Phantom of Doom

Before you start reading, you should know that this is an unfinished story and it will remain unfinished as is. I do plan on re-writing this story idea some day but I cannot say when. If you can guess which other fandom I may enjoy, I salute you!

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Phantom of Doom

Allura sighed, contented.

She had everything that a young woman should want. She had wealth, influence, a wardrobe to die for, and a diamond engagement on her finger. On top of all that, Arus had been at peace for almost five years. She had everything that she ought to have wanted but something was missing. Something that she couldn’t put her finger on but it was something very important.

Zarkon was in a garrison prison with no hope of seeing daylight. Lotor had died in an explosion that destroyed his flagship. One of Haggar’s spells had backfired, putting the witch in a coma indefinitely. The planet Doom had been abandoned since all the high ranking officials fought for the crown and destroyed most everything that had been inhabitable. All threats against Arus were quelled.

Allura thought of her fiancé then, she thought of Keith, the captain of the Voltron force. He was everything a young man ought to be; he was handsome, intelligent, and ambitious. He didn’t quite understand her obsession with pink but they complimented each other well. Not a day went by that she wasn’t told that they make a great couple.

Allura was still doing drills in her lion although Voltron hadn’t been needed for a while. Keith didn’t want the force to get out of practice, just in case. They had even trained back up pilots just in case one of the original five couldn’t fly. And because Keith and Allura decided it wasn’t safe for her to pilot a lion if she was going to be queen of Arus and start a family.

Allura heard a sound then, a sound that she hadn’t heard in a long time. It was the alarm! Allura dashed out of her room where she had been relaxing and ran to the control room. She met up with the rest of the group behind where Coran was working on the control computers.

“One of our supply ships is under attack,” Coran explained. “Looks like space pirates.”

“Lets go, team,” Keith said, running to his chute. The other men ran to theirs. Allura stood for a moment, watching Keith disappear down the shaft to his lion. He didn’t even meet her eyes and they had just been engaged the other day. The announcement had been made just the day before. She thought that he might have expressed some of his excitement at the engagement in someway. Instead he treated her like he treated the guys.

Allura shook it off and ran to her own chute, letting the handlebar slow her decent into the shuttle that waited to whisk her off to blue lion. Her pulse raced at the thought of fighting injustice again. She had her key in place and was flying out of the blue lion’s hanger in no time and joined the force in formation as they left Arus’ atmosphere.

They sounded off like they did in practice.

“Blue Lion, online and ready to go,” Allura said when it was her turn, listening to the other pilots state their status.

“We are approaching the offending ship now,” Keith said, his voice slightly distorted by the communicator. “Attack pattern Delta.”

Allura flew her lion into the position, knowing that they would all make a pass at the pirate ship to try to disable it. It was a rather rudimentary tactic but one Keith liked to use in almost all his training exercises.

Allura saw the pirate ship in her view screen. It was large, heavily fortified, and looked menacing. She saw that it was large enough to have hanger bays filled with fighter jets, all of which were emptying, laser fire pouring down on the Voltron force.

Lights began to flash on her console, Allura reading the extent of the damage.

“Those lasers cut right through my shields!” she called over the intercom. “I’m losing power fast!”

“Me too!” she heard Pidge cry, his voice almost too garbled by static. Allura ran a quick diagnostic and knew she couldn’t withstand another barrage of laser fire.

“Keith!” she cried. “We should form Voltron!” She didn’t get a response, her communicator making only static. She looked about to see if she could see the other lions but she had somehow gotten separated.

Allura held fast as she saw the fighters coming in again for another round, quickly disabling her lion. She was adrift in space and defenseless.

“This is Allura to Voltron force,” she called into her communicator. Again she got no response. She could only watch as the fighters abandoned her and flew in the direction of the other lions. They were helpless if they couldn’t form Voltron now. All Allura could do was watch now.

