OK so this chapter is so much later than I expected (sorry) and I was so deep in writers block I was not even really sure if i would come out before my summer ends. But I had to buckle down and crank this shit out. I'm not going to abandon this story, so just stick with me if you can.

Enjoy the chapter!


The icy expanse of Kerberos was unforgivingly harsh. Winds blew, and pushed back against the Galaxy Garrison team of three: all gathered around the device collecting the ice samples they would have to bring back to Earth, along with the rock samples that were collected only a day after their successful landing onto Pluto's moon. Shiro found it difficult to refrain his amusement at the pure delight emanating from the other two members of his team. Matt was visibly shaking from the excitement.

"Easy, son. This ice is delicate," Samuel cut in, trying to rein in his outward display of joy, if only to keep Matt's trembles from escalating. The two seemed to feed of another's enthusiasm, Shiro had found. As the ice emerged from the extraction device, the father-son duo marveled at the sample.

"Amazing. Isn't this exciting, Shiro?" Matt turned to him, arms now steady around the ice sample. Shiro shrugged. He didn't get the appeal.

"You guys get a little more excited about ice samples than I do."

Sam shook his head no, as if he were trying to convince Shiro of the true magnificence of this moment. "This is history in the making. Not only have we traveled farther than any human ever has, but this ice cold holy microscopic clues about the existence of life outside Earth."

Matt jumped in. "Think of it, Dad. We could use those clues to become the first people to meet aliens."

"My life's work would be complete," Sam said, nodding.

A tremble.

"Wait," Shiro held up his hand, listening and feeling for a slight rumble that seemed to only grow in intensity. He found it increasingly harder to stay on his feet as the earthquake (?) reached a climax. A deep crack divides the ice a few yards ahead of them, before running towards them quickly; a loud crack ringing out in the silence created by the first waves of movement.

"What is that? Seismic activity?" Sam cried out over the noise, pointing with a trembling finger at the ever-growing chasm. Shiro found Sam and Matt's arms, and urgently tugged them towards the ship.

"We should get back to the ship!"

The crew carefully backs away from the now unmoving break in the ice; making sure to keep an eye on it. Shiro continues the back away, but pauses when a large shadow befalls them. Above them is a glowing purple symbol, unlike any language he had ever seen before. Connected to it is a ship even larger than theirs, and dark as night.

"Wha—? What is that?! It can't be..." Samuel and Matt were glued where they stood; stuck starIng with wide eyes at the quickly approaching warship. Shiro once again tugged them towards him, and began sprinting away from the alien ship, uncaring if the ice underneath their feet crumbled away. Matt drops the ice sample in his haste; leaving the specimen he coddled so lovingly to shatter on the floor.

"Run! Come on, run!"

They run fast, like the Devil himself was hot on their heels. In some ways though, that's exactly what was happening. Even as Shiro's feet pounded the ground beneath him with a desperate vigor, he still found those same feet leaving the ground. The magenta light being emitted from the alien warship seemed to hold its own gravitational force.

A scream, and then black.


Shiro woke to a heavily pounding headache and voices above him. It is only once he opens his eyes that he realizes he's kneeling. Matt and Sam were shackled to either side of him with what looked like a rope of light. The heat coming off of them was nearly unbearable. Shiro felt as if he were burning and drowning at the same time, and somehow, his mind couldn't click those thoughts into place.

"Emperor Zarkon, we were scouting system X-9-Y as ordered when we found these primitive scientists. I don't think they know anything useful."

He started at the sudden noise, but immediately froze as he looked towards the owners of the voices above him. Shiro started inwardly at their grotesque, animalistic features, and forcibly clamped his mouth shut; keeping himself from screaming. The alien species that stood speaking above him.

"Take them back to the main fleet for interrogation. The Druids will find out what they know."

He could stay quiet no longer.

"Please, we come from a peaceful planet! W-We mean you no harm! We're unarmed!"

The two regarded him coldly, before the larger one gave a curt nod and turned heel; his large cloak billowing out behind him. "Please…" The smaller alien looked down at him and his fallen teammates with disgust, before slamming Shiro with the butt of his gun, and throwing him into an uneasy darkness again.


The second time Shiro woke on the alien ship, it was to warm fur on his face, and clawed hands rooting through his clothes. He startled awake, crab-walking to the farthest corner of the cell he was in.

The thing before Shiro was odd to say the least. Distinctly human features, but sickly yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the dimly lit space of the cell. The creature's skin reminded Shiro of a girl he knew in the second grade with vitiligo; pale, but instead of her brown skin, its was spotted with various shades of purple. Lilac, and a deeper shade of purple ran across the skin as if someone took to splashing and flicking paint onto a living surface. It reminded Shiro of the very ship he was on, and of the aliens that took his team and chained them up like animals, if they were smaller and thin as a rail. (Jesus this kid couldn't be much older than 18). But despite his current situation, Shiro couldn't help but notice that when he looked past the unusual features of the kid, he wasn't hideous as his counterparts, and looked- human. Once again ignoring the large fluffy ears that stood straight in surprised agitation.

