A/n: I'm trying to get back into Voltron. It just suddenly hit me a couple days ago that I wanted to come back to this story after two years. I know, I'm a horrible person. Also, I hope I caught most of the spelling errors. It's not easy writing on a phone, especially since autocorrect exists. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
••••••••••••••••••••

"I can't believe we're actually listening to Lotor..." Arcadia mumbled as she stood beside Pidge inside the cockpit of the green lion.

"I know how much you hate him for what he did, but all the information he's given us so far has been correct," Pidge replied. "Maybe you should talk to him once the mission's over with. You're wondering why he killed your people, right?"

"Yeah," Arcadia sighed. "You're right, but it better be a good reason or I'll tear him—!"

"Arcadia," Shiro's face appeared on the dashboard. "Focus. You'll get your answer soon enough. For now, we've got a mission to do."

The alchemist blinked a few times. "You'll actually grant me permission to see him?"

Shiro nodded. "Allura and I talked about it before we left the castle. We both agree you deserve to know why he did it."

She mentally cheered, happy to know she'll be able to get the answer she's been wanting for a long time. In her excitement, she peered out the eyes of the green lion as she and the paladins flew toward a celestial body.

"That's our target, the moon of Tragoch," Shiro stated.

"According to our latest intelligence, that's where the Galra are building their upgraded sentries," Allura stated.

"Taking out this base will mean the galra won't be able to resupply their bases and ships for months," Shiro added.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Lance asked suspiciously.

"For once, I actually agree with Lance," Arcadia chimed in.

"All the intel's checked out so far," Shiro replied. "Everything's exactly how we were told it'd be."

"But that doesn't mean this information is correct," the alchemist remarks. She abhorred Lotor and wasn't afraid to show it, which her friends knew all too well.

As they approached the galra base located on the moon, the alarms were triggered. Arcadia looked around as the cockpit lit up with a crimson tint. "No way..." She mumbled, peering outside to see a flock of drones heading straight for them. "He was right..."

"Allura, I'm sending you the signals to interfere with the drones," Pidge informed the princess.

"Signal acquired," Allura replied, immediately getting to work. "Broadcasting." The blue lion activated, relaying the signal using the sonar device. The drones deactivated and the paladins wee relieved they wouldn't be a threat for the time being.

"I'll take them out. You guys focus on the base," Arcadia said before leaving the green lion. She transformed and took out the lifeless drones as the five mechanical felines zoom past her.

"Form up on me," Shiro ordered the paladins. "Arcadia, follow us from behind. We're going in."

"The galra will realize soon enough their drones aren't responding and learn they've been destroyed. How long do we have 'til then, Pidge?" The dragon questioned.

"About five minutes," the green paladin replied. "We better make this snappy."

The lions and the draconian flew through the tunnels underneath the moon's surface. Arcadia, being slightly smaller than the greed lion, had no difficulties performing sharp turns. She saw the others were being extremely careful due to the lions' controls not being as smooth as her control over her own body.

"Be careful to stay in formation and don't touch the sides!" Shiro yelled as the tunnels seemed to become narrower with each turn. A small grunt left his lips as he tugged on the black lion's controls to avoid colliding with the side of the tunnel.

"Don't touch the side. Don't touch the side. Don't touch the side..." Hunk murmured to himself, which Arcadia could hear clearly over the comms. She watched the yellow lion closely as the boy was having difficulty maneuvering his lion through the tunnel.

"Everything all right over there, Hunk?" She questioned.

"Oh, yeah. Everything's just—ah!" He yelled just as his lion collided with the side of the tunnel, creating a large dent in the metal. "Uh-oh!" He pulled on his lion's controls and wound up ramming into Arcadia and the green lion.

"Hunk!" Pidge screamed while Arcadia growled.

Lava seeped through the cracks in the metal, causing the panel to shatter. The magma spewed into the tunnel, alerting the paladins and the dragon.

"I think I may have nicked the side a little bit," Hunk nervously stated.

Arcadia glanced behind her, watching the lava flow toward them at a fast rate. "Oh, yeah. That's definitely only a nick," she sarcastically responds. "Just need some tape and glue. That'll fix it."

Hunk peered over at the dragon for a second before reverting his gaze back to keep from hitting the side of the tunnel again. "You're being sarcastic, right?"

