"We're all clear captain!" Pidge yelled down to Allura and Lotor from the crows nest.

"Well my friend, are we ready to raise this creaking top?" Allura looked at Lotor calmly as Shiro stood by interested while the two stood behind the helmsmen.

"My pleasure captain, all hands to station!" Lotor barked the orders as the crew moved about while Keith walked out of the galley curiously looking around. He watched members of the crew climbing up to the sails to release them as it seemed so easy for them so high up.

"Loose all solar sails!"

The sails dropped slowly to the beams to settle on while the wind grabbed inside the sails and the ship began to rise from the docks. Keith bumped into someone and spun to avoid more contact with another but at least this time he didn't get cussed at for it as they all where to busy at the moment.

Keith scooter over and looked over the side seeing the ground getting further away as they only went up, no forward, letting the solar sails charge before the journey began. He smiled softly seeing how everything worked, how fluent it was for everyone to know what they were doing, seemed perfect.

But that's when gravity started to not exist anymore...

He gasped softly looking down as his feet left the ground. Trying to swim back but he wasn't scared of going to high up and falling back.

Cause gravity soon enough pulled him back by a large man with a orange head band pulling a lever after Allura shouted a command down at him and Keith landed back on the ground easily after engraving artificial gravity by... mr. Hunk as Allura put it?

Keith gasped again as he braced himself quickly when they went full speed ahead to exit the transport station and into the galaxy within seconds.

He pulled himself up on the side ropes and hung on from behind to look around amazed at the orcas galacticus's that swam near by.

"Whoa," Keith breathed as he swallowed a lump in his throat. Why didn't he do this sooner? Joining a crew rather than get eaten alive at school, venture across the universe. He could do this more than a few months.

Lance walked up from the galley as red floated around him, he fixed his green jacket with two orange stripes on each arm and a collar he popped up and put on his captains hat similar to alluras own.

"Great day for sailing aye allura?" Lance walked over below her as she was above.

"Stilling looking mighty fine from when you where only a commander than a captain," he winked up at her as Allura looked at him flatly.

"You can keep that kind of film flabbering for your space port whores," Allura shot back as lance crossed his arms smirking a little. Red shapeshifted into a tiny Allura with her hands on her hips, mimicking her but lance snatched him with his hat to hide the little lion.

"And to think we'd still be friends from the academy," Lance gave her a cheeky grin.

"When your seven years behind mr. Blue I pay no attention to some teenager," Allura narrowed her eyes. "More or less one that drops out after a year,"

"Well Speaking from the heart I mean a word of your flawless looks princess," lance winked at her putting a hand on his chest. Allura looked away quickly with blush staining her cheeks.

"Enough cook, isn't that your cabin boy in the shrouds?" Allura motioned to Keith whom was gazing st the sights.

"Just a minute captain, part of the operation, Keef!" Lance called over to him with a victorious smile knowing he can easily push the captains buttons. Keith looked at him hanging on the ropes.

"I got two friends I want you to meet," Lance smirked walking over. Keith looked around curiously.

"Mr. Mop!" He tossed a mop. "And Mrs. bucket," Keith had to catch the bucket quickly with his free hand. He leaned against the shrouds unamused.

"Yippee." Keith stated with no enthusiasm.

——

Keith spent hours mumbling cusses on the mop and bucket work lance put him through.

"He's like my age, how the hell is he bossing me around? Stupid cyborg, fucking joke," Keith mopped the deck with a growl of humiliation. So much for a cool trip when the whole time he's just looking at the ground. Floors. Gotta love them.

Suddenly he was pushed by a freakishly large man with four arms. Keith stared for a moment at the harsh shove but the man turned back at him.

"Watch it," he growled as Keith chose to keep his mouth shut for the best of it. Just get the work done.

He heard whispering from the Pidge guy and two others, mr. Hunk Allura addressed him and some man that seemed part rock with glowing yellow eyes. Pidge caught Keith's eyes and smacked hunks arm to stop them both from talking more.

"What do you think your looking at?" Pidge leaned on the barrel with an annoyed glare.

"Yea short stuff," the rock man crossed his arms as he was the tallest.

They heard stomping coming their way and Keith saw a shadow come over him and glanced back at a taller man that seemed more muscular than heavy set like some others, he had only one eye and one arm but with fluffy ears as his fur was purple.

"Cabin boys should mind their own business," he snarled down at Keith. The shorter boy glared up at him and noticed the one eye that was missing was replaced and the other was glowing yellow. Great. Another cyborg.

"Why? Got something to hide kitty?" Keith challenged. Suddenly the brutal alien grabbed Keith by the throat with his robotic arm and slammed him against a post.

"Maybe your ears don't work so well," the man snarled with his fangs showing.

