Star learned quickly. She was willing to learn from anyone who was willing, or had time, to teach her. By the end of the week, she was helping Jubilee with her Algebra homework, a subject which Beast had begun to despair of ever getting across. Star had the ability to see exactly what part of the equation Jubilee was having problems with, and to explain it so she could understand. Jubilee was trying to teach Star to be a teenager. This seemed to be one subject Star was having difficulties with.

"I don't understand." Star said to Storm in the lab.

"What don't you understand, Star?"

"Jubilee. Sometimes she's happy, and the next minute she's mad about something. She gets mad at me and I can't figure out why."

"It is just part of growing up. She is a teenager, and sometimes a teenager's body chemistry gets a little off balance. Just be patient."

"OK."

"Are you ready for the next series of tests?"

"Yes."


When they had completed the day's testing, and Star had joined Jubilee in the living room, Storm turned to Beast.

"Star was asking about Jubilee's mood swings today."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I explained to her that sometimes a teenager is moody because of their changing body chemistry."

"And?" Beast prompted.

"And, I started thinking that Star was acting more like a tractable eight year old than a volatile teen." Storm paused and Beast waited.

"I think we should check the hormone levels in her last few blood samples."


"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"What is it, Henry?"

"You were right. Star's hormone levels are abnormally low. Physically, she is an adult, but she has the hormones of a prepubescent female. And look here," he swiveled the eyepiece of his microscope toward Storm. She looked through at the blood sample.

"What is that?"

"It appears to be an artificial compound designed to inhibit the production of her natural hormones." He reached forward and changed slides. "Now look at this one." Storm obliged.

"There are not as many inhibitors." She looked up at him. "Which is the later sample?"

"The one you have now."

"Then her body is throwing off the inhibitors."

"Yes."

"Which means..."

"We are about to have another teenager on our hands. One which was sufficiently, shall we say, troublesome, that her Doctor saw fit to sully his experiment with drugs."

"We should speak with the Professor."

"I quite agree."


"How long?" Xavier asked.

"If the rate of decline remains the same, as it has so far, her body should start producing hormones in about a week."

"Of course." He sighed. "Just once, I would like to have a happy, healthy, well adjusted Mutant, walk up to the door and say 'Hello, Professor Xavier. I'd like to join the X-Men. Do you mind?'"

"Professor, happy, healthy, well adjust Mutants generally don't need our help."

"I know. Its just a fantasy I allow myself once in a while. Do you have any recommendations for Star?"

"Not really. If she had less control over her telekinesis I would suggest preparing the mansion for a poltergeist. As it is, I don't really know what to expect."

"So we should just cross our fingers and hope for the best."

"That's about it."

"She's scheduled to testify against her attackers next week."

"I know, Professor."

"Lord help us."


"Aw, c'mon, Wolvie. Please?" Jubilee accosted Wolverine in the hall near the Danger Room.

"Jubilee..."

"It's been ages since I've been in the Danger Room. Nobody else ever seems to have time. I've been doing a lot better in math since Star's been helping me. Hey! She's never been in at all! You could take us both in, and I promise I won't bother you again for at least a week!"

"All right, Jubilee." He held up one hand and she turned to find Star. "If you can clear it with the Professor."

"Aw, Wolverine!"

"Those are my terms, darlin'."

"Oh, all right. I'll go ask him."

A few minutes later, he heard his name called on the intercom.

"Yeah, Chuck?"

"Do you feel comfortable taking both children into the Danger Room?"

"No problem. I've already set the controls to hologram."

"Well, then. Good luck." He could hear Jubilee shouting for Star as the Professor turned off his intercom. He wondered what he was getting himself into.


Jubilee was waiting impatiently at the door to the Danger Room when Wolverine returned from the Control Room. Star stood, immobile. Beside her. Jubilee wore her standard "DR outfit", as she called it, long yellow coat over street clothes, with her sunglasses propped on the top of her head. She was chewing bubble gum. Star was in shorts and a T- shirt. She was barefoot, as she always was except when someone invited her to go into town (but not the Mall). Wolverine turned to them.

