Keith gulped, eyes trained on the ship as they neared. All the paladins sat in their lions, hovering near the castle-ship. Keith felt his fluffy ears press against the inside of his helmet. He cursed under his breath. "No, you can't be scared," he lectured himself.

"Keith?"

Said paladin looked up to see Lance across his dash, a concerned look in his eyes. "Lance," Keith murmured, relaxing in his seat, though his ears remained large and furry. "What's the matter? You scared?"

Th blue paladin then snorted, an indignant expression flash across his face before he smirked. "I'll have you know that if I'm not scared of mama's chancla, I'm not scared of a measly Galran ship!"

"What's a chancla?"

"Sandal, Hunk. I've told you this a dozen times."

"Oh, yeah!"

Keith's lip quirked slightly in a smile as he listened to the legs of Voltron.

"Yo, Keith!" An image of Pidge flickered in front of him. "Ready to kick ass?"

"Pidge."

"Sorry, not sorry, Shiro."

Keith bit back a laugh. "Let's do it." He jerked the levers back, then pushed them forward.

However, he couldn't shake the bad feeling.

~

Bad feelings were confirmed as drones shot at them from every angle, forcing them apart so they couldn't form Voltron.

"Pidge's team! Pull your lions back and infiltrate the ship!"

"Will do, sir Shiro!" Both Pidge and Lance teased, pulling their lions back and being followed by Keith.

Several minutes later, the three were tip-toeing through the ship, looking for information. Pidge had her wide eyes focused on the blue screen hovering above her left wrist, leading them through.

"How much further, Pidge?" Lance peeked around Keith to look at the younger paladin.

She groaned and dropped her head. "We're closer than we were when you asked two minutes ago."

Lance nodded. "Good. Makin' progress."

Keith rolled his eyes, keeping close to the girl. "Just shut up, Lance. We'll get there when we get there. If you keep talking, we could get caught and take even longer."

The blue paladin pouted, but didn't say anymore. Pidge's shoulders sagged in relief.

Another several minutes later, they made it to the archive room. Pidge's honey colored eyes lit up as she ran to the dash. "Keep an eye on the door! Don't let anyone in," she commanded, already typing away.

Lance and Keith stood shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the shut doors. Lance looked over at Keith a grinned. "This is cool, huh? 'Lance and Keith, neck and neck.'" Keith scoffed and rolled his eyes again as Lance quoted himself. However, the blue paladin thought it was genius. "'We do make a good team.' I said that, right?" Keith blushed and looked down, biting his lip. "I was right. We're a pretty great team." He grinned and leaned over, pressing a kiss to Keith's cheek.

"Ugh," Pidge groaned, hitting her head. "Get a room, you two!" She glared at them, but a playful glint glimmered in her eyes. "I'm glad you two are finally together, but stop sucking face while we're on a mission."

Lance laughed, but Keith looked away. Lance hummed as swayed, listening for any oncoming enemies.

Keith glanced down either side of the hallway, then turned back to Pidge. "Is it downloading?"

Pidge nodded. "Yeah, any second now... Aha! Got it! Hey, Allura! I've started downloading the Galra files. It should also start downloading into the castle's systems so you can get it in case something happens to my laptop."

The ship jerked, but the three didn't say anything. They weren't surprised by the jolt. A soft clanking sounded, making Keith's ears twitch. "Pidge, how long will this take?"

"About ten more minutes if there's no complications in the system. Why?"

Keith shut the doors and raised his bayard. "Soldiers are coming." Pidge looked up.

"I'll see if I can get it going faster." Pidge's fingers flew across her keyboard, seeing what she could do to speed up the process. "How many?"

Keith took off his helmet and listened. "Five? No, there's another group from the other direction... And other group behind them."

"That's so hot." Keith jolted at the statement, whipping his head around to look at Lance with huge eyes. The blue paladin only smirked.

Pidge, however, groaned and slammed her head against the wall. "Damnit Lance!" She hissed through clenched teeth. "What the fuck is your problem!? Say that after we're out of danger and while we're not on a fucking enemy ship!"

Lance laughed, but then they all jumped as the doors were blasted at. Pidge cursed.

"Only sixty-eight percent, guys... I have to download all this information!"

"The doors are locked, so that gives us a minute or so," Keith told her, holding his bayard and shield up, Lance copying his stance. Keith's ears flattened back, eyes narrowed and focused.

"Keith?" Said man blinked and looked over at Lance. The blue paladin was concerned. "You're scared. Your ears and your eyes..."

