Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter 1:

The outer wall that Keith currently leaned up against, settled in one of the divots, felt cold even through the layers of his blade uniform. A cool breeze ruffled his dark hair, which appeared inky black in the darkness of the early morning. The stars and other planets shone bright in the sky. It was clear enough to make out the steadily moving lights of ships as they orbited the planet.

 Not that he paid any of this mind. 

He hunched over the holographic screen, the purple light from it highlighting the soft down across his face, illuminating the unique design of darker fur, two shorter stripes that started right beneath his right eye and hugging the curve of his cheek before twisting back towards his hairline and tapering, the only part of him that was exposed outside of the skin tight armor. His longer bangs brushed across his brow line as he shifted almost imperceptibly, shadowing his own violet eyes as they scanned the information before him. With each small disturbance; wind rustling the leaves of the throlls trees, the distant sound of civilians in the capital city of Daibazaal waking and getting ready for their day,  his large triangular ears swiveled to capture every wayward sound, tail twitching idly at his side. And yet he stayed completely focused as they turned to the right. Hearing the soft, trained steps of a number of other Blade of Marmora cadets.

Keith was simply too lost in his own research, this new information he’d managed to uncover was just so good after all. It could prove all of his theories correct. In fact the more he read the faster his heart began to pound, growing louder in his head until it was the only thing he could hear. Excitement was an almost palpable aura around him. His scrolling hit the bottom of the page and Keith flipped his finger from right to left. The files on the holoscreen were replaced with a series of grainy pictures. Their depictions ranged in context and setting. His small pink tongue poked out from the side of his mouth as he concentrated, bringing up a series of scales to the side of the photographs. His digits fiddled with these choices. Until they cleared up. These were ruins it seemed, of what looked to be large stones set up in some sort of circular sequence and Keith’s curiosity spiked, wondering if there was some hidden meaning to the layout. The next was what looked like a series of simplistic paintings upon some sort of stone or rock surface. There were creatures in the air, beasts on the land with four legs, and others on two that didn’t quite look familiar to his eyes, when he flicked his finger to go to the next page, where-ah- there they were, ancient paintings of what could only be the galra, with those colors, that obvious armor, the Galra royal insignia. Keith’s heart jumped up into his throat. This was it, undeniable proo-

The distribution of light from his hollow screen interrupted the image and startled Keith from his reverie. He’d not taken note of the laughing voices as they’d neared him. And now it was too late for him to escape.

Other blade cadets now surrounded him in a semicircle, features set in jeering masks and voice’s filling harsh taunting words. It should have been obvious to Keith that his position was strategically weak. He’d chosen it for how it kept him out of sight, veritably hidden. But apparently not concealed enough.

In a single fluid moment Keith simultaneously dismissed his hollow screen entirely and slipped the file into one of his many pockets, while falling with a natural ease into a fighting stance. He turned his full focus onto the recruits surrounding him. Of course there was Zethrid, the cumbersome self proclaimed leader of their year and class. Her tag along Ezor bounced beside her broad form, wicked smile curling her lips upward in a manic expression of glee. Calm plum eyes glanced over the rest of the circle, not allowing any wayward emotion free. Like his sheer annoyance at having been interrupted.

Narti stood right across from him, just as unreadable as he, if not more so. Ladnok sneered at him, looking just as if not more so, excited for whatever violence was about to ensue. And finally Sniv and Throk, the twins who could never be found on their own.

“Whatcha readin?” Ezor bounded nearer to him, dancing away in a bright teasing manner (for she knew full well how dangerous Keith could be-Keith knew of her own trickster nature as well) He cursed himself silently. If he’d simply been paying attention he could have slipped away without being seen. Weren’t their instructors constantly hounding on the need for vigilance as a member of the blade? He was glad none of them were there to witness this. Though perhaps it would be better to be stumbled upon now.  As trainees any fights were encouraged, and the victor was lauded.

Finally an expression broke over his features, the smirk wasn’t so much cocky as it was knowing. He knew he could be the winner in this.

So with confident strides Keith ignored Ezor’s question and began to walk directly through them. As if they posed no threat at all.

“Are you still reading those bullshit articles of how the galra used to help poor aliens?” Zethrid’s rough voice was like a lance that shot straight into the heart of what Keith believed in. And just as the boy was turning to answer her, despite his previous plan to stay silent and simply fight until he was the only one left standing, Zethrid attacked. Her thickly muscled arm snapped out and knocked Keith backwards like a battering ram. Before the boy could right himself someone else was already at his back, pushing him forward, using their own foot to hook Keith’s. He tripped and barely managed to catch himself, dodging out of the way with lightning reflexes.

First blood had been Zethrid’s, and she stood back to enjoy this small triumph as the others stepped in with a varied array of melee attacks, each Keith dodged expertly, though he wasn’t able to fit in his own counter attack. The tall galran spoke, the disdain in her voice clear. “If you wanna act like an Altean maybe you should go live with em!”

Ezor shot out the appendage atop her head and it wrapped around Keith’s neck, but before he could be lifted his hand shot up, squeezing the sinewy limb and yanking on it hard, twisting with his entire body. She hit the dirt with a strangled yelp. Before Zethrid had a chance to jump in to defend her girlfriend Ezor lunged up from her position, smile only having grown wider through the duration of the scuffle.

