desolate.

06. project stardust.

The Falcon rocked as they landed into Alderaan's system, and glancing out the cockpit's window, Beau could see rocks tumbling past them, shaking the ship. It was almost like a mini-asteroid field.

"What's going on?" Luke asked, glancing at Han as he quickly checked the charts on his dashboard.

"Our position is correct, but there's no Alderaan." Han said, confusion laced in his voice.

"No Alderaan? How does a planet simply cease to exist?" Beau countered, eyebrows furrowed as he spoke.

"I dunno, but it's just not there."

"How?" Luke exclaimed, not believing how an entire planet could be destroyed.

Beau remembered what Ben had said just a few hours ago, the voices that had cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. The Empire had somehow managed to destroy an entire planet, but Beau didn't know how they did it. "The Empire did it."

"An entire starfleet couldn't destroy a whole planet." Han countered, glancing at Beau. "It'd take a thousand ships with more firepower than I've. . ." The counsel in front of him beeped frantically and he tapped on it. "There's another ship coming in."

"Maybe they know what happened?" Luke suggested.

Beau heard the roar of the TIE fighter and he looked above, seeing the ball of a ship flow past. He didn't understand how his parents could support a group that would so easily destroy an entire planet with millions of lives on it. But still, he was adamant about not supporting the rebellion too.

"It followed us!" Luke cried, watching as the TIE took off past them.

"No, it's a short range fighter." Ben pointed out.

"There aren't any bases around here, where did it come from?" Han wondered, following behind the TIE.

"Sure is leaving in a big hurry. If they identify us, we're in big trouble."

"Not if I can help it, Chewie, jam it's transmissions." Han instructed, and Chewbacca reached behind himself to do so.

"It's too far out of range." Ben told them.

"Not for long," Han said, pushing the Falcon after the TIE. It moved downward, Han following after it. Beau assumed he was going to attempt to shoot it out of space.

"A fighter that size couldn't get this far on its own. Especially without a squadron." Beau said.

"He must've gotten lost, part of a convoy or something." Luke shrugged.

"He ain't gonna be around long enough to tell anybody about us," Han said, pushing the Falcon further again.

"He's heading for that small moon!" Luke said, leaning forward and pointing at a moon shape in the sky.

"I think I can get him before he gets there, he's almost in range." Han said.

"That's no moon. It's a space station." Ben murmured, staring at it as they got closer.

"It's too big to be a space station." Han countered, and Beau stared at it as they came in closer to the station. It grew in size every time they got closer.

"I have a very bad feeling about this. . ." Luke murmured from behind Beau.

"My father. . ." Beau began, swallowing slightly as he spoke. "He's mentioned a new plan the Empire has been working on, one that's top secret. I heard it while I was passing by his office, but it was called uh, Stardust. I think this is it. Project Stardust."

"Turn the ship around." Ben said immediately.

"Yeah. . . I think you're right. Full reverse," Han said, grabbing for the controls. "Chewie, lock in the auxiliary power."