Chapter 9

Starfire crouched in some bushes near the end of the tunnel that lead from the underground garage at Titans Tower. She knew it would have been better if she had her communicator, as she would know when the alarm went off. Her eyes focused on the entrance to the tunnel when her ears picked up the sound of Robin's R-cycle approaching. She watched as it flashed past her, the high revving sound of the engine telling her that Robin was pushing it to it's limits. "You think you are going to rescue me from Red X, but I will not be there," she muttered, then watched the T-car go past. She waited a moment, to make sure that she wouldn't be seen in the rearview mirror, then flew down into the tunnel. Once she reached the garage area, she quickly typed her access code into the keypad for the door to the stairs. When she reached the level with the common room and the individual rooms, she paused as she heard the soft clicking of a keyboard.

Kim'r had arrived shortly after the Titans had, and had been partly relieved when she had been told that Robin needed some time to relax, and had been convinced to do so by Raven. Talking with Cyborg, she had been instructed in the use of the computers in the Tower, and she was currently monitoring their progress on the current mission when she heard something behind her. "Koriand'r! Thank X'Hal you are well! It is good that you have returned. I will inform Robin of you being here."

Kim'r turned back to the keyboard, her fingers poised over the keyboard, when she suddenly felt Starfire's fingers on the back of her neck, expertly finding the nerve points and pressing. With a soft groan she slumped in her chair, then slid to the floor, as Starfire kept the pressure up, lengthening the time she would be unconscious.

"Shamana, what did you do?"

Starfire whirled at the voice behind her and froze when she saw Nie'l standing there, his eyes wide in shock. His question had been completely rhetorical as he knew perfectly well what Starfire had done to Kim'r. She was surprised to see the youngster's hands glow brightly with star bolt energy.

"Get away from her. You are not my mother, she would not do this, or look at me like that." Instead of following through with the implied threat of his primed star bolts, he backed up as Starfire took a step towards him.

"It is alright, Nie'l. Kim'r would try to keep me from leaving the Tower, and I have given my word of honor to Red X that I would return to him. Can I not receive a hug?"

Nie'l blinked when he saw the expression change on Starfire's face, from something like anger to the caring, loving look now. He cooled down his bolts and moved into her outstretched arms. "I have been so worried about you, mother. No, ungh." He said then gasped as Starfire's fingers pressed the back of his neck, and everything went black.

Starfire gently lowered him to the floor then went down the hall without looking back. She quickly entered her room and went to her closet. Setting aside the contents of one of her shelves, she removed a panel, revealing a secret compartment. She lifted a small box, and returned things as she had found them before closing the closet door. Instead of leaving through the Tower, she simply opened her window and flew through it. As she flew over the bay, she took a small device from her belt and spoke into it. "I have left the Tower, you may break off at your convenience."

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Red X stood in the shadows behind a stack of shipping crates in the warehouse. He had smiled as he broke into the place, having to take the time to make sure he had tripped the alarm, rather than disabling it.

"X, I know you're in here!" Robin called as he entered the place. "Show yourself!"

"What's the matter, kid, can't wait for the rest of your team to get here?"

Robin spun towards the source of the voice, a birdarang ready to throw. "Where is she, X? Let her go, and I'll walk the other way."

"Sorry, chuckles, but your girlfriend isn't here. In fact you'd be surprised where she is."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Robin insisted, then saw only the slightest blur of movement, and was caught by surprise at the webbing that enveloped him. He went to cut the webbing of the net with his birdarang, but a jolt of electricity blasted him into unconsciousness.

"He's coming around," Robin heard Raven's voice say from the end of a tunnel. He also heard the sound of star bolts being launched in rapid succession, along with the roar of a lion or tiger.

"Yo, Robin, can ya hear me?"

"Yeah, Cy, help me up," Robin groaned in reply. Giving his head a shake to clear it, he managed to stand without falling flat on his face. "Report."

"Well, you managed to get yourself caught in an electrified net when you decided to go off and try to catch Red X by yourself," Raven replied. "Chr's and Shel'b have him cornered at the moment in the far corner of the warehouse. And before you ask, Starfire isn't here, I've checked."

