare,” Lance answered, a lie forming on his tongue. It wasn’t just a nightmare. It was a recurring terror that had begun the moment Keith left the team. Pidge sensed the deception, and while she didn’t want to push, her worry for her friend was palpable.
“Lance, I’m not going to pry, just know I’m here if you need to talk, okay?” Pidge offered a small, kind smile. Lance returned it gratefully.
“Thank you, Pidge. That means a lot.” He said, his voice full of appreciation. “So, why’d you wake me up?”
“Right, well, Shiro claims to know where Haggar is hiding, and what she's planning, at least for now. She somehow figured out we were near the White Hole, and from what Lotor and Allura say about her lab…” Pidge sighed, shaking her head. “She’s spent her entire life searching for this place.” A cold knot tightened in Lance’s chest.
“Geez, this can’t end well,” he admitted, his usual optimism dimming.
“Actually, there’s this asteroid belt between them and the White Hole. It would take them much longer to go around it than to navigate through it, so…” Pidge’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she walked towards the doorway. “Hunk and I are going to plant a series of motion-activated bombs along the courses they're likely to take. That should inflict heavy casualties and discourage further attempts to find us.” Pidge stood proudly in the doorway, her idea fully formed.
“That’s brilliant, Pidge!” Lance exclaimed, relieved to be spared from any direct confrontation. She was about to leave when a realization struck him. “Hold on, does Shiro know about this?” He asked, worried.
“No, he said he felt unwell shortly after telling us, so he went to lie down. Why?”
“Well, maybe don’t tell him. If she can see some of Haggar’s plans, who’s to say Haggar can’t see some of ours?” Pidge stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“Wow, Lance, that’s… that’s actually a good point. I won’t tell him, and I’ll make sure the others don’t either. Well, I’ve got a witch to blow up, so see ya later!” With that, Pidge departed. Lance sighed, reluctantly pulling on his jeans and brown jacket. He walked into the main control room, utterly unprepared to see Keith on screen, standing beside a beautiful Galra woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to him. Keith looked less burdened than Lance remembered, surprisingly calm. Lance smiled at Keith as he walked into the room and stood near Allura. Keith returned his smile wearily.
“We’re receiving your coordinates now. We’ll be there shortly. You just need to keep your location secure until then. Once we’re there, we can escort you to the base of the Blades.” Allura plotted the ship’s course to the coordinates transmitted by Keith’s vessel.
“Thank you. I feel much better knowing we’re not as vulnerable,” the Galran woman stated, her gratitude evident. “I’m Krolia, by the way. I’m…” She glanced proudly at Keith. “I’m Keith’s mother.” Lance’s jaw dropped. Allura managed a strained smile, her hatred for the Galra still simmering beneath the surface.
“It’s very nice to finally meet you. I’m sure we’re all looking forward to getting to know you better,” Allura said, turning to Lance.
“Oh yeah, hey,” Lance stammered nervously, unsure of the source of his unease. “My name is Lance, and that’s Coran.” He paused awkwardly, unsure what to say next. Krolia smiled warmly at him.
“Ah, the famous Lance. Keith has told me a lot about you…” She glanced at her embarrassed son, who was blushing and crossing his arms. “And of course, you as well, Coran. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Keith looked awkwardly down at the ground, shuffling his feet.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss,” Coran bowed politely.
“Well, I guess we’ll see you guys in a few ticks, then,” Keith said, finally looking up, eager to end the conversation.
“Alright, see you,” Allura concluded the video chat. She turned to Lance. “Lance, would you mind ensuring one of our guest rooms is cleaned for Krolia?” Lance sighed.
“Ugh, sure thing, Princess.” He conceded reluctantly. Despite his feigned indifference, he couldn’t deny his anticipation for seeing Keith again. It would be good to joke around with an old friend, and maybe Lance could even confide in Keith about his worries regarding Shiro. He smiled at the thought of messing around with Keith again but stopped himself in confusion. Coran and Allura didn’t seem to be as excited about Keith’s short return, so why was he? Confused, Lance walked off to the wing where the guest rooms were located.