To think Keith hadn't yet reached his boiling point throughout their long and tiresome journey across space, had shocked Hunk somewhat. The yellow paladin was watching anxiously as his friend slowly begin to lose control of the rage he had managed to keep contained for so long as they sped back to the Altean's new home planet. Hunk kept a small distance from Keith, wanting to comfort his friend, but hesitant to receive the backlashing in return for trying.

Shiro was mostly silent on their way back, Romelle sobbing quietly, welcoming the yellow paladin's soothing arm around her back. Hunk could barely imagine what the Altean female was feeling. To see her people drained of their very life essence at the hands of their supposed saviour, it had been a harrowing sight. To watch Keith and Shiro, Paladins of Voltron; the protectors of the universe, pull each and every Altean from their pods; limp, and delicately frail into an organised line could only drive home the hopelessness Romelle was shouldering. The slightest movement could cause those, that were still grasping at the straws of life, immense pain and suffering. It was difficult to ignore the wails of the dying and the deafening silence of the dead. Hunk gulped at the recollection and began to softly run his hand up and down Romelle's arm.

As they landed back among the other Lion's, Hunk helped Romelle to her feet, guiding her gently from the lion. Keith stayed beside Shiro, silent in his spilling fury. They walked solemnly back towards the village and Hunk could already hear the joys of children's laughter and talk of happiness between adults.

As soon as the lively Altean's came into sight Hunk whimpered quietly. It was heart-breaking to know they had no idea what their saviour was secretly doing to them. Hunk quickly scanned his surroundings for the Galra prince and felt himself tense considerably at the sharp smile Lotor had plastered on his lips as he gazed down at the small Altean child, who was attached to his leg, like an octopus smothering his prey. Hunk's limbs were too stiff to move, to try to place a barrier between predator and his unaware game. He quaked as Keith growled beneath his breath before he ran, his Bayard transforming into the familiar blade as he pursued his target. Hunk came back to his senses as Shiro called out Keith's name, witnessing the blow Lotor managed to parry as Keith's sword was swung towards him. The small Altean child had been pushed aside in the scuffle, sniffling and clutching his grazed knee. Hunk followed after Shiro and beelined for the child while the black paladin set his sights on the two, part Galra's, attempting to tear each other throats out. Hunk scooped the young Altean into his arms and turned just in time to see Keith and Lotor simultaneously land a hit that had them both staggering back with Lotor falling to his knees.

Shiro had caught up, wrapping his arms under Keith's armpits and brought his arms back, allowing them to strain with the threat of popping from their sockets.

"Lotor, stay down," Shiro commanded with a fierce glare and nodded once as Lotor huffed and began to nurse his bruising jaw. Keith was still wrestling Shiro's hold and snarling at the Galra prince. "Keith, that's enough. Stand down."

"He doesn't deserve to live." Keith spat at Lotor and bared his sharp canines. "You're a monster."

"I see your little journey was enlightening." Lotor stood and smoothed his hair over before speaking again. "We should talk."

"Talk?" Keith scoffed in exasperation as Hunk walked over with the child still in his arms. "So we can hear your excuses? You manipulated and killed these people! Raising them like cattle."

Lotor's calm façade vanished and he flared with untamed rage. "What I did saved millions of lives! Don't speak as if you know exactly what's happening here!"

"Hey, what's with all the noise?" Lance appeared at the door of one of the Altean's homes and gulped at what he saw. "What's going on?"

"Let's talk somewhere else," Shiro announced and motioned to Lance with his head. "Can you find the others?"

"Sure, Shiro." Lance nodded and gave them all a wary look before heading back inside, shutting the door behind him. Keith had stopped struggling against the black paladin and rolled his shoulders, attempting to soothe the ache after Shiro released him.

"Let us go find my sister," Lotor stated and Keith narrowed his eyes at him as he followed closely behind Shiro. Hunk let out a breath of pure relief and gazed at the child in his arms as he began to wriggle uncomfortably. Hunk let him back onto his feet and smiled brightly as the small Altean muttered his thanks before running off. The yellow paladin turned and jogged to catch up with the others and tried to disregard the heat between Keith and Lotor's looks of detestation. The taut strain of Keith's shoulders had Hunk concerned that the red paladin would dive and tackle Lotor at any moment. Thankfully that lingering thought was brought to a halt as Nara and Allura came into view and saw the sustained injuries both Keith and Lotor received during their brawl.

"What happened?" Nara demanded from her brother, giving him a look of disbelief and fury at having partaken in a physical altercation with his own nephew.

"It seems your son and his friends have figured out our little secret sister," Lotor replied and smirked smugly at what was about to unfold. Keith snapped his furious gaze to his mother and shook his head in horror.

"You knew about this?"

"Keith, I understand your anger." Nara started and tried to keep the calm between them all. "Yes, I knew what my brother was doing. I did not approve; I've told you that."

"You also told me that he had stopped," Keith said with a hurt betrayed tone, his mind trying to comprehend what was going on.

"We had yet to return to the moon to stop operations," Nara explained. "Please, allow us to clarify what has been going on here."

Keith wanted to deny them the chance. He didn't want to know, didn't want to understand why his own family could do something so...horrifying. He was deprived of his choice as Shiro and Allura shared a look and nodded to confirm that they would listen.

"We will listen. But after, you must tell them what you've done here." Allura folded her arms and averted her gaze away from her childhood friend in betrayal. Nara sighed and nodded.

"Very well."

***

They gathered around the small table in a home a family of Altean's had naturally offered to their visitors. Lance and the others joining them shortly after and it wasn't long before Lotor's interrogation began.

