She's a Star
An: So here's the next update people! Hope you like it. I keep getting messages that people are putting this story on update alerts and favourite-ing it but I haven't been getting any reviews. I just want to know what you guys think as I go through this reboot so drop a line every now and then if possible.
Please Read and Review! On with the story...
*Notes: I know I'm bringing a lot of characters (Hive Five, Slade...etc) into this that are not in the Young Justice show run but the idea of this fanfic is to show the progression as Teen Titans never happened and how the characters still might have to interact.
Chapter 7: A Part of Me
Paranoia was an understatement among the team. Ever since the transmission from the JL the entire team was one edge about the situation. Not to mention the stress from Slade and his fucked up plan that was sure to Robin into a tail spin any minute. Starfire was pacing like mad next to the super computer in the main room waiting for news of her home planet. She was wringing her hands impatiently, eyes looking to the computer each time she walked by it, her flight had been interrupted with the slew of emotions that were rampaging through her system. Biting her lip for a moment she then chose to lean against the one wall, sliding down along its surface to crouch on the floor. Her long hair pooled around her shrunken form and she shook for a moment or two before settling on her backside with her head resting on her knees, arms wrapped tightly around her legs as if to protect herself. 'I cannot go back...I cannot...but my people...' she hated to think of people being placed in her same situation. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "No no no..." she whispered before taking a deep breath.
Luckily Tameran had been contacted by the Justice League council members and requested to make a face to face meeting in order to sort out the threat of the citadel and the transmission that addressed Starfire's need to return as Empress of Tameran. Martian Man-Hunter had decided to be directly involved, taking Green Lantern to the planet to complete a full investigation. She had asked to go with them but the risk of being captured was still far too high to take the chance. Instead she was left to panic and ponder endlessly.
"Princess?" M'gann asked softly as she flew to her side and knelt before her, careful not to touch or anger the stressed Tameranian.
"Please don't call me that M'gann."
M'gann still wasn't okay calling her Starfire, without the princess title that was. She sighed with a smile and touched her hand softly. "It'll be okay..."
"How can you possibly say that?" Starfire said in an outburst but M'gann didn't flinch, she just squeezed her hands again.
"Just try to be optimistic." She whispered gently, "come on you should get something to eat..."
A sigh slipped by her lips as she closed her eyes and tried to relax as best she could, given the situation. She wished for Richard's arms around her as she had grown so fond of his comforting embrace since her first day on this strange planet. However, she understood his distance. He had troubles of his own to confront.
Robin was feeling the stress of her situation as well as his own. His mind was reeling in so many different directions it was difficult to distinguish which method he could use to sort it all out. Last night they had opened the file Jinx had given to them, which indeed had valuable information about Death Stroke, but also held even more horrors than they had originally been preparing themselves for. At the moment he was in his room at the Young Justice base staring into the eyes of a man he had seen far too much and grew less fond of with each passing second.
'Joker...' that bastard just loved to fuck with people. He wasn't someone to try and take over the world, all he wanted to do was fuck with Batman, and since he was so closely associated it sadly made him just as much of a target. 'But why team up with Slade? If he wanted to mess with me he could just show up? What's the angle?' he asked himself silently, unable to come up with a suitable answer. He was slowly driving him up a wall. Gritting his teeth he slammed his fists to the table and sent the papers flying.
"Dammit..." he hissed through his tightly set teeth before he heard the door open. "What do you want?" he snapped sharply without looking up, not really caring who was at the door in his present state.
"Incoming visit from the JL. The League's got some information on Tameran." K.F told him carefully, not wanting to send his friend completely over the edge. "Star's gonna want you there man."
Robin didn't need to be told a second time as he swiftly walked with Flash to the main room and stood next to the young woman who was nearly shaking in fear as they waited for the transporter to send their visitors through. Soon enough Batman, Green Lantern, Jon and Superman were standing before the youths. They looked to Starfire and Green Lantern gave a gentle smile to the clearly stressed young princess. "Your majesty I am pleased to inform you that no harm has come to your planet. The transmission was indeed tampered with; it was a false video feed. It seems that someone wanted you to try and flee the planet in the hopes you may be caught again. We have tracked the recipient but the most we can gather was that it was someone on this side of the system, most likely from earth."
"So..the citadel is not threatening my planet?"
"The citadel and gordanians have been detained for their crimes against the galaxy. We have not had clear evidence of this horror until your accounts and upon following the investigation we have been left no choice but to intervene in these affairs. Before we did not have range to convict before but as they came into our sector we could arrest. I assure you, all is well on Tameran. Though something still remains."
"What matter?" she asked curiously, looking to the smiles on their faces and growing more confused as the seconds ticked by.
"Why don't we let someone else tell you..." They stood aside as the transporter glowed with that blue white light again and large figure came into view. "Transporting, Galfore of Tameran."
