I’m Star-Lord (SW Xover)

C147 Failed Recruitment

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Exiting the Hydra base, Peter carried Pietro with ease, his sister Wanda weakly following behind. The siblings exchanged weary glances, their bodies frail and exhausted from their ordeal. As they reached the clearing where Peter's ship was parked, their eyes widened in shock and awe.

The sleek, angular design of the small Jedi ship gleamed under the sun, looking like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. To them, it was a futuristic marvel, a stark contrast to the grim reality of their captivity.

Wanda, despite her exhaustion, couldn't help but stare in wonder. "Is that…?"

"Yep," Peter replied, adjusting his grip on Pietro. "It's a Jedi ship. Impressive, isn't it?"

“What’s a Jedi?” Pietro asked, still trying to catch his breath. “And… and how did you get?"

Peter gave a small smile. "Long story. Let’s get you both on board first."

He guided them up the ramp into the ship, the door closing behind them with a soft hiss. Inside, the interior was sleek and minimalist, with advanced technology integrated seamlessly into the design. Wanda and Pietro's eyes roamed the cabin, taking in every detail.

Peter gently set Pietro down on a cushioned chair, and Wanda quickly took a seat beside him, her concern for her brother evident despite her own fatigue. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft and worried.

Pietro nodded weakly. "Yeah… just tired."

Peter moved to the cockpit, settling into the pilot’s seat. As he began to power up the ship, Wanda and Pietro continued to look around in awe. The interior lights flickered to life, casting a soft glow over the sleek consoles and displays.

Wanda's curiosity got the better of her. "What is all this?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Peter glanced over his shoulder, a small smile on his lips. "Advanced technology, far beyond what this planet has to offer..." Before they could ask more questions, Peter hit a button on the control panel. “Brace for the shockwave,” he warned.

“”Shockwave?”” The siblings repeated in confusion. 

*Boom!*

A few seconds later, a loud explosion could be heard as a distant rumble echoed through the ship. 

“?!” Wanda and Pietro jumped in fright, turning to look out the window.

Through the viewport, they saw the Hydra base they had just escaped from engulfed in a massive explosion. Flames and debris shot into the sky, the building crumbling and burning. Their eyes widened in fear, unable to comprehend what just happened.

Peter smirked, satisfied with the outcome. "Just making sure there’s nothing left for third parties to loot," he said nonchalantly. "Better safe than sorry."

With a few deft movements, Peter took control of the ship, lifting off the ground. The vessel hummed with power, and within moments, they were shooting into the sky, leaving the burning base behind.

Wanda and Pietro stared out the window, the sight of the burning base fading into the distance.

Pietro and Wanda exchanged nervous glances as the ship soared through the sky. "Where are we going?" Pietro asked, his voice tinged with both curiosity and suspicion.

Peter, focused on piloting, gave a mysterious smile. "It’s a surprise. Trust me, if you liked this ship, you’ll love where we’re headed next."

Wanda furrowed her brow, her concern evident. "Why won’t you tell us? We need to know."

Peter chuckled softly. "You’ll see soon enough."

The siblings, still wary of Peter but recognizing the futility of resistance, chose to remain silent. They couldn't forget the sight of the decimated Hydra base and the soldiers Peter had effortlessly eliminated. But, despite their reservations, they hoped they had placed their trust in the right person.

…

..

.

The flight was smooth and uneventful, the hum of the ship's engines providing a steady background noise. After a short while, Peter glanced back at his passengers. "We’re here."

Wanda and Pietro peered out the window, their confusion growing as they saw only a thick wall of clouds. "This doesn’t look like a destination," Pietro remarked, suspicion creeping back into his voice.

Peter's smirk widened. "Just watch."

As he spoke, the ship plunged into the clouds. The thick mist enveloped them, reducing visibility to almost zero. For a moment, there was nothing but the whiteness of the clouds and the gentle turbulence of their passage through them. Then, abruptly, they burst through the other side.

Wanda and Pietro gasped in unison, their eyes widening in awe. “!” Before them was the Red Room, a colossal floating fortress suspended in the sky. 

The massive structure was a marvel of engineering, with sleek, futuristic architecture and numerous landing pads bustling with activity. Other ships were returning, just like Peter's, a sign of their coordinated efforts against Hydra.

"Welcome to the Red Room," Peter announced, pride evident in his voice. "Our base of operations."

The siblings stared in stunned silence, their minds struggling to process the scale of what they were seeing. The Red Room was unlike anything they had ever imagined...

As the ship landed smoothly in the bustling hangar, its engines powering down with a soft hum, Peter led Pietro and Wanda out, the siblings following closely behind. 

The hangar was a hive of activity, swarming with Jedi, mutants, Black Widows, and Shield agents. Many were escorting Hydra prisoners, while others carried secret intel or cargo secured during their missions.

