Oh, hay guys, a quick note about last chapter; in the Flashback on Tamaran, it is a beautiful, wild place, but on the episode Betrothed, it is a rocky wasteland. Let's just say that when the Citadel attacked, they really wiped out Tamaran's ecosystem.
PLUS, I would really appreciate it if someone could please explain putting up polls to me. I can't figure it out no matter what I do.
Oh, and also, I am planning a sequel to this, and I AM SO EXCITED!
Ahem.
Let the chapter begin!
"You need to evacuate Tamaran right now, and we will be arriving shortly to assist you. Please, hurry." Starfire sent the message and stood on the transportation pad with Robin, who had an ear bud equipped. It would be needed so Cy could warn Rob and Star when they were about to be transported back off Tamaran.
"Ya'll ready?" Robin and Starfire stood tall and prepared, with a hard look of determination in their eye. Robin nodded, slipped his hand into Star's and gave Cy the signal. Beast Boy and Raven rushed around behind Cyborg, getting ready for the tons of refugees they might receive if everything did not go as planned.
Cy flipped a couple of switches and a slammed down on a button, and soon Robin and Starfire's view were whelmed with a swirl of colors. They were spun around, and their grip on each other's hand grew tighter.
Suddenly, the curtain of color was ripped away, revealing the throne room filled with tales and chairs with people seated in them, guards by the dozen, and a strange woman on the throne. They all stared at the appearing Titans, and all was silent in the room. That is, until the clank of metal was heard as all of the guards pulled out their weapons and pointed them at Robin and Starfire.
"Well, crap."
Starfire turned and raised an eyebrow a Robin, something that she had picked up from Raven. He would have chuckled, if the woman sitting on the Throne hadn't yelled:
"Were you the ones that sent this outrageous message that a 'sun eater' will arrive here shortly?" The woman was familiar… she wore purple lip stick and had purple eyes, she wore the traditional royal black gown and she had long red hair. Star recognized the leader's smirk.
"Y-you are the one that conversed with me when I tried to contact Galfore! You commanded the at5tack on my home and I!" Starfire's eyes glowed green, and Robin's mask narrowed.
"Yes my dear, my name is Kcalb fire— you do remember me don't you? " She strutted down the steps toward the two Titans, who were currently in a fighting position. But as Kcalb fire came closer, so did Starfire's realization. Her eyes widened died down for a moment as Kcalb Fire stood in front of her.
"Your are—"
"Good Kori, you have gotten sharper; maybe Earth isn't as bad for you as I thought."
"I—"Robin laid a hand on Starfire's shoulder, cutting in.
"Star, as much as I want to find out what the hell is going on, we have to hurry." Starfire nodded, and directed her attention to everyone in the room.
"Yes, I sent the Warning, and it is still true. The sun eater is coming this—"
"Lies, all lies." Kclab fire cut in. A wave a mummers swept through the people, causing the commander, the queen, the leader, that was drilled into Starfire as a child. The power in her voice echoed off the walls as she yelled.
"Please, listen to me! We do not have much time, WE HAVE TO EVACUATE NOW! You all know me; I would now lie about something, like this—command the people to evacuate!" There was complete silence, and then the clicking of communicators as 1 quarter of the governors in the room gave the order for evacuation.
But the others didn't move, but they had to keep trying, it wasn't enough. Kcal Fire smirked, and turned to Starfire, who was shocked that so many people had ignored her, before she left last time, the people adored her, and now they were at the point of hating her. But what was most surprising is that they listened to Kcalb Fire more than they did to her.
"You see my dear, I may not be royalty, but they still recognize power when they see it." Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she said "I have lots of 'eyes in the skies' and no of them report a sun eater coming this way." Starfire grew angry, just as she spotted the intercom, which would send to very Tamereanian everywhere.
She ignored everyone else as she ran into it and began to type in her message.
"NO!" As Kcalb fire raised her hand, something clicked in Robin's mind. He knew only on other person that could shoot star bolts. He performed a flying sidekick into Kcalb fire's side, interrupting her attack. She let an out a yell and tumbled to the ground.
"Hurry!" Robin yelled as Blackfire got back on her feet and took to the air. Starfire typed quickly, and outside, the sky began to grow brighter. Guards assisted Kcalb Fire in her fight against Robin; he was getting overwhelmed quickly. Starfire finished typing in her message, and sent it, while wiping a sweat off of her brow.