The red paladin looked down, then back to the door. Lance was right. His fear was building. It bubbled in his chest as a thin sheet of yellow changed his sight. "I know..." Keith planted his feet firmly to the floor as the Galra rammed against the doors. "Stay focused."

Lance kept his eyes on Keith for another moment before nodding and turning his gaze to the weakening door. "Pidge?"

"Seventy-one percent."

"Shit," Lance gripped his bayard. "Looks like we're not leaving without some new battle scars." He smirked again, lowering his head for better aim. "Ready, Keith?"

Keith couldn't help but grin. "Ready."

The abrupt force of the collapsing doors shoved the two paladins back and unbalanced Pidge. "Seventy-nine percent!" She shouted, activating her shield.

Keith and Lance shouted as they charged at the Galra. "I could do this all day!" Lance yelled above the blasts, grinning wildly as he shot at and fought hand-to-hand combat with the Galra.

Keith lodged his bayard through a droid and yanked it back. "I bet I could take more down!"

"Oh, hell no!" Lance's eyes narrowed at the challenge, glee sparkling in his eyes. "I could definitely take more down than you ever could!" He jumped back, then swung his leg up in an arc, clearing a Galra droid's head right off it's shoulders. "Whoo! I'm pumped!"

The comm crackled in Lance's and Pidge's ears. "Guys! What is going on down there!?"

"Shiro!" Pidge shouted, typing away on her laptop. "The information is only eighty-three percent done and Lance and Keith are keeping the Galra back! It's almost done! I think I figured out how to make it download faster! It'd have gone faster in the first place if you were here with your glowing arm, but hey! We can't all have what we wan- SHIT! Lance! What the fuck! Are you trying to kill me!?"

"My bad," Lance shouted, blocking another shot that was aimed at the green paladin.

Shiro muttered under his breath. "I'm coming in. You guys sound overwhelmed."

Lance snorted. "It's nothing we can't handle, Shiro! We're not just some amateurs! Oh, yeah! Bam, another point for Lancelot!"

Keith rolled his eyes and lounged for a Galra aiming for Lance. "Stop celebrating each shot!"

"I am not celebra- whoa! That was close!" Lance ducked behind his shield, backing up. "Keith! Pidge! There's too many!"

Keith grunted being shoved back. "They keep coming in! Pidge!"

"One hundred percent!" Pidge slimmed her laptop shot and tossed it in her bag.

"Pidge!" Lance screamed throwing himself in front of her. She gasped, eyes widening. Keith whipped around, ears flattening. Five shots rang out, jerking Lance's body.

"Lance!" Pidge cried. Said paladin stepped back weakly, attempting to catch his balance. His head rolled as his eyes fluttered and he began to collapse.

Keith dropped his bayard. "Lance... Lance!" Keith ran over and fell to his knees beside Lance. "Lance!" He shakily gathered the blue paladin in his arms as he struggled to breathe.

Pidge was kneeling behind Lance's head and was trembling. "Shiro! Sh-Shiro! It's- it's Lance! He's been shot! Hurry! Please hurry!"

"I'm on my way!" Shiro responded immediately.

Loud, heavy step made their way over and stopped a meter away from the paladins. Keith growled, glaring up at the Galran through his tears. "Back off," he hissed, squeezing Lance.

The general-Keith assumed-grinned, flashing his sharp teeth. "A Galra among the paladins. Lord Zarkon will be much pleased with this news." Keith bristled at this. "I want to make you a deal, Galran paladin."

"Keith, don't listen to him," Pidge whispered, applying as much pressure as she could to the worst of Lance's wounds.

The general barked at Pudge causing her to jump and go wide-eyed in fear. He straightened up and returned his gaze to Keith. "We'll let you go if you agree to become one of us. If not, we kill the paladins and the princess, then you, after allowing the Druids their fun." Keith only growled, Lance's labored breathing growing more shallow and weak. "I'll give you one Earth month to give us an answer. If you don't answer by the last day, everything you love will be obliterated."

Keith glanced down at Lance. His brows were furrowed and eyes tightly shut as he tried to breathe. Keith slumped. "I... I'll think about it..."

"Keith..." Pidge whimpered.

When Keith looked up, then General was gone as well as the droids. Shiro bolted in, eyes wide and hand glowing. "Guys!" He hurried over, then carefully took Lance from Keith's arms. Keith made a strange noise, similar to a whimper. "We need to get him on the castle-ship, now," he stated, turning away.

Keith and Pidge helped each other up, both shaky and bloody.

"You'll be okay, Lance," Shiro murmured. "Everyone will be fine."