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Reboot

The energy spike had caught the SS Explorer's attention and Commander Hawkins had diverted Lisa's patrol to check. New to this section of the galaxy it seemed as if they'd stepped right into a faction war and the team of space explorers were scrambling for intel on the situation before a misstep on their part dragged them into something - or worse, cost them their lives.

"What happened here?" she breathed it but the microphone in her helmet still picked it up, a ghost whisper that seemed to suit the graveyard they found themselves in. And it was graveyard. While it was obvious it was the ruins of a facility of some sort, probably the remnants of what was left on one of the low orbiting moons of this planet, the twisted metal itself held far too many -

coffins. Lisa looked out across the devastation and there were so many coffins. Tubes of glass and steel, at first they'd thought they were energy tanks - until her team had gotten close enough to see there were bodies inside. Acres and acres of ruined metal - and glass tubes. And each tube held a body....

Careful she started to pick her way through, watching her footing, hand out for balance. Whatever this place had once been there was nothing left of it now and her fingertips lightly moved over each glass tube that she came near. You. And you. And you. So many in those tubes that no one would bury or mourn and it seemed wrong that she was the only one that would remember them. Had it been a cryo-facility? Storage? Some of the faces were ruined, the impact of the fall from the moon to the planet's surface brutal but some of them were still recognizable and so she picked up - slowly - on the fact they were all the same person. Cloning? Was that possible? An entire facility of the exact same clone? Why? Why just one man over and over and over again and why had it all be destroyed. Why had they all been killed?

"Lisa?" Krik's voice over the helmet's intercom and she hummed before remembering.

"It's all right. I've got this. Its just - its not what we thought it was. I think it was a cloning facility. I'm sending the readings from my HUD. It's - bad. It's really bad, Krik."

The Alliance of planets that Lisa's squad belonged to were no where near the level of technology to be creating human clones and yet - you. And you. And you. Her hand brushed each cylinder she passed as she worked her way deeper into the tragedy. Someone had made them - and then they'd been killed before they'd even woken and she wasn't sure if that made them alive or not - except her chest ached like a hole and she thought that was her answer. You. And you. And you, she silently promised with each glide of gloved fingertips over glass. I will remember you if no one else will. Some of the pods were open and those were the worst. Because the bodies were spilled out and broken and it made her wonder, horribly, if some of them had been alive for the fall. If they'd known. The ache in her chest deepened and she rubbed absently at it, moon dust across her uniform. The displays across her helmet's screen, linked to her ship, ran through their scans and cycles as she moved.

"Picking up an energy source. Looks like its pretty centrally located. Its not much but its all that we've got. I'm going to check it out. Maybe there's a terminal that survived or something we can download information about the facility from."

"Roger that" Jeff's voice now, even if it was tinny with distance. "Be careful, Leese."

Another hum before she remember and affirmed it but - she couldn't imagine anything being left alive in this mess. And she almost hoped she was right. Nothing would have survived that fall and if it did - chances were good there were no doctors in the fleet or elsewhere that could fix what it would have cost.

You. And you. And you.

The power source was what looked like what was left of a power box, the pillar it had been built into enough to save it during the crash and Lisa carefully opened it. Galra tech. The Explorer was new to the system - but they'd already encountered Galra.

"Hooking in. I don't know if we'll get anything, its pretty rough but - " she slipped the clip into place on the port she could find, having to wiggle it a little due to the damage but the light finally went green and she left it to download what it could. There was no telling how much a power cell would store about the facility but it was all they had at this point. Turning to look around as it ticked through its job, she noticed another mass of cylinders and made her way over. It hurt but - someone should witness it. Someone should acknowledge that they had existed. Her fingers slipped over cracked glass. You. And you. And -

he moved.

Alone by herself on a dead alien world in a ruined graveyard of clones, Lisa did the sensible thing and jerked back with a high pitched hiccup caught in her throat, hands snatched back, barely catching herself from tripping.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," was the automatic answer to the sudden worried voices filtered through her helmet and, careful, she edged her way back. There was something illogically frightening about finding a living body when you thought everyone was dead. Closer inspection showed how the tube had gotten caught in cables on the way down, how the metal stacking structure had taken the majority of the impact. Half afraid that there was nothing inside, a body with no mind, she tapped the glass.

