Ch.4

The Titans all gathered around Raven's bed as she told them about what just happened.

"Can you describe it", asked Robin.

"It was", she paused. "-A telepathic invasion. Ream apparently has the limited ability to reach into the thoughts of others. His telepathy could very well rival yours Lee". She nodded her head at the Samurai.

"Well what do we know about him", Robin looked to Cyborg.

"Probably no more than Orion told us over dinner", replied Cyborg. "He's from earth and had some accident with his face or something".

"We have to tell Star about this, she could do something", said Beast Boy next to Raven.

"I'm not sure that would do any good", came Raven. They all looked at her. "While at dinner I kept getting feelings of uncertainty from Starfire. Its almost as if she didn't know what was going on half the time". They all looked as though it couldn't get any worse. Robin headed for the door.

"See what you can find about this Ream guy, I'm need to go see someone". He left and Cyborg did the same after a few minuets.

"It might be wise to for now get some sleep out of what's left in the evening", said Lee walking over to BB and Raven.

"Righhhht like I'm going to get any sleep now", said Beast Boy gesturing to Raven.

Robin walked briskly down the hall towards Starfire's room. He knew exactly what was going to happen. She was going to tell him in her innocent Starfire way, that the whole thing was a mistake and that she would like to go back with them ASAP. I mean, Starfire wouldn't just abandon her place at Titans Tower. Would she? He came up to her door and two guards intercepted him.

"Just where do you think you are going", said one.

"I'm going to see Starfire", said Robin pointing to the door.

"Do you have signed approval"?

"Look she asked me to come just as she left the dinning room so if you'll excuse me I think I'll be going in now". Robin moved toward the door and the guards moved forward blocking his way.

"We have orders form her highness's attendant that no one will be allowed in without his approval".

"Is that a fact", asked Robin looking down the hall. He noticed he was being watched by a tall dark figure. As Robin watched him back a group of Tamaranians passed by and the tall figure was gone. Robin nodded at the two guards and left. 'I never liked front doors anyway', he thought.

In her room Starfire was sitting at a mirror brushing her hair. She finished and began pacing the floor. She had been awaiting Robin's arrival and was beginning to wonder if something happened to him. Just then she heard a tapping on her balcony doors. She walked over and opened them to find absolutely no one there. Puzzled she stepped outside and looked around.

"Hello? Is someone there"? There was no answer. She hung her head slightly and turned to go back inside and then came face to face with an upside down Robin. "Hey", he said calmly. A little startled she looked around franticly and saw he was hanging form his bird grapple.

"Robin why are you here"? He jumped down and pocketed his grapple.

"I missed you". She giggled and led him inside her room.

"I meant why were you not in your full upright position", she asked going to her closet.

"Oh sorry about that, you're uh, door man was a little stubborn". He waited for her to come out. "Uh Star what are you doing"?

"Just changing", she said while fidgeting with something. She came out and Robin liked what he saw. She was wearing her old Titans attire though she also had on a small scarf.

"You wanted to talk to me about something"? Starfire moved over to the glass doors, opened them and turned back to Robin.

"I wanted to show you something", her eyes were twinkling.

"Okay, but what's with the scarf", she smiled took him by the hand and led him back outside.

"We will be moving fairly quickly, it might get a little chilly", her grip tightened.

"Why where are we go"- He didn't have time to finish for Starfire suddenly zoomed upward while still holding his hand. Robin was pulled up and started to shoot toward a very high tower not far from the palace. As they went Starfire laughed and said they were almost there. When they reached the tower they began to spiral up it. Robin started to hold on with his other hand and they when higher and faster. They came over the edge and landed with a graceful slide. The morning sun shown over the tip of the tower and seemed to reflect off of it. After Robin's world stopped spinning he walked over to the edge and peered over.

"Whoa. Exactly how high are we Star"? She had been circling above landed next to Robin.

"If memory serves me correctly, we are exactly 2500 glinthorgs off the ground". Robin raised and eyebrow. "Oh, I believe it would be 3000 earth feet". Hearing gusts of wind Robin looked back over the railing and had trouble seeing some of the large transport ships, never mind the people.

"Again, whoa. Why are we here Star"? She moved closer to him and took his hand.

"You have said some important things to me at the peak of Titans Tower. I now wish to tell you such things on the peak of Tamaran". She was now so close that they were actually warming each other with their body heat. "I cannot chose between Tamaran and you, I have tired but failed. Which is why I have something important to ask you". 'This was it', he thought.

"I wish to know if you will be my king"? Robin almost fell over the railing.

"Wh-wh-wha-come again", she didn't answer. As though she wasn't sure she had done the right thing. "Starfire, I-I don't know", she turned around and walked away a feet.

"Oh Robin I wish you had not come; now I am forced to choose between you and Tamaran". Robin took a step closer to her.

"If it were me, the choice wouldn't be that hard".

"But it is not you, and I cannot choose". She picked her head up and her eyes widened. "Therefore, I will have both".

"Starfire you can't have everything, you know it. I know it. Our friends know it". She turned around swiftly.

"What do they know about it?! NOTHING"!! She was frowning uncharacteristically. "Leadership is our task, OURS! Not there's"! Robin was completely beside himself. He started to walk away when a hand suddenly grabbed his. "Please Robin don't go. I am sorry, I don't know where any of that came from". Robin turned back.

"I think I do. From the moment I saw that Orion guy I didn't trust him".

"What do you mean", she asked

"Raven's been attacked, and it was that freaky Ream guy that almost killed her", he stepped closer to her. "Orion is trying to get rid of us because there is something here he doesn't want us or you to find out".

"That, that is ridiculous. He is a trusted servant, why would he want to kill any of you"?

