The Paladins were on a mission, infiltrating a Galran base. Lance was currently perched on a ledge of the facility. His bayard already activated as a sniper gun.

"Alright, team, I've got my eye on the targets." The Blue Paladin said as he aimed his gun at the Galra droids. "I'll cover you from up – Hey, Keith, I had that guy!" Lance said annoyed as Keith barged into the shot and stared slashing at the bots.

"They're still coming!" Hunk shouted. Lance then aimed his sniper at the facility door and shot the lock, causing the door to close, result in one of the droids that was coming through to get cut in half. Hunk laughs and gives Lance a thumbs up. Lance then turned his attention to Shiro who was surrounded by at least five bots.

Shiro used his new bo staff to channel the wind and send it at the droids, knocking some back, and slicing others. For the last bot, he jumped into the air and used his staff to slash the bot into two.

"Whoa! Awesome Shiro!" Lance complimented. The Paladins were then pushed back to the control panel, with Pidge trying to shut down the place, Keith and Shiro had their shields up and Hunk was blasting the droids with his machine gun.

"Pidge, could you maybe hurry it up a little?" Hunk asked.

"Give me some time!" Pidge snapped back as she continued to hack the control.

"Oh, right!" Hunk said and stomped his foot and raised his arm, causing part of the floor break apart and rise up creating a wall. He had been practicing his metal bending and had been getting really good.

"Nice one Hunk!" Shiro praised and Hunk smiled.

"Almost..." Pidge muttered as the panel beeped. "There!" She said as the control panel shut down and all the lights and droids turned off as well. Lance came down as the others put away their bayards.

"Great job Pidge." Shiro congratulated the small, but feisty, Paladin.

"That should be the last outpost in this quadrant." Keith said. "We should call the Blade of Marmora, and let them know this base is cleared." He added.

Later the Paladins were all back on the Castle, and Shiro was outside a room holding a certain person.

"You're really going to do this?" Keith asked from beside him. "We don't know who this guys is. It could be some shapeshifter, maybe a spy for the Galra." He suggested.

"I know, but I want some answers." Shiro replied and turned to the Paladin he considers a brother. "It's okay, I can do this. You should head up to the others." He said. Keith was hesitant, but trusted the older man and left leaving his fellow Paladin to himself. Figuratively and literally.

The Black Paladin took a breath and walked into the room, where his mysterious doppelganger was sitting up on the bed. It was still jarring how similar they were.

"You're up." Shiro said as he walked over to the look-a-like, who snapped his attention to him.

"Shiro?" The double said as he starred. "I... Is it really you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes. It's me." He replied. "But, who are you? And how do you know me? More importantly, why do you look like me?" He asks. The double looks down solemnly.

"Y-you may not believe me, but I'm your clone." The man answered and Shiro's eyes widen. "It was Haggar. She took your DNA and made me, I don't know what for, something called "Operation Kuron", but there was something wrong with me. I was, self-aware. I knew that, I wasn't a real person. I knew, I was a clone. I tried so many times to get to you, but never made it, the Galra always caught me. Eventually Haggar deemed me a failure and I was put away. Somehow, I managed to escape and have been trying to get to Voltron because I heard you were with them." He finished. To say Shiro was stocked was an underestimate.

"I, never knew. Certainly explains a lot." Shiro said, then noticed the clone was shaking. "Hey," he said as he placed a hand on the clone's shoulder. The man looked up at Shiro with a withdrawn expression.

"Y-you won't toss me away like them, right?" He asked hesitantly. Shiro gave a small comforting smile in response.

"No. We won't do that." He promised and held out his robotic arm. The clone looked skittish, but took the metal arm with his own, looking exactly like Shiro's old Galran arm. "Come on." Shiro said as helped the clone up. "Let's fix you up. We should also give you a name, cause I'm guessing you don't have one, and Kuron(1) is too on the nose." He said and the clone smiled carefully.

Later, the whole team was gathered on the bridge when the door opened and Shiro(?) walked in.

"Awesome work guys. We've really been turning the tide in this war." He said.