Arcadia groaned. "Yes. Very much so, Hunk." She tore her gaze from the yellow lion and looked at the blue one. "Allura, do you think you could give me a hand?"

"It seems we both have the same idea," the princess smiled. "Let me through!" She pulled the blue lion back, turning it around to face the approaching lava. She fired her lion's freeze ray while Arcadia casted an ice spell. The attacks created a frozen barrier, stopping the magma.

"The ice will only buy us a short amount of time," the beast stated.

"We'd better hurry, then," Allura added. The blue lion and white-scaled beast regrouped with the others, flying away from the cracking ice. Not much further down the tunnel, they heard the ice burst.

Arcadia looked over her shoulder for a brief second, noticing the approaching magma. "Uh-oh..."

"The lava's gaining on us!" Hunk wailed. "We can't outrun it!"

"We should be directly underneath the Galra base," Allura informed.

Shoot glanced around the tunnel and located an opening for them to escape through. "There's an opening up ahead. Follow me!"

The team flew through the opening and soon were faced with branching tunnels. Everyone decided to follow Shiro when he chose the tunnel that led upward, but they regretted their decision when they found themselves in a dead end. "Oh, no! We're trapped!" Lance yelled.

"No, we're not! There's another way out! Form Voltron!" Shiro commanded.

While the five lions combined, Arcadia created a strong, thick barrier of ice between them and the lava. Once she was finished, she saw the lava flow cease but knew it would only last a minute or two.

Turning around, the dragon saw Voltron break through the wall and escape the tunnel. She flew after the robot just as the ice began to crack. Coincidentally, they flew into the center of the base where the sentries were being created. The large machinery around them was hard at work, assembling as many robots as it could.

"Take down the factory machines!" Shiro ordered.

Arcadia flew around the factory, hurling fireballs and  frying the machines with lightning. Voltron used its weaponry to destroy the machines alongside the beast, creating a throng of explosions on the moon's surface.

Eventually, the lava broke through the ice and slowly began filling the room, destroying the machines Voltron and Arcadia missed. They watched the galra flee from the celestial body before making their own exit. They flew back to the castle as the moon exploded, relieved their mission went smoothly and as planned.

<—————<<<<<

"Oh, man!" Hunk shouted excitedly as he reclined on the sofa in the lounge. "Going on missions is a lot easier when somebody gives you the information you need before you get there."

Lance, who was sitting next to the yellow paladin, looked over at him. "And yet, you still managed to run your lion into a wall."

"Yeah, information is one thing," Hunk stated. "Ability is something completely different."

"I gotta admit, Hunk, your mistake actually turned out to be helpful in the end," Arcadia said, standing beside Shiro with her arms crossed behind her back.

"No doubt about it, we haven't encountered a single problem," Shiro spoke up before glancing toward Allura.

"I must admit, we took down a vital target today," the princess said.

"And we made it look pretty easy, except for the getting buried in lava part," Pidge added.

"It may be time to consider taking the next step," the black paladin explained.

"I'm still not comfortable with this," Allura confesses. "It just doesn't feel right."

Arcadia stepped forward, standing in front of her friends. "Before we do, could I talk to Lotor in private?"

Shiro and Allura exchanged glances before nodding. The princess stood up with a gentle smile, which was directed toward the alchemist. "We did agree to allow you to speak with Lotor."

"Thank you," Arcadia smiled at the black and blue paladins. She departed from the lounge and headed to the containment area so she could finally get the answer she desperately has been seeking.

Arriving at her destination, she saw the prince was sitting down on the bench located in his cell with his head hung low. Her shoes clacked against the floor as she approached, grabbing the prince's attention. He lifts his head, offering the girl a seemingly innocent smile. "Well, well... I never expected a visit from the famous Arcadia Crios."

Said girl came to a halt in front of the cell, glaring at the prince from the other side of the barrier. "How do you know my name?"

Lotor stood up, his smile permeant. "Your name has been a whisper among the galra for quite a while. When they heard a draconian was aiding Voltron, the galra felt something they hadn't in over a ten thousand decaphoebs—fear. I must confess, I am relieved to know such an ally."

Arcadia growled at the prince. "First, we're not allies. Second, I didn't come down here for a leisurely chat. I came down here to get the answer I've been searching for. Why did you kill my people?"

