World of Disney 3

Chapter Five: The Frozen Kingdom

Several Years Later

Sitting alone in the cockpit of Ghost while the starship flew through the hyperspace tunnel, Adrienne's eyes looked out in the direction of the surrounding, streaming crystal blue burrow...yet she was not looking right at it. Her eyes, normally carrying its signature piercing blue hue, were entirely white and glowing. The world outside caught in a haze, she found herself connected elsewhere, across time and space. Something, or someone, reaching out to her. But who or what was it?

"What in blazes are you doin' in my bunk?"

Surprisingly, it took the bellowing, angry voice of Zeb to snap Adrienne out of her connection through time. A few blinks returned her eyes to their natural color, once again staring out the window.

"Hera told me that I could bunk here." She heard Penz defend herself in the ensuing confrontation, happening elsewhere on the ship.

"My ship, my decision." Hera spoke out, sounding closer to the cockpit than either Zeb or Penz were.

That seemed to have settled the debate, considering the silence that fell afterward.

However, just when Adrienne thought she would have a quiet moment to herself, the door whooshed open. At the corner of her eye, she noticed Chrissy taking a seat in the unoccupied pilot's chair.

She majestically stared out the window, taking in the breathtaking view of the hyperspace tunnel, its bluish hue reflecting inside. "Beautiful, isn't it? I've been used to seeing hyperspace travel in my years working for Star Tours. Every now and then, we - the engineers - get to work with the RX droids in test-piloting the Starspeeders, and we usually test hyperspace travel above everything else on the ship. Those suckers can go..."

"Ryder," Adrienne punitively interrupted. "I say this with all the respect in the universe, but I just don't give a damn about your work-life story. I've had a very bad day, alright?"

Offended by her harsh statement, Chrissy countered, "Let me remind you that it wasn't my idea to get us captured by the Imperials. If you want to blame anyone for your bad day, blame yourself."

Adrienne sighed; she was in the wrong for taking her inhibitions out on Chrissy. "I'm not upset about the capture. I am angry about my failure in convincing Vader to abandon the Sphere." She then dismally added, "As well as to free my master, Yen Sid."

Chrissy felt for her, even though there was no excuse for lashing out as she did. Nonetheless, she wanted to understand her dilemma. "What does this Sphere do? Why is it so important to the Empire?"

"Its properties are nothing like anything you've ever seen in this galaxy."

"Is it a weapon? Like their Death Star?"

"No, but it can still be weaponized - used for purposes separate for what it was made to do. I've seen what the Empire has done with the Sphere, in the future, using it to destroy a world not from this universe."

None of it made any sense to Chrissy, especially not the part about other worlds outside the galaxy. But the genuine unease in Adrienne's conduct while discussing the matter was enough to clue Chrissy in on the magnitude of danger posed from the Empire's new discovery.

Before the two women could confer more on the topic, the cockpit door slid open again, permitting Vanessa to enter. Adrienne noticed she still had that carefree smile on her face that vexed her so much. She sat right in the colorful seat that Sabine normally occupied, hugging her legs close to her body and swaying in the chair. "What a cute little ship. Even got a cute little name," she complimented.