The blue, white, and yellow robot stood before Voltron with its mechanical face showing nothing but a cold, unflinching stare. Its pilot, however, was anything but stoic.

"Voltron, the so-called Defender of the Universe. You're thieves, nothing more! Let's see how the Defender of the Universe fares against Gravion, the Super Heavyweight God!"

"Gravion is what that thing's called?" Keith asked. "Where did it come from?"

"Apparently a TV show", Pidge replied.

"WHAT?!"

"Long story."

The Paladins had no time to debate the origin of the machine as it raised both of its hands towards Voltron. Not wasting a single moment, Pidge motioned to her controls.

"We need the shield!"

"DOUBLE PRESSURE PUNCH!"

The twin fists of Gravion shot out like missiles at Voltron, their engines pushing against the shield and driving Voltron backward.

"GRAVITON ARC!"

Suddenly, the pushing motion stopped as the two fists flew out of the way, allowing a clear shot from the robot. A massive beam of energy fired from the jewel in its chest, colliding with Voltron and knocking it to the ground.

"Shield can't take another hit like that!" Hunk said.

"Then let's counterattack!"

Immediately Voltron began firing at the enemy machine, which danced and darted past the blasts, placing its arms in front of its body while dodging.

"GRAVITY CRESCENT!"

Between the two arms, a blade of purple energy was formed and then flung at Voltron. Luckily for the Paladins, they were able to dodge the blade just in time, watching as it sliced through the trees below them as if they didn't exist. Before Shiro could contemplate their next move, however, Pidge quickly interrupted.

"Shiro, this is pointless! He's got an entire army of robots like this! If we stay here, we're going to lose through sheer attrition!"

"What?"

"Washboard is right," Lance said, only for a furious Pidge to scream at him through the comm.

"Did you just call me washboard!?"

"It was the bodyguard who said it!"

"And that means you should copy her!?"

"Enough!" Shiro said. "If we can't stay here, what should we do?"

"We need to find out where this robot came from and go inside! From there we need to find out where the core of EXEL is and destroy it!"

"Core? What are you ta…forget it! Hunk, find that entrance!"

"Got it," Hunk replied, hastily looking at his instruments.

"Looks like there's an entrance not too far from here. If we take that, we should be able to find the core!"

"GRAVITON SWORD!"

"NO YOU DON'T!"

Quickly placing his bayard into the slot of the Red Lion, Keith formed Voltron's own sword to clash with Gravion's. As the two robots struggled against each other, Shiro began to plan his move.

"Keith, get ready to move on my signal! Pidge! Hit that entrance once we're in range! Lance!"

"What?"

"Explain what's going on as soon as we lose this guy!"

"Got it."

For a few more seconds the two robots continued to struggle until Shiro shouted "NOW!" As he did so, the sword vanished from Voltron's hands, causing Gravion to stumble forward as the Paladins flew past it.

"Pidge!"

"Got it!"

Laser fire blasted open a field of grass hiding a massive service door. The Paladins flew into it without hesitation, while EXEL looked on in Gravion.

"What are they planning?"

"So the 'Living Archive' is a computer called EXEL and it has millennia of historical artifacts and info, but no social skills. And the only way we're getting off this planet is to destroy it."

"More or less," Lance said.

Voltron flew down tunnels with neon lighting, past rows upon rows of items, many of which none of the Paladins could identify. Deeper they journeyed, hoping they could find the aforementioned core of EXEL and at the very least, disable it long enough to escape.

Paladins, what foolishness is this?

"EXEL!" Lance shouted.

Is this some feeble attempt to destroy me, knowing I won't let you leave? Do you really think I'm in danger here?

"I think you haven't had an original thought in your entire life," Pidge replied, "and you're taking it out on us."

You fools. I'm not the one in danger here. I AM the danger!"

From within the cockpit of the Green Lion, Pidge smiled.

"Thanks for proving my point."

Without warning, an incredibly quick craft flew past Voltron, firing at it. Turning to face the aircraft, Lance smiled.

"A fighter jet? Voltron eats fighter jets for lunch!"

Not this one.

Immediately, the red craft turned around, shifting form to resemble a long vertical shaft with numerous implements emerging from the top, as if they were tentacles. On two of said implements were a sword and shield, striking at Voltron even as the Paladins attempted to maneuver down the tunnel away from the jet.

The Variable Trooper of the Reisona, a species that had all its implements on their heads. Sadly they passed well before your time. But it's a lovely craft, isn't it?

"You're delusional!" Keith yelled, even as Voltron attempted to fight back against the attacks of the red craft.

"Two bogeys in front of us!"

The sudden shout from Lance caused the pilots to be briefly distracted as two machines, humanoid in shape, flew in front of the opening to the next room. Each machine had a singular 'eye' on their humanoid head, the blue one holding a massive rifle while the red held a smaller pistol but was surrounded by floating objects forming an energy shield.

"Plan?" Hunk asked.