Lotor's eyes widen for a second before going back to normal. His smile morphed into a frown. "Your people were stubborn to the very end. I tried to offer them protection when I stumbled upon their colony from the galra empire. They were in a location not known to the empire, but my father would've found them sooner or later. He knew there were more surviving draconians and was desperately seeking them out for their eyes. When they refused my offer, I had no choice but to cut them down."

"You did have a choice!" Arcadia bellowed angrily. "You killed innocent people! They were trying to set a new path for draconians, but you ended that! You could've left them to live peacefully! My people do not require protection!"

"You're right," Lotor sighed. "I did have a choice, and I chose the path that would save millions of lives. Sacrificing hundreds to save millions of others is a risk I gladly accepted."

Arcadia felt anger and sorrow coursing through her veins. Her hands shook as she clenched them into fists by her sides. Inside, she wanted to break through the barrier separating her and Lotor so she could tear him limb from limb. She wanted him to suffer and feel what he did to her own people. Tears of frustration and anger built up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She lifted her fists and pounded them against the barrier as she screamed out, cursing the prince for what he had done to her people.

Suddenly, two arms wrapped around her waist and pried her away from the cell. She struggled against the person as she was dragged to the elevator. Through her fury, the last thing she saw was Allura standing in front of Lotor's cell before the elevator carried her and the person restraining her out of sight.

The golden-eyed girl ceased her struggling when she was pulled into a comforting hug when the elevator stopped. Her fury subsided, a few tears trickling down her cheeks as she slumped against the person. "I'm sorry..." Shiro whispered.

Arcadia didn't pull away from Shiro, but she didn't return his kind gesture. "You heard, huh?"

"Allura and I wanted to make sure nothing happened so we listened in. We're sorry for eavesdropping."

The young girl shook her head, her tone slightly hoarse. "Don't be. It means I won't have to tell you what Lotor said. Is it all right if I listen in to your conversation with Lotor?"

"If you think you've calmed down enough, you can join us," Shiro stated. "Just make sure to remain calm."

"I think I can manage."

Shiro grinned in amusement. "Good."

They rode the elevator back down to the containment area and joined Allura. The princess glanced at Arcadia with a worried expression, but it was resolved when the draconian smiled reassuringly at her.

Shiro stood in between the girls as he stared at Lotor. "Your intel checked out."

"You still feign surprise. All of the information I've given, proven correct," the prince smiled knowingly. "Every target I've provided, easily dispatched. Yet, you still look at me—"

"As if you were the leader of the most bloodthirsty race of murderers this universe has ever known," Allura and Arcadia finished Lotor's sentence in unison, their tone dripping with venom.

"Can people not change?" Lotor retorts, glancing between the two girls. "Is it so hard to believe that I wish to return the Galra Empire to a bygone era of peace? Our fathers were friends once, long ago. Even the twelve grand masters were close friends of the alteans and the galra. There must be hope for us."

"I guess we still need convincing," Shiro commented.

"The facts speak for themselves. The galra empire is completely reliant on quintessence. Serve that need peacefully, and you have a complete paradigm shift, a new dawn for the old empire," the prince said.

"And you're the man to make this happen?" Allura asked with a slight snarl.

"My plan from the beginning has been to find a way to harvest quintessence without resorting to the barbarism of the Komar. Extracting quintessence from entire planets at the cost of every living thing? I think not," Lotor rebuttals.

"And your solution was to send Voltron to do your dirty work," Allura snaps back.

"Along with your alchemist, who has an unexplainable bond to the lions," the prince adds, glancing at Arcadia.

"How do you know about my connection to the lions?" The draconian asked.

"It wasn't difficult to figure out. Your bond to the universe is the same as the lions. It would be more strange if you were not connected to them. But, only Voltron could retrieve the trans-reality comet. I am unaware of what the side effects are if you were to come in contact with the comet. So, yes, I'm afraid I had to be a bit duplicitous in effecting its retrieval."

"But if the paladins and Arcadia were killed, that would be fine for you, too," Shiro vehemently added.

"It was a calculated risk, I admit that," Lotor confesses. "But I knew they'd come through without a scratch. Since recovering the comet, I haven't been in the least bit aggressive."

