"Just a little higher, Star" Cyborg grunted with effort.
"Hm. Perhaps a bit to the left, also?" Starfire replied, her face contemplative.
"Yeah, now just slowly push until you hear a click… aw, damn it! That shoulda worked!" Cyborg howled. "We've been at this for an hour, an' I just can't get this damn thing to connect right!"
"Forgive me, friend, but would this not be far simpler if we were to consult the technical manual? Surely, it would have advice for how to repair this injury?"
"Can't do that, Star. I threw the manual away the second I got this puppy home."
"Truly?" Starfire said with an exasperated sigh. "What is it with males and not reading the instructions? I recall when I was young and Galfore insisted on repairing the royal starship himself, despite the presence of numerous experts. It was no surprise to me when it detonated the first time he attempted to ignite the engines. Do you believe that your masculinity will be destroyed by seeking assistance?"
"Yup. If I open the instructions, I immediately turn into a girl. Complete with frilly dress an' makeup." The metal man chuckled. "Naw, it ain't about bein' macho or nothin', Star. It's just… I'm the tech guy here at Titans Tower- I'm supposed to be able to fix anything electronic or mechanical. So why can't I get this to WORK?!"
"Hmmm… allow me to see." Starfire rose into the air slightly to look at their handiwork. "Ah-hah! I believe I have found the problem! Several connector sockets have been damaged. That is why your arm does not function even when reattached."
"What? Aw, man." Cyborg sighed, setting his severed left arm down on the work table. "It's gonna take me all day to replace those. Damn BB an' his stupid T-Rex teeth. He had to go for the joint, he couldn't just bite the steel parts…"
Cyborg's rant was interrupted by the opening of the workshop door, as Robin ducked his head into the room. "Team meeting in five minutes, guys. I've already ordered pizza so we'll eat lunch while we talk. Cyborg, you still haven't finished fixing your arm?"
"No." Cyborg said shortly, still annoyed at the prospect of all the wiring work he had ahead of him. "BB broke the connector sockets in my arm- I'm gonna have to rewire the whole joint before I can use it again. Wish I'd started this last night, but I was just too drained. Had to go straight to recharge after we got back to the Tower. As is, I'm gonna be up most of the night once we finish afternoon training."
"Ouch." The eyeholes of Robin's mask narrowed as he winced in sympathy. "Mind you, I guess you didn't help matters when you clubbed him in the skull with your severed arm. Five or six times."
"It made me feel better." Cyborg growled.
"Fair enough." Robin shrugged. "So, anyway. Common Room. Five minutes. Be there."
"Come, friend, let us go." Starfire said, pulling Cyborg up by his one remaining hand. "Have no fear, I shall assist you in repairing your arm after our meeting. I have some familiarity with advanced electronic repairs from my studies on Tamaran, or I can at least keep you company."
"Aww, thanks Star" Cyborg said, slinging his detached arm over one shoulder as he placed his other hand on his friends head to ruffle her hair.
When they reached the Common Room, thy found Robin sifting through reports, oblivious to the world around him. On the table in front of him were three pizza boxes, stacked one atop the other- clearly forgotten in the face of the Boy Wonder's obsession with paperwork. Terra, meanwhile, was seated on the couch but clearly was far from comfortable. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, and her eyes were wet with tears. With a gasp, Starfire rocketed to her side and pulled the other girl into a tight hug and Cyborg was quick to join her, dropping his arm behind him with a loud clang. At the sound, Robin looked up from his papers to see what was going on, and his eyes widened as he saw his girlfriend and friend comforting his teammate. Leaving his reports behind, the Boy Wonder moved to join them, seating himself on the floor in front of the crying geokine.
"Friend Terra, what is the matter?" Starfire asked. "Robin, why is our friend crying?"
"I-I don't know." Robin stammered, shaken. "I swear, she was fine when I went to go get you guys. We were talking about that family we went to see at the hospital- she said she was fine!"
