Making Allies, Chapter 1 beta

Shiro stared at the pod with uncertainty, he didn't like Sendak just as much as the rest of his team yet he still valued taking prisoners over being the executioner. Was it so wrong to want this Galra dead? After the innocents enslaved or killed by him and dozens of other commanders? No, but something in him itched to be merciful. The only one who needed to end was Zarkon, his generals were just weeds extending from the root of evil. That being said, they hadn't taken a moment to consider the kill before as voltron. Yet individually, when the defenseless monster laid unconscious and barely alive in the recovered pod, there was a general mood of doubts and confusion on what to do.

"Y'know, we could always space him again", Lance said while he stretched his arms out, trying to push the heavy pod on his own.

"That wasn't so much a 'we' as it was Shiro panicking and delivering a well-deserved death. Or at least something that should've killed him", Hunk looked over the pod, he still wondered how that crack didn't leak out oxygen over time.

"I wouldn't mind if it did, the jerk nearly killed me when we met", Pidge lightly kicked Sendak's makeshift prison cell.

"If we want to make sure he's punished, fine, but not before we get information out", Keith held his bayard in guard for any surprises.

"No, we're not killing anything. The only thing we should do is an interrogation, without torture or anything cruel. We're not like the Galra empire, we won't resort to using their tactics", Shiro coaxed them away from the pod, still wary of Sendak's lifeline.

"And what gives you that authority?"

Out of everyone to hate Sendak, Allura's disdain was particularly powerful. She tapped her foot impatiently while Shiro thought of something satisfactory to say.

"I won't condone hurting-"

"He doesn't deserve to live! Not after....", she teared up at the thought of Alfor's memories flickering in and out of his corrupted self, finally fading away after Allura destroyed him for her and the paladin's survival.

Coran comforted her for a moment, "Allura, I know it mustn't be easy for you. He was one of the best men I ever knew, but you musn't throw rationality out the airlock."

Allura sniffed, "You're right. Father wouldn't execute a defenseless prisoner, monster or not."

She pressed the release button, Sendak didn't move for a few seconds. Suddenly his eyes shot open, frantic hyperventilation followed by clutching his chest to make sure he hadn't inhaled anything toxic. Then he glanced around, the paladins were still fully geared and weapons pointed around him. Even if he went for the front, he could get shot in the back, nowhere could he escape or put on the offensive.

"Kill me if you're deciding on that", he simply said, he wouldn't dare work for them. Not when he had an empire to get back to.

"No", Allura said.

"I refuse to bend under interrogation, even the most brutal torture", he glared to the princess, who glared right back to the Galra that ruined her father's A.I.

"Unlike Galra, Alteans do not practice torture on their prisoners."

"And unlike Alteans, Galra would rather die than work with the enemy."

There was a tense silence for a moment, the paladins looked between Allura and Sendak as if stepping between them would be necessary. It wasn't though, Sendak stepped out of the pod with arms raised. It wasn't like him to surrender, a behaviour that also concerned everyone else.

"Have you managed to obtain Haxus's remains?", he asked as they began leading him to a cell.

"Ashes, along with rover. Y'know, my robot he killed?", Pidge scathingly said.

"Is it so wrong to defend oneself?", Sendak said as he was marched along.

"He dragged him along as he fell!", Pidge accused.

Sendak huffed, "A vain attempt at saving his own life, an unfortunate loss. Most of the information you would've gotten, if any, was in his data."

"Pidge! You know he's trying to rile any one of us up, focus on getting him in the cell and you can talk to him there", Shiro ordered, still keeping half his attention on Sendak.

"Fine", she grumbled out.

After what seemed to be several doboshes, the team reached the cell. The first one to notice a shift in Sendak's behaviour was Shiro, but he was too late to stop him from swinging his arm around in a circular motion, forcing the paladins to duck or get knocked flat on their backs. The paladins raised their weapons, though from Pidge's face they were unsure of if Sendak would choke her to death or snap her neck before he was offed by the group.

"Step back! Get in the cell and I will allow the green paladin to breathe!", he commanded. The rest of them reluctantly went along, Allura gave a wink to Shiro to indicate it was under more control than Sendak thought.

"Drop your bayards and walk with arms raised, into the cell. Now!", he let Pidge struggle to gasp in air, though his other arm restrained her leg while his normal hand was still slightly pressing against her throat.

