Time Unaccounted For

Disclaimer: I do not own Voltron or any of its characters.

Rating/Setting: Rating is K. Setting is VLD.

Author's Notes: This is in response to a KAEX Challenge: BASED ON VLD EPISODE 1: "Rise of Voltron" Title of the challenge: Two Hours. What do you think happened to Keith and Allura during those two hours when they were left in the castle while the other paladins went to search for the rest of the lions? Story should be KA

*Please note as well, that there we have a lot to learn about the paladins and the Alteans. Take the story for what it is based on the small amount of information we currently have. Be kind if you choose to review. This is just a short one-shot for me. Please forgive any typos.

The shuttle, carrying Shiro and Pidge, and the Blue Lion, carrying Hunk and Lance, winked out of view.

"Seriously?" Keith asked Coran. "A nice place to live out the rest of your lives? You really know how to inspire confidence." Keith crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at the older man. "And what about me?"

Coran glanced from the dark haired young man to the young woman standing at the controls. "I don't think that being trapped with us would be too much of a hardship."

Keith looked in the direction that Coran was looking and rolled his eyes. They had been on Arus and in the castle less than a day. It was a little early to be engaging in romance. He looked back at Allura; but then again it wouldn't hurt to learn more about their hostess. Keith dropped his arms and walked over to stand about ten feet to side of the princess.

"So, what's involved in creating a wormhole?" Keith asked.

Allura glanced over at him and then back at the viewer in front of her. "My quintessence interfaces with the Altean technology and then emits a broadbeam pulse in front of the ship creating a wormhole portal. The exit for the wormhole is programmed into the system before I begin the interface."

"It all sounds very… complicated," Keith said as he scratched his head.

Allura smiled. "I don't completely understand it all myself. Coran does and we'll need to teach all of you about our systems in case something happens."

Allura's voice faltered and Keith knew she was thinking about everyone she had lost. He stepped closer and said, "Hunk or Pidge would probably be best. They're the most technical of the group; but I'll learn what I can."

The smile returned to Allura's face as she said, "So if they're the technical ones, what are you, Lance, and Shiro?"

Keith laughed. "I think you've already pegged us pretty good when you assigned our lions."

"Well, we've got a couple of hours. Humor me and give me your impressions. After all, from what I know, the five of you haven't been together very long."

Keith looked toward the wormhole swirling on the viewer. "Shiro and I knew each other before he was captured by the Galra. He was one of the flight instructors at Garrison."

"Garrison?" Allura asked.

"Yeah, it's a military school on earth. You know, where you learn to be fighter pilots and soldiers. It was also the primary space exploration force."

"Ah, yes. We had the Royal Academy on Altea." Allura closed her eyes. "The Academy was one of the first places the Galra hit. All those bright young soldiers… Gone."

Seeing that Allura was deeply hurt by these memories, Keith continued. "So I knew Shiro from the Garrison." He shrugged slightly and said, "I knew Lance's name but we didn't train much together. Hunk was in the engineering classes and Pidge came after I left."

For the first time, Allura turned her attention completely to Keith. "You left the Garrison?"

Keith looked back at the screen. "Yeah, I left. Lance would tell you I washed out."

"Washed out?" Allura asked in a perplexed tone.

"I was asking questions about the Kerberos mission. That's the mission that Shiro and his team disappeared on. I guess I asked one too many and poked my nose where it didn't belong." He shrugged. "So they kicked me out." Keith kept his eyes on the screen. He didn't want to see Allura's reaction. Most thought he was a trouble-maker.

"Well, it sounds like you were asking all the right questions. I see why you are suited to fly Red Lion," Allura said pleasantly.

Keith looked at the princess and said, "It doesn't bother you?"

"No. Should it?"

"I don't know. Most people don't like unpredictable," he said as he moved a few steps closer.

Allura smiled. "Remember Red Lion? You rely on instinct and your lion is just like you- unpredictable."

Keith smiled back. "Yeah, I guess we are alike then."

"Tell me about the others."

"Shiro is a leader and a teacher. He's calm and in control," Keith said as he searched his thoughts for ways to describe his teammates.

"And Lance?"

Keith grimaced. "Lance is a legend in his own mind."

"Excuse me?" Allura quizzed.

"He imagines a rivalry between us that doesn't exist."

"Why is that?" Allura continued the questioning.

Keith was silent.

"Keith?"

"He feels he's the better pilot; let's just leave it at that," Keith said succinctly.

"I get the impression that Lance feels he's the best pilot of all of you," Allura said with a laugh. She turned her gaze to Keith's profile. "But he's not is he?"

"I was top of my class before I left," Keith said and then turned to Coran. "Is there anything I can help you with Coran?"

"No, Keith. Allura's the only one that can locate the Red Lion. Once she has the wormholes stabilized she can break away for periods of time to search for the lion," Coran responded from the station he was at.

Keith put his hands on his hips. "So there's nothing I can do?"

"Why don't you run some scans on the Galra ship? Coran could have been off in his time estimate." Allura stepped back from the station and moved over toward the side of the ship. She waved her hand and a seat with a table and virtual display rose from the floor. "You'll be able to plot their path and calculate the time of their arrival."

Keith nodded. At least it was something to do. As he pulled up the display, he realized he wouldn't be able to help after all. He sighed. "I'm afraid I'm not going to be any help. This is all in Altean. When Pidge gets back, maybe he can do some type of translation." Keith leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Keith. I wasn't thinking."

"That's okay. Maybe I can watch you and Coran and pick up some things about how the system works?"

"Certainly," Allura said and seated herself at a nearby station.

Keith came and stood behind her. In many ways, the system wasn't that different from Earth systems. He just didn't know the language. He watched for about thirty minutes. She had gotten up once during that time to repower the wormholes and then returned to her search for the Red Lion.

"There," Allura said as she opened her eyes and looked at the display of the Arusian star system on the display.

"Where?" Keith asked as he leaned forward over her shoulder.

"The Galra battle cruiser. Red Lion is on that ship."

Keith stared at the ship on the display at the station. He hadn't realized that he had leaned in so close to Allura. For someone who had been in stasis for ten thousand years, she smelled really good. Maybe Coran wasn't so far off-

"Allura!" Coran called. "There's fluctuations in the wormholes!"

"I've got it!" she called as she stood and moved to standing station.

"And… ummm…." Coran sputtered.

"What is it, Coran?" she asked calmly.

"I may have underestimated the amount of time we have before the Galra ship arrives," Coran finally said.

"How much did you underestimate?" Keith asked with a worried tone.

"Ummm, they'll be arriving about an hour after the wormholes close."

"Coran!" Keith yelled. "That doesn't give us much time."

"Hopefully, it will be enough," Allura responded. "It has to be."

Keith looked from Allura to the view of the wormholes. He knew that the princess would be focused on her task now. There wouldn't be much talk with less than an hour remaining on wormholes.

Things had changed so much in such a short amount of time. There was so much left to discover. Could they get the Red Lion off the Galra cruiser? Would the Red Lion accept him if they did? Could they form Voltron? What would they do with him once they did? He didn't have the answers. Keith's gaze turned from the viewscreen to Princess Allura. She didn't have the answers either, but he was willing to search for them with her.