02x06 - The Ark of Taujeer

[bunniefuu]

Stay back.

You have already taken
all our supplies and resources.

My people are loaded on that ark,
ready to leave our beloved home...

before it dissolves completely.
Don't take our only means of escape.

You still have one engine left, Baujal.

Not to mention a very viable
collection of parts.

If your people are strong enough
to survive, they will.

That is the Galra way.

Morvok!

There's no point
in debating this further.

Zarkon is clearly tracking us
through me.

- Aww, space baloney.
- That's not possible.

Why would that be so hard to believe?

Zarkon's forces showed up on Arus
only after I awoke.

She's got a point.

I would absolutely
travel across the galaxy to find you.

It's not you, Princess Allura. It's me.

Because?

I just think Zarkon must've imprinted
on me during our fight or something.

Look, the fact is,
we don't know how Zarkon is tracking us.

It could be through the Black Lion.

Every time Zarkon gets close to it,
Shiro has to fight him for control.

That's only when Zarkon is nearby.

No Paladin has ever been able to connect
with a lion over a vast distance.

So what are we going to do?

Look, it doesn't matter
how he's tracking us

because we're gonna take the fight
to the Galra soon enough.

They've been chasing us
from galaxy to galaxy.

The last thing they expect
is for us to come after them.

The hunter becomes the hunted, hmm?
Awesome!

That's the tag line
from like six of my favorite movies.

As it happens, I took our list
of recent Galra attacks

and analyzed it for both commonalities
and anomalies among the attack sites.

I was hoping to create an algorithm

that would, within a statistically
acceptable margin of error,

provide a list
of target-rich Galra environments...

color-coded, of course,
because what are we, animals?

Cool!

What is it again?

It's a Galra finder?

Well, "finder" suggests
that it locates the Galra,

whereas it would be more accurate to say
that my model predicts their likeliest...

Fine. It's a Galra finder.

So, where are the Galra?

The nearest ones are
right here. A planet called Taujeer.

Then that's where we're headed.

Everyone should get some sleep.

Tomorrow, we'll find that Galra fleet
and take it out.

Is everything okay?

Yeah. Why?

You just seem a bit anxious.

I'm fine. Just tired.

Like you said, I should get some sleep.

Huh?

What's the matter, Red? It's me.

I can find you anywhere.

Huh?

Princess, what are you doing here?

Oh. I might ask you the same thing.

Nothing. Just walking.

Late at night.

Near the pods.

In full Paladin armor,
with a bag of your belongings?

I have to know if Zarkon is tracking me.

This is the only way.
Don't try to stop me.

I'm not going to stop you.
I'm going to join you.

We should be entering
Taujeer's orbit soon.

Raise the particle barrier.
Scan for Galra.

Where are Keith and Allura?

It appears that one of the pods
launched in the middle of the night.

Wait a minute, Keith and Allura?
In the middle of the night?

You don't think they're sittin' in a tree?

- Contact the pod.
- Yes! Contact that pod!

Princess, Keith, where are you?

Exactly where we should be,
far away from the Castle.

What? Why?

We must know
if we are the ones Zarkon is tracking.

They're isolating the variable.
Well, isolating two variables.

In English, please?

In order to test a hypothesis...

I said English!

Never mind!

Pidge is right. If Zarkon finds you
despite my absence,

we will know with total certainty
that we are not the ones he is tracking.

Splitting up the group
makes us far more vulnerable.

Come back to the Castle immediately.

I'm sorry, Shiro, I cannot do that.

If Zarkon does find us,
I can pilot us to safety.

We're in wide-open space
with plenty of room to maneuver.

Plus, we'd be able to outrun him.
Pidge added that booster rocket.

That thing's still on there?

We need both of you back here now!

What's goin' on?

We're in some sort of debris field.

I believe it's coming from Taujeer.

I think it is Taujeer!

Coran, what's going on...

Some kind of radiation from the planet
is interfering with communications!

Move the Castle away from the planet
and reestablish the link.

Everyone else, get to your lions.

Something's approaching!

I don't see any Galra.

Looks like that fancy Galra finder
doesn't work. Nice try, Pidge.

Thank goodness you're here!

I am Baujal,
the leader of the Taujeerians.

The Galra just destroyed
our ship's engines and left.

