Chapter Text
Explosions echoed far away.
The red shine of the alarm reflected off the walls of the ship. She could distantly tell that shouting and screams permeated the halls, but she couldn't hear anything over the ringing in her ears.
Red was all she could see. The red of the alarm. Her red shoes. The red liquid pooling in front of her.
She had the distant urge to scream. It wasn't long before someone found her though.
A stray arm from behind her reached out and landed on her shoulder. Before she could do anything but tense up, she was turned around and faced with a familiar face.
In front of her was Katie “Pidge” Holt, the green paladin in all her glory.
She almost sobbed in relief. Before she could say anything though, the two previously unnoticed figures stepped out from behind the paladin.
Her best friends.
All three figures looked at her worriedly, but she shook her head.
"I'm fine." It was not her blood after all.
The green paladin nodded before looking down, seeming to hear something in her comms. Her expression faltered, before steeling in determination.
The paladin grabbed her wrist before motioning for the others to follow. And there they were, winding through the twisting halls and corners that confused her on the best of days.
She turned to scan the figures of her friends, grateful to find them relatively unharmed. One of them noticed and gave her a comforting smile. Then he raised his fingers to sign.
It's going to be okay.
She signs back with one hand, as the other was still being dragged, with her brow furrowed.
I hope so.
It wasn't long before the four arrived at their destination. It didn't take long for her to realize it was the main lab. The destruction had reached it too, but no one was given a pause to assess the damage before the paladin continued.
They all headed to the back and through one of the storage doors. Before she could question their destination, they were brought to a large machine that looked remarkably like a spaceship. It was a sleek design, but undoubtedly human. It also looked like it could comfortably house four people.
She was confused, and she could tell the others were too. Sensing this, the green paladin turned around and let go of the wrist she had been dragging.
"I didn't think - well, I hoped I would never have to use this," the paladin explains, looking resigned. "It will give you guys the chance to . . . fix everything.”
Before the three can question her through, distant shouts are suddenly heard. The paladin steels her gaze once more and heads inside the ship.
The remaining three look at each other before following.
Inside, the green paladin is found in the control room, adjusting settings and checking storage levels.
It takes her a minute to assess the screens and messages popping up, but she quickly realizes the purpose of the machine. "Time travel."
The two figures near her startle at the thought. She herself feels a spark of anger, because why now? but it quickly fizzles out.
The paladin works quickly, as while it got quieter inside the ship, they know danger is still headed their way.
Just as it seems like the paladin finished, a blast is heard that shakes the larger ship. All of them are almost blasted off their feet. The paladin looks around worriedly, before heading to a side compartment and grabbing a few things.
“We don’t have much time, so let me tell you what I can," the paladin starts, and continues at their nods. "I can't come with you guys." Before anyone protests, she holds up a hand. "It's not possible as the time continuum would be unstable. The letter explains it."
She hands a letter to her from the pile of objects in her hand. "Letter first, then notebook." She hands over a notebook.
The only thing left in her hands is a bag. "I've never tested the machine this far, so the time and place you land isn't going to be very specific. The bag has food, clothing, and money, in case you guys end up stranded, okay?”
It clearly wasn't, as the three friends exchange worried looks, but they hear another, smaller blast. Through the helm windows, they can see the Galra pouring in.
The green paladin hugs each of them, gives the bag to the third in their group, then approaches the console. "It only has enough juice for one trip. After that, it’ll be a regular spaceship," she says, before activating the machine and starting a countdown.
By now, all three of them are crying. The paladin turns to them, helpless, then quickly heads for the exit of the ship. "Stay safe, you guys. We all love you."
And just like that, the green paladin leaves.
With a few seconds left in the countdown on the monitor, she watches the paladin buy them time with the Galra through the windows. She almost runs out to her, but their third stops her with a shake of the head.
With the blasters firing, and the ship rising in the air, the three watch the green paladin fight through the Galra horde.
And then they see nothing at all.