Chapter Seven

Doctor Gorma carefully closed the incision he had made in Allura's back. His brow was wet with sweat, but he felt good about the operation. He had been able to staunch the internal bleeding he found, and had mended Allura's back and ribs. One rib had punctured and collapsed her lung, but he repaired the damage before the danger became serious. She would have trouble taking deep breaths for a while. The nerve damage from the spinal injury would be temporary, but it would be several months before she could resume her normal activity level. Other than that, the superficial damage from the frostbite, and various abrasions and contusions, would heal quickly, and she would be as good as new.

He had her put into a private room as he took off his surgical scrubs. In the waiting room, Romelle and Bandor, their hands held tightly together, sat with Coran and Nanny. The older woman held a hankerchief over her mouth as she stifled her sobs. They stood when they saw Doctor Gorma nearing.

"How is she?" Coran demanded, putting an arm around Nanny.

Gorma smiled. "The prognosis is good. The Princess should regain consciousness sometime tomorrow morning."

Romelle let out a relieved breath. "Thank you, Doctor." She frowned. "How's Pidge?"

"He's looking better by the minute," Gorma replied. "I'll take him off the sedatives tomorrow and he'll wake up not long after that. He's healing nicely."

"Wonderful news," Coran said. "I must be getting back to Castle Control. I believe a plan to rescue Keith is underway."

"I'll go with you, Coran,' Bandor said, standing. "I won't do much good here and I'm afraid if I sit here much longer, I'll lose my mind. I need to do something."

"I'll go, too," Romelle said.

"I vill stay here and let you know ven de Princess vakes aup," Nanny said.

Coran nodded and led the two Polluxians out of the wing towards Castle Control.

Keith looked up when he heard the door open. He carefully arranged arranged his features into an expression of despair and forced his eyelids to droop pathetically. He glanced sideways to make sure that the bandage he had just removed was out of sight in the pocket of his jumpsuit which was folded next to him. He licked his lips thirstily as his father came towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cheddar skitter to the opposite side of the white room, carefully out of Niloc's vision.

"Just kill me," Keith said hoarsely.

"Not quite yet," Niloc said. "You might be useful to us."

"I'd die before I betray my friends."

"You just might, Son."

Keith stood, but remembered he was supposed to be weak, and fell back down hard. Niloc smirked and got down on his haunches before his son.

"Watching your pretty Princess suffer was enjoyable, but I think you'll be a lot more fun. Unfortunately for me, human capacity for pain is much too low."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cheddar shoot through the door and into the corridor.

I need to give him enough time.

Keith looked up at his father, his dark eyes filled with a hatred that wasn't hard to feign.

"I knew you were a weak-minded son of a bitch, but what ever possessed you to side with Zarkon? He killed Mom. He took her away from us. And here you are doing his every bidding." He sneered. "You make me sick."

Niloc expression crumpled into one of rage, but he quickly replaced it with a blank one. He stared at Keith long enough to convince the younger man that he used this stare to intimidate. Keith carefully averted his eyes, curling his legs up towards up, and hugging his knees to his chest in a sign of weakness.

"If Mom could see you, she would be ashamed," he went on. "You're the man that she loved and pledged to spend the rest of her life with..."

"The life that the Alliance took away," Niloc spat before he could stop himself. "If they hadn't sent her out that day, she would be with me still and not floating around in a million pieces."

"She wouldn't have had to fight if Zarkon hadn't attacked," Keith countered.

Before Keith could react, Niloc drew back his hand and hit his son as hard as he could. Keith's head whipped back, hitting the wall behind him hard. He swallowed a gasp and fought not to jump up and break Niloc's neck. His jaw clenched, he focused on a spot on the floor as he controlled his temper. Then, he saw Niloc's foot move and then come towards him. The shiny black boot caught him in the jaw, snapping his head back and causing him to fall to his side. He tasted blood in his mouth and wiped it away. He still did not look at Niloc, afraid he would give himself away.