"Never heard you call you anyone that before", said Robin suspiciously. Starfire shook her head and walked up to Robin.

"I will talk to Orion for you, but I must know. Will you at least think about what I have asked you"? Robin didn't know what to think. Starfire was herself and at the same time she wasn't. Slowly Robin nodded.

JOINING LEE.................

Lee was currently out in the courtyard garden practicing his sword forms and techniques. He moved his sword through the air with fluidic grace as though he were swinging the blade through water. As he and his sword moved as one, a pair of blue eyes watched him from behind a trellis. They moved closer and closer to him while he went on with his exercise. They were right behind him now when he suddenly spun around and put his sword to the throat of Aurora. Seeing that it was she he slowly sheathed his sword. Needless to say she was taken by surprise at Lee's reaction.

"You are most quick", she said walking closer to him. He moved away somewhat.

"When one is near his enemies, it is wise to be vigilant", he replied.

"You know you misjudge me", said Aurora. Lee snickered somewhat.

"Do I? Then prove me wrong". She sat down on a nearby bench and motioned for him to sit next to her. He didn't move.

"Won't you sit with me", she asked smiling.

"Perhaps I would rather stand", he said standing up straight. However he made the mistake of looking back at her. For at that moment she was giving him bambi eyes. Of all the things Lee would not surrender to, he felt weakest at the site of those. He stiffly made his way of to her and sat down. "I changed my mind".

"Indeed", she was eyeing an interesting band around his wrist. Which held a variety of what looked like needles. "What is that", she asked picking up his wrist. He softly pulled away but then relaxed slightly.

"They were a welcoming gift from Robin-San, and the others". He pointed out the different colored tips. "The blue is an anesthetic, it will knock you out for a few hours. The green induces paralysis, you can't move. And the red, well the red the red. Lets just say I don't use those often". She nodded as more questions came to her.

"Have you always been with the Titans"?

"No. I uh, I joined after their team had formed".

"How did you come to be with them"? Aurora was getting more curious by the second. Lee however shook his head.

"Do we have to talk about me, I mean, why are we talking in the first place"? Aurora moved closer.

"Because I like you. I've never met anyone like you before". Lee sighed and felt he should at least be polite.

"I came across the Titans while I was on the run from bounty hunters".

"That's awful", she said putting a hand to her mouth.

"Yes well, it was reality. Anyway, I had been injured in an encounter with one who had been chasing me for sometime. I believe it was Cyborg-San who found me and brought me back to the tower. They gave me shelter while I recuperated, the process was amazingly speed up thanks to Raven-San".

"Why did you stay"?

"I guess it was because I became attached to the place, and the people living there". She nodded and looked down at her feet. He cleared his throat and looked over at her.

"So, why do you serve him"? She looked back up at him. "Orion, he obviously does not have good intentions in the slightest".

"I suppose it is because, I owe him so much. I am without parents, so Orion gave me a home and took me as his apprentice. He used to be a member of the Tamaranian imperial army. Though I do not agree with what he does, I really have no choice".

"I am without parents myself, well my real parents anyway", said Lee. Aurora looked eager. "As an infant I was found somewhere in Tokyo. On my world that's a city on an island called Japan. Then I somehow ended up in the house of the Shogun of the last remaining Samurai province", while he talked she noticed he was holding something in his hand.

"What is that", she asked gesturing to it. He brought it up and it was a small locket. He opened it and inside was a picture of a young girl. She eyed it with some disappointment. "Who is she"? Lee looked at it for a moment.

"Her name is Nayia, she is my sister". Relief spread through Aurora.

"She's beautiful, how is she". Lee closed the locket and pocketed it quickly.

"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen her in five years". Aurora's mouth hung ajar. "She disappeared one day. No one knows how, or where she went, she just disappeared. I have been searching for her ever since". Aurora placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Lee". He shook his head.

"You didn't kidnap her did you? Then you've got nothing to be sorry about". They sat in silence for awhile thinking about the past conversation. He then looked over at her.

"I do however need to know, if Orion has anything that might help us figure out what is going on"? She hesitated.

"He-he has a personal villa where he conducts his personal business, but it's heavily guarded", she added quickly. "I know I helped set up the security".

"Then you can help us get in", said Lee excitedly. She looked rather fearful. He put a hand to her cheek.

"Do not worry, we will protect you", she smiled but her fear was not gone.

"You do not understand, he has agents that could make your blood run old", she was speaking of Ream. "The one in black, he is only half man", Lee hushed her. "We have faced terrifying things before, we will conquer him". She didn't seem to believe him. He decided to try and calm her down.

"You know there is a phenomenon on my planet, where you can see beautiful colors in the night sky", he pointed upwards. She seemed most intrigued. "Sometimes it's just one color, sometimes it's many. Do you know what its called"? She shook her head. "It is called Aurora Borealis". She smiled even bigger.

"Have you ever seen this phenomenon"? She was looking him straight in the eyes.

"I have had the fortune to glimpse it once. I suppose this could count as twice". Aurora couldn't help herself anymore, she leaned in and kissed him long and good. She then got up and flew off. Lee was left sitting there utterly surprised. This had been one crazy trip so far. Cyborg's ship was his first plane ride, and he just received his first kiss from the apprentice of their enemy. He really didn't understand what was going on, but he liked it.

From in the shadows someone had watched the whole thing. He narrowed his eye and sank back into the shadows as though on wheels.

Well that's it so far. It's alright, go ahead and burn me for stopping here. Or for just giving you a bad chapter. For those of you who want more action, in the way of fighting, I promise there will be plenty of that. Just tell me what you think so far. R&R.