Shiro spoke as Lance, the last of them, walked in, "Now let her go."

Sendak began a quiet laugh, then fully laughed as he observed Pidge's struggling. He was astounded that such a small creature was capable of one-upping a Galra like Haxus. A lucky break, one it wouldn't be receiving again. He dragged along the green paladin, chuckling as she struck at him, hopelessly futile for such a weakling.

"Let me go!", she screamed.

"You will be handed over to the empire for your crimes", said Sendak as he walked along.

*INTRUDER. INTRUDER. ACTIVATING DEFENSE DRONES.*

Sendak stopped for a moment, hearing the quick approach of heavy footsteps. Behind him he saw robots quickyly running towards him, staff's drawn and electricity hissing at the ends of them. With that he held Pidge closer, not enough to kill her but to guarantee she didn't slip as he launched himself with his arm. It was almost needless, just as soon as he got to the end of the hallway the machines nearly caught up again. To try and lose them he moved around, randomly going up levels and down long hallways.

"Lost them...", he said as he stopped for a moment.

"Think again", Pidge said as the sound of footfall came again.

"Damn it!", the robots caught up again, Sendak stood his ground this time.

One of them struck at him, his arm snapped the staff in two followed by crushing the robot with the sheer force of his druidic hand. The other was more cautious with it's strategy, waiting for Sendak to strike before it would. Sendak let an idea come to him, anything. Galra didn't run, they didn't let their guard down.

Let their guard down.....

If the robot took bait, he would have a chance. With that he let the paladin slip a little bit, her legs kicked against his with surprisingly hard force. It probably helped that she wore standard armor for a paladin of voltron, but the bait worked. Instantly the drone struck, he instead caught it and spun the staff around, slapping the drone against the wall or whatever else was nearby.

*Level: 5 DEFENSE DRONES INACTIVE. DEPLOYING LEVEL: 20 DEFENSE DRONES*

"Sounds like technologies got my back!", Pidge shouted as the noise of footfalls approached the two.

"Take me to the control room!", he shouted to his prisoner.

"Yeah, no chance in the universe, jerk", Pidge said, half tempted to smile instead of her spiteful frowning.

"If you tell me, I may be able to locate your brother."

His proposed deal iced her mind over. The running of the drones seemed slower, memories of her brother flashed into her mind. Watching the stars, looking at a new piece of hardware, studying for the garrison together. She'd been so, so close before and now the possibility was right there again.

"You-you don't even know him, so-"

"Prisoner 73X-4R, he calls himself Matthew Holt. He was sent to a prison, highly secret but in order to make his father comply. If anyone else was a genius from a weaker species, it's your father."

Sendak snarled slightly as he dodged a few gunshots, not only did the drones catch up but so did the paladins of Voltron.

"I-I can take you to the helm, that's it", her offer wasn't much, but it was enough to satisfy his needs.

"Directions, now!", Sendak commanded as they whirled around the halls, trying to avoid the drones, paladins, and even castle itself setting up barriers to try and trip them up.
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"What's with Pidge, she doesn't even look scared!", Lance shouted as they ran after the menace holding her under his arm.

For once in a blue moon, Lance was correct. Pidge looked more compliant than anything, she even talked directly to Sendak. Not angry, or frightened, but directing? They could barely see it, but she was saying to go to the right, or left, even pointing if her words weren't enough.

"Has he hypnotized her?!", Keith shouted as they ran along.

"Dark magic, that must be why she's acting obedient to him! Paladins, we must break her out of the trance!", Allura yelled as she watched Sendak practically jump himself over the whole flight of stairs. It wasn't anything the drones couldn't do, little boosters could let them skip entire sections of an area at will. And so did the other paladins with their built-in jet boosters, though Allura kept up just fine with her legwork.

A few drones managed to slip into through the helm doorway, before it slammed in front of the team and a few leftover sentries. Some fighting came from the other side, it didn't last very long. Probably Pidge tricking the drones into "saving" her, while she deactivated them or worse. Allura tried bypassing the door, voice activating it, even a scanner for her eyes and hands. The only return she received in any attempt was Pidge's giggle, a signature of her hacks or modifications.

"Pidge! You must free yourself! Think of your friends!", Allura shouted to the door.
-------------
"My friends..", she said as she stood alone at the helm, about to open a panel for Sendak before she contemplated what she was really doing. Helping the enemy? Couldn't she find her brother on her own?