"Oh, hey Shiro. How it go with your look-a-like? Wait, is there something different about you?" Lance asked. Suddenly they heard a chuckle coming from behind Shiro(?), and in came, another Shiro?

"Told you they wouldn't be able to tell the difference." The other Shiro said.

"Uhh... Pidge can I borrow your glasses? Cause I think I'm seeing double." Lance said as he stared, gaping like a fish.

"I don't think it would help, cause I'm seeing this too." Pidge replied and Shiro chuckles in response then places a hand on the other guy.

"Guys, meet the newest member of Voltron. Kuro(2). My clone." He introduced.

"What?! Clone?! Are you serious?!" Keith asked shocked, as was everyone else.

"That explains a lot." Pidge commented while pushing up her glasses and returning to what she was doing previously.

"Yeah, apparently Haggar made him, but he managed to escape and came here." Shiro explained, while the clone, Kuro, stuck close to him.

"Haggar," Allura murmured, then looked up at the Black Paladin. "Shiro, are you sure this is a good idea? That witch could be using him to track us." She says.

"I highly doubt that." Everyone turned to Kuro when he spoke. "Haggar herself said I was a failure and had no use. She was actually planning to terminate me, but I got out. I came here because, because I really don't have any other place to go." He finished and everyone looked at each other uncertain. Shiro looked saddened and wrapped an arm around the other him.

"Hey, it's okay." He said then turned to others. "Princess, I understand your skepticism, but I really think he's telling the truth. Besides, we're Voltron, we're supposed to help others in need." He reasoned. The others were still skeptical, but believed in their leader. Lance then walked up to them.

"You're looking a lot better than when you first came on. How ya feeling?" The Blue Paladin asked Kuro, who looked conflicted for a tick, before answering.

"Y-yeah, a lot actually. Just trying to fix this weird headache." He replied.

"Guys! I think I have something here!" Pidge suddenly exclaims and everyone immediately crowds around her to see what she found. "So I downloaded intel from the Galra base we just defeated. I untied the quantum-folded encryption, and I found something on Lotor." She explained.

"Do you know where he is?" Keith asked.

"Well, not exactly, no, but the last three sightings of his command ship have been in the Va'Kar quadrant." The Green Paladin answered.

"Nice work, Pidge. Although, those quadrants are massive. How will we pinpoint his location?" Shiro comments. Hunk looked up at that.

"Hey, that comet is made from the same material as Voltron. Maybe I can scan the emission spectrum for Fraunhofer lines, like when I found the Blue Lion!" The Yellow Paladin suggested.

"But you know those emissions are subject to free introduction decay. Those are exponential drop-offs." Pidge interjected.

"Yeah, but if you could find a way to amplify the sensors—No, there'd be way too much interference. What if, instead, we increase the SA magnitude?" Hunk said.

"The spires of the Castle!" Pidge said as she shut off her screens.

"Genius!" Hunk agreed and the two ran off.

"I have no idea what either of them just said." Lance admitted.

"Yeah, me neither." Keith also admitted.

"Let's set a course for the Va'Kar quadrant while they get that detector. We need to work fast. Who knows what Lotor has planned for that comet?" Shiro said.

Later, Shiro and Kuro were in the lounge area, where Lance was using his water to help sooth Kuro's headache that he mentioned earlier.

"How's that feel?" Lance asked the clone.

"Better, thank you." Kuro replied.

"Hey," the three turn to see Keith in the door. "Shiro, can I talk to you? Alone?" He asked. Shiro nodded and walked out of the room, following Keith, while Lance continued to heal Kuro.

"What is it? Is something wrong Keith?" Shiro asked concerned.

"It's just, I'm not so sure about this. Having, Kuro on aboard." Keith admitted.

"Keith, like I said, I understand the wariness, but Kuro might be able to help us. Besides, from what it sounded like, the Galra tortured him, like they did me." Shiro said while looking down at his metal arm.

"I know, but, if Haggar made him, he was meant for something, but what?" Keith reasoned.

