Split Between Stars

Epiphany

"Ow!" Danny yelped, twirling in mid-air. A small jolt of energy had stung his back from above. 

A giggling Halpha girl soared overhead, moving with the skill and grace born of practice. Danny lurched after her with a pulse of green energy from his hands. She glanced back and sped up. Danny increased his power, the thrill of adrenaline and energy surging through him. They rocketed around the chamber, dodging drones, duelers and debris. 

With a huge spurt of speed, Danny managed to catch the girl's ankle and spin her off balance. She cartwheeled through the air, trying desperately to reorient herself.

Danny laughed and went to help her. 

"Can't take a joke can you?" she asked, settling back into a stable float. 

"Next time you'd better be fast enough to get away with it," Danny grinned. 

She smiled ruefully. 

"You're doing great you know," she complimented as they floated in space. "Took most of us months to figure out how to navigate zero grav."

Danny shrugged modestly.

"Fast learner I guess."

The girl turned back to the group and readied herself to move back towards them. Danny bit his lip, looking around. They were alone, tucked back in a far corner of the massive chamber. In spite of himself, Danny burst out,

"Hey... your name's P'ani right?"

The girl stopped, hovering curiously in place.

"Yeah?"

"Um... I was talking to Jax'i a couple nights ago. I don't know where he is right now, so I can't ask him. But..."

He took a deep breath, already regretting this choice.

"You remember the day you guys left the compound?"

P'ani tensed up at his words, eyes flicking back toward the group. They were far away, and well occupied with their various activities. 

"We don't like to talk about that-" she began.

"I know, I'm sorry. But I just have to ask you one thing, then I'll drop it."

P'ani nodded, looking nervous.

"In all the excitement of the trip, was anyone... uh, glowing?"

"Like we are right now?" P'ani clarified, eyeing Danny's glowing white hair. 

"Yeah. Was anyone's hair or eyes glowing?"

"Umm... No. Not that I can remember," P'ani replied. She fidgeted nervously, clearly worried that Danny was going to keep asking more questions. 

"Okay, cool. I was just curious if excitement could do that," Danny concluded, shrugging nonchalantly. P'ani gave a strained smile and drifted away in obvious relief. 

Danny followed her back to the group, that nagging feeling growing stronger and stronger that something was wrong. 

.........................................................................

Danny turned over in bed for what must have been the millionth time. The sheets felt hot and suffocating, the silence oppressive. He sat up in the darkness. His restless hands fidgeted with his shirt, his hair, anything to distract him from the gnawing sense of unease.

What was he missing? 

Adrenaline pulses, blood samples, ecto scanners, radiation suits. They whirled around in his head, somehow connected. Something so close he could almost-

Danny's hands stopped fidgeting. His eyes opened wide in the darkness, his limbs limp from shock. It couldn't be... he had to be wrong. What would be the purpose... unless.

Danny swung out of bed, no longer aware of the late hour. He had to know if he was right. He had to know now. 

He didn't bother with the door. It was too important to stay silent, to avoid making any noise at all. Taking a deep breath, Danny phased through the door. The faint glow from his white hair illuminated the dark hallways as Danny crept through the silent mansion. Faint sounds sounded like thunder to his worried mind. Every shadow looked like a trap, ready to catch him before he learned the truth. 

Heart pounding in his chest, Danny slipped down the hallway Vlad had shown him only days ago. He phased through door after door, the security silent and untriggered behind him. 

He reached the lab. 

The lights had been turned off, except for a few glowing pieces of lab equipment. Quiet clicks and whirrs filled the silence. Danny's bare feet felt cold on the smooth metal floor as he crept toward the half finished radiation suits. 

A loud beep sounded behind him. 

Danny jumped a good foot in the air, whirling to face the source. 

Silence followed. It was just a machine.

Heart now feeling like it might explode from tension, Danny pulled down one of the most complete looking suits he could find. It looked awkward and bulky, armored sections covering a flexible black fabric. Danny took a deep breath and slid his hand into one of the gloves. He let out a pulse of green light from that hand. 

The suit grew hot. It steamed. Then it melted over Danny's hand, completely useless against Halpha radiation. 

Danny stumbled back from the fake suit,letting it clatter to the ground. His breathing grew fast and frantic. He had to get out of here. They all had to get out of here. 

He understood it all now. The fear, the secrecy, the lies upon lies! Danny scrambled to his feet, ready to raised the alarm and run. He sprinted to the lab door, going intangible without even thinking. 

He slammed into the wall and crumpled against it. Shock and pain hit him in equal measure as blood began to flow from his broken nose.

"I wish you hadn't come here Daniel," a quiet voice said behind him. Danny whipped around, eyes streaming from pain.

A pair of red eyes glowed from the darkness.

"I truly regret your choice."