C79 Earth?! For Real This Time?!

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The air on Counter-Earth was filled with the scent of freedom and new beginnings as Peter and his crew prepared to say their goodbyes. The freed inhabitants of the laboratory, once caged and tormented, now gathered in the lab's hangar to see their saviors off, their faces etched with gratitude.

Peter stood at the forefront, his heart heavy yet hopeful, as he addressed the crowd. "You've all got a chance to start over here, to build something great," he said, smiling warmly. "I know you can do it."

Beside him, Groot added his signature, "I am Groot," which everyone understood as a heartfelt farewell.

All at once, the former captives shouted their goodbye, hands waving and saying their thanks. Rocket, Teefs, Lylla, and Floor stood slightly apart from the rest of their people, as they wouldn't be sticking around, their emotions complex—a blend of excitement and anxiety fueling them.

As the time for departure drew near, Lylla approached Peter, her voice tinged with emotion. "Thank you, for everything. We never thought we'd see the sky, much less the stars."

Peter smiled, patting her head. "The stars are just the beginning," he assured her.

The ramp of their ship lowered with a hydraulic hiss, and Peter's crew began to board. Rocket and his friends looked back one last time, their gaze lingering on the people they were leaving behind. With determined nods, they turned and followed their new crew into the ship.

Inside, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. As the ship lifted off and shot out of the hangar, leaving Counter-Earth shrinking below them, Rocket and his friends crowded at the windows, their faces pressed against the glass as they watched the blue sky fade away as the expanse of space unfolded before them.

Peter, with a mischievous grin, connected a pair of bulky speakers, which he took from High Evolutionary's lab, to his Walkman, music filling the ship in an instant.

🚨Play Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf🚨

🎶I like to dream, yes, yes🎶

🎶Right between the sound machine🎶

🎶On a cloud of sound I drift in the night🎶

🎶Any place it goes is right🎶

🎶Goes far, flies near🎶

🎶To the stars away from here🎶

🎶Well, you don't know what we can find🎶

🎶Why don't you come with me, little girl🎶

🎶On a magic carpet ride🎶

🎶Well, you don't know what we can see🎶

🎶Why don't you tell your dreams to me🎶

🎶Fantasy will set you free🎶

🎶Close your eyes, girl🎶

🎶Look inside, girl🎶

🎶Let the sound take you away🎶

…

..

.

The melody was foreign to Rocket, Teefs, Lylla, and Floor, as they'd never heard Peter's music before, yet something about it felt welcoming and invigorating.

Teefs, usually reserved, tapped his hands against his wheelchair to the beat, a slight smile playing on his lips. Lylla and Floor swayed gently, their movements tentative but growing in confidence as the song progressed. Rocket allowed a small nod, his demeanor relaxing as he let the music wash over him.

Groot, in his corner, bobbed along, his wooden limbs moving with the rhythm. "I am Groot," he declared, clearly enjoying the familiar tunes.

Howard and Cosmo, already accustomed to Peter's mixtapes, settled down for the journey, their expressions content. Revan, the stoic warrior, gave a slight nod of approval, the corners of his mouth turning up ever so slightly in a rare smile.

As the ship hurtled through the cosmos, Peter took a moment to observe his new crew members, a smile blooming on his face. "Welcome aboard, guys…"

Rocket, turning away from the window, faced Peter. "Never thought I'd be here, you know. Space... it's a lot more than I imagined."

Peter nodded, turning to glance out of the window as well, "Yeah, it's pretty vast, but you'll get used to it."

As the last notes of the song faded into the hum of the ship's engines, Peter turned away from his crew and made his way to the navigation console, the dashboard lights casting a soft glow on his face. He pulled up the star map, a complex web of constellations and coordinates that always seemed to hold more secrets than answers.

With careful fingers, he typed in the coordinates for their next destination—the location he hoped would lead them to Earth, his Earth, the planet he hadn't seen since he was a kid. The screen flickered as the coordinates were set, the course adjusting within seconds.

The navigation panel beeped, confirming the set course, and a soft, electronic voice announced, "Course set for the second location. Estimated arrival: three standard days."

As he initiated the hyperdrive sequence, Peter leaned back against the console, his gaze drifting to the stars visible through the front viewport. The endless void of space always had a way of making him feel both insignificant and incredibly alive at the same time.

