Chapter Three

 

 

Three Voyage-class starcruisers were attacked yesterday by a fleet of unknown origin or allegiance.  All passengers numbering 3,087 were killed instantly as all three starcruisers were instantly destroyed by the unknown fleet.  All Alliance leaders please advise we are in IAF alert level Beta.  Repeat alert level Beta.

 

 

 

The hand Allura had put on her husband’s shoulder was clenching it so tightly that Keith winced but he didn’t move away.  For a few moments, neither of them said anything, simply letting the news sink in.  For the Queen, old fears that she tried so hard to put behind her came rushing back to the surface as if they had never left and they only magnified as she thought about the children they had brought into the world.  For the Admiral, a cold calm settled over his tense shoulders because he’d been preparing himself for a day like this since Bethie had been born.  He’d learned the hard way that the more people you grew to love, the more likely you were going to stay up nights worrying about all of them. 

 

“Try getting through to the Senator, Skech,” Allura said, her voice flat.

 

Skech Jalora, the young man who had saved their lives so long ago, had risen through the ranks in the Arusian Army and enjoyed a close relationship with the Royal couple as Keith’s high-ranking aide.  He had access to most high-level security records and they trusted him implicitly, a trust he worked hard to keep and hoped to never lose.  Sitting now at the control panel, he expertly opened a transmission to Senator Van Voorst, sliding through the countless other transmissions that were struggling to go through. 

 

“Very informative,” Keith muttered, his eyes still on the message.

 

“What else can you expect from IAF?” Allura said, crossing her arms.  “Although, I have this feeling that they know about as much as they’re telling us.”

 

“There haven’t been any reports about suspicious movements, not even a hint of a movement against the IAF.  Nothing at this scale anyway.  Every world has their rebels but none of them can get their hands on this kind of firepower.”

 

Allura thought about the rebel factions on Arus, those who wanted to remove the monarchy and allow the people to rule themselves.  It was a small faction because the Royal Family was well loved by its subjects, but perhaps it was time to keep a closer eye on them.  Next to her, Keith was thinking the same thing.

 

“I’ve got her,” Skech said, putting Romelle on the larger screen.

 

“I was wondering when I would hear from you,” the Senator said, sounding tired but her eyes were sharp as she looked at her cousin.  “Things are not going well at this end.  The Senate is in a state of panic and I’m having a hard time trying to convince them that it’s time for us to put the IAF on full alert. ”

 

“I thought that would be a done deal,” Keith said, frowning.

 

Romelle sighed.  “Some of the Senators are die-hard pacifists and they think that to put our troops on alert will only exacerbate the situation.”

 

“How?  Because we’ll be able to protect ourselves?” Allura spat.

 

“It will be an invitation to start a fight, so they say.  As it is, we have the fleet on standard alert and I’m doing what I can to upgrade it.” 

 

“Do you know what kind of ships made up this fleet?” Keith questioned.

 

“There were no survivors, Keith,” was the tight answer.  “The only way we knew there were a number of ships in the vicinity was their energy signature, three large vessels and numerous smaller ones.  The assumption is that there were three carriers and fighters, but nothing indicating that they are any different from ours.”

 

“And you’ve heard nothing?  No one’s claimed responsibility?” Allura demanded.

 

“Nothing,” Romelle said frustratedly.  “I’m afraid of what they will do next because an idiot would know that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of these monsters.”

 

“How long until this hits the news?” Keith asked.

 

“We’re trying to keep it under wraps, but when those transports don’t make it to their destinations, someone is going to notice.  I think an announcement is slated for tomorrow morning.”

 

Allura mentally calculated how many hours they had before all hell broke loose.  “You’ll keep us informed.”

 

“It’s my job.”  Romelle’s lips thinned.  “Have you heard from Ethan?”

 

“No,” Keith said, glancing sideways at Allura and knowing what they were going to do as soon as they could.  “Matt was just deployed but Jack is back here.”

 

“We’ll get to the bottom of this.  Our kids are not going to go through what we did.”

 

The screen blacked out just as Bethie and Jack came in.  Allura was surprised to see the young Branegan but before she could so much as greet him, her daughter jumped into her line of sight.

 

“What’s going on?” she demanded in the same tone Allura had used with Romelle.  “Who was attacked?”

 

“Alana,” Allura muttered, making a mental note to have a little talk with her youngest daughter.

