I thank you for your reviews. One of the reasons I write these stories is so you can read them. So thanks for reading. Here now I chap eight! Enjoy. R&R please.
CH.8
The Titan's ship zoomed past a nearby moon and continued onward towards home. Inside the cockpit all sat and worked silently. Cyborg was no longer enthralled by the sound his ion thrusters made, Beast Boy made no jokes what so ever, because of that Raven had no one to feed a straight line to, Aurora sat with Lee at his station, and Robin looked thoroughly pissed. Beast Boy leaned on his arm at his seat and played with some of the switches, then let out an audible sigh. When no one made any reaction to it he turned around and let out a;
"HELLO, didn't anyone here me"? Lee, who was sitting right next to him, grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back into his seat.
"I think everyone heard you".
"Well excuse me for trying to break the mood around here", said Beast Boy crossing his arms.
"That doesn't really seem possible at the moment does it", replied Lee mockingly. BB rounded on him.
"OH YEAH! And how would the big tough samurai do things right now? Oh wait I know! He'd probably kill himself because he couldn't live with the shame of running away"- SMACK!!!!! Beast Boy fell to the floor and rubbed the side of his face. Raven stood over him with her hand raised up.
"That-is-enough", she said looking at both him and Lee. She calmed herself as well and sat back down. "You two need to pull yourselves together. I know this may not be the answer, but we don't really have a choice". Cyborg slammed his fist down on his panel and swiveled around to his friends.
"MAN, what the hell are we doing? We should be figuring out a way to save Star instead of just running back home with our tails between our legs. No offense BB". Beast Boy nodded and looked back out the window. It was then that Robin flicked a switch and brought the ship to a full stop. Unprepared the other Titans flew out of their seats and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. Rubbing their heads they all looked up at Robin who was now facing them.
"We're not going anywhere". Cyborg dusted himself off and sat back down.
"Then will please tell me why we're all of a sudden zooming back to earth"?
"We're not. We're just making the impression that we're rushing back home", said Robin. He looked over at Raven and Beast Boy. "Which reminds me, you two still haven't told us what we got from Orion's villa". Raven nodded back at Beast Boy who procured from his pocket the small disk and handed to Raven. She inserted it into her panel and displayed their findings. Holographic blueprints for the droid soldiers came up, along with plans for galactic invasions. Robin got up and looked at the prints open mouthed.
"How many", he asked silently.
"Tens of thousands, maybe even millions", replied Raven. In the background Aurora hung her head slightly, as if feeling guilty for not telling them earlier. Robin scratched the back of his head and walked around the room while thinking.
"What about the Tamaranian regulars", inquired Cyborg. Raven sighed and turned off the display.
"Her highness forced them out of the city. They now live in camps scattered about on the planet".
"He would only have built an army of such scope for one purpose", the others awaited him to finish and Robin turned back to them. "He's going after Earth. I'm more than willing to bet it's first on his hit list".
"Reasonable", said Lee. "But what can we hope to accomplish? We are a few against many".
"Well first we have to go back and try and talk some sense into Starfire", said Raven. Beast Boy raised his head.
"That's another thing, what is with Starfire these days"? Robin reached down and threw Beast Boy and empty glass. He caught it and looked confused. "I don't get it". Robin got up and took the glass from Beast Boy and held it up.
"Before we left I swiped this from her room. It contains three things; water, sugar, and a powerful sedative-like drug which works directly in the mind". Cyborg took the glass, scanned it, and confirmed Robin's report. "When I was talking to her not long ago, it felt like the whole world was changing, like my own elf was being rearranged". The Titans all looked puzzled at this, except Raven. She got up and walked over to Robin.
"Like you would never be yourself again", she prompted. Robin nodded and they both mouthed the same name.
"Orion has been using Ream to wipe her thoughts and then", he picked up the glass and once again held it up. "He gave her this to condition her mind to the way he wanted it; an unfeeling and ruthless dictator. He surpassed her inhibitions about the power she held and allowed it to grow".