- So the Galra were here. Lance.
- Mmm.

They've taken everything.

We must get everyone off the planet
before it dissolves completely!

Please, help us!

How long do we have?

Not long.

How did this happen?

We've known for years that our planet
would eventually lose its outer layer.

Like a snake shedding its skin?

Yeah, yeah, that doesn't sound so bad.

Beneath that old skin
is a new, healthy layer, right?

Nope. No, I... I think
the next layer is acid.

The plan was to evacuate the population
to our nearest moon,

where we have built a colony
to wait out the shedding process.

So we relocated to higher ground
and constructed that ark.

What happened?

The Galra attacked,
led by a vile commander named Morvok.

He robbed us of vital resources and
left us with only one operational engine,

stranding us here.

You're not stranded anymore.
We will save your people.

I believe you, for I have heard
many legends of the valor of Voltron.

Five brave Paladins dedicated to this...
Wait, wait.

I count only four of you.
Are you not Voltron?

Uh... almost?

Where is the fifth Paladin?

He's not here,
but we can still help you.

I would feel more comfortable
with all five Paladins.

Duly noted.

Pidge, Hunk, take a look at the ark
and see what we're dealing with.

Piece of cake.
We'll get it flying in no time.

Would you settle for upright?

We've been here for hours.
Still no sign of Zarkon.

Well, I'm glad
I don't have to wait here alone.

You understand,

I could never live with myself
if Zarkon was finding us because of me.

I must know. We face such a dire threat
from the Galra.

Well, sure, they're bad.
No doubt about that.

But at the same time, couldn't at least
a few of them be fighting for good?

Just look at Ulaz.
He sacrificed himself to save us.

For all we know,
his sacrifice was a ploy.

One life means nothing to Zarkon.

It means something to me. It means
some of them are actually willing to help.

And we could use
all the help we can get!

Any offer of help from the Galra
is merely a prelude to a trap.

I know all too well
how quickly they turn.

It just seems crazy
to lump everyone together.

Listen, if there are any good Galra,

they have had 10,000 years
to take down Zarkon.

I would never count on them for help.

I have located them.

Get me Morvok.

Commander Morvok.

Aaah! Lord Zarkon!

I am sending you coordinates
near your current location.

Voltron is there.
Find it and bring it to me.

Voltron, sire?

Indeed.
Have you received the coordinates?

If I may,
I was able to acquire many resources,

all to glorify your mighty reign,
may it last a thousand centuries.

Your bootlicking
does not impress me, Morvok.

I merely meant
that I could be of even more use

if I were to bring you
these resources instead of...

Are you refusing my order?

Of course not!
I will not fail you, Lord Zarkon.

See that you don't. Vrepit sa.

Vrepit sa.

Assuming we can get it
back up, the repairs will still take time.

Which would appear to be
the one thing we don't have.

We need to slow down the shedding.

How do you stop a planet
that's coming apart at the seams?

By sewing it back together!

What do you mean?

That new Green Lion weapon
causes vegetation to grow, right?

Well, I was thinking that if you aim it
at the cracks in the planet...

the vines could act like stitches.

But won't the stitches get dissolved
by the acid?

The stitches might hold longer
if they're frozen.

It's a plan.

Hunk, you and I will take our lions
and get this ark upright

while Pidge and Lance buy us some time.

- My side's clear, Shiro.
- Almost done.

Yes! It worked!

It won't hold forever. Keep going!

Come on! Give it all you got.

That's it! We're almost there.

Thanks, guys.

- You got it.
- Anytime.

All right, Hunk,
time to work on those engines.

So, what happens
if Zarkon does come after us?

You said you could pilot us
to safety, right?

Sure, but after that,
could we even go back to the group?

And if we don't, who would
pilot the Castle or create wormholes?

Well, what about you? Without you,
the team cannot form Voltron.

Well, it ain't pretty,
but it should get you airborne...

Just in time.

What was that?

The Galra. They're back.

Hunk! Take the Yellow Lion
and hold up the ark.

If it falls into the acid,
the Taujeerians are doomed.

Not to mention
the guy beneath them.

Which would be me,
in this particular scenario.

Lance, Pidge,
we've got to draw the cruiser's fire.

Coran, we need you here now.
Attack the Galra cruiser!

