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Samanthe, Hotshot, Pickles - You all are wonderful to me. Thank you all!

Yeah, do you guys remember what I said at the beginning about Mas y Menos/we'll see? Well, you'll see...

Nope, I still don't own the titans.

Chapter Six: The Darkest Fire Burns Pure

Titan One was just passing Mercury on course for a slingshot around the sun. They would use the extra speed gained from that maneuver to cut down the travel time to Tamaran from four days to two. In front of them, the exterior view had been replaced by a computer generated representation of the solar system, a blue T marking their position. Their proximity to the sun made relying on the exterior cameras impossible because of the light and glare.

Jinx stood up from the navigation console and went over to Speedy at the helm. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned in close. "Calculations for the slingshot around the sun and our flight plan to Tamaran were verified by the computer. You'll need to tie the helm into navigation."

Speedy smiled. "Is this how you're going to bring everything to my attention?"

Jinx leaned in and whispered seductively into his ear. "Maybe."

"Well, I hope we have lots of course corrections." He tapped the requisite keys on his console and the controls changed colors from blue to red, indicating the helm had been linked into the navigational computer.

Behind them, Aqualad cleared his throat. "If you two are finished, what is our status?"

Speedy spun around in his chair quickly, catching Jinx at the legs and making her fall into his lap. He looked at the Atlantian with calm, masked eyes. "Flight plan verified and the helm is tied into navigation. We're ready to initiate the jump when you are."

Aqualad shook his head bemusedly and turned to Raven. "Bring the shields online." He turned on the communication grid. "Cyborg, you ready?"

Cyborg responded with his usual cool confidence. "Engines are purring like kittens."

Aqualad nodded. Jinx had returned to her station and Speedy had turned back around. He spoke into the communication grid again, this time being broadcast through the whole ship. "This is your captain speaking, we will be beginning the slingshot and jump to Tamaran momentarily."

Beast Boy looked up from his weapons console. "Time." He looked at the ship's clock. "Two hours, twenty five minutes."

Terra laughed, jumping around the deck. "Yes! I win! I had two and a half hours. That's as close as you can get!"

Aqualad turned to face her. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Beast Boy took a small wad of bills from his pocket and handed it to Terra. "It was a pool on how long it would be before you said 'this is your captain speaking'. Terra won."

Aqualad sunk down in his chair. To his left, he heard the soothing monotone of Raven. "Don't worry too much, I had you in at four hours."

He slapped his forehead. "Speedy, hit it."

In the darkness of space, the four engines of Titan One glowed bright blue as they came to life. Without so much as a whisper in the vacuum of space, the craft accelerated quickly towards the sun.

In space, time is relative depending on where you are from, so for the titans, going off Jump City time, it was nearly midnight. Mas y Menos were finishing their two hour night watch rotation, and would be relieved by Beast Boy and Terra in a few minutes. Mas sat on the seat of the command chair and Menos sat above him on the headrest. They ran a final systems diagnostic to end their shift and were happy to see a board full of green lights as Beast Boy and Terra walked onto the command deck.

Beast Boy nodded to the twins. "Okay, guys. Get some sleep. Tomorrow we arrive at Tamaran."

Mas nodded. "Si." Menos continued the thought. "Gracias, Beast Boy y Terra."

Terra smiled at them as they walked past, and moved forward to take the command chair. Beast Boy caught this out of the corner of his eye and made a similar rush, moving with catlike speed to take the chair first. This didn't stop Terra, and she delicately perched herself in his lap.

Beast Boy smiled and tapped a few buttons on the chair's console, the screens around them flickered as the language option changed from Spanish to English. He nodded approvingly. "Much better."

Terra shifted in his lap, getting comfortable. "Well, captain, what now?" Her voice was playful and she leaned against him suggestively.

Beast Boy grinned, wrapping his arms around her. "Down, girl. I don't think Aqualad would approve of anything like that in his chair. Besides, the shift is only two hours." He leaned back, studying the console closely. "We'd need at least twice that long."

Terra looked at him wide eyed, trying to judge if he was serious or not. He turned his eyes to her and she could see just how serious he was. She blushed a bright red and squirmed a little in his lap.

Their playful banter was interrupted by a blaring klaxon. Both jumped at the loud noise and looked to the viewscreen as Beast Boy called up the cause of the alert. Sensors were picking up a single, high speed projectile on collision course with the ship. Beast Boy opened the communications grid and addressed the entire ship. "General quarters. Repeat, general quarters. All hands to battle stations."

Terra went to her post at the sensors to try to gather more information. Beast Boy remained in the command chair awaiting the others. Within minutes the sound of heavy footsteps was heard down the hallway and the other titans began to file onto the command deck, taking their places at their stations. Beast Boy got up and moved to weapons and Aqualad took command again. "Terra, report."

Her hands were flying over her console. "We're still too far away to register anything accurately, but it appears to be a single projectile. It's small, maybe a torpedo or an escape pod from another ship."

Raven shook her head. "An escape pod wouldn't be moving that quickly."

Aqualad nodded. "Assume it's hostile. Raven, shields up. Beast Boy, bring weapons online but hold off on targeting it for now. How long until we have a more accurate idea of what it is, Terra?"

