Ch. 2
Robin was busy in his room quickly throwing some stuff into a bag or some kind of suitcase. He grabbed a case full of his bird-a-rangs, explosive and freeze disks, and an array of stealth equipment. He was in the middle of leaving his room when he spotted a picture of Starfire on his nightstand. He walked over and picked it up. He wanted to just look at her for a while, but then decided he'd just throw the picture into his bag and look at her later. They had to get moving within the hour if they were going to avoid any satellite detection. Pretty much every Titan had done the same as Robin; they gathered a handful of extra clothes and some of their battle equipment. Raven and Beast Boy were the only ones who didn't have to bring any extra equipment, as most of their attacks don't really rely on any melee weapons. They soon all gathered in the underground hanger and saw not the T-Sub but a larger ship, which almost looked like an F-18. Though the shape was different it still had that Cyborg look to it.
"Where's the T-Sub", asked Robin dropping his bag in surprise. Cyborg came down the ramp whipping his hands with a work rag and shook his head.
"Aww come on Rob, don't tell me don't like it. I told you before the T-Sub's meant for deep sea not deep space. And I've heard Star say Tamaran is kinda far away, besides the T-Sub still needs a little patch work on it".
"Very interesting", said Lee with his pack over his shoulder.
"Interesting"? Beast Boy was goggling at the new ship. "Dude Cy it totally kicks ass"! Cyborg took a bow and moved aside.
"Thank you, thank you. Now if yall would just step inside we'll be on our way".
"Boys", said Raven rolling her eyes.
They walked on up into the ship and set themselves down. The ship itself was big enough to have sleeping quarters for all six of them. Though right now one room was vacant. The ship even had two or three escape pods, which detached from the bottom. Inside the cockpit they took their seats and stations. The seats were a really comfortable type of cushion and there was even a DVD player, which came down from the ceiling.
"You've certainly thought of everything", said Robin looking around.
"Always be prepared", said Cyborg with a smirk.
"It makes feel so much batter knowing that if we're in a tough situation the DVD player will be there for our survival", said Raven checking over her stuff. Robin chuckled to himself and started the ship. The ship shook slightly and gave off a low hum as it came to life.
"Star charts and celestial telemetry is online", reported Robin.
"Life support and air filtration is balanced", came Beast Boy.
"Defensive systems active", followed Raven.
"Ion thrusters are ready to fire", chimed Cyborg excited. Robin gave a nod to Lee who began typing on a small panel.
"Flooding launch silo", he said. The door to the elevator closed with a snap and the room began to fill with water. On his monitor Lee watched the water level as it rose to the top. "Silo is flooded and equalized". By a large ramp ship was then titled up until the nose cone was facing upwards. He opened the doors and he afternoon sun shown from atop the water's surface.
"TITANS LUANCH"! Robin and the others were then pushed up against the backs of their seats as the ship rushed out of the silo. Outside Titans Tower the water's surface was calm and peaceful until it was suddenly broken by a large spacecraft which zoomed out of Earth's orbit. The Titan's watched as their view went from cloudy to blue skies to the black starry vacuum of space. Once the Titans could relax they shifted around and Beast Boy unbuckled himself and begin to float around from the zero-g.
"Hey look guys I'm flying, and I'm not even a bird". He did some flips and swam around in the air. Cyborg put on a small grin.
"Switching on artificial gravity". Beast Boy suddenly looked over at him.
"Huh"? He then fell to floor with a small thud and he climbed back into his seat. "Verrry funny Cyborg". Raven let out a sigh of irritation and then tapped Robin on the shoulder.
"So how exactly are we going to find Tamaran, I mean we've never even been there before and its not in any of our star charts". Robin turned back around.
"Oh I think we'll find em' okay".
"What makes you so certain", asked Lee form behind Cyborg.
"Well while Star and I were, um", he had trouble finishing. "While we were in the middle of, of"-
"Smoochn' up a storm", piped up Beast Boy. Robin gave him an evil look while Cyborg was laughing to himself. Robin turned back around.
