The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[41] Did he just...?

Lance was getting real tired of being stuck at base.

This was just like in high school when he'd always be picked last for sports, despite being the tallest guy there. But the kids never picked him because he "looked weird".

Veronica ended up with detention for a week after squaring up against one of the kids who said that.

Though that certainly wasn't the reason in Lance's current case. It was pretty hard to "look weird" when everyone around you was either a giant spider, had a disco ball protruding from the top of their head, or was literally a giant chinchilla with questionable morals.

No, it definitely wasn't because of his looks.

Lance knew that he'd messed up, and that his house (base?) arrest was for the safety of the resistance.

But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Lance grumbled under his breath a little, continuing to read through his notes. He needed to run some more tests on both Koadda and Kelaan; but in Kelaan's present state he'd be lucky to get her to even eat something today.

Lance sighed, flicking to the next note.

"What's up with you?" Matt asked from where he sat beside Rolo's bed, helping Lotty with the other man's exercises. Lance smiled at the sight - Lotty was becoming quite the little helper.

"Nothing," Lance said with a shrug, tucking his datapad under his arm and moving to adjust the sheets over Shiro's chest. "It's just hard being stuck here for so long."

Matt nodded, placing a hand on his chin. Lance chose to ignore the mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Ah, I see."

"What is up, people?!"

Everyone startled at the sound of Olly's voice. Lance whipped his head around, but couldn't see her anywhere.

Lotty ducked down to check under Rolo's bed.

"... Where even are you?" Matt asked; who, like Lance, was turning in a slow circle.

"What do you m--" Olly's voice sounded again. "Oh whoops, hang on a tic."

There was a shuffling sound, then a loud metallic thud that Lance was able to trace upwards, where Olly was hanging from the air vent.

"How did you even end up there?"

Olly grinned. "Magic. Now if you could help me down, that'd be great."

"It's your own fault for getting up there in the first place." Roy said from the doorway, startling all the occupants of the room. Lance thought that was odd after a moment, because of course Roy was there - she was never too far behind Olly, after all.

Behind them, a loud thud informed them that Olly had managed to find a way down, with the assistance of gravity.

"Ow." Olly mumbled, accepting the cold pack that Lotty had already pulled out, snapping to activate it.

Lance smiled slightly, pulling his datapad out from under his arm and bringing up the notes he had compiled on Koggren anatomy. Something was bugging him about the diagrams, but he hadn't been able to figure out exactly what it was yet. It seemed to be just out of reach, like the forgotten lyrics to a song.

"Research?" Roy asked, leaning in so she could read the datapad over his shoulder.

Lance nodded. "I'm trying to figure out something," he said, tapping a diagram to zoom in on it. "There's some discrepancies, but I can't place my finger on what those are."