A/N Toward the end of the chapter there is a fair amount of speaking done in Tamaranean. Following those lines is the translation in italics.
Chapter 20
"So, Starfire, what other things have you not been lying to me about?" Slade asked, then glanced over at where Nie'l was pinned to the wall. "If I am not mistaken, there was a time when you returned to your home planet. Let me guess, he not only thinks of you as his mother, but actually is, because you adopted him."
"While it is true that I did adopt him as my and Robin's son, when I released Robin from his Oath of Bonding to me, Nie'l lost that status."
"That explains Robin's interest in the boy."
"I do not care what you do to the Titans, but Nie'l and the other two Tamaraneans must be set free."
"Since our agreement was only for the capture and destruction of the Titans, I see no trouble with that."
Mentally, Blackfire sighed in relief. She had no idea on how to get Nie'l, Shel'b, and Chr's out if things went badly. She knew she would have to distract Starfire from her desire to conquer Earth, but if anything happened to Nie'l, the burnt husk that Earth would become wouldn't be habitable.
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Robin glared at the slab of stone that blocked his following Starfire for a moment, then headed down the tunnel. He didn't realize just how on edge he was, until his communicator beeped and he nearly jumped a foot. He pulled out his communicator and his brow furrowed in confusion when he saw who was calling. "Kim'r this is probably being monitored."
"Understood, Robin. Mijah di lujon."
"Pechevo." He replied, silently thanking Blackfire for teaching Kim'r some Salvainian. The message told him that everything was ready for Kim'r, Galfore and some other warriors to come in and transport Starfire and the others out of Slade's lair. "But first I've got to get the serum to her," he said to himself as he continued. He was surprised when he came to a door that slid open at his approach.
"Good to see ya, kid."
Robin was relieved to see Nie'l looked to be in good shape, although he still had the control collar on. His fists tightened as he saw the rest of his friends, each shackled to the wall. Cyborg, he knew, would be fine once he was re-activated, but he was fairly certain that both Beast Boy and Raven were in need of medical attention.
"They will receive the attention they need once you defeat me," Starfire said from off to his left. "If you do not, it will not matter."
"Robin, how good of you to join us," Slade said as Robin turned to face them.
Robin's heart sank when he saw Slade standing behind Starfire his hands on her shoulders. Blackfire was standing to his right. "I'm here, Slade, now keep your word and let the boy go."
Robin felt a sudden chill as Slade chuckled softly. "I would, Robin if were that simple." Robin's stomach churned as Slade reached up and stroked Starfire's hair with one hand. "But do you really want to separate a mother from her child? Besides, he'll make as good an apprentice as Starfire here makes as a partner. It's time for you to complete your side of our bargain, Starfire. Oh, and have fun."
As Slade said his last line, Starfire warmed up her star bolts and moved toward Robin.
"Koriand'r, co naf co fetan. Shu vata i Titan," he pleaded with her.
"I will do as I please, Robin, and I stopped being a Titan when you conspired against me."
Robin barely got his staff out in time to block the star bolts she sent his way.
"If you can defeat me, ruthasha, you and the others may go free. Otherwise, my sister and I will gather warriors that are loyal to us, and conquer this world."
Realizing that staying away from Starfire wasn't a good idea, and only provided her with target practice for her star bolts, he threw some flash disks at her and, while she was momentarily blinded, he closed the distance. His first blow connected with her left shoulder, and he mentally winced at her gasp of pain.
'Do what you must, father,' Nie'l's thoughts came to him through the crystal bond they shared. 'She must be stopped.'
Robin took a quick centering breath, and found himself on the defensive. He used his staff to block Starfire's punches and kicks easily. When she jumped back for a moment, he was surprised when a purple star bolt knocked the staff from his hands.
"Just evening the odds for you, little sister."
Mentally, Robin thanked Blackfire as he realized that if he kept using his staff that Starfire would resort to using a sword. Seeing that Starfire was still glaring at Blackfire for the interference, he moved in for the attack, his kick landing and shoving Starfire back almost to a wall. When he landed, he drew back his right fist, then froze as he looked at her face, unable to throw the punch. He realized his mistake, when her roundhouse kick sent him flying back to the center of the room
"Why are you holding back, Robin? Could it be that you hope to somehow regain me as your wife? I could never have those feelings for a rutha troq like you."