"Why have you ceased control?", Sendak asked, tapping a claw dangerously close to her.

"I...I can't do this, not for you", she defiantly stood near him, refusing to move any further.

'I'm sorry Matt', she thought as Sendak stepped closer.

"Useless. I was mistaken to think you were anything more", Sendak suddenly and thoughtlessly struck her down. A scream resounded out to the room, he'd probably busted her mouth from the looks of it but no matter. He didn't care if any paladins were alive or dead, he would only serve his emperor. A quick device sprung from his black arm, plugging itself into the system of the castle.

"Yes...", the Altean interface popped up, though quickly switching to Galran as per break-in method. He quickly selected a video transmission for central command, hopefully it would be accepted and he could suffer a brief, though most likely painful punishment.

In a second, the image of his emperor flickered into view. His leader sat stoically at his throne, the witch Haggar at his side skulking over, nothing changed from her usual demeanor. As soon as Zarkon recognized which commander had contacted him through his private channel, he scowled at his failed student. Immediately Sendak kneeled and brought a hand to his chest, not even looking at the glorious leige he had failed.

"My emperor, apologies for failing to capture Voltron sooner, but I trust the coordinates are attached to this transmission", Sendak said confidently.

"Indeed they are, and much later than I reasonably expected from you."

"My emperor, I beg your forgiveness. I know I have proven my unworthiness to you, and I had hoped this would rectify my errors. The castle is now under my control again, much more control than the paladins or Allura could even hope to regain."

Zarkon brought his hands together, letting the fingers touch as various situations of dealing with Sendak ran through his mind. Death, obviously, even what he saw in his former student had failed, he would need to wait for the next opportune Galra to catch his attention. As a first step, he brought another commander up into the transmission.

"Commander Zetim, you will head to these coordinates and retrieve the lions of Voltron. Take care not to kill anyone aboard, save for Sendak. He has immeasureably failed the empire, I will no longer tolerate weaker commanders within my military."

Sendak's regular eye shot wide apart, "Emperor Zarkon, I have been unfailingly loyal to you!"

"You're lucky space didn't kill you in that pod. A passing cruiser discovered you there, helpless after the defeat by the hands of an unmatured armada."

"What?!", Sendak said, covering his mouth once he realized his arrogance by interrupting the emperor.

"You were to be forgotten, left to die, but fate brought you back to me for the proper punishment", Zarkon didn't even smile, more of a slightly letdown look as he studied Sendak's reaction.

"I....I don't deserve death! Who else has brought themself into the castle! Who has twice taken control of the entire ship! Who-"
Zarkon slammed an arm into his throne.

"Who else let himself be defeated? Who else was found practically frozen and barely alive in space? Who else should've been destroyed as soon as he was discovered, miserable and hardly conscious enough to know he was being observed by a ship? I have no use for weak soldiers. If you truly care to please me, let the black paladin wipe the universe free of your pestilant existence."

"I.....", Sendak didn't speak another word.

After all his effort, all his work, all his planning, all the risks....he was shunned. By his own teacher, the veritable leader of the Galra empire, his image of him shattered in an instant.

"I shall not fail you, my emperor. Vrepit sa", Zetim said with a quick salute before disconnecting.

Zarkon said nothing more, showed no change from his annoyed position, he simply left Sendak shaking in his torn armor. The former commander slumped to his knees as the video feed cut off, hearing a sharp screech of metal behind him. The black paladin had used the druid arm to cut through the door, the rest of the group close behind. Lance, Hunk and Allura checked on Pidge's injuries, Coran tried to regain control of the castle, lastly Sendak was guarded in place by Shiro and Keith.

"Don't. Move.", Keith said as he approached, bayard activated whilst the blade nearly dug into the Galran's throat. Then without warning he slashed into the prisoner, Sendak winced at the slight rush of air around him. A slightly needless worry, Keith hadn't done anything fatal, but disconnecting his fake arm completely would be very inconveniencing later.

"Kill me", Sendak looked directly into Shiro's eyes as he begged.

The black paladin ignored him save for a small shake of the head. Allura immediately took to typing at the helm, confused at the Galran letters mingling with her Altean controlled machine.

"What is- What did you do?!", she turned and held Sendak by the fur of his head.