His fingers twitched.

"I think I found someone," it came out shaky, not sure if she should be relieved or heart-broken. It took some work but the broken latch finally jiggled loose under her persistence and she got the lid of the thing off. Just like a glass coffin.... His chest was rising and falling. Breathing. Nothing looked horrifyingly broken. Careful she reached out, touched his cheek with her glove, helmet registering the temperature of him at least.

"Wake up." It came out filtered through the helmet and she remembered it belatedly. Reached up to pull it off her head, breaking the neck seal, hair coming loose. Hoping for an answer, scared of what it might be. Defense training went out the window as she leaned over and rested her hands on his shoulders, pressing slightly. "Wake up now. Please. You need to wake up."

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She realized her mistake the second he hesitated and her eyes went wide and then flinched down a little. A name. She'd asked him for a name - and he was clone. What if they hadn't been given names? And she'd just reminded him of it. Her fingers curled inward and she took a step forward, ready to apologize -

when he gave her his name.

"Oh." Surprise but mostly relief that she hadn't done something unintentionally hurtful and her smile came back again, apologetic. Knowing she'd misstepped one way or the other with her question.

"It's nice to meet you, Kuron." A few steps back to join him, not sure how steady on his feet he'd be considering and willing to offer a shoulder but not wanting to assume. He wasn't fond of touch, she thought. She'd picked up that much.

"All right. Is there anything else you need or are you ready to get out of here?"

Honestly the fact that she even thought about apologize spoke volumes about the type of person she was.

"Likewise, Lisa," Kuron replied easily, though it was going to take awhile to get use to hearing that name used in reference to himself and not the project that it had been associated with. The project that he had only ever vaguely been aware of. It had always just been one of those faint memories lingering in the back of his mind that he couldn't tell if it was real or not; maybe it had been a bad dream or a mix of things he'd experienced while a Galra captive. But no. Now that he fully understood what he was a lot more of the strange things that had always gone through his mind made a lot more sense, especially now that he wasn't trying to convince himself that he was Shiro.

As Lisa came closer Kuron gave her a thankful look, knowing what her intent was by drawing closer like she was and the thought was appreciated. He felt steady for the time being but trekking back to her ship would definitely prove whether or not he was in good shape or not so her help would most likely be needed at some point.

"Ready as I'll ever be. There's nothing left for me here." He had the only thing he needed which was a body. Anything else that was here were just the lingering pieces of a nightmare he was ready to leave behind.

She takes one more look around, felt the dull loneliness of the place. How long would it sit here, on a forgotten planet circled by dead moons, ignored or forgotten, a graveyard of 'might have beens' lost? Someone should remember them, they should have that at least and she silently promised them that she would.

Chances were at least one other person would too, now.

She did check his pod before they left but there was nothing there that looked like it would hold any more information. Nothing that he couldn't tell them just as much or more. Pocketing her retrieved memory clip, she fell into step next to him, leading subtly back toward her ship, matching her pace to his, something she was usually used to doing with people with shorter legs, not longer ones like his. Her eyes slipped sideways up to look at him without turning her head as they walked.

"If there's nothing left here, maybe you can build or find something elsewhere instead. Sometimes knowing where you're not going is as important as knowing where you are."

It might be intrusive though, advice or observation he didn't want to hear - or perhaps didn't even need to, and so she changed the subject.

"I'm from the Planetary Alliance. Shipped out onboard the SS Explorer. We were sent to find livable planets - but it looks like we've ended up in the middle of a war instead. We're still trying to piece all of that together."

He didn't look back. There wasn't anything left for him in that pod and even if there was some sort of tech in there he didn't want it. He had a body and he was alive; that's all he needed and wanted right now. Anything else the Galra could give him he didn't want.

Kuron glanced over as Lisa fell in step beside him, expression turning thoughtful at her comment.

"Maybe. I wouldn't be object to that. I guess it's just a matter of figuring out where to start. Where to go from here," he admitted, trying not to sound as unsure as he actually felt but it was probably obvious in the tension still lingering in his body and the slight tick in his jaw as he said it. For the first time since he escaped from the Galra he was on his own, in a sense, and he didn't have orders to follow, false memories to live by.

He was completely on his own.