Allura spotted a second ship, one that had purposely remained hidden until now. She gasped as she realized that it was Drule in make and it had a tractor beam on her lion. It was pulling her into it’s large hanger bay.

Allura could only wait as her lion was made to land in the hanger bay. She was out of her chair and laser pistol brandished when someone finally started to jam open the door to the cockpit. Instead of a fire fight though, a small capsule was thrown in the room. It emitted a foul smelling smoke that made her sleepy.

The last thing that she needed was to pass out…

~ * ~ * ~

Allura woke with a start, the last thing she remembered was being in the cockpit of her lion ready to fight her way out. Now she was lying down, very comfortable but in a foreign place. She saw above her large draped black velvet trimmed with gold that made up the canopy of the bed she was in. She turned her head and realized that she lay on black silk sheets with a matching black comforter.

Allura slowly pushed herself up to sit and looked around the room and realized that she was in a cave. Tapestries covered the walls but she could still see the cave walls between pieces. The floor of the cave was covered with expensive rugs and the ceiling was covered in draping black lace. The room was lit by a solitary candle on the night stand beside the bed that she was in.

She stood, looking around the room, noting a small sitting area, a high backed brass wash basin, and a writing desk. They looked hand made and screamed of wealth. She exited the room and found herself on a narrow walkway over looking a gorge she couldn’t see the bottom of and the ceiling was so tall that she couldn’t see it either. Small candles lit the path down to a workshop area where a hooded figure sat at a work bench.

She followed the candle lit path as quietly as possible, not knowing what was in store for her when she had to confront the person at the work bench. She reached for where her pistol should have been, only to find it missing. Her communicator was gone as well.

She was close enough now to make out that her captor was a man. A tall man with broad shoulders. His hair was long and pale, pulled back into a pony tail. His ears were tall and pointed, his face angular and chiseled.

“Lotor?!” she gasped as she recognized her enemies countenance.

“I trust you slept well?” he asked, not turning from his project on the bench. Allura was taken aback, not prepared for that sort of response.

“What do you want?” she asked, frozen where she stood. She had no where to run. She couldn’t see past the candle lit area and she didn’t want to find herself in the gorge.

“I thought that it was fairly obvious what I wanted,” Lotor said, his lips curling into a smile. Still, she only saw his profile. She looked at what he was working on and realized that it was a robotic arm.

“I cannot marry you,” Allura replied, awaiting his reaction.

“Yes, I heard about your engagement,” he said, setting down his tools, his arms vanishing into the black cloak he wore that covered his entire body. “A mere technicality, I assure you. One that is easily rectified.”

“I will never marry you,” Allura replied, defiant.

“Never say never, my love,” Lotor said, turning then. Allura gasped as she saw that the right side of his face from his hair line to the middle of his cheek was covered in a polished steel mask. His right eye was a slightly darker gold then the other as well.

“We thought that you were dead,” Allura uttered as he stood to tower over her. She wanted to take a step back but she didn’t dare.

“I was caught in a horrible accident,” Lotor admitted, reaching for her with his left hand. He gently brushed her cheek, closing his eyes like he had never felt anything so wonderful. “It was the thought of seeing you again that kept me fighting.”

Allura didn’t know what to say. She had thought that he had been dead all these years. She had actually cried when she received the news of his demise. She had been careful to mourn for him in the privacy of her rooms. She couldn’t explain why the loss of him had effected her so.

His hand on her cheek was tender and caressing. He seemed lost in the sensation of touching her. He stepped closer, enveloping her in his musky masculine scent, his other hand resting on her arm, heavily.

“Allura,” he spoke her name as if it were sacred. A prayer whispered by only the most devoted of disciples. It sent a shiver down her spine to hear her name on his lips in such a way. “Allura, be my wife. Let me spend my life worshiping you, as you should be adored and pampered.”

Allura’s breath caught in her throat. The beauty of his words made her want to accept but her rational mind was screaming at her.

“I can’t,” she whispered, even as she fought back tears. “I… just can’t.”

