Chapter Seven

......Ahhh, there he is, Captain Keith Akira..my he's a handsome one! Hagar thought as she came across the repulsorlift stretcher (or 'reslift) his body lay on.

She ran her withered hand across his chest, and even as he slept like the dead, she could feel his body react slightly, as if repulsed by her touch.

Hagar sighed. Even in sleep he senses I am a monster.... Perhaps the Old Ones were right.

she sighed again, thinking about the old witches on her homeworld D'antayan.(

Because I misused the Spell of E'tch'aa to cause an a untimely death, perhaps I have been cursed.

When she was young and beautiful, she didn't believe in the curse. E'tch'aa was the spell the Old Ones used when they were ready to die or to transfer their knowledge. They would transfer their power over to the new generation of witches. Hagar remembered her own Becoming, so long ago...but she went astray, she fell in love with an outworlder named Z'aale Zarkon Lessat and used the Spell of E'tch'aas to murder his ineffectual warlock, Zandaan,who Z'aale discovered-or so he told her,was stealing from him. Somehow the Council of Sisters found out.She lost everything, but gained her Z'aale. The Sisters banished her from D'antayan to the Outworlders. She didn't care for she knew she loved Z'aale, and she was beautiful, and she knew he loved her. He promised her everything - and gave nothing.

Hagar sighed deeply, looking again at the handsome Keith Akira, who stirred in his slumber.

The Old Ones used to say that beauty was like a two-edged blade, both a blessing and a curse on the one who posesses it. I never believed it then, but it is true. It is true. she thought, gliding the 'reslift to the entrance of the secret hangar where Zarkon's best starcruiser, "D'omee'ah"(Swift Killer) was at.

She guided the 'reslift into the large cruiser and secured it in the lounging area towards the back of the ship. She paused to look at him again, stroked his face (which was rough from not shaving) and thought, Goodbye, my handsome one! I hope for your sake Lotor won't kill you after all! It'd be such a waste!

Keith shuddered again at her touch and she retreated from him. She glanced briefly at the interior of the cruiser, which was nicely appointed with comfortable amenties. This was his best and most luxurious ship. Zarkon used this ship for pleasure trips to Tyrus and it's sister planet T'ayra. But of course, his obession with Voltron had dampened his desire to travel.
Boy, he is going to be pissed when he finds his ship gone! she thought with glee.

Of course, that was just the beginning- she had mixed a spell which contained a virus that would permantly damage and destroy all the 'bot guards on the planet. There were more 'bot guards than Drule officers, because 'bot guards were used to harass and guard the slave population. Live ones were needed in on Zarkon's other worlds to keep order and administer his laws. With the 'bots 'crashed', the slaves were surely to revolt, overthrowing the officers causing all hell to break loose on the planet. They would not overthrow the castle though, for she would place a bubble around the castle, sealing it from intruders and also masking out anything from the outside. She wanted Zarkon not to suspect a thing until it was too late and he was begging her to help him.

She went down the corridor and entered the suite of rooms leading into Zarkon's bedchamber. She saw Lotor looking moony-eyed at that Allura, as he held her in his arms. The girl appeared to be deep asleep. Hagar glanced at the wine bottle which was more than half-empty, then looked at the forgotten wineglass on the table. There were two sets of prints on the lip of the glass where lips had touched.

Hagar thought jealously, Humph! He actually shared his glass with that little snippet! He never did that with me!

Stalking over to Lotor, who was still gazing at the girl in his arms like a love-struck Ch'auuka in mating season,she barked, "Lotor, quit standing there like the fool you are and let's go - your's father's ship is waiting!"

Lotor, startled, looked up and nodded, striding towards the door with the sleeping girl in his arms.

Hagar thought with envy, I wish Z'aale had loved me like Lotor loves her.

She led them though the corridor leading to the hangar and said, "Lotor, there's his starcruiser. Now get out of here and don't come back-at least for awhile. I want to be alone with him."

Lotor nodded and said,"Thank you...Hagar."

"Don't get sentimental on me, Lotor. I'm not doing it for you, but for myself. Now get out of here! Go to the pits of hell for all I care." Hagar replied, shoving Lotor to the starcruiser's entrance. "Oh I left a "little" suprise for you in the starcruiser," she added with a cackle. "Don't look at it until you are in flight. You'll love it! Now go!"

Hagar watched as Lotor carried Allura into the 'cruiser, the door sliding behind them. She watched the 'cruiser take off smoothly, and leave the gravity and atmosphere of Planet Doom.

Well, that's over....now the fun begins! she thought, the doors of the hangar shutting automatically behind her.

She entered Zarkon's bedroom with the feeling of exhileration she hadn't felt in years.

At last, I will be back where I always wanted to be... she thought with excitement.

She looked at Zarkon's sleeping form on the bed, and smiled as she adjusted his position to one side. Hagar pulled back the covers of the bed, and then turned back to him.

She loosened his shirt without taking it off, and marveled that in all the years that it had been since she'd seen his body like this, he hadn't changed much.He's still in fine form, she thought..my Z'aale....