Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He’s not sure why he kept it, the small purple and black contraption he’d been given.  Perhaps it was to serve as a reminder, a memory of a home he’d never quite had and a person he never wanted to be again.  Perhaps he’d held on to hope his father may wish to see him again, a desperate notion he knew would not become a reality.

And yet the small communication device rang now, over ten thousand years since it had been thrust into his hands.

“Haggar, how wonderful to hear from you.”  He greeted the holographic image that appeared above his hand upon opening the device.  “My dear, you don’t look a day over nine thousand!  Tell me, you do understand the term ‘exile’, don’t you?  Unless you are calling to tell me my father begs my forgiveness and return I’m sure we have no need to talk.”

“Your father barely breaths.”  Haggar frowned.  The ex-prince felt his lips twitch downwards hearing that.  “I and my druids are doing all we can to return Lord Zarkon to good health but it is unknown when he shall awaken.”

“I see.”  Lotor frowned.  “Are you calling me so I may give my final respects then?  I will have you know I do not have any.”

“Do not talk about the Emperor as though he is dying.”  Haggar growled and Lotor rolled his eyes as her tone.  Always too attached to his father.  “I am calling to announce your exile over.  To summon you to the take your fathers throne in his place.” 

“Why would I do that?  Surely he would not be happy with the news when he wakes.”  Lotor sighed, leaning back to look over his nails as though he were uninterested in her news.

“The Galra empire faces a great threat.  Voltron is the cause of your fathers condition, and the wretched creation will continue to tear down Lord Zarkon’s legacy should we not stop it.  I must remain focused on your father and our defences, and Lord Zarkon named no successor.  You, Lotor, are the only heir the galra have ever had.  You must take his throne.”  She argued.  “As Emperor you will have all you’ve lost returned, your wealth and power will be near endless.  And surely, when your father awakes to find all you have done in his name, he will restore your proper position.”  Lotor thought it over.  He could care less about the things he’d lost, the title he’d one had.  Spending an exile surrounded by people who weren’t evil assholes can do that to a person.

However…

Well, there are many advantages to being Emperor of the universe. 

“Alright Haggar, I accept your apology.  I will return as soon as I am able.”  He decided. 

“I will send an escort for you.”  The druid said.

“You will do no such thing.”  Lotor scoffed.  “I am no longer a child that needs babysitting, I will arrive on my own simply send me the coordinates where we are to meet.  And transfer some funds will you’re at it, I do not desire to return dressed as I am now.”

“As you wish Lord Lotor.”  No matter his mood, Lotor could not help but smirk as she said it.  The glow of the holographic feed faded and the device that had once shown only the growing time of his exile now displayed a message and an amount of money transferred to the device itself.  He needed only a ship with a GPS and he would be fine to return to his… home.   

Lance flicked the small device shut and settled the contraption, much alike in shape in size to a make-up compactor, into his pocket.  His eyes took in the room.  It was lightless by he saw without hassle how bare it was, how dust covered.  Tucking a white hair behind a pointed ear the reinstated royalty sighed.  He would need to be careful.

The note was on his bed.  Lance had read and reread the thing at least a hundred times to make sure it sounded right, wasn’t hinting at where he was going or what he’d been doing.  He burned the copies that weren’t perfect.  The ones with too many hints or too much rambling.  The ash was in a bin on the other side of the castle, just in case there was anything salvable left.

His clothes from Earth were in that room too, tucked in a corner where no one could get suspicious.  He was wearing clothes he’d found in some other room, ancient altean fashion suitable for fancy lords and ladies.  He’d shoved some food into a bag as well and that… that was it.  That was all he was taking.  He was done, good to go.

And yet he lingered a moment. 

Lance took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair, heading from his room to his hanger.  The others would wake up soon, he didn’t have much time.  Blue grumbled at him when he arrived and Lance smiled, patting her head when she leaned down.

“Sorry girl, I have to.”  He said, brushing off her protests.  They were half hearted, she accepted his choice it just wasn’t something she was happy about.  “Be good, okay?  Don’t be too picky.”  He joked, nuzzling his face against her steel. 

