Chapter Three

Gwen entered to find Allura pacing up and down the length of the room. She was frowning and her mouth was moving, but Gwen couldn't hear what she was saying. She didn't even acknowledge that someone else had entered the room. Finally, she stopped in the middle of the room and covered her face with her hands.

"Why is this decision harder than any other ones I've made," she asked.

"You're just burnt out," Gwen said with a small shrug. "I've seen worse. Just sit down and take a breather."

"Can I sit down for longer than five minutes?"

"Not with what's going on out there."

"Didn't think so. I just feel like I'm about to explode."

"I know. We've all gone through something like that. It happens. Just hang on and you'll be alright."

"I'm just so tired," Allura said. "Look at my hand. It won't stop shaking."

She held out a slender white hand and it shook horribly. Gwen wasn't sure if the Princess could hold a glass steady at all.

"Don't fly Blue Lion," Gwen said. "Not while you're like this."

"They weren't going to let me fly it regardless," Allura said, with a knowing smirk. "I was going to put up a fight just to keep up appearances, but I don't think I have it in me."

"I'll let you sit here for a while, but don't dawdle," Gwen said, wagging her finger. "We have an important decision to make."

After she left the room, Allura muttered, "You mean I do."

She had spoken to Romelle earlier and She knew then what she had to do.

Bandor walked towards Castle Control, his countenance determined. He didn't like the fact that the Arusians were using their fighters and ships, but not their pilots. He found it insulting--he understood why, but nevertheless, he wanted his people to be part of this liberation.

He entered and saw the usual people around the map table, discussing tactics. He recognized Commander Porterfield among them, the man he knew would be leading the fight. He walked up to him.

"What are you doing here, Your Highness?" Keith asked, throwing Coran a glance. "Princess Romelle was supposed to stay with you."

"She let me go," Bandor replied. "I told her we had important matters to discuss."

Keith studied the young Prince. Bandor looked nothing like Romelle, but he did have her stubbornness. He suspected the whole family did. He nodded and gestured towards the conference room, allowing Bandor to go first. They entered and found Allura still pacing. She stopped when she saw her cousin and smiled, wobbly though it was.

"What are you doing here, Bandor?" she asked.

"I have to talk to you and the commander."

Allura looked at Keith. He shrugged. Bandor looked from one to the other and took a seat. He clasped his hands before him and took a deep breath.

"I understand that you do not completely trust me or my men," he began. "This whole situation does fall along the lines of a duplicity. Still, I offer you use of my ships and fighters and your teams have deemed them trustworthy. Why not the men who fly them? Your success rate will be higher if you have men who know the ships behind their controls. All we want to do is free our planet from my father. I trust these men with my life and I promise you they will not turn."

"We know, Bandor," Allura said. "But you must understand all that is riding on this. We have so much at stake that we have to prevent anything that may put the pilots in more danger than they should be."

"My word does not hold much water here," Bandor said, saddening. "I am sorry you feel this way, Cousin."

"I wasn't finished," she said. "We have to prevent danger and undermanned ships is like asking for a death sentence. I formally request the service of the Polluxian army for this attack, Bandor. We need you."

"What?" Bandor and Keith said at the same time.

Allura looked at the commander. "You were right," she said. "As usual."

He looked pleased. "Good."

"You have them," Bandor said, his eyes glowing with pride. "The strongest and best people I can offer you."

"Thank you," Allura said graciously. "However as a safeguard, I am going to have to do one thing."

Keith frowned and Bandor stood, unconsciously backing away from her.

"What is it?" Bandor asked.

Looking apologetic, she pressed a button on the conference table and the doors slid open. Two security men walked in, Lieutenant Lukai between them. Romelle followed closely behind. Keith glanced questioningly at Allura. Bandor paled.

"The people of Pollux have an unbreakable code of honor that they hold even higher than their lives," she said. "To be as unlike the corrupt back stabbing royalty that rules over them, they follow that code in battle and in their everyday doings. It is so strict that a man's family could be forfeit should he betray his fellow Polluxians. If any one of your men decides to betray us, Lieutenant Lukai shall die."