"You aren't from this galaxy then," Kuron noted. Good to know if he decided he couldn't find a place here. Maybe he could find a place somewhere else, if they'd have him. "It's a war that's hopefully nearing it's end but I...my memories after a point are blurred." Skewed because of Haggar. Had the others managed to stop Lotor? He had to assume they did. He hoped they did. "How long is the Explorer intending to stay here?"

She watched his face closely and didn't say anything about what it was all but shouting. Listened to his words and tried to pick the easiest path back to her ship. She shook her head at his question, sending her hair swaying, but it wasn't in denial.

"Until we find what we're looking for. Our solar system is in a pocket of dead space. It took us forever to find a drive advanced enough to get us out in something that wouldn't take generations of travel. All of our habitable planets are overcrowded because there was no where else to go. Even our moons, like the one I grew up on. Its not at crisis stage, not yet. But its not far from it either. If we go home without finding planets to settle..." she trailed off, moved a shoulder. "So we don't go home. Not until we've found what we need. Somewhere safe and clear. Showing up in the middle of a dying war - its made things a little bit trickier."

The smile she offered him was small, a bit wry. An entire solar system was riding on her shoulders as well as her team's. It took some balancing. Very light, she touched his arm with just the tips of her fingers, a press before she pulled them back.

"Maybe you could start wherever you're going with us." She turned her head to look at him, wanting to see the offer in her eyes so he'd understand she meant it. "We've got room and its a good place to start, an exploration vessel, if you're looking for something. We've kind of gotten into the habit of picking up people as we go. So you know its an option, if you're looking for them."

Then she gestured. Risked it.

"My ship's right over that ridge. Can you mange the climb or would it be easier to circle around it?"

Populations out of control. It sounded like the fate that many races probably would have faced at some point had the Galra not intervened as they had. Had war not happened. There was never really a good outcome in any scenario was there? Even without war there was always something else.

"I can imagine. You guys have had to stay under the radar, not draw attention. With how relentless the Glara can be, I can imagine it's been hard," Kuron murmured, offering his own wry smile in return. They were lucky to have gone this long without issues. At least any Galra related issues that is.

He starts just slightly at the press to his arm though he doesn't jerk away, looking at her more directly as his steps slow so he can give her more of his attention.

"You'd...you know how risky that is." A statement, not a question. He knew she was aware. She was too intelligent not to know what she was doing. Kuron couldn't help the look that crossed his face as he truly considered what she was offering though, the look of gratitude, the look that said how seriously he was going to consider it. What was left for him here? He couldn't stay. This was Shiro's place not his. He wasn't even suppose to be alive still. "I wouldn't mind tagging along, if the rest of your crew allowed it."

A new beginning.

He looked in the direction she gestured and frowned thoughtfully.

"I should be able to manage it."

She didn't know where he had come from, or rather, why he had come from considering the bodies in the tubes all around them. Whatever he had been created for - it hadn't been out of kindness. He'd said enough to tell her that at least. So she was aware he could be dangerous. He was certainly built enough, physically, to be threatening even if nothing else. But - she understood being lost. She understood not knowing where you belonged any more. She understood what it felt like to find yourself drifting in empty space with no tether and no hope, with no one coming and no safety in reach. And she thought, just maybe, she saw some of that in his eyes when he wasn't paying attention.

It wasn't in her to ignore that, to not offer a hand out of the darkness and a pull to somewhere with gravity.

"Its up to Commander Hawkins. He's our CO. But he's a good man, with a very good heart and you wouldn't be the first refugee we've picked up since we got here. There's always room on the Explorer for anyone that needs a place and is willing to pull their weight. If you're a risk - " she stopped momentarily and turned to face him fully, meeting his eyes with her dark ones. Pressed her lips tight together and then said: "Than I'll take it. Because everyone deserves a chance." Her eyes left his, turned to take in the mounds and mounds of broken capsules and dead bodies that looked exactly like his. "And because I think they deserved a chance too and they didn't get one. So you get to take it for all of them." She looked back at him and offered a small smile. "So lets get you back to the fleet, with a hot shower and a clean bed and a real meal. We can work on figuring out the rest after all of that." She offered her hand and it was as much to help him if he needed it for the climb up to the top of the hill and her ship as a physical sign that she was going to trust him, for now, with her own safety and vulnerability. Because he could either use her hand to trap and hurt her - or he could use it to help climb to freedom and safety. And she wanted to believe, very much, that he was the kind of man that would take the second choice. But if not - then they'd find out now, before the fleet, and the only one that would be in danger was her.