She turned around and quickly sent the message, and just then Robin heard say into his earbud:
"Rob, hurry up your spiky haired butt and get as many as people around you! We can teleport them with you up to the ship." Robin uttered a sound of acknowledgement and flipped out of the way of another star bolt. Kcalb fire smiled as she threw bolts at the tired and sweating Robin; she was going to win this fight easily.
Or—she was until someone backfisted her on the back of the head, knocking her unconsience. Starfire let a huff and put her hand down to her side once again. Then she dragged Kcalb Fire next to robin, and Robin and her began to quickly round up all the people in the room.
"3…" Cy warned. Robin wiped off the sweat trickling around his mask. Outside some trees were starting to catch on fire.
"2….." Starfire slung Kcalb Fire over her shoulder.
"1!" There was another blast of color and sound, and soon they were back on the ship. Starfire dropped Kcalb Fire gently to the ground and ran to the window, with fear and tears in her eyes. She witnessed the very few escape pods they may have even held 10 people at a time blast away just in time.
The Sun Eater engulfed Tameran, sucking it into it's fiery grasp. Even through the ship's reinforced iron, Starfire could Still hear the cries of her home planet. The cries of Parents and children alike brought tears tumbling down as other Tamerains joined Starfire to watch too. Soon the wild animal cries joined the people's screams, joining together into one song of pain and sorrow. Then there was a huge flash of light before the song stopped and Tameran was no more. Sun Eater floated for a second in Tameran's old place and then it moved on its trip to the sun.
Then the entire group Tamerains burst out weeping for their lost loved ones and homes. Some crumpled to the grounds, some leaned on one another, and tried to pretend that they didn't exist; the song of screams still echoing in their ears.
The Titans stood there in shock, just for a second, before Starfire turned around. Though the tears were visible on her face, her eyes showed a fire more powerful than the sun eater's. Someone was going to pay. Star was silent as she made her way over to the control panel and opened up communications with other escape pods.
Now the Titans were worried; why didn't she say anything, why didn't her eyes show some form of sadness or pain or anything but anger and a hard emotional wall? Robin, Raven, BB, and Cy stood behind her supportive and worried. Starfire waited until the worn and tear struck faces of the other survivors were on the screen before she began.
"Today, we lost many. Today we heard the cries of screens of our parents and grandparents, Pets and Servants, Husbands and wives… " Many people on the screen wiped away a tear or blew a nose. A few children buried their heads into the mother's or fathers stomach and shoulders.
"and our offspring, our babies. Today we lost out planet, we lost our home." Starfire's soft voice now grew hard and angry. "And who did this to us? Who took away almost everything that we love?"
Blackfire/Kcalb Fire was awake now, and she got up and stood behind the Titans unnoticed.
"I have come to believe that sadly, my Sister, Komand'r (Blackfire) and the Citadle is responsible for this." Many people on the screen yelled, outraged and plain confused by this. Kom may have been banished from Tameran, but she was still a Tamerain. Starfire yelled over their protests
"We have her in custody—" This earned confused glances from Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven too. "—And we shall contact you when we find the truth. But we are sure that the Citadel are behind this, who else would house a sun eater? " Many nodded in silence.
"Also, we do not know where Galfore, our former Grand Ruler is. I-I Believe he is dead also." Many faces fell, a few more tears shed. Galfore, overall was a very good Grand Ruler, one of the betters that they had had for quiet some time. Before that, he always watched over everyone, he was everyone's den mother. A tear slipped out of Star's eye, but she continued.
"Kom is no longer eligible to be ruler so I, Koriand'r, will lead you as your Grand Ruler for the mean time. Please, just follow our ships signal, for soon we will arrive back at Phy'zzon's ship." She glanced around the whole room." Any questions?"
One of the Governors raised his hand and quired.
"How do we know it was not you who organized the Sun Eater? You have been on Earth, "He said the word earth with much poison."For so long, how do we know it has not changed you? This could just be a grab for power."
Starfire's shoulders hunched with anger as she spun on her heel. She let a out a menacing growl.
"I would NEVER do that to my people. How dare you say such a thing after I willingly gave up my life for Tameran! I did every thing I ever could, and I have had the chance for the crown before. But I gave it to Galfore, who died on Tameran today!" Just when Robin was about to hold back Starfire so she wouldn't hurt the man, Star took a deep breath and continued in a calmer voice.
"I would never do such a thing. Next question?" A civilian on the screen asked.