With a roar, Robin charged at Starfire, any feelings he had about holding back blasted away at her words. He could feel the stinging in his eyes as unshed tears gathered as he lashed out at her, landing several blows. He was glad that he had his armor on under his shirt as a eyebeam blast knocked him back.
"Enough of this," Starfire hissed as she picked up a sword from a table and charged him.
Drawing and extending a staff, Robin parried her blows and landed a few of his own. "Koriand'r, shu vata ne shamata, ne mathad. Pe vaya naf rocheva lo shu," he gasped. His eyes widened in shock as Starfire's sword hand started glowing with star bolt energy and the power enveloped the sword.
"Pe vaya mer shu!"
Robin fully believed that Starfire would carry out her threat to kill him, but he also knew that she was now fighting from anger. With her using her powers, her not thinking clearly on the fight might be his only advantage. Each time he parried her sword he could feel the heat from it on his face. Suddenly he realized that she was using the same pattern that she had before. He parried the blow from the right then left, then the head shot and spun his staff sweeping her feet out from under her, his return swing knocking her sword away. "Surrender, Starfire, I have beaten you."
"Rrrrraahhhh!" she shouted as she flew up from the floor, intending to flatten Robin with a star bolt charged fist, but he caught her wrist and fell back, planting his foot in her midsection and flipping her back where she slammed into Blackfire and Slade. As they tumbled to the floor, a device fell from Slade's hand and was crushed as he landed on it with his shoulder. There was a sharp click and the control collar was released from Nie'l's neck, as was the strap on Blackfire's wrist.
Slade was the first up, and he lunged at Robin, who simply bladed his body away from the kick. Seeing that the move left Slade open to a blow to the right side of his body, Robin landed a punch with all he had, and Slade staggered to his left and thumped into a wall.
"You know, Slade, that you'll have to release the Titans now. Your joining the fight violated the conditions that Starfire set for it. That makes her the loser by default."
"Father! Watch out!"
Nie'l's warning came just in time as Robin dodged a flurry of purple star bolts.
"Komand'r! Quomo vata shu canare?" Nie'l shouted.
Robin glanced behind him and saw exactly what Blackfire was doing. The bolts that he dodged took out the restraints that had been holding Red X. He watched as X stepped up and took his belt off the small table in front of him.
"You little. . . . " Slade said then lunged towards Blackfire, only to find himself blasted back against the wall by a green star bolt.
"You will not harm my sister!"
Robin smiled softly, but wiped it off his face as he dodged an eye beam shot from Starfire.
"You are correct, Robin, in that you and the others must now go free, but know this. When next I face you, I will not leave any of you alive."
Robin watched as Blackfire took something from a pocket in her skirt. "This is for your own good, sister," she said under her breath as she clasped a fine silver chain around Starfire's neck. 'Please let this work,' she thought as she watched the crystal laying on her sister's neckpiece. She sighed in relief when she saw it glow a bright green. The next events turned her relief to shock and concern.
Robin's staff and Starfire's sword clattered to the floor as they both clutched their heads at the flash of pain that went through them. Their screams echoed in the room as they sank to their knees. Robin knelt there panting heavily, his face a study in concentration as he struggled to deal with the emotions pouring through him.
Raven stirred from her unconscious state due to her bond with both of them. From Starfire all she was getting was confusion, shame, and revulsion at the memories that were flooding through her mind, but the images she was getting from Robin's mind almost scared her.
In his mind, Robin stood before an open doorway, one that was normally closed, sealed by a massive door that was secured by large steel bars and huge locks. On the other side of the doorway, looking back at him was. . . . .himself. The other Robin was dressed as Slade's apprentice, and he looked at the real Robin with an evil smirk.
"Come on, Robin," the evil twin said tauntingly. "You know you want to cross over."
"Robin, no," Raven's voice called weakly. "You mustn't."
Robin turned his head and saw Raven, bruised and beaten, struggling to stand. Her eyes pleading with him.
"Don't listen to her, she only wants to keep you weak," the doppelganger said. "Think of it, you and Starfire, together with Slade. You could rule this world with Starfire by your side."
"Robin, please no," Raven practically begged, distracting Robin as he took a step toward the threshold.
When Robin turned back toward the doorway, he found Nie'l standing there, blocking his path the crystal that linked their minds glowing brightly.
"I can not let you do this, father. You must not become that side of yourself. You gave me your word that you would bring her back."
"Nie'l, I. . . ." Robin began but was cut off by his evil side.
"What's it matter what promises you gave this child? He is a burden you didn't ask for and don't want."