 

“Transports,” Keith answered, leaning against the control panel and regarding them seriously.  “Three thousand people were killed.”

 

“I suppose I don’t have to tell you to keep this to yourselves,” Allura said, making another mental note to have a little talk with her husband.

 

Jack nodded but Bethie barely heard her.  Her blue eyes were zeroed in on Keith and Allura could see the gears turning in her head.

 

“Dad, what does this mean?” she asked.

 

“We don’t know, yet,” he answered as calmly as he could. 

 

“I want to be involved in this,” she said, looking from one to the other.  “Don’t give me any crap about being too young, Mom…”

 

“I wasn’t going to,” Allura said coolly.  “We’ll have a security meeting tonight and you’re more than welcome to come.  It is part of your role to be well-informed about what is happening outside our planet as well as inside it.”

 

Bethie stared at her.  “Thanks…I think.”

 

Allura shook her head at her daughter and then moved her gaze to their uncharacteristically silent visitor.  She grinned and he grinned back.  It was no secret that they were each other’s favorites, for some reason that no one could seem to discover.  Since Jack had been small, Allura had spoiled him rotten and Lance had always suspected it was so she could turn one of his own against him.  Jack hugged his aunt and she was surprised to find that she had to stretch just to reach him.

 

“It’s good to have you home, Jack,” she said.  “You look well.”

 

“You, too, Aunt Allura,” he said, keeping an arm around her shoulders.  “It’s like Uncle Keith’s getting older but you’re staying exactly the same.”

 

“Thanks,” they said in unison but in completely different tones.

 

“Stay for dinner,” Allura said.  “We’ll have your parents over too and we can catch up.”

 

Bethie and Jack exchanged a look. 

 

“And discuss this new development,” Allura added, catching it.

 

“Is that what you meant by security meeting?” Bethie asked.

 

“Of course.”

 

 

 

Allura briefed them on the scant information Romelle was able to provide.  As expected, Lance took the news with the same grace as a wild boar whereas Link’s response was more temperate.  The three children present were silent, listening as their elders discussed the situation. 

 

“What needs to be done?” Link asked over the salad.

 

“You couldn’t wait until we got to the first course,” Lance muttered, putting his fork down with disgust.

 

“The IAF might want to take this to standard alert, but I don’t agree,” Allura said, ignoring him.  “Unfortunately, I don’t believe that the Arusian Royal Forces is well-prepared for these kinds of contingencies, despite our better intentions.  Peace makes us all too comfortable and the defense budget has been slashed to the point of embarrassment.”

 

“Re-building Arus seemed more of a priority,” Keith said wryly.  “We want to know how far we have to go to get them back to an acceptable state of readiness and how we are going to do that.”

 

“It is possible that this was an isolated incident,” Alana said hopefully.  “And Arus may not necessarily be drawn into this if it happens again?  The IAF may be able to handle this on their own.”

 

“Maybe, but I want to be prepared all the same,” Allura said frankly.  “Being responsible for billions of people, not to mention my own children, means that we can’t let anything slip.  In cases like this, Alana, it is better to err on the side of caution.  If this was an isolated incident, which is highly unlikely, then at least we’ll have updated the ARF to more workable levels.”

 

Keith and Allura had always included their children in discussions concerning Arusian interests when they were old enough to understand.  Bethie and Ethan had always gotten involved in debates over various issues that their parents were dealing with, while Alana simply listened.  But when she spoke, they all listened.  Young as she was, she had a wise head on her shoulders and Allura and Keith never underestimated her opinions.

 

“It just frightens me that the first move you think of making is pulling out the guns,” Alana said stubbornly.  “Zarkon and Lotor are gone and we have enjoyed peace for two decades.  The reason for that is because we don’t pull out the guns whenever something that goes against our interests happens.”

 

“What do you suggest we do instead?” her sister countered.  “They attacked with guns so what are we supposed to do?  Throw snowballs at them?”

 

“No,” Alana retorted.  “But wouldn’t finding out more about them suit us just as well?”

 

“We can do both,” Keith said thoughtfully.  “Romelle told us all that they had, which was next to nothing, but investigations are getting off the ground as we speak.  But your mother is right, Alana.  We have to be pessimistic about the outcome of this situation and that means making sure that we are protecting our own.” 