"While we were in the middle of that, I stuck a little something on her".
"What", asked Cyborg.
"Call it a parting gift".
LANDING ON TAMARAN..........................
The ship landed on a platform at the palace and Starfire exited along with Orion and his apprentice. They were greeted by a host of handmaidens who took Starfire's things and brought them up to her room. A tall man with red and gold robes approached her.
"Princess Koriand'r welcome back to Tamaran. I trust you remember me"? She looked him over a smiled a little at one of her childhood teachers.
"Your grace Count Liman, of course I remember you", she gave him a friendly hung and walked with him.
"We've all been awaiting your timely arrival your highness, we are all anxious to know where you have been all this time"? Orion looked from Starfire to Count Liman almost fearfully.
"I am sorry, but I am tired from the journey. May I simply retire to my room", she asked looking ahead. He nodded happily and motioned for two servants to go with her.
"You most certainly may, they will show you the way", he gestured to the two servants. Starfire went with them and came to a set of beautifully carved doors. Though her people were far more advanced in technology they fancied some of the old ways. They went in and she entered a large room with a really high ceiling. The windows were actually a set of glass doors which led to a balcony. From the ceiling hung two large chandeliers, which provided most of the light in the room. She sat down on her rather large bed while the servants put her clothes and her belongings in the equally large walk-in closet. Orion then entered the room and motioned for the two to leave. Starfire looked at him and then back to the floor.
"I trust your highness has settled in just fine", he asked walking over and carrying a small tray. He set it down on a round table in the middle of the room. And from it picked up a glass with some clear liquid. "Here, drink this tonic".
"Will it simply dull my wits ", asked Starfire eyeing the glass.
"It will help ease your troubled mind".
"At the present time I am not sure you can give me anything that will do that".
"I'm only doing my job". Star looked up at him questionably. "Oh you must not have heard. I have been appointed your confidant and personal attendant". Starfire was certainly surprised but did her best not to show it. "You really should get some rest, you've got a filled week ahead of you".
"Why"? Orion finished mixing her drink and looked at her with a mock-saddened face.
"Your father, the king, has grown ill. And he is not expected to last much longer". Starfire moved over to him.
"Yes, I am aware of that. It was said in the message. But I do not understand how this concerns me".
"Why you will be made queen of coarse. Your coronation is scheduled to be in the next four days". Star eyes looked like dinner plates.
"C-c-coronation? NO! I cannot be made queen, I don't have the experience in running a team of six let alone an entire planet", she was sounding hysterical. He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"That's why you have me", he said smiling. "We'll talk later, here drink your tonic. I promise it isn't poisoned or anything", he said as though it were. She took the glass and he headed for the door. "Good night, I hope you have a restful sleep". He backed out of the room and closed the doors. She watched them for a moment and surveyed the glass debating whether or not to drink it. She then decided that it didn't matter right now and took a sip. To her surprise it actually tasted sweet and sent a warmth throughout her body. She walked out to her balcony and leaned against the stone railing. Taking a few more sips of her tonic she looked out at the stars.
"This isn't going to well at all", she said to herself. She then thought about Robin and the other Titans and how they were doing. She also wondered if Robin was thinking about her at all; she missed him already. She felt an itch near her collar and reached back to scratch it. She frowned when instead felt something stuck to her collar; she pulled it off and looked closely at it. It was a tiny disk with a blinking "T" on it. Starfire recognized it at once as one of the Titan's tracers and excitedly looked back at the night sky. So her friends would be coming after all, she was suddenly filled with much happiness. She also suddenly felt sleepy, so much that she nearly collapsed as a sudden wave of fatigue came over her. She staggered over to her bed and fell down on top of it. Just before she entered almost instantaneous slumber she whispered to herself, "Robin".
REJOINING THE OTHER TITANS.................
They approached the planet Tamaran, which looked a lot like earth in the way of color and size. Robin looked out the window and nodded back at Lee.
"Pick up anything"? Lee conducted a short scan of the area.
"I am reading multiple devices in the outer atmosphere, most likely a planetary defensive system".