Robin saw the pained shock on Niel's face at those words, and his head snapped up, his eyes narrowed in anger. He scooped Nie'l up into his arms and knocked his twin back away from the door with a spin kick. "Unasked for I admit, but unwanted, not in the least!" He took a step back from the doorway and the massive door slammed shut with a resounding boom. The steel bars clanged into place across it in three places, the locks snapping shut.
In the real world, Robin's head came up in time to see Slade swing his staff at him with a roar. He managed to grab his own staff, but knew he wouldn't be able to block the attack.
He didn't have to.
"No!" Nie'l shouted as a pair of red star bolts slammed into Slade's chest, knocking him onto his back several feet away. "I will not let you harm him anymore."
Robin smiled warmly at Nie'l as he got to his feet. Seeing that Slade was down, he went over to Starfire and helped her to her feet. Despite what he felt through their bond he was unsure as to what kind of reception she was going to give him. He sighed with relief as she breathed his name as she hugged him. Reveling in how good it felt, he returned the embrace and they stood there, oblivious to the world around them.
"Apprentice, come here."
Robin felt Starfire stiffen in his arms at the sound of Slade's voice. 'You know what I've got to do,' He thought to her through their bond.
Starfire pulled back just far enough so they could look into each other's eyes. "Yes, my love, you are correct, it must be done. I will not be used as a pawn against you again."
"She's not your apprentice anymore, Slade," Robin said not breaking his eye contact with Starfire.
"As long as she has her powers, I will pursue her. I will use her to rule first this city, then the world."
On Slade's last line, Robin drew the syringe, that Vern'a had given him from his utility belt. As he placed the needle against her neck, he saw Starfire swallow nervously then nod. He glanced to his left and saw the astonishment in Slade's eye, and the stunned shock on Blackfire's face as he slid the needle in. "Don't bother," he growled as he pushed the plunger home. He felt her shudder as the serum coursed through her and her hands tighten on his shoulders. "Forgive me, Kori," he whispered as he gently touched his forehead to hers.
"Nothing to forgive, my beloved," she whispered back then went limp in his arms.
"Robin, no!!" Blackfire screamed as Robin lowered Starfire to the floor. She saw how much of the veka serum he had injected her sister with, and knew that a dose like that would render her powerless permanently. "What have you done?!"
"What was necessary, Blackfire. She no longer has her powers, so she's no interest to you, Slade. Not even to use a leverage against me seeing as she's made it clear she wasn't nothing more to do with either me or the Titans."
"Is what he says true, Blackfire? Don't bother to answer, the look on your face is answer enough."
"Robin, shu vaya zale san quom shu vena cana. Koriand'r, pe va juvelo shu!" Robin you will pay for what you have done. Starfire, I will avenge you!"
Komand'r! Na! Shu ca naflota quomo shu vata canara!" Nie'l shouted. Blackfire! No! You do not know what you are doing!
Robin was unprepared for the star bolt that slammed into his chest, sending him flying backwards into a wall. "Komand'r, liska. Pe cane naf zola Koriand'r seyla eternare." Blackfire, stop. I did not make Koriand'r powerless permanently. He told her, but realized that she wasn't listening as a flurry of star bolts slammed into his chest each one pushing him further across the room.
"Komand'r, fet ve che cura Robin adano shal," Nie'l said. Komand'r, that was the cure Robin gave her.
Nie'l's words, and his standing between her and Robin finally registered in Blackfire's mind and she cooled her star bolts. "Thank X'Hal he had his armor on."
Robin groaned as he struggled to sit up. Suddenly he felt a hand steadying him, and he looked to his right to see who it was. "Bruce . . . .get Nie'l and Starfire to safety. Galfore, and Kim'r. . . . .will help with the fleet."
Batman glanced over and saw the red and gold blur that went past where Starfire lay, and she seemed to vanish as the Flash carried her out.
"Father, I do not wish to go. I will stay by your side and protect you."
"Nie'l, I need you to look after your mother. She's going to need you more than I will. She is going to feel very badly over what she has done and said." Robin watched as Nie'l nodded his head sadly and allowed himself to be taken away by Wonder Woman. "Bruce, Raven and Beast Boy need medical attention. Slade, he's. . . . ."
"Dick, relax, everyone will be taken care of, and Slade has been handed off to the authorities, as has Red X."
"He helped, Bruce. I owe him a debt," Robin said and drifted off into unconsciousness.