Authors Note: This is my first Comic Titans fiction – I've only been dealing with the Cartoon Titans till now. Just got my hands on 'The Judas Contract' – my second TT book – and thought I'd base my first story on that, seeing as it's my favourite TT comic. Yes, the title of this story (And the chapters) comes from 'TJC'
Summary: Tara's thought's during 'The Judas Contract'
Disclaimer: All mentioned characters belong to DC Comics.
The Eyes of Tara Markov
Chapter One
To say Tara was cold would be an understatement. When Robin had said he had another mission for them Alaska was nowhere in the description. Cursing, she wrapped her arms around her and leaned against her metal companion for warmth.
"How much longer is this gonna-" Tara was cut off as Cyborg put a large finger to his lips.
Sighing, she steadied herself in a comfortable position while she watched Robin carefully positioned himself on another hill. The plan was simple enough. Wait for the boy blunder to infiltrate the group then the rest of the Titans would wait as she and the big lug took out the other men. It all seemed rather farfetched to Tara. Why bring out the whole team for a few thugs? And to Alaska of all places!
Sniffling, Tara wrinkled her nose. Now she knew why Alaska had the smallest population. Covering her face, she let out a small sneeze.
"You hear something?" Startled, Tara jumped back. Glancing over at Cyborg she knew her sneeze must have been louder than she thought. Grinning uneasily, she let the giant lead her back slowly into the protection of the snowy hill.
"Yo Rob," Cyborg whispered into his arm, "We have a little problem."
"I know," the reply came quickly, "I heard. We're just going to have to speed the plan up a little bit."
"Gotta investigate…Don't want…Blood…at me…"
Ah great, Tara thought, now they're comin' over here!
"What d'ya means speed it up a bit?" The robots voice was getting more frantic as the man grew closer.
"Just skip my part in the plan, listen, I've got to inform the other Titans. Good luck." With that final comment Robin switched off his comm link and left two very disgruntled teenagers hanging on the other line.
"Well that's great!" Tara murmured, ducking behind a large piece of snow, "What d'we do now?"
"I have a plan." At her confused glance he ushered her forwards, "Follow my lead."
Forcing her body upwards, she watched as Cyborg thrust his arm out and knocked their pursuer out.
She grinned, "Now that's more like it sparky!"
Raising her fists, Tara clutched at the nearest piece of earth she could find – which was luckily right under the group's feet. Pushing the small piece foreword, she made a gaping hole down the middle of the ice block. Making it stop at an angle, she threw the earth up and let in encage the closest man.
Propelling it, she wound it round and round him until he was fully clothed in the dirt.
"Don't be such a cry baby pal," and there it was, her darling leaders speech. Why he had to give one before every battle was beyond her.
"You won't be hurt," Tara had to hold back the urge to scoff. He had no idea.
Jumping down from her hiding spot, Tara joined Cyborg and Robin on the ground.
"Ok guys – you know what's next."
--
Everybody used all their strength to push open the large doors that lead to their new target.
"I don't get it," Tara questioned. "Ah thought we were only tracking those guys."
A nod from Cyborg showed that she wasn't the only one confused with the change of direction in their plan.
"She's right," Cyborg stopped ploughing at the door and leaned against it, "Why the sudden change Robbie?"
"It's not important," the boy wonder chuffed, "Just keep going."
Noting her friends frustration, Wonder Girl – still hitting the door – uttered one word. "Blood."
That was all Cyborg needed, within seconds he was yet again shoving his sonic cannon at the entrance.
"But what's that gotta do with it?" While the word had quenched Cyborg's questions it had only made hers grow.
"Tell y'all later Rock star."
Tara sighed and withdrew more dirt from the ground. Compacting it, she thudded it at the door. That was the last pounding the thick slab of wood could take and it quickly crumbled to dust with one punch from Starfire.
"This way!" Robin once again took charge of the situation and swung through the door. "Let's do it!"
Kid Flash quickly flew into action, zooming up the stairs and smashing his fists into each soldiers jaw. Starfire and Wonder Girl followed him. The Tameranian went for a more direct approach, propelling herself foreword and taking out the leading team. Wonder Girl covered Robin's back and took out the men on the right. Cyborg and Beast Boy followed Starfire and helped take out the few that had slipped away from her starbolts.
And Tara? Well, her attack was the most impressive of all. Burrowing underneath the metal compound, she waited until the last few stragglers ran back for cover and threw herself upwards, riding the large concrete block until she had taken out the last of the men.
Unfortunately for the Titans, it seemed backup had arrived. Tara watched as Vic started to complain.
"Ah quit bellyachin', Rusty. Just have fun smashin' em'!" Pausing, for breath, she lifted a column out of the ground, "We haven't kicked any good butts in weeks!"
