Split Between Stars

The Waiting Game

"Are you almost done?"

Vlad looked up in surprise. It had been days since Danny had spoken, let alone asked a question. 

"Yes, almost," he replied, watching the bound Halpha for a reaction. 

Danny just hung his head and fell back into silence. Vlad looked at him sadly for another moment, pulled away from his work. The boy looked thin and tired. He barely ate anything that was offered. His skin had taken on a dull gray undertone and his eyes were blank and hooded. 

"I truly am sorry about this Daniel," Vlad said. He knew the words meant little to Danny, but continued anyway. 

"If there was any other option I would gladly pursue it. Releasing you from the compound would result in your capture and death, whether by Space Corps or another bounty hunter. If I let you continue living here you would eventually tell the others what you have learned. If I... killed you, I would never be able to live with that."

Danny didn't react to any of this. He simply sat in silence, not letting any of the words hurt him. 

Vlad turned back to his work, small sparks flitting to life as he welded the intricate machine together. 

"Maybe it'll be better this way. The other Halphas will be able to fully accept you. You won't remember the horrible things Space Corps did to you. You won't have to worry about your family any more."

At this last sentence, Danny's eyes flew open. 

"What did you just say?" he growled. 

Vlad froze. Danny turned his head, heedless of the pain this caused across his throat. 

"You know what really happened to my family, don't you? They were never returned home. You knew and you didn't tell me!" Danny shouted, furious at himself for not questioning this sooner. 

"Where are they?!"

Vlad stood up slowly, setting down his tools. 

"Space Corps still has them in custody," he admitted. "I believe they're being used for their knowledge of Halphas to create trackers or weapons. I thought it would ease your conscience if you didn't know."

"All of them? Jazz, Sam, Tucker?"

"I believe that your friends were indeed returned back home as promised. At least, I can't find any records saying otherwise. But yes, your parents and sister are still being held." Vlad explained. 

Danny's eyes were wide and crazed like a wild animal. Through panting breaths he growled,

"You could have saved them. You knew they were there and you didn't do anything."

"Space Corps knows to expect me now!" Vlad burst out. "I made a huge risk getting you out of there, saving your life! Now they know another Halpha, of a sort, exists. I can't risk getting captured by them. They would find out about this place. They would find out about the others."

His eyes glowed like burning embers. 

"I will never let that happen."

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

"It's complete?" Walker demanded, turning the thermos over in his hands. 

Maddie nodded tiredly.

"And you're sure it works?"

"See for yourself," she replied, taking it from him and pointing it at a nearby trashcan. A burst of light shot from the cylindrical machine accompanied with surging rings of energy. The trash can warped inward, stretching and compressing until it vanished into the confines of the thermos. 

"We'll see how effective it is once it's been tested on a Halpha," Walker snarled, snatching it back from her. 

"Have you found my son?" Maddie asked. She felt the question slip from her exhausted lips, too tired to hold it back. 

Walker gave her a cold, calculating look. 

"I'd forget about him if I were you," he advised, clutching the thermos in one large hands as he left the room. "We'll catch up to him soon enough."

The door slid shut behind Walker, leaving Maddie alone in the room. 

Walker strode through the maze of brightly lit hallways with a sense of purpose. He held the answer to all his problems in his hands now. Nothing could stand in the way this time. He entered his office and found who he was looking for. 

"I have a job for you. Probably the most important job you'll ever receive."

He handed over the metal cylinder to his hulking visitor. 

"This device will allow you to capture any Halphas you come across. And yes, I order you to capture rather than kill. I've got the feeling that the Halpha we lost is not alone out there."

"You know what I need to find them," the creature replied. 

"You'll be well supplied with the missing Halpha's DNA by our scientists. He'll doubtless be with his violent rescuer, so be wary. Capture him if you can, but kill him if you must."

The monster's huge metal clad hands clenched shut over the thermos. Glowing green eyes flashed above his shining teeth. 

"Get going," Walker ordered. "Payment will be wired to your account once the job is done."

"No Grangen would back down from a hunt such as this," the figure growled. "You would be wise not to doubt me."

He shouldered his way out of the room, barely fitting out the door. 

Walker sat down behind his desk and typed out a memo for the landing pad. 

Prepare Skullker's ship for launch.