Chapter 10

"Robin," Raven called softly as she continued to feel the waves of anger she had been getting from him, from the time Starfire referred to Nie'l and a jelara, or coward.

Robin groaned, as he got up from where he landed after Red X's kick. "I'm working on it Rae, I'm working on it."

Raven bit back the comment that he really wasn't, when she felt his concern for herself, and the others wash over him. She watched as Robin crossed over to where Cyborg still lay, the glow from his legs and arms gone. Robin opened a panel on Cyborg's back and reached inside, and touched some controls. As he stood up and stepped back, Cyborg's glow returned and he slowly got to his feet.

"Raven, how's. . . " Robin began, but cut off when Beast Boy moaned softly then stood up holding his hand to his head. He watched as Raven crossed over to the green Titan and steadied him. Crossing over to where Shel'b and Chr's lay sprawled on the floor, he was relieved to hear Shel'b moan softly and her eyes opened.

"X'Hal, what hit me?"

"Starfire managed to get behind you."

Shel'b rubbed the back of her neck. "She learned well, I grant her that. What of Chr's?"

"Judging by how fast he went down, I'd say these were filled with wistona gas," Robin replied, picking up one of the spheres Starfire had thrown. "Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, we're getting out of here and heading back to the Tower."

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Much to Shel'b's relief, Chr's woke up just as they got back to the Tower. They were now all sitting in the Common Room - well most of them were - Robin was pacing in front of the windows.

"Dude, I can't believe that Red X beat us that quickly," Beast Boy said as they finished watching the video from the security cameras.

"He had help." Raven saw that Robin flinched at her comment, but she knew that despite that fact that he didn't like it, he accepted the fact that Starfire had betrayed them to Red X.

"No way, Starfire wouldn't do that."

"Face it Cyborg, there's only one way he could have known how to take each one of us out that quickly. She told him how. You all know how much I don't want to believe that, but it's the only explanation."

"The question is, what do we do now, Robin?"

"We continue to try to get Starfire back, Chr's, or find some way to get the serum to her."

"But in her present state, she would not take it willingly. The Empress will have to be tricked into taking it."

"Your pardon, Healer, but I do not know of a way to do that. We will have to find a way to capture her, and administer the treatment."

"Easier said than done, Shel'b. Raven, were you able to pick up any of the Starfire we know from her?"

"It's not that she's not Starfire any more, Robin, it's that her sense of right and wrong is slipping away. That's why I've been unable to locate her through our bond. If I stay in contact with her for any length of time, my self control is effected."

Robin nodded his understanding. "That's something we're going to have to face. Without her restraint, but still having full control over her powers, Starfire is going to be a huge threat."

"More that I would be," Raven said. "In her place, not only would I lose my self control, but control over my powers as well."

"She's going to realize that she underestimated me, or at least my reaction to her dig at Nie'l. To be honest, I was surprised by it. Add to that the fact that she's going to lose more of her restraint, and the next time we face her, it's going to be rougher."

"I urge you to injure her as little as possible, Highness. Remember, the serum will take away her powers for a time, and her healing will not be as rapid."

"Vern'a, I hate to say this, but she may give us very little choice. When I faced her when she was under the influence of the Vartoch du Lunecha paste, it was all I could do to overpower her."

The Healer nodded sadly. "I understand, Highness."

With that, the meeting broke up and they went to prepare themselves for the next mission.

"Shokata, pe delina a jerana a shu."

Robin watched as the doors closed behind Chr's and Shel'b, leaving himself, Nie'l, and Kim'r. "Nie'l, I don't know what you want to talk to me about, but before you say anything else, I want to apologize to you."

"To me, father? Why? If it is for striking Starfire, there is no need. In her present state of mind, she is an enemy, she must be restrained and given the treatment."

Robin looked at the youngster, unable to keep the surprise off his face. "Nie'l, you have no idea how much your realizing that takes a load off my mind. It's going to be hard enough to deal with my own emotions over this, and facing you was going to be even tougher."

"What I wish to speak to you about is Kim'r; she is insisting I return to the ROHA'N, and possibly even to Tamaran until mother is safe."

"It is that I do not wish a repeat of earlier today, my lord. Koriand'r has access to this place, and that poses a threat to you."

"She no longer has access, Captain. I had Cyborg delete her access codes when we got back. If she tries to come back here, she'll set off the intruder alarm."