"Or it's all a facade..." Arcadia muttered under her breath, crossing her arms in disfavor. She looked away for a brief second before a question popped into her mind. She met Lotor's gaze through the azure barrier. "What about your generals? They weren't exactly friendly or in the mood to chat."

Lotor's gaze was unwavering as he stared into her golden eyes. "A simple misunderstanding. I had no idea our paths would cross in the Ulippa System. What would I gain by fighting you or the paladins? My sole focus has been finding a way to enter the zone between realities."

"Sounds like you are your father's son," Allura vehemently states.

The prince's gaze bounces over to Allura. "It was your father who led the scientific exploration that discovered quintessence. An exploration, I might add, that resulted in the creation of Voltron. This isn't a zero-sum game. Meeting the needs of the galra empire means bringing peace to the universe."

"Last time I checked, the only "need" the galra empire seeks is control of the entire universe," Arcadia grumbled.

Her comment went ignored by Lotor as he continued. "That is the future enlightenment brings us, one of prosperity for all. I saved your lives and the lives of all your comrades. I have given you target after target in the galra empire and all of them have been dismantled or destroyed at no cost of life to you. All I ask is to be judged by my actions rather than your preconceptions of my race." His attention darted back over to the draconian. "You know the same pain as I, Arcadia."

Her eyes widen in shock. She never expected to hear the same words she used to comfort Keith thrown back at her. She couldn't help but admit the truth. "Yes, I do."

Now it was Lotor's turn to be shocked. He never expected to hear her admit it. He regained his cool composure and looked between Shiro and Allura. "If that is beyond you, then perhaps you should just finish me and get it over with. Clearly, Princess, you are not ready to end this war."

<——————<<<<<

After their discussion with Lotor, Allura and Arcadia headed to the bridge while Shiro went to join the others in the lounge. The two girls chatted and talked about whatever popped into their minds to purge their thoughts. The both talked about their conversation with Lotor the longest before changing the subject to random things. Both girls sought comfort in one another and were glad they were able to find it.

Eventually, their conversation veered off in the direction of the upcoming meeting and Arcadia helped her best friend to try and memorize the speech she had wrote. They didn't realize how much time had passed until the door slid open and Lance stepped into the room adorned in his paladin armor.

"Princess? Arcadia? The meeting's about to start," he informed the two girls.

"We're almost ready," Allura replied. She looked away from the red paladin with a sigh. "If I'm expected to lead this, I need to know what I'm talking about."

"But no one expects you to memorize everything.
We can have a script-screen, or you could jot notes down on the inside of your hand. I mean, I do it all the time." Lance saw the harsh glares he was receiving from the girls and became frightened. "I'm kidding!"

Then, they received a transmission from Pidge. "Princess, Arcadia, everybody's ready."

"Guess we better get changed," Arcadia smiled at Allura.

The princess nodded with a smile. "Yes, let's."

"I know you'll nail your speech. I'll be standing right beside you the entire time." The alchemist placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

Allura's smile flourished. "I'm glad you'll be by my side. Thank you, Arcadia."

<—————<<<<<

The paladins and Coran stood a few feet away while Arcadia stood proudly beside Allura as she gave her speech. "As of today, our rebel forces have taken control of one-third of the former galra empire. But we cannot grow complacent. The galra empire is still the dominant force in the universe. However, the tide is changing."

"The rebel coalition is winning because of you, Princess Allura," and alien spoke up. "You and Voltron. Regardless of her people's past, we must also mention the draconian at your side. She is also the reason we've been able to push back the galra empire. Mere cycles ago, I felt that my race would breathe its last in galra chains, but then Voltron and the draconian appeared on the horizon, and our lives changed forever!"

"This bid for liberty is only possible because of all of our sacrifices," the princess replied. "And we still have a long way to go before the entire universe is free."

"We'll be behind you every step of the way."

Allura nodded. "Thank you. We will reconvene soon. Until then."

The image of the alien disappeared. The only ones still connected to the castle were Kolivan and Keith.
Shiro stepped up in order for the two Blade agents to see him better. "Did you complete raids on targets we sent on our last communication?"

"Yes," Kolivan answered. "The information we've received from Lotor has consistently checked out."

"With all these successful missions taking place in such a short period of time, it won't be long before the galra realizes we're using inside information," Pidge stated matter-of-factly.