"Can you tell us how sacrificing hundreds if not thousands of Atleans' saved millions of lives?" Keith asked with the taste of disgust on his tongue. Lotor pursed his lips together for a moment and clasped his hands before he spun his story.

"For many years the Emperor and his Witch had been sending me to prosper unfruitful planet after planet. There was a moment where I decided to stay slightly longer than requested after my work was finished on a particular planet. My father found out and made a personal appearance to hear my report. He seemed incredibly pleased with the progress and rate the planet was populating and thriving. He decided it was time. I had to watch in horror as the planet and all those inhabiting it were drained dry of their life force. Zarkon, my father, my king, he patted my shoulder and told me that 'I shouldn't get attached to things.'" Lotor scoffed breathily and shook his head, clenching his jaw as he relived the past. "I was sent away for a while. It gave me a significant amount of time to plan. I, fortunately, happened to stumble onto some hidden Alteans' during my punishment. I offered them a haven if they could spread the word to other camouflaged Alteans' that they were not alone and could live a life without fear. I kept them a secret from the universe, and in turn, they provided me with the source to save lives."

"You saved lives by taking lives, how is that moral?" Pidge asked.

"The quota of my quintessence saved thousands of planets from being obliterated by my mother's crazed hands." Lotor insisted. "I confess my methods were unorthodox and utterly immoral. But the lives saved to those that were lost were significant."

"You didn't even give them choice." Hunk stated. "You forced them to give their lives away."

"They all came willingly. I did not physically force them." Lotor lifted his nose snootily and laid his hands out as if he had nothing to hide. "Whatever happened after they were removed from their homes was not their choice to make."

"You manipulated them and they signed their lives away to you." Keith flared his nostrils. Lotor sighed and nodded in confirmation.

"It was necessary," Lotor said with finality. Keith was tempted to snatch at Lotor's chest armour, fingers flexing uncontrollably. He managed to pull away, taking a few steps back and turning to Shiro and Allura.

"What should we do with him?" Keith asked them, demanding an answer immediately. Shiro offered him a lost look and a shrug of unknowing and turned to Allura.

"I think, perhaps, the Alteans' should determine his fate." She declared and turned to Nara. "It's time."

"Lotor." Nara motioned to the door and waited for him to rise and groom himself over before heading over to his sister to follow her outside.

As Lotor explained himself to the Altean's that had gathered, Keith watched carefully for their reactions. He was pleased that despite the Galra prince attempting to spin a fair light on his actions, that the worshipping glow rapidly turned sour and a wave of uproar was swift to surface. It wasn't long before Lotor's sentence was announced and Nara offered her brother an apologetic frown as she ordered the paladins to take him away.

So yeah, maybe the smile that played on Keith's lips as he flew back with the others to the Galra fleet, was brought about by the knowledge that Lotor was no longer the smooth manipulative fiend he had projected himself to be. To see him be escorted from the Black Lion after they landed, allowed Keith to finally relax somewhat. He felt his shoulders unstiffen; his muscles loosen as he leaned against his Lion's cold metal leg.

He realised he hadn't truly allowed himself to unwind for a long time. There was always something playing on his mind. First, it was his heritage, which led to links he perhaps would have left unfound. The escapade that followed had taken a toll on him both physically and mentally. But then Zarkon was killed. And truly that should have been the end of the racing thoughts through his head. That moment when Lotor pushed the jagged metal pole through his father's back and impaled him to the ground should have communicated to Keith that the universe was safe, that his problems were over. But then his mother's relationship with his father was questioned with the appearance of Commander Sendak. But to see his mother happy and alive, released from her hollow imprisonment had those unfaithful thoughts vanish as soon as they appeared. Just as Keith had begun to settle, he had caught wind of Lotor's secret betrayal.

So now, as he contemplated future plans, he found his mind empty. What would he do now?

"Keith!" Hunk called and waved him over. The red paladin strolled over to Hunk who was gathered with Lance and Pidge. "We're going to have lunch; you want to join us?"

"Yeah Hunk, that sounds nice," Keith smiled briefly. A large shadow fell over them and Keith glanced over his shoulder to see Commander Sendak looking down at him.

"I need to speak with you." He told the red paladin. Lance slapped his back and grinned.

"We'll save you a seat." He told him before the three paladins retreated. Keith blew out a breath before he gave Sendak his full attention.

"What's going on Sendak?" He asked and folded his arms.

"Do you remember what we spoke about the evening of our treated dinner?" He asked seriously. Keith rose a brow and tilted his head slightly in thought. It took a moment before the red paladin's eyes widened and he searched Sendak's face for anything that could indicate that he had just been precariously cautious.

"Haggar," Keith told him and the Galra commander nodded in confirmation.

"She is still a threat," Sendak said and pinched his brow. "She will not take lightly to her son being locked away."

"Why would she care?" Keith seemed confused. "She never treated Lotor well after being exposed to all that quintessence."

"Whether it changed the Witch for the worst, Lotor is her flesh and blood. Her plans include her son by her side."

"What do you know?" Keith demanded, not wanting to tiptoe around the subject any longer.

"Very little, I'm afraid," Sendak answered. "But you must know that she has eyes and ears everywhere."

As if Sendak's words triggered some kind of switch, the lion's bay darkened and was illuminated by the pulsing red lights of the ship's alarms. Keith scanned the room and Sendak lifted his head and steeled himself.

"What's going on?" Keith asked as they made their way out of the bay to find the whole ship in chaos.

"The Witch has come for her bairn." Commander Sendak announced with a tone of foreboding that had Keith shuddering in dread.