Author's Note: If you didn't already know I added some extra material to the end of the previous chapter, so you may want to go back and re-read it.

Teen Titans: Trigon Apotheosis

Chapter 11 – Outpost Sigma (Part 1: Arrival)

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil
To one who is striking at the root.

Henry David Thoreau

Raven and Mad Mod stood at odds. Raven had never liked him and she was as sure as hell the feeling was mutual. Ever since their first meeting, Mad Mod had tried to act the part of teacher and overbearing and forceful surrogate father to the Titans; forcing his own ideals upon them trying to 'teach' them his way of thinking and methodology. Even their forced alliance was no barrier to deter his dug-in resolve to one day convert her and the rest of the Titans into seeing his way of things.

The topic of today's class concerned Cyborg's immediate future. Cyborg was a friend and a Titan; that alone was reason enough, for Raven, to keep him alive and pave his way to freedom. But now there was even more to it; the memories. The brief glimpses she had seen said that there was far more going on then she had first suspected. She need time to meditate on all that had, and hadn't, been revealed to her as this new source of information could show some light on the tangled mess of lives she found herself in

Her immediate concern was Knives and Robin, for the most part it appeared as if they were still alive, however it looked as if they too had fallen at Nova Prospekt along with Cyborg and were, as well, confined in a similar fashion as weapons of war for the Spiders. This brought Raven back to why she hated Mad Mod, even more so now.

"You knew there was someone alive inside." Raven gestured toward the sedentary gunship.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Even immobile, as it was, the gunship still cast a overwhelming presence amongst the dawn light. Even in the early morning sunlight its skin was as clear and infinite as a panel of glass. It was impossible to stare at it, the smooth quality of the texture made ones eyes slid off of it. The only blemish was where its wounds had yet healed and the solitary panel open on the side.

Thanks to Gizmo's small size, he was able to fit himself inside the already cramped 'cockpit' and had begun his work. Occasionally, out of the open panel, a piece of hardware, a computer part, or a piece of organic wiring would be hurled out as casually as one discards the wrapper on a new deck of cards. His natural skills with machines, which earned him his namesake, coupled with his acquired knowledge of the technology used in the alien vessel, allowed him to modify it in whatever way he saw fit.

Yet, despite this, the technique for releasing the confined inhabitant from the shackles of the alien weapon was only allowable through death of the personality. Extraction of the body was possible, but the strain on the delicate human psyche always lead to the destruction of the victim's mind leading, inexorably, to the remainder of their natural years as a soulless doll.

For Cyborg it would be the same as if he was made completely cybernetic.

Pulling a controller, that appeared more fitting for a video game console than a high tech alien weapon, out of his pocket he began connecting it to the gunship's mainframe. To do so he pulled out several wires, in a seemingly random fashion, and directed their input into the device in his hands, grumbling about a certain 'stubborn female' as he worked.

…………………………………………………………………………………

"An' even had you known," Mad Mod crossed his arms; the cane lightly rapped against his leg, "you still would kill him in a foolish attempt to free him. Might as well let him go down fightin' in a blaze o' glory. A more than suitable end for a runt like 'em."

Raven felt the anger burning in the pit of her stomach. Her logical mind reasoned that Mad Mod had justification to be cynical about Cyborg's chances but it was just a whisper amongst a tsunami of emotion coupled with her own personal hatred of the man. She wanted to do to him what she did with Dr. Light. She wanted to pull him down from his pedestal and eviscerate his sanity. It was only due to her powerlessness that he was spared a painful death.

This he knew and took advantage of it to spout his gospel unhindered and unopposed, at least as far as Raven was concerned..

"You kids nowadays don't know anythin'. It's not that I really care for your metal friend there. But it'd be best to pop him between the eyes now and save ourselves the trouble, if you know what I mean my duckies."

Beast Boy on the other hand was not quite as powerless; however he still hesitated trying to forcibly shut Mad Mod up. He was a powerful foe, and this, Beast Boy understood very well. But he could just stand there and let Mad Mod talk smack about his friend, but he didn't know what to say.