Kolivan nodded his head in agreement. "That's true.
We should expect the enemy to change protocol soon."

"Then we need to act fast and hit as many targets as possible," Lance said.

"We'll talk to Lotor and see if there's anything else he can give us," Shiro declared.

"I can't stop thinking that we might be an unwitting part of a much larger ulterior motive," Allura admits with a worried expression.

"I just hope we can get more answers out of him," Arcadia said. When those words left her mouth, Keith's eyes locked onto her.

Before Kolivan or Allura could end the transmission, Keith spoke up and stopped them. He wanted to speak to his girlfriend in private. The paladins, Coran, and Kolivan respected his plead and left. Arcadia stood in the middle of the room, staring up at Keith. "This is about Lotor, isn't it?"

"What gave it away?" He asked.

"The look on your face when Shiro brought up Lotor. What is it you want to know?"

Keith looked away for a split second before reconnecting his gaze with hers. "Did you, y'know..."

The alchemist knew what he was trying to ask and answered his unspoken question. "I did. Lotor's reasoning behind his actions makes me hate him even more."

"Why'd he do it?" Keith pried, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The draconian didn't care that he was being slightly nosey. He's been wanting the answer just as much as she was. "His reasoning was to keep Zarkon from finding them and harvesting their eyes." She covered her eyes, feeling the familiar sting of tears because of her mixed emotions. "I know what draconian eyes are capable of with or without a host, but still... They were living peacefully and were slaughtered in cold blood all because of Lotor. I'll never be able to forgive him or accept him as being on our side of this war."

"Arcadia," Keith called out to her, his voice tinted with sorrow. He could see a few tears streaming down her face and hated how he wasn't there to comfort her.

"Aethios..." She cursed, wiping her hand underneath her eyes to wipe away the tears. "I really wish you were here. Guess we can't always get what we want."

"I'll come to visit as soon as I can," he tried to comfort her.

She nodded with a gentle smile. "I'm going to hold you to that, Keith."

<—————<<<<<

"Every lead I've provided you so far has been unerring, exact, and relatively easy to accomplish.
Anything I would give you now would be somewhat more perilous in nature," Arcadia heard Lotor say as she entered the containment area. She walked across the catwalk and stood behind Allura and Shiro, listening to their conversation with the galra prince.

"We're listening," Allura responded, still skeptical of Lotor.

"I have some information I believe you would consider important on a more personal level. There is a prison, formerly under my control. It houses a special inmate," he explained.

Once hearing the name of the prisoner, Arcadia's eyes widen before she dashed off in search of Pidge. Before she knew it, she was tagging along with Pidge, Matt, Nyma, Beezer, and Rolo.

<——————<<<<<

The six allies were inside the green lion, flying toward the coordinates of the prison Lotor had shared with them. Arcadia peered down at Pidge as she flew her lion. She could see the worry on her face. She placed a hand on her shoulder in hopes to comfort her. Morosely, it wasn't enough.

"What if something's happened to him, Matt?" Pidge asked. "What if—?"

"We're gonna bring Dad back, I promise," Matt reassured his little sister.

Pidge felt slightly better thanks to her brother, but she wouldn't feel entirely better until her father was safe. She grasped the green lion's controls tightly as they flew toward their destination. "Approaching the prison."

"This place is gonna have security," Rolo chimed in. "We're gonna go headfirst into that?"

"That's why we got cloaking," the green paladin replied with a slight smirk. She activated the cloaking device, concealing the green lion from sight. All of a sudden, the cloaking device was deactivated. They heard rapid beeping and realized what happened, but they weren't positive of how it happened. "How did it detect us?"

The alarms were triggered, alerting the group. "That doesn't sound good," Rolo muttered as the inside of the lion flashed red.

"We've hit something," Arcadia stated. She looked around but wasn't able to see what had flipped the switch on the cloaking device. "Whatever it was, it's destroyed our tactical approach."

Beezer buzzed and beeped rapidly as if to warn them. Arcadia checked the green lion's detection scanner and groaned. "We've got company."

"Change of plan!" Pidge shouted. "I'm gonna have to drop you off! Hold on!"