Lukai raised his chin. Bandor covered his eyes with his hand.

"It was the only way," Romelle said to Bandor. "The only way I could convince her to let you help." She looked to Lukai. "I'm sorry."

"It had to be done, Your Majesty. I accept this as an honor. I believe in my people. I will not die at the Arusians' hands."

"Let's hope not," Allura said. "Do you accept these terms, Bandor?"

"Yes," he muttered. "I never knew you could be so underhanded."

Allura didn't bat an eye but to Keith's eyes the tightening of her mouth was enough indication of her displeasure.

"I have to look out for my people," she replied. "As well as yours because if this attack fails, they are lost."

Bandor nodded but he didn't look any happier. Romelle put a hand on his shoulder but he brushed it off. She straightened and forced herself not to show her emotions.

"Take Lieutenant Lukai to his quarters and make sure he is guarded at all times," Allura said. "If you'll excuse us, Bandor. We have some planning to attend to."

The guards left with Lukai. Bandor bowed stiffly and left the room right behind them with his head held high. Romelle cleared her throat the brushed at the skirt of her dress.

"He'll understand once he calms down," Allura told her. "He knows you did it for the good of the people."

"It was underhanded," Keith said matter-of-factly. "Not too ethical either."

"It had to be done. Can you think of anything better?" Allura returned, stung that he would say such a thing and that he would say it in front of someone else.

"It was the right thing to do. You had no choice," Romelle said. "I'm going to go talk to Bandor now."

Allura gave her cousin a smile but the smile disappeared as soon as the doors closed behind Romelle. She turned to Keith, her expression thunderous. Days of trying to ignore the fact that he was keeping something from her, as well as worries about the upcoming mission had finally built up and exploded inside her, and she needed to release it. Unfortunately for Keith, who was ready for a release himself, he was nearby.

"If you had been concentrating more on what was at hand, I wouldn't have had to stoop to such actions," she said. "You're supposed to be my right-hand man and you were never there."

His eyes narrowed. "I've been working on the mission plan. I can't baby you, Allura," he said. "Don't blame me if you feel bad about this. I'm surprised that you would put a man's life up for grabs like this."

Her eyes widened with outrage. "How can you stand there and say these things to me?!? You said out there that we should use the Polluxians to fly the ships and this was the only way to ensure that they stay for the whole ride."

He shook his head, too angry to think straight. "You could have just asked them. They wouldn't have turned on you. Not when it's their own planet they're trying to save. Didn't you think about that?"

"Open your eyes, Keith," she spat. "I can't trust them completely."

"This is not the right way to start an alliance between your planets. For godsakes, you are holding one of them hostage! How can you go from changing the whole structure of the Alliance for the good of the people to this?"

"Don't make this any harder than it already is!" she cried. "I am the Princess, I am the leader. I have made my decision and I don't need this...not from you and not right now."

Allura turned her back and struggled not to pick up a chair to throw at him. This was not the Keith that she had taken into her confidence.

"Whatever is on your mind is affecting your judgment," she said. "If you were the Keith that I knew last week, we wouldn't be having this discussion."

"I never let my personal life get in the way of my work," he said. "And what I am telling you, I would say no matter the time or place. I do not agree with what you are doing."

She knew that he was entitled to his own opinion, but despite that, she still felt hurt that he wasn't behind her on this. She felt a childish need to hurt him as much as he had just hurt her.

"That's fine, Keith," she said in a low voice. "But I didn't ask you."

His head whipped back as if he was slapped. He knew he shouldn't have said that, knowing that Allura put a lot of stock in his opinion. After some thought, he also realized that she had made the best decision available to her. But there was no turning back now. What was said was said. His pride would not allow him to take any of it back.

"Then accept my apologies...Your Highness," he said flatly.

"Apology accepted," she said, just as emotionlessly.

She brushed past him and left the room. After taking deep, calming breaths, he followed her.