Her grip tightened slightly, Sendak let out a pained yell that Allura didn't care to hear.

"Tell me. Now.", she held him up rougher, not knowing why he was compliant but uninterested to find out why.

"The empire has sent a fleet to capture the ship and Lions. They will imprison you for your crimes and they have sentenced me to death", he didn't say it with his usual spunk, the sentence barely croaked out as a strong one.

"Not before I'm finished with you", without warning she brought a knee to the disgraced commander's nose, sending him flying a few feet back.

"Lance, Hunk, both of you take him to a cell before he regain's consciousness. Coran, put Pidge into a recovery pod. Shiro, you will-", the ship was suddenly rocked followed by stopping mid-travel. The lights were lost and a few back-up lights flickered on.

"They've hit us with some sort of power draining device!", Coran shouted.

His first action was to try and restart the generators from the front of the ship, but it was no use. The back-up power had been nearly drained completely. As a result the artificial gravity shut off, they found themselves floating against a suddenly present fleet outside the ships window.

"Oh no! I'll get Pidge to the emergency medical area!", Coran propelled himself to Pidge off a desk.

"Shiro, find the generators and get this castle back on. Keith, you will act as my help in case the Galra break through the doors", she said, legs floating as she held to the front of her controls.

"Understood", Keith tucked himself under some cover, careful to keep himself from floating forward or back.

Suddenly a bit of power was given to the front of the ship, enough for another transmission. The face of a sinister Galra took over, a non-furred one. Sendak was barely conscious, but he frowned as the smirk of Zetim displayed through the castle.

"Princess Allura, I imagine this isn't very pleasureable or the like, so enough with the chit-chat. Surrender and I will transport you as painlessly as I can."

"Scum! I'll make sure nothing is left of you after I've-"

The video cut off, purple lasers suddenly firing from the head ship's cannon. It rocked the ship again as they scrambled to regain their footing. Then the power gave out once more, the loss of gravity yet again another rude reminder.

"Lance, Hunk, we can't leave Sendak alone while the ship is like this. Place him near the observation deck and make sure he's restrained. Lance, I'll need you to help guard the door."

"What about me?", Hunk fearfully said, giving a suspicious eye to the still dazed Sendak.

"Watch Sendak", she said as she tried her best to bring up any defenses available.

"Fine."

The next varga was spent in tense atmosphere, Shiro had managed to bring back power to the ship but he hadn't returned. This did allow for extra drones but nothing else. Coran still hadn't given any word, so who knew what had happened to him and Pidge. Sendak had, despite the blazing headache, woken up from his daze.

"He'll get through eventually", he said as the reinforced door was slammed against from the other side.

"We'll be ready for him", Allura said without another look.

"Interesting", Sendak said.

He didn't seem enthusiastic about the paladins shaky chances, which put everyone on the edge. The door slammed forward a few more inches, then turned into frantic slamming once the invading party realized they'd made a budge. Everyone readied their weapons for the assault that was to come.

Then a small explosion burst it open, drones poured in with lasers blazing.

Keith immediately rushed forward to take a few out, Lance provided cover fire while he tried keeping an eye on Allura. Hunk remained in place, taking out a stray drone now and then but otherwise making sure Sendak didn't try and break the restraints. They thought the worst of it was over, until they heard a deep laughter from a sadly familiar commander.

"Say hello to your champion", Zetim revealed Shiro's presence, his face beaten while a few drones escorted an also beaten Coran and the very weak Pidge to the side.

"Very stupid to leave them outside of your barricade, it's almost like you wanted them to go as a distraction."

The taunt enraged Allura, but she couldn't say anything that could harm to her already injured friends.

"And what do you want? Our unconditional surrender?", Allura asked.

"Correct."

Allura swiftly went over to her prisoner and held the sharper end of her staff to his throat.

"Let them go or I'll kill the commander!"

Sendak felt fear for one of the few times in his life. He wasn't exactly young but he only recently left his youth. All his life had been wasted on an emperor that didn't care for him, and now he would die at the hands of a race ingrained in his mind as the enemy.

"HA, you think I care for that pitiful worm?", Zetim spit in Sendak's direction, failing to his his mark by a few inches.

"I'll tell you something, former commander Sendak is weak. He was beaten by a bunch of children, a few Alteans, and not even his partner could be saved."

