Allura and the others in Voltron saw Lotor's ship go down in flames but they could not quite believe it. His fleet was on the run and Zarkon was in custody.
Doom was dead...
Allura shuddered as they separated into the lions in order to clean up the various sectors. For her safety against any pockets of resistance, Keith ordered her to go to the GG Commander post that was set up at Explorer. She wanted to tell Keith what to do with his order, that she wanted to help but then she saw that the firefighters had contained Lotor's flagship to where it did not explode entirely. An impulse told her to go there instead..
Light, explosion, pain, rage, regret, a name...
Allura..
He saw her face as everything flashed before his eyes as the scalding painswept over him. Before he knew it, his ship was down - not that he cared anymore. He was pinned under wreakage. He knew he was going to die but not before -
Not before unfolding a last trick. Why should they have it? Ah. Hurt. One hand free - f - free..shaking..hadn't shook since last hangover..button..there..there it is..press..come on, work!...There...Castle Doom is safe..no one can - get - it - father - I - hope - you - rot - in - hell...Allura..I - love - you...
Darkness claimed the dark prince and he knew no more..
Allura landed the Blue Lion nearby. She vaulted out quickly sensing she was needed somehow though she wondered why the hell was she here? She should be cheering this man's death, but - oh she didn't know.
A security bot rushed to where she was headed - towards Lotor's ship.
"This area is restricted. Move away." It said.
"Move, you tin can!" She scowled.
She was not overly fond of robots and it seemed that Garrison and the Alliance for that matter were moving towards more dependence upon them. It made her wonder just what they were going to do - elect one to office? That would be a dark day indeed. Why anyone with an agenda could simply pull the strings.
"Princess Allura..is there a problem? May I help you?" She recognized the voice as Dr. Maund - one of Garrison's many medics. He had been on Arus briefly when Dr. Gorma had been injured at one time. He shooed away the bot.
"Dr. Maund, I must get by. I must ah - see." she said lamely.
"Princess, I am afraid such sights shouldn't be seen - "
"Doctor, I have seen many gruesome sights in the last five years - including my father's mangled body. I must do this.."
The doctor shrugged. Perhaps she wanted the satisfaction of seeing the terror of the universe mangled and torn, who knew? It would not hurt anything.
"All right, Your Majesty, come with me.." he walked with her towards Lotor's ship. It sitll smoked with the fires that had enveloped it earlier. The air reeked with the scent of melted metal, charred bodies and extinguisher gel.
"Ah. They are bringing him out." Dr. Maund stopped just short of where the other medics were bringing out someone from the wreakage. Allura could see that unlike other bodies she had seen, he (she assumed he was male) was not in the tell tale body bag, but was in an insulated bag for those who were
severely burned.
As they brought him out, she saw his face - one side of it anyway. She knew that handsome profile - it was Lotor. So he was alive! By some miracle he
survived and without a -
She gasped, for she saw the other side of his face.
It was a horrible, horrible sight - bloody, charred skin. She thought she saw
bone showing. His eye was sealed shut. His hair on that side of his face was
gone and the ear was a charred mess. Allura felt sick. She knew she could say
he had it coming, with everything he put her and the rest of the galaxy through, but somehow she couldn't. If the rest of the team were here,
perhaps they would believe that, but she always believed that he had some
spark of good within him - even if it were only directed at her.
"Where are you taking him?" she asked.
"Taking him?" Dr. Maund raised a brow. "We're taking him to the Garrison
hospital on Centres. They are specialists in burn patients.."
"And then?" Allura asked.
"If he lives, he will be tried, Your Majesty. You and the rest of the Voltron
Forces should be proud. You have brought this murderer and terror of the
entire galaxy to justice."
"Yes." Allura said softly. Somehow she did not feel like celebrating...
*******
There were celebrations all over the galaxy. The Alliance and Galaxy Garrison
both were jubilant over their hard won victory. Arus celebrated the fact that
they would no longer be under attack from either Lotor or Zarkon again. Their
brave princess and her defenders had saved them and they were grateful.
Although Allura smiled and joined the poeple and her teamates in their
celebrations, she was divided. She was glad her people would not be afraid anymore but part of her heart was where Lotor was. She couldn't explain why
and she certainly couldn't let anyone know. She kept her secret to herself
and hid it under a mask of cheerfulness.
**********
When Lotor first awoke, all he could see was white. He couldn't be dead
unless he was in some hell where he felt a dull pain. Odd. He couldn't see
out of his left eye. A bandage or something was packed over that side of his
face. He tried to lift his right arm, but he couldn't. Why couldn't he? Gods,
was he paralyzed? Where WAS he? Then he remembered the battle, his ship going
down, hurtling towards the planet.
..Allura..
He felt a flare of anger within him. Voltron had done this. Garrison forces
had done this. He was hurt badly. He didn't have to see that to tell. If he was in Garrison hands then he would rather die than lie here helpless.
He felt the fingers of his left hand and his fingertips grazed at something -
a wire, no a tube! Savagely and with all his strength, he pulled at it,
jerking the tube from where it was connected to the machine. An alarm sounded
from the machine, but Lotor was sure those fools would be too late...
"Dammit! Room 616-A! Machine malfunction! Get a team in there STAT!"
Lotor heard the sound of running feet and smiled - or at least he thought he
did. Two medics ran into the room and saw what he had done.
"Reconnect the IV fluids! He pulled the damn tube!"
"Hell, oughta let the bastard die, y'know. He's gonna be killed anyhow. Drule
bastard."
"I outrank you. Sedate him and get the IV tube BACK into him or I'll make
sure you're scrubbin' bedpans - FOREVER!"
"All right! All right! Still say it's a waste of taxpayer credits.."
Lotor felt a hypo spray in his left shoulder and he immediately began to get
drowsy. Oh gods he wanted to die. He rather wish that someone would put him
out of his misery. He fell asleep and his last thought was of Allura.