I'm on my way!

- Keith, Allura, are you there?
- We're here, Coran. What is it?

Zarkon is definitely
not tracking us through either of you.

- He's not?
- How do you know?

Because you're out there,
and a Galra fleet just showed up here!

We need you now!

We'll be there in two doboshes.

Even faster than that.

What is that?

It's the booster fuel
Pidge added to this pod.

- Aaah!
- Aah!

Allura!
Grab my hand!

Princess, are you okay?

I believe so.
Is your radio still working?

Let's find out.

Coran, can you hear me?

This is going far better
than I anticipated.

We could actually capture Voltron!

I could get transferred back to the hub.

And they said I wasn't good enough
to be in the hub.

Maybe Zarkon will invite me to sit
in his box at the gladiator matches!

The ultimate honor!

Sir! Three Voltron Lions incoming!

Fire on them with our full arsenal!

Keep firing!

Sir, the lions
are moving too fast for us to hit.

Well, let's make them stay in one place!

Train the ion cannon on the ark.
Sink the entire thing into the acid!

They're aiming
the ion cannon at the ark!

Lance! Pidge!
Attack the ship with your jaw blades!

We'll never get there at this rate.

This was a terrible mistake.

Shiro was right.
We never should have left them.

Rocks! Big, big rocks!

We got you, buddy.

What happened?

The Black Lion attacked the cannon.

He's disabled
our projectile guidance system.

We won't be able to aim the cannon
until it's fixed.

Fix it! Full attack!
Fire with everything we've got!

Way to go, Coran!

Hunk, what's your status?

Mostly just trying not to fall
into a bubbling pot of acid.

Divert all shields to the main hull!
Focus full firepower on their ship!

- We're being overwhelmed!
- We need Voltron!

Oh, if only there were another
who could pilot the Red Lion.

Finally, Alfor.
I will walk in your footsteps!

Oh, Red Lion,
I am unworthy to be your Paladin,

but since you have chosen
to bestow this honor upon me,

Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe,

I humbly accept.

Oh, yes!

Right. Okay. Just a quick lap.

Uh, okay, guys? So, yeah...

the... the Red Lion ran away.

I can't hold it any longer!

Hunk, you have to! If you let go,
the Taujeerians will die!

Oh, whoa!

Armor claws!

Guys, I can keep this thing
from falling any farther

but I need your help to get it back up.

We're on our way!

- Keith, look!
- Huh?

The Red Lion found you!

Sir, the ion cannon's guidance system
is back online.

And the lions appear to have gathered
beneath the ark.

Perfect! The lions will go down with it.

Fire when ready!

All right!

Good to have you back, Keith.

Good to be back.

- Is the Princess with you?
- Yes.

Like "with you" with you, or...

Uh, Keith? Little help?

On my way, buddy.

All right, everybody. No time to relax.
Let's show them what they're dealing with.

Form Voltron!

Sir, our weapons systems are knocked out
completely. Should we retreat?

Never! Aim the ship at the ark!

We will take it down ourselves.

To die for the Galra Empire
is the greatest honor imaginable.

Vrepit sa!

Vrepit sa!

Prepare my escape pod.

- They're heading for the ark!
- They're gonna ram it!

We'll have to meet them head-on.
Form sword!

Will the sword be able
to cut through an entire battle cruiser?

It'll have to!

Guys, I think my lion
is telling me something.

Yeah, mine too.

- I can feel it too.
- Same here.

Then do it!

- Yes!
- Yeah!

Now let's get
the Taujeerians to safety.

How are we going to do that?
Their booster rockets are shot.

I'm so sorry for leaving.

Me too. We thought
we were doing the right thing.

But clearly you were correct, Shiro.
We are always stronger together.

At least we learned that Zarkon
isn't tracking us through you two.

Plus, I learned that my lion can grow
armor and extend its claws like that...

Ting! Which will come in handy
if we ever needed to, say,

I don't know, slice up a giant steak
while getting beat up.

Or fight evil and save innocent people.
That too. That would work.

The fact that the Red Lion came
to help Keith from so far away

is a vital piece of information.

We now have proof that a lion
and a Paladin can, in fact,

connect over a far greater distance
than we realized.

Which means we finally know
how Zarkon is tracking us.

It's through the Black Lion.