Hope you like! Not sure if it's considered long or short, but I got a bit of inspiration from a fan-made comic online. If you recognize the scenario, please let me now so I can credit the true author! Thanks, and enjoy!

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Keith landed the pod by his house after snaking through the plateaus and canyons. The only reason he took the more time-consuming route was so he wouldn't be spotted by the Galaxy Garrison.

When Shiro came back to Earth in an escape pod, the Garrison had quarantined him and knocked him out with gas. Keith could only imagine what they'd do to him, the talented pilot dropout, flying to his home in a strange escape pod.

The thought actually made Keith cringe.

He crept up onto his porch, and tore down the yellow caution tape stretched across the wood. Keith stifled a growl.

The Garrison thinks that they can just barge into people's homes and ransack the place? I'm helping defend the fricking universe!

"Or at least I was..." Keith muttered aloud, plopping down onto his couch, closing his eyes and sighing towards the ceiling.

Now what?

The Garrison had ransacked his home, tossing furniture, smashing a few pictures and smaller things in the process. They had even torn down his conspiracy board that he'd spent weeks working on nonstop after ditching the Garrison.

Keith sighed as he stuck his hand in his jacket pocket, and felt a few pieces of paper.

Keith pulled out the pictures of him and the other Paladins. Even if he didn't find Shiro here, there was something he could still do. But he'd have to sneak into the one place he wanted to avoid: the Galaxy Garrison.

--

Keith crept through the corridors he still remembered, sneaking under the windows of the teachers' lounges as he headed to the commander's office. He reached for the door, but reeled back as it opened.

In a split second, Keith dove into a nearby trash can.

"What do you mean, my daughter wasn't enrolled?!" A lady with light brown hair wailed. "First, you lose my husband and son on the Kerberos mission, then you lose my daughter?" Keith flinched.

"Mrs. Holt, we have never had a cadet named Katie Holt within our ranks," Commander Iverson sighed, clearly annoyed with the lady but trying to remain patient.

"Please, I don't have anyone left," Mrs. Holt murmured, tears making her face all puffy.

Keith wirelessly downloaded the cadet logs, thanks to listening to Pidge's many monologues and ramblings.

"Mrs. Holt, there's nothing I can do except apologize for your losses," the Commander sighed and ushered her towards the door.

Heartless bastard, Keith mentally growled. He never liked Iverson, who had made it clear to Keith when he was a cadet that the hatred was mutual.

He followed Mrs. Holt out at a safe distance, and when they were out of any sentries' lines of sight, Keith stepped forward.

"Mrs. Holt?" Keith called. The woman whirled around, almost angry.

"What do you want now?" She demanded. "Who are you?"

"I'm really not permitted to tell you this, but I know where Katie Holt is--"

"Where is she? Is my daughter safe?" Holt practically begged as she grabbed Keith's shoulders.

"I can't give specifics, but she was sent on a secret mission with professionals; there's no better team to be with her--"

"How do you know?" Mrs. Holt asked. Keith pulled out one of the four pictures he'd brought. He was careful to cover himself with his thumb as he offered the picture to Pidge's mother.

She gasped and wiped more tears away as she peered over the image. Her daughter was alive, and looked really happy...

But by the time Mrs. Holt looked up to thank the stranger, Keith was gone.