There was silence throughout the ships with only the sounds of tools being used by Han and Chewie. The witches were relaxing, with Hannah and Barbara playing holochess, Diana watching Han fixing a piece of the hyperdrive, and Akko talking to 3PO. Akko was quite curious to see if she can teach the gold droid the Japanese language just in case of an emergency.
"Hey 3PO, can I ask you something?" Akko asked.
"Sure, Master Kagari," 3PO said.
"You say that you are able to speak many languages, are you able to speak Japanese?" Akko asked.
"Unfortunately, I am not familiar with that language," 3PO answered.
"Oh, well, if I teach you, would you think you are able to be program to learn it?" Akko asked.
"Yes madam, I will," 3PO said.
Akko's eyes lit up with happiness as she sat down, with the gold droid doing the same thing. The young Japanese witch was teaching 3PO the basics and both the Hiragana, kanji, and the Katakana alphabet. Even though Akko's excitement was overwhelming her, the witch and droid were able to at least go over the basics before Diana join them.
As Diana was walking into the common area, she saw something that looked familiar sitting on a table. Walking towards it, Diana saw that it was a binder filled with cards. These cards felt familiar to her, but Diana did not know where she saw them before. It showed some strange pictures like a staff of a kind, a weird kind of insect, and a weird white fur animal with what seemed to be armor on it. She knows she saw this binder before, but where the blonde witch saw it, she did not even know. The more Diana was looking at it, the more it came back to her. This is Akko's Shiny Chariot card collection. But how is it here? The last place she remembers seeing it was in her girlfriend's dorm.
"Hey Akko, can you come here, please?" Diana asked.
"Sure Diana," Akko said, getting up from her place on the sofa. She made her way towards Diana, carefully not disturbing Hannah and Barbara. As she reached her girlfriend, Akko saw what her girlfriend was looking at.
She was in shocked to see what it was as the binder reminded Akko of her old life. "Is that… is that my old Shiny Chariot binder?" Akko asked as she picked it up and opened it.
The trading cards that Akko collected throughout her life shimmered in the well-lit spacecraft, as the young witch was flipping through the pages. Her excitement grew as she realized what Master Yoda meant by she will know the sign that her friends are finding ways for them to go back to their world. As Akko flipped through the pages, she stopped at this one page of her binder. Something was bothering her, but Akko did not know what it was.
"Hey Akko, are you all right?" Diana asked.
"Yeah, I just…I just have a strange feeling," Akko said.
Hannah and Barbara stopped what were they doing, walking toward their friend. "What do you mean?" Hannah asked.
"I don't know, it just feels like these cards are real. It's just a feeling, so it should not be something to worry about," Akko said, closing the binder.
Diana put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. Looking into her eyes, Diana said, "Akko, tell us, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, just old memories flooding my mind," Akko chuckled.
"Akko," Diana said sternly.
Akko took a deep breath. "This binder not only holds a collection of Shiny Chariot collectible cards, but also other collectible cards from things I like. One of them is Star Wars and well, I always make sure I get all of those collectibles," Akko said. She opened the binder to show her friends and Hannah and Barbara gasped at what they saw.
"Is that…?" Hannah asked.
"Us, yeah. Apparently, being in this universe for too long has caused us to be one with the movies so to say," Akko chuckled, "I guess now we have our own trading cards."
"But don't you think it's weird that this happen?" Barbara asked.
"Yeah, but we are four witches from a world that is different from this. So weirdness doesn't affect me anymore," Akko said. Akko was examining the card a bit. Taking out a card that has a picture of Diana, Akko was thinking of something.
"Hey Akko, what are you going to do with that card?" Diana asked.
Before Akko answered her girlfriend's question, the young Japanese girl grabbed her wand from her holster. Placing the card on the floor, Akko cast a spell, aiming her wand at the card. Some white smoke exploded, and as the girls were coughing and waving it away, there stood an exact replica of Diana Cavendish. The girls looked in awe and amazement, seeing this new form of magic that Akko has created.
"I…wow…I can't believe this," Hannah said in shock.
"Yeah, like how is this even possible?" Barbara asked.
"It looks like an ancient form of magic, something that hasn't been seen since a millenia," Diana inferred, "How did you know how to do this, Akko?"
"I do not know, I just felt it," Akko said.
The girls came out of their shocked expressions when they heard a familiar growl coming from behind them. "You said it Chewie, you girls never fail to amaze us," Han said.
"Han!" Akko shouted in surprise, "I didn't hear you coming."
"Yeah, well, Chewie and I were looking over some damages," Han said.
"And?" Diana asked.