"Kuro did tell me about that. It was something called "Operation Kuron", he doesn't know what it was, but apparently Haggar went back on it, and like he said, he was going to be terminated. I know, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this too, but he doesn't have any place else, so he's going to stay, okay?" He says to Keith, who sighs, but nods his head in agreement. Just then, Hunk's voice rang out over the Castle's com system.

"Uh, guys! Guys, I found the comet, but it's booking it away from us! Coran? Allura? Can someone Altean come move this Castle?" The Yellow Paladin called.

"Well done. We're on our way." Allura's voice replied back. Everyone met up on the bridge and started following the signal.

"Okay, we're gaining on it." Hunk announced.

"Make sure we stay far back enough to be undetected." Shiro instructed.

"Looks like the signal stopped in the Ulippa System." Pidge said. "Activating long-ranged scanners." She announced. The image on screen zoomed in on a planet ahead of them. First showing a Galran base, then zooming in more to reveal a Galra ship. However...

"That's no Lotor's ship." Keith said a she stood up.

"But the comet is in there." Hunk confirmed. Shiro stood himself and turned to everyone.

"We need to get that comet. They must be transporting it into the base. It'll be vulnerable during the transfer. That's the best time to strike." He instructed. Just then, the ship shot at the base, shocking the Paladins as they watched.

"What the-? What the heck?! Who are these guys?!" Lance asked the question on everyone's mind.

"I don't think they're actually moving the comet to the base. We need more information." Shiro says.

"Then I'll be accompanying you." Everyone turned to Allura as she spoke.

"Princess, it could be dangerous." Coran said.

"I know, but I'm a part of Voltron as well, and will fight in this war with you." She said, leaving no room for argument.

"Alright team, gear up. It's time to move out." Shiro said and went to his station. Just then he felt a hand grab his wrist, and turned to see Kuro, holding him, with a worried look on his face.

"I don't like this Shiro. Something, feels wrong." The clone confided. Shiro understood what he meant.

"Don't, worry, we'll be careful. For now, stay with Coran, he'll look after you." Shiro told his look-a-like, who looked reluctant. "Don't worry. I promise that I'll come back." He promised, and the other finally let go. Coran walked up to the clone and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I know how you feel." The Altean advisor consulted.

The Paladins, with Allura riding with Shiro in Black, flew down to the planet's surface. Once landed, the Paladins got on their bikes and took off towards the facility.

"The most important thing is for us to get eyes on that comet. Second is finding out who we're dealing with." Shiro instructed. They soon arrived and got out of their bikes and boarded onto the ship.

"Coran, we've boarded the ship. There's no crew insight. Moving forward with the search." Shiro reported to Coran.

The Paladins and Princess proceeded through the ships hallways, with Hunk leading the way with his Voltron tracking devise. They had heard a commotion going on in the base, but it went silent a little later. Suddenly, the roof of the facility opened and Coran and Kuro saw something inside.

"What is that?" Kuro asked the Altean man.

"Not sure. Going in for a closer look." The man replied and enhanced the image. The man gasped. "No way..." He breathed.

"What? What is it?" The clone asked.

"Oh right, you weren't there." Coran said when he remembered this technically wasn't Shiro he was talking to. "That's a piece of the giant teludav we used in our battle against Zarkon." He explained. "But what in the name of King Groggery of the Infirm is it doing here?" He said confused. Okay, now Kuro really had a bad feeling.

The Paladins made their way through the ship, soon coming upon a ship's hanger bay.

"The comet should be here. Like right here." Hunk said as he follows the tracker's signal to a strange ship docked in the bay, but there was no comet. Just the ship.

"Where's the comet? Is it in the ship?" Lance asked. Suddenly, Hunk's tracker went crazy.

"I think the ship is the comet." The Yellow Paladin said, and everyone gasped.

"No, it can't be! He's already made ship from the comet's ore?" Allura said.

"Oh, this is bad." Lance comments.

"More like horrible." Pidge said.

"Paladins, Princess..." Coran's voice said through the coms. Pidge opened an image so they could see the Altean advisor.