Just then an alarm went off from all their communicators. Robin yanked his from his belt and looked at the display. "He's just a decoy! Cyborg, you know all the intruder codes, which one is that?"

"Starfire's room, east window." Cyborg tapped some buttons on his arm display. "We're too late, Robin. The alarm was set off when she left. Her access code was used to enter through the garage area."

Red X was almost enjoying himself as he crouched behind a stack of crates, only showing himself enough to get the two Tamaraneans to try to hit him with their star bolts. He had just ducked back again when Starfire's voice whispered into his ear through the ear plug he had. "I have left the Tower, you may break off at your convenience."

"Sorry to disappoint you, kids, but it's time for me to leave." X said as he jumped out from behind the crates, then vanished.

"Robin, something's wrong. Kim'r doesn't answer, and she's been monitoring us on the computer."

"Right. Titans, regroup!" Robin called and Beast Boy, Chr's and Shel'b hurried back to where they were.

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The trip back to the Tower had been as fast as it had been quiet. Despite Cyborg's assurance that the Tower was empty except for Nie'l and Kim'r, the rest of them burst out of the elevator, ready for a fight. They were stunned at the scene before them with Kim'r half under the computer table and Nie'l sprawled on the floor.

"Chr's, Shel'b, check on Kim'r, Cyborg, bring up the security videos, " Robin snapped as he went over to Nie'l with Raven right behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found a pulse.

"They're both just unconscious, Robin, but I can't find any trace of injury that would cause it."

"I think I've got the answer to that, Raven. Take a look at this."

They all gathered around the monitor and watched the security camera video, and Raven looked over at Robin when she felt the blaze of anger surge through him as they watched Starfire lowering Nie'l to the floor then walk off. "Robin, remember she's not herself," she said softly, and she could feel him locking his anger away as he closed his eyes.

"Shel'b, you and Chr's take Kim'r to Starfire's room and lay her on the bed, I'm taking Nie'l to my room."

"Robin is correct, Friend Cyborg, the kavek lian only renders them unconscious for a while, so they do not need to go to the med-lab."

"Sleep touch, eh?" Cyborg muttered as he watched them taken away.

Robin gently lay Nie'l on his bed, then went over to his computer and got the chair. Setting it next to the bed, he settled in to wait.

'Robin, as I told you, she's not herself. I know what she's done angers you, and I can understand it, but Nie'l is going to need to see that you understand that Starfire's actions were not normal.'

Robin sighed, using the bond he had with Raven was beginning to feel almost second nature to him. 'I know Raven, but it's not just that she attacked a child, but one she thinks of as her own son.'

'I know, Robin, but. . . '

"Yes, Raven, I know these aren't normal circumstances. One thing you can be sure of though, I'll be here for him.'

'Didn't doubt that for a second.'

After about half an hour, he was getting concerned, as Shel'b hadn't been out this long when Starfire had used the Tamaranean acupressure technique on her. He was just about to call Cyborg, when Nie'l moaned softly then opened his eyes. Robin felt his chest tighten when his eyes found him, the fear and betrayal clearly visible in the soft brown eyes.

"Shokata, sha ve neru!"

"Athani, Nie'l. You're safe, I know she was here."

"Why, father? Why did she. . .hurt me?"

Robin felt as though his throat almost closed off when he saw the youngster's eyes shining as he tried to hold back his tears. "Nie'l. . . .son, you've got to believe me that if she were in her right mind she wouldn't have done that."

"I wish to believe you, but when she turned to face me, from Captain Kim'r, the look on her face, it was as if she did not know me, but I could not hit her with a star bolt. I have not learned my training well enough, I am sorry, father."

Robin gaped at Nie'l as his shoulders slumped as he hung his head. "Nie'l, you have nothing to be sorry for, you did what anyone would have expected you to. She's someone you trust and love. I've even done the same."

"She threatened you?"

Robin sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Not long after Starfire came here and we formed the Titans, Slade wanted me as his apprentice. He separated me from her and the others, and infected them with small probes that he controlled that would kill them very painfully."