"I was" Terra sniffed. "Its just, seeing that girl with her parents, it made me remember my own foster parents, the Crandalls, and how we used to laugh together. And then I just started…I-I'm sorry…"
"Hey, don't worry about it, girl. Nobody here thinks any less of you for cryin' every now and then." Cyborg said in a soothing voice. "It hasn't even been a month since you lost them. You'd need to be one cold-hearted witch to go that long without a good cry every so often."
"I do not know a great deal of Terran mourning customs" Starfire said "But from what I have seen there is no shame for you to weep. I believe it is not merely normal, it is healthy."
"Just remember, we're here for you." Robin said reassuringly. "If you need to talk, or just have someone listen, you can come to any of us. You aren't facing this alone. Now, are you okay to start the meeting or would you like us to wait a bit? I'm all right with either one."
"I'll be okay. I kinda have to be- now that Slade's gunning for me personally." Terra said, trying to put a brave face on things.
"Yeah, which is the first thing we need to talk about" Robin sighed, taking a seat on the couch next to Starfire. "With Slade actively joining in the fighting, we need to change our battleplans. No offence Terra, but you are NOT prepared to fight him one on one and no matter how much we train you, I don't see that changing any time soon. So, I will have to take him on myself as I'm the one here with the best chance against him. Starfire, you're going to have to face Batgirl- her martial arts skills are based on fighting humans, so you should have an edge there. Her joint locks, pressure point strikes and throws are based around human anatomy and human strength. Don't get cocky, though, she's a quick learner and will adapt to your fighting style. Terra, I need you to answer something honestly: Can you fight Raven?"
Terra took a moment to consider the question, before replying. "I…think so. We can both fly, kinda, and my rocks and earth shaping can counter her telekinesis. I don't WANT to fight her- heck, I don't want to fight anyone!- but if I have to I think I can."
"Good enough for now. We'll start ramping up your training this afternoon." Robin reassured her. "Cyborg, you're going to stick with Beastboy."
"Aw, man. Really?" Cyborg said sadly. "With everyone changin' partners, I was hopin' I wouldn't have to fight my little buddy anymore."
"Yeah, I know you were. But you're the only one here who is 100% immune to any animal toxins he might try to use- even alien blood isn't as good a defense as synthetic blood. I know I'm asking a lot from you, Cy, but there really isn't anyone else who can do this." Robin replied.
"Yeah, yeah" Cyborg sighed "I know. Still sucks though…"
"No question. Now, the next question is: Why is Slade suddenly trying to kill Terra? He's been hell-bent on capturing her until now. Secondary question: Are the others also going to try to kill her? Because if they're that far gone…" Robin let his voice trail off, unwilling to state what they all knew.
Titans Did Not Kill. It was the very first thing they'd all agreed on, way back when they founded the team. None of the Earth-born team members had even wanted to argue about that- Robin and Beastboy had been extensively trained to use strictly non-lethal methods, while Cyborg just didn't think it was right. Raven had needed to think for a moment but had soon agreed on the grounds that her demonic side raged against the idea, which she took to mean that it was the right thing to do. Starfire had been the lone voice of dissent- she'd argued that it made no sense to handicap themselves if their enemies did not. But she backed down when she saw how strongly the others (especially Robin) felt about the matter. As the years went on, and new Titans teams were formed, Robin made this the foundational principle of all Titans- in effect, you couldn't call yourself a Titan if you were willing to cross that line. If Slade had warped their friends to the point that they would violate that prohibition, or even attempt it, then there might not be a place for them on the team anymore no matter he'd done to get them to that point.
"I think the answer to both questions is: Don't Know" Cyborg said after a silent moment. "I didn't see BB or Raven step in to help Slade, not even when they had a moment free. But they didn't seem shocked by the way he went after Terra, and they didn't try to stop him neither. As for Slade, I dunno why he's suddenly gunnin' for our Rock Girl, but he is."
