The New Paladin

89: Boxed In

"Woohoo!" Lance cheered.

Pidge had accidentally hit the source of the shielding and had happily informed the others of her discovery.

"We can begin our attack." She had sounded so excited.

Shiro watched the monitors tensely. He was anxious about the others.

He wondered if he should have been the black paladin for this mission.  Yes Keith was doing fine but he worried that any moment it could all turn ugly.

He didn't want anyone getting hurt. Not again.

"Shiro, we're almost ready."

He quickly shook that thought away. While Voltron had the attention of the enemy they were going to launch the Atlas.

Coran, Pidge and Hunk had done a beautiful job and had repaired it and prepared it for battle.

All they needed now was a pilot.

"How are we even going to pilot it?" Someone asked from across the bridge.

"Shiro, hand please." Coran asked gesturing to the hand pad on the console.

"My arm is internally wired, it's connected to my mind." Shiro explained as he placed his hand on the pad. A sharp spike of pain almost made him flich but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Shiro is now connected to the Atlas." Coran smiled. "We're ready to begin launch."

"So there's no controls? It's all linked to him?" André asked from where he stood with Coran.

"Yes, but in the case of emergency we can take over." Coran assured.

"Best not mention that the Sanders." Iverson frowned. "In fact has anyone seen her?"

"Not since the meeting sir." Marco answered.

"That is not good." Iverson admitted slowly. "She has a real distaste for you paladins and I wouldn't be surprised if she tried something."

"I got one!" Hunk called relief clear in his voice. "I'm gonna double-"

All the lights went out.

Shiro spun towards the doors his eyes narrowing.

"What's going on?"
"Get the lights back on!"

"Paladin?" Iverons asked as he lifted his blaster. "What's happening?"

"Someone's on board." Shiro answered his eyes narrowing. "Someone who shouldn't be here."

~~~

"I've lost communication with the Atlas." Hunk exclaimed anxiously.

"That's not good." Lance grunted as his cannon exploded. "We should go make sure they're okay."

"Another cannon down." Pidge assured.

"Got mine." Allura agreed. "Keith?"

"I think you guys are going to have to deal with it." Keith answered.

"Why?" Lance frowned.

"Blacks taking me back, I think something's wrong." Keith sounded anxious. "Pidge and Allura take that cannon down. Hunk and Lance with me."

"Copy."

~~~

The lights slowly came back on through the many walkways through the Atlas. Shiro didn't like this at all.

He stood at the entrance to the bridge with Iverson and Marco, one of Lance's siblings.

They were watching the corridors waiting for something to happen. Anything. He would even take mice at this point.