AN: I know...I have other stories. Believe me, I know. But I just cannot NOT jump on this. XD These will be connected drabbles of various lengths.

Starting from season one.

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In the beginning, there was only chaos.

There was only action and reaction, movement and instinct. Shiro had to adapt again and again, going from space, home, then space again - how fleeting his homecoming had been - but there wasn't even time for him to truly mourn that.

In between the small gaps of time, the pitiful excuse for rest but most certainly better than his cell, in those short moments there were his memories. They leaked into his mind like oil on water, hovering, floating on top but not completely incorporated into his recollection. Most of the time this was the case.

Other times, he almost wished the memories didn't stick so well.

Ever since the Galra first took him all he had time for was surviving.

He had to get this team of teens into shape, going over again and again what their situation was, what would most likely come to pass, what was expected of Voltron, what exactly they were doing when they smashed through a Galra ship with blaring biorhythms of life showing up on the screen and emphasizing that yes, this was only a choice. They could back out at any time despite the Princess' slight frown on her face in the back of the room that only he could see, given where he was standing...

The soldier in him somewhat understood her slight disapproval.

He imagined that finding another paladin wasn't quite so easy to do, let alone five. But the sympathetic part of him that knew these were only kids, that wanted to spare them this war, this dark side of the moon instead of the side with the comforting glow that entranced him as a child...He wanted them to know it was all a choice regardless. This stance he would argue if she ever decided to be vocal about it in the future.

But apparently the future was only thirty minutes later.

"You don't truly mean that."

He felt his shoulders twitch a little, the sudden breath he took too quiet for her to have heard as his mind snapped back into his body. He slowly turned his shoulders towards her, taking the time to blink and acknowledge that her supposed question really didn't sound like one.

"Mean what, exactly?"

Her light eyes narrowed so slightly, but even then they were still big.

"If even one paladin leaves...we cannot form Voltron."

"Not right away."

Allura shifted her weight, her right hand coming up smoothly to rest on her hip. Nowadays it was rare for him to see her in the formal gown and her long hair down, much to Lance's disappointment. Her hair was always tied back into a bun and her demeanor not unlike his drill sergeants from the Garrison but with the royal chin tilt.

Some days he found it hard to believe this was the same person that had reached out for her father, had cried in front of a group of strangers upon learning the fate of all she held dear. In the back of his mind, he faintly acknowledged that his team were not the only ones that had to grow a thick skin in a short amount of time.

His eyes made to look down at his right arm but he fought the impulse. Now was not the time for self pity. Or ever, if he was to lead this ragtag team of barely trained pilots and engineers.

"How easy do you think it is to find paladins?"

The corner of his mouth twitched upwards, having thought the same thing not even five minutes ago. "A bunch of amateurs were able to connect with the lions."

Her eye twitched but it was too faint for him to have seen it. "Our odds were unusually fortuitous."

He eased his mouth into a neutral line. His attempt to steer the tone to more friendlier terms did not go as he hoped.

"I know princess."

"Do you?" came her airy response.

He fully turned towards her. "It took ten thousand years for five paladins to come to this castle. That is not something I take lightly - nor you," he added when she made to interject, "or Coran. But the team - they're inexperienced." Too immature, he added in his head with an internal sigh, then with a bit of grimness, Too young. "It would be wrong to ask for sacrifices they haven't agreed to make."

She eyed him with an assessing look. "You do realize that a war like this - a domination of thousands of lives...this not a choice."

"Yes, I know that. However - "

"Do you think anyone chose this?" she cut off swiftly, making his eyes widened a little. "That other beings across several galaxies woke up one morning and decided to forfeit the rest of their lives to an empire that could destroy them on a whim? Or those that decide to fight - to die for the dream of freedom, knowing full well that they are outnumbered and easily outgunned -"

He wasn't certain she was aware she was steadily raising her voice. "I'm not saying -"

"- Until you five appeared, connected with Voltron to form something that can do damage, can give them the will to keep trying to the point of death - and yet you give these four an excuse to turn away from their duty to save millions?"

He took a long breath in, making her wait for his answer now that she was ready to let him speak. "I hear you," he murmured calmly, sternly.

She recognized the tone, having heard this tone of voice whenever he was chastising Keith and Lance. The recognition only made her bristle as he spoke.

"But that is not what I did. You are asking them to do war for a part of the universe they never knew existed until recently."

She heard the words he could not bluntly say.

This is not our fight.

Had this been another conversation she might have commented on his tactful wording. Alteans were known for their diplomacy after all and appreciated those that were the same. But he was not Altean. None of them were. They weren't even from the same galaxy as he felt prudent to remind her.

A sliver of unexpected steel appeared in her eyes.

"...I did not know earthlings," she murmured slowly in as even a tone as she could, not wanting to portray any more emotion than what her words gave away already, "only took care of themselves."

"Princess - "

She had already pivoted and was out of the room. He sighed to himself as the door slid shut with a metallic whoosh that seemed louder than usual. As the eldest of this group of humans, he felt that this point needed to be addressed. His team was restless for Earth. He knew it, could hear them murmuring about what they missed - whining in Lance's case. He made sure not to agree or disagree with them when it came to complaints regarding the duration of their stay. He tried to keep them too occupied with training to miss Earth.

For who knew how long they would be out here...

His eyes drifted back to the large windows of the observation deck, looking up past the Arusian land and into the vast void that was space. It was so quiet, so still, one wouldn't imagine thousands of Galran fleets gliding through like sharks drifting by in the ocean.

Without thinking, he automatically searched for the familiar constellations of their solar system that he studied willingly, eagerly, only for his brows to furrow as his mind was failing to recognize anything - He uncrossed his arms and turned away from the windows.

The time he had allotted for this was up.

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AN: I hope I do the characters justice but who knows. Part of viewing is viewer interpretation. XD