The green lion penetrated the planet's atmosphere as it was being chased by a horde of fighters. Matt, Rolo, and Nyma put on their jetpacks while Arcadia and Beezer waited for them. Once they were ready, they went to leave the green lion, but Matt was stopped by his sister. Pidge peered at him from around her seat. "Go get him, Matt."

The eldest Holt nodded with a smile before heading to the green lion's cargo bay alongside Rolo, Nyma, Arcadia, and Beezer. The hatch opened and the five leapt from the lion, their bodies plummeting toward the planet's surface.

"Everybody, fire jetpacks! Arcadia, use your wings!" Matt shouted as once they reached a certain distance from the ground. Rolo and Nyma activated their jetpacks Shiel Beezer used the jets installed in his legs. Arcadia used her wings, turning her gaze to Matt and seeing he had yet to activate his own jetpack. "What's wrong, Matt?"

"My pack's not working!" Matt shrieked.

"Matt!" Nyma yelled.

"I've got him!" Arcadia hollered. She flew toward Matt and before she knew it, his body was wrapped around hers. Due to the extra weight and how he was wound around her body, she had to stabilize herself. She could feel his body shaking and his teeth chattering in her ear as she slowed their descent.

Once they landed safely, Matt seemed to not have noticed. He kept his arms and legs wound around Arcadia. Nyma called out to the boy as he held on to the draconian for dear life. "You know, you can let go of her now."

"I'd rather not," Matt confesses, hugging Arcadia tighter.

Arcadia patted his back with both of her hands with a smile and decided to tease him. "There, there. You want a kiss to make it all better?"

"Yes, please," Matt grins childishly, cheeks tinted a light crimson.

She snickered as she pried his body off of hers. "Sorry, Matt. My kisses are reserved for someone else."

Matt tripped over his own feet, but he was able to catch himself and steady his body before he could fall. "Then, why did you ask?"

Arcadia was shocked by his disappointed tone, but she giggled lightly. "Honestly, I never expected you to say, "Yes"."

The boy frowned in dismay, his shoulder slumping forward. "Dang..."

The alchemist smiled in amusement. "C'mon. Let's find your father."

Matt lifted his head with a nod, smiling back at her. He took the lead, running in the direction of the prison. The others followed behind him, searching for any threats as they approached the building. As they reached the building, they spotted lifeless sentries on the ground.

"No guards," Rolo stated, eyeing the metallic corpses.

"Security and defense systems in this prison are completely automated," Matt replied. "Override codes should shut everything down."

Nyma peered at the entrance of the prison. "Uh, looks like everything is already shut down."

"That's strange," Arcadia comments. "What's going on?"

"Guess we better head inside," Rolo said as Beezer beeped in agreement.

They entered the building and Rolo took the lead. When they snuck into a large room full of aliens, they took cover behind the railing while Rolo decided to check it out. He crawled across the floor until he froze when spying a pair of feet a few inches from his face. He looks up, smiling innocently at the elder alien. Before he could scream, Nyma intervened and placed a hand over his mouth.

All the aliens gasped when spotted the group. Rolo quickly got to his feet and addressed the prisoners. "Everyone, relax."

A few aliens whimpered while another one begged. "Don't hurt us!"

"No one's here to hurt you," Nyma calmly replies.

"You're not with the scary lady?" Another prisoner asked.

"We're here to rescue you," Rolo stated.

"But what about her?" An alien pointed at Arcadia. "She's a murderer!"

The alchemist was used to being called names by now and was no longer fazed. She crossed her arms as Rolo placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, she's not. She's a close friend and ally to the rebels and Voltron."

"How can we trust you?" Another prisoner hissed.

"I don't expect you to trust me. I hope I'll be able to earn your trust. Call me names all you like, but that doesn't change the fact of why we're here."

"So, you're really not with the scary lady?" An elder alien asked.

"What scary lady?" Rolo asked in confusion.

"She told us to stay inside. If we went out, we'd be hurt."

"Does this scary lady happen to be able to use magic?" Arcadia questioned. The prisoners nodded and she growled the culprit's name under her breath. "Haggar..."

"Well, no one is here now," Nyma stated. "Come on, we're leaving."

Matt glances around at the seemingly small group of prisoners and frowned when he didn't spot his father among them. "Is this everyone?"

One prisoner gestured to another door located in the back of the room. "No, there are others back in the cells."