"Come on, baby, let's find home this time around," he murmured to himself, his hand patting the console like it was an old friend, a mix of hope and nostalgia coloring his voice,

————

Two days into their journey through hyperspace, the interior of the ship was quiet, and the crew settled into the routine of space travel. Peter, wearing his iconic mask, sat in the secluded cockpit, his fingers tapping lightly on a data pad. The screen lit up his masked face with a soft blue glow as he connected to a secure channel, awaiting the familiar face of Padmé Amidala.

The call connected, and Padmé's image appeared on the screen, her expression brightening as she saw him. "Star-Lord," she greeted with a warm smile, her tone conveying a hint of the affection that had been growing between them over their many conversations.

"Hey, Padmé," Peter replied, his voice light. "How's everything going on your end?"

"It's as peaceful and boring as it can be here," she answered, a touch of humor in her voice. "But enough about me. How's the search for your home planet going? Any luck yet?"

Peter's expression turned thoughtful. "Not quite there yet. But the journey's been... eventful." He paused, a playful smirk forming under his mask. Turning the datapad, he aimed the camera at a couch across the cabin, where Rocket and his friends were piled together in a haphazard tangle of limbs and fur, all sound asleep and utterly at peace. "We didn't find Earth, but we found some new crewmates."

Padmé's eyes lit up at the sight, her hand coming to rest against her cheek. "Oh, they're adorable!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight.

"Yeah," Peter chuckled, turning the camera back to himself. "Though they've become far less adorable lately, with their habit of relieving themselves all over the ship. I've had to teach them how to use the toilet..."

"Aww, don't be mean to them. They're just cute little babies," Padmé chided, her smile quickly returning. "It seems like you're collecting quite a group. They must be very special for you to bring them along."

"They are," Peter agreed, his tone sincere. "They've all been through a lot too…"

"It's a noble thing you're doing. Helping those who need it most," she said, her gaze holding a deep respect for him.

The conversation drifted to lighter topics, their mutual teasing and laughter filling the connection between galaxies. They spoke of everything and nothing, the distance between them lessened by the technology that connected them.

As their call neared its end, Padmé's expression grew thoughtful. "I hope you find your home, Star-Lord." She said, before adding, "That way you can quickly return to Naboo…"

Peter chuckled, shaking his head. "Thanks, Padmé. I'll be sure to visit soon..."

…

Peter had just ended his call with Padmé, the screen of his datapad going dark, when another incoming call notification flashed up. He glanced at the caller ID, his eyes widening slightly—it was from his former Jedi Master. Hastily, he slipped off his Star-Lord mask and stashed it away before accepting the call.

The image of Mace Windu appeared, his stern features softened slightly by the presence of Master Yoda, who sat quietly beside him. "Peter," Windu began, his voice carrying a mix of concern and reprimand, "you were supposed to check in days ago."

Peter shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair. "I know, Master Windu, I'm sorry. It slipped my mind," he admitted, having forgotten as he was dealing with the situation on Counter-Earth at the time.

Yoda's gaze was piercing, even through the digital connection. "Worried us, you have," he intoned, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable note of concern.

Peter nodded, an apologetic look on his face. "I apologize for worrying you. It won't happen again…"

Windu's eyes narrowed slightly, not completely convinced but deciding to press on to more urgent matters. "We called to warn you, Peter. Stay out of Kree space for the time being."

The sudden shift in the conversation piqued Peter's interest. "Why? I thought the Kree had a new government now. Things should be settling down, right?"

"It's not as settled as it appears," Windu explained, his face serious. "There have been multiple uprisings against the new Kree government—failed, but significant. They have a new enforcer... someone very powerful and very effective at quashing these rebellions."

Yoda nodded slowly, his eyes somber. "Safe, it is not. Careful, you must be if near Kree space you find yourself."

Peter frowned, his mind racing. The news of a powerful Kree enforcer was troubling. "Can you tell me more about this enforcer? Who are they?"

Windu shook his head slightly. "Details are scarce, and that is what concerns us. This enforcer appears and disappears, leaving no survivors behind. The Republic and the Nova Empire are still gathering information, but it's clear they are not to be underestimated."

Peter absorbed this, his concern deepening. "Understood, Masters. I'll steer clear of Kree space for now," he promised, though his curiosity was still there, burning brightly.

Windu gave him a stern look, as if reading his thoughts. "Be mindful of your actions, Peter."

As the call ended, Peter sat still, staring at the blank screen of his datapad, the weight of the Jedi Masters' warnings echoing in his mind. His thoughts quickly turned to the mysterious and powerful Kree enforcer mentioned by Windu.