“You’re never gonna find your soulmate like this!” She mocked with a growl. Keith pushed her back roughly, lips curling up in a snarl that barred his pronounced canines. From where it lay sheathed in the small of his back he pulled his luxite blade. The glyph lit up, purple light dancing down the rest of the metal form as Keith readied it to change.

“That’s enough!” A light but sharp voice rang out with more authority than the speaker truly held. No one snapped to attention or sprang back, in fact everyone seemed to be frozen for a moment, obviously debating if they were all simply going to ignore this demand, jump back against each other with malicious intent. Keith’s sword held at the ready, every individuals muscles tensed and prepared for action.

A much lazier tone cut through this strained atmosphere. “Hmmmm looks like Antok’s here early, guess he’s looking forward to running us ragged. If he sees how lively you lot are I’m sure he’ll have more for us to do.” To many grumbled moans they relaxed back, all save for Keith as Axca and Regris stepped into view from around the corner.

“Come on my vialli,” Zethrid held out her clawed hand as Ezor raised from out of her crouch, licking her lips as she turned to the larger galran. She pushed up onto her toes, one hand melding into the one Zethrid had offered while the other snaked over her broad shoulder. Their lips met and at the same time twin lights lit up their chests beneath the cloth uniform, pulsing in time with their heartbeats. Keith was loathe to admit that he couldn’t turn away. He knew what this silent message had been, for it mirrored her earlier words.

That he would never have this.

“Training is about to start,” Axca’s voice was blunt as she spoke, without any sort of inflection, “if anyone of us is late we’ll all be running laps.”

“Yeah yeah whatever—” Ezor quipped as she fell back onto her feet, throwing an obnoxious wink in Keith’s direction.

“Don’t think this is over nerd.” Zehtrid’s promise rang darkly in the air as the rest of the group made their way to the training grounds.

Only when it was just the three of them left did Keith allow his weapon to shift back into the hand held knife from the wicked looking blade.

“I didn’t need your help.” He muttered, turning his steps away from the other two. Axca ignored his claim, shouldering past him with nary a word.

Likewise Keith disregarded the sigh that sounded from behind him. But never the less Regris matched steps with the shorter galran, his long thick tail swaying pensively. Keith’s own had wrapped tightly around his waist defensively.

“You know why they make fun of you. Why don’t you just stop it?”

Keith debated avoiding this comment as well. But Regris, while not someone Keith considered a friend, was still the most amiable, and he was known well enough to understand that the other would follow him around, asking the same question until Keith gave in. To waylay this time consuming process Keith sighed, expression shifting into the closest thing to a pout he ever permitted.

“It’s ignorant to think we already know everything.”

“Keith… you believe in aliens… and we already know that alien’s exist, bit redundant don’tcha think?”

“Tch-“ Keith turned his head to the side, deciding that this conversation wasn’t worth the headache, not when it was going the exact way he had predicted it would. However his mouth, it seemed, had a different idea. “Not aliens like the Alteans or the Olkari!” Regris raised one of his spiked brows, as Keith struggled to find the right words to best express how these ones were different, “like they weren’t as…. As advanced or… less…”

“Articulate?” The taller galra supplied.

The look that Keith shot him shut him right up however.

 “A part of our history, a missing secret part, is tied to this planet out there… I know it.” Keith’s gaze dropped to his left arm, his other hand rubbing the area between his inner wrist and elbow. Mind now occupied by what was beneath the cloth.

“Dabazaal to Keith-come in-“ Regris waved a scaly hand before Keith’s eyes. He blinked slowly, orchid gaze still lost. “You’re going as slow as a imonyx. If you don’t pick up the pace we’re gonna be late!”

He was right.

Keith didn’t point out that the other could have gone on ahead of him, and he didn’t need too. Antok stood before a line of blade cadets and as Keith joined their ranks he activated the mask, which materialized over his features, flipping his hood up over his ample cuneate ears. He stood a full head shorter than the rest of them at the very least.

“I see that, once more a few of you fail to understand the importance of punctuality.” Antoks deep voice, as flat as ever, was clear as he spoke. His broad shoulders were held up straight, arms clasped tightly behind his back, expression veiled beneath a similar guise. “Timing could mean the difference between a mission success, and a mission failed.” He stated simply.

Keith easily picked up the curse that Regris mumbled under his breath. There was an acute silence that followed in which the boy could have sworn their superior had heard.

“Step forward Keith.”

Of course he was the one singled out to spar with first.

But the boy did as he was commanded without hesitation. Antok  towered over him.

With no further warning the senior officer struck out and Keith darted to the side, glad now for the warm up fight he’d had. Antok was ruthless in his onslaught, and at first the boy’s focus was sharp. But as the bout continued on, and his tactically inclined thoughts picked up on the patterns of Antok’s attacks, and without his meaning too, a part of Keith’s mind began to drift once more to the anthropological texts, trying to work through the information he’d discovered, like the possible out post for contact  right here on Daibazaal Keith’s mind raced forward to all the exciting possibilities.

