The Stars Between -- (VLD)

[13] Run, run, run run runrunrun!

"What's your name?" Olly asked.

The girl closed her eyes, taking shallow breaths as she held her side. "... Rinnai." She eventually answered, letting a leg slide out in front of her. She still was on edge, but it was a step up from before. "Mik and I... it's just us."

Lance noticed that she avoided looking over to where the Galra woman was.

"And maman!" Mik called out, using her tail to motion to the corner.

Her sister looked away. "Just us..." she said, almost to herself. "Mik, I am... so... sorry—" she let out a tiny sob, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Olly sniffled, stepping closer to Roy and grasping her hand.

"Therra, don't cry." Mik said, wriggling in Lance's arms. He set her on the ground, and she immediately ran to her sister.

"Rinnai, huh?" Roy scowled, folding her arms.

The girl didn't answer, holding Mik close to her on her good side. They just sat holding each other as the older cried, the little one wrapping her tail around them in a comforting gesture.

"Rinnai- Therra- whatever your real name is," Lance started as she calmed down, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "If you come back with us, we can heal your injuries."

"H-how can I trust you?" she shot back, though the waver in her voice made it seem so much less threatening.

Lance paused, unsure how to answer. He opened his mouth to speak, only for a blaring alarm to cut him off.

"What is it?" he said instead, turning to Olly and Roy. Roy tapped at the half-working console.

"Two Galra fighters inbound," Roy reported, before cursing and thumping the console. "I mean, I think it is, the tech's on the frizz."

"Th-they found us..." Therra whispered, eyes widening in horror. She pulled Mik closer, burying her face in the top of the child's head. "They found us, they found us..."

"Olly, can you get them to our shuttle?" Lance asked, eyeing the flickering screen. Judging by the distance, they'd be here in a matter of doboshes. "We need to leave now!"

Mik let out a small cry, staring up at Lance with tear-filled eyes.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay..." he soothed, slowly crouching down across from the two Galra.

"No, it's not!" Therra shouted, before doubling over in pain. "It's not okay... I promised maman, and..." she continued to mumble to herself, trying to curl up in the corner, still holding Mik close, the small one crying quietly.

"Olly, please," Lance tried again.

"I promised maman, I promised that I would take care of Mik..."

"Nothing bad will happen to her, I promise," Olly said calmly, kneeling down and slowly prising the crying Mik from her sister's arms. "But we need to go, and I need to you to agree to this."

Mik stopped crying, wrapping her tail around Olly's arm. Therra watched them, doubt passing over her face before she set her jaw and nodded.

"Okay."

"Roy, I'm going to need you to help Therra, walking's going to be hard with those ribs."

"Got it."

"Lance, watch our back. We'll be unable to fight back so it's up to you to be our sharpshooter."

"Right." Lance pulled his weapon out, waiting for the girls to start out before he left. He cast one final glance to the body in the pod – Mik and Therra's mother – and whispered a quiet goodbye to her, as well as a silent promise to protect her daughters.

They heard the fighters before they saw them, hidden in the cloud cover above. Lance paused, aiming upwards and watching out of the corner of his eye as the others kept moving. Therra struggled to keep up, clutching her ribs as they ran, Roy hanging back in her steps to make sure she didn't injure herself further.

Olly turned, reaching to grab Roy's hand. She whispered something, before transferring Mik to Roy's arms and picking up Therra.

The girl gave a shout of pain as she was scooped up, but she didn't object as they sped up, and Lance didn't fail to catch the look Roy and Olly shared, Olly's expression steeling.

Again, none of his damn business. He ought to get that phrase on a shirt or something.

The fighters screamed overhead, and Lance took aim. It was hard as they ran, but they didn't have an option. Stopping meant becoming an easier target.

There was a blast, and without thinking Lance jumped, using his body as a shield for the girls. He vaguely heard Mik screaming, a resounding "No!" from Olly alongside.

The laser tore through his shoulder, leaving a hole in his armour and an intense pain in his arm. He clenched his eyes shut, forcing the tears back as he let loose his own volley of shots.

Without seeing, Lance knew he had hit his mark. The ground shook as the fighter crashed, a deep explosion forcing him to the ground again, smashing into his injured arm.

Lance didn't give himself a moment to recover his wits, instead dragging himself to his feet and running again.

"Oh that hurt," he groaned as he caught up to the others. "Oh, quiznak—" he stumbled as his ankle rolled, shooting pain up his leg. He winced, still not stopping.

He had made a promise; and his mama didn't raise a boy that went back on his promises.

Lance was so distracted by his thoughts he didn't notice Roy and Olly had stopped until he crashed into Roy. Mik gave a tiny laugh as he flailed about.

"Why have we stopped?" Lance asked, brow furrowing. "We can't stop, the shuttle's just over..."

"There." Therra completed, using her head to motion forwards.

A small squadron of sentries stood in their path.

"Do we take the long way around?" Olly said nervously. Lance found himself nodding.

"Yeah, that's probably best."

He had told Therra that he would protect her sister; and he had told Blue that he would be back. And he intended to keep both promises.

And for once, the best way to do so was to retreat.

Lance took aim, letting the others get a head-start as he shot two of the sentries in the head and a third in the chest. The rest advanced.

"Run, run, run run runrunrun!" Lance panicked, urging the others forward. The drumbeat steps behind him grew louder – seeing as all members of their party was slowed down in some shape or form – and Lance stole a glance behind him to see the sentries had caught up.

Without thinking, Lance dropped his gun and flipped over a sentry. Mik shrieked in both fright and delight behind him as he grabbed the sentry mid-air, using his momentum to fling the robot behind him, taking out another three in its path.

"How'd you learn to do that?" Roy asked as Lance scooped up his gun again, sprinting ahead before shooting from the hip and blasting one of the final sentries.

He grinned. "Gymnastics classes."

It had been a while since he had practiced, having to quit to pursue his education at the Garrison; but his younger self had practiced religiously. After all, gymnastics skills impressed all of the ladies.

Olly gave a whoop as the shuttle came in sight, and together they ran for the ship.

Lance took off as fast as he could, this time not pausing to relish in the experience. They still had dangers ahead, and the sooner they returned to base the better.