To Build A Home

Chapter 27- To Make It Right

Krolia was pulled from her sleep by a banging on the door to her room.
Calling it a room is quite generous. It was, in actuality, a small closet like space on on one end of the galra base near the command center. It had a bed, and a door. The bed, however, was horribly uncomfortable, hard and firm, making sleeping close to impossible.
She quickly threw on the rest of her uniform, slid the blaster into its place, and opened the door.
"Command Krolia!" One of her subordinates was waiting outside for her. "Warlord Ranveig wants to speak with you immediately."
With a nod, she pushed past the other Galra and headed for the command center.

***

"You asked for me?" Krolia questioned the male in front of her.
The Galran turned to face her. "Yes. I am going to the Kral Zera to win my seat as emperor." Ranveig informed her. "You will be in charge until I return. Watch the experiment closely and if anyone attacks my base, you are to put it on lockdown immediately."
"Yessir." Krolia watched him begin to leave when a thought crossed her mind. She didn't think twice about asking it, it just slipped out. "And should you not return, what will be done with the experiment?"
"Why would I not return?!" He asked, infuriated. "I am Ranveig! Strongest and most worthy of all Galra. I will do nothing but win that title!"
"I only meant that if you were requested to begin your duties as our new emperor immediately, sir. I have no doubt you will come out on top." She hurriedly corrected herself.
"I like your thinking, Krolia." The warlord grinned, an evil, malicious and vile grin. "Lotor has destroyed this empire, Zarkon did little to fix it." Ranveig paused, staring directly at her.
Krolia recognized this as his way of checking her allegiance. "That is correct. However, you, Ranveig, will be the one to fix his mistakes."
"Haggar was a fool to believe that Lotor, an impure halfbreed could ever control the empire."
And with that, he left.
Krolia hated her role as second in command. She hated pretending to support Ranveig and the rest of this empire. She would much rather go on the mission with Vrek and Illud. The two were tasked with destroying the Kral Zera.
That's what she wanted to do.
There was another spot open, but it had been given to another member. A new recruit.
Their name was not given to her, but she had a strange hatred for them. She didn't know them, so they must not be that important. So why are they on the mission and not her? Even if another skilled member were on the team, that would calm her nerves, but this one had no name.
   Once Ranveig left, Krolia sent word to Kolivan.
   This was her base now. She owned it for the time being, and made sure that all officers, commanders, sentries and fighters knew not to enter the bridge unless they had her permission.
   That would be absolutely no one.
Not one member of this base would enter the command center unless they had her, and only her permission.

***

After many vargas, a transmission came in from Kolivan.
"Kolivan," Krolia addressed the lead blade official with her loyal and assertive tone. "What do you need?"
"A blood duel has broken out among the warlords and commanders." He informed her. "As it is now, many have been killed, and Voltron has arrived at the scene. Ranveig's super weapon may be in danger."
She wasn't surprised that they were basically killing each other off, that was what Galra did. What did surprise her was the fact that the super weapon, the experiment, was in danger. "You want me to destroy the base?" The Marmoran seemed more than ready to blow the place to smithereens on his command, but at the same time, equally ready to defend it.
"That is correct," Kolivan confirmed her statement. "However, I'm sending in another operative to get you out."
"I don't need help." She argued. "My heart is with the Blades. If I must die to protect them, then that is what must be done."
The 'them' used, was not in reference to the Blade members. 'Them', referred to her lover and son back on Earth. Everything she did with the Blades was a win, something she could say helped to protect her family.
The Blade commander seemed unhappy with her devotion to her mission. "I do not doubt your commitment," he agreed, "however, this is not your typical extraction mission."
"Explain..."
"This, operative, the one I am sending to help you destroy the weapon and return here safely, they are..." Kolivan paused, choosing his words extra carefully, "they're not our typical recruit."
Krolia cocked her head slightly, confused by his avoidance of not only their name, but that which made them so 'special' as well.
"He has one of our blades, yet neither I nor Antok gave it to him."
"Is he a skilled fighter and flyer?" As she asked the question, she began running the systems for a total lockdown, the only way to destroy the super weapon. "If so, then I do not care how they got their blade."
"They're not Galra either, Krolia."
"I'm not full Galra, yet you let me into this organization." She argued. "Look, I don't care who they are, I don't even care how they got their blade. They have one, and they're good enough for you to send. That's all I care about."
Kolivan very slowly gave a nod. "Fair enough... Would you like their name?"
"It will help." Krolia admitted, stepping backwards to focus on Kolivan and not the systems. "If they know my name, I would like to know theirs."
"Their name, Krolia," the man paused again, fixing his gaze on Krolia. "They are from Earth, previously fought as a Paladin of Voltron, but now fights with us, using your blade."
Krolia may have stopped breathing for a split second. A human, from earth, with her blade?
"And, as promised, their name...." Kolivan let out a sigh, sounding regretful. "Their name is Keith."