"Will everyone have to fight?" The woman hugged her child closer. "Even our children?" Starfire closed her eyes and shook her head. Robin saw how worn down she was and decided to give a quick break and replied for her.
"No, not the children. But we test the Women and Men's skills to see who is fit to fight and who is not. We will do that when we get to Ph'yzzon's ship. Last Question." A little girl raised her hand on the screen and Starfire opened her eyes and smiled softly.
"Yes?" The little girl stared down at her feet and hugged her stuffed animal, which looked like the combination of a spider, a turtle and a cat, closer to her.
"W-will we ever find a new home?" Starfire's smiled seemed forced to her as she slipped out a white lie.
"I am sure of it." She let out a deep breath and turned to the Titans. Her stance was strong, but her eyes were a different story.
"I shall be back in a few minutes, I just—" Cy laid a hand on her shoulder.
"We'll take care of it," Starfire nodded a thank you and swiftly left the room. Robin turned to the remaining Titans. He pointed to Blackfire.
"Lock her up for later Cy and then drive for us," Blackfire let Cyborg lead her away to a small cell while Robin instructed BB and Raven.
"Raven, BB, you take care of the Tamerains and make sure to check on the other pods. Got it?" Beast Boy fake solute Robin and Raven rolled her eyes at him.
"Idiot." She looked up at Robin, her whole demeanor changing; her blue eyes worried. " Go to Star, now." But Robin was already on his way, following Starfire's path. He walked down the empty halls and to the Titan's shared Bedroom. But the bedroom was Starfireless.
Now Robin's already worried self was now scared too. What if she left? What if she can't take the pain and kil—No, she was fine, at least physically. Then, as he glanced out the small window and hatch, a sparkle caught his eye. He walked to the window and found Starfire.
She had a wire connected to her and the ship. She was curled up in a little ball with her hair floating like a halo around her, her tears that sparkled emerald while they were floating around her. She just sat there, tears leaking out of her like sand out of a old stuffed animal. Rob knew why. He understand how it felt to lose somebody you love so suddenly.
That was hard on him as a Kid, but he couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have your whole planet taken away like that.
He looked at the small hatch next to the window; she must have climbed through that. He ran to the room's closet and dug to the very back, pulling out an emergency Astronaut suit and oxygen tank. This little ship was really prepared for almost anything.
He unclipped his cape off, and peeled off his mask. He quickly slipped the suit on, and after triple checking to see the suit was on and working, he pulled off all the locks on the hatch. He slowly forced the heavy door open, and held on to the wire Starfire was connected to.
He climbed the rope side ways to the alien Grand Ruler, making sure that his grip didn't slip and he won't float into space. It was slow makings, but soon he was floating next to Starfire.
"Star?" She didn't respond, of course she didn't respond—you can't hear anything in space. He gently extended his hand and placed on her back. She didn't move, but she didn't fight him either. So he carefully slung her over his shoulder, and worked his way back to the ship. He pushed the hatch back open, pushing Starfire inside ahead of him.
He let go of the string and let the powerful vacuum of the opening to the ship suck him in too. He locked the hatch and pulled off his suit quick before sitting down on his knees with Starfire on the floor, who was still in a ball. Robin pulled off his gloves, and then heaved Star into his arms, who began sobbing loudly. His back quickly was soaked, and he didn't care as he held Star.
"Robin," She whispered into his ear.
"Yeah Star?" She pulled away slightly and gazed into Richard's sapphire eyes. Robin almost cried himself at Star's swollen red eyes, they didn't hold their usual sparkle of happiness, but instead swirls of pain, confusion, and guilt. Someone was going to pay for doing this to his little smiling Star.
"I tried so hard, I gave up so much for them," She choked out as more tears fell like a waterfall. "But no matter what I do, where I do it, or even how much I give—I always let them down. And it's all my fault, if I had—" Robin shhhhed her and stroked her silky hair.
"No, don't you ever say that. You gave up everything, but this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for the Citadel or Blackfire." He tried to put hope in his eyes, hoping that some of it would transfer to her leaking emerald pools. But Starfire's eyes just watered more before she dug her face back into Robin's should, sobbing so loud that the sound echoed down the halls.
he understood why she was floating in space like that; She was trying to keep looking strong for everyone else, trying to cry in peace, where she wouldn't be overheard by anyone else.
Because no one in Space can hear you cry.
….