He needed to go.

Lance took a deep breath and headed from Blue’s hanger into the one full of ships that wouldn’t be missed.  He threw his small mostly empty bag into the seat before getting in himself.  He was careful in disabling the tracker and mostly just hoped he didn’t mess anything else up before starting the ship.  It was different to flying Blue, this was a lifeless machine that didn’t have interest in teaching or helping him but Lance managed. 

He didn’t look back.

Exile had done much for Lotor.  He’d learnt a lot of things he otherwise never would have thought about.  How to use auto-pilot was the first of those things.

It had been a requirement of him, really.  He’d been shoved into a small ship with no one else and no piloting experience of his own.  It was likely Zarkon was attempting to kill his son without getting his own hands dirty by getting the boy to crash his vehicle.  Lotor couldn’t say he was surprised.  His father had never much cared for him, certainly wasn’t proud of Lotor’s mixed heritage, and perhaps even perceived him as a threat to his throne (as though Lotor would have wanted all that responsibility).  Fortunately for the ex-prince, Lotor had a habit of disappointing his father and it didn’t take a genius to click the auto-pilot button and then a section on the map. 

He used the skills he’d learnt then now.  The mall wasn’t far from where he’d taken off, and its unnatural orbit stood out on the map.  He’d need new clothes and a new ship. 

“This is one of our best, but I’m not sure it would be in your price range sir.”  The employee said, gesturing to a large black ship that looked nothing like the altean one he’d been using.

“It’s within my price range.”  Lotor stated, not even bothering to look at the price tag.  “I’ll take it.”  The employee looked hesitant but agreed and took Lotor back inside to fill out the paperwork. 

“Well, if you’ll just transfer the credits over we’ll be done.”  The employee stated. 

“One more thing.”  Lotor said.  “I desire my old ship to be held somewhere, simply in storage, however I don’t want this on the record.  Can that be done?”

“Well, uh, I suppose I could add a few hundred credits to the ships price to do that for you.”  The employee offered after a moment.

“Excellent, we’ll do that.”  Lotor smiled.  The alien hesitated a moment before adding the amount.  Lotor transferred over the credits and watched as the employees face lit up in surprise.  From there the small ship salesman held everything quickly and efficiently.  The same could not be said about Lotor’s shopping spree.

“Guys, Lance is gone.”  Hunk announced, racing back into the kitchen.  “He’s gone!  He left!”  He was frantically waving around a note as he spoke. 

“What do you mean he’s gone?”  Keith frowned.

“I mean he left!  He wrote this and he took a ship and he’s gone and he’s not coming back!”  Hunk panicked.  He held the note out and Keith snatched it.  He read over the few lines before frowning.

“He can’t be serious.”  He muttered. 

“What did he say?”  Coran asked.  “Perhaps, perhaps you’re both misunderstanding.”

“It’s hard to misunderstand ‘I’m leaving’.”  Keith growled.  Pidge took the note and read it aloud.

“I’m leaving.  Since Shiro’s gone you guys are gonna have to search for a new paladin anyway and I know I’m just the seventh wheel and I’m not a good paladin so I figure this way you can find someone better to pilot too.  Bye, Lance.” Silence echoed in the room once she was done.  “He doesn’t, he doesn’t actually think that does he?”  She asked, looking up from the page.

“Even if he does it’s hard to imagine Lance just… leaving.”  Coran frowned.

“He wouldn’t just leave we have to be missing something!”  Hunk shouted, still pacing and stressing.

“What’s there to miss, he’s pretty direct!”  Keith snapped.  “He’s gone Hunk.”

“We could track him, couldn’t we?”  Pidge hoped.

“Not if he turned off his ships tracker I’m afraid.”  Coran dismissed.

“We do not have time for this.”  Allura stated.  She took a deep breath and stood.  “We have enough problems without Lance being selfish over his emotions.  We will see if his tracker is still active, if not I’m afraid we can’t search for him.  As he stated, we already had to search for a new paladin and now we will be needing two.”

