Battle Scars

Chapter 11- Connections

"Mm. The space taco. You left us too soon." Hunk rubbed his grumbling tummy and I smiled.

"Well sure, but," Pidge jumped back into major nerd mode. " my point is, imagine how amazing their home base will be!"

"Exactly! It could take on any shape. Like a space jelly donut. Or long, like a space eclair, or a space cheese blintz with a cherry sauce on top. Maybe a little dusting of powdered sugar. That's the stars." I think Hunk is just hungry.

"Aww! Now I'm hungry for breakfast." Lance complains. Mood.

"Guys. This is a serious mission. We need to focus." Keith says, from his chair. Lance puts on a mocking face.

"We need to focus." He says, in a voice worse than his expression. Coran speaks, ignoring Lance's petty.

"The base is in range."

"Take us in slowly." Shiro says.

"That might prove the tiniest bit of a challenge."

"Is that a black hole?" Hunk stares in wonder at the sight in front of us.

"No no no no no. It's two black holes, and a giant blue star." Coran says. He seems just as amazed.

"That's not better."

"No kidding." Pidge says. " just inside a black hole, the temperature is one millionth of a degree above absolute zero. But, just outside of that, it's hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius."

Hunk lights up.

"Okay, it's like when you try to nuke a frozen burrito in the microwave, and it comes out all scorching hot on the outside but it's still frozen in the middle, right?"

Pidge is unamused, and Lance frowns at him.

"Now I'm hungry for lunch!"

"Guys, quiet!" Keith yells, which is unnecessary and loud, much like some people's personalities. "Coran, where is the base located?"

"In between those three deadly celestial objects." He says, pulling up a visual.

"The perfect defensive position." Pidge says, followed immediately by an annoyed Allura.

"Or the perfect trap."

"Yeah, I'm with Allura. Maybe we shouldn't, like, go in there at all?" Hunk questions.

"What are you talking about? We have to go in! This is the whole reason we came out here! There is no other option!" Keith is speaking in a raised voice. I back away slowly, towards the door.

"Okay, jeez. Calm down." Lance makes calming motions with his hands. Keith makes a mildly bitchy face but calms.

A screen pops up.

"Identify yourself." States a feminine robot voice. Shiro turns to Coran.

"Open a hailing frequency, Coran."

"We are the Paladins of Voltron, sent here by Ulaz." Shiro states. Silence, then the bot speaks again.

"Two may enter. Come unarmed."

"Why would they insist we come unarmed? Shiro, this doesn't feel right." Allura. You racist. They're fighting a war. Chill your space titties. I wish talking wasn't so insanely difficult, I'd love to actually interact with people like a Functioning Human. Oh well. Shiro speaks, breaking my train of thought.

"We've come too far to turn back now."

"They just sent us a route to the base, but we'll have to move quickly." Coran says. " because of the solar flares it's only open for another Varga. Then it will be closed for two quintents."