A part of him also agreed, if there was no way to save Cyborg then, as one friend to another, wouldn't ending it now be far more of a kindness then forcing them to live on. Pull the plug now and let Cyborg die with dignity as apposed to a mindless existence floating from one moment to the next no longer able to achieve a purpose or a justification for his life.

"No way!" Beast Boy stomped in defiance, "We can't do that, we won't. Not until every we try every thing possible." Beast Boy was certain that had their roles been reversed, Cyborg would had fought tooth and nail, or at least nut and bolt, for him as well. He wouldn't give up on Cyborg until he saw it was impossible with his own eyes and certainly wasn't going to take Mad Mod at his word.

Mad Mod's expression didn't change, as disappointed as he was, he had been expecting this reaction. If he tried to force the issue it would inevitable lead to exchanged blows; just as it always had in the past. He clicked his teeth in annoyance, there really was nothing stopping him. In his cane was a hidden blade and with one clean cut it could settle the matter once and for all.

"We need him alive," Raven declared at the moment Mad Mod had grasped his cane, ready to reveal it's deadly surprise, "for the data in his mind."

That caught Mad Mod's attention; his hands relaxed yet still maintained their enamored grip.

"Oh, how do you mean?" he asked.

"Have you forgotten?" she reasoned hotly, her emotion showing for all to see, "his brain is half electronic, with all sorts of data and information that could prove useful. But we need him alive otherwise…" she snapped her fingers to prove a point.

"Gizmo?" Mad Mod called for the resident expert.

"What'dya want old man?" came the obstinate reply.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm," Gizmo hummed, more for emphasis than need, "The brain's hard-drive re-formatting upon death is a plausible argument for businesses and military wanting to keep their sensitive data and operating protocols secret, but I doubt these goody-goody snot-brains though that far ahead, especially when it was so easy to break into their tower back then." Gizmo chuckled at the memory.

"But will you risk losing all that that data? He's been directly connected to the enemy's network, you don't know what we could find." Raven had managed to calm herself down, she was still slightly red in the face from the excitement, but now she was more like her old self.

Mad Mod, grinned to himself, seriously considering this turn of events. True he had spent and unknown amount of time amongst the enemy, interacting, receiving orders, and observing; indeed there was no telling what choice bits of info he carried within the mechanisms of his brain. But on the other hand Raven just probably just using this as an excuse to keep him around long enough to find that impossible cure.

"What was that saying that Americans loved to use so much?" he thought, "Ah, Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Right, that was it. Right now Gizmo had used his talents to cut Cyborg off from command, the gunship was now theirs to control, so there really was no risk from enemy attack. Might as well 'venture' a peek into his metal mind and see just what exactly could be in there; before they killed him.

"You are learning, there may be hope for you yet." Mad Mod said, acting as though Raven had just received a passing grade.

"Spare me the irony." She said disgusted with herself as well as Mad Mod.

"It was a compliment actually, lov'."

And what, exactly, had she learned? That she had an ulterior motive for preserving Cyborg and that was the only reason why he was still living now? She wasn't sure of the answer to that. Was she helping him because he was a friend or simply using him for the data in his mind? What if she hadn't touched his mind as she had, would she still be so eager to help him?

She looked at Cyborg, a dismembered man, stripped of everything mechanical but the basest of systems to keep his human half alive. Maybe death was preferable to what he was now. But maybe it was because she had touched his mind and saw his memories, altered as they were, that convinced her that he wasn't beyond rescue.

He wasn't a friend just because they got along well and worked together. He was a friend because she had a use for him. Raven had never been one for machines, but for Cyborg it was his bread and butter. Over time most of the Titans Tower had been heavily modified and a lot of the vehicles and gadgets the team had used had been generously supplied by Cyborg himself and his technical know how. His strength made up for her weakness. She fed off of it, learning bit by bit from the master himself and developed her own tricks over time. Come the day he ever outlive his usefulness, he would be cast aside like some broken toy.

That was Mad Mod's lesson.

Raven didn't agree with it, but could understand it; it's usefulness.

And that's what scared her.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Raven was silent for most of the trip. After Gizmo had finished with his modification to the Gunship's controls everyone, excluding Cyborg who was still hardwired inside, rode atop the gunship as it walked the rest of the way to their destination.