 

Keith looked to his closest friend and unofficial advisor.  He was no longer able to move as freely as he would like, being married to the commander-in-chief of the Arusian Army ensured that he would not get what he needed if he visited a base, but he knew who he could trust to get the job done.  Lance did not play a big role in Arusian politics, avoiding it at all costs despite the high-profile politicians he happened to know, but he acted as their eyes and ears when their backs were turned.  He may not want to play the game but he knew how it was run and his observations had gotten his wife out of plenty of trouble.  Years earlier, Keith and Allura had discussed creating an intelligence ministry with Lance at the head, but decided that would upset the peace that had settled over Arus.  Keith wished now that they had gone through with it.  For the last three years, Lance had been in retirement as the committee he had been heading in charge of reconstruction was officially disbanded.  There was nothing left to reconstruct and he had been more than happy to finish the rest of his days idly.  But that was not to say he wasn’t bored. 

 

Catching Keith’s eye, Lance nodded.  “I’ll go out to Metark Base and get started there.”

 

“What?” Alana asked, missing the byplay.

 

“Dad’s gonna play spy,” Jack said as he shoveled food into his mouth.  “Metark’s a good place to start since it’s in the middle of nowhere and you can bet those soldiers are not even close to being prepared.”

 

“Nice pickup, Jack,” Bethie said.

 

Jack shrugged.  “I’ve been watching all of you since I was little, picked up a few things along the way.  So, Dad, when are we going?”

 

“We?” Lance said, eyebrow raised.  “Who said you’re coming?  Just cause you guessed right doesn’t mean you win a prize.”

 

“Every captain needs a second-in-command,” Jack said.  “You’ll need help, believe me.  You’re not as young as you used to be.  Besides, I know how the Arusian Army operates.”

 

“Do you?” Allura said.

 

“Sure.  I did a couple training runs with them when I was still in the Academy.  I made a few friends, a few contacts.”

 

They were all staring at him as if he had grown a second head, except Bethie.  Someone had had to approve his presence in the military and she was the one royal who he knew he could trust with his secret, not to mention get the paperwork pushed through faster than usual.  Jack grinned, enjoying their shock, and she laughed outright.

 

“If he had gone down the wrong path, you would have raised a criminal mastermind, Link,” Keith said with a shake of his head.

 

“I’m still not sure I haven’t,” the Mayor of Voltronia remarked, with a smile for her oldest boy. 

 

“Alright, I think he’s made his point,” Lance said.  “Looks like we Branegan boys are going to Metark.  We’ll need some cover stories which Jack and I will be able to think up one our own.  That’ll be the fun part.”

 

“What about the information part?” Alana pushed.

 

“We’ll get in contact with Sven,” Allura said.  “Being in Galaxy Garrison puts him in the best position to help us.”

 

“Good,” the young Princess finally said, turning her attention back to her food.

 

“How long do you have leave, Jack?” Keith asked, wanting to move away from more serious topics. 

 

“A month.”

 

He avoided their eyes as an incredulous silence settled over the room. 

 

“That’s enough time to have a round at the bases with me,” Lance said casually, going back to his salad. 

 

“Did you do something, Jack?” Allura asked.

 

“Nice try, Dad,” Jack sighed, wondering why he didn’t bother thinking of a good cover story.  “No, I didn’t do anything.  I just…I had a little…I got into some trouble with the first officer’s…”

 

“Daughter?” Bethie interrupted, amused.

 

“Cousin?” Alana supplied.

 

“Wife,” Jack muttered.

 

“Have you lost your mind?” Link exploded as Lance rolled his eyes.  “Jackson Branegan, I did not raise you to be an animal and follow your basest instincts!”

 

“I know, I know,” Jack said, putting his hands up to ward off his mother’s words.  “I took care of it, Mom.  It’s fine.”

 

“Are you going to be going back to the Nautilus?” Keith asked.

 

“I’m awaiting orders,” Jack muttered.  “Seriously, can we talk about something else?  Shouldn’t Bethie be getting married soon or something?”

 

For his trouble, he got a smack on the back of his head from his friend.

 

“Don’t rattle what little brain he has left, Sweetheart,” Lance said. 

 

“You sure you want that brain with you, Lance?” Allura said, giving Jack an irritated look. 

 

“Oh come on,” Jack groaned.  “I didn’t sleep with her!  I just…oh hell.”

 

The only sound in the room was Bethie snorting back a laugh.  Link looked as if her head was going to explode but Lance put a hand on her shoulder as he silently bade Jack to keep his mouth shut.

 

“It is good to have you back,” Allura said with a wry smile.