"You aren't dead," The kid's eyes bore into his. "It wouldn't be the first time I've woken up to a body in my cell." He shrugged. "But if the big man upstairs gives me roomies, I can't really do anything about it now can I?"

"Who are you?"

The kid chuckled. "I'll tell you what. Make it past the next few quintants, and I'll tell you."

"What's gonna happen then?" Shiro could feel his hair raise, and unknowingly found himself leaning forward. "What happens here- where is here?"

"Galran empire? Biggest quiznaking regime in the galaxy? Am I ringing any bells yet?" At Shiro's confused stare the kid huffed. "Have you been living under an orizes for the last 10,000 years or are you just not from around here?"

"I'm not from around here actually. I'm from Earth. Me, my crew- those guys that threw me in here took us from our ship. Who knows what they can be doing t-"

The Kid let out a surprised guffaw which then quickly dissolved into hysterical laughter.

"Are you serious?" His eyes were suddenly as hard as the creatures that took his team. "You make it seem like you're the only one who doesn't want to be here! Everyone here has a family! Everyone here… everyone here.. has someone who loves them. But not me of course, right? I just walked into this cell without putting up a fight, right?"

Shiro sat back on his heels as if he had been struck by the force of The Kid's words. "No- I didn't mean- I- I," The door of the shared cell slammed open with a sound akin to the rattle of a snake. A burly guard moved forward, blocking any chances of escape from the prisoners inside of the small cell.

"Emperor Zarkon wants to see the newest specimen in the dome. You," Burly Guard motioned to Shiro, a cruel sneer painted thick on his face. "Come on, the factors of your match rely on your cooperation as well as the Emperor's will."

Shiro scanned the room wildly for anything that could be wielded as a possible weapon, but the cell was bare save for a single cot, a sleek black box that could only be used as a toilet, and a line of glowing metal loops attached to the side wall. Seeing nothing, he slumped, looking to The Kid for a reaction- for anything- but he only sat still and quiet.

Shiro scoffed at the sight. Where's that fight now, Kid?

Shiro allowed for himself to be dragged up by the guard, his mind racing with ideas as to how the hell he got himself here, and how the hell he would get out. As he was pushed out of the cell, another Galra of a lighter lavender color and a white strip of hair down the middle of his head rushed into the cell and grabbed The Kid.

"The witch demands your presence, K'eithok." The Kid- Keith, Shirt guesses, still remained unresponsive, glaring embers quietly into the floor in front of him. Burly cackled, delighted.

"Half-breed's pissin' himself!" The guard kicked out at the leg Keith was obviously favoring-he was hurt- and practically doubled laughing over when the kid crumpled to his knees with a grunt. Shiro strained against the Galra gripping him.

"Hey! Fucking stop! Stop i-" All that came out of Shiro's mouth was a harsh wheeze as all the air rushed out of his bruised gut.

"Don't worry boy," Burly pushed out between his laughter. "I can give you both my attention. Practically begging like a bitch in heat." He pushed Shiro up against the unforgiving bars of the cell, rancid breath choking Shiro like smoke.

"Crux'eb." Burly's cackles immediately came to an abrupt stop. The only sound that reigned over the dim corridor was the labored breathing of Keith, but the exchange of words between the two guards was deafening.

"C'mon Ulaz," the laughter returned, but instead of hearty roars, these were nervous chuckles. "I was just having a bit of fun. You get what I mean- we've all done it."

"Get the prisoner to the Dome." Crux'eb looked as if he wanted to argue against the order, but instead nodded.

"...Vrepit sa."

"Vrepit sa."

The Galra supporting Keith (practically dragging him along) disappeared down the dark corridor. Shiro expected to follow, but found himself being yanked in the other direction by Crux'eb.

"Excited one aren't ya? Don't worry, you'll meet Haggar soon enough. But for now, the Emperor wants see your worth in the dome."

"The Dome?"

Crux'eb fixed him with a wicked smile.

"You're going to the Dome to fight a Champion. Whether you win or die will be determined by if you impress the Emperor, so do so or…" A chill racked Shiro's body as he moved closer to the living beast that was the Dome. Roaring, breathing with the bloodlust of the Galra inside. The Dome was the only place all Galra can revel in the freedom of all feeling, even with their own emperor in the viewing box before them. In the Dome, Zarkon uses the oppression and pain brought down upon his people by his generals and commanders and converts that hate towards his regime to bloodlust to be battered down onto those enslaved and forced the battle.

Fitting of a warlord, Shiro couldn't help but think. Except…

"...We'll all eat you alive."

He was on the menu.


so this is still a huge WIP so if that turns you off I just gotta let you know. also, I do readily accept constructive criticism, and thoughts on how you guys want to see the story go. I still cant decide if I want bromance or slash, so comment :)))

thanks for reading -nolabel :)