"Yes, she told me of this. She and the others managed to find Slade's lair and rescue you."

"That's right, but there was one time when I had to fight them. Can you stand?"

Nie'l nodded and Robin helped him up and walked with him over to the computer. He typed quickly for a moment, and the video of his and Starfire's encounter on the roof played itself out.

"Why did neither of you shoot? You could have escaped, and she could have captured you."

"For the same reason you didn't shoot her. We hadn't admitted to ourselves, let alone each other, but we had already fallen in love with each other. You heard her, she didn't want to live in a world where we had to fight, so she powered down her star bolts and left herself wide open to my attack, which she knew deep down that I wouldn't take."

"And she was right."

"Kim'r!" Nie'l cried happily when he turned and saw her in the doorway. "It is good to see you well," he said more calmly.

Kim'r chuckled softly, putting her right fist to her left shoulder and bowing slightly. "Thank you, my Emperor. It is equally good to see you as well. Before you ask, Robin, I will have a slightly sore neck for a few hours, but I am otherwise well. I wish to thank you for watching over him while I was incapacitated."

"No problem, Kim'r. He is my son after all."

"I assure you, Nie'l, actions such as what happened a short time ago are not normal for Koriand'r."

"So I have been reassured," Nie'l said, looking fondly up at Robin. "When next you go where she might be, I wish to accompany you. My presence might sway her from. . . ."

"Absolutely not. I won't put you in any danger, and though I hate to admit it, in her present state, Starfire is more of a danger than even her sister was."

"Do not argue, my Lord. Emperor you may be, but he is your father. Also, what he says is tactically sound as well. It would not do to have you captured."

Nie'l glared first at Robin then at Kim'r. Seeing that neither one of them looked as though they were going to budge on this subject, he sighed heavily and nodded his agreement.

"Robin, can I get a word?"

Robin excused himself and went over to the doorway where Cyborg stood. "What is it?"

"This," the titanium Titan replied, handing Robin a sheet of paper. "If we can believe it, it tells us exactly where and when Red X is going to strike next."

"How did you get this?"

"Believe it or not, it was e-mailed to us, each of us."

Cyborg followed Robin into his room and watched as Robin quickly logged onto the mainframe and accessed his e-mail. "Robin, I already tried that," he said as he watched him view the message header and try to back track the delivery path. "What?" he asked when he saw Robin smile softly.

"Believe it. I can't trace where it originated from, but I know who sent it."

"How? If you can not tell where it came from?"

"By how well they covered their tracks. I only know of one person who would want us to know where X is going to strike next, but not want us to know who he is."

"Slade," Cyborg said, earning a nod from Robin.

"But why would he want you to know this?"

"Because, Nie'l, he wants to see how well she does against us, and how I do against her."

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The large room was bathed in bright white light, giving plenty of illumination for the dozens of security cameras that dotted the wall. In the center of the room was a shaft of brighter light that went from the floor to the ceiling. A small pedestal was surrounded by the shaft of light and a purple chip slowly spun above it, about four feet off the floor.

A soft squeak came from the ceiling, and a vent cover was pulled up into the duct. A moment later Red X dropped down and landed behind a computer console. 'With what I'm getting for this chip and turning Starfire over to Slade, I'll have enough to quit this job,' He thought to himself.

'You're a thief, not a slave trader,' he argued back at himself. 'Do you really want to turn her over to Slade? You know what he's going to do to her.'

"No I don't," he muttered, then quickly typed a string of characters into the keyboard. "But I've got a good idea," he added almost sadly as he watched the chip stop it's spin and was grabbed by a manipulator that came up from the pedestal. The shaft of light went off, and X walked over to claim his prize. Just as he reached the pedestal, a birdarang whistled past his ear, one of it's wings embedding itself in the pedestal.

"Where is she, X?" Robin's voice called as X took a defensive stance. He quickly turned to look behind him, then remembered what Starfire had told him a short time ago.

"Seeing as he will not wish to damage the chip while you are near it, he will use his birdarangs to keep you from taking it. Do not believe that the direction it came from is where he is. He is an expert at throwing them and it is almost as though he can control their flight with his mind."