The blue machine fired a massive blast of energy from its rifle, which the relatively agile Voltron was able to dodge. The red machine had no such luck, taking the brunt of the fire as it fell forward when Voltron flew out of the way. Turning to the blue and red machines, Voltron began firing laser blasts at them. The shield generated from the floating devices from the red machine harmlessly deflected said blasts, all the while the blue machine readied its rifle for another shot.

"This is no good!" Shiro said, his eyes darting back and forth as he looked for an exit from the two mechas attacking him. "We need a plan!"

"Plan is avoid that blue one's gun!" Keith shouted, while Voltron again was forced to dodge a blast from the blue machine. Using the distraction to its advantage, the red machine dashed forward, a blade of energy emerging from a shield on its right arm.

"Sword!"

"Got it!"

Voltron's sword deflected the swipe from the red machine as the blue one readied its rifle for another blast. Rather than stay put, Keith looked around at his opponents.

"This guy can summon all the cartoon robots he wants," he began as Voltron moved its sword to deflect the blade of the red machine, "but they're still just toys!"

Expertly having moved past the energy blade, Voltron sliced the red machine in two, taking the top half and holding it in its free arm. It then darted towards the blue machine as it fired another blast. Throwing the remains of the red machine before it, the blue machine was unable to strike back as its rifle was cut to pieces, followed by the machine itself.

"We're close," Hunk said, looking on at the radar in front of him. "About another ten minutes at this speed."

"Then let's keep moving."

Voltron's approach was not a secret to EXEL. Observing the giant gestalt traveling down its tunnels, the eyes of the machine zeroed in on Voltron.

You haven't won yet Voltron. You won't win!

Machines from cultures real and fictional arose from their careful placement among EXEL's archives and charged through the tunnels to meet the intruder, firing wildly at Voltron.

"There is way too much cover fire!" Lance shouted, desperately trying to move Voltron out of the way. Looking on at the machines, Shiro sighed.

"I recognize half of these things! How many machines did EXEL create!"

"We're dealing with an otaku supercomputer! What does it matter?"

The legions of machines approached, firing all the while. Looking at the formation, or more accurately the mad rush of enemies approaching Voltron, Hunk came to a conclusion as he placed his bayard into its slot.

"The enemy commander isn't thinking clearly. He's throwing everything at us down a tunnel. Meaning…" he began as Voltron raised its large cannon towards the top of the tunnel.

"We don't have to fight them, just seal them off!"

A powerful beam of energy fired from Voltron's cannon, causing debris to fall into the tunnel. A trickle of debris soon turned into a raging torrent as the tunnel was sealed, leaving EXEL's machines on the other side where they couldn't attack.

"We're getting closer. Just need to take a bit of a roundabout way through."

The tunnels continued to pass by, a kaleidoscope of neon blue and red as the Paladins approached the main source of energy.

"It's in the next tunnel over!" Pidge said. Looking forward, she added, "EXEL's sealed himself in!"

"Not from me he hasn't!" Hunk said, firing another blast from Voltron's cannon. The energy cut a hole in the solid steel large enough for Voltron to go through, preparing to face EXEL, his true form.

What they saw instead was a massive flash of white light.

"Ugh!"

Lance looked around, having felt like he was thrown from a vehicle onto the ground. Getting up, he found that he wasn't in pain, but instead on a beach, the soft sand and warm sun serving as a pleasant cushion. Behind him, he saw a sight he hadn't expected to see for quite a while.

"Mom! Dad!"

Running up, he hugged both his parents, their faces filled with a joy and relief at seeing their son again. As he turned around, he saw someone who clearly wasn't part of his family.

"You can be together again. You can forget everything. Let me help you."

The emotion from his family was real. The people in front of him, their love, felt real. And yet…

"No, you…"

Shaking his head, EXEL stared out towards the ocean. "Immortal, loved for all time, with an infinite amount of things to do. You are loved, Lance McClain. You will be loved. Come with me."

Looking around, he saw his family, friends, and legions of beautiful women, all extending their hands to him.

"We love you."

The feeling of warmth and acceptance was almost too much for him to bear. It felt like he had reached heaven, nirvana, or the countless other terms for true paradise. Extending his hand, he prepared to reach for them.

Unbeknownst to Lance, the other Paladins were all seeing their own visions. Shiro, his arm returned to him and home at the Garrison where he belonged. Pidge, having struggled long and far; finally reunited her family together. Keith, his quest solved, seeing his mother as he introduced her to a pretty woman with silver hair. Hunk, sitting with his family in front of an enormous feast, having returned home. The two constants among the visions were the soft, melodic music playing in the background as EXEL told them all the same thing.

"You will be loved. Your quest is at an end."

The temptation of the five was overpowering, but at the end, they only said one thing, in one united voice.

"NO!"

The white light vanished as the five Paladins found themselves in front of a massive wall with lines leading towards a blue circle. Around it stood several monitors, broadcasting all the happenings in the various parts of the planet, allowing its owner to observe every step the Paladins had taken prior. In the center of the circle, with the chamber's sheer scale making even Voltron look small, the face of EXEL emerged, filled with rage.