"Shut up!", Sendak roared at him.

"What, you think Haxus isn't as bad as you?"

"I said, shut up!", Sendak nearly leapt forward, remembering the staff still near his throat.

"That's right, afraid of a lowly Altean. Pitiful, cowardly, and weak", Zetim said as he approached.

Allura shifted her staff's focus to him while Sendak sat with roped hands.

"Ah ah ah, Princess. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your friends, would you?", he snapped a few claws and drones instantly aimed their weapons to Coran, Pidge, and Shiro's heads.

"If you try anything hostile, any finger raised to try and stop me, they will fire. Now put down the weapons and come along."
Allura angrily considered her choices, and with a few tears she let her staff go. The remaining paladins took similar action with no way out. Allura continued crying as the commander handcuffed her and did the same for the other paladins. Keith looked furious, Lance worried, and Hunk scared. Shiro and Coran were the image of bitter defeat, while Pidge could barely stand or comprehend what was happening.

Sendak immediately took his chance and lunged at Zetim. The shock of the first punch was instant as Zetim found himself knocked out and thrown to the wall. Immediately a few drones fired shots at Sendak, only for him to get behind cover and find something different.

Little did he know that Keith hadn't been cuffed yet, and the red paladin fought on as Sendak took a peek. Despite being enemies he would take any openings he could get, even if it came from a paladin of Voltron. The boy struck mercilessly with his bayard, Sendak was almost grateful they were only drones being torn to shreds. And yet he also wanted them to be real, living Galra so they could feel the defeat in their minds as they died.

But he paid it no more mind as he tore the drones apart, arm by arm, head by head. It had advanced to the point that Sendak barely needed himself, he could just pick up a gun from the floor and pick off a few stragglers. The red paladin apparently had the same idea, despite usually using a sword.

"Get up!", the disgraced commander said as he shook Zetim out of his forced sleep.

"Wha...no!", Zetim shouted.

"This is for Haxus", Sendak stabbed a few of his claws into the other's stomach, not deep but enough to guarantee death.

"Traitor!", Zetim said as blood made it's way up his throat.

"Weak."

With that Zetim closed his eyes for the last time, his body going cold as Sendak dragged the limp body in front of the horrified paladins. Keith had been ignoring him in favor of freeing his friends from their bonds, getting medical attention for those injured as well.

And yet another video transmission made it's call to Central Command. This time it was received, and again Sendak found himself on display for his emperor.

"You have failed even the simplest request of death", Zarkon said.

"I haven't failed anyone, least of all you!", Sendak said as the blood dripped from his claws.

"I assume that is Zetim's body, and his blood on your claws. And I thought the days of peasant savagery were over."

"He wasn't good enough, but I was. Even after I had taken the castle, the lions, everyone who had ever laid a finger against the Galra, you rejected me. And you sent this fool in response, I expected better from the one who made me into what I am."
Zarkon leaned forward in his throne, "And do you expect me to forgive you?"

"No, I expect you on your knees. Not today, not the next, but eventually you will kneel. I'm coming for you and your precious empire, I'm tired of being a piece for your war games."

Zarkon chuckled, "Pray tell what could happen if you ever found your way to me."

"Damn you to all the hells! Curse your propaganda to go with you! Freedom or death!"

The video feed cut off by choice of Central Command, leaving Sendak stranded with a dead commander, a few dozen broken drones, and a plethora of weapons trained on him.

"Stand back from the console. NOW!", Allura roared.

Sendak turned to stand above her, "There is no need. I don't care if I'm a prisoner of this ship, Zarkon will burn."

"Shut up!", Allura tried kicking him again, this time her foe caught the foot in place.

"I am not your enemy."

"Yeah, you are", a voice behind him said.

Sendak dropped Allura's leg to turn and found himself being electrocuted. The green paladin had used the last of her strength to disarm him with her bayard. She stood weakly, not very capable of herself as she collapsed. Sendak couldn't understand the next few moments, vaguely he thought he heard something about getting Pidge into a pod. Another moment and he felt himself being dragged into a cot.

His eye shot open suddenly, this time he calmly sat up to review his surroundings. In a prisoner's cell, one of many that he had previously put the paladin's into. No surprise that they didn't trust him, someone who'd only just betrayed the empire. In short time they would understand how valuable a former commander was for taking down the innards of the empire that was Zarkon.