Arus: The Castle of Lions Infirmary...
Prince Lotor awoke and for a brief moment was disoriented. He heard voices and then focused his eyes. There beside his bed was Prime Minister Coran and a doctor.
He saw the Prime Minister turn to him and say, "Ah, Prince Lotor, you're awake.." Lotor sat up and winced, feeling bruised all over.
He said, "What happened..?"
Coran said, "You crashed into our shields...we nearly didn't shut them down in time..."
Lotor then said, "Ugh. It feels like it too.
Coran nodded. "We will use them to defend ourselves against your father..ah, Prince Lotor, we have heard from your companion, Sonenya, what has happened to you, and Dr Gorma here has scanned your mark and found it to be genuine. Tell me what happened when your father found you on Aden."
Lotor told Coran of his father's trap, his branding and whipping, and his sale on the auction block on D'antayan.
Coran listened incredulously, thinking, ..What kind of a man would sell his own flesh and blood into slavery?...
Lotor saw the pitying looks that Coran and Dr. Gorma gave him and said, "I don't need your pity! I need your help! I want to get Allura away from my father.She is hurting, I know she is!"
And in a voice of desperation, he said, "Prime Minister, I truly love Allura, and I don't want to see her hurt like this. I never knew how evil my father really was until he had done this to both of us."
He gestured at his mark."If you will help me, I would be--grateful." He had paused, plainly unfamilar with using the word.
Coran, for the first time in his dealings with Prince Lotor, felt a kinship with him. He could see the anguish on the Prince's face. He knew what he was going though-having gone through the same thing with Lida. Gone was the selfish pride and arrogance. His pain could be plainly seen as well as his love. Perhaps the young man had finally turned away from his father's ways at last.
Still, Coran was amazed that his companion, Sonenya, was actually Hagar's twin and that she was the one who had accompanied Lotor so that he could rescue Allura. An amazing turn of events to his thinking.
What he really found it hard to believe was the fact that Alfor was the descendant of a Sister and Allura had inheirted these powers as well. It would explain much though. Coran remembered Alfor's father carrying the same prescence that Alfor, Lida and Allura did.
Coran said, "Prince Lotor, we will be glad to help you. In fact, we are developing a plan to rescue her --at Zarkon's Ball."
Lotor impulsively grabbed Coran's arm. "Ball, what ball? My father never-"
Coran interrupted him. "I have recieved an invitation to a Royal Ball to be held on Doom for Allura at the end of this week...I-and my wife are "required" to go, as a matter of fact."
Lotor let go of Coran's arm and laid back in his bed, stunned. His father had never done such a thing-ever! Sonenya was right. His father did love Allura!
Coran saw the look on Lotor's face and said, "We do have a plan though-" he paused, not sure if he could really trust the Prince, then decided to tell him, "We have operatives on Doom who have gathered weaponry together and they will work with Garrison and Alliance forces to overtake Doom. I will get Allura out of there, since I will be there."
Lotor frowned and said, "You will need more than weaponry to overtake Doom, Prime Minister."
Coran said, "How so?"
Lotor then said, "Well, there is a matter of the planetary shielding.There is a master code that never changes. I remember it but I must go with you!"
Coran actually smiled and said, "Sonenya had said you would insist upon it. In fact, she said she would go with you as well."
Lotor was ready to leap out of bed, ready to go.
Dr.Gorma said, "Ah..Prince Lotor, you're not exactly dressed to go out at the moment.."
Then Lotor realized he didn't have a lot on and said, "Well, get me some clothes." then he added, "please." Both Baile and Gorma suppressed a chuckle.
Baile said, "Prince Lotor, I 've checked you out, and you seem to be ok, just some bruises and a knock on your head. I will instruct the nurse to bring you some clothing to wear." With that, the doctor left the room, leaving just Prince Lotor and Coran. Looking at Lotor's face, Coran thought that he could see more of the humaness in him than the alien, and wondered...
Rise Into The Abyss:Chapter Six