Huntress of the Galaxy

Chapter 41: Stranded

Ruby, Keith, and Shiro came out of the rift and went barreling towards a barren planet

"Come on, come on, come on!" Keith said as he struggles to pilot his lion before crashing onto the unknown planet.

For a few seconds, everything was black to Keith before he opened his eyes.

"You okay, Azar?" Keith asked as he pulls on the controls, but nothing happened. "Okay. We'll fix you up. We had a tough battle."

Hearing a groan, Keith looked back and saw Ruby laying on the floor. "RUBY!"

Getting up, Keith made his way over to her and supported her head. "Ruby, are you ok?"

Groaning, Ruby opened her eyes and looked at him. "Keith?" Rising, Ruby rubbed her head. "What happened?"

"Well, we crashed and probably somewhere lost in space on an unknown planet." Keith stated.

"Oh..." Ruby muttered; she looks at him. "Are you ok? No blunt trauma to the head? Headache?"

"No, I'm fine." Keith answered, missing the sudden dangerous glint in her eye as she calmly nodded.

"Good, good." She muttered, "Listen Keith, could you do me a favor and remove your helmet."

Keith was confused but complied. "Sure, but why—" The second his helmet was off his head; Ruby socked the Red Paladin right across the face.

Slamming into the back of his seat, Keith groaned in pain. Holding his aching cheek, Keith stared at her in disbelief. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"That was for nearly getting us killed!" Ruby yelled. "Coran and I told you that it was a bad idea to fight Zarkon, but you wouldn't listen!"

"Even though it was clear that even with a lion we were no match for him, you still kept pushing!"

She holds upper hands as she makes another point. "Look, I get it, we couldn't let the Black Lion fall into Zarkon's hands and your little stunt did buy us some time."

"However, that doesn't escape the fact that what you did was reckless and brazenly stupid!"

Flinching back, Keith looks away knowing that she was right.

Getting to her feet, Ruby climbs out of the lion and looks over the horizon of the desolate land.

Following her, Keith looks around. "Where are we? Where have we landed?"

He then gasps when he realizes something. "Shiro." He muttered; he looks around for the Black Paladin. "Shiro!"

Elsewhere on the desolate planet, Shiro had finally awaken and found himself in a canyon with the Black lion powered down.

Making his way out, Shiro looked for any sign of the Red Lion, Keith or Ruby but found none.

"Keith, are you there? Keith? Ruby?" He asked through the intercom, but there was nothing but static.

"I've got to get to higher ground." He muttered, holding his injured side, Shiro began to walk.

After getting out of the crater, both Ruby and Keith followed Shiro's signal.

"Shiro, can you hear me? Shiro?" Keith asked but got nothing but static. "Shiro, are you there? Shiro, are you there? Answer me!"

Shiro was walking up a ledge when the transmission finally went through. "Keith. I'm here. Keith."

He then groans as his wound became too unbearable. Leaning against the rock wall, Shiro sat down.

"Shiro, it's Keith." Keith said. "Keith, Keith, I'm here. I'm okay." Shiro replied.