Kim'r sighed softly, then looked over at Nie'l. "Very well, Nie'l, you may stay, but you will not go outside the Tower without two guards. Now, you will go to the large training room, sword master Simo'n is waiting for you for today's lessons." She watched as Nie'l ran out the door. "Robin, I know how much this is costing you, but keep this in mind. When Koriand'r is returned to normal by the serum, she will remember everything that has occurred, her actions and thoughts. It will be a time when you will both need each other's support."

Robin nodded and saw by her expression that there was something else on her mind. "What is it, Kim'r?"

"You do know that I am not just a Captain, but that I am Captain of the Palace Guard, correct?" Robin nodded so she went on. "As such I am responsible for the safety of the Royal Family."

Suddenly Robin got a suspicion of where this conversation was leading. "Which, now that Starfire and I are bonded, includes me."

"Correct. Robin, I am not going to ask that you stand down in your efforts to free Koriand'r. To be honest, Raven and yourself must be the ones to get to her." She paused for a moment, uncertain of how to proceed, so she said it straight out. "Robin, I know better than to try to tell you to do something, as I realize the ones who have the honor of being able to, are few. My advice to you is to wear your armor under your normal outfit, at least your torso armor. Highness, I can see on your face, that you still do not believe that Koriand'r will attack you in earnest. What must I say to you to convince you that she will, probably the next time you face her? Vido'an, you bested her in combat, because she failed to gauge your reactions correctly. She will feel that her honor must be redeemed by defeating you in as a convincing way as she can."

She took a breath to continue speaking, but Robin stopped her by placing his hand over her mouth. "Kim'r, you've made your point," he chuckled dryly, thinking on how she was starting to sound like Starfire when she started rambling on about something. "Seeing as this is the first time you've called me Vido'an, or Prince, to my face, I can tell how much this means to you. I give you my word that I will wear my chest and back plate under my uniform until Starfire is back. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to look in on Nie'l's swordsmanship practice."

"Thank you, Robin, I only wish, that Koriand'r took my advice as readily."

That comment stopped Robin well short of the door. He turned back and headed over to where Kim'r was now looking out the window at the bay and city. "Since when has she not listened to you? While the fleet was here before, she listened to your advice more than she listened to mine at times.

"While she was on Tamaran, the time of year came for the vithra to come out from their hibernation. They are drawn to freshly turned dirt, and even though I cautioned her about them, she insisted on working in the garden she had started."

"If I'm remembering right the vithra is something like our snakes, right?"

"Yes. I have done some reading and the closest you have is the type of snake you call pit vipers, like your rattle snake. As I was saying, she insisted on going to work in her garden and Nie'l went along with her, thank X'Hal."

"What do you mean? Why was it so good that Nie'l was there? He was bitten wasn't he?"

"Yes, he was. I believe the saying would be, like sister, like brother. Nie'l saw the vithra preparing to strike, and put his arm between her and it."

"I know, Starfire told me all about it."

Kim'r half turned her head to give Robin a sideways glance. "Did she also tell you that she is allergic to the venom, and in turn, the antivenin? I see by the look on your face that she did not. Yes, Nie'l did come close to death, and was very sick for several days, but had Koriand'r taken the bite, she would have been dead in seconds."

"Does he know this?"

"The Empress has sworn me to secrecy on this topic with Nie'l. She feels that the incident frightened him enough without adding that to it." She turned to looked out the window again. "However, she received no such oath from you," she said softly, and she and Robin shared a smile.

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"Kid, are you alright?" Red X asked, as they materialized back at the parking garage.

"Yes, X , I am uninjured," Starfire replied as she took the hand he offered and used his help to get to her feet. "Robin only swept my feet from under me, although if it was not for Raven's shout, I am not sure I would be conscious right now."

"He surprised you, didn't he?"

"Yes, he has evidently developed more of an attachment to the boy than I thought."

"Who is Nie'l, and why would Robin care about him?"

"He is a young boy from Tamaran. His sister saved my life, but sacrificed her own to do it, so I have allowed Nie'l to accompany me here to Earth."

"So, needless to say, because of his sister's saving you, Robin's taken a liking to the kid." X added, and noticed that Starfire still held his hand. When he tried to take his hand from hers, she held on and he pulled her off balance a little. She stumbled and fell into him, her arms going around him. "You alright, kid?"

"I am better now," Starfire murmured as she felt X's arms go around her. "What is the matter?" she asked a moment later when X broke the embrace, and stepped back.

"Much as you deny it, you and Robin have a relationship of some type. I'm not going to try to get between you."