“We can’t just not look for him!”  Pidge argued.

“It was his own decision to leave.”  Allura said calmly.

“Princess, perhaps there is more to it.”  Coran offered.  “Lance doesn’t seem the type to just run off.” 

“Coran, the galra are at their weakest in this moment.  We can’t simply stop everything and give them a chance to rebuild themselves simply because Lance left.”  She moved to leave the room and no one argued with her.  She had a point after all.

Lotor had forgotten how nice expensive clothes felt.  The fabric was soft against his skin, the colours were the perfect shades he’d been after.  The outfit itself wasn’t exactly fitting of someone about to lead a war but that had been the intention.  He had a reputation to uphold after all.

He was nearing the meeting spot.

With a sigh he ran a hand through his hair, feeling as it shifted from the short, soft brown he’d grow fond of to the long, silky white he’d once adored.  His ears changed shape and his form grown bigger.  When he looked down his skin was purple and checking a mirror revealed his eyes were once more that ugly glowing yellow. 

“I have to do this.”  He muttered to his reflection.  “For Shiro.” 

In his exile Lotor had found Earth, had crashed into the forest and been saved by a family that really didn’t deserve to have to deal with him.  They’d opened their doors to this alien creature, patiently handled his entitlement and spoilt behaviour, and treated him like a normal person.  No matter how much he demanded they treat him with the proper respect deserved of a prince, that they wait on him hand and foot, they just laughed.

It had taken a very, very long time for him to learn from them.  But living with such a family as the McClain’s for multiple generations their kindness was bound to push him in the right direction someday.  And it did.

God, it was embarrassing just to think of the person he’d been when he’d first arrived on Earth.  He’d vowed to himself to never been such an entitled prick again.  And yet, here he was about to be that entitled prick once more.

He needed to though.  Haggar was very likely the reason Shiro was missing and the best place to get information on what the druid was up to was on his father’s throne.

“Prince Lotor, welcome.”  Speaking off said druid, Haggar greeted the Prince as he walked from his new ship. 

“Haggar.”  He greeted, looking down his nose at her.  “I suppose we should begin by visiting my father, while we’re there you can tell me about this Voltron.”  He decided.  Haggar nodded and lead him away.  She spoke of all of it and Lotor made the expected comments.

There was no mention of a Paladin in her custody.

Lance hadn’t really expected it to be that easy anyway.

Chapter Text

“Hello Father.”  Lotor greeted the comatose body of the worst enemy the universe had ever faced.  It was strange, how small and harmless his father looked at that moment.  How… peaceful.

“I’ll give you a moment alone.”  Haggar announced.  He might have thought her to having a moment of humanity, if Lotor truly believed he was alone.  The witch had no doubt set up dozens of cameras to watch the fallen emperor’s condition.  Still, he was glad for the moment of faux privacy.  He hadn’t intended to say anything, really, but facing the man that had been such a horrifying influence in his life he… he found he had a lot to say.

“I suppose you’d expect me to apologize.”  Lotor mumbled after Haggar had left.  He felt the itch under his skin to change back.  A ridiculous desire really because this was his original form.  There was no changing back form this.  Still he wanted his human appearance.  He wanted to cry.  He wanted to pull apart whatever system was keeping his father alive.  He wanted the man to wake up and face him.

Lotor looked calm but inside Lance was a mess.

“I suppose you want me to assure you I will rule your empire as you ruled it, to make up for my transgressions.”  He muttered, trying to remain as calm as he could.  It wasn’t easy.  “I won’t do it.”  He told Zarkon’s body bitterly.  “I’m not here for you.  I am here to rule for my own gain, that’s how I always do things isn’t it Father?  I suppose that’s the one thing you taught me in the end.”  He scoffed.  His knees were shaking.  How many times had he imagined how this would go?  Remeeting his father when he was called back, or on the battlefield protecting the home Earth had become, or in space as Voltron. 

In that final battle he’d imagined standing before his father’s grave.

He had never thought it would go like this.

