Season Four Episode One: Code of Honor
Everyone was helping a bunch of rebel ship fly to safety, digging their claws into the ships and using their thrusters to move them. After a bit Keith showed up in the Black Lion, everyone seeming sort of passive aggressive to him while Millie didn't say anything but a greeting.
They got the ship's to Olkarion, where they returned to the castle and were told they would be participating in what was basically just a performance that Coran was using the term 'show of arms' for.
Kolivan popped up on the screen. "Shiro, my apologies for interrupting, but this is an urgent matter," he said. "A Galra supply ship has been spotted passing through quadrant Omega-Raylar-Six."
"What's it doing so far from the normal supply routes?" Shiro asked.
"We can't be certain, but taken together with the fact that Lotor hasn't been seen in quite some time, and the emergence of this new form of quintessence, we feel compelled to investigate. Normally we would wait for better Intel, but I believe we should act on this now."
"I'll send Voltron to intercept."
"An infiltration mission makes more sense. We can plant a tracker and see just how far the supply route extends. With a the Galra activity as of late, my agents are spread thin."
"Not anymore. Count me in," Keith offered.
"Hey, what about our performance?" Lance asked. "We can't razzle-dazzle the crowd with just five lions."
"This mission is more important than a show of arms," Keith insisted. "Shiro?"
"How long will it take?" Shiro asked.
"Not long, but we must act fast or we risk the shop jumping into hyperspace."
"Go," Shiro said. "But when you're done meet us on Reiphod."
-☆-☆-☆-
The show was... uneventful, to say the least. Keith hadn't ended up showing, and the crowd was entertained up until Voltron was supposed to form.
Millie was on her bed, petting Scout as she read a book while Dallas laid next to her.
"Hey," she said when Keith entered the room.
"I don't feel like a lecture," he said as he crawled into the bed.
"I know," she said. "Trust me, I know Allura chewed you out good. She gave me the test run, and I don't doubt that Shiro also gave you a stern talking to."
Keith scoffed. "Yeah, they did."
He released his Pokémon, both of them automatically jumping up to curl up on the bed and fall asleep.
"At least someone understands."
Millie put away her book and laid her head on Keith's chest.
"I can't say I do understand, Keith, but I do support you, even if what you want takes you away from us. From me," she said. "But I don't know if we'll be able to make us work much longer if you're not able to contact us regularly and help me make us work."
Keith tensed. "I'm sure we can," he said. "It'll just... be like taking a break, I guess. We'll figure it out."
-☆-☆-☆-
Keith had been spending more and more time with the Blades, which means more and more time blowing off his responsibilities as a Paladin.
A distress signal went off, Coram explaining that a bunch of medical supply ships were being ambushed by Galra cruisers. Allura suggested having Voltron deal with the cruisers long enough for the ship's to get to safety, but Pidge brought up that Keith was gone.
"Probably on another mission," Shiro said. "I knew this would happen sooner or later. You'll have to go without Keith. The convoy needs you immediately. I'll send him your way as soon as I find him."
The group rushed off to help the convoy, Hunk heading to ram one of the ships out of the tractor beam it was caught in, but he was stopped as multiple fighters flew out to meet him, stopping him from ramming it out.
Multiple more cruisers showed up, obviously having been called for backup.
Everyone was yelling about the fight, Voltron obviously being needed. Hunk yelled about being unable to beat them with only five lions when Shiro showed up in the Black Lion.
They formed Voltron and easily took out the ships, using the shoulder cannon to take out multiple at once.
"Rebel craft, you're safe," Shiro said. "We'll escort you all the way to Olkarion."
-☆-☆-☆-
On the castle everyone was just waiting around when Keith came through the doors.
"Guys, I--" Everyone was glaring. "I heard what happened. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help."
"You say you're sorry yet your actions say otherwise," Allura said. "Do you realize that your absence put the team in jeopardy?"
"And not just the team, the refugees as well!" Lance yelled.
"Matter of fact," Pidge said, "the entire quadrant was in danger."
"This is not the way I wanted this to happen, but if there's a bright side to this, it's that my absence allowed Shiro to reestablish his bond with the Black Lion," Keith said. "He can finally be the leader I was unable to be. I'm not meant to pilot the Black Lion."
"Is that why you've been pulling away from us?" Allura asked.
"Yeah, I suppose that's part of it."
"Part of it? What's the other part?" Hunk asked.
"The Blades have been making real headway tracking the source of this quintessence," Keith explained. "They've been able to piece together a large network of hidden supply lines that have been secretly transporting it for who knows how long. And there's good reason to believe it could lead us directly to Lotor. A mission is being planned to infiltrate the supply line. It could take weeks, maybe months to pull this off, but if there is a chance we have-- I have to take it. I need to be on that mission."
Everyone was still, knowing full well what he was talking about. Dallas started flicking his tail wildly, picking up on the atmosphere and not liking it.
"Shiro, you are the rightful leader of this team," Keith said. "And you proved that today by reconnecting with the Black Lion. It was always meant to be yours."
Shiro stepped forwards, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Keith, if this is what you think is right, then we wont try to stop you," he said. "But just know that we're here for you whenever to need us."
"I knwk you are, and I can't tell you how much that means to me."
They hugged each other, Hunk beginning to cry and joining the hug. The other Paladins joined in, all except Millie who waited on the outside of the hug for Keith to talk to her.
"I guess this is goodbye, then," Millie said, her arms crossed.
"No its not," Keith said, grabbing her hand. "I'll call whenever I can. As for tonight, I have some time before I need to leave." He began whispering. "We could go back to one of our rooms," he suggested.
Millie nodded and giggled, releasing her Pokémon and instructing the team to watch them, Keith doing the same before dragging her off.
"Use protection!" Shiro yelled after them.
"They're in the room next to me, Shiro," Lance said. "I don't think they would do anything like that--"
"We will!"
"What?!"
Again, skipping the next two episodes. Hopefully this will be the last skip for a while.