"You kids ready?"

"Sure!" Jubilee answered quickly.

"Star?"

"I'm not certain I understand."

"C'mon, Star! I told you. If I know Wolvie, he's got it set on hologram, right?" Wolverine nodded. "Then its just like a big video game, only you get to go inside the machine to play."

"All right."

Wolverine opened the door and gestured for the girls to precede him into the Danger Room. They entered at a back street. It was late evening, everything was quiet. Jubilee was looking around, bouncing on the balls of her feet as Wolverine closed the door behind them and it became the wall to a building. Star looked puzzled.

"C'mon." Jubilee whispered to Star and they followed Wolverine as he moved carefully down the street. At the far end of the street, a Sentinel appeared.

"Wolvie, you know I hate Sentinels!"

"Practice makes perfect, Jubilee." He answered gruffly as he ducked into the cover provided by a doorway. Jubilee quickly followed him, but Star stayed where she was.

"That's one o' the bad guys, kid." Wolverine growled.

"What is?"

"Freeze program." Wolverine stepped out of the doorway and pointed to the now motionless Sentinel. "That."

"I don't see anything." Wolverine looked at her for a moment.

"What do you see? All around us."

"A large room, with equipment on the walls. It looks like there are doors on every surface." She looked at him. "Is that right? Is it still a door if its in the ceiling or floor?"

"Yeah, kid. Its still a door. But that's all you see? A big empty room?"

"Yes."

"Oh, boy. Hang on a minute, Jubilee. Star, stay here." He moved back to the wall they had entered through and touched an invisible control.

"Professor."

"Yes, Wolverine?" the Professor answered a moment later.

"I've got a problem in the Danger Room. Seems Star can't see holograms."

"Interesting. Star does need to begin her training, however. How would you feel about taking them up against some low level robots?"

"I can't be in two places at once, and I'd need somebody in the Control room. It's on auto pilot now."

"I will see if anyone is available."

"Right." He turned to look at the young Mutants waiting for him. Jubilee was tapping her foot and noisily popping her gum. Star stood motionless, watching him.

"Cancel program."

"Hey!" Jubilee protested.

"Cool yer jets darlin'. Just gotta reset the equipment. C'mon, ever'body out." He opened the door and ushered them out.

"Jubilee?" Star said as they waited.

"Yeah?"

"What is the object of the game?"

"Huh?"

"You said the Danger Room was like a video game. What is the object?"

"De object, mes Cheres, is to stay alive." Gambit said as he joined them. "An' to keep you teammates alive too, no?"

"Try ta remember that this time, Cajun."

"You wound me, mon amie. I ever let you down?"

"Not me I'm worried about."

"Wolverine, you not de only one lookin' out for les petites. I do my job, you jus' do yours."

"Right." Wolverine pressed the button on the intercom. "You guys set up yet?"

"Just about, sugah. You just hold your horses for 'bout 'nother minute, then we'll be ready to go."

"Thanks, Rogue."

"This is a training room?" Star asked.

"Yeah, kid. It's a training room."

"Will there be non-combatants?"

"What?"

"Will there be non-combatants?" The door opened invitingly.

"Probably not this time." Wolverine glanced at Gambit, who shrugged, and stepped into the Danger Room. Star followed.

"Wolvie?"

"Yeah?"

"Sounds like, maybe she's done this before."

"Sounds like. Let's go see how much she knows."


"Okay, Rogue, they're in." Cyclops told her. Rogue grinned and started the computerized combat sequence. Professor Xavier and Jean Grey watched silently.


Wolverine and Jubilee followed Gambit and Star as they made their way through the dark streets. A Sentinel came into view.

"Aw, jeez!" Jubilee muttered. "I hate those things."