No hope. No direction. No idea what to do at all. He felt so lost and confused and while there had been moments in the past where he'd felt like this, it'd been different. Back then he'd been Shiro. He'd had the team. There had always been a means of figuring out what to do and how to find his way. Now he was on his own. A clone without a purpose.

"I'm willing to do whatever I can to earn my keep," he said sincerely only to stop as she turned to face him, expression going neutral as he listened to what she had to say. He expected a threat. Something along the lines of 'If you're a risk we'll deal with you' because the Galra coding in him said that was the correct line of action.

But that wasn't her response.

She was willing to give him a chance. Willing to allow him the chance none of them would ever get.

Kuron's chest felt tight as he watched her look over the mound of broken tubes and bodies, an almost distressed look in his eyes as he too looked them over, unable to meet her gaze even as she looked back at him. How could she...why was she so willing to take a chance on him? His eyes lingered on one body then the next, taking in the sight of each of them before finally they settled on Lisa once more. She was putting a lot of faith in him; a lot of faith in the humanity she believed was in him and he...wanted to prove that it was there. He wanted nothing more than to prove that he was more than what he was made to be but there was always the chance that he wasn't. That he would just fall back into old habits or be triggered into action again.

"...Thank you," Kuron said softly, reaching out and taking her hand to give it a firm squeeze. "Thank you." For this chance. He would do everything he could not to ruin it. Without releasing her hand just yet he took his first step up onto the mound and over some of the rumble, still feeling off kilter--unsteady in his movements but he was, at the very least, a little more sure of his direction now.

Lisa tended to believe the best in beings - and she was having a very hard time not believing the man in front of her when he thanked her the way he did and took her hand. When he didn't let go, her own fingers curled to fit around his grip and hold him back as well. Whatever had happened here, whatever he had been made to be - he was alive and real and deserved help. It was as simple as that. She'd let go when he did, but not until he did. And she was there, whether he let go or not, to fit under his arm for support if he needed it as they made their way up the ruined hill and her ship came into view. It wasn't much, not elegant or beautiful - but it was entirely hers and she knew how to fly it the same way she knew how to breathe. Just seeing it again after the sadness of the valley full of lost hopes eased the tight lines of her face and she didn't rush their progress but there was no mistaking she was bee-lining for the ship.

The door in its side slid open to her touch and she let them both in to the dim glow of the interior.

"There's not a lot of room. She's not really made for cargo or long term missions." The door slid shut and she maneuvered into the cockpit, slipping into the chair with an exhale of pleasure. The moment she did, lights flickered on across the control panels, some more insistent in their blinking than others. "There's a fold down chair you can strap into right there. You can see everything from there. Spare helmet's right under the seat."

She didn't know if that was important to him or not but - it would have been to her, if she had been trapped somewhere without self-control, claustrophobic in a tube. She was also aware that if he was going to try anything, to hurt her, to take the ship, now was that time....

"Ready to go, Kuron?"

Her touch was a way for him to ground himself and solidify in his mind that this was real. He was getting out of here; that he had survived. And not only had he survived but he was getting a chance to become more than what he'd been before. There were a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of possibly outcomes but Kuron was willing to take the risk. His grip on her hand stayed tight until some of the rubble tripped him up, his already sketchy balance sending him teetering but Lisa was there to steady him, pressed underneath his arm and helping him to the top of the mound.

He drew away once they reached the ship itself to allow her to enter first, following slowly and almost hesitantly as being in a confined space nipped at something in him.

It wasn't one of those tubes. It wasn't a cage. It was just a ship.

"Thanks," he murmured as he folded the chair down and sat down to get himself strapped in, snagging the helmet. The thought of taking the ship did cross his mind, it was something he couldn't help and the urge--the impulse--to knock her out had his fingers twitching out of programmed habit--

But Kuron was quick to quell it, slipping the helmet on and leaning back against the seat. He wasn't that person anymore. He wasn't a Galra tool. Not anymore.

