"Beginnings"

Seven

Lotor was packed and ready to leave for the Academy. Although he did not show it, he was scared. His father had told him he would be - at ten, the youngest admitted student there. He didn't want to go, but he had no choice. He had been taught all he could here on Doom, and had to go. Although he felt no love for his father, he felt the fear of leaving familar things. He had heard things about the Academy, although to hear his father tell it, it was the greatest training ground for commanders in the galaxy. Before his father arrived to see him off, he hugged B'iana, his old nurse, Cook, and the other household staff. He would miss them even as he still missed his mother. His memories of her were vague now. All he could remember was her golden hair, her softness, her kindness. He could remember her voice, sweet and low, singing him a lullaby. He shook his head. He did not have room in his life for such sentimental foolishness. He was a warrior and a prince and had to make his father proud so that he could prove himself worthy to rule someday. Lotor's lips tightened. He would show his father that he was more than his equal. He would surpass all that his father could ever do. He would show his father that he deserved to be the Crown Prince of Doom...

Hagar waited impatiently. She knew that the robot Voltron was headed this way. She wished that he would hurry and get here. It was not easy maintaining this form of a goddess - it took a lot of power from her and she needed all she could get to destroy him.
Finally, she saw him. She called her siren's song. "Voltron, noble defender of Arus and the Galaxy, I , Ceres, goddess of the Moon, wish to reward you - for you show true nobilty..." She saw the robot hesitate and then come closer. She smiled. Oh he was intrigued! Good, let him come!! She held her beautiful glowing arms wide and said, "Come, Voltron and I will give thee the blessings of the gods!!" The robot came closer, dazzled by her beauty and the light around her.When he was close enough to touch, Hagar said, "I, Ceres, give you what you deserve, Voltron!" With that, her arms wrapped around the robot and the robot jerked in pain as his circuitry went haywire. Random signals raced through his neral net. The robot tried to break free of the deadly embrace but could not. Everything began to expand for him, and then - an explosion!
Hagar cried out as the robot exploded in a blaze of light. She did not expect this. Her body was aflame as she was flung away from the robot. Dimly she saw the robot, now in five pieces hurtle down to Arus and she was satisfied that he was destroyed. But she - she hurt incredibly. With her little remaining strength, she used her magic to save herself as she floated out into space. She placed herself in a trance to get away from the burning in her being....

He was in his command ship when they found Hagar. With narrowed eyes, he rushed back to Doom to find out what happened with Voltron. He had not heard from her and wanted to know if her magic had defeated the robot.
When he arrived in the medlab, he was startled when he saw her. Her hair was gone and her face and body had the appearance of a thousand year old mummy! What had happened? He walked over to the side of her bed and said, "Hagar.." His witch opened her eyes and said wearily, "Z'aale.." To her horror, he snapped, "From now on, you will not call me that. I want to know what happened to Voltron!" Hagar said, "He is destroyed. I saw him fall to Arus in pieces." Zarkon smiled and said, "Good. Then Arus is defenseless." Hagar said, "Since I destroyed Voltron, will you keep your promise to make me your Queen?" He laughed and said, "You expect me to keep my promise now, old witch? Look at you!" She sighed heavily. She already knew she was hideous. She knew she would never share his bed again. She could see the disgust in his face as he looked at her. She knew he enjoyed beautiful women around him. Hagar expected she would be banished if she were lucky. However, Zarkon suprised her by saying. "I won't make you my Queen, Hagar, but since you destroyed Volton, you will be my witch. I will use no other. Continue to serve me well and you will be greatly rewarded." Hagar sighed. This was a suprise. She would have to accept his offer. She said, "Thank you.." Zarkon scowled and said, "When you address me, Hagar, you will do it properly." Hagar felt a surge of anger for him and said, "Thank you, sire." Zarkon said, "That's better, Hagar. Remember my words. Serve me well and you will prosper. Betray me and I will punish. You may be a witch, but I have ways to punish even you." Without another word, he walked out of the room, leaving a ruined Hagar behind...

His attacks on Arus didn't begin right away, nor were they an all out attack. He raided isolated areas of the planet, leaving clues as to who had done it. Surely Alfor would come to his senses sometime. He never let his attacks be predictable. One never knew where he would attack. Increasingly, Zarkon spent his time on Doom, leading the attacks via communique. With Voltron gone, his conquests were easy and Hagar was able to make his robeasts even more powerful. He was holding robeast tournaments in his arena now, and it amused him to pit various slaves against them. Of course, it always seemed to end up the same - the robeast eating it's opponent, but sometimes he would have a true fighter in there. Occasionally, if this fighter survived, he himself would be made into a robeast and fight against his former friends. It was an interesting pastime.

Zarkon continued to recieve reports on Lotor's progress at the Academy. He was satisfied. His son was performing brilliantly in all his efforts. He was first in his piloting class and he showed himself to be a ruthless warrior. Zarkon was so impressed by his son's performance that he let him command one of his fleets to take over a small world in the Sapphire quadrant. Although Lotor was only fifteen, he had conquered the planet and brought back many slaves and riches. Zarkon rewarded Lotor with his own harem, and generally let him do what he wanted. His son continued to conquer more planets for his Empire. By the time Lotor was eighteen, he had earned the reputation of the "Planet Conqueror" Just the mention of his name would send the planet's government into a panic. Many times Lotor didn't even need to fire a shot for a planet to surrender....

Crown Prince Lotor lounged in his bed and stretched. It had been a long night. He glanced at the sleeping woman beside him. What was her name? He couldn't remember. Ah well, who remembered a slave's name? He woke her with a kiss and she stirred. Even through the short time she had been with him, she knew what he wanted. It did no good to protest for he had a temper and he was not afraid to use it. The girl - who happened to have been a princess at one time complied with his wishes. Afterwards he laid there, unable to sleep. He didn't know why. He felt that there was something missing somewhere, bu t he didn't know what. In the years since he had left Doom, he had gained much but still he was missing something. It angered him. Perhaps it was gaining his father's throne. Was that it? He didn't know. He had been plaqued by dreams lately. He dreamed of a golden haired woman with blue eyes that sparkled. When he woke from these dreams, he expected her to be there with him. When she wasn't, it maddened him. Bah! Silly nonsense! He would bide his time. Conquer more planets for his greedy father. Someday, he would take the throne and all the Empire would be his. After all, he had surpassed all his father did at the Academy - why not in all things as well?

BOOK TWO: The Middle Kingdom - coming soon...
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