「Castle on a Cloud」

Pidge was standing outside of the Castle of Lions. She was dressed in her Paladin gear, staring up at the sky, admiring the stars. She had her helmet tucked under her shoulder, never knowing if the forces under Zarkon would show up. They knew where they were, how many there were, and what little forces they had to fight back with.

All they needed to do was send a fleet and they would be forced to leave the planet. They'd be forced to leave the Arusians behind while the Galra ravage the world.

However in mid thought she was distracted by the sound of the Chimeras Castle coming to life. Her eyes narrowed on the lights which ignited. She could hear the engines roaring, its shield coming online.

"He's living?" She raised a brow and turned herself to face the direction of the Castle. Was he going to leave without saying anything? Was he really that mad? Her thoughts trailed until a certain sound resonated in her mind. The engines didn't sound right, they didn't sound like they did before.

It was as if a little too much energy being funneled through the ship's systems. She could see some of the lights within the windows short circuiting. It was strange and uncharacteristic.

The vessel began to lift from the ground, tearing trees and their roots from the dirt with the amount of force behind the engines. Why would he endanger the planet's ecosystem by doing this? Even though he was acting strange before, this wasn't like him.

Putting on her helmet, she resumed efforts to page the Chimeras, yet there was still nothing. All transmissions had been blocked. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Pidge! Get to the Command Center immediately! There's something going on aboard the Chimera!" The PA system announced, it was Allura's voice. She sounded panicked, afraid, dire.

Without a second's hesitation she darted in through the courtyard of the Castle of Lions and into the long winding corridors. It took her a few minutes, but she barged into the command bridge of the castle and came to a skidding halt.

On the big screen was the Chimeras Castle.

"Why isn't he responding!?" Hunk was freaking out, his hands bunched in his hair on his head. "Did he eat something rotten? Or did he starve to death at the controls!?" Of course he had to bring up food.

Coran spoke up, clearing his throat with one arm folded behind his back and the other with a fist in front of his face which he coughed into. "The Chimeras Castle appears to be under severe internal stress. Our sensors are picking up multiple rupture points... It appears to have been done on purpose. We're also picking up Galra blaster fire residue throughout the internal structure."

"Someone infiltrated the Chimeras Castle?" Allura and Pidge both looked at Coran who nodded sympathetically, as if there was nothing they could do.

"Their aim was likely to kill him... After looking at our sensor logs for within the sector, I found that the Galra he had commandeered made a call to Zarkon... Directly." Coran pointed out with a grave tone, folding his hands behind his back together now as he closed his eyes. "I was able to piece together bits and pieces of the message. Whatever he did... Whatever he said, Zarkon is... How you Earthlings say it, Triggered?"

"Can't we go up there and sa–" Pidge was cut off as the holographic display was engulfed in a blinding bright light. The world as she knew it, quaked and she found herself quickly losing her footing.

The Chimeras Castle as it was exiting the atmosphere exploded, much of the debris being vaporized as a result of the explosion and the temperature of reentry.

That was when there was a sudden emergence of a Galra fighter jet escaping the airborne balls of flames. "Is that an enemy?!" Keith ran up to the console, slamming his hands down onto it. "Can't we shoot it down?"

"The weapons are down for diagnostics, it would take several minutes for us to get them back online." Allura responded to Keith's hasty movement, it was a wasted effort on his part.

The Galra vessel jumped into faster than light speeds, vanishing from the sector all together within mere moments. They had no idea where the ship was going, if he was on board, or if it was just the enemy combatant leaving the area.

Katie just sat there on the ground, supported by her hands as she stared at the screen where the Chimeras Castle was once at. Her mind going back to the fact that the last thing that he heard was her talking about him behind his back. Seeing through his motive, assuming his intentions, assuming the reasons behind his actions. While she wasn't wrong, it was very depressive. It was akin to having an argument with someone, and that someone dying soon after before an apology can be met.

...

The next thing Nemoi knew, he found himself in the brig of a Galra-esque vessel. He stared at the purple energy barrier which kept him in the cell. At least it wasn't a blast door, he hated not being able to see outward. It was clear that it was for keeping inmates in, even hurting them should they touch it.

There also seemed to be a notification from the system, something about ranged telepathy. It appeared that he had adapted to Narti's ability and adopted part of it.

The walls were a combination of purple and graphite black, the floor was a lighter grey color and a dark off-black. Remembering these few points of architecture used in where he was being held. He could only surmise he was on the royal warship that belonged to Lotor which he had ever since his exile from the Galra Empire.

Nemoi stared forward at Narti who was standing outside of the cell with the alien cat-like species in her arms. It was clear she hadn't listened to him when he had asked her not to use her ability to manipulate his mind through touch.

That was one of the things he hated about the character, but at the same time, he found that he adored Narti. Though not in the same way as attraction. She was mute and blind. She couldn't talk for herself, she used others for that. She couldn't see, she used the cat to do so. It was clear she would most definitely see his displeased expression.

