The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[14] I'm pretty sure that's identity verification enough

"Lance, this is Lahnce."

Lahnce nodded politely in greeting. He was red, lizard-like in appearance, with four horns covering the back of his head. "He was actually a cell-mate with Shiro and I when we were first captured, but after.... y'know, the arena.... I was taken to someplace else."

"You!" Lance yelled, pointing at Lahnce in shock. The man... alien... warrior turned to face him, golden eyes lit up in curiosity at his tone. "You!" he shouted again, jabbing his finger through the air.

"... Yes?"

"You!"

"Kid, you're gaping." Matt said, reaching up to close Lance's jaw.

Lance made an unintelligible noise, flailing before he pointed at Lahnce again.

Lahnce raised a brow, looking down at Lance's finger, which was currently aimed at the centre of his chest.

"What about me?"

"You—" he made the noise again, poking the guy.

"That's not really answering anything, y'know." Matt shook his head, grinning wryly.

"No." Lahnce agreed. "Why do you seem so shocked?"

"Because— argh, I can't put it in words!"

Lance knew the alien, having vague memories of him resting in a healing pod on the Castle. One of six prisoners that Shiro and Pidge helped free when they had gone on their first mission to retrieve the Red Lion.

"Don't you remember me?"

"...No?"

"Really small universe," Matt said, half-laughing. "How many resistance members do you know from encounters with Voltron?"

"Ah, Voltron!" Lahnce said in recognition. "Really did a good job in that raid, I've gotta say."

"You never told me it was Voltron that freed you!" Matt yelped.

"Didn't seem relevant." He shrugged.

"How – how – how is that not relevant?!" Lance snickered as Matt stumbled over his words.

"I thought the crew would just be happy I was back."

"Of course, but you could've told us Voltron helped you out – I mean, nobody really escapes from Zarkon without outside help."

"... Champion."

"He has a point." Lance said, folding his arms and tilting his head to motion at Lahnce.

"We can't be certain yet!" Matt argued. "I still stand by my theory that we might have help from the inside." He leaned back on his good foot, pursing his lips. "There's too many coincidences."

Lance pondered on that for a moment. The barrier surrounding Zarkon's ship had fallen at just the right moment, allowing for them to wormhole away (even if it had caused the disaster that split up the team). Maybe Shiro did have help escaping, and maybe there was somebody on the inside. They couldn't rule out the possibility – especially when it was proved that not all Galra were sided with their emperor.

"As much as I'd love to continue to chat and throw around conspiracy theories with you—"

"Hey!" Matt complained.

Lance laughed before he continued. "— I'm still meant to be looking after Mik, and then I have a debrief."

Lahnce nodded, changing topics as he engaged Matt in light conversations.

Once out of range, Lance gave a loud sigh. Resistance life was confusing enough, and now he had someone with a nearly identical name to watch out for. Personally, he was glad the guy was generally sent on longer missions, and he didn't really have the mental energy to keep up with slight pronunciation variations.

Debriefing wasn't for a while, if Lance was to be honest with himself, but he really didn't feel up to talking with anyone for a while. He needed a bit of time alone.

Mik was still asleep when Lance got back, and he smiled at the tiny mound of purple fur curled up by one of Blue's front paws, tucked just from sight.

Lance rubbed his temples, leaning back against Blue. It had been a while since they had been together, and Lance was going to milk their time together for all it was worth. He would allow himself one hour. One hour before he had to leave. One hour, and then he needed to go to the debriefing. One hour, and then he could take Mik to see Therra...

Whoops, Rinnai. He'd introduced her as Rinnai to the resistance, Roy and Olly agreeing on the way back that it was the best option, in case they ended up in a bad situation.

That right there was another headache in the making.

Kelaan had informed him that the Galra commander – captured by Lahnce – had cracked under pressure. Someone snorted at this point, laughing as he regaled the tale. Kelaan had walked in with a thermometer and the Galra had started begging for mercy.

He was probably the least threatening Galra Lance had ever heard of.

But he had given them crucial information – the Galra had been tracking them. The commander had no idea what it was, and had only been given the trail.

Matt was in half a frenzy, trying to figure out what on board the ship they could possibly be tracking, at the same time trying to keep everything running as usual as they tried to repair everything after the attack.

"I have no idea what they could have picked the signal up from – it's never happened before!" he shouted to someone behind him as he ran past the hangar door. Lance watched him, before frowning.

He had a pretty good idea.

Lance sighed, reaching behind him to place his palm against Blue's cool exterior. She covered him with a feeling of support, preparing him for the task that he knew he had to do.

He wanted Voltron to find him, he really did. But if the Galra could track the Red Lion, then they could just as well track the Blue Lion.

Lance couldn't not risk another attack. It wasn't a serious attack – nobody had died – but he would never forgive himself if something had happened.

How could he possibly look anyone in the eye, knowing that he had indirectly lead their enemy to them? How could he protect Nea and Mik, and all the other innocent lives on board if he was the reason they were in harm's way in the first place?

He would never forgive himself if the Blue Lion lead to the fall of the resistance.

A tiny yawn came from nearby, and a fluffy purple head popped up to look at Lance. He smiled.

"Hey, Mik." He said, scooping her up into his arms. She squealed with delight as he rested her on his hip, stepping back from Blue and waiting for her to lower her jaw to the ground so he could enter.

"Woah." Mik whispered as he walked into the cockpit. Lance grinned.

"Pretty cool, huh?" the girl nodded, staring around, yellow eyes wide in wonder.

Lance, on the other hand, had eyes only for the console.

One measly button. One measly decision.

Voltron or the resistance. Tracker or no tracker. His desires or their protection.

His brow creased, and Lance closed his eyes tightly, reaching forwards and pressing the button.

"Come on, let's go meet your sister." He said flatly.

"Therra!" Mik cheered.

"Rinnai, we're calling her Rinnai." He corrected.

"Rinnai." She repeated slowly, before wrinkling her nose. "Don' like it."

He chuckled dryly, leaving Blue behind without a backwards glance, the deed hanging heavy in his heart.

Galaxies away, Altean eyes sprang open as the Blue Lion's connection faded to nothing.