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely", added Lee. Robin threw the glass away and it shattered in a corner off to the side. He went to his seat and sat back down.
"And since we have a knowledgeable Tamaranian with us", said Raven gesturing to Aurora. "We could have a chance at getting through the defense system".
"Mostly because no one will know were coming this time", said Cyborg. Aurora looked even guiltier, Cyborg laughed. "Don't worry Aurora, we know it wasn't you". She smiled brightly. Robin continued on.
"If we run home, if we don't do something, then there will be nothing to stop Orion. And it won't be just the citizens of other worlds that suffer, oh no. First they'll make sure the people on their own world are stomped into repressive living, just to make sure there are no home rebellions". The situation looked grim indeed. "I'm telling you guys right now I'm not going to sit in this ship and let that happen". Cyborg had heard enough. He turned back around to his panel and turned the ship in a complete 180.
"Better pick out a DVD, it's a long way back to Tamaran", and Cyborg gunned the thrusters and they zoomed back to Tamaran.
MEANWHILE ON TAMARAN..........................
Starfire tossed and turned in her bed. During the last couple of nights she had had the worst time at having a peaceful nights sleeps. So far her dreams have been filled with past visions of her and Robin and the two of them being destroyed. Always in a different manner than the night before. Then she would see herself zapping helpless people with her starbolts, and enjoying it. No, there is no way she could be like that. Robin and the Titans taught her better-. "Robin"! The name escaped her mouth and she sat up in her bed. Shaking slightly she reached for her tonic which promptly managed to make it to her nightstand every evening. She gulped it down and felt the warmth spread throughout her body. It had gotten to the point where she couldn't help but long for it every night and every morning. She closed her eyes and felt at ease; she glanced at a small clock (in her language) which told her it was five in the morning. It had been an entire night since the Titans had left and today she was to be crowned queen of Tamaran. When she thought about them she felt a strong sense of joy and at the same time a strange presence of hate. She soon heard a voice inside her head.
'What a bunch of meddling nobodies, trying to divert me from my destiny. Well I showed them. Koriand'r is ruler of this planet, not them. And soon their home world will know my name"!
'WAIT"! Came another voice. 'What are you doing? How can you say that about them? How can you speak that way about Robin? It was he who found you when you arrived on Earth". Starfire clutched her head. She didn't who she was anymore. Was she Starfire of the Teen Titans, or Koriand'r of Tamaran? She felt so confused and decided she needed some fresh air. She moved over to the window doors and moved the curtain aside. She then noticed, for the first time, that it was raining outside. The sky was dark and there wasn't any thunder or lighting, it was just pouring rain. She sighed and went back bed. She nestled herself under the covers and began to drift off to sleep.........SLAM! Starfire sat up straight scared to death by the sudden slamming of her door. The loud knocking continued and Starfire rose out of her bed hiding behind a large blanket.
"E-enter", two of the humanoid droids came in and immediately secured the area. More followed and two took station outside her door. "Please tell me, what is going on"? One turned to her and shoved her back over onto her bed.
"We have a security breach", he said in a computer voice. "Please stay a safe distance from the doors and windows". The six to seven droids formed a perimeter around her bed and readied their rifles. From down the hall they could hear numerous laser fire and rough noises. Starfire watched anxiously from behind the guards.
Outside a group of droids were running down the hall firing at something behind them. They were then cut off however by another robot. Only this one was half machine, half man. He fired his arm cannon, and because the droids were single file, blew a hole right through each of them. A larger group appeared behind him, but they were torn to pieces by a swift green tiger. He grabbed half of one in his mouth and shook it around until it finally fell apart. Down the hall facing them, another group of about four came their way. They stood perfectly still and as the droids moved closer a large wall made of black energy rose up form the ground and they smashed into it. Picking back up their rifles one looked up only to be sliced down the middle by a razor sharp sword. The sword moved like whip whisked off the heads of tow of the other droids. The last one tried to get away but was tripped by the swordsman and then stabbed in the chest. Their shadows looked like distorted waves on the walls do to the rain pattering against the windows. He sheathed his sword and nodded to two others. One nodded back and talked into his arm communicator.