She however held that indifferent expression on her face. As indifferent as it could get since there wasn't much of a way for her to make expressions. She had no eyes, no lids, brows or any of that.

His eyes trailed down to her tail which swayed cautiously side to side, its tip tracing at the ground.

Nemoi looked down at his hands, they were cuffed with Galra technology. While they didn't seem to have any countermeasures against his ability to use Alchemy or magic, he wouldn't put it past them.

However if his father, Zarkon, assumed his son would capture instead of eliminate him, then it could be thought that he didn't give him all the information. Was the Emperor of the Galra, Lord of the known universe, going to use him to eliminate his own son? The thorn in his side?

"Hm..." Nemoi stood up as he nudged the edge of the cuff against the barrier which kept him in the brig's primary cell. The brig was small, it was mainly for prisoners, and it wasn't like the one found on the larger vessels. It was smaller, compact. It was only meant for about one to three people.

Narti turned her back on him, the cat climbing up onto her shoulders, as she began to walk away. After a few minutes, the woman was gone and there was no one in the small corridor. However it was clear there was more than just Narti present here.

"Hellooooo~?" Nemoi called out as he leaned against the interior wall of the cell, looking out at the barrier as if it were a closed window. There was no response to his call.

He could only assume that Lotor and his generals were on the bridge, operating the ship. Were they going to make him wait? Were they going to torture him to find out what he knew?

By now he could only assume they knew what he was. An Altean, a member of the very people Lotor was preying upon. Though he probably already knew that prior to even picking him up. There was no telling how much Zarkon told Lotor, there were too many variables.

In reality, Lotor was watching what he was doing. He wanted to see how Nemoi reacted to his predicament, to see what he was capable of doing. Yet hours would go on as nothing happened.

Nemoi didn't attempt to escape. He didn't attempt to call out again. He didn't even use an ounce of his powers. He just rolled over on the bench which he was situated on and closed his eyes; going to sleep.

Lotor clasped his hands together as he leaned forward in his command chair. "This is the man who proclaimed himself a fox, and who called my father a Rabbit? Laughable." He snickered quietly to himself. All he was seeing was someone who either gave up, who lost everything, or was waiting for the right moment to strike.

Squinting his eyes deviously, he reached over and turned off the energy barrier to the cell. He then blinked several times as he watched Nemoi open his eyes, give the open door, and rolled back over.

"Maybe he's actually taking a nap?" Ezor exclaimed, sarcastically, as she peaked over at the screen in front of her commanding officer, the exiled Prince of the Galra Empire. She flaunted the appendage on the top of her head as she tilted it side to side.

"So naive, we could just space him out the airlock." Zethrid suggested as she looked over at the Prince with a wishful expression on her face. Yet she knew that this suggestion was out of the question and was instantly declined with the shake of his head. "Fine."

Acxa was the only one that didn't see the need to comment, focusing mainly on her work until she heard her name being called.

"Acxa, since I know you're the only one that will hold back against our guest," Lotor gave Zethrid a knowing glance before looking back over to his loyal honorable general. "Pay him a visit, see what he does."

"Yes Sir," Without hesitation she withdrew her fingers from the keyboard and folded her hands behind her back. She proceeded to leave the bridge of the Royal Warship and made her way through the large double doors that slide open upon her approach.

After several minutes she found herself standing in front of the cell and looking down at the dozing Altean. She took in each little bit of him with her eyes. He wore armor stained in blood, Galra blood. It had neon green accents and was primarily neutral colored at the base.

She took note of the damage he had on his lip and on this head. It was clear he had been banged up before Narti even put their hands on him. From Narti's report, it appeared he hadn't actually resisted, but she had used mind control on him anyway. Was he sulking in this open cell because she did that? Was his pride hurt? No, he didn't seem like the prideful type.

Acxa took a single step into the cell and at that moment he rolled onto his side to face her. His eyes were partially open as if staring at someone who had just woken them up. Yet his expression was eerily calm, did he accept his position even though he hadn't known what it was yet?

"You're being compliant," she pointed out as she let her arms fall to her sides. Despite how she appeared, her guard was up completely, and he could sense it. Mostly as she could also sense the danger coming from him.

"You're as loyal as ever," Nemoi said as he was sitting up, the cuffs around his wrists turning to ash as the Quintessence had been drained from them almost instantly. In clumps they broke apart and fell to the ground. "Seeing as Lotor sent you to evaluate me and not Zethrid to kill me, or Ezor to torture me, or Narti to mind control me again."

Lotor smirked slyly seeing this on his screen, hearing his words. It appeared that he wasn't looking for a time to strike and he wasn't giving up hope. He was waiting to see his position before acting, Nemoi appeared intelligent and patient, probably calculating.