----------------B------------------

After dinner, Starfire naturally insisted that Windfire stay with the Titans. She led him upstairs to his room. Looking around, Windfire was impressed.

"Very nice. A lot better than the last place I spent overnight for a mission." Noticing Starfire's curious look, he answered it. "An air vent in the engineering section of a Gordanian light cruiser. I had to stay there six hours before I could sneak out. I don't know what they use to fuel their engines, but the fumes are noxious. I thought I'd never get the smell off."

"How did you manage to infiltrate a Gordanian ship?"

Windfire smiled. "Long story. Suffice to say that it involved several rounds of Kloberian blackjack and an intelligence agent who knew how to count cards." He returned to looking around the room. "Hey, who's this?" He picked up a group picture of the Titans. "Who's this blonde girl?"

Starfire's face had a sad, faraway expression all of a sudden. "Oh. Yes, this was her room." She took the picture from Windfire. "This was Terra. She was a Teen Titan, with powers over rocks and earth. She was lost to us some months ago."

"What happened?"

"She died saving the city." A tear rolled down Starfire's cheek. "And we miss her."

Windfire was silent for a moment as Starfire wiped the tear away. "Part of the business, I guess. Does it ever make you think about it? The risk, I mean."

Starfire thought about it as she put the photo back in its place. "It is true that what we do is dangerous, but it has to be done. The city needs us."

"So you do it for the city."

"Well, partly."

"For your fellow Titans?"

Starfire nodded. "That is part of it, too. They took me in, gave me a home."

"You had a home already. Back on Tamaran. What was wrong with that one?"

"Oh, nothing, of course. It is just ... well, when I came here, the Titans brought me into their group. Made me one of the team. They did not have to do that. But that is the kind of people they are. They are my friends. I belong with them now."

"One more than the others?"

"What do you mean?"

Windfire stepped forward to look Starfire straight in the eyes. "Do you do it for him? Do you stay because of Robin?"

Starfire didn't know how to respond, and just stared at Windfire.

Windfire realized he had gone too far, and stepped back. "Uh, sorry. Not my business."

Starfire found her voice, an uncharacteristically hard one. "No, it is not." She seemed to rise in height as she spoke.

This time, Windfire was smart enough to keep his mouth closed.

"Why do you do it?" Starfire asked in a softer voice.

This time, it was Windfire's turn to get a faraway look on his face. "I lost someone, too. A long time ago. Someone very important to me."

"Oh. I am sorry."

"Yeah, well, so's everybody."

There was an awkward silence. Starfire broke it. "So, you will be fine here tonight?"

"A-OK. Thanks for letting me stay."

Starfire smiled. "It is our pleasure. Sleep tight. Do not let the insects of the sleeping furniture chew on you."

"I'll remember that." Windfire escorted Starfire to the door.

They got to the doorway. "Oh," Starfire said, "I wish to ask a question."

"Shoot."

Starfire was confused for a moment, not understanding what the use of firearms had to do with asking questions. She then decided it didn't matter and asked, "How do you know English so well, after being here for only a few days?"

"Intelligence school. They have a great language program. You should hear my Russian sometime."

Starfire nodded. "Oh, that makes the sense. Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Star," Windfire said as he closed the door.

-----------------B----------------------------

The next day dawned brightly, and Windfire was awake early. He headed downstairs, and saw that no one else was up yet. He made his way to the training room, where he found Robin working out with his bo-staff. Robin noticed Windfire and stopped mid-swing.

"Morning. Sleep well?"

Windfire nodded. "Like a log. You superheroes sure know how to live comfortably."

Robin hesitated for a second, wondering if the statement was meant as a gibe. He decided it wasn't. "You're up early."

Windfire walked around the room, checking out the various pieces of equipment. "It's a habit for me. I'm an early riser. I guess I got it from my father." He looked at Robin's bo-staff. "You practice with that often?"

"Every day. It's a very useful weapon." He threw the staff to Windfire, who caught it with ease. "Did they teach you about this in intelligence school?"

Windfire was twirling the staff around, shifting it from hand to hand and practicing some simple moves. "I've done a few drills. This is lighter than the ones we usually practiced with."

Robin grabbed another staff and extended it to its full length. He grinned at Windfire. "En garde." He moved the bo-staff to an attack posture.

Windfire moved his bo-staff across his body to defend. The fight started slowly, each man sizing the other up. It got more serious as the fight progressed, with both men fighting to win. They were very evenly matched, but the contest ended when Windfire tripped Robin and put his staff to Robin's throat in a classic move. Robin was not happy with this development, and his face showed it. Windfire, smiling in triumph, stepped back and held his staff at the ready. Robin jumped up and grabbed his staff. The second fight was more intense than the first. This time it ended with Windfire on the floor with Robin's staff at his throat. The third fight was more relaxed, more like a pick-up game of basketball than a fight for dominance. The third round lasted the longest by far, and both men finally agreed to call it a draw.

Robin grinned once he had caught his breath. "I guess you learned a lot from those drills."