Starfire's eyes grew wide in wonder as tears gathered on the brims, quick to trail down her cheeks as her K'norfka stood before her smiling. His long red hair was let loose down his bag, his matching beard somewhat unruly and matted but still kept to a certain degree with the beads weaved into its mass. His outfit was a simply tameranian garb, black pants, silver/purple boots and a purple top with numerous amounts of heavy metal armor on his chest, shoulders and forearms. He was a threatening sight to anyone but the moment he smiled there was softness revealed that not many would assume he was capable of. "Galfore..." she whimpered.
"My little bungorf..." he cooed softly, opening his arms as she flew up in the air and soared into his embrace sobbing openly. Years of being apart from the only true family she had ever known was taking its toll and she finally let it out, now safe with her guardian. "Hush my little one. My warrior does not cry in times such as these. Joyous we should be." He explained happily as he set her down, his two massive hands resting on her shoulders. Even as he told her not to cry it was easy to see the misty composure of his own.
"Oh it is glorious to know you are well."
"As it is to know you are as well my princess."
"The transmission you sent me was messed with, so I have been told."
"Part of it yes. Your father has indeed passed away, killed in a war not long ago with the Drenthax fleet who was threatening to try and take out our home world."
"And mother?" she watched his face grow grim as he searched for a way to reply.
"She was killed not long after your capture..." she could tell form his voice this was not the right time to address such things.
"So part of it was true then, the princess is expected to return as ruler?" Aqualad stated simply, worried about losing a member of his team but knowing enough about alien customs not to be outwardly angry if it was her choice.
"Tameran is without leadership, and a warrior planet without a strong head is bond to dissolve to chaos sooner than later." Galfore explained, "but I will never force my bungorf to go against her own desires."
"But Galfore..."
"You have sacrificed for your people far too many times in the past Starfire. You gave yourself over to those creatures in save your planet. You stayed for years, endured tortures...I know what they do there my young one. I have hated myself everyday for not being able to find you, to help you. I have not the station to do so." He let his head fall slightly and sighed, only to feel a tiny hand touch his face with such tenderness is made his heart ache.
Robin stepped up as Starfire let go of Galfore and took his hand softly, looking to his pained eyes behind the mask that she knew were begging her to stay. Then again he knew to support her no matter the choice she made.
She may have been born a princess but never had she known such happiness than with Robin and the team. She loved him dearly, wanted to be with him more than anything in her life, but was it right to abandon her people when they needed her? It was then that the wheels began to turn. She let go of Robin's hand and stepped away from all those involved and simply stood before them before saying, "You are a wonderful father to me Galfore, most wonderful in all the cosmos." She then smiled, looking to Jon who seemed to have read her mind as she spoke the next few words, "so it you I leave Tameran to."
"What?" everyone shouted in unison, shocked by this idea.
"Galfore raised me as a child, he protected me best he could and knows all the laws and traditions of our people. He is a strong warrior, a loving and compassionate father and a wonderful Tameranian representative. I am not meant for Tameran." She whispered, shaking her head at the last part. She had been away so long and even though she carried the blood of the royals she was not meant for the throne. "I am not what is best for my people. As Princess of Tameran, Kori'andr, I name Galfore the new Emperor of Tameran in permanent." She smiled sweetly.
Galfore smiled as did the Justice League. Since the King's death it had been this alien male who had been shaping up the planet and making the connections to the union between planets that the King had denied before. Galfore hugged his princess before seeing the boy who had to let go of his little girl's hand in order for him to do so. He moved and stood over the small human. He looked strong, broad shoulders and he did not shake or tremble as Galfore glared down at him. "So you are the one who found my little one on earth. You have since been caring for her, or so I have been informed."
"Yes Emperor Galfore." Robin replied as he made sure to stand his ground. In the last few months Starfire had been telling him more and more about her culture and one thing was key, never show the weakness of fear. Always stand your ground.
After a prolonged staring contest the man smiled and slapped his hand down on Robin's shoulder, though keeping in mind not to break the human. "I thank you greatly for this. I see how she looks at you...be good to her." He voiced firmly, the threat taken in it's context.
"I intend to sir."
He got a grunt in return before he sighed as Galfore walked over to Starfire and they spoke in Tameranian about something. Giving them a little privacy the other two members stepped to the side and Robin looked to Batman. "So, anything on Joker?"
"He's gone underground again, as has Slade."
"That much I knew..."
"No further information has been leaked. Jinx is breaking out of jail tomorrow and she hopes to make good on the deal and try to join the team. That way she can work undercover for us."
"With Joker?" Flash squawked, "How can she do that? Does she have any idea how much danger she would be in? Slade is bad enough, but Joker too?"
Ignoring his out burst the rest of the team let Batman continue on about the information. However Connor was staring at Galfore for a second. "What's wrong Connor?" Robin asked.
"Starfire didn't know English when she came...and she had to kiss you to learn right?"
"Yeah? So?"
"How did Galfore learn?"
They all froze in their places and watched Batman shrink away, "I don't want to talk about..."
TBC
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