Hurry up, Rodent, he willed. Before I snap.

His eyes darted to the doorway just as Cheddar was running back inside. Niloc caught the movement and turned. Keith cursed underneath his breath and leaped onto the older man's back, knocking him flat. He held out his hand and Cheddar pushed the steak knife knife he had brought back as hard as he could towards Keith. Keith didn't even think about where the mouse had gotten it as it slid cleanly into his hand. Just as the guards came rushing into the room, Keith grabbed Niloc's hair, yanking his head back, and held the knife to his throat.

And then he smiled.

When Coran, Romelle, and Bandor walked into Castle Control, the others were standing around the map table. Lance looked up when he heard their footsteps nearing.

"What have you got?" Coran asked.

Lance cleared his throat. "We're going to threaten, Niloc."

"With what?" Coran inquired incredulously. "He has the Lions."

"With Vehicle Voltron," Jeff replied. "He's pretty intimidating, size-wise and definitely weapons-wise. If we point all our cannons and lasers at Niloc's flagship, he'll have no choice but to return what we need."

"But he will think that we are bluffing because he believes that we will not blow the Lions up," the Royal Advisor argued.

"We'll tell him about the detonators," Lance said. "He'll never find them in time anyway."

Coran looked thoughtful. "It is a gamble. He could call your bluff."

"Den ve fire a shot. Show him vat ve've got," Sven said.

Coran nodded. "Keith left you in charge, Lance. Do what you think is right."

"I just want to know what you think," Lance replied.

"I think that this is the best option we have. We must have Keith back."

"And de Lions..." Sven supplemented. a small smile on his face.

"Them as well."

"Ok," Lance said, clapping his hands. "Let's get this show on the road. And after this, I want a warm bath drawn for me with a bowl full of grapes next to it."

"And a girl to feed you, I suppose," Jeff said dryly.

Lance grinned. "Wouldn't hurt." Then as quickly as the grin appeared, it disappeared and his brown eyes turned serious. "Let's open a channel and make contact. Keith is running out of time and he knows it. I don't want him blowing those Lions before we even have a chance to save him."

"One step and I slit his throat," Keith said calmly.

"Your own father?" a guard countered.

Keith grinned, his expression feral. "The man who used to beat me within an inch of my life? Why would I want to kill him?" And to emphasize his point, he pressed the knife against Niloc's throat hard enough to draw blood.

"Shut up, idiot," Niloc spat. "Keith, you know if you kill me, you'll never make it out alive."

"I'm ready to die, Father. Are you? Because I will kill you."

"You are too honorable. You'll use me as a hostage, at best," Niloc scoffed.

Keith laughed without humor. Vaguely, he realized that his injured hand was starting to throb. Swiftly, he wrapped that arm around Niloc’s throat and squeezed hard enough to stop his breath. Keith took the knife in his other hand. It was either the adrenaline rushing through him or the rage that was bubbling it up inside that added to the strength of Keith's move so that all it took was one slice to separate Niloc from his right thumb. The general let out a wheezing breath that turned into a bloodcurling scream when Keith loosened his arm.

"As I was saying," Keith said as if nothing had happened, "I want a portable communication console brought in here. If I suspect it has been tampered in any way, your fearless leader here is going to lose something even more important than his thumb."

The guards winced simultaneously and one of them ran off to get what Keith wanted. The others stood around, their guns still drawn, but they would not be firing. Keith glared at them.

"Get out of here. I'm getting sick of looking at you," he said.

They slowly backed out of the room, their eyes never leaving Keith and his prisoner. Niloc was holding the bloody stump where his thumb had been, breathing hard as beads of sweat dripped into his already teary eyes.

"You little son of a bitch," he hissed. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"It's in my blood," Keith said emotionlessly.

One of the guards hesitantly appeared in the doorway.

"What?" Keith barked.

"We have a transmission from Arus," the guard said. "They want to speak to General Niloc."

"Get that console in here now," Keith said. "I'll talk to them."