"Hold on Lance, we're coming." Pidge murmered. She had plenty of information on the Andromeda, and Shiro was with the team, working up a battle/rescue plan.

"PALADINS!" Allura's voice blared through the ship comms. "Report to the bridge IMMEDIATLY! We are receiving a signal from Gandek!"

Pidge darted up and sped to her seat at the bridge. She barely beat Keith and Shiro, who looked like they were coming from the training deck, and after them, Hunk, holding half a space potato.

"Paladins of Voltron," Gandek's voice boomed through the speakers, and his head appeared on the video screens in front of them. "I have your blue paladin here, relatively unharmed. However to receive him, you must give me-"

Shiro cut him off. "The lions? Not happening bud."

The officer grinned. "I was going to say something else. I want the Castle Ship."

The team balked. Pidge spoke first. "Show us our friend!"

"Very well." He stepped aside to show Lance, chained to the wall behind him. The team saw no blood, but a strange substance was on the floor below him. He wore his paladin undersuit, and his leg and arm armor. He was missing the chestplate. A metal device was clamped around the lover half of his face, like a gag.

"I want to speak to him." Allura commanded.

The galran  unscrewed the clamp and removed it. Lance worked his jaw up and down a moment before turning to the screen.

"Are you there?" He asked.

"Yes, Lance, we're all here." Shiro said. "Can you see us?"

Lance shook his head. "Shiro? Tell them. They... they'll need to know before-- before the galra show them. Haggar is coming. They're going to--" He was cut off by a kick to the stomach. The Galra punched his nose, and returned the clamp. The team watched in horror as Lance struggled in vain, trying to escape the clamp.

"The Castle Ship. Or the green one." Hunk and Shiro closed in around Pidge. Keith growled. In the background, Lance was trying to yell something. Gandek punched his nose again, and it began to bleed. Then he used Lance's stomach as a punching bag, turning a deaf ear to Lance's moans and tears.

"STOP THAT!" Coran yelled. Gandek turned to the camera again.

"You will receive another message tomorrow. Be ready!" He punched the camera and the screen went dark.

===================================================================================

Lance tried to yell again. "Don't! I'm not worth it!" but the clamp was screwed on him, reaching around the back of his head and covering his mouth. It held his jaws tightly together. There was a password, he noticed, which discouraged him. Gandek left the room again, and Lance felt is nose drip more blood out. he leaned his head forward, like his mama always told him. He struggled more, trying to see how badly he was injured. His stomach hurt. He would have terrible bruising, but no injured ribs or organs, that was good. He wept thinking about how Haggar would take one look at him and see through all his years of working to pass. She would strip the paladin armor from him and force him into girl clothes again. He didn't think he could handle it. He distracted himself. The Castle Ship, for him? Not a fair trade at all. Or Pidge? He would never let that happen.  He would die before he let them take her.