"Then we should probably come in real quite like", said Cyborg. Beast Boy was looking out the window also.
"Whoa. Can you guys believe that in a space of a year and a half this is our second time in outer space"?
"Having an alien as a friend will do that to you", said Raven. She pulled up a large holographic map of the planet and displayed it in the middle of the room. They all turned and Robin took the floor.
"Alright, since we don't really know what to expect we should steer clear of making a big entrance. I believe we should land here"- he pointed to spot on the map which seemed to be miles from the city. –"On the outskirts, that way we can enter the city as inconspicuously as possible". Cyborg raised his hand.
"I'm not really what you call inconspicuous am I", Robin looked from him to the other Titans.
"Well, you'll be alright, you'll work it out". Cyborg shook his head and turned back to his seat.
On the planet in the palace a young watchmen was looking into his monitor when a small dot showed up. He called over the nearest superior and pointed out the dot. Surprisingly (not) Orion strode over to him and magnified the picture. He took one look at the ship and frowned then let out a faint, "Tsk".
"Set planetary defenses to aggressive mode, destroy them". The watchmen turned around in his seat.
"Bu sir we have not yet determined whether they are docile or hostile".
"Are you questioning me young one", replied Orion raising his voice a little. The watchmen shook his head and carried out his orders.
Back on the ship Lee glanced at his screen then did a double take when saw what was coming towards them.
"Robin-San I'm reading multiple signals coming in fast".
"WHAT", Robin spun around. He looked over at Cyborg. "So much for quiet like". Cyborg took the controls and increased to top speed. "We need to land, Lee how long do we have before they intercept us"?
"Plenty of time; twenty minuets". Suddenly a laser bolt struck them on their bottom hull, shaking the ship tremendously. "Or less", he shrugged at BB's openrd mouth.
"HANG ON", shouted Cyborg. He turned sharply just as four spherical devices pelted toward them spit firing and endless volley of laser bolts. Cyborg performed an array of twists and turns, backward flips and a few head on passes. Still the spheres stayed on their tale not letting up on their attack.
"We can't run like this forever", said Raven.
"Well I'm open to suggestions", said Cyborg as they were hit yet again by the relentless drones.
"Dorsal shields are down fifty seven percent", rang out Beast Boy. Raven looked at her screen and confirmed it.
"Cyborg just get behind them and let me do the rest".
"Hey, what ever you say Rae. I'm just prayn' we make it out of this alive". He spun the ship around and headed straight for the group of drones. Raven knew she didn't have long to act. She targeted the drones and nailed the two nearest to the ship.
"ALRIGHT RAVEN! Two down, two to go", said Robin happily.
"I wouldn't rejoice just yet Robin-San". Robin made his way over to Lee while the ship shook from side to side. Lee pointed to the screen and Robin's eyes widened in horror. Hundreds of drones were now coming in close and through the window they looked like a cloud of oncoming death.
"Well shit that's not good", said Beast Boy in a mock casual voice. Robin got back in his chair next to Cyborg and scanned for a possible landing spot. To make matters even worse each of the drones at that moment launched a missile looking thing. Cyborg turned the ship sharply and all the missiles passed them. Unfortunately they all spun around and started chasing them again.
"HOMING DEVICES", shouted Raven. "They've locked onto our signal and are closing in fast". The ship shook violently and she fell out of her seat. They avoided the hundreds of homing missiles while desperately dodging the continuous laser fire. Cyborg turned Robin's chair around.
"Face it Robin, they're gonna dog us like this until they see us dead and deep-fried". Robin thought for a moment then turned off the map.
"Then that's exactly what they'll see. COME ON EVERYONE"! He led them out of the cockpit and into another room. The ship suddenly began to decrease in speed and lasted only seconds until the missiles finally closed in and blew the ship to pieces.
Back in the palace the watchmen saw the dot blink and then disappear. He then turned to Orion.
"Target has been eliminated". Orion nodded and walking away while smiling evilly to himself.
"Humans".
SO how was this chapter. Please let me know and I'll get the next one to ya ASAP. R&R.