The description was vague but unsettling, and suddenly, a name surfaced in his thoughts—Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel.

He leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. 'Could Carol be the enforcer they were talking about?'

The thought was troubling. He knew from the MCU movies that she should be with the Kree at this point, but there was just one problem…

He thought, 'Didn't she get her powers from the Tesseract?' He knew that the Tesseract probably didn't exist in this universe since the Infinity Stones don't exist here, and it's the Space Stone that powers the Tesseract. 'So, It can't be her, right?'

Peter rubbed his chin thoughtfully, considering the possibilities. 'Maybe something else gave her powers?'

————

A day later, the ship continued hurtling through hyperspace, a sleek streak of light against the backdrop of the cosmos. Peter had spent the past 24 hours deep in thoughtful meditation, mulling over his conversation with his Jedi masters and the troubling information they delivered. But now, as they neared their destination, his focus shifted back to the mission that had started it all—finding Earth, his home.

As the ship's alarms signaled their imminent exit from hyperspace, Peter stood at the helm, his hands steady on the controls. The crew, sensing the significance of the moment, gathered behind him, watching intently. The stars realigned into normal space, and the view in front of them changed dramatically.

There it was—Earth. The planet appeared as a beautiful sphere of blue and green, clouds swirling over land and sea. It was a breathtaking sight, one that sparked a hopeful flame in Peter's chest. But he tempered his excitement with a caution borne of their experience with Counter-Earth.

"Not getting ahead of myself this time," he muttered under his breath as he began to manipulate the controls. He initiated the ship's scanning systems, searching for the telltale signs that would confirm they were in the right place—the satellites orbiting Earth, just as he remembered from images in his past life.

The crew waited in tense silence, their eyes fixed on the screen as the radar began to ping. Blip after blip appeared, and then the visual scanners zoomed in, bringing the images of various satellites into focus. They were unmistakably of Earthly design—sleek, and functional, with the logos of different international space agencies emblazoned on their sides.

Peter's heart leapt in his chest, and a grin spread across his face. "We did it…" he muttered, his voice low before the excitement finally took hold of him. "I'm finally home!"

————

Across the Galaxy…

The air inside Darth Sidious's quarters on Hala was heavy with dark anticipation. Carol Danvers, clad in her sleek battle suit, stood before him, her posture rigid, almost robotic.

Sidious, his face shrouded in shadow, watched her with an intensity that made the very air around him tremble. "Your report," he said, his voice a cold whisper that seemed to crawl along the walls.

Carol straightened, her voice emotionless. "The rebellion has been quelled. The leaders are dead; no survivors."

"A success, then," Sidious remarked, his thin lips curling into a sardonic smile. "You do not disappoint, Captain. With each rebellion you extinguish, my hold on the ruling council tightens. They are beginning to see the… utility of aligning with my vision."

Carol nodded, her expression unreadable. The chip embedded in her skull not only controlled her actions but suppressed her memories, locking away the person she once was. Yet, flashes of that other life sometimes pierced through the fog, leaving her disoriented, if only for a moment.

Sidious rose from his seat, his movements fluid and menacing. "Do you understand why we stir these rebellions only to crush them?"

Carol remained silent, her gaze fixed ahead. "…"

"It is not merely about suppressing dissent," Sidious continued, pacing before the massive window overlooking the city. "It is about demonstrating power. Each victory you deliver convinces the council of their own vulnerability and my indispensability. Power is not just won on the battlefield; it is won in the minds of our adversaries."

The words hung heavy in the room. Carol felt a flicker of something within her—a questioning, a doubt—swiftly smothered by the chip's programming.

"And now," Sidious's voice dropped to a murmur, venomous and victorious, "we prepare for the next phase. Your next target will be more challenging, but I trust you will handle it with your usual… efficiency."

Carol's voice was steady. "Who is the target?"

"A figurehead of the resistance, hiding in the Outer Rim. You will receive the details shortly. For now, rest and prepare." Sidious turned to gaze out the window, his silhouette merging with the darkness of the room.

As Carol turned to leave, the name 'Carol' echoed again in her mind, louder this time. She paused, a hand rising to her head, her face contorting with pain. The memories threatened to surge forward, glimpses of a life she couldn't recognize.

She steadied herself against the wave of disorientation and walked out, her steps measured and precise. Sidious watched her leave, a smile playing on his lips…

A/N: 2600 words :)

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