The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[47] It's just a plant!

Lance stood half frozen as he watched the healers flit around Olly. They hadn't started yet, simply assessing the situation and murmuring gently amongst themselves. He didn't want to intrude, but Lance itched to stand with them, take in everything he could and perhaps learn some new skills in the process.

They seemed to know what they were doing, at least. A hand ghosted over the top of the blade's hilt, before drawing back as they devolved into murmurs again.

"You want to know what they're doing." A voice startled Lance, and he jolted back to stare at the native beside him. He hadn't even noticed her come up.

She hadn't posed her words as a question, either, gaze somehow midway between intense and gentle.

"Is it- uh, is it that obvious?" Lance laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

She laughed, the sound also matching her eyes - genuine and sweet, but strong. "You may not have noticed, but you've been drifting closer."

She was right - Lance had started against the stone walls of the cave, close to the entrance. Now, he was half in the room, having slipped closer in his effort to hear the proceedings. He smiled guiltily. "Heh. Well, I'm training to be a medic, so it'd be great if I could learn a little here."

She was silent in response for a moment, eyes raking up and down his figure. Lance shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, feeling as if she was taking him apart and putting him back together again.

"I suppose you can learn about our secrets," she decided with a slight nod.

"Really?"

She laughed again. "Of course. Come closer so you can hear us," motioning with a sharp hand gesture for Lance to follow, she returned to the other healers surrounding Olly.

Lance hung back a step to remain out of the way, thankful for his long legs as he was able to peer over their shoulders.

"-Nitrous oxide toxic to species," one was in the middle of saying, hands either side of Olly's head.

"Her heart rate is steady, breathing shallow but even."

"Administering isoflurane. Continue to monitor heart rate for any fluctuations."

A needle to the inside of Olly's elbow, and Lance blinked. The healers worked as one, never getting in the way of each other. An image of the rebels doing much the same thing rose in his mind, and Lance bit back a smile.

"Isoflurane is a type of anaesthetic, right?" Lance asked quietly. The one that had approached Lance earlier nodded but didn't reply, already immersed in prepping another needle.

They continued to work, Lance catching roughly half of what was going on, not wanting to ask in case timing was important.

He still had a long way to go as a medic.

"Ready to administer fibrinogen." A healer said. Lance had no idea what that was.

"The knife has to be removed," the healer said, obviously taking note of Lance's confused look. "Fibrinogen is a blood clotting agent, which will make that task easier for us."

Lance was glad they were willing to tell him what each thing was. They could have been harming her for all he knew, and the thought didn't sit well. But he pushed that aside. They had just returned children home after being stolen by the Galra. If they had wanted to kill them, they would have done it out on the beach with the spears that had been pointed at their chests.