The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[16] Could you teach me?

A few hours later found Lance resting the back of his head against the cool metal of his Lion, trying his hardest not to cry.

"I'm sorry, guys..." he mumbled, voice hoarse. But he needed to have faith in his team - faith that they would still reunite, even with this new block between their paths.

He had to keep believing.

Lance dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, sliding down Blue's side until he was resting on the ground. He didn't have time to cry, there was work to be done.

A fluffy tail wrapped itself around his arm, and Lance started, nearly whacking his head into the metal behind him. The tail wound tighter, and Mik clambered over his knees, curling up against Lance's chest without a moment's hesitation.

As he held the child close, Lance sniffled. The action was echoed by the child in his arms a moment later, and he tried to give her a weak smile.

Mik was crying only because he was. A pure, innocent child with a heart of gold. A child trapped in a world that was too cruel. The lump in Lance's throat grew, and he fought back another sniffle.

"Come on Mik," Lance said, struggling to get to his feet without letting go of the girl "let's go find your sister.

Mik hooked her legs around Lance's middle, arms and tail letting her hold on tighter.
Blue was silent, and Lance nearly broke down right there and then. She had never been silent – even when Lance knew she was angry with him.

Shifting Mik's weight to his other side, he left the hangar, refusing to look back as the door closed behind him.

He had things to do.

He had made the right choice.

He had to make himself believe it.

Sighing, Lance followed a corridor aimlessly, every so often pausing so he could spin in a circle, causing Mik to squeal with laughter. It helped to lift his mood, and he held tight to her as he slid over a recently mopped patch.
Lance reached a corner, took a turn left, and immediately flattened himself to the wall as a stretcher barrelled down the corridor in the opposite direction.

"Vi!" Lance gasped, sprinting to catch up to the stretcher, bearing an unconscious Vi. Their normally bright and shiny disco-bobble droopy and clouded.

The brown splotches that covered their skin oozed, and it smelled like—

No.

Lance grabbed the side of the stretcher with one hand, his other holding Mik. The two aliens bearing the stretcher gave him a thankful look, and the smaller of the two let go, reaching to take Mik from Lance. She gripped Lance tighter for a moment before her whispered that it was fine, and transferred her to the other alien.

They slowed to a stop, knowing that such a small child had no right to see something such as this. He was once again reminded of the purity of the child. He hoped resistance life wouldn't rob her of that.

"Thanks," he gasped, using his legs to their advantage and speeding up.

"We have to get them to Kelaan!" The second alien said, swinging the stretcher around a corner. Lance set his jaw with new determination, sharing a look with the alien. It was one of his roommates Liliterthith, but Lance had already assigned him the name Lilith, despite the fact that it was a very feminine name.

Lances ankle rolled a little as they slid around the corner, but he ignored it, bursting through the med bay doors.

"Kelaan—"

"What in the—" Kelaan looked up, eyes widening the instant she spotted Vi.

"We found them in one of the unused parts of the ship, next to Perus."