[Open]

[padadin]

Who: Shiro and you!
Broadcast: Yes
Action: At the Blameless, if you want that option
When: Tuesday afternoon

1. Action for Messer - Monday evening

[He appears back in his room, in what can be considered a habit by now. At least this time he's feeling well, and his general mood is good, even if he's been taken from home again. Wow, Atroma, no final battles this time? A holiday present, he supposes. At least he hasn't missed the wedding, he's happy to confirm while checking his communicator with one hand and petting a desperate Procyon with the other.

He's wearing his Garrison uniform, which doesn't surprise him, but his arm... huh. That's not the one he got at home, but it isn't the one the team made for him here either. Wait-- have they fused? Unbelievable. At least nobody's work got lost, he guesses.

After texting his team to tell them he's back and that he's fine, he finally leaves his room, Procyon following closely because he's missed his master. Time to check on the crew! Poor Ulaz probably had all the work for himself. And the first one he finds is-- Ah!]

Messer? Hey. I'm back. Sorry Atroma made me leave you guys again. [Even if he'd rather be at home, he has captain duties, so he apologizes anyway.]

2. Action for Ulaz - Monday evening

[After talking to Messer (which was more emotionally draining that he expected to be, but quiznaking worth it), Shiro continues his search for his first mate. Will he be in the lab at this hour? Only one way to find out.]

Ulaz? Are you in here? [He asks as he peeks inside, Procyon still following him closely.] I'm back.

[Hopefully his friend won't find the changes to the arm he built insulting...]

3. Network Post - Video - late Tuesday afternoon

[Guess who has come back after being at home for a few days? This guy! And this time he looks relaxed, a true miracle after an update! He's at the Blameless lounge, having a hot cup of tea with his dog Procyon laying on the couch next to him, head on his lap. It seems Shiro has been shopping, there are bags on the floor and a colorful pile of sweaters on the table next to what appears to be a spaceship model of the size of a grown kitten.

But all these are details. The main thing that is going to call everyone's attention is the, uh, "sweater" he's wearing. Shiro, why? (He'll tell soon.) There's also an obvious military jacket wrapped around his shoulders - both this and the sweater are lacking the right sleeve, because going home has brought modifications for his arm. It's thicker now and it... floats. Yep. Surprise?]

Hello, Drift Fleet. It seems Atroma is making it a tradition to send me home right before the holidays and to come back to a present.

[He's smiling while saying all this, eyes on the communicator on the table but glancing at the starship model every now and then.]

If anyone has been wondering, the wish-granting tree does work. I'm not sure what I did, exactly, I tried most of the rumors. But it seems to have the same limitations that our hosts have when it comes to powers and sizes. Unless there's an universe out there where it's okay to have space battle cruisers of the size of a puppy. [He puts down his mug and stares at the "toy", concentration obvious on his face. And after a few seconds, that toy starts floating up, flying in circles around a now grinning Shiro's head, and stops at the table again... only to start transforming in a thick robot lady. How cool is that?] At least some things still work. Sorry for not being able to give anyone a ride.

[The tree granting him a wish for a ship surely has trolled him good... oh well. It's still a nice little thing, and feeling the bond at the back of his head is comforting, to say the least. He looks at the camera again for one last announcement.]

Blameless crew, whenever you have a minute, your captain has something for you. [Look at that, him referring to himself as "captain" more freely now. He pats the pile of sweaters.] It's a silly tradition, I thought it could be fun to share. Almost like an uniform. To my fellow captains, maybe you want to join us to see which crew can get the ugliest Christmas sweaters?

[Just kidding! ...maybe. Is this why he's suddenly wearing that old gift from Fie? RUN!]

Comments

[padadin]

[Ignoring is allowed... for now. Being in the same room is already a big success, considering Biffy's reaction as precedent.]

It's a battle cruiser, a spaceship similar to the very ship you're in now. She got downsized when she was brought here. My arm is connected to her so I can pilot her with my mind.

[sandywolf]

[Well, Lyall's not an Alpha and he is less prone to drama than they are.]