Wanda and Pietro’s eyes darted around, taking in the diverse array of people and the organized chaos. The sight of so many different groups working together left them awestruck and a bit overwhelmed. They turned to Peter with puzzled expressions.

“What’s going on?” Pietro asked, his voice filled with confusion. “What is this place?”

Peter paused, looking at them with a reassuring smile. "This is my base. All of these people are part of the operation to eradicate Hydra."

The twins exchanged a glance, still not fully understanding. "Hydra?" Wanda repeated, the name unfamiliar to her.

Peter nodded, his expression serious. "Hydra is the name of the organization that kidnapped you and held you prisoner."

As the realization dawned on them, both Pietro and Wanda felt a rush of conflicting emotions. Anger, relief, confusion, and a sense of justice all swirled within them. They had been ready to swear vengeance on their captors, but now, it seemed that retribution had already been delivered.

Pietro clenched his fists, his voice trembling. "So, they’re… gone?"

Peter nodded. "Probably. We’ve been systematically dismantling their operations and capturing their leaders. What you’re seeing here is the result of our efforts."

Wanda’s eyes filled with tears, a mix of relief and frustration. "But we didn’t get to… we didn’t…"

Peter placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know. It’s not the same as getting your own revenge, but you’re safe now. And we’ll make sure that Hydra can never hurt anyone else again."

The twins stood in silence, processing the weight of his words. There was a certain satisfaction in knowing that Hydra was being brought to justice, but it also felt incomplete. They had suffered so much and wanted to play a part in bringing their captors to justice…

As Peter was talking with the twins, he noticed Magneto walking over with Xavier rolling beside him. He greeted them with a nod. "Hey, how did your part of the operation go?"

Magneto nodded, his expression serious. "It went as planned. We've captured many prisoners since someone is so against killing…" he grumbled, obviously referring to Xavier. 

Xavier rolled his eyes and added, "Well, excuse me for valuing the sanctity of life..."

Peter smiled. "Good to hear. By the way, these are Pietro and Wanda," he gestured to the twins, "two mutants who were held captive at my last target location."

Pietro and Wanda eyed Magneto and Xavier warily, still not used to trusting anyone. “…”

Magneto, however, immediately recognized an opportunity. "Mutants, you say?" he began, a persuasive tone creeping into his voice. "You know, we could always use more strong mutants in the Brotherhood..."

Xavier shot him a warning look. "Erik, please. Let's not start this now." He turned to the twins with a kinder expression. "Besides, look at them. They’re still children. They’d be much more at home in my school. It’s a lot safer than living a life of crime with you..."

As Magneto and Xavier started to bicker, trying to sway the twins to their respective sides, Pietro and Wanda exchanged a look of growing discomfort and suspicion. The sudden and aggressive recruitment pitches were not sitting well with them.

Peter noticed the twins’ discomfort and stepped in. "Alright, alright. You two can do your sales pitch later. Right now, Wanda and Pietro need to get some rest and be checked over by a doctor."

Realizing they might have jumped the gun, especially after seeing the disinterested and suspicious looks on the twins' faces, Magneto and Xavier exchanged a glance. "My apologies," Xavier said, a touch of regret in his voice. "We didn’t mean to overwhelm you."

Magneto nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We still have prisoners to unload from our ship. We’ll finish this conversation later."

As Magneto and Xavier excused themselves to finish up the tail end of the operation, Wanda and Pietro watched them go, their dislike evident.

"They seem... intense," Wanda commented, her voice laced with unease.

Pietro nodded. "Yeah, I don't trust either of them."

Peter shrugged. "They’re not all bad. They just care a lot about the mutant race. However, if you decide to consider their offers, I’d go with Xavier. Magneto means well, but he’s technically a wanted terrorist."

The twins were shocked to hear that. "A terrorist?" Pietro asked, incredulous. "Why are you working with him then?"

Peter sighed. "As I said, Magneto means well. He just tends to resort to violence to achieve his goals. Anyway, let’s get you two to the infirmary. Maybe we can get a Jedi healer to look you over."

As Peter was about to leave the hangar with Pietro and Wanda, the sound of the hangar doors opening again made him pause. He turned to see a few more ships coming in to land. Curiosity piqued, he waited to see who it was.

From one of the ships, Peggy Carter emerged, her authoritative voice ringing out as she barked orders to the Shield agents who followed her. They were carefully carrying a podlike chamber, about the size of a human.

Peter’s eyes widened as he heard Peggy’s next words. "Be careful with him! If Bucky is injured in any way, I’ll have your hides!"

His heart skipped a beat as he caught a glimpse of the person inside the pod. It was Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, encased in the cryogenic chamber. ‘I completely forgot about him…’ Peter admitted to himself. 

A/N: 1829 words :)