Chapter 18: The Games We Play
How they had gotten to this point, she didn't know.
Desk lamp burning low, shadows cast about them as they moved through the threshold in unspoken agreement. In the limited light, the mood was a calm tension as heartstrings were pulled taunt between them.
Starfire had tentatively sat down, the newspaper clippings of their past missions pinned with precision on the walls. She eyed the papers strewn about the table, trying to glean information on the reports and maps that were faced upward. Her gaze had finally drifted upward as Robin moved to pull another chair across from her.
But before sitting down himself, he had asked if she wanted coffee. Something so mundane it felt out of place in their current situation. Though something she would normally decline, she nodded, wanting any form of comfort. He had turned to pour two mugs from the coffee pot located in the corner of the room and apprehension poured over her as the cup was placed before her, steam curling toward the ceiling. She grabbed it, drinking the bitter liquid in mouthfuls to settle her nerves and clear her ashen mouth, the warmth sinking into her hands.
Robin now sat before her, her words the only thing that lay between them. The only barrier between being something or nothing at all. Those words so painful to speak out loud, breathing life into her deepest shame and desire, making it solid.
You got in the way.
While those words had sent her spiraling, they had lit him up with newfound purpose. He was set aflame with a yearning so fierce he had wanted to pounce, wanted skin on skin, his mouth to find hers. To reconnect to his twin flame in a burning intensity that he ended up branding her as his. Those five words whispered to him, echoed, and enticed him to jump clear across this table and ruin her plans further.
But he did not. Could not.
While it appeared that a part of her still held him dear, held him close, in what capacity he'd have to feel her out. He decided, she'd have to be the first to close that gap before anything physical happened between them. It had to be her choice. Always. Though not one to stop trying to persuade her, he could also show her. Bring her into the vital work that needed to be done and into his world she barely got a peek at.
So, he changed gears, asking something that took her off guard.
"What do you know about Xanshi?"
She gave him a questioning look, not anticipating her admission to be brushed off so easily. She returned her gaze to the contents on the table, scanning the documents once more until landing on a map of the planet's core, it piquing her interest as she saw his handwriting scrawled in the margins. She paused, righting the map, and pulled it toward her before saying, "I do not know much besides that they have many different sentient beings that reside there. A melting pot of sorts and a hub for intergalactic trade. But their primary residents are winged creatures, akin to an Earthen vulture." She hummed, looking at the blueprint in great detail, noting the engineered plasma core that rested at Xanshi's center. She finally looked up, asking, "Why? And why do you possess this?"
"There's been a string of planetary destruction in their Sector. We are talking about a few planets wiped out in the span of a few months to now many more wiped out in a few days. And their inhabitants…" Robin heaved a heavy sigh then, wiping a hand down his face. It was then that Starfire saw the start of heavy lines under his eyes, and the slight dishevelment of his hair. "There are reports, coming in now but unverified, that before the planets were destroyed that the life on them had turned… into a zombielike state. Bodies without souls and free will, I guess you could say. Left defenseless, whoever or whatever is behind this was able to blow the planets apart from within without opposition."
Starfire paled at his words, clutching the map in her hands tightly before getting a hold of her emotions. She shakily smoothed the paper back out.
Robin leaned forward, resting his chin on clasped hands before continuing. "We have reason to believe that Xanshi will be next, based on its location, vulnerabilities, and the timeline of current events. The League is trying to contain this as much as possible, looking at preventing whoever is doing this from blowing up the planet outright or fleeing to another Sector." He pointed to a specific part of the drawing before her. "Currently, I'm helping to pinpoint some vulnerabilities where explosives could most likely be placed or where their technology could be messed with. But Batman is siphoning info to me slowly, working with Green Lantern and Superman to see what other rumors or intelligence they can gather."
"So Peragaron, their star system, is completely…?" Gone, she wanted to say but Starfire couldn't finish her sentence. Knowing what his answer would already be, Robin nodded once.
She knew of those beings in that system. Knew their languages and some of their culture. Gone and erased forever, not a scream to be heard as they were wiped from existence without a fight.
She wanted to heave.
Leaning away from the table, her hands gripped its edge as she tried to make sense of it. What could have such power? Over an entire planet? Over an entire star system? She knew all too well the evils that lurked in the darkness of space and of the things in the night that yielded ungodly horrors upon innocents. But this was entire civilizations being wiped out. And quickly.
He hadn't been lying in the common room. It was not just Xanshi's Sector in jeopardy, but their entire galaxy as well. Maybe the entire universe.
"Flobnark," she breathed, a rare curse slipping out.
"I know," Robin said as calmly as he could, gauging her reaction, unsure how to comfort her when he was having a hard time processing the weight of this mission's implications as well. "It's nightmare fuel to be sure, but I have faith. The League has some good leads on what is doing this and is on the ground as we speak. And while I'm no expert on alien tech, I've set up the primary legwork for evacuation plans and countermeasures, if need be. Though, it's been slow going."
Starfire pushed up from the table then, unable to stay motionless any longer. She started to pace the room, expelling unwanted anxiousness, as she finally addressed him.
"X'hal, Robin, why did you not bring this up yesterday? We could assist you."
He leaned back and she interpreted his posture as quite relaxed considering the information he just divulged. He shrugged, a bit defensive. "I didn't want to be alarmist, especially on Christmas. I also only knew part of the picture at the time and was instructed that the less people that know, the better."
She stopped in her motions, turning to stare him down. "Have you not learned anything? From Slade and Red X? We are stronger as a team. Screw the Batman and his orders."
He couldn't help himself. A chuckle escaped him until he quickly sobered at the serious look she gave him, waiting for his reply. His expression softened. "That's why I'm telling you now. I could use your help and I want you on my team, Star. On this mission," he quickly amended.
Always with the double meanings. Always with the sneaky plans and games. Starfire saw right through him.
"And what of Raven, Beast Boy, and Cyborg? Surely, they would be just as useful to this mission."
He considered her point. "They don't have the knowledge of space technology or of interplanetary systems like you do, and they can't translate thousands of alien languages quickly. And I wasn't lying when I said that this should never leave this room. This is classified, top-secret information we will be handling, so sensitive that in the wrong hands, it could compromise Earth's safety while the League's away. Honestly, I probably broke a law or two just telling you." He sighed, finally noting her hesitancy, the way she bit her lip as if thinking it over. "I know it's a lot. I didn't mean to unload this all on you, but really, you'd be an asset."
Taking in his earnest look, Starfire knew that he was telling the truth. That Robin would never play games with innocents just because they had unfinished business. This was so much bigger than them both with potentially billions of lives at stake. In her mind's eye, she saw her own people and home planet, Tamaran, and how this could one day be their future if not handled swiftly.
He was asking for her to trust him and in return, he would do the same. Something that was barely afforded to her before when they were together. Now, it was the promise of an olive branch extended, a truce enacted, and a confession conveniently placed aside to be explored at a later date.
Starfire swallowed but nodded in understanding, in agreement. Sliding back into her chair, Robin gave her a look of relief, the corner of his mouth lifting, as she picked up the schematic once again.
"Where do we begin?"
Author's Note:
Xanshi is a real planet in the DC universe. Some of the information presented in this chapter/story is accurate while some facts are completely made up by me.