“You try my patience,” Lotor said bluntly, releasing her and walking back to his work bench. He picked up a small device and pressed a button on it. Lights flickered to life across the room, showing a man strapped to a table tilted at a 45 degree angle so Allura could get the full view. It was Keith, still in his flight suit, he was conscious and glaring at Lotor with hate filled eyes.

Allura gasped, noting the electrodes that were attached to Keith’s body.

“I’ll make this easier for you then,” Lotor was saying, suddenly behind her wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her tight. “Choose a new life with me or send Keith to his grave.”

“You monster!” Allura cried, tears brimming in her eyes.

Lotor laughed at her words, turning her in his tight embrace.

“More then you know my dear,” Lotor said. “Look upon the face left me by the garrison.” He removed his mask then, revealing charred healed over flesh on the right side of his face. The sight of it was jarring as it was sudden and made Allura cry out.

“Don’t do it Allura!” Keith shouted from across the room. Allura couldn’t turn in Lotor’s arms.

“Don’t ask this of me,” Allura whispered, her eyes pleading with Lotor. His eyes were searching his face.

“Why make her lie to you to save me?” Keith shouted.

Lotor’s eyes narrowed as he released Allura and took a few steps toward Keith.

“This is Allura’s choice,” Lotor snapped, pressing a button on the console he carried.

Keith started to writhe on the table he was strapped to, electricity coursing through his body. Allura ran to Lotor’s side, grabbing him by the arm.

“Please stop,” Allura pleaded. Lotor released his thumb from the pad, Keith’s body falling limp against the table.

“This is the point of no return, Allura,” Lotor said, turning to her. She noted that he was removing his cloak to reveal his right arm. It was completely mechanical. She could see the metal pieces move as he moved his fingers to show her. “Make your choice.”

Allura looked back at Keith, rousing from his feint to fix his gaze on her. She couldn’t help but wonder what sort of life Lotor had lived to force this choice on her. She had to wonder if he had ever been loved or truly loved someone.

Lotor stood before her, revealing his mechanical arm and charred face to her. He was bared to her, vulnerable even. She couldn’t help but feel pity for him. But she knew what she had to do.

Allura approached Lotor, his expression shifting to surprise. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled his mouth to hers, and kissed him. It only took a moment for him to recover, as she was pressing her lips to his. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her up onto her toes. She was thankful for his support as her knees started to feel weak.

His lips upon hers set her entire body aflame. Her heart raced at his touch and she realized that this was what she was missing. This was what she never felt with Kieth. She never felt passion.

He released her then, looking down at her, his eyes still surprised. She didn’t give him time to question her, she pulled him down again, kissing him more thoroughly, her tongue licking his lips before she pressed her lips firmly to his. He opened his mouth to her, massaging her tongue with his, the passion building between them. Allura was so taken aback by her reaction that she didn’t know how to proceed.

Lotor pushed her away again, taking a few steps back from her.

“Take him and go,” Lotor said solemnly. “Go now, forget me.”

Allura stood for a moment, confused by his refusal. He turned his back to her and strode toward the edge of the gorge folding his arms across his chest. Allura heard Keith beginning to fight against his restraints. She turned then, running to his side.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked, as Allura reached for his bindings.

“He’s letting us go,” Allura said, even though she couldn’t believe it herself. She had Keith’s legs unbound and worked on his wrists next. As soon as Keith had one arm free, he worked on the last one himself. Then he pulled off all the electrodes, tossing them aside.

“What are you doing?” Allura asked when Keith pushed himself off the table and stumbled toward Lotor.

“Taking care of the problem,” Keith answered as he grabbed an item off the work bench. He was creeping up behind Lotor, the make shift weapon brandished over his head.

“Lotor!” Allura shouted, alerting Lotor to the danger. He turned, his eyes clouded with unshed tears and spotted Keith. Lotor had enough time to bring up his arms to keep from getting stabbed by the screw driver that Keith wielded but the force of Keith’s attack made hims stumble back.