"To bad my nose works just fine," Keith looked him in the eyes showing no fear. Why should he? Months of being treated like a bitch? Not happening.

The man slammed him against the wooden pole again as Keith tried to get his hand off but the metal was to thick to even try anything that won't end up breaking his wrist or ankle.

"Finally some action," Pidge smirked.

"Captain won't be happy," hunk frowned.

"Slice his throat!"

"Throw him over the side!"

Threats and opportunities there given to the alien who had control of what would happen to Keith. He gulped a little as he stared at those yellow eyes with a sneer.

"I dare you," Keith spat. The man was about to strike Keith but suddenly a robotic hand grabbed his real arm and pulled it back.

"Sendak," lance smiled up at him and everyone quieted down quickly.

"You know, he is my responsibility, slicing his throat would leave me cleaning his mess, and if that happens, well... your not going to be served, act like a rabid animal-"

Lance twisted his wrist back making him gasp and release quick.

"I'll treat you like one," he smirked more.

"What's all this?" Lotor walked out with a glare and his hands behind his back.

"You know the rules, there will be no brawling on this ship, any further offenders can find to the bring for the remainder of the voyage, is that clear mr. Sendak?" Lotor turned to him sharply as he was only a few inches shorter than the brutal crew member.

He growled but glanced at lance who had a stern look and his hands behind his back.

"Transparently," Sendak said lowly.

"Well done Lotor sir, a tight ship is a happy ship sir!" Lance shooed everyone away as he was left alone with Keith. Quickly picking up the mop and hit Keith's arm.

"The hell was that man?" Lance cried out. "One job! Only one job in the first day, the fuck?"

"Well I was doing it before that cat thing came along!" Keith defended but caught the mop when lance tossed it to him.

"Belay that! Now. I want this deck spotless, and for fucks sake have heaven help you if it's not done when I get back- red," Lance looked to the side as his little shapeshifting lion floated over with a mewl.

"Keep an eye on him, mullets are bad news, come get me if there's anymore distractions," he nodded walking away.

Lance sighed walking down to the galley with his hand on his sword on his waist. Getting it ready.

He walked down the stairs seeing the crew mumbling as pidge sat on a table with his legs crossed and others looked around.

"Good, we're all here," lance smiled st them.

"Now, if you pardon my language gentlemen," he walked forward but suddenly unleashed his sword.

"Fucking not take this whole mission down in one god damn of you all being so damn daft!" He swung the sword not caring if it hit anyone.

"We have five months! Five! Sendak I will take my threat into consideration even without a mess to clean if you keep causing this god damn riot," Lance snarled darkly as his eyes glowed dangerously holding the sword to the galra throat.

"You want to put us all in jeopardy before it's even time?" He hissed looking back at everyone.

"The boy was sniffing about, sir," Sendak said in a low growl.

"You leave that cabin boy to me, there will be work for him, to much to even think, so you keep your damn distance or you'll be switching places with him," lance pulled the sword back with a glare as he put it in the holster.

"You just stick to the plan," he spat. Sendak nodded with his eyes down.

"Pidge, you stay, the lot of you get the hell out of my sight," Lance commanded and they all nodded leaving the galley as pidge walked over.

"Yea Lance?" Pidge pursed his lips walking next to him as lance sighed taking off his jacket.

"I need you to keep an eye on them all, from the crows nest you see more, we have to get this plan perfect to have us both get what we want, including your identity kept as a secret," he pulled her close as pidge nodded.

"Yea, I know, it was stupid of Sendak, you think I'd risk this shit with my brother and dad on the line? I get the treasure I need and you do the same, we are set for life lance," Pidge ran a hand through his hair.

Lance recruited Pidge a year ago when her brother and father went missing, he was the only one that knew not just Pidge wasn't a boy, but also the youngest Holt, a family of geniuses, and loaded. But that was left to her mother before she ran away to find her family herself since no one did anything.

This was the closest she's been to succeeding.

"Well find them, you can still play innocences if Allura finds out, she thinks I left the academy because I wanted to be a cook, but if she finds out what we are we all will hang," Lance crossed his arms as he stood in the kitchen with a frown.

"Wait what about us?" Pidge gulped.

"So will I, but you play your cards right, you can play that you didn't know, but you remember the deal if it comes to that," lance nodded as pidge took a deep breath hating this conversation.

"Yea, I know the deal, I get her the hell out of that jail cell," Pidge finally nodded. "And... explain everything,"

"Aye... alright you go, before someone notices," Lance pushed her away with a small smile as pidge went to go up the stairs.

"And katie, make sure everything... make sure this just stays between us," Lance looked at her seriously.

"It's mutual lance, you just have to do the same," Pidge smiled and ran up the stairs.