"Ready as I'll ever be, Lisa."

His use of her name had her smiling, a quick look over her shoulder and then the view screen in front of her came to life as she ran through the pre-flight warm up. She also, knowing she was due for a scolding, opened up the multiple hailing frequencies that had been trying to contact her and smaller screens near the panel jumped to life with faces in various stages of worry - Jeff - and, in Krik's case, mild reprimand. She didn't like making them worry - but some things were more important and giving Kuron her whole attention had mattered more. She was aware that, even if she'd check on him, once they reached the fleet and he had more room and choices he might very well find his own place that had nothing to do with her there and she was ready for that. But - if she was going to be is first contact with both the Fleet - and his new life - she had wanted him to know he was worth someone's entire undivided attention. So she soothed and apologized and explained she was bringing someone with her as she first finished the pre-flight check and then took her ship smoothly into lift off, skimming the planet's surface in a wide arch before opening her ascent and heading back into space. Once everyone was soothed, and informed, including Commander Hawkins, she finally turned the last screen off with a little huff, shoulders relaxing as the stars came into view and the atmosphere fell behind.

The huff was a little bit for show. Her teammates worry and scolding was all affectionate and she took it as such.

The relaxing shoulders though were because he hadn't tried anything. Her faith in his honesty had been affirmed instead of punished.

"Sorry about that," her voice was more fondly amused than apologetic though. "Krik, the blue man, he's my squad leader. Jeff, the one with the dark curly hair, he's our team captain. The last one was Captain Newley, the blond, and then Commander Hawkins, our CO. I wasn't expected to pick anyone up so I'm sorry you had to sit through all those explanations." The planet fell behind them and she set her course for the pick up zone before turning a little in her seat to look back at her companion, face softening.

"How are you holding up? Do you need anything? I've got water and ration packets."

When the talking had started and all the questions had started piling up, Kuron had started to zone it all out. He was aware that he was at the center of most of it once Lisa informed them that she had a passenger but thankfully she had more than enough information to cover all the bases for now, giving him a chance to just rest his head back and let his eyes slip shut. He couldn't help but still feel like he was dreaming. That he was about to wake up and still be trapped inside one of those tubes unable to get out because there wasn't actually anyone there to help him.

His hands twitched where they rested on his legs and absently curled into light fists as the voices finally ceased.

It wasn't a dream. It was real. He was free from that place and everything connected to it. The past was the past. Lisa was giving him a chance to start fresh.

"It's alright," he said as his eyes opened and he looked over at her, understanding that fondness well since he had felt the same way about the other Paladins..even if it had been what he was programmed to do. (Over time, though, the feelings had become his own hadn't they?) "They were worried. It's understandable."

Lifting his head as he sits up straight, Kuron shakes his head.

"I'm good for right now. I'm not sure I could really stomach anything. Still too..anxious, I guess." He was surprised to find himself admitting that but Lisa was a ground for him. She'd been the one to find him and offer him a chance. He could trust her. "I keep wondering how this can all be real."

He didn't look bad. He didn't exactly look good - but she didn't expect him too, fresh off a planet of dead men that had all looked like him. The ship could follow its own course for a while and the proximity alerts would tell her if there was anything unexpected before it got to them so she let her entire attention focus on the man with her.

And her heart broke a bit for him at the end of it.

She hummed to show she'd heard, and then she reached up and stripped off one of her gloves. In the small cockpit they weren't that far apart and she held out her hand for him again.

"It's real. I know things will be strange for quite some time and sometimes you may wake up, or turn around, and things won't seem real. Or - not real enough. But I'm going to be there. Easy to find. Anytime you need to remember. And I will tell you as many times as you want that this is real. This is now. You're with us. I promise, all right? Anytime you need. All you ever have to do is come find me. Okay?"

As she held her hand out Kuron couldn't help the way his shoulders sagged, a palpable sense of relief in the air as he reached out to take it and give it a squeeze. She would feel the slight shake in his grip, a shake that was going through his entire being as her words struck him at his core and his fingers curled to tighten around hers.

"Okay. Thank you, Lisa," he said softly, voice just a touch on the weak side perhaps from exhaustion or maybe it was from dealing with all the emotions he was sorting through at the moment. Gratitude was the most important one though.

