Ocean Blue

Chapter 42

"Keith?"

Keith looked up at Pidge as she came in his room. "Hey."

"I want to ask you something. Do you remember coming out over the ocean to us? As a little red ghost?"

Keith blinked slowly, his head throbbing in an elusive way as he tried to grasp at memories. "I- I don't know. After the fight with Zarkon, everything was just a blur. I remember a storm, but..."

"There were no storms at the port! You did astral project across the ocean! How did you do it?!"

"I- I think it was my sword."

Pidge crossed the room and picked up his blade, examining it with scientific curiosity. "Your sword?"

Keith nodded, wincing as his head throbbed in protest. "Zarkon, he- he called it the sword of heroes. It comes to me, sometimes, when I need it. I think- I think it knew that Allura needed help. So..."

"It sent you," Pidge said softly, looking the sword up and down, "Amazing. I can't believe it was just lying around in Coran's ship for so long!"

Keith gave the sword a curious look. "You know, I'm not sure that it was."

"Huh?"

"I was..." Keith searched for the right word. "...called to the corner where it was. I think that- I think it might have appeared because it knew that I needed it."

"You talk about it like it has a personality."

"Yeah, I... I don't think it has a personality, per se, but... it's like it has preferences. A kind of person that it prefers to be wielded by."

Pidge nodded thoughtfully, putting her hand on the handle and pulling the sword out of its sheath. She yelped, dropping it.

"It zapped me!" she yelped, face shocked and indignant, "It zapped me with a jolt of electricity!"

Keith shook his head. "It probably just gave you a static shock."

Pidge put her hands on her hips. "I know the difference between a static shock and a bolt of electricity! It definitely attempted to hit me with electricity."

"... Okay... That's a little weird."

"Yeah, no kidding! Why did it do that?"

Keith shrugged with a wince. "Magic."

"Seriously? That's your only explanation?!"

Keith shrugged again. "What do you want me to say? I don't know why the sword does anything anymore than you do."

Outside, a cannon boomed. Pidge sat bolt upright. "What-?"

She sprinted for the door. "You stay in here!" she ordered, "Don't come out on deck!"

Pidge emerged on deck and joined Shiro, Hunk, Allura and Coran. "What's going on?"

"Pirates," Allura said grimly, "They... They're flying the symbol of Zarkon's village."

Pidge swore as Zarkon strode on deck at a safe distance, out of range of Hunk's crossbow.

"What do you want?" Shiro called.

Zarkon's lip curled. "You and the Altean princess. Complete surrender. Promise not to run. If you agree, then the rest of your crew will be spared so long as they promise not to attempt a rescue."

"Never!" Allura burst out.

"Then your companions will be killed, and you will be taken by force," Zarkon said dismissively, "Fire," he ordered his men.