Red X turned back to face the pedestal, and looked up to see Robin hanging upside down from another vent. Seeing that he had been spotted, Robin dropped to the floor and drew his staff and extended it. "I asked you where is she, X?" he said, his voice calm, but even X could feel the restrained anger under the surface.

Leaving the chip where it was, X stepped around the pedestal and faced Robin. "I may be a selfish thief in your eyes, but I don't kiss and tell, kid." X smiled behind his mask as his taunt had it's effect and Robin charged at him his staff swinging. That smile faded at the speed and ferocity behind Robin's attack which backed him up as he struggled to block the blows. X quickly touched a control on his belt and a soft pop was heard from the vent he came out of. Robin barely leapt back in time to avoid getting caught in another net.

"Good to see that you learn from you mistakes, kid. To bad you didn't bring the rest of your team with you."

"Who says I didn't. Titan's go!" At his shout, X saw a black circle form on the wall behind Robin and the rest of the Titans came out through it.

Now it was Red X's turn to jump backward as he neatly avoided the star bolts thrown by both Chr's and Shel'b. He saw that Raven was preparing to start her chant and he quickly extended his hand at her and launched an X shaped device.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinmmmff." was all Raven got out before the adhesive X wrapped itself over her mouth.

As she worked to free herself from that, Cyborg primed his sonic cannon and fired a blast at X, narrowly missing him.

Before he could get off another shot, X launched a X at him which attached to his chest, sending a jolt of electricity through him. "Aaarrrggghh! Systems over loading!" he shouted then fell over.

"Any time, Starfire," X muttered as he dodged another barrage of star bolts and eye beams, along with Robin's bo staff. He looked up when he saw Starfire fly out of the vent Robin had used and ended up behind the female Tamaranean who could have been her twin.

Robin saw X's glance and he quickly looked over his shoulder. "Shel'b! Behind you!" he shouted, but saw he was to late as Starfire's fingers found their marks and Shel'b dropped from the air, unconscious.

Chr's heard Robin's warning, and saw Shel'b fall, and he dove, catching her after only a fall of a few feet, then lowered her gently to the floor. Starfire saw the fury on his face as he looked back up at her.

"A present for you, Commander," she said and threw a small handful of spheres at him. They hit the floor with a popping hiss and Chris managed to get off a weak exclamation before he dropped to the floor beside Shel'b.

Seeing four of his team taken out so quickly, Robin renewed his attack on Red X, and heard the snarl of the tiger that Beast Boy had morphed into as it leapt at X. He saw X launch another device and heard the crackle of electricity followed by Beast Boy's moan.

"Why do you not face me, Robin?"

Robin turned and saw Starfire hovering a few feet off the floor, her hands and eyes glowing bright green. "Koriand'r, shamata, ca naf ca fetan."

"Do not do this, Robin?" She mocked. "I will do as I please, and you will not stop me. I released you from your oaths, do not call me shamata again."

"And what of Nie'l, Star?"

"I care nothing for a jelara that will not follow through on the threat of his own making."

X didn't know the meaning of the word jelara, but it was evident that Robin did, and it wasn't very nice. He watched as Starfire lowered herself to the ground and advance on Robin.

"Nie'l may be many things, Starfire, but a coward is not one of them." No sooner had Robin gotten those words out of his mouth and Starfire launched a series of star bolts at him, which he blocked with his staff. Reacting reflexively, he swung his staff, catching her on her left shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through the recently healed joint. As Starfire grabbed her shoulder in pain, Robin brought his staff around and swept her feet out from under her, dumping her onto her back.

"Robin!" Raven shouted as he kept his staff moving. The shout had it's effect, and snapped Robin out of the anger he had released, and stopped his staff scant inches from Starfire's jaw. However, the distraction allowed Red X to land a spin kick and send Robin flying back a few feet.

"Starfire!" X gasped as he knelt beside her. Seeing she was alright, even if in some pain, he looked over at where Robin had landed. "I got what I came for, kid," he said holding up the chip, then they vanished.