The New Paladin

42: The Rebel

"So..." Lance said slowly as he arrived at the control room, after his run in with the alien in the control room Lance had to endure another trip in a pod. Another. "Someone wanna to tell me what's going on?"

"Oh right." The Olkarion smiled. "I'm Matt."

Lance gave a slightly nod. "And?"

"He's my brother." Pidge grinned brightly. "You found my brother Lance."

"I could have guessed." Lance admitted as he eyed the two. "Are you two twins or something?"

"What's a twin?"

"It's um... Where two children are born at the same time." Lance explained with a shrug. "I'm assuming not."

"No, that doesn't happen around here." Hunk admitted. "Twins, I'm going to have to look into that."

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you Matt." Lance smiled extending his hand.

Matt just stared at it.

"Hey look at that you learn something new everyday." Lance laughed awkwardly. "You guys don't do handshakes."

"No, but we do hugs." Matt smiled brightly.

Lance patted his shoulder. "I don't know you that well get mate."

"Mate?"

Lance groaned. "If I'm gonna have to explain every word I use I'm going to stop talking."

"That would be interesting to watch." Keith smirked.

Lance stuck his tongue out at him.

"Look Lance, I'm really sorry." Matt said looking quite anxious all of a sudden. "I didn't mean to attack you I just didn't expect you to fall through the air vent."

Lance waved off his concern. "A quick trip to the healing pod patched me up, I'm all good."

"I'm glad." Matt smiled.

"So you're with the Rebel's?" Lance asked crossing his arms.

"Yeah, been with them a few years now." Matt nodded. "Pidge said you're the one who put her on my trail."

"Yeah, I heard about you from Thayserix." Lance said making Matt frown. "The mining colony."

"Oh!" Matt said eyes wide. "You're the one who escaped."

Lance grinned. "Sure did."

"Wow, you're like a legend." Matt admitted his dark eyes wide with interest. "How did you end up here?"

"Well..." Lance frowned looking away. "I ran into Sendak."

"Oh." Matt said gravely. "Yeah he's not a nice guy."

"We're currently holding him in the brig." Shiro chipped in.

"No way!"

"We sure are." Pidge grinned.

"Wow, you guys are amazing." Matt smiled placing an arm around his sister's shoulders. "I don't suppose I could see him? I mean he's bound to have information vital for the rebels."

"Of course." Shiro nodded. "Come on."

"Pidge, what were you able to decode from the computer on your last mission?"

"Well thanks to Lance and his being able to get through small spots, I got most of the stuff we need." Pidge admitted tapping away on her bracer. "There's some bits I don't really understand yet but I'll get there."

"Excellent." Allura nodded. "Lance how are you feeling?"

"Fine." Lance shrugged. "Hungry but I'm fine."

"Come on," Keith offered patting his shoulder, "let's get you some food."

"I know where the kitchen is." Lance grumbled as he followed Keith out.

"He's settling, don't you think?" Allura asked once the doors closed.

"Yeah, I think he's doing great." Hunk nodded. "Still a little strange but I think he's awesome."

"I think he's going to become the best of us." Pidge sighed. "I mean he already knows more then we do and he has got such a strong bond with his lion already."

"Yes I noticed." Allura nodded. "He keeps referring to the blue lion as Girl, like a nickname."

"I believe for him it is a term of endearment." Coran said as he stepped over. "I do not believe it is any form of rudeness on his part."

"Besides Blue seemed to like it." Hunk smiled.

"I hope so." Allura nodded. "Now, where are we headed to?"

~~~

"How long has Lance been part of your team?" Matt asked as they headed into the lower parts of the castle.

"Not too long." Shiro sighed. "He woke us up from the pods."

"He did?"

"Yeah, we were sealed in them by Alfor when the war began, something about being there incase the universe needed us."

Matt nodded. "And the universe sent Lance."

Shiro smiled. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

They were quiet again for a while.

"So what happened to you?" Shiro asked glancing at Matt. "I mean it's been 10,000 deca-pheobs, how are you alive."

"When the war started we gathered as many people off of Altea and Dibazal as possible." Matt explained looking down. "We were all loaded into pods onboard ships with autopilot."

"What happened?"

"The Galra attacked." Matt shrugged. "The ship wasn't destroyed but damaged so it floated like an empty husk for nearly 10,000 deca-pheobs."

"How did you wake up?" Shiro asked with a frown.

"A Galran deserter found us, then told us about the war. She said she couldn't stay but she hoped her information served some use." Matt frowned. "I haven't seen her again."

"Maybe we'll be able to find her." Shiro smiled. "But first let's see what we can crack out of this one huh?"

"Yeah."