"Top of my class."

"You know, I couldn't help noticing that you learned a lot about a lot of things. Like us, for example. You know our systems, our weapons, our enemies. And last night at dinner, it sounded almost like you had known us for years."

"Well, you guys are famous on Tamaran. The Teen Titans, fighting for truth, justice, and the last slice of pizza. Your battles with the Hive. With Slade. Defending the city from evil-doers, whoever they may be. And led by our beloved princess Starfire."

Robin was incredulous. "Led by Starfire?"

"Hey, we at Intelligence know the score, but that's how it plays for most people. She is Tamaranian royalty, after all. Not to mention wildly popular."

"Is that why you contacted us even after you were ordered not to?"

Windfire nodded. "It was a chance to meet the legends."

"So what do you think of the 'legends' now that you've met us?"

"So far, you're everything I expected."

Just then, Beastboy showed in the doorway. "Hey, there you guys are. C'mon. Cyborg's got something."

------------------B-------------------

Robin and Windfire joined the other titans around the console where Cyborg was seated. "Report," Robin said.

"Working from Windfire's info, I've been monitoring cell phone activity. I intercepted a call that might be what we want. Listen." Cyborg highlighted an entry on the console, and pressed Enter.

Two male voices came over the speakers. They were somewhat obscured by background interference, but they still could be made out. "The package will be here on time?"

"Hey, not a problem. We got one of the best drivers in the business. He'll be there tonight."

"The driver doesn't know what he's hauling, does he?"

"Are you crazy? He thinks he running cocaine."

"All the same, we'd better wrap him up when he gets here."

"Well, I'll leave that to you. He should be there by ten."

"So we can start the party tomorrow."

"Yeah, I hope the guests like their present."

"I know we'll enjoy giving it to them. Catch you later." The connection was broken.

Cyborg turned his chair to face the others. "The location of one end of that call was right here in the city, right around the address Windfire tipped us off to." He looked straight at the intelligence agent. "Looks like you were dead on."

Windfire grew excited. "It sure does sound ominous. Any other calls from the same location?"

"Well, look at this. You know that little terrorist cell we busted the day before yesterday? I went back a couple of days and found a call made from that warehouse to the address lasting about twenty minutes."

"Looks like that's the place."

While Windfire and Cyborg were talking, they didn't notice Raven put a hand to Robin's shoulder and draw him away from the group. They conversed in hushed tones, and Robin looked at Windfire. He returned to the conversation with Raven and they then rejoined the group. Robin said, "Good work, Cyborg. Windfire, come over here. We'd better discuss strategy."

Windfire followed Robin to the central area of the common room. The other titans followed, with Raven in front. Robin slowed so that Windfire would go on ahead. He noticed this, and turned back to see Robin standing with his arms over his chest. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Azareth, Metrion, Zinthos!" With Raven's incantation, Windfire was wrapped in black energy and lifted up to the ceiling, surprising him and the other titans, except for Robin.

Starfire started forward. "Raven, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Starfire," said Robin. "We won't hurt him, we just want to go over his story again." He stepped to where Windfire was floating. "You say you're with Tamaranian intelligence."

"Right," said Windfire, clearly flustered.

"Wrong. Turns out they don't know who you are. They never sent anyone to protect Starfire, and they don't know anything about this terrorist group. Care to try again?"

"Well, intelligence guys tend to keep secrets. I'm not surprised they didn't tell you anything."

Sarcasm edged into Robin's voice. "Right. They wouldn't tell Robin, the leader of the heroic Teen Titans. You were right about that, we are heroes on Tamaran. When I told them who I was, they fell all over themselves to help me. I just heard from the Grand Ruler himself. He said he'd never heard of any specific threat to Starfire, he's never heard of this terrorist group, and he's never heard of you."

Starfire flew up to Windfire, a questioning look in her green eyes. "Please, Windfire. I believe you have good intentions, but you must tell us who you really are."

Windfire surrendered with a sigh. "Raven," he said, "In my right breast pocket, there's a piece of jewelry. Pull it out and give it to Starfire."

A pseudopod of dark energy came from the coils enveloping Windfire, and deposited a small leather and metal bracelet in Starfire's hand. Then the coils disappeared, allowing Windfire to float down to the floor with Starfire, who was staring at the bracelet in shock. "Where did you get this?" she asked Windfire.

"What is it?" Beastboy asked.

Starfire turned to face the other Titans. "It is a klamfa, a traditional gift for the first-born child in a Tamaranian family. It has my family glyph and my personal glyph on it. My glyph is in the mother's position." She looked at Windfire. "But how can this exist? I have no child!"

"Not yet. In five years, you're going to give birth to a son."

"You?"

Windfire nodded. "Starfire, I'm from the future, about 30 years in the future. You made that and gave that to me the day after I was born."

That news put the Titans into shock all by itself. But Windfire wasn't finished.

"That was just before you died."

-------------------E------------------

OK, a little more talk than action in that one, but I hope the pay-off was worth it.