The New Paladin

24: Traveled

"So when we get to the Balmera we have to destroy the Galra and then we need to work as hard as we can to uproot the Galra and their schemes." Hunk explained firmly as he examined the hologram before them.

"That's not going to be exactly easy." Lance frowned. "We can't do all that in one job."

"Lance is right." Shiro smiled. "But we'll do all that we can."

"Balmera will have to wait, we have a distress call." Allura informed.

"What? No the Balmerans have our priority."

"Hunk, I know you want to see Shay-"

"You mean his girlfriend." Lance cut in.

"What?" Pidge asked with a frown.

"Oh no." Lance groaned. "I'm stuck with you guys and you don't know what I'm talking about, first mullet then year and now this! We're off to a great start."

"What's a girlfriend?"

"Have you heard of marriage? Love?"

"Oh, I think I have, is it like the tales we used to read?" Allura asked tilting her head.

Coran sighed. "I'm not sure princess."

"Is where basically two people come together and have to say an oath of their unwavering devotion to one another?" Allura asked raising an eyebrow.

Lance gestured vaguely. "Sort of."

"Anyway, back to Balmera." Hunk said his face flushed with embarrassment. "Why do we have to stop?"

"Because someone else needs our help." Allura said gently. "We'll help them then go straight to Balmera."

Hunk sighed. "Alright."

"Let's head down there and see what help they need."

Lance smirked grabbing his helmet before he pulled it on. This was fun.

Bantering with the others, sure he didn't always understand what they were saying and they rarely understood him but he found it amusing.

Blue purred gently in the back of his mind.

She seemed happy too.

When they landed on the surface Lance followed the others lead, he was more curious about the moon they were on then the people in trouble.

That was until-

"Hey, nice ship, any chance you guys are here to help?"

Lance flinched eyes flying wide as his gaze instantly was on those who had called them.

Stood before them was two bounty hunters.

"Oh no." Lance mumbled making Pidge look up at him confused.

"We're the paladins of Voltron and-"

"Lance." The woman said breezing right past Shiro to squeeze Lance's face between her hands. "You're alive."

"H-hey Nyma." Lance said awkwardly leaning away from her touch. "So um... Hi."

"Hi? Seriously? You disappear for who knows how long and you come back with a rag tag team in a giant ship and we get a hi?" The guy asked with a glare.

"Not my fault I didn't exactly feel like writing home Rolo." Lance snapped frowning at him.

"We pulled you out of the dirt and this is how you repay us?" Rolo scoffed.

"Rolo." Nyma said sharply.

Rolo sighed. "Sorry, sorry. Now who are you guys exactly?"

"We're the paladins of Voltron and we're here to help." Allura smiled brightly.

"Seriously?" Rolo asked looking at Lance. "This is what you come back with?"

"They're not joking." Lance sighed. "You know the stories."

"They're just stories Lance." Nyma said gently.

"They're not." Lance grinned. "They're pretty cool and very much real."

There was a high-pitched sound from the ship.

"Yeah Beezer, you can come out." Rolo called making a small cyber unit stirr to life.

"Beezer." Lance smiled. The cyber unit instantly looked his way before crashing into his legs. "Yeah, I missed you too."

"So what's wrong with your ship? You see were kind of in a hurry." Hunk said quickly making Lance glance his way, he could see the tension in the yellow paladin's eyes.

"Hunk." Shiro said quietly.

"Right, our ships bust." Rolo sighed.

"Really?" Lance asked surprised. "Your ship never breaks down."

Rolo scowled. "It's been hard over the last few quintants Lance, the Galra are everywhere."

"We took a hit." Nyma continued. "It's been tough."

"Yeah you wouldn't know that, cause your always off looking for the next best thing." Rolo said harshly making Lance look away. "Go ahead tell me I'm wrong."

Lance shook his head refusing to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry." He mumbled before he was walking away, he didn't want to be there.

"Lance wait." Nyma called.

"Hold up." Pidge said turning when Rolo caught her shoulder.

"Let Nyma handle this, she's always been good with him." Rolo said quietly. "Sorry about that."

"What exactly is wrong with your ship?" Hunk asked glancing back at where Lance was with Nyma close behind.

"Right the coolant line completely corroded, and the heat piping cracked." Rolo sighed. "Don't suppose you've got any parts in that beautiful ship do you?"

"Possibly."

"Well how about you come on board and find what you need." Allura offered.

"Whoa, no not happening." Hunk said sharply cutting of Rolo's reply.

"Hunk, don't be rude." Allura hissed.

"No, the last time we invited people on board Lance almost died." Hunk said shaking his head. "I'm sorry but it's too risky, if you can print out the names of everything you need I'll get them for you."

"Don't stress it, I get it." Rolo smiled holding his hands up before he turned to Beezer who was printing something out. "But I wouldn't worry too much about Lance, he's pretty good at getting himself in and out of trouble."

Hunk took the list examining it with a frown before he turned and headed back towards the castle.

"How long have you known him?" Keith asked tilting his head while Pidge examined Beezer.

"A couple of Pheobs, we found him on the run from a research lab, we fixed him up, looked after him and all." Rolo shrugged. "And then he went off after those stupid plans, even when we told him not to, like he wasn't thankful for anything that we had done for him."

"Well he got the plans." Pidge shrugged.

"He did?"

"Yeah, and then got all of us out of stasis too." Shiro nodded. "Without him Voltron would be still a bunch of old stories."

Rolo chuckled. "Wow, I didn't expect him to pull through, you'll find he rarely does."

"Meaning?" Allura asked.

"He gets bored, he's always looking for the next thing, maybe you're it, maybe you're not. But he's not gonna hang around for long if you're not."