"Which is pretty scary, now that it's startin' to sink in" Terra interjected. "I mean, he came really close to killing me last night. If that girl hadn't stepped in when she did, I think you'd be down one girl. I mean, inside the mansion, I was pretty much helpless- I couldn't use any of the rock or soil without bringing the whole place down around us."
"Which brings me to my last point." Robin said "We need to find some way to fix Terra's, let's call it an ammunition problem. When she has a ready source of stone or earth, Terra's one of the most powerful Titans we've ever had- don't blush, it's true. But without it, she's pretty nearly powerless, and Slade knows that. We can't assume that she will always have safe, ready access to rock and soil- leaving aside normal problems like fighting indoors, Slade will already be thinking of ways to counter her. We have to find some way for her to take it with her, even indoors. Ideas? Oh, and help yourselves to the pizzas, guys- we'll all think better on full stomachs."
"Could Terra not do what Raven has done?" Starfire asked, taking a slice of anchovy pizza and munching thoughtfully. "Take a number of stones and use them as weapons. I can promise you, they are quite painful."
"I don't think so, Star" Robin said, taking a slice of pizza for himself. "I mean, it would kind of work, but it really wouldn't play to Terra's strengths. She's capable of so much more than just throwing rocks around- she can reshape the earth around her into just about anything, and she needs more than a couple of stones to do it. Hmmm… maybe she could carry some soil around in a backpack?"
"No good." Terra said with a shake of her head. "I'd need a LOT of earth to make full use of my abilities, and in case you hadn't noticed I'm not exactly Miss Muscles. I could never carry enough for it to be useful."
"Maybe not" Cyborg remarked thoughtfully, around a bite of pineapple pizza. "But the T-Car probably could. My baby's got a healthy trunk an' I could probably fit at least two or three hundred pounds in there. It wouldn't be a perfect answer, though- much as I love her, I gotta admit that my girl ain't suited to every mission. But it's a good place to start."
"Wait, you'd be willing to fill your car with dirt just for me?" Terra asked, her eyes wide. "Cyborg… I know how much that car means to you."
"Yeah, but my friends mean more." The metal man replied, swallowing his slice and throwing his arm around the geokine's narrow shoulder. "I ain't gonna let you go out there unarmed just to keep the T-Car clean. Sides, once this is all over you can come with me to vacuum out the trunk."
"Deal." Terra laughed.
"All right." Robin said decisively. "We've got the beginnings of a plan, now we just need to start implementing it and fine-tuning. Cyborg, after lunch, we'll all help you fill up the T-Car's trunk. We'll use sand to start with, since it packs easier and we can fit more of it in. Then, its back to the gym for training, and I want you all to practice for your new opponents. Star, you'll be training with me- I'll do my best to show you what I know of Batgirl's techniques. Terra, you'll mostly be working alone today, so I want you to practice your aerial agility. I want you to run the obstacle course at least twice but don't tire yourself out too much- I'm going to prepare some things for you to study tonight. Cyborg, instead of training, get a head start on rewiring your arm so you won't be up too late tonight. If you finish early, come to the training room and help Terra work on her dodging skills. Everyone okay with that plan?"
The other Titans nodded. It sounded like a workable training program, and the new strategies they'd come up with sounded like they'd be worth a try at least.
"Good!" Robin said, taking another slice of pizza and leaning back onto the couch. "Eat up, Titans, 'cause it's gonna be another busy night."
Meanwhile, in the dilapidated manor that was now Sladeforce HQ, Raven was meditating. She wasn't trying to center herself, as was her normal goal during meditation. Instead, she was trying to come to grips with the reality of her situation. Ever since she had learned of the conspiracy to enslave the Titans, and had thrown her lot in with Slade, she'd known that her moral standards would have to change. To effectively fight the conspirators, she would have to be willing to break the law- to destroy property, to steal, and to attack her friends. But now Slade was asking her to go a step further- he'd told her before last night's battle, of course, but it only really hit home now. She was being asked to be a party to murder. Even if she didn't kill Terra herself, the fact that she knew Slade was going to kill her and did nothing to stop him made her at least partially responsible.