He squeezed her hand again and let out a sigh.

"I still feel like I'm not real. This body isn't..." It wasn't his original body and he knew that so it created a strange sort of disconnect. "I feel like if I move too quickly I'm going to separate at the seams." Kuron looks down, smiling in a humorless manner. "At least before I was convinced things were right."

There's was something important about skin on skin. Lisa had learned that after the childhood she'd had. Somehow the simple warm of someone else made things easier - or in this case she hoped at least, more real and solid. Since he seemed in no hurry to let go she threaded her fingers through his and held on. She knew, a little bit, about not feeling like you were in your own body - or at least not recognizing the feel of it, though her experiences were child's play compared to what his must be. At least she'd had a childhood, been able to count the years going by, knew that she'd never been anything but who she was.

"You're real," her voice was soft but sure and she gave him back a hand squeeze. "Really real. This is your hand in mine, your lungs breathing this air, your ears hearing my voice. No matter what once was, this is now and real and yours." Her lips pressed thin together for a moment though and she sat forward just a little in her seat to be closer to him.

"You're half-talking about things I don't know about though, Kuron. I haven't asked because nothing changes my offer. But Commander Hawkins is going to want to know. It's his ship, he's responsible for everyone onboard." Her eyes watched his face. "Not right away. You'll have time to rest first. But I want you to know before we get there that he will ask. And he'll expect you to tell him the truth. No one else has to know unless you want them to. But you'll have to tell the commander the truth."

You're real.

There was something about those words that resonated through him in a way he'd probably never be able to put into words. Describing the feeling of having someone validate his existence would never be an easy thing to do but oh was he grateful for Lisa doing it right now. His fingers twitch then tighten around hers as he nods, head ducked--briefly--as he let's himself focus on that.

You're real.

She was right though. He was going to have to tell them; the commander at the very least. Lisa was someone he wanted to be honest with as well considering all she was putting on the line for him. The risk she was taking in bringing him back to her ship.

"I will," he said softly, sincerely. "I want you to know as well. I just..I just need some time to process everything. But I promise--" Kuron looked up then, his grip on her hand still firm though by no means in a harmful manner. "--I promise I'm not going to hide anything from you or your commander."

She felt the way he hung on to her and - it felt good. It always felt good to know that you could be what someone needed in exactly the moment they needed it. And then she had to smile, spreading across her face and almost shutting her eyes in pleasure.

"Good," it wasn't praise. Just simple happiness that one of the largest obstacle to his become a part of their team would be an easy one to get past. It wasn't that she wasn't aware he might have something dark or dangerous in his past. She'd found him in a graveyard of mirror faces and nothing he'd said in the very few things he'd said had indicated they'd all been created for healthy reasons. But - the Commander was a peacemaker at heart, one of the reasons Lisa followed him so completely and found such comfort in his leadership. He could fight like the devil - but he believed in people's hearts. More than once he's helped Galra in their travels and even offered the lost ones a place on their ship. She thought, no matter what Kuron had done, his heart would match his eyes. And they were sincere eyes. That he included her in it:

"And thank you." There was laughter somewhere behind her eyes as she added: "And then you can tell me why you woke up looking for a children's show."

"You don't need to thank me, Lisa," Kuron said softly, almost in a protesting manner as he shook his head only to let out a huff of laughter at the statement that followed. "I promise things will make more sense once you've heard the whole story."

Hopefully. He didn't exactly have a way to prove everything he planned to tell them but if nothing else perhaps honesty would be enough to prove to them that Voltron and the other Paladins weren't just some gimmick to rally the galaxy together.

Giving her hand another squeeze, Kuron finally let it go. His hand fell to rest on his leg as he glanced past her to look out the main window of the ship and a thoughtful look touched his face.

"...How bad was the show?" How you weren't expecting anything serious right now, Lisa. He glances at her, lips twitching. "Overly campy?"

His question had the actual laugh slipping out of her, even if she hid it behind a hand and more coughed it than laughed it outright. There was no doubt what it was though, eyes curving, grin spreading.