As he spoke his last line, X turned away from Starfire and took a few steps. He was surprised when he felt her arms slip around his waist as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "What if I were to tell you that there is nothing between Robin and I for you to get in the way of?"

Red X swallowed nervously, and had to clear his throat before he replied. "That's something I'm going to have to think about."

Starfire sighed as she released X, and she stepped over to the laptop. "There is something I wish to do. If I give you my word that I will return, will you let me leave for a short time?"

"Yeah, you've shown me that you can be trusted to keep your word."

"Thank you." Starfire said then began typing. "I am going to go to the Tower and bring back a hostage that should keep Robin and the Tamaraneans out of your way. He will not be much trouble."

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Robin watched Nie'l as he faced not only Simo'n, but Chr's and Shel'b as well. He was surprised to hear that they were using actual swords, not wooden replicas for this training session, but that paled in comparison to his astonishment at the speed, and power behind Nie'l's strokes. "Yes." he whispered to himself as he watched Nie'l parry Chr's's next blow then used his right leg to sweep Chr's's out from under him. Before he could capitalize on that, Shel'b moved in to distract him. He watched for a few more minutes, then headed for his room to relax with a book for a while.

About two hours later, he marked his page, and closed the book. Just as he was getting up to log onto his computer, someone knocked at his door. He went over and opened it. "Kim'r, what can I do for you?"

"I need to speak with you a moment, Highness."

Robin raised an eyebrow at the formal tone of Kim'r's voice. "Certainly, come in." He stepped aside so Kim'r could enter his room, and motioned for her to sit on his computer chair, as he sat on the foot of his bed. He was a little surprised that she didn't sit, but stood before him, almost at attention.

"I understand that you watched some of Nie'l's training this evening."

"Yes, He was facing Shel'b, Chr's, and Simo'n, and doing quite well, I might add."

"So you did not see to the end of the session?"

"No. Why? What happened?"

Kim'r visibly relaxed, which eased some of Robin's concern, as he knew that if Nie'l had been hurt she would still be nervous. "What you saw part of was Nie'l going through the Vartoch penova."

"Root trial? You mean he was under the Vartoch du Lunecha paste?"

"Yes, that is why he was facing three opponents who had completed their training. He passed, and attained use of his star bolts."

"But he had those earlier, when Starfire was here."

Kim'r sighed and finally took a seat. "He did, and he did not. Do you recall that Koriand'r seemed to have her eye beams before she underwent transformation?"

Robin thought about it, then remembered when Starfire and Kitten had been fighting. At first, he thought that Starfire had used a low powered star bolt to get the pie off her face, but the more he thought about it he realized that some sort of beam had come from her eyes. "Yeah, just a couple of days before her transformation started."

"So it is with star bolts. Over the last three weeks, Nie'l has been going through training sessions with increasing amounts of the paste on his sword hilt; tonight was the culmination of that phase of his training."

"Great, I'm glad to hear that he passed. So what happened after I left? I know the training session isn't forbidden, so why were you concerned that I might have seen it?"

"Nie'l had defeated both Shel'b and Simo'n and was facing Chr's one on one. Part of Chr's's duties was to try to make Nie'l lose control of his anger, by any means he could."

"And?" Robin prodded when Kim'r seem reluctant to go on.

"He almost succeeded, and not by frustrating Nie'l in combat. Heeee. . . . ."

"He, what, Captain?"

"He made a. . . . .demeaning remark about you and Koriand'r, one that was way out of line. To his credit, Nie'l managed to keep control, if only barely."

"I see. What was it he said?"

"I. . . . .gave him my word that I would not tell you. He is standing sentry duty on the roof of the Tower until dawn tomorrow, and he will provide me with a detailed account of everything that he sees."

Robin sighed heavily. He knew that such duty for a senior, command ranked, officer would be a sharp blow to his honor. "You know I could find out by watching the security video."

"I am asking you not to, Highness. Robin, I know that he only said what he did in performance of his duty in that particular training setting, and I have his personal word that such is the case. Let this go, Robin. I ask this of you as a personal favor." She met Robin's hard glare for a few moments then looked away. "Robin, please."

"Alright, Kim'r. You have my word that I will not ask him about it, I won't view the tape, and I'll tell Cyborg not to tell me about it when he views the tape tomorrow."

"Thank you. It is truly for the best. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go to sleep."

"Kim'r, does that mean that Nie'l's under the veka serum?"

"No, he did so well on the trial that it was not necessary. The effect will wear off in about half an hour." she said, then left.