That bothered her. It bothered her a LOT. One thing the monks of Azerath had always told her was that killing was something her father loved and that her demonic blood (or 'taint' as they insisted on calling it) meant that she was predisposed towards killing. If she killed Terra, or even allowed her to die through inaction, that would be one more way that she was like Trigon and she NEVER wanted to be like him. But on the other hand, Slade was right: Terra WAS too dangerous to be let loose on the city right now. Slade hadn't been able to fully disable the control chip in Terra's head- he hadn't known enough about them at the time. With a malfunctioning chip lodged in her brain the geokine was a ticking timebomb- at any point, the chip could kick into action and cause her to lash out wildly with her powers. Given the devastating scope of her abilities, such an outburst could kill hundreds or even decimate the whole city. She HAD to be taken out before that happened. But on the other OTHER hand…
Such thoughts had been chasing one another around her head all day long, and she still felt no closer to a resolution than she had when she started meditating that morning. With a sigh, Raven opened her eyes and slowly rose to her feet, her knees giving audible pops and cracks to remind her just how long she'd been meditating. After a quick trip to the bathroom, Raven headed to the small kitchen for a cup of tea but no food. For some reason, despite the face that she hadn't eaten all day, Raven found herself with no appetite whatsoever. Indeed, even the thought of eating made her stomach turn a little; she hoped she wasn't coming down with anything. Once she finished her tea, she decided to go to the training room and watch the others at work.
Slade's new training room was a far, FAR cry from the fantastic facility they'd had at their old base. No deadly obstacle course, no state of the art weight machines, no advanced cardio equipment… in truth, their current training area looked like it belonged in a 19th century health club. Yet despite that, the SladeForce (Raven still winced inwardly at that name- it sounded like a cheesy cartoon designed to sell toys) threw themselves into their training with at least as much vigor as they had at the old base.
'There's probably a metaphor there' Raven reflected 'We've lost a lot of our resources and technology, but we're no less dedicated to our goal. Of course, it might have something to do with the fact that there's nothing much to do here besides train.'
At the far side of the room, Slade was putting himself through an intense acrobatic workout. He flipped, cartwheeled, spun and leaped, all while staying within a chalk circle barely twelve feet across. It was an amazing display of both agility and control. The older man had clearly been at it for some time as sweat was dripping from his face which, given Slade's superhuman endurance, was a remarkable sight. But that wasn't what grabbed Raven's attention.
In the center of the room, Beastboy and Batgirl were working together. The masked girl appeared to be giving the changeling a lesson in hand-to-hand combat, and was walking him through some kind of throw. Eventually, Beastboy was able to flip his partner over his hip, and the two moved on to another maneuver. Like Slade, they had clearly been doing this for some time, as Batgirl was breathing heavily behind her mask while Beastboy… Beastboy had taken his shirt off at some point. The sight of his green chest, covered in dark green hair and dripping with sweat, made Raven gulp audibly.
'That training program Slade's got him on is really paying off' she thought to herself, as she sought to center herself once again. "Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos…"
At the sound of her signature chant, Beastboy looked up and smiled. He gave Batgirl a quick nod and moved to join his girlfriend. "Hey Rae" he said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek and seemingly oblivious to the effect he was having on her. "All done meditating?"
"For today, yes" Raven allowed.
"Good stuff. We're just finishin' training for today, too. B-girl's been teachin' me lots about fightin' close up- gonna give Cy a real surprise next time we tussle. Ah, sorry about the smell" the changeling said, bending over to pick up his discarded shirt and catching a whiff of himself.
"I don't mind much." Raven said, quashing her disappointment as the green boy got dressed. "It's just sweat, after all."
"Yeah, I guess" Beastboy shrugged. "The smell doesn't really bother me either- animals don't much care about BO. Must be a human thing, huh? Anyway, what's on your schedule tonight?"
"Not much." The empath admitted "I didn't bring a whole lot of books with me when we evacuated, so I've nothing to read. It looks like another night of sitting and watching the walls."