"Your clear", he said. Back inside Starfire's room she waited on her bed patiently for any type of an answer. Finally she threw off the blanket and a moved to get up. One of the guards spun around and held up his hand.
"Your highness, it is strongly recommended that you stay here until we get confirmation that the threat has been neutralized". Starfire rolled her eyes.
"Do you hear anything out there? It's obviously been taken care of, now I'm going for some breakfast, if you have a disagreement with my decision then speak to Orion". She moved off her bed and then stopped as the doors to her room flung open. The droids opened fire as a lone figure took out a grapple and soared up into the darkness of the ceiling. Starfire looked up for a moment and then dashed to her closet. The droids circled down below and fired blind shot above them. All was completely silent for a moment, the room was so quiet that the rain on the windows sounded like music. Starfire peered out of her closet still slipping something different on. Then a small whistling sound could be heard. They all looked around then a whirling disk came out of no where and blew apart the head of one of the droids. Just then the figure dropped down on top of another droid, brought out his staff and began to dispense some indiscriminant justice. He swiped under their legs and then slid beneath anther while attaching a freeze disk onto its back. Now nothing more than an icicle it fell over and shattered into a million pieces. He turned back around throwing three more disks out from under his cape. As he easily dealt with the guards Starfire watched from her closet doors, mesmerized by the amount of precision he had in his moves. She remembered only one person to have power like that, Rob-.
"He's an intruder", the voice rang through her head once more. She reached up and rubbed her temple. "He has come to assassinate you. Your guards have failed, you must stop him".
"I-I must", she breathed. Her eyes and fists turned a dark shade of purple and she left the closet. Robin retracted his staff and looked around the room. He breathed out a sigh of accomplishment.
"Well, glad that's over. Now to find Star"-. He didn't finish, for a received a powerful blow in the back which sent him flying through the windows and out onto the balcony. The endless rain drops bounced off of him as he spun around to face his attacker. When Starfire walked out onto the balcony his mouth didn't drop but frowned. It had gotten worse than thought. He was going to have to fight her in order to save her. Koriand'r stepped forward and readied another starbolt.
"ASSASIN! You have been caught! If you surrender yourself now, you may receive a merciful penalty"!
"Sorry Koir, but I'm here to rescue Starfire. And you're not going to stop me"! He charged at her and she let loose her starbolt, it hit him dead in the chest and he flew off the balcony and landed in the wet grass of the lower courtyard. Which indecently was still hundreds of feet off the actual ground. Gritting his teeth from the pain he got up and brought out his staff. From the dense cloud of water Koriand'r emerged, pelting right at him. He blocked her punch and then whipped his staff around and made contact with her back. She yelped, flew up and began throwing down an endless barrage of starbolts. Robin did his best to dodge and block them. He flipped around the many planters and benches that encircled the courtyard while avoiding the balls of energy. She went for a back shot which he blocked by spinning his staff behind him and then twirling it forward. Getting aggravated Koriand'r flew up to Robin and grabbed his staff. They struggled against each other trying to make the other let go of the weapon. He could hear her growl somewhat out of fury and smirked. Obviously Starfire wasn't telling Koriand'r that you should never attack in anger. By now both of them had become soaking wet and if possible were getting even wetter. Robin then swung around the staff throwing Koriand'r up in the air and she smacked against a nearby pillar. Shaking her head she fired her eye beams at him which made him roll out of the way to avoid getting it in the head. When he got back up, she had gone. He gripped his staff tightly and walked around the courtyard while under the continuing downpour. He knew she was still here; now it was just a matter of who was the hunter, and who was the hunted.