"Oh its completely terrible," she shifted back a little to settle into her seat more fully again, hands resting back on the yoke. Smiling hugely. "We all absolutely love it. We don't get a lot of them. There's a lot of transmissions in space at any time, both old and new ones and we can't intercept them all, much less winnow them all down, but the tech crew knows to watch for them and the ones we have got are very popular late in the evenings." Her smile was relaxed and the brightest it had been. "As near as we can tell its supposed to be a giant - cat? - robot.... thing. It's super campy. That's a lot of the reason we all enjoy it so much. I think the icepades episode is my favorite. There are these - noodles? - that dress up like the bad guys and everyone on the voltron side has these - box cats - that they wear and - " she paused. Shook her head. "You have to see it to really understand. I've got a copy, I'll share it with you during downtime one day if you like."

Hearing that laugh and seeing the way she lights up has Kuron smiling even more. At the time the whole thing had been so ridiculous that it had been hard to think about how other people might have been taking it. Hearing Lisa talk about it made him understand a bit better just the sort of impact the show had on people--even if some considered it just a children's show.

"I don't know if I could watch it after being in it," he said without really thinking about what he was saying.

And then it clicked and he almost groaned.

"It was--we did it as a means of improving public opinion of Voltron and the work we'd been doing to stop the Galra," Kuron said before Lisa could say anything, maybe, just maybe, looking a little embarrassed. "It was all based on real events."

Just exaggerated.

She was still smiling when he spoke and it took a moment for his words to register, time enough for the smile to go bemused - and then drop away entirely as her eyes went wide as what he first said - and then stumbled over clarifying clicked for her. And after there was just another moment where she simply stared at him. Until -

"Wh-you were - real events? You mean, that was supposed to be - " her eyes were honest enough that the train of thoughts through them was almost verbal. Going from what she had assumed was only a kid's show to - "That was propaganda?"

Her hand went over her mouth a second later as her eyes went wide again.

"Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry. We only have a few shows of it and we all thought - no wonder why you were so caught off when I said it was - " She was usually more articulate and finally caught herself enough to feel embarrassed about the stumbling. "You're a part of the Voltron team?" Eyebrows low she looked him over, eyes lingering on shoulder width and - "The black one. You're the black and white armor."

Except she'd found him, and hundreds like him, on an abandoned dead planet.... but that was why he'd asked about Voltron when he'd first woken - worry pinched her eyebrows down.

He'd also said he was alone in the universe more or less. Something must have happened -

"We can try to contact them. Once we get back to the Explorer. We know a few planets so far that aren't Galra controlled anymore and I'm sure one of them would know where to boost the signal to for you."

Kuron gave her a slightly apologetic smile as he nodded, gaze shifting to his lap as he let out a soft sigh.

"Yeah. It..was a means of rallying people to Voltron's cause. To unite people against the Galra," he explained, loosely lacing his fingers together between his knees. "They had suppressed so many people across the galaxy and made it almost impossible to build a resistance...the show was a way of showing people that there was a way to stop what they were attempting. To put an end to their reign."

Even if it had been a little over the top.

His gaze shifts back to Lisa as she puts together that he was apart of Voltron though it honestly hurts more than he wants to admit to hear her say that. He starts to protest but she's talking again before he can say much so Kuron waits, hands clenching together.

"It's alright. We--I'm not a Paladin anymore. I was but it..it's complicated. There's another Black Paladin. I was just a temporary member," he said with only the slightest waver to his voice. "I just want to make sure they're alright but I--" Don't have a place with them anymore. They wouldn't want me back anyway. Not after what I did. "--I'm not a Paladin anymore."

She knows there's more going on. So far she'd found him on a dead planet of twins in the ruin of a base or station of some kind that had been violently destroyed. He'd used the word 'activated', referred to 'waking up' there and said that he felt as if he'd unravel and separate from his body if he wasn't careful. Everything pointed to him being a clone of some sort - except the Voltron Show had filmed long enough ago that the airwaves of it had had time to drift into the space the Explorer had been in -

And he was hurt. With the blanks in her understanding of the situation not everything he said made sense -

but she could read body language and the clenched fists, the way his voice changed -

he was hurting.

And she wasn't sure what she could do to help because she wasn't sure, exactly, what was wrong. Brows down, lips pressed tight for a moment, she absorbed what she could from what he said. Temporary. And that he cared about them.

