Keith's expression turned dark as they neared Doom. The black sphere of the planet loomed on their viewscreen and he glared. It had taken them less than a day to get there at full speed, but now they slowed their approach to only a quarter speed and took to the opposite side of the planet from where the Castle was. They had to get under the sensors and advance as carefully as possible. They were going to do that from underground for their ship was equipped with a large drill.

"Status," Coran's voice came over the comm link.

"All systems normal. We're nearing Doom. Radio silence will come into effect in five minutes," Lance replied.

"Acknowledged. May Riaru be with you. Castle Control out."

Five minutes passed quickly and Lance flicked the switch to cut off all communication lines. Their ship entered Doom's airspace moments later, picking up speed as they plunged towards the surface. They were going at such high speeds that both Keith and Lance were pressed back against their headrests. Rock and soil flew up into the air when the ship pushed nose-first into the ground. Keith turned the drill on and they began to descend.

Lance squinted at the map in front of him. It was old, but he doubted the Doom's surface had changed too much that they would end up in the wrong place altogether. The castle was marked with a big red "x" and as they neared, the computer's beeps came faster and faster. It would be hard to miss. He just wanted to make sure that they made no mistakes or stumble into any traps. A trap was what got them into this mess in the first place.

"How much further?" Keith asked.

"We've still got half the planet to cover. Unless we cut across the center, it'll take another day."

"We can't cut across the center," Keith said. "We can't raise our shields that high. We'll risk detection if we do. And without high shields, we burn to a crisp."

"Then we've got a long trip ahead of us, Cap'n."

Lance fidgeted in his black outfit. They were wearing Alliance regs for espionage missions, but no matter how many times he wore it, he never found it comfortable. He pulled at the turtleneck and pulled out the earpiece. It wasn't being used yet anyway. In front of him, Keith sat ramrod straight in his seat. The only movement that could be seen were his hands and arms since he was piloting the ship.

"Let's go over the plan again," Lance said, feeling restless.

"We park the ship in the Pit of Skulls and blast our way underneath the castle," Keith recited. "We pinpoint the approximate area of the dungeons and cut our way out from beneath the floor. I use Pidge's gadget to give him control of the Doom computers briefly, including the security systems, to buy us some time to find Sven and get him out."

"Sounds simple enough."

"Sounds, but doing it is a whole other matter."

"I hope to God he's alive." He paused, pensive. "Keith, I think we should handcuff him."

"I know," Keith said, his expression dark. "It would be too much to hope that they hadn't done anything to him yet."

"I'm afraid of what we'll find."

"Whatever it is, as long as we have him back we'll find a way to get him back to the way he was."

"I didn't know you were such an optimist."

Keith shrugged. "It kicks in at times."

They took turns staying awake until finally, the beeping ceased as they reached their destination. Keith put a hand on Lance's arm to wake him. The other man woke quickly and they both turned their attentions to what they were doing. Keith's expression was blank, but his eyes were intense. Lance was uncharacteristically serious and he was frowning slightly as he helped Keith steer the ship in the right direction.

A shower of rock and soil flew forward before the ship broke through a stone wall. They landed with a loud crunch on the skeleton-covered ground. Keith opened the exit hatch and stepped out, careful not to put his foot on any bones. His lips twisted as he saw the piles around them. Lance came out from behind him and made a disgusted sound.

"So many souls stolen by Zarkon," he muttered, making the sign of the cross.

"Too many," Keith said, shaking his head.

They pulled on black masks that left everything covered but their eyes. They then put on black goggles that only had a narrow slit for them to see through. It was pitch black in the pit so they turned on the night vision option on their goggles. The masks were equipped with microphones and an earpiece so that they could talk to only each other. Lance handed Keith his backpack and he shouldered his own. Keith put a hand to his hip to make sure his blaster was there. Lance's was strapped across his midsection. They looked at each other.

"Ready?" Keith asked.

"Do I really have a choice?"

"Not now you don't."

"Then by all means..." He made a grand gesture. "...after you."

Zarkon watched the two black figures creeping in the shadows of the Pit of Skulls. He laughed loudly, the sound echoing in the chamber. Lotor looked up from where he was sitting and smirked when he saw what his father was laughing at.

"Valiant of them to try," he remarked.

"Stupid more like it," Zarkon said. "It's not as if I'm careless enough to leave the Pit unwatched."

"May I go and apprehend them, Father?"

Zarkon rolled his eyes. "I don't think so, Son."

Lotor scowled. "If you would tell me your plan, I know I could help. I don't like being kept in the dark. Do I have to remind you about how I captured Pollux?"

Zarkon snorted. "Pollux? That was such a long time ago, that I can barely remember it. As I do recall however, they surrendered voluntarily without any threat from you. You just happen to be there to receive the surrender and I'm sure that was your only victory. Just stay out of my way this time, Lotor because if you don't, I don't care what promises I've made to your mother. I will kill you."

Lotor's hand twitched towards his blaster, but decided this was not the time. Zarkon will fall, but not today. He had to lay low until it was his turn.

"Fine."

Zarkon turned back to the screen and saw the two black forms setting their charges. He called out orders to the soldiers in the lower levels to put up a fight, but not too good of a fight. He needed them to succeed in what they were planning to do for his own plan to be successful. He turned his eyes towards the other screen that showed their prisoner in rest. His loyal nurse was at his side, sitting quietly. Zarkon was sure that she would be saved as well, but he was tiring of her anyway. It would be a slight blow to Lotor if they lost that particular slave girl, but there would be others. It would certainly keep his son from getting distracted, not that his state of non-distraction was much different. Lotor would most likely get nothing done either way. At least the witch was still useful.

"Hagar, did everything go as it should with our prisoner?" the King asked.

Hagar appeared at the foot of the stairs leading up to his throne. "Yes, Sire. He was easy to control because he's still weak."

"Excellent. Now all we have to do is wait for them to get to him."