Matt and Arcadia rush to the door while Nyma, Beezer, and Rolo escorted the prisoners out of the building. The two began searching the cells for Sam. "Hello? Dad?" Matt called out as a few prisoners rushed out. "Dad, are you here?"

Arcadia opened one of the cells and saw prisoners on the other side. She scanned over them with her eyes and noticed none of them were human. The moment she stepped away from the cell, the aliens dashed out. She repeated the same process over and over again, resulting in a crowd of aliens rushing by he and Matt.

"Has anyone here seen Sam Holt?" Matt asked as the frantic aliens pushed past him. "A human like me. Is—Is there another human here?" None of the prisoners answered him as they were solely focused on escaping.

Eventually, the duo reached the last cell. Arcadia glanced over at Matt, noticing his body was shaking slightly and a few drops of sweat were trailing down his forehead. She stepped forward and opened the cell in his stead. The metal door opened and Matt gasped in disbelief.

The cell was empty.

The alchemist leaned against the wall, gritting her teeth in anger. "Lotor lied."

Matt remained silent as he stared into the empty cell. His hope dwindled and his tone became slightly cold. "Let's go, Arcadia." Silently, she followed Matt out of the prison.

The moment they stepped outside, Arcadia transformed and wrapped her tail around Matt. "Whoa!" He gasped in surprise as his body was lifted into the air.

She placed him on her back and didn't move until she felt his grip tighten around one of her spines. Once she knew he was hanging on, she flapped her wings and headed toward the escape shuttle. She managed to get Matt safely onboard before flying beside the small spacecraft.

Before long, she heard a small crackling sound and looked at the shuttle. She quickly contacted the spacecraft. "What's wrong?"

"Engines are failing!" Rolo shouted. The engines powered down, causing the shuttle to begin a terrifying descent.

Arcadia acted quickly and flew toward the spacecraft. She flew above it, reaching downward and impaling the metal sides with her sharp claws. She flapped her wings as fast as she could, ceasing the shuttle's rapid descent. She couldn't hold it for long and was relieved when she spotted the green lion approaching.

Pidge turns she lion on its back and flew under the shuttle. The dragon released it and allowed it to enter the hatch located on the green lion's underbelly. "Hang on tight!"

Once the shuttle was safely inside the lion, Pidge and Arcadia took off at incredible speeds. The draconian flew underneath the green lion and contacted it mentally. The hatch opened once again and she flew inside to join the others. She headed to the cockpit, Matt and Pidge being the only ones present.

"Matt! Matt, did you find him?" Pidge asked her older brother, desperate to know the answer.

Matt looked away, sorrow etched across his face. "I'm sorry, Pidge."

Pidge denied the truth. She tried to rush out of her cockpit to reach the prisoners. "No! Dad! Dad, where are you?"

Matt stopped her before she could go too far. "He wasn't there."

"I'm sorry, Pidge," Arcadia said, crestfallen. "We checked everywhere. He was already gone."

"No," the green paladin muttered with a frail, shaky voice. Tears brewed in her eyes as her brother held her close. "No..."

"Don't give up, Pidge," Matt muttered. "We know Dad's alive. We'll find him."

The snowy-haired girl sat on her knees beside the Holt siblings and placed a comforting hand on Pidge's back. "We'll get him back safe and sound. I promise both of you."

<——————<<<<<<

Safely back at the castle, Pidge, Matt, and Arcadia headed to the bridge while Rolo and Nyma assisted the prisoners. The older girl glanced at her friend with a frown, seeing how red her eyes were from her crying fit.

At the bridge, Pidge curled her body up and hugged her knees. She continued to softly cry as Lance and Hunk watched all three of them.

Before anyone could even mutter a syllable, a small beep echoed and all eyes fell upon the main screen as it came to life. Arcadia glared as she recognized the face that, unfortunately, greeted them. "Paladins of Voltron."

Shiro's eyes narrowed as he halted at the galra emperor. "Zarkon."

"I am making a one-time offer," he spoke. "I have someone of value to you." He stepped aside, revealing Sam a few feet behind him standing beside one of Lotor's generals.

Pidge's eyes widen as she gasped. "Dad!"

"I will hand him over, and in exchange, you give me my son, Lotor," Zarkon explained, shocking everyone.