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Lily could not make out the words that Kai was saying into her ears.  All she could hear was her blood rushing and the terrible coughing and rasping that was coming from Davyyd.

She reached up, trying to help him, wanting to do something.  She’d have given anything if just for him to not be making these sounds.

There was nothing she could do.

The medical drone came over, moving far too slowly in her mind.

“Hurry up!” she nearly shrieked.

Davyyd jumped at her voice, and she immediately froze in terror.

“Lily,” Kai’s voice said.  It was louder, stronger, commanding – and Lily listened.

“Lily,” Kai repeated.  “Take a deep breath and calm down.  Davyyd needs you now.”

“. . . o-okay,” she replied, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“The medical drone will give him what painkillers it has left.  I need you to speak calmly to him.  Comfort him.”

Lily knelt, heedless of the blood, and reached out again, this time for his hand.  His right did not seem burned, and she slipped her fingers into his.

His head moved slightly, and his breathing grew quieter, the cough fading, as the drone injected him.

“Davyyd,” Lily said softly.  “I’m here, Davyyd.”

His lips moved, but she could not tell what, if anything, he was saying.

“It’s okay, Davyyd,” she said.  “You don’t have to say anything.  It’s okay to be scared – I’m here, Davyyd, and I’ll be here.”

His head moved a fraction – a nod?  She was not sure.

“Thank you,” she told him.  “You got me out.  I wouldn’t have made it off the ship if you hadn’t helped me.  You . . .  you were so brave.  And I’ll always be grateful.”

His hand squeezed hers slightly, and she reached up, stroking back his hair.  It was slick with sweat and blood, but now she did not care.

“I’ll stay here with you,” she said again.  “You’re not alone, Davyyd.”

“You’re doing great, Lily,” Kai said.  “All we can do is make him comfortable.”

She did.  She spoke softly, stroking his head or his hand.  His breathing grew slower, and he seemed to no longer be in pain.  He was just drifting on the painkillers.  She took it as a blessing.

Then he suddenly took a breath, louder than any that had come before.  It came out as a wheeze and then stopped.

There was a terrible silence.

“Davyyd?” she asked softly.

The drone hovered closer.  “His heart has stopped.  Time of death-“

The words faded out into a ringing sound in her ears.  She fell back, almost stumbling away from the body, panic overtaking her for a moment.

Or maybe minutes.  She had no idea, she just realized that Kai was calling out to her, trying to get her attention back.

But the woman’s words, no matter how important or commanding, seemed to have no meaning.

She’d just watched Davyyd die.  Everything else paled in comparison.

She turned off the call.

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