JQ/Voltron X-over Part Two     Hadji shifted his weight onto his good leg and looked over Lance's shoulder at the four hostiles in front of them.
    "You've got some nerve coming back here after what you did to Pidge and Laila!"  The large one in a yellow and white uniform growled as his fist shot out at Lance.
    Ignoring the numb fire in his leg Hadji moved quickly in front of his new friend, deflecting the blow.  "Violence is never a good idea, my friend."
    The big man's eyes widdened in amusement but it was the black-clad figure who spoke.  "And just who exactly are you?"
    Hadji opened his mouth to reply but before he could Jessie spoke for him.  "He just happens to be the Sultan of Bangalore."
    Hadji edged sideways and fixed Jessie with an arched eyebrow.  She shrugged nonchantedly, "Well, you are Royalty so why not use that fact to our advantage?"
    Choosing not to reply he turned back to the man who had spoken.  "Who I am is besides the point.  The fact that Lance has just rescued us from a heartless tyrant is what matters.  He should have a hero's welcome instead of a welcome consisting of nothing more than hatred."
    The big man's face darkened as he looked back at Lance.  "If he didn't want hatred he shouldn't a done what he did ta Pidge."
    Hadji watched as Lance's face became an impassive mask.  "I didn't do anything but then I guess 'innocent until proven guilty' means nothing to you."
    "Enough!"
    Everyone, including Hadji, spun to face Jessie, whose red hair seemed aflame.  "Look, I don't care what's happened!  Jonny's not in great shape and despite the fact that Hadji can endure a lot of pain, his leg is a mess.  And though I tend to like a wide variety of cloths.  That Prince Lotor's tast is horrendous and I would really like to change."
    The entire group, except Hadji; whose ears burned with embarassment at the reminder, gazed down at her flimsy attire.  Everyone but Lance looked aaway almost immediately.
    It was the lady dressed in pink that took over the situationn then.  "You're right.  Please accept my apologizies for our awful manners.  I am Princess Allura of Planet Arus.  The man in black is Captain Keith Akira, next to him are Pidge and Hunk.  And you would be..."
    Feeling a bit of relief, Hadji finished the introduction.  "This is my friend Jessie Bannon and my brother Jonny Quest.  I am Hadji Singh and we appreciate your help, your majesty."  He didn't miss her raised eyebrow at his reference to Jonny as brother either.  "That's a long story Princess and one perhaps reserved for another time.  For more immportant matters are impending."
    She nodded her blonde head.  "Of course.  Please, follow me."
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    Lance forced his fury down into his stomach, allowing it to form a cold, hard ball.  Solemnly he followed in behind the others as they entered the Castle.
    Once again his hands were shoved deep into his pockets and it was all he could do to keep from turning on his heel and running back out to his Lion.  Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.  Looking up he was surprized to meet Hadji's sympathetic brown eyes.
    "Do not fear, my friend.  I believe you and very soon they shall as well for the truth can not be hidden and lies are easily found."  He said it so quietly that only he could possibly hear it.  Than just as suddenly he resumed his spot next to Allura.  Nobody even noticing what he's done.
    Shaking his head in surprize and confusion he let go of the hold he had on his anger and allowed it to slip away.
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    Jessie followed Princess Allura after dropping the guys off with Dr. Goma.  She still remembered how they had looked at her, but only Lance's and Hadji's reactions really stuck in her mind.  Hadji because he had attempted to be a gentleman and not look at her insufficient clothing, Lance because he hadn't even tried to hide the fact that he'd looked, in facct he'd seemed almost totally indifferent by it.
    Allura's voice brought her mind back to what they were doing.  "We're about the same size.  So you should be able to wear some of my cloths... at least until some can be made for you."
    Jessie gazed doubtfully at the pink, frilly dress she was wearing and nearly choked.  True she wore that awful pink jumpsuit all of the time, but that was only because it had been a gift from her father.  Shaking her head she continued to follow the Princess up the stairs to her chambers.  The blonde must have sensed her weariness because what she said followed Jessie's thoughts.
    "Don't worry.  I wear pink because it suits me and it's something of a habit but I do own outfits consisting of other colors.  Besides, with that lovely red hair, well, there's no way pink would work!  Perhaps white or black.  I may even have something in green or blue..."
    She didn't even try to hide her sigh of relief and earned a laugh from the Princess for it.
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    Hadji gritted his teeth and was careful not to show his discomfort as the Doctor bandaged his leg.  Lance stood next to him like some kind of body guard ready for trouble and stared pointedly at his three teamates with shadowed eyes.  Jonny was resting on the bed, his shirt off and laying on his stomach so as not to rub the medication that the Doctor had applied off.  The tension was so thick that Hadji hardly dared to breath for fear of setting off the impending time bomb.
    As the Doctor finished wrapping his leg Hadji slid from the bed and faced Lance.  "I was wondering, you and I appear to be about the same size, do you think you could possibly lend me a shirt and perhaps a pair of pants as well?"
    Lance nodded his head.  "Sure, just follow me."
    As they left the room, Hadji's unsettling feelings still didn't calm down as much as he would have liked.  He had a bad feeling about what had disrupted the Voltron Force's friendship but couldn't pinpoint why.  Unfortunately his instincts usually proved to be right.
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    Jessie stared at the outfits on the bed.  All of which were dresses.  The black one had been too small, the blue too big and the green had a hole it it.  Which left the white one or one of the frilly, pink concoctions.
    Swallowing hard she slide the simple white dress over her head.  The hem cam to just about her ankles and the sleeves were loose and ended in lacy collaring around her wrists.  The material was soft like velvet but shone like diamonds when the light hit it just right.  The back was fastened by three sets of ties that when done up, became bows.  The body had a layer the same style as the lace over top of the light weight material the dress consisted of and the neckline curved down with a gentle line.  Before she could move, Allura slipped a white choker with a teardrop shaped diamond around her neck and tied the bows before handing her a pair of silk white slippers to go with it.
    Allura seemed to have decided she would make the perfect doll and despite her protest, sat her down firmly and began arrangeing her hair into an elaborate erray of twists before gentlly adding a diamond tiara to hold it all together.  A touch of make-up and Jessie couldn't even recognize the sophisticated woman who looked back at her from the mirror.  And she found herself wondering what Hadji and Lance would think.