“Keith no!” Allura cried, taking hurried steps forward. Keith was pushing at Lotor, pushing him toward the precipice. Lotor’s eyes were wide with surprise and Allura let out a sob when she saw his body topple over the edge.

“What have you done!?” Allura cried, her legs seeming to fall out from under her. She landed in a heap on the floor, tears freely falling down her cheeks. She couldn’t help but sob at the loss of Lotor again. It hurt as badly as the first time. Only this time, Keith saw her desperation.

“One less Drule to worry about,” Keith stated, as he approached. “Get up. We are getting out of here.” Allura was being pulled to her feet, and drug somewhere. She fought to get her feet beneath her. She freely wept as she walked.

Keith lead her through Lotor’s lair until they found where their lions were waiting.

“Can you fly?” Keith asked, pulling her to face him as they stood at the feet of their lions. Allura could only nod. She wanted desperately to leave this place and she wanted desperately to be away from Keith. Keith just nodded to her in response and let her go, climbing into his lion.

Allura wiped her eyes and climbed into her own lion. It was exactly as she had left it. She sealed the hatch behind her and took the pilot seat, letting out a long sigh. She had been willing to stay with Lotor to save Keith’s life and now Lotor was dead.

Allura powered up her lion, noting that Keith was already flying his lion out of the hanger. She followed suit and quickly put her lion on autopilot, letting it guide her back to Arus and the castle of lions. She had a lot to think about, a lot to process. She couldn’t wait until she was in her room, under her covers and hidden from the world.

She just had to endure the debriefing.

The communicator screen lit up and she opened the channel, seeing Coran’s worried face.

“Princess,” he sighed with relief. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, Coran,” she replied. “I am fine. I just need to relax for a spell after this.”

“I think that we can arrange that,” Coran replied. “What happened?”

Allura sighed, staring at the console instead of the monitor.

“I’d rather not talk about it right now, Coran,” Allura said, finding it easier to be honest when she didn’t have to look her mentor in the face. “I’m sure that Keith can fill you in on the particulars.”

“Hmm, yes,” Coran replied, his voice sounding strained. “His account is quite… strange. He says that you kissed Lotor.”

“That is true,” Allura readily admitted, remembering the feel of his lips on hers with the mere mention of his name.

“Hmm, you must have had a good reason then?” Coran asked.

“We got free, didn’t we?” Allura asked in response. She couldn’t bring herself to explain the pity she had felt for Lotor in that moment when he demanded her life for Keith’s. She certainly couldn’t mention the passion that he had awoken in her with his kiss either.

“True.”

“What about the rest of the force?” Allura asked, desperate to change the subject.

“The boys were able to allude the pirates after your capture,” Coran replied. “Apparently the attack was a ruse to capture you and Keith. At least Lotor is disposed of this time.”

Allura could just nod at that last comment. She had watched him fall over the ledge to a depth that she couldn’t fathom. She had seen her fiancé kill in cold blood.

“If you have nothing further, Coran, I’m going to rest for the remainder of the the flight back.” Allura switched off the communicator before Coran really had a chance to respond and she sat for a long moment just listening to the hum of the equipment in the cockpit of her lion. The tears started again and she didn’t even think to hinder them.

It had been a day of great realization. Lotor had been alive the entire five years of peace, alone, deformed, and plotting. Keith had been harboring a cold blooded killer under his hero facade. And her life lacked passion above all things, passion that she didn’t want to live with out now that she knew it existed.

The flight home took only an hour but it felt much longer to Allura as she tried to nap in the
captain’s chair of her lion. Her mind kept replaying the vision of Lotor toppling over the edge of the gorge. His expression hadn’t been one of panic or fear. She could have sworn that she saw a smirk on his face, his eyes locked on her when his fell from view.

Allura went through the landing procedures in a daze, the motions coming second nature since they had been practiced so much.