"STARFIRE", he called out. He turned around and began walking towards the pillar she hit. "You're loosing it"! A pair of dark purple eyes watched him pass as he vigilantly searched for her. "Why won't you talk to me Starfire?! Why wont you come to you're senses"?!! He heard something move swiftly behind him and he turned quickly to see nothing. A few starbolts then flew out of the darkness and were and inch from his face. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to teach Star just about everything he knew. He decided to make her come to him, he raised his voice to try and overpower the rain drops. "You know what I think it is?! You like being this way"! The eyes stayed situated as they watched him come closer and closer. "YOU LIKE BEING KORIAND'R INSTEAD OF STARFIRE!!! Well who's the real ruler right now? You or Orion"?!! Koriand'r suddenly flew out at him and she knocked away his staff and slammed him up against the pillar. She pinned him there and held her other hand back with a ready Starbolt. Robin struggled against her alien grip.
"Starfire, this guy has turned you into something your not". She blinked several times. "Don't listen to him".
"But-but I need him. I cannot rule without his advice". Robin hung his head for a moment.
"No Star, what you need is to stop this invasion. Stop it before it's too late". She looked down at her feet and shook head.
"I can't stop it", she looked him in the eyes. "I WON'T"! Koriand'r grabbed him by the shoulder and held him over the side of the courtyard. Robin gripped the arm that held him up and glanced down and saw the rain drops disappear into the darkness. He felt her grip loosening. Well, it was either talk her out of it or get his bird-a-rang ready.
"Starfire, when I was forced to work for Slade you said something to me which I'll never forget". She raised an eyebrow. "Starfire you are more important to me than my own life. I cannot live in any world were we must fight. If you are truly Koriand'r of Tamaran then go ahead, do what you have to". He released her arm and waited for her to make a decision. She simply stood there for a moment, taking in all that he said. Robin then felt her let go, but it was after she had brought him over the railing and onto the ground. He looked up and saw her eyes go from purple to bright green and then back to normal. She then knelt beside him hugged him tightly.
"Robin, are you damaged", asked Starfire worryingly. He just now felt bruises all over him. He smiled and stroked her soaked head.
"Actually Star, I've never felt better".
"Oh Robin, can you and our friends ever forgive me"?
"You, already have. Koriand'r, I'm not so sure about her". He felt her giggle somewhat and she snuggled her head in his shoulder. "I've missed you".
"And I you", she said looking back up at him. They moved their heads closer to each other when they heard foot steps. They both looked over to see a tall dark figure coming toward them. Robin got up and hid Starfire from him. Ream curved his half mouth into a tiny smile.
"I just might cry", he hissed. Robin reached around for his staff and then remembered that he lost it earlier. The rain had begun to subside by now; Robin moved to get up but then clutched his stomach in pain. It was from when Starfire had rammed into him. He and Starfire were sitting ducks.
"STAY BACK! If you touch her I swear I'll kill you"!! Robin held two disks in his hand.
"Those who are dead do not take heed of the living", said Ream gesturing to himself. He reached up, removed his half face mask and threw it to the ground. Robin and Starfire finally realized what he meant. Half of Reams face was a ghostly skull. It was foggy and transparent. Ream was half ghost. He stared them both in the eyes and it seemed like hope itself was being torn from them. Laughing silently he moved closer, his laugh echoed throughout the courtyard. He was but ten feet from them when Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Lee, and Aurora suddenly blocked his way. Robin made another attempt to get up but failed.
"You just sit tight", said Cyborg not taking his eyes off of Ream. "We'll handle this". Ream smiled maliciously and took a step forward. The Titans then readied each of their powers and weapons and shot right at him.
WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT??!! We'll find out in the next chapter I suppose. Some people like a good cliffy, and other don't. To those who don't, sorry but I have to stop at some point. No worries, the next part will come soon enough. Thanks again for the reviews and please keep reading.