X-Men: A New Hope

Chapter Five

Read the author's note at the end, please!

***

Somewhere in Hyperspace

Han walked into the main quarters of the Millennium Falcon. "The course is locked in," he announced, sitting down by some controls. "We should be at Alderaan in about an hour."

"Good."

Han frowned when he noticed the old man had been sitting doubled over. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Many deaths."

Chewbacca looked up from where he was sitting with the golden droid and whined. "Where?"

Ben shook his head. "No idea. There were just so many . . . "

The Wookiee pondered that answer, then strode over to the intercom. "Where’s he going?" Luke asked.

For once, an actual question, Han thought to himself. "No idea," he replied, standing up. "Chewie?"

Chewbacca waved him off, roaring into the intercom. "Storm, up in the main quarters!"

There were a few seconds, then her reply. "Coming!"

"Chewie, what’s this about?" Han asked.

Danielle came running in, finishing wrapping her hair up in a knot. "What’s wrong?" she asked just seconds afer he did.

Chewbacca barked at her. "Have you tried out Cerebro?"

Danielle began to smile. "As a matter of fact, that’s where I just came from."

Ben looked up, frowning. "Cerebro?"

"I’d ask the same question," Han muttered. "What the hell is Cerebro?"

Danielle beckoned for them to follow. "It looks like an optical illusion," she started to explain as they went towards what previously seemed like the barrier to the outer walls of the ship. "Beast made it look much larger than it really is. For that, I’m grateful."

"I’m just glad it works," Chewbacca rumbled.

Danielle nodded. "Me, too," she admitted, looking into a built-in eyescanner. There was a beep. "Welcome, Storm," a robotic voice announced, then a hidden door slid open.

Danielle walked towards a chair and soundboard in the middle of the room, gesturing around her.

"Whoa," Han murmured, looking around what appeared to be a voluminous room with a floor that never ended.

"It’s not as huge as it seems," Danielle assured him, flicking some controls on the panel and hooking what appeared to be a comms set around her head like the old clone troopers. "It’s an illusion."

"Could’ve fooled me," a voice behind them said.

Han jumped and turned to look at Luke. "How did you get here?" he asked in surprise.

Luke grinned. "What, she didn’t tell you I could teleport?"

"Might have forgotten to mention that detail," Danielle called back, throwing a smirk over her shoulder. "So I’m looking for how many deaths?"

"Hundreds," Ben replied as he limped over to the room. "Of many species."

"All rightie," Danielle muttered as she began flipping switches. "Beast, could you stay in here in case something happens?"

Chewbacca nodded, whining. "Of course."

"Could the rest of you leave?"

Han shooed everyone away from the door, then looked back. "How long is this going to take?"