“But I guess I should thank you.”  He mumbled, talking to hold back the sobs.  He was slipping, he wasn’t meant to speak so commonly just in case there were hidden microphones.  “I’ve never been happier than I was in my exile.  I got this thing called a family, do you remember what that was like?  Probably not, right?  I doubt you even remember my mother’s name.”  Lotor bit his lip.  He needed to stop before he tarnished the act he was preforming.

“Well.”  He said, tone chirper and more fitting of the Lotor that once was.  “It doesn’t matter now, does it?  She’s dead, and you’re half dead yourself.  I suppose you’ll be incredibly angered to find me on your throne when you wake up but I’ll have you know it was all Haggar’s idea.  Goodbye Father.”  He turned on hell and left the room before his chaotic emotions could grip him again.

For Shiro, he reminded himself.  I have to do this for Shiro.

“Where are we even going to find other pilots?”  Hunk huffed as he tinkered.  “Coran can’t pilot a lion, and we need Allura on the ship.”

“I don’t know Hunk.”  Pidge mumbled, sitting back to back with Hunk as she reviewed the footage of her brother’s escape once more.  Maybe it was for comfort, she’d lost four people but this was the only footage she had of any of them.  “I guess we’ll check with our allies, see if they can pilot the lions.”

“I don’t think Keith should pilot Black.”  The yellow pilot huffed.  “I mean, he’s just… he’s too much of a loner!  He isn’t going to know how to lead and I just don’t know him that well!”

“Shiro wanted him to lead.”  The younger reminded him.  They were silent a moment.

“Lance would’ve made a better Black Paladin.”  Hunk eventually mumbled.

“I know.”  Pidge sighed.  “Maybe we could still find him.  He only weakened the tracking signal too much for the castle to find him, if I could just… if I could just strength the signal we could find him.”

“Tell me what I can do to help.”

“Lord Lotor.”  Commander Irck greeted him with a bow.  Lotor looked him over with bored eyes, claws tapping against the arm rest of his father’s too-big throne.

“What is it Commander Irck?”  He asked, making his distaste at the visit obvious.  Since taking up his fathers mantel all he’d done was sit on his throne and listen to Commanders like Irck talk about how great they were and suck up to him.  He’d barely had a chance to eat let alone start his search for Shiro.

God he’d forgotten how much being royalty could suck.

“I’m sure this is a stressful and busy time for you sire.”  The galran began.  “I only sought to suggest something that may ease your stress.  There is a gladiator match tonight, I believe the current champion is to be involved.” 

“And you intend to ask me to it Commander Irck?  I do not appreciate being courted at such a time, and by someone so beneath me.”  Lotor smirked, watching the way galran’s eyes narrowed for a moment.  He was having more fun than he’d care to admit acting like a spoilt brat again.  It was certainly the only enjoyment he was getting during these conversations with Commanders he wasn’t dumb enough to trust.

“That was not the intention my lord.”  The older looking galran frowned.  “It was simply a gesture of good will.” 

“I suppose I can spare the time to watch a gladiator match.”  Lotor hummed after a moment of nothing but tapping.

“Sire, you have more pressing matters to attend to.”  Haggar frowned.  “We must discus what further moves to make against Voltron and to secure your fathers recovering.”

“Silence Haggar.”  That was a fun thing to say.  “I have no interest in your plans against Voltron, they have proven to do nothing but fail.  As for my father, you are already using too many of our resources to ensure his health and yet nothing has changed.”

“I only need more.”  Haggar frowned

“I will attend this gladiator match and perhaps then I will decide what to do about what you need Haggar.”  Lotor announced, standing from his father’s throne for the first time in what felt like days.

How could he have ever enjoyed these things?  Lotor focused on examining his nails rather than watching as the prisoners sliced and diced each other and for what?  To breathe another second?   All because they commanded it. It was terrible.

“Are you not entertained sire?”  Commander Irck and he had been joined by the Commander’s second in command, a shorter than average but broad galran named Zulin. 

“No.”  Lotor said, mentally proud of himself for how even he managed to keep his voice.