"Yeah, I hear ya Rae. I'm gettin' super bored too. Like, how much TV can one man watch, y'know?" Beastboy replied, slinging one arm around Raven and pulling her closer as they walked out of the training room.
"I think your old record was 27 hours straight. You were sure you could go longer, but Robin said your eyes were about to start bleeding. Also, Starfire wasn't sure if you were still yourself at the end. She thought you might have been colonized by one of the fungi she saw on that show of hers." Raven remembered, as she fought to keep her face neutral. Her discomfort with physical contact had gotten so bad that even having her boyfriend's arm around her was making her nauseous, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings by letting that show. She knew that he was hurt by her problem with intimacy, and she didn't want to make him feel any worse.
"Haha. Yeah, but I was young and stupid back then." Beastboy said, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.
"It was four months ago."
"And look how much has happened in those four months! I'm a totally different dude!" the changeling exclaimed. "Anyway, Slade's sending me out for supplies tomorrow afternoon, so why don't you come with me? Once we buy food and stuff, we can swing by some bookstores and get yourself somethin' fun to read!"
"Slade's letting you out alone? After what happened last time?" Raven asked.
"I know, I couldn't believe it either. But he said that he trusted me to have learned from my mistakes. So he's givin' me another chance!" Beastboy enthused. "So whattaya say? Supermarket then bookstores?"
Raven smirked. "It's a date."
Terra collapsed backwards onto her bed, letting out a loud groan. It had been a very long day. After loading up the T-Car's trunk with as much sand as it could hold, Terra had run the aerial obstacle course a full four times. That had been followed by a long study period devoted to going over Raven's file in the Titans database and watching footage of her in battle. After supper, she and Cyborg had run evasion drills to hone Terra's ability to dodge while flying. That had been unpleasant; even on the lowest setting, Cyborg's sonic cannon packed a wallop. Oh, sure, after training the team had spent an hour or so playing videogames, but she'd found that wasn't as relaxing as it should have been- somehow, knowing that an unkillable, amoral supersoldier wanted to kill you sucked the fun out of pixelated violence.
Terra turned to the booklet Robin had prepared for her, a walkthrough of Raven's psychological weaknesses. The Boy Wonder had come up with a list of topics and comments which could throw Raven off. A lot of the stuff in there was… well, it was awful. There were comments about her parents, insinuations about her relationship with Beastboy, insults based on her heritage and worse. True, Terra and Raven hadn't exactly been BFFs even before the whole treachery thing, but even so Terra didn't think she could say this stuff to her- she wasn't that kind of person anymore. When she'd told Robin that, though, the vigilante had just heaved a deep sigh.
"I know how awful this stuff is, believe me. If it were any other situation, I'd never allow anyone to say that sort of thing to her." He'd said, his guilt audible in every word. "But this isn't any other situation, and we have to use every weapon we have if we're going to bring her and the others down before somebody gets really hurt. So, I'm not asking you to use this stuff, I'm ORDERING you to. Raven's powers are based around emotional control- anything you can do to get her angry or hurt will throw that control out of whack and make her powers much harder for her to use. If you're going to fight Raven, you have to fight to win."
Terra heaved a deep sigh of her own and put an arm over her eyes. That was the central question, though, wasn't it? Could she fight Raven and win? True, she had fought the empath to a standstill before, but that had been years ago. Raven had spent those years training and improving, and Terra had spent them actively trying to forget that she had superpowers. A few weeks of intense training couldn't be enough to overcome that gap, could they? It was entirely possible that, regardless of Robin's little booklet, Raven would mop the floor with Terra. The only question then was, would Raven leave Terra for Slade to kill, or would the half-demon finish the job herself?
"I remember the days when the most I had to worry about was getting into college." Terra muttered to herself as she began to drift off to sleep. "Those were good days."
A/N
Pineapple on pizza is delicious, I don't care WHAT the Internet says. A perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and savory.
Read and Review, kids!