"What is it Coran?" Shiro asked.

"There's a piece of the teludav inside the Galra base." The Altean man reported.

"Wait, you mean the one used to wormhole Zarkon's ship?" Lance asked.

"But they wouldn't be able to operate it without an Altean -- *gasps*" Allura cut off and gasps when she remembers Haggar, an Altean. "Zarkon's witch! She had Altean markings." She exclaimed.

"Is anyone else kind of freaking out?" Hunk asked nervously.

"Yep, mark me down for one freak-out." Lance said.

"Lotor must be nearby. We need to find him and take him out for good." Keith suggested.

"No. Team, we cannot let Lotor get this ship. We need to back to the lions. We need Voltron!" Shiro retaliated.

"What? Why take out one ship when can stop all of this by taking out Lotor himself? We can't let him keep outsmarting us." Keith reasoned.

"That's exactly why we can't risk letting Lotor have the ship. This is too important." Shiro retaliated.

"Keith, I want to stop Lotor just as badly as you, but Shiro has a point." Allura says agreeing with Shiro.

"Okay. You guys head back to the lions. I'll go search for Lotor." Keith said.

"Keith, no, we need to stick together. You're coming with us." Shiro said sternly.

"Yeah, I'm with Shiro on this one." Lance said, everyone else agreed.

"Fine." Keith groaned, and the Paladins began making their way out of the hanger and towards the Lions. However, when the door opened, Lotor's generals were there and attack. The Paladins activated their bayards, while the Princess brought out her whip-like weapon.

As Keith faced off with one of them, a blue skinned, almost human looking, woman, he soon recognized her as the one he had saved from back when he and Hunk went into that Weblum for the scaultrite. Just then, another General came in between them. This one's skin was reddish-orange, with a strange appendage on her head like hair. The general then throws a weapon at Keith, but something hits it away before it could hit him. Keith turned to see Lance with his gun raised.

"I got you, buddy!" Lance exclaimed. Keith couldn't help but smile, then the blue skinned general ran passed him and at Lance, while the orange one attacks him. Said general manages to get him in a lock on the ground, but he managed to slip out of the hold. The rest of the Paladins fought off the generals, but they were very strong and versatile.

"We don't have time for this." Keith growled.

"Keith's right, we need to get to the Lions." Shiro said.

"Alright then!" Lance said then conjured up ice and created a wall that reached to the ceiling. "Won't hold them forever, but that should slow them down." He said.

"Nice one Lance! Everybody!" Shiro said and they all run out of the facility and got to their hover bikes.

"Okay, seriously, what is going on? I mean who were those guys?" Lance asked as they ride back to their lions.

"I've met one of them before, in the weblum. She stole some of the scaultrite." Keith admitted.

"Allura you said they had an Altean?" Hunk asked the princess who was riding with Shiro. "They must be trying to build a teludav so they can make wormholes." He suggests.

"If Lotor has turned the comet into a ship. we have much bigger concerns." Allura replied.

"I thought Lotor took over for Zarkon. Why is he attacking a Galra base?" Pidge asked.

"I'm not sure. That's why we need to stop him from getting the ship." Shiro said.

Meanwhile, the ice wall melted, and the generals went to the bridge and activated a tracker beam to grab the teludav and pull it up to the ship. While that was going on, the Paladins made it to their Lions and took off. Shiro made sure to drop Allura off back at the Castle before rejoining the others and forming Voltron. Just in time, as the ship made from the comet began attacking the Castle.

"Keith!" Shiro said. The Red Paladin nodded and took out his bayard. "Form Sword!" The Black Paladin said as Keith installed his bayard and Voltron's sword formed. While it wasn't Lotor piloting the ship, it was the Prince's generals, who were actually distracting them for the ship with the teludav to get away.

"*Growls!* It's too quick!" Keith growls.

"Paladins! The cargo ship is escaping with the teludav!" Allura alerted over the coms.

"We need to stop it before it gets away!" Shiro shouted and began to turn Voltron to the ship.

