The New Paladin

62: Holes

Lance ran across the jungle floor for once feeling like he knew what he was doing and where he was going.

They had been called to a small jungle like planet to clear a small Galran base. The mission had been easy until the revengeful Galran's decided to attack instead of retreat.

They never could do as they were told could they?

Which is why Lance was currently running for his life through a jungle with a small smile on his face.

He probably shouldn't be excited about this but he couldn't help it.

The mission was mostly over, almost completed.

Pidge had the information she wanted, the Galran commander was unconscious in the black lion and Allura had sounded confident over the coms a few moments ago that all was well.

They hadn't even needed to call for back up. Which was a nice feeling really.

Everyone else was back at their lions, all except Lance.

He had been stationed at a high enough location to provide cover with his Bayard. It worked seamlessly.

He could feel the heat of shots that were aimed at him but he didn't care.

The grin steadily grew on his face as he spotted the ledge.

Time to give Hunk a heart attack. He reached the edge and jumped.

"Lance!"

Lance couldn't help the laugh that bubbled as the air rushed around him. He wanted to feel this free all the time.

Blue then appeared as his jetpack activated. He landed inside with remarkable ease.

"Lance that was..." Shiro started but his voice pitted out.

"Awesome, amazing?" Lance offered as he walked towards the cockpit.

"Try recklessly dangerous." Keith mumbled.

"Oh come on." Lance said shaking his head as he sat down. "I've done way worse."

"I worry about you." Pidge admitted quietly.

Lance rolled his shoulders. "Mmh you probably should be worried."

As they raced back to the waiting castle a Galran ship appeared.

"Oh great." Keith grumbled.

"Evasive maneuvers." Shiro ordered. "Split up but stay with someone."

Keith dove past and Lance followed as they ducked down into the twisting trees of the planet. They could easily evade shots this way.

Keith swerved around a sharp corner and Lance barely managed to make it, Blue's side scraping against the edge.

"You still with me?!" Keith asked over the coms.

"Yeah, but I'm not as fast as you." Lance reminded shifting the controls to swoop low to the river. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know." Keith admitted.

"Paladins, return to the castle, we're going to open a wormhole."

Keith went to break through the trees but Lance directed Blue to catch the red lion's tail, pulling her back down as a blast narrowly missed.

"We're pinned." Keith exclaimed as he appeared on Lance's screen. "Thanks Lance."

Lance nodded. "You guys should go, Blue can open wormholes right?"

"But you haven't been able to do it yet." Allura frowned as she too appeared on his screen. "This isn't a simulation we don't have time for things to go wrong."