No longer concerned with the other Titans, Tara let her powers loose and returned to hammering at the soldiers.
--
Gasping, Tara made her way over to where all the others were standing.
Starfire flew overhead, "I think we got them all."
Tara rolled her eyes, well that was obvious.
"They were nothing'. Even Logan could'a trashed 'em." Cyborg put his hands on his hips and looked around the wreckage.
Just as Beast Boy was about to retort Robin cut him off. "Anyone see Kid Flash or Raven?"
Tara glanced around. There was no doubt about it. The speedster and the witch were gone. "Why don't you check the yellow pages?" She cursed herself for not thinking of a better comeback.
"I saw speed feet follow Rave through that door," Beast Boy quickly changed into one of his many bird forms.
Biting her lip, Starfire flew down to the small group, "Robin, should I--?"
Both Robin and Tara knew what she was suggesting – then again, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.
"Of course m'love – get to it."
On Robin's command Starfire drew back her fists and sent a barrage of starbolts to her side. The door crumbled open and Robin was quick to take charge once again.
"Wonder Girl, Terra, you follow Starfire." Pulling her mask up a bit to allow more air, Tara followed Wonder Girl into the darkened opening.
The next thing Tara knew was blinding pain. Electricity flew through the room and hit each of the teenagers separately. Ignoring the high voltage pain that was running through her body, Tara raised her head slowly, groaning from the pain.
"We're in the middle of an electricity grid!" Even in the state she was in, Tara didn't need Robin's amazing intellect to tell her where she was.
God, she thought, this is even worse than Slade's workouts.
Winding her arm around her neck she hit one of the spots Slade had told her about in one of his earlier lessons. As the pain began to numb down, Tara placed all her attention on the scene that was playing out before her. Beast Boy was evolving his body into the shape of an eel and was latching himself onto Starfire's arm. Cyborg clutched at her other hand and together the three of them short circuited the fence.
Fake groaning, Tara pulled herself up and watched as Kid Flash and Robin recovered and knocked out the men in front of them. Summoning her powers Tara paused for a moment. Wonder Girl was currently getting her butt thrashed by a fair amount of soldiers – while she was preoccupied by the men she wasn't watching her back. She bit her lip, she normally would have loved watching Wonder Girl get beaten but she knew Slade would complain if any of the Titans sussed out his plan. Tara sighed quietly, reluctantly throwing a boulder at the woman with the gun.
The woman quickly fell down, slamming her head against each rock until she was just hanging on to reality by a thread. With their leader on the brink of unconsciousness the remaining groups quickly disappeared, leaving the battle field mostly empty.
"Oh Wondy," Tara said mockingly, "You're getting careless! Nunny here was gonna ventilate ya!"
"Thanks Terra – that's why we're a team."
Something erupted in Tara when the Amazon said that. She didn't know why – she didn't even care about there stupid team – but something made her choke out a hasty remark.
"Yeah, well, if it wasn't for me you'd be Daisy Fertiliser!" She groaned at the weak nickname in her head – Robin must have been getting to her more than she'd thought – "So why do I still feel like an Outsider?" Tara put her hands and her hips and added another sentence quickly. "And I don't mean like my brother Geo-Force."
The last comment was added in case Beast Boy thought of any stupid puns. When she glanced over at the twit she saw that he had a disappointed look on his face – just like she thought he would.
"The kid has a point." Tara's attention was snapped over to Kid Flash. "She's good and one of us."
Tara had a hard time stifling a laugh.
"We're already agreed on that."
Tara blinked. That was news to her.
"Is anyone concerned about Koriand'r? She seems to have suffered a power feedback." Raven drew the other subject to a close and started one of her own.
Cyborg grunted, "Hey, I'm not about 'ta do any high hurdles either. Starry and I took the brunt of that power surge."
Starfire groaned and lifted herself up slowly, leaning on Robin for support.
"You okay?" Tara twitched; his voice had changed from annoying leader to a soppy love sick teen tone. It made her want to throw up.
"I'll be alright," Starfire reassured him, "I just feel weak."
The Titans had regrouped by now and were starting to make their way to the gaping opening in the wall. Tara stood still, letting her index finger stroke her eye slowly; making sure the lense, that was carefully hidden, had suffered no damage.
"Terra? You alright?"
She withdrew her finger quickly, turning swiftly to the green skinned boy.
"Y-yeah," she stammered. "Just checking something."
Beast Boy smiled, satisfied with her answer. Tara returned the grin, grimly hoping that the small chip of granite would have caused no damage to the transition.
End Chapter One
Authors Note: Well, there's chapter one – I was hoping to get more done but I got a block and though it was best to leave it here. Feedback is appreciated!