"Isn't taking down the ship made from the comet is more important?!" Keith protested.

"We still can't let Lotor get away with the teludav." Shiro reasoned.

"Shiro's right. You must destroy it!" Allura agreed.

"But the comet is right here! We need to take it down!" Keith rebuffed.

"I know! But it's either the comet or the teludav!" Shiro replied. "And right now, I choose the teludav!" He shouted. With that command, Voltron flew to the Cargo ship with the teludav, barely managing to avoid the blasts from the ship. Despite the odds, Voltron managed to use the ship's own laser to destroy the teludav. However, the ship fired another big laser, hitting Voltron. After gathering the rest of the generals, the ship flew away leaving Voltron to ponder on what went down.

"So, it was Lotor attacking the Galra base, trying to steal the teludav?" Lance said. "None of this makes any sense." He added. what was going on?

"We can talk later. They're getting away!" Pidge said from her lion.

"We need to go after them." Keith said.

"No! Please come back to the castle. We don't know what that laser did you and Voltron." Kuro said through the coms.

"Why should we listen to you?! For all we know, you could be working with them!" Keith shouted back. Kuro looked hurt at that comment.

"Keith!" Shiro scolded. "He's right, we need to get back to the castle. Something strange is going on here, and we need to figure it out." The Black Paladin instructed and Voltron flew back to the castle ship.

On the castle, Keith walked out of the Red Lion's hanger when he heard footsteps. He looked to the left to see an angry looking Lance walk towards, before he could anything, Lance slapped him across the face.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Keith groaned as he held his cheek.

"I just can't believe you sometimes! How could you say that to Kuro!?" Lance yelled, clearly pissed.

"What?! It's possible!" Keith retorted.

"He's right Keith!" Hunk said as he and Pidge came up behind Lance. Shiro soon came down the other corridor.

"How can you say that to him?! After everything he'd been through?!" Pidge asked angry as well.

"He was made by Haggar! For all we know, his story could be false!" He then turned to Shiro. "You agree don't you!?" He asked the Black Paladin, instead the man gave him a disappointed look.

"Keith, I'm very disappointed in you for even suggesting that." The admitted and Keith looked degraded. "I understand we're all wary of Kuro, but what he said, I saw in his eyes that he wasn't lying. Since this mission, you've been making some pretty reckless mistakes Keith, I think we all need some time off." He said. Keith just stared at him.

"Yeah, he's right! You know, Keith, sometime you're just... just so insensitive!" The Red Paladin whipped back to look at the Blue at the other's words. Was he really being insensitive? Keith suddenly ran off and headed straight for his room.

Later, Shiro was in the observatory room starring out at the vastness of space. Kuro then came into the room, and walked up to the Black Paladin.

"Hey," He greeted, getting the other's attention. "I overheard the argument you guys had." He admitted. "I'm sorry, it seems like I've been nothing but trouble since I got here. You didn't have to defend me." He said looking on the verge of crying. Shiro looked at him with a soft expression.

"Hey, it's not your fault." The man said, putting his hand on the other's shoulder. "We've all been kind of wound up lately. Besides, Keith should have said all that. It was pretty insensitive, like Lance said." He comforted.

"But what if he's right? What if these memories are just fake, and I am a spy for them?" The other asked.

"Hey, don't worry. If anything happens to you, I promise I'll come help." Shiro promised and hugged his duplicate. Neither knowing they were being watched by a certain angry Red Paladin.

(1) For those of you not in the know, Kuron is the Japanese word for clone.
(2) Kuro means black in Japanese. Also, Shiro means white. It's really ironic on so many levels now that I think about it.
Oh! By the way, I should probably mention that Avatar: The Last Airbender is actually getting a new live-action series on Netflix! Don't worry, if the poster and the talk about this project are anything to go by, it's not going to be like the block-buster nuke that was Shyamalan's adaptation. We're finally going to get a good live-action Avatar. No, not that one, (2009 Sci-Fi movie), already have it, and it was awesome. Side note, the original creators of the show are in on the project. Immediately sold! A must watch! See you all soon!