"Quiet, Jubilee. Let's get around behind it." They circled the building while Gambit and Star continued moving to the left, on an intercept course with the Sentinel. The giant robot moved deceptively slowly. All three X-Men knew of its stunning speed. Suddenly, it spied Gambit. It turned and fired in one motion, but Gambit was faster. He dove out of the path of the energy bolt, dragging Star with him. He rolled to his feet and hurled charged playing cards at the robot, damaging its left leg. Wolverine leaped at the robot from behind, slashing the damaged limb with his adamantium claws. Jubilee extended her hands before her, launching a strike of her own. Star got to her feet behind Gambit. The Sentinel fired a second bolt at Gambit, who had turned to check on her. He didn't see it coming. Her face set in a mask of concentration, Star gestured and the bolt was deflected into the building beside them. The blast knocked them from their feet. Gambit was stunned, unconscious and lying in the street before the robot.

"Rogue! What setting are those bolts on?"

"Not that high, Cyclops. It shouldn't have made that big an explosion!"

The Sentinel stepped forward as Wolverine and Jubilee renewed their attack. The damaged leg crumpled under its weight and the robot fell...toward Gambit. Suddenly, Star was kneeling beside him, one hand on his back, the other held before her in a warding off gesture. The robot's fall slowed, then stopped, scant meters over their heads. The Sentinel turned its attention to the two small figures just beneath it, turning its weapon slowly toward them. Wolverine slashed through the armor of the arm, trying to damage the weapon beyond use. Jubilee attacked the optical sensors, blinding the robot. Still held from the ground by Star, blinded by Jubilee, and disarmed by Wolverine, the Sentinel began to thrash about with its undamaged limbs, trying to smash its human targets.

Wolverine dodged under the Sentinel to Gambit's side. The Cajun hadn't moved. Star stared at the Sentinel, her arm held stiffly before her. She stood as Wolverine hoisted the taller man onto his shoulder. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jubilee, safely out of range of the flailing juggernaut, watching them. Suddenly, she leaped forward, shouting.

"Hey, you overgrown erector set! I'm over here!" While it had been blinded, there was nothing wrong with the Sentinel's auditory circuits. It turned its head toward Jubilee, and aimed a smashing fist at her. She scampered back out the way. Just barely. Seizing the opportunity she had made for them, Wolverine darted to safety, calling for Star to follow.

"C'mon, kid!"

"Can't." She answered, and the body of the robot dropped several meters. "I'm busy." The Sentinel turned its attention back to the human directly under its massive chest. Jubilee rushed forward, blasting the elbow of the remaining arm and distracting the robot. It swatted her, knocking her away.

"No!" shouted Star, throwing out her free hand toward Jubilee. Jubilee landed gently on her feet, instead of with bone crushing force. The robot settled again, Star's hand actually touching it. She was trembling with the strain.

Wolverine lowered Gambit to the ground a safe distance from the Sentinel. He groaned and sat up, one hand to his head.

"You all right, Cajun?"

"You get de license o' dat truck, mon amie? Where de little femme I supposed to be takin' care of?"

"She's 'busy'. Takin' care o' you. The two of 'em are takin' apart a Sentinel. Let's go help."

"You t'ink dey need our help?"

"No. But I ain't ready ta be a foundin' member of the Retired X-Men's Home, so I ain't about to let them find out."

"Good point." Wolverine bounded back toward the Sentinel. Gambit followed somewhat more slowly, wincing from the burn on his back where Star's hand had rested.


In the Control Room, several sighs of relief were heard, and a silent prayer of thanks was offered by one, as Gambit got to his feet.


Jubilee ran to the legs of the robot and scrambled up on them. From there she hopped to its back. With both arms damaged it could not reach her there, though it continued to thrash, trying both to throw her off and to crush Star. Balancing carefully, she moved up its back to the area that she knew housed its central processing unit. Suddenly, Wolverine was beside her. He used his adamantium claws to rip through the armor, exposing the circuitry for Jubilee. She grinned at him and blasted the unit.

