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Dorma and Cinda barely noticed when the Castle walls shook. They had all their attention on Cliff. Dorma had her hands on his temples, her eyes shut tight in concentration. Sweat dripped from her brow. Cinda had her hands on Dorma's arm. Together they poured everything they had into their friend.
Brenda and Dr. Gorma worked quickly, trying to stem the blood flowing from Cliff's leg. Gorma shook his head. "It's no use. The femoral artery is ruptured. We can't stop the bleeding. We're going to have to take the leg."
Cinda's eyes snapped open. "No, you can't do that!"
Dorma sighed wearily and she broke contact with Cliff. His vitals faltered for a moment, then stabilized. "It is no use. I cannot help him." Her face was pale.
"There must be something we can do!" Cinda protested franticly.
"Both of you are done here. Get out so we can work." Brenda told them crisply, without looking up.
"No, I'm not leaving him." Cinda told her.
Dorma pulled her out of the operating room. "We can no longer help him. They must do what they can to save his life. He will live without his leg." She nodded over at Kim who was watching them, fear in her eyes. "Will you have him die and leave her to bear their child alone?"
Cinda looked up in surprise. "She's pregnant?"
Dorma nodded. "She told me when they landed. I do not think Cliff knows."
Kim walked over to them. "What's going on?" Her voice was tight with emotion. Dorma took her hand. "You should be resting." She led Kim over to a couch.
"Sit. He is stable but they cannot save his leg."
Kim jumped to her feet. "No! They can't do that to him!"
Cinda placed her hand on her arm. "Kim we tried. We really tried."
"No, no, no! They can't take his leg. It'll kill him!"
"It's the only way Kim, he'll die if they don't." Cinda told her. :Crick, we need you:
"No, they're just not trying hard enough!" Kim tried to push her way past them. Cinda grabbed her arm to stop her. Kim pulled away. "Leave me alone! You could help him if you really wanted to!" There was an edge of hysteria to her voice.
Crick appeared in answer to Cinda's silent summons. "Kim, look at me. Kimberly!" She turned, her hazel eyes filled with tears. "You aren't helping him. You're going to harm the baby. Relax, relax." He looked deep into her eyes, his voice strangely hypnotic. Kim's eyes unfocused and she slumped forward into his arms. Crick nodded at Dorma. "We'll take care of her. Lance needs you."
Without another word, Dorma hurried off in the opposite direction. She opened the doors to the main medical ward, and stopped, looking around in shock. People were laying everywhere, in various state of injury. Even the floors in the hallway were filled with wounded. "Kestrde valindal!" She swore under her breath. Annie spotted her in the doorway and waved. Dorma hurried over. "Where is he?" She asked.
"This way." Annie led her into another room. Lance was sitting propped up on an exam table. His head and chest had been bandaged, and a nurse was placing his arm in a cast. "Hey big brother, look who I found."
Lance looked up. "Dorma…" He struggled to his feet, pushing the nurse away.
Dorma rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Svavaliadeelin, I am here." She gently eased him back down on the bed.
"Cliff, where's Cliff? I saw him go down." Lance again tried to get up.
Annie and Dorma exchanged a look. "He is in surgery, now you had best let the nurse finish or you will end up there as well." Dorma told him firmly.
Lance sat still until the nurse finished his cast. He waited until she had left the room, then looked up at his wife and sister. "What aren't you telling me? Cliff's dead isn't he?" He asked hoarsely.
Dorma shook his head. "No, he is not dead. I will not lie to you Lance,he is not doing well."
"Mom's in there with Dr. Gorma. They're doing all they can." Annie told him.
"What's wrong?" Lance asked.
Dorma sighed. "His leg was badly injured. They cannot save it."
Lance grew pale. "Damn." He clenched his eyes shut. "I should have moved faster. This never would have happened if I had just reacted quicker."
At Dorma's glance, Annie slipped quietly from the room. Dorma waited until she had left, then placed her hand on his. "Svavaliadeelin, there was nothing you could have done." She said softly. She sent a wave of healing power through him.
Lance looked up at her, his eyes bright with tears. She drew him into her arms. They stayed that way, comforting each other, for a few minutes until a commotion from outside reached their ears. "Now what's going on?" Lance got to his feet, swayed a moment, then started for the door. Dorma followed, wrapping one arm around him for support. They paused in the doorway.
"Where is he? Why aren't you out looking for him!" Allura stood in the middle of the room, screaming at Admiral Harrison. He and Annie were trying to calm her to no avail.
"Dad? What's going on?" Lance asked. Harrison looked up, his eyes haunted. Lance grew cold. "What happened?"
Allura whirled on him. "Haltor captured Keith! He's been captured!" She turned back to the Admiral, tears streaming down her face. "And they won't go look for him!" She pounded his chest with her fists.
Harrison grabbed her hands. "Allura, listen to me! There's nothing to look for. The ship is destroyed. Keith's not coming back this time. "
"Don't say that! You just won't go look for him!" There was an edge of hysteria to her voice.
The Admiral tried to calm her. "Allura honey, there's nothing but debris out there. If he was alive we would have found him by now. He's gone Allura, he's gone." There was no mistaking the grief in Harrison's voice.
"NOOOOO!" Allura screamed, collapsing against him sobbing. Annie beckoned a nurse over who pulled Allura away and led her to a small office.
"Keith's…dead?" Lance stumbled to his knees, his face in his hands.
Dorma knelt at his side. "What happened?" She asked.
Harrison shook his head, tears trickling down his cheeks. "Haltor pulled Black inside his ship with a tractor beam. Then he set off the self destruct. Ginger and her Team are out looking now, but there isn't much left to search." He eased Lance to his feet and held him close. Annie took his other hand, crying softly.
Dorma stood nearby, her forehead furrowed…Something is not right. I do not feel that Keith is…Her thoughts were interrupted as the main door opened. They all looked up in startlement.
"Oh God…." Lance whispered hoarsely. "No!"
Hunk stood in the doorway, not bothering to try and hide the tears running down his face. Pidge's body lay lifeless in his arms.