"The ship took a lot of damage trying to escape Echo Base. The ship has holes everywhere with the shields heavily damaged, the hyperdrive nearly busted up, and the engine on tape and bolts. As soon as we are in the clear, we would have to land on a planet that is extremely close to us," Han explained.
"Do you think the ship will hold on for that long?" Hannah asked.
"I don't know. I taped all of the holes that I can and fix the hyperdrive right up, but right now if we don't go to a planet that has all the parts that we need, we won't be able to survive any much longer with the Empire on our butts," Han said.
"I agree with you on that," Akko said, "What planet are you thinking of?"
"I don't know, but anything that is a lightspeed jump away," Han said.
As they were talking, the crew heard a scream and saw Leia running toward Han, frightened and out of breath. "There's something out there," Leia said.
"Where?" Han asked, curious.
"Outside, in the cave," Leia said.
"Nonsense, we're the only live things here," Akko said, "You must be imagining things."
As soon as Akko said that, there was a loud sharp banging noise on the bottom of the ship. Hannah and Barbara gulped, with Chewie looking around, barking anxiously.
"If I was imagining things, then how do you explain that?" Leia said.
"Um, my stomach," Akko said sheepishly.
"Really, your stomach," Leia said, crossing her arms. Akko shrugged her arms.
"Look, the more we argue about this, the more time whatever that is out there is going to destroy this ship that I just fixed," Han said. He walked towards a rack of masks, taking one and putting it on.
"Wai, what do you think you are doing?" Leia asked.
"I'm going out there," Han answered.
"You have to be joking, right?" Hannah asked.
"Look, Chewie and I worked hard to get this bucket of bolts as back together as we can. I'm not going to let something tear it apart," Han explained.
"I'm going with you," Diana said.
"Same with me," Akko said.
"And with me too," Leia said.
Chewie roared in agreement.
The three girls and the Wookie walked towards the rack briskly, grabbing their masks and putting it on. Unhooking their pistols, the smugglers, the princess, and the witches walked down the ramp on to the surface of the asteroid.
"I think it might be better if Hannah and I stay here with the droid. So that we can protect the ship from the inside," Barbara shouted out.
"Yup, I agree with you," Hannah said.
The cave was very dark and humid when the crew went out of the ship. The floor feels sticky as everyone walks on the floor. "This ground sure does feel strange. It doesn't feel like a rock at all," Leia said.
"Yeah, it feels like we are walking on something very unsettling," Akko said.
Diana was kneeling on the ground, feeling and studying it. Han was attempting to study the outline of the cave. "There is an awful lot of moisture in here," Han said.
Diana looked up as Han said that. "Yeah, it is as if something is alive in here," Diana said.
"Whatever it is, I do have a bad feeling about this," Leia said.
"I agree," Diana said, standing up.
Akko was walking with Chewie around the ship, when Chewie was barking through his mask. Akko saw what Chewie was barking at, and shot the thing down as it let out a horrifying screech, flying pass them. Akko was walking towards the creature, as another one flew by Diana, attacking her.
"Watch out!" Han shouted out, as he shot the creature down. Diana ducked before the creature could hurt her.
"Hey Han, these look like those Mynocks you told us about," Akko said, as she was bending down and examining the creature.
"Yeah, that's what I thought. Akko, you and Chewie check the rest of the ship, make sure there aren't any more of those buggers attacked. They are the ones who are chewing on the power cables," Han ordered.
"Roger," Akko said as she and Chewie started looking around the ship.
"Princess, you should go on inside, we will clean them off if there are any more of those bugs," Han ordered.
Leia nodded her head as she was making her way up the ramp. However, a stray mynock swoop down on the princess, attacking her. The mynock was not alone, as a swarm of his friends was attacking the crew of the Millennium Falcon. Akko, Diana, Chewbacca, and Han were shooting down the swarm as Leia was shielding her face and shooing the mynocks away. Some of the mynocks were flying past the Falcon, causing Hannah, Barbara, and 3PO to scream out in horror. As soon as everything calmed down, Han had a pit in his stomach.
"Wait a minute," Han said as he unholsters his pistol and fired it at the far side of the huge cave.
The cave began to shake as the ground started to rumble. Akko and Diana looked at each other as Chewie barked. Everyone felt the cave moving, causing Akko, Diana, Chewbacca, and Han to run up the ramp of the ship. All the while, the mynocks were swarming the ship. As everyone got on board, Diana saw Hannah and Barbara in fear.
"What's going on out there?" Hannah asked.
"I don't know, but I don't want to find out," Akko said, "Han, we need to get the hell out of here."