"Then die!"

From behind Voltron, a form emerged, sword ready to slice the Defender of the Universe in two. Flying out of the way, Voltron found itself in front of Gravion, the blade of the enemy machine drawn. Both floated in the chamber, staring each other down.

"So it's come down to a duel, has it?" EXEL said as Gravion prepared its blade to strike Voltron. The soft music that had echoed throughout all of the Paladins visions continued to play, an ironic background to a duel to the death.

"I offered you peace and you spat in my eye," EXEL said. "Now you're going to suffer!"

Without the need for instructions, Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Keith all placed their bayards in their respective slots, creating a massive scimitar. Charging forward, it prepared to strike as Gravion moved forward, then flew upwards, attempting to strike at the target below.

"SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT SLASH!"

CLANG!

"Elgo…end."

The sound of the two blades clashing echoed throughout the chamber as both Voltron and Gravion, the only other noise the continued playing of the soft music. After several seconds, Voltron turned to face its foe, the Paladins observing the massive blade strike in its center. The machine and its pilots stared on for a brief moment before an explosion overtook Gravion, what remained of it falling to the ground.

"W…wait!" EXEL shouted. "You can leave! Fine! Your television, the plans, keep them! But you can't destroy me! I have the knowledge of the entire cosmos within me! To kill me is to destroy countless millennia of knowledge and culture! You would annihilate all that knowledge for revenge?!"

The scimitar Voltron held vanished, replaced with its cannon. As the Paladins took aim at the defenseless EXEL, Pidge only asked one question.

"If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

"W…"

BLAM!

"RRRAAAAAAAGGGGH!"

The howl of pain emerged from the face in the center of the wall before vanishing, the light fading from the chamber and the tunnel. Breathing heavily, Pidge looked on at the silenced target.

"It doesn't matter how much knowledge you had. The universe would never see it."

The sound of heavy rumbling, as well as the falling of debris, cut Pidge's musings short. Keith was quick to identify it.

"Looks like that was a load-bearing supercomputer! Let's get out of here!"

The defenses of EXEL were silenced along with it, leaving the Paladins free to race to the exit. As Voltron cleared the atmosphere, the Paladins turned back one last time towards the planet, watching as it tore itself apart from within. Rather than a final, brilliant explosion, several smaller but no less devastating ones tore the planet asunder, leaving all the knowledge and items it had gathered destroyed and un-usable.

"Pidge," Lance began, but Pidge was quick to shake her head.

"Forget it. Let's get the hell out of here."

Staring at the television and games she had collected from EXEL, Pidge sighed heavily. The sound of the door opening behind her only complicated her thoughts.

"You here to collect your share of the bounty?"

"If you mean have dibs on playing first, then yes," Lance said. Looking at Pidge's rather forlorn face, he asked, "are you OK?"

"We just destroyed a planet housing not only the entertainment, science, and culture of thousands of dead worlds, and all we have to show for it are a flatscreen TV, the plans to Zarkon's fortress, and these games. Think of all the good we could have done with that knowledge. Think of how much we could have learned. Hell, with all those weapons, think of how quickly we could have ended this war."

"EXEL sure as hell didn't," Lance said, helping Pidge to set up the television. "He offered me immortality, and probably all the women in the universe. Well, the women in his little dream world, and to be isolated from the universe forever."

"You turning down women, that was kinda hard to believe."

"They weren't real," Lance said. "You guys are. He offered all this stuff, but none of it was real. Real people are suffering, and we can help end that. That's worth fighting for, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Pidge said, nodding enthusiastically. "Now plug this thing in so we can get started. I don't want to think about insane otaku supercomputers right now."

"Works for me," Lance said, only to realize a key issue.

"Uh, where do we plug it in?"

Pidge's eyes scanned the area, looking for a plug or something similar to insert both the television and game console into. Her response was simple and blunt.

"Oh God, really?! You mean we did all that for nothing?"

Before Pidge could do something she would regret, the door opened again, this time Hunk walking through, holding a large box.

"Hunk?"

"I got a surprise for you!" Hunk said with a huge smile on his face. The annoyed Pidge could only offer a cross glare.

"More of those glass cookies?"

"A million times better!" he said, showing off the object in his hands. "Ta-da!"

Placing the box on the ground, Pidge immediately recognized the plugs on it and beamed.

"You made a power converter?"

"I didn't know how to convert the audio and video signals between the castle's monitors and the game console," Hunk said, "but converting power is a snap!"

Beaming at the sight, Pidge plugged it in, but not before asking "What's the catch?"

"I wanna play! Duh. Do you have a copy of Gran Tour? I love racing games."

"Really?" Lance asked.

"Yeah, I don't get sick playing games on a monitor."

The bright light from the console and the images from the television confirmed that Hunk's ingenuity had saved them a lot of grief. With the initial tests done, the three took turns on the game console, playing well into the night. The knowledge that was never theirs was forgotten, replaced with the simple pleasure of three friends trying to beat each other in various games.

It was a simple pleasure, but one well worth the struggle.