The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[43] I thought they'd need you back on base

Lance stretched his legs out, relishing in the feeling of flying once again. He was going to enjoy this mission as much as humanly possible, simply because he didn't know when he would get another chance. He was still grounded, after all.

But Skisch, Skisch and Skisch has come from a water planet, and no other ship in the resistance was built for water travel. The Blue Lion was.

According to Matt in any case. Something about being able to withstand tonnes of pressure and being completely sealed, along with a...

Lance had stopped listening at that point, distracted by his jacket's zip breaking. But he had gotten the gist of it. The Blue Lion could go underwater.

Cons: Lance was the only one who could fly Blue

Pros: Lance was the only one who could fly Blue.

Olia had decided that having so many children on board was dangerous, and made it their priority to return them all home as soon as possible.

Pros: that included Lance's help, grounding be damned.

Cons: Olia had also decided that Lance needed an escort, simply so he didn't go 'off mission'. Which led to his current situation.

"I thought they'd need you back on base," Lance said, and Olly shrugged.

"Not really. I've hit a wall with Shiro's arm - see, they're a lot more complicated than legs, with fingers and all, and he didn't come with a reference. The Captain thought this might be a good way to clear my mind, think things out."

"That's... not actually why she's here," Roy said. "Olly's on this trip because I am. She's just the—"

"Buy one, get one free." Lance completed, and Roy smirked.

"Exactly." She whacked Olly's hand away from where it was creeping up on Blue's controls, smirk turning quickly into a frown. "Don't touch anything, you don't know what it could do."

"Well, duh!" Olly retorted, leaning against the wall and poking her tongue out. "That's why I'm touching them, to find out!"

"Roy's right, Olly," Lance grinned. "My girl's over ten thousand years old, I'm not even sure of all her abilities yet."

"Then why do they let you pilot her? Also, is it a human thing to assign gender to your ships?"

"No- I mean, yes, but Blue told me that herself. She speaks to me sometimes. And they don't let me pilot her, she chose me herself." Lance failed to hide his smugness, and Olly gasped in obvious interest.

"So there's an AI interface?"

Lance chuckled. "I guess she's an AI? I'm not sure, she was created by the Alteans, before the Galran Empire."

"Can we speak to Blue?" Skisch number one asked, popping up from behind Lance's seat. Her eyes were bright as she watched Blue's lights with wonder.

"Sorry, but no," Lance said, placing a gentle hand on her head. "She doesn't really speak out loud - more like feeds ideas into my brain. It's special, but nobody else can hear."

"So like a secret?" Her eyes were still wide, staring up at Lance and hanging on to his every word.

"Yeah," he replied. "Just like a secret."

A beep sounded through the cockpit, and Roy glanced down at her wrist, pressing a button. A holo-map appeared before her, several pieces flicking off as it zoomed in, circling around one particular planet. "Star chart says we're almost there," Roy said. "Should be the one right ahead."