"Agree, all right Chewie, let's get out of here," Han said, as he, Chewbacca, Akko, and Diana were running to the cockpit.
"The Empire is still out there. I don't think it's wise to," Leia said, but was interrupted by Han, who was rushing past her
"No time to discuss this in a committee," Han shouted to Leia.
Leia looked at the captain angrily as he and some of the other passengers disappeared into the cockpit. The main engines of the Falcon began to power up as Leia was racing after Han, bouncing around in the shaking ship.
"I am not a committee!" Leia shouted back. She got into the cockpit seeing that Han and Chewie were already in their seats, pulling back on the throttle. The shaking of the cave has greatly decreased.
"It will be dangerous to make the jump to light speed in this asteroid field!" Hannah shouted.
"Sit down, kid. We are going to be taking off!" Han ordered.
As the ship began to take off, Chewie barked at Han. Akko and Diana were looking out at the window. What they saw chilled them down to the bone.
"Look!" 3PO shouted out, shaking Akko and Diana out of their fear.
"I see it, I see it," Han said.
As the ship was racing through the cave, there, a row of jagged stalagmites and stalactites can be seen surrounding the entrance. As the Falcon gain more speed, the cave started to close. Han was pulling the throttle as hard as he can sending the ship surgining forward.
"We're doomed!" 3PO said.
"Hey by any chance, should a cave have like teeth on them?" Hannah asked.
"This is no cave," Akko said.
"Wait, what do you mean this is no cave?" Leia asked.
"This is a space worm," Akko said.
As soon as Akko said that, Leia, Hannah, and Barbara's mouths dropped in shock as they saw that the rocks inside of the cave were not really rocks, but more like muscles. Chewie howled as the Falcon zoomed through the worm's mouth. The ship rolled on its side, barely making it between the gigantic teeth before the worm's jaw slammed closed. Everyone saw the space worm moving its head out of the cave, trying to catch the ship, but thankfully the ship made it out of the beast safely. Han piloted the ship out of the crater and into the deadly rain of the asteroid storm.
The Falcon was speeding through deep space as an enemy Star Destroyer was firing at them. As they are flying through, some of the asteroids were tumbling through, passing the small ship and the gigantic destroyer. The more distance the ship gain, the less the asteroids were disappearing away from the Falcon leaving everyone except the Captain relieved.
"Oh thank Beatrix we are coming out of the asteroid field," Diana said in relief. Chewie barked excitedly in agreement.
Although they are away from the asteroid field, they still were in danger of the Star Destroyer. The Destroyer fired a blaster bolt, which hit the ship from the back side, causing it to lean on one side. Laser bolt by laser bolt, the Falcon was getting hit by all sides.
"Let's get out of here, Chewie. Ready for light speed?" Han asked. The Wookie barked, letting the Captain know he was ready. "Ok, on my mark, one, two, three!" Han counted down, pulling back on the hyperspace throttle.
The sound of the hyperdrive failing was heard throughout the ship. Leia looked at Han in shame, as the witches and Chewie looked angry at the captain. Han was frantically pulling the throttle again.
"It's not fair!" Han shouted frantically.
"I thought you said you fix the hyperdrive!" Akko said in surprise.
"The transfer circuits are working," Han replied, "It's not my fault!"
"Well, who's fault, is it?" Diana asked.
"Great, we are all going to die here. Well it was knowing you lot," Hannah said, throwing her arms up in the air. Chewie was putting his head in his hands, whining to himself.
"Let me guess, no light speed?" Leia asked, although knowing the answer.
Han was thinking through options he had, and he had one that was crazy enough that it might work. "Turn her around," Han ordered his Wookie counterpart as he was pulling back on a lever.
Diana, realizing what Han is about to attempt, went wide-eyed. "Captain, what do you mean by turning the ship around," Diana asked. Chewie barked in agreeing with the blonde hair witch.
"Chewie, I said to turn her around! I'm going to put all power in the front shield," Han ordered, ignoring Diana.
"Captain, what are you planning?" Diana asked again.
"I think I have an idea and I hope to the force I am wrong. Please don't tell me you are planning to attack them?" Leia asked.
"Sir, the odds of surviving a direct assault on an imperial star destroyer is…" 3PO began but was interrupted.
"Do you ever shut up!" Hannah shouted at the droid, annoyed.
The Falcon flies to a sharp left as it was making a steep twisting turn. The ship was racing toward the large Star Destroyer, looking like an ant compared to the goliath surface of the Imperial Ship. As if the ship was moving across the surface of the Destroyer, the Falcon was bobbing and weaving to avoid the numerous flak it was receiving. The ship raced fast, heading towards the Destroyer's bridge. Frightening the Imperial Crew inside, the Falcon bailed at the last minute, hiding on the side of the ship.
