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Cosmic Dust

 Summary: The former Paladins make a little trip to Daibazaal to visit Keith, to join the Galra in remembering the Fallen. 

 -

“Pidge?” Keith blinked- twice- at the unexpected sight. He had just come back to Daibazaal from another rescue mission with his new Blade team, and the last person he expected to welcome him home was someone not Galra. His surprised face melted into a soft smile. “What brings you here?”

 “Hey, Keith” Pidge grinned back, adjusting her glasses. “We heard you’re having a ceremony to honor the fallen Galra, which includes the Blades, right? So of course we couldn’t miss it. They were also our allies in the war after all. They sacrificed their lives for us… and also helped me find my family.”

 “Wait, who’s we?”

 “Hey, Keith!”

 “How’s it goin’, Leader?”

 Hunk walked towards Keith and pulled the smaller boy in for a squish, Lance tailing behind him.

 “It’s so good to see you again, Keith. You haven’t been back to Earth since the war ended.” The former yellow Paladin, now an intergalactically renowned chef, said as he let go.

 “We really missed you!” Pidge chirped in as she came forward to hug Keith as well.

 “Thanks for coming, guys.” Keith hugged Pidge back, patting her back.

 “Wouldn’t miss it for the universe,” Lance exchanged a fist bump with Keith. “Like Pidge said, we owe the Blades a lot.”

 They all moved to the main lobby of what was once the Galra’s imperial palace. Krolia and Keith were offered to live there, but they declined. Instead, they, along with the rest of the Galra and the blessing of the High Archivist, all agreed to turn the palace into a memorial hall. They put up portraits of pre-quintessence Zarkon, his wife Honerva, and Prince Lotor beside all the past rulers of Daibazaal. Along with that, they erected memorial stones in the main hall, with all the names of Marmoran agents and Galra soldiers who died in the war. The rest of the rooms were turned into a museum and archive of relics, preserving whatever they were able to salvage of Galra’s art and culture for future generations.

 As the friends sat down to catch up, Lotor’s former generals excused themselves, Acxa adding she’ll be back with some refreshments. From the window, Hunk could see outside the palace, where the Galra built a town, welcoming refugees the Blades rescued from all the war-torn planets who needed a new home.

 “It’s amazing. The people, the food, their clothing… It looks just like bazaars in the desert, right Keith?” Hearing no response, Hunk turned towards Keith whose eyes were closed, Pidge massaging his temples.

 “He’s out,” Pidge chuckled.

 Lance moved towards them and put Keith’s arms around his shoulders. “I got this.”

 Lahn, who had just walked into the room carrying some documents in his hand, was watching the sharpshooter like a hawk as he gave Keith a piggyback ride. Lance didn’t mind. After all, the Paladins saw firsthand how Keith gained the warrior’s trust. He wouldn’t be surprised if their leader earned Lahn’s respect and loyalty as well.

 “I will accompany you to his residence.”

 “Thanks, pal.”

 -

 Keith’s eyes slowly parted open, a quiet groan escaping his lips. He was back in his room, in the house he now shared with his mother in their other home planet. He was already changed into the pyjamas Zethrid sewed for him. Hearing the whistle of a teapot, his eyes jerked open and he jumped out of bed, dashing to the kitchen.

 “Mom, you’re home.”

 She picked up the kettle and poured hot water on a mug, then dumped a strainer filled with tea leaves into it. She put the cup on the table right in front of Keith before kissing her son’s forehead.

 “I’m home, Keith.”

 Looking up at his mother, Keith’s face relaxed into a soft smile. They sat down to enjoy tea and toast, as they talked about their adventures. When they finished their meal, they got ready to head back into town to join the preparations for the memorial ceremony being held that night.

 In the heart of the capital’s open plaza, there were tables set up and people working on different tasks. Hunk was in a row of tables where they were measuring sticks and cloth-like material, Lance was in the tables beside it putting together what looked like little lanterns, and finally Pidge, Acxa, and the other generals were in the last ones putting some kind of translucent purple powder into a little box attached to it.

 “Hey, Keith!” Hunk waved. “Man, it’s like an assembly line here.”

 “What are these?”

 “Beacons.” Kolivan’s voice came from behind, making Keith turn to him. “When we release these lanterns into the sky, they will burn as they reach the atmosphere. But the sacred dust they carry will turn into light, and the Galra believe the Fallen will see that light and follow it home.”

 Krolia added “The Galra believe that when we die and turn to dust, we go back to the land and once again become a part of our planet. We then become a part of its journey across the universe. Just as Daibazaal will also die someday, and become a part of its Galaxy. And eventually, the universe.”

 Hearing their conversation, Lance chimed in, “Remember that time when you said we’re all made of the same cosmic dust? We all laughed, but I guess that was the Galra part of you talking.”

 Keith nodded pensively. Galra characters, which Keith already knew how to read by now, written on each lamp caught his attention. His eyes widened as he realized they were names of the Fallen. Each and every one of the hundreds of thousands of little lamps had names in them, honoring those who had died in the war. But one particular name made Keith frown in curiosity.

 “This one has the same name as Dad. Mom, I didn’t know Galra have a similar name to humans?”

 Beside him, Krolia looked just as surprised. “No, we don’t. But why …”

 “Because it really is your father, Keith.” It was Acxa who spoke. “I’m sorry. When I was on Earth, I did a little bit of research on your father, whose grave I also visited right after you and Krolia left. Your father was an honorable man. And above that, he raised you to become the man that you are today- the Leader of Voltron, a Blade of Marmora, and the light of the Galra. We want him to know that this is his home as much as it is yours. He will always be family to the people of Daibazaal.”

 Keith and Krolia looked at each other and smiled.

 That night, everyone lit up the lanterns and let them fly into the clear nocturnal sky. Krolia put her arm around her son while Keith leaned on her shoulder, as they looked up at the breathtaking sight of tiny lanterns illuminating the night. The lanterns eventually went up into little flames, before releasing amethyst dust scattered on the thick velvety blanket of space, just as the Fallen have joined the stars.

The End    

-

After Acxa meets Keith, she’s obsessed with learning everything she can about humans. She’s already familiar with the Galra side of both of them, but not anything about Keith’s human side. What are humans like? Their strengths, weaknesses, lifestyles, histories, etc.?