“Shall we have more prisoners added to the fray?”  Commander Irck suggested, watching the bloodbath with gleaming eyes.  Lotor decided he truly hated this guy.

“No, there is no point.”  Lotor sighed.  “It’s simply not entertaining to watch people fight for their lives.”

“How can you not enjoy this?”  Irck asked, gesturing to the display before them.  Lotor let his eyes flick over and tried not to gag at the sight.

“It would be more entertaining if they were truly fighting for something.”  The prince commented. 

“They are fighting for their lives, what could be more true than that!”  Irck countered.

“Hope.”  Lotor hummed.  “It is always more entertain than hope.”  He let a smirk slip onto his face, hoped it looked as horrifying as used to.  “We will have them fight for their freedom.”  He decided.

“Excuse me?”  Irck frowned.

“Should the prisoners win enough matches they will be freed.”  He clarified.  “Able to return to their homes if they so please.  It will be much more entertaining to watch them fight when they have a prize in mind.”  He rose from his chair before Irck could say another word, announcing the news. 

It wasn’t taken well at first, but a few matches in as prisoners fought with a drive they hadn’t had before, the crowds accepted the decree.  Lance forced himself to watch with a grin as aliens slaughtered one another.  He hated it.  They didn’t deserve this but he knew better than to think he could truly end the fighting.  His leadership was too fragile to risk the riot that might cause and he couldn’t lose his leadership right now, he needed to find Shiro.

Shiro wasn’t the current champion.  He hadn’t expected it to be that easy either but god how he’d wished it was.

“What do you mean you can’t tell us?!”  Hunk demanded of the small salesman, hoisting the being up by its shirt collar.

“I was paid very well for my silence.”  The alien smirked, not intimidated despite Hunk’s size.  “Unless you can pay me more I cannot tell you a thing.”

“How much were you paid?”  Pidge demanded from beside Hunk.

“15 hundred credits.”   The answer made the humans tense.  They didn’t have that kind of money; Lance shouldn’t’ve had that kind of money. 

“Hunk!  Pidge!”  Coran was panting as he ran towards the two, once more dressed like a space pirate.  “Good thing I found you!”

“Coran, what are you doing here?”  Hunk frowned, still holding the salesman.

“I came to see what you’re both doing here!”  He announced.  “Who’s this chap? A pirate?”  He asked.

“We managed to track Lance’s ship to here, in that garage.”  Pidge explained.  “This guy won’t tell us how he got it.”

“Hm…”  Coran hummed and rested his chin in his fingers.  “How you tried to bribe him?”

“We don’t have any money.”  Hunk frowned.

“Bah!  Waste of my time then!”  The salesman exclaimed, kicking out of Hunk’s hold and heading into a nearby building.

“Hey!”  Hunk called as the guy vanished from sight.

“Never fear Hunk, Coran is on the job!  I have access to the royal treasuries after all.”  Coran announced, quickly following after the small alien.

“Is that a good idea?”  Pidge asked, watching Coran leave.

“I don’t care if he gets us answers.”  Hunk decided.

Coran returned a good half hour later.  “I’ve got good news and bad news!”  He told the two as they jumped to attention.  “The good news is, I managed to bribe him!  The bad news is it cost me quite a bit and we best not mention this to Allura.”

“What’d he tell you?  Where’s Lance?”  Hunk asked, panicked but hopeful.  Coran frowned slightly.

“That’s some more bad news I’m afraid.  While he’s sure it was Lance that paid for his silence, he isn’t sure where Lance went.  He brought a ship, asked to keep his old one here and off the record, and then left.”  Coran frowned.

“So… this is, this is a dead end?”  Hunk asked, feeling his heart sinking in his chest.

“I’m afraid so.”  Coran sighed, looking just as defeated as Hunk.

“But where did Lance get that kind of money?”  Pidge frowned.  “Did he take it from the treasury?”

“I doubt it, I would have noticed if there was money unaccounted for.”  The elder shook his head.  “Come, we must get back before the princess begins to think we’ve lost even more Paladins.”  He turned, heading back towards the ships that had come in.  Numbly, Pidge and Hunk followed.