"All right," her voice was soft and she shifted again, reached out and curled her hands around the outside of his. It was probably more physical touch than she'd offered anyone in months but - it seemed important. Her long fingers curved, held him even if she kept it loose, fingers overlapping his. Nodded. "All right. We'll find out for you. And, whatever you decide after that? I'll help. As much as I can." The light on her comm blinked to life, beeped quietly at her but she ignored it for a moment longer. "I told you - you're not alone now. I'll be right there until you figure out what you want. One step at a time."

His hands got a light squeeze and then she had to pull away to focus on the comm, flicking it to life to reveal Jeff's worried face. And, in the distance on the screen, the looming bulk of the S.S. Explorer.

A wave of relief swept over him when Lisa accepted his response for now, Kuron giving her a thankful look as her hands curled around his.

"Thank you Lisa," he said sincerely, her words filling him with a warmth that he'd gotten use to feeling when he'd been with the other...with the Paladins. That familial feeling, that kinship that he'd grown so fond of while he'd been living Shiro's life. Now, more than ever, he craved it and having Lisa offer it like she was gave him yet another lifeline to cling to as he tried to get himself settled into this new existence he was shaping for himself.

And she was right. One step at a time.

His gaze shifted to the screen as her hands slipped from his, the young man settling back a bit more comfortably, taking in the sight of the ship coming into view. His escape from all of this. No, escape wasn't the right word.

His new start.

It wasn't until they were closer that he found his voice again, so lost in thought as they approached that he hadn't realized he'd lapsed into silence, Kuron blinking out back into the present and looking from the screen to Lisa.

"Any warnings for me before we board?" he asked in a joking manner, trying to lighten the mood since, well, he had been responsible for the dip. "Anyone I should watch out for?"

Lisa didn't mind the silence. Kuron had a lot going on and that was probably an understatement considering all she didn't know about him. He was about to go from a silent planet to a busy star ship and if he needed to gather himself or focus or take some time for himself she understood. She had enough to do with getting instructions first from Jeff and then from Captain Newley as well as routing in to her ship's slot on the Explorer around the work being done on it and the other ships coming or leaving. When he did speak up though, she peeked at him over her shoulder briefly before going back to her course work.

"Win Jeff over. He's a bit impetuous but he's our team leader and he's the most loyal friend anyone could hope to have. If he's on your side, no one's going to stand a chance on the other side. Don't take Ginger's flirting too seriously, at least not at first. She's friendly and lively and beautiful and she flirts with everyone because its fun. If she's serious, she'll make sure you know about it later on. Rocky is a blow hard with a heart of gold so don't take any of his threats as anything but his way of being friendly. Krik, my squad leader, is intuitive. If he tells you he's got a hunch about something, do what he says." Another glance over her should with a soft smile. "And its alright if you forget half of that right now and only remember it later. You're not going to meet everyone at once. Jeff will meet us in the hanger. Then we'll all head to the med bay so you can be checked over. Commander Hawkins will meet us there once he's free." Her eyes hardened just a little before she turned back to her screens. "And then, if I have my way, you'll get a hot meal and a warm bed where everyone will leave you alone until you're rested properly. Once you get a com, we'll make sure you've got my connection programed into it so you can reach me any time. After you're rested, we'll work out the rest but we can work on finding a contact with Voltron and meeting some of the others if that's comfortable for you."

The space carrier grew large and then filled the entire screen as Lisa, from old practiced habit slipped her ship into one of its ports and neatly shifted and set it down amoung an assortment of other smaller ships like hers. Her fingers shifted over keys and toggles, finishing out an end flight check before she shut everything entirely down, dark eyes glancing at him and the hard edge wasn't entirely gone from them.

"And if, at all, anytime, you feel overwhelmed or like you want to take a break or stop, find a way to let me know and I'll do my best to make sure it happens. Don't hesitate on that." She offered a quick smile that finally softened her eyes.

"Finders keepers and since I found you first, I get some say in things. All right?"

Reboot

slowly counts, so good to hear

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i had forgotten how god awful holiday weekends are in the auto industry

yeah? breakdowns or everyone getting ready for roadtrips?

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such a cute face!

some of his faces are just adorable I can't deal with him

way too adoreable, its dangerous (ps feel free to bring the commander whenever)

o7!!!

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