Right until he was knocked right onto his ass, arm aching with how it had been grabbed and twisted.

“Focus—” Antok barked as Keith stood. “Again.”

The cold promise in his voice sent a chill of apprehension down Keith’s spine.

He was truly put through the ringer for the rest of the day.

Once he made it back to his home there was such a large part of him that simply wanted to fall over in his bed. Allow sweet slumber to pull his aching body into its embrace. But before he could even truly entertain this thought there was a soft ‘boof’ that sounded from down the hall and a flash of light before a very large canine materialized in the air right above him. Used to this sort of greeting as he was Keith had already widened his stance, but still barely had time to catch the large noxul hound. Slobber was instantly slathered across his face as Kosmo greeted him, and Keith couldn’t help the chuckle that broke past the moans of disgust. “Down boy down!” He pushed the oversized cuddle bug from him. His mind had been made up for him.

With a groan he turned his steps towards the bathroom, Kosmo skipping happily alongside him, who a moment later had flashed away and back in the blink of an eye, holding onto a soft looking plushie that was absolutely torn to shreds.

“Not right now buddy.” Keith held out his hand, palm out flat. “After my shower, I swear.” He knew that what his sore body needed was a nice hot steam. And it would clear the thick viscous slobber from his fur and hair.

Once in the bathroom he peeled the suit back from his sweat dampened hide, stripped down and just stood in the cloud of mist for a tick, before stepping beneath the pressurized spray of hot water. A soft sigh escaped him as he leaned his head back, tilting his ears forward so no water could get in. He began to lather his hair with a herbal mixture, and the scent of spice and soil rose with the fog around him.

A burst of blue flashed across his vision as his arm passed before his face. Keith’s movements stalled and his hand dropped. He stared down at the azure symbols written across his arm, following the line of his vein, where his fur was most thin. Almost hesitantly Keith brought his digits up, tracing the form of these sigils so softly that a shiver danced up his wet flesh. Markings were normal in galran society, but not like these. Not in this alien alphabet. Keith himself had many natural distinguishing patterns across his anatomy. His fur grew thickest on the top of his head, and thinner, finer fur worked it’s way down the side of his cheeks, across his chest, and formed a trailing edge down the center of his abdomen, leaving his sides almost free of any fur over his lavender flesh. Darker trails of this fur created stripes of aubergine.

But this bright periwinkle across his arm was different…. And only he, his mom, and Kolivan knew about them. Neither of the older galran’s could explain what they were, what they meant. For his entire life these scribbles had been a mystery to Keith.

He would have remained lost in this reverie of wonderings of what these letters meant if his sensitive ears hadn’t picked up the sound of his mother returning home. She was trained, just as he was, in stealth. But this was her home, and there was no need for that here. The key pad by the front door beeped and, thoough he could not actually detect the effect of the door opening, his imagination supplied the sound as her heavy foot falls drummed slowly down the hall.

Keith quickly washed the cleansing lather from himself and finished up his shower.

It turned out he should have stayed beneath the relaxing waters. As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom Krolia was before him, arms crossed, sharp eyes showing no hint of exhaustion after her long shift. She hadn’t even changed out of her blade amor.

“Why were you late, again.”

Straight forward as always. Keith’s jaw tightened as he bit back the groan that worked up out of his gullet. He wasn’t as successful in stopping his eyes from rolling. He crossed his own arms over his bare chest, a mirror to his mother.

His silence was answer and reason enough for Krolia to launch into a lecture she’d obviously been sitting on.

Keith didn’t even let her get a full dobash into her speech.

“I’m the top of my class what more do you want?”

The only sign that Krolia gave to hint at her irritation at being interrupted was a muscle in her jaw beneath her own natural markings, tightening beneath the tension of her most likely grinding teeth.

“I want you to leave these childish notions behind.” Krolia’s eyes, so much like her sons, hardened and Keith knew that she was resisting the urge to glance down at his arms. But already the strange emblems were once again hidden, tucked up against his body. “In a few days the Altean royal family will be arriving. You have already been chosen by Kolivan to join their guard.” Krolia paused, sighing as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Before speaking again. “This should be good news. It’s a very high honor for a young cadet such as yourself. Only one other from your class has been selected.” His mom continued to proliferate, but Keith had stopped listening. His heart had jumped up into his throat and even now, pounded loud and hard. The Altean’s! Of course! Why hadn’t he thought of them before! They were universally known for their diplomatic missions that took them farther abroad than all other galactic political powers at play. They might have answers for him! Keith just had to find the right person to ask—

“You just have a discipline problem- I’ve no idea where you picked that up, or from whom…” these words cut right through his musings. His eyes narrowed before he turned from her.

“I don’t have to listen to this—” He snapped. He whistled sharply through his teeth and a tick later Kosmo had appeared. Keith’s fingers brushed through the fringe of the noxus’s thick fur, and in a flash of light it was no longer the hallway that surrounded him, but the gloom of his bedroom. He reached over to his own keypad, inputing a sequence that successfully locked the woman out. Quickly Keith dressed before heading over to his window. Unlatching it he slipped out into the Daibazaal night.