As the ship lumbered along on its 8 mechanical legs, Raven couldn't help but notice that the gunship walked a lot less gracefully then when Cyborg had been in control. It also didn't move as fast as the buggy had been, but it was preferable to walking on their own two legs

"Dude, can't they track us? With a homing beacon or something?" Beast Boy asked concerned.

"Already took care of it. You just now thought of it, rumple snot-skin?"

Beast Boy ignored the obvious insult and focused more on the control Gizmo was using.

"That's cool, can I drive it?" he ask with a tone and excitement more significant of his pre-war self.

"Get away!" Gizmo lurched the controller back out of BB's immediate grasp.

"That's not fair, you've gotten to use it all this time, give me a turn"

"Your not old enough to drive."

"Neither are you!" BB pointed an accusing finger.

"But I built it and I have experience." Gizmo briefly thought back to the time he'd stolen Cyborg's car.

"How hard can it be? I've played plenty of stunt racer games."

"Your not getting it!"

Give me the controller, it is my turn!"

"NO! let go!" Gizmo shrieked.

With a mighty pounce BB was on Gizmo; the two boys were locked in deadly combat. Beast Boy might've been bigger and with more physical fighting prowess, but Gizmo put up a mighty struggle, and with only one free hand.

"Ey, 'ey Cut it out the lot of you." Mad Mod stepped in, like the responsible school teacher he thought he was. He only succeeded in adding his own shouting voice to the two previously assembled.

Raven just watched the scene unfolding before her. It reminder her of the innumerable fights that Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin used to get into all the time. It usually began with Cyborg and BB fighting over some stupid video game and Robin usually stepped in to bring peace.

How had it come down to BB, Gizmo, and Mad Mod? It was a scene so familiar, but it an added twist. Raven put her hand to her mouth to hide a snicker, somehow finding both humor and relief in the pointless argument.

BB and Gizmo were playing tug of war. Neither had dominance for long as the prize slipped from side to side. Nothing was spoken anymore, they just bared their teeth, grunted and groaned. They were working so hard they began to shine with a layer of sweat.

"It's Mine!"

"Forget it!"

"Give it up you runts!"

Then the two pulled with all their strength at the same moment. The controller flew like a greased pig from their hands and into the air. Someone shouted an obscenity but it fell on deaf ear as all eyes traced the flight path of the item as it flew up, end over end, seemingly suspended in midair. .

Because Raven's hands were holding it and she was turning it around her fingers.

"Looks like it's now my turn." She stood triumphant.

Gizmo and BB exchanged a glance that spoke deep of their personal hate for the other, but didn't say anything more but sat back in their seating positions to sulk.

"Better let me handle it from here." Mad Mod didn't suggest, he instructed.

"I don't think so old grandpa." Raven injected as much disrespect as she could into the title.

"Old grandpa!" Mad Mod shouted, clearly taken aback by her sudden backlash.

Beast Boy couldn't sulk after a bombshell like that. He almost wanted to cheer for Raven, but he was a little concerned. It seemed like she was a completely different person now. Not the untouchable, emotionless, goth from before, but now she acted more like a normal teenager; so open and free with her emotions….so disrespectful of her elders. He felt he could grow to like this new Raven. The way she acted now, kind of reminded him of Terra even though there were still a mountain of differences separating the twp girls.

Raven walked past a speechless and fuming Mad Mod and took her place at the head of the gunship, controller in hand. A gust of wind picked up and blew her hair gently across her face. With her free hand she brushed it back; thinking that she too had felt a definite change within herself. She felt younger, more at peace, like she was back at the orphanage, things had seemed so simple back then, just her and Knives and the future. She wasn't changing, just returning to how it was before.

But it was all a transitory state. Once she had her powers back everything would be as it was before. She dreaded that day, but knew it was necessary if she was to face her father and break this nightmare; if not for her sake then for everyone close to her.

"Raven, are you ok?" Beast Boy asked bringing himself close to Raven's side. She didn't answer just gave a comforting smile, before taking the controller firmly in both hands. She planned on enjoying this feeling while it lasted.

She didn't have much time to play though, just over the horizon their destination came into view.