"Captain Solo, this time you have gone too far!" 3PO cried out.
"Can you please, for the love of the nine old witches just shut up!" Hannah shouted, rubbing her temple.
"No, Ms. Hannah, I will not be quiet. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?" 3PO asked.
"Probably because you are a worried wort," Barbara said under her breath, with 3PO not hearing her.
"The fleet is beginning to break up. Akko, can you and Chewie go back and stand by the manual release for the landing claws," Han ordered.
"Yes sir," Akko said, moving out of the cockpit, almost tripping on Diana, with Chewie following her.
"I really don't see how that is going to help. Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances. The Empire may be gracious enough…," 3PO was offering before Barbara interrupted him.
"For the love of the nine old witches," Barbara said, leaning towards the golden droid and turning 3PO off midsentence.
"Thank you," Han and Hannah said in relief.
"What's the next move of yours captain?" Diana asked.
"Well, if they follow standard Imperial procedure, they'll dump their garbage before they go to light-speed, then we just float away," Han explained.
"Hide within the garbage, that is actually pretty smart," Diana said in shock.
"Oh, come on, when did I ever make a bad plan?" Han asked.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Diana asked.
"Fair enough," Han said, not wanting to incur the wrath of the witch.
"So, what is going to happen when they leave?" Hannah asked.
"We then got ourselves a safe port somewhere around here. Got any ideas?" Han asked, turning his chair to face everyone in the cockpit.
"Lothal?" Diana offered.
"Too far from here," Han said.
"What system are we in?" Hannah asked.
"The Anoat system," Han answered.
"Well, there is not anything close by that is safe. Any of the safe ports I have are quite a distance," Diana said.
"Then let's see what we can find on the star map," Han said, turning his char back to the controls, and looking through different systems. He was checking planets and star systems, looking up the governments and which side they support. "Well this is interesting," Han said, as he saw a name that spark some curiosity from his fellow witches.
"What's interesting?" Diana said, curious.
Han was pointing to the star map as Diana, Leia, and the other witches leaned forward to read the name. "Lando? What kind of star system is Lando?" Hannah asked in confusion.
"Lando is not a system. He's a person. Lando Calrissian, card player, gambler, and scoundrel. The princess and you might like him, seems like your type," Han explained, looking at Diana.
"Cute, but I still love Akko," Diana said smiling at the smuggler's remarks.
"Bespin, how far do you think it is from where we are?" Barbara asked, seeing the name of the planet.
"Seems pretty far from where we are, but I think we can make it with the damages we have taken," Han said.
"Oh, that's cool, look at that. The planet is a mining colony," Hannah said, looking interested in the planet's economy.
"Yeah, they mine Tibanna gas. Lando must've conned somebody out of it. We go back a long way, Lando and me," Han said.
"Tibanna gas?" Diana asked.
"It is a very volatile and explosive gas that is used to fuel starships' weapons and hyperdrives. Can also be frozen in carbonite to use in mass quantities," Han explained.
"That's actually pretty cool," Barbara said, with her eyes in wonder and excitement.
"By any chance, do you trust this Lando? It's just, I have a really bad feeling about him for some reason," Diana said.
"No, but I will tell you this. He has no love for the Empire," Han said.
"That still doesn't sit well for me. Just the way the Empire deals with planets, I just don't have a good feeling about this," Diana said.
"I do have the same feeling too, however, we do not really have any other options," Han said.
"Yeah, I understand," Diana said, sighing, hoping this bad feeling is wrong.
"Hey Han, it looks like those Imperial Slugs are releasing the garbage," Akko piped as the intercom buzzed to life.
Han was quickly checking the readouts, as he was stretching, looking out at the cockpit window. "Ok, ready you two? Stand by and…detach!" Han said into the intercom.
The ship detached from the Star Destroyer as Han was leaning back in his chair, giving Leia an invisible smile. The young princess thought for a moment but she shook her head clearing away any intrusive thoughts. Diana notices this, giving the young witch a grin as she knows what is happening between Leia and Han. This was proven by the fact that Leia gave Solo a quick peck on the cheek. Han smiled at the gesture too.
"You do have your moments, Solo. Not many, but you do have them," Leia said.
The Falcon tumbled away from the Star Destroyer as the gigantic ship roared into life as they went into hyperspace. Han turned the Falcon's power on as the engines roared to life. The ship raced off into the distance as it made its journey to Bespin. As the Falcon was gaining distance, it was being followed by a mysterious ship.