The dead weight of the deactivated Sentinel drove Star to her knees. Gambit dove beneath the still descending robot and, encircling Star with his arms, rolled clear. The Sentinel dropped to the ground with a bone jarring crash. Gambit released Star hastily.

"Chere, you skin be on fire." Star turned to look at him, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. She sat down suddenly.

"Chere?" She blinked up at him. "You okay?" Wolverine helped Jubilee down from the back of the Sentinel. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Exercise complete." Rogue's voice sounded through the Danger Room. "You all okay?"

"That was great!" Jubilee said, her voice full of enthusiasm. "Can we do it again?" Gambit gave her a look which seemed to say 'Not in this lifetime.', then he offered Star a hand up. She looked dazed.

"You coolin' off fast, Chere. You gonna be all right?"

"Yes. I'm just..."

"You are just" interrupted Xavier's voice, "going to get yourself down to the kitchen right now. Beast has concocted a high energy compound he wants you to try."

"Yes, Professor." She turned toward the entrance door, a little more steady on her feet. Wolverine followed her.

"Gambit."

"Yeah, Prof.?"

"I want Henry to take a look at you."

"I feel fine."

"You won't if you don't stop 'n see Hank." Rogue said from behind him. "An' I'm here ta see to it that ya do."

"Chere, for a moment on your arm, I'd drop in on Ol' Nick hisownself." He took her arm and together they walked from the remains of the Danger Room.

"Jubilee."

"Yeah?"

"You did very well, dear. I am proud of you."

"Thanks. Ya know, they don't look so big, once you've trashed 'em." She walked around the robot, looking closely at the object of so many nightmares. She kicked the shoulder of the motionless Sentinel and it began to rise.

"Aaak!" She shouted as she scrambled away from it.

"Jubilee? I'm sorry, I thought everyone had left the Danger Room," came Jean's voice over Cthe speakers. "I was just going to put it back together for next time."

"Yeah, well," Jubilee answered shakily. "I was just leaving." She scrambled for the still open door.


"Scott, what caused the back blast that injured Gambit?" Jean asked as she set the controls to rebuild the damaged Sentinel.

"I don't know. I double checked the setting and it was definitely calibrated too low to have caused that much damage."

"I think, perhaps, it was Star." Professor Xavier put in. "I was watching her closely, and she reacted to the Sentinel as if it were a fully powered unit. Her deflection actually accelerated the energy bolt, causing a larger explosion than the equipment was set up to cope with."

"Sounds like you think she's been up against Sentinels before."

"She has spoken of previous training. I made the mistake of assuming that combat training was not included."


Beast greeted Star at the door of the kitchen with a large glass of a murky brown liquid.

"Sit down and drink that," he told her. "There's more in the blender over there. I want you to drink it all. The Professor apprised me of the, shall we say, activity level you have been maintaining. This should help you avoid the worst after effects." He looked at her for a moment, then turned to Wolverine. "I leave her in your care, my friend. I understand I have another patient to attend to."

"Drink up, kid." Wolverine said as he pulled a chair out and, turning it around, sat down in it, his arms resting on the back of the chair. She took a swallow.

"It tastes like chocolate."

"It sure don't smell like chocolate." She smiled at him and took another drink.

"Why wasn't the Sentinel at full power?" she asked suddenly.

"Everything was set at low power for you and Jubilee."

"Why?"

"We don't want you kids gettin' hurt." Star looked thoughtful as she finished the mixture in her glass.

"So the Danger Room is just a...a big video game?"

"No. It has settings all the way up to lethal. It's no game."

"You train there?"

"Yeah." She got up and refilled her glass from the blender Beast had left for her. She shivered.

"You okay, kid?"

"Yes. I am often cold after training."

"Why don't ya go change clothes?" She looked down at herself, puzzled.

"These are not appropriate? Jubilee told me she often wears things like this."

"Clothes are for protection, kid. Not just decoration. If you're cold, go put on some long pants an' a sweater, or somethin'."

"All right."

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