Chapter Eleven

Coran heard the beeping of the long-range communicator and he rushed to the command console with the hope that it was an incoming Alliance ship. To his dismay, it was from the Doom flagship. He gestured for Allura to see what was on the console and when she saw what it was, she hurriedly put Niloc through.

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded.

"You are a constant bother to King Zarkon and I am here to make sure you stop bothering him," Niloc replied smoothly. "You know, Princess, your ground shield won't hold up until the rest get here."

Allura's eyes shot to the shield's stats and saw that it was down to fifty percent. The laser fire was beginning to hit the buildings underneath the shield. Already, a part of Voltronia was reduced to rubble.

"What do you want?" she asked. "Do you want the Lions? Do you want the Castle? You must want something. You can't be doing this just because we bother Zarkon."

"Actually, Your Highness, one reason to attack Arus is as good as another, but you are right. I do want something."

He paused. Allura gripped the edge of the console. Coran put a hand on her arm, fearful of what Niloc was going to say next.

"We will leave Arus if you will come with us," he said.

There was a collective gasp in the room. Romelle moved to run to her cousin's side, and Sven and Gwen began to talk at the same time. Allura silenced them with a sharp look.

"It's as simple as that," Niloc said. "If you will come on board without us having to use force, we will leave Arus alone."

"Forever?" Allura asked.

"As long as I live," he said.

"That's not good enough."

"Princess..." Coran whispered.

She put a hand up. "If I come with you, Zarkon's forces are never to bother Arus again."

"You know, Princess, you are in no position to bargain," Niloc said. "Look at your viewscreen. The Green Lion is ready to explode. With one word from me, the Ro-Beast will squeeze just a little harder and the universe will be one pipsqueak pilot short."

Sure enough, Green Lion hung limply in the beast's hand. Allura glanced at Pidge's monitor. He was unconscious, slumped over his control panel, and severely wounded.

"Change in plans," Niloc said. "Your life in exchange for his. I'll give you ten minutes to think it over."

He cut the connection and the others surrounded the Princess in the blink of an eye. She pushed past them and began to pace.

"You can't," Coran said, though his voice was weak. He knew she wouldn't choose her life over Pidge's.

"You are too important," Sven said. "Ve vill find anoder vay to saf Peedge."

"And how do you measure importance, Sven?" Allura sniped. "By money? By power? Pidge has done more for this planet than I have. He's protected us with the shield he designed and the gadgets he invented. And he's just a kid..."

"I'll go," Romelle said, stepping forward. "We look enough a like so that they won't know the difference. And we can get the stuff I used to impersonate you for the museum opening."

Sven shot her a look, but didn't say anything. She reached out and gripped his hand, an expression of pain flitted across her face, but she managed to smile bravely for the man she loved. The expression went straight to Allura's heart.

"No," she said. "I'm not going to risk you, Romelle. You've been through enough. I'll get out somehow."

"Princess, I cannot allow this," Coran argued, clutching her hand. "You are the last in line for the throne..."

"Last time I checked, I had two cousins," Allura said. "I'm not a great leader, Coran. I can be replaced easily."

"You are a great leader, Princess," Sven said. "Don't doubt dat. Jus de fact dat you are tinking auf doing dis, proofs dat."

Allura took a deep breath. "So it's agreed. I'm going."

"No, it's not agreed," Romelle and Coran said in unison.

"It doesn't matter," Allura said. "I'm going. It's my decision."

Romelle glanced around and saw Gwen standing at the edge of their circle, Morgan in her arms. "What do you think of this?" she asked her.

"I think Allura is not thinking as a leader because she is abandoning the people who need her like this," Gwen answered. "But if she chooses her life over Pidge's..." She met the Princess' eyes. "I think you're making the right decision."

Allura nodded. She went to the command console and opened a channel to the Doom flagship. She didn't pay any heed to the fact that it was immediately changed to an audio-only exchange.

"Made your decision already?" Niloc said. "That was quick."

"I'm coming with you," she said. "But first have your ships retreat. Send a ship here and I will go there as soon as all the ships but yours have left Arusian airspace."

"How do ve know dat you vill not attack even eef you haf de Princess?" Sven cut in.

"You'll have my word...as a gentleman," Niloc said. "I will do as you ask, Princess, since you asked so nicely."

Almost immediately, the Doom fighters stopped firing and attacking the Polluxians. Momentarily stunned at their enemy's withdrawal, the Arusians began firing upon them and were met with no return fire. The Ro-Beast laid Green Lion on the ground and shrank until it could fit into the flagship, where it disappeared.

"Cease fire," Allura said to the Arusians. "Come back into the castle. We have reached an agreement. This battle is over." For you.

"What do you mean there aren't any ships on your sensors," Lance said to the captain of the Warship Rilec. "Maybe they're busted."

"It's true," Hunk interrupted. "I'm not getting anything either." He paused to check some readings. "And the distress signal stopped beaming out and the ships that were coming in have turned around. By some miracle, they must have won."

"Sir," someone said. "I'm not getting anything large on the sensors. If there were battleships and fighters, we should be seeing debris on the ground, but there's nothing to that extent."

"There are ships leaving the solar system," Hunk said. "Doom ships."

"Castle Control," Lance said, opening a channel and breaking radio silence. "This is Red Lion...what happened?"

There wasn't an immediate answer and Lance began to think of the worst possible scenario.

"Lance," came Sven's breathless voice.

"Did we win?" Lance asked excitedly.

"Not exactly. Dock Red Lion and get to de conference room az soon az you get een. Ve haf a situation."

"Oh no."