... With your mind?

Truly, the wonders of the technological age will never cease. I found it fantastical enough that spaceships exist but ones that you can pilot with your mind?

[padadin]

[Shiro chuckles at Lyall's surprise.]

Trust me, I felt the same when I first encountered what's out there in space. Haven't we told you about the lions?

[He's lost track of who knows the story and who doesn't.]

[sandywolf]

... The lions?

[That doesn't ring a bell.]

I assume we are not talking about actual lions in space, are we?

[padadin]

We are not. The lions of Voltron are five huge battle spaceships shaped like lions - they choose the pilot, and they get more powerful the more the pilot bonds with them. When the five of them combine, they create an even bigger powerful robot called Voltron.

[How about that for more magical machines.]

[sandywolf]

[Allow him to raise an eyebrow here.]

Human ingeniosity with technology will never cease to amaze me. Do you have any schematics or anything to explain exactly how it works?

[Can he please nerd out on future space science?]

[padadin]

[He can't help laughing a bit at that.]

That's because it's not human technology - it's Altean alchemy. The Atlas has a bit of human work in it too, but she's mostly an Altean creation. I don't have the knowledge to discuss schematics, but Pidge and Allura can help you with that. Pidge has helped a lot with the repairs, and it was Allura's father himself the created the lions.

[sandywolf]

... Altean? I have heard the word before from Mr Ulaz, I believe. Another one of those 'alien' civilisation?

I shall ask around about it, then. Truly fascinating.

[padadin]

That's correct. Their planet is gone now, so there aren't many of them left.

[Although there's the matter of the colony, he realizes, but better not go there. Too complicated considering what Kolivan saw (or more like didn't) and what arrived to Earth after.]

Please do. Allura is always glad to pass on her culture, and they truly achieved a lot. Piloting an Altean ship makes anything else old carts by comparison.

[sandywolf]

Then, with your introduction, I will inquire. She does seem to be an extremely reliable leader as well.

[He quite likes Allura from the few conversations they've had.]

[padadin]

She is. I'd say it's the princess training, but there's also a strength to her that keeps her going. She may've lost her people, but now the whole universe is her home.

[And he's gonna help he protect it at all costs.]

[sandywolf]

.... Another Alpha, in a way. Just like you.

[Really, it does help to think of the crew as a pack on more than one level.]

[padadin]

[...oh. He doesn't see that answer coming. Shiro doesn't downplay his abilities as a leader, but hearing Lyall putting it like that is something else.]

You see me as an Alpha? That's a big compliment coming from you, Lyall. Thank you.

[sandywolf]

The best Alphas are always those who do not think they can or should be Alphas, Captain. And yet people follow them in spite of their own doubts.

[padadin]

[That's incredibly flattering. It reminds Shiro of what Allura told him the day she assigned the lions, and how he ended up in charge of the Atlas. Coming from a person that has only met him here in the fleet, it has extra meaning - Lyall is only judging him by what he's seen so far as captain of the Blameless (and we know Atroma doesn't exactly choose them thoroughly) and not by "Garrison golden boy" stories. He's as objective as he can be.

Excuse Shiro for smiling like a doofus. This makes him happy.]

Those words mean a lot more to me that you can even image, Lyall. You're right about the doubts - I had them as leader of Voltron, and then as captain of the Atlas. [Oh yeah, guess who captain at home now too.] And I have them as a captain here as well. We're put in this situation against our will, we're told to follow a stranger... so having approval from and being followed by people from other universes that are victims as I am, well -- thanks again. There isn't a bigger compliment for a leader that I can think of.

[sandywolf]

[The best Alphas Lyall has had, Conall, and now Biffy, were both reluctant Alphas in their own way. They never shirk their responsibility, but they do tend to worry about their packs rather a lot more than one would expect.]

I am only speaking my mind and calling things as I see them, Captain. I have seen how you do things, and also how others from your world see you.

And the occasional slip up [Like you getting drunk as hell that time] hasn't made me change my mind.