"Just a minute." There was a long pause across the command deck. "It's increased speed. Sensors indicate that it is Tamaranian."

Speedy looked back to her. "Tamaranian? Why are they firing on us, they know we're coming and that we've got Starfire on board."

"No, it's not a Tamaranian weapon. It's a Tamaranian. Time to target is four minutes."

Robin and Bumblebee waited at the airlock door for the Tamaranian to arrive. Robin was leaning against a bulkhead, thinking things over. "I don't get it. Galfore knows we're coming. Why would he be sending someone to intercept us?"

Bumblebee shrugged. "Maybe he managed to get someone through the blockade with the antibiotic. That way we wouldn't have to risk getting Starfire through the blockade ourselves."

"But he knows Starfire is in cryogenic suspension. She's not getting any better or any worse. It would be a lot easier for us to try to run the blockade in a ship with weapons than for a single Tamaranian to."

Aqualad's voice came from a nearby communication link. "Robin, we just saw something purple flash by the side of the ship up here. I think it's our visitor." He had barely finished speaking before Robin saw the airlock indicate that the external door had closed and the airlock was cycling.

Robin's eyes grew wide. "Wait a minute. Purple?"

The interior door opened, casting light on the person inside. It was obvious from the short black skirt and midriff top that she was female. She stepped forward, the light playing across her jet black hair. The girl had purple eyes, but they were distant and sad. Bumblebee stood confused as she saw Robin step back and withdraw a freeze disk from his belt. His voice was as cold as ice. "Blackfire."

Bumblebee heard heavy footsteps and turned to see Cyborg, who had his arm cannon leveled at the girl. She stepped back to him and whispered. "Who is she?"

Cyborg glared. "Blackfire is Star's sister. She tried to frame her for some intergalactic robberies a while ago and then tried to force her to marry some slime mold by taking the Tamaranian crown. We don't much like her."

Blackfire finally spoke up. Her voice was strangely quiet and lacked her usual confidence, and held no trace of anger whatsoever. "Am I too late?"

Robin relaxed a little. "Too late for what?"

"Starfire. Is she…?" She looked like she was about to cry.

Robin straightened. He looked over at Cyborg and Bee and made a slight motion with his hand. They caught it and nodded. He looked Blackfire square in the eye. "Yes, you're too late. Starfire is dead."

The alien princess fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face as her sobs filled the hallway. She leaned back against the wall and put her head on her knees, tucking herself into a tight ball as she cried. Through the sobs, she could barely choke out her story. "I heard she was sick with bar and'r'y. I knew she didn't have much time so I wanted to bring the barglox but I had to get off the planet right after I broke out of prison or be recaptured. I figured I could get her and bring her back in time. I made it through the blockade and then found that your ship already heading here."

Robin shook his head. His voice was sharp as he addressed her. "You've never done a nice thing for Star for as long as we've known you. First you frame her, then you try to use her as some pawn in a ploy for political power. Why should we believe you now?"

Blackfire looked up, her purple eyes red and puffy. "Because she is my sister and I love her."

Robin huffed. "If that's love, I don't want to see hate. Cyborg, take her into custody. We'll return her with Starfire."

She looked up at him nervously, her eyes pleading. "Can I see her? Please, you have to let me see her."

Cyborg came forward and put her into restraints, guards that fit over her hands to prevent the use of starbolts and cuffed her hands in front of her. Robin nodded once she was secured. "Fine, follow me."

It was deathly cold in the cargo hold, an effect of the cryogenic chamber up against the far wall. The lighting was dimmed and a fog of water vapor hovered over the floor. Robin pointed to the chamber. "There."

Blackfire lowered herself to the ground and walked through the fog towards the chamber. She hesitated for a second, then took the final step forward and looked through the glass lid to her sister below. Starfire lay peacefully inside, caught in her last moment. Her hands were clasped at her chest and her eyes were closed with a single frozen tear sliding down her cheek.

She regarded her sister for a minute, and then leaned down, placing her head close to the glass. She spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, sister. I'm sorry I wasn't nicer to you and that I did so much to you. I have failed you. Maybe one day you can tell me that you forgive me." Tears fell from her eyes and froze almost immediately on the glass lid. She sank to her knees in the cold fog and leaned against the chamber. Her voice was a whisper when she spoke again. "I want to stay with her."

Robin walked over and kneeled beside her, he looked her in the eyes for a second and the moved to undo her restraints. At her questioning glance, he looked down at the fog beneath them. "Blackfire, I haven't exactly been honest with you."

Blackfire sat at the table in the crew quarters, surrounded by the other titans. The east titans had introduced themselves to her and now they were discussing her sister. She sighed. "Twenty one hours? That's not bad. Bar and'r'y has been cured with only minutes left, provided the time of infection is accurate."

Robin nodded. "You understand that I had to make sure you weren't going to get revenge on her while she was incapacitated, don't you?"

"Yes. I forgive you and don't blame you at all. I can see what she finds so attractive in you. I'll help get her to Tamaran safely in any way that I can."

They were interrupted by Mas y Menos entering the crew quarters from the galley. Mas carried a tray with a coffee mug on it. Menos carried the creamer and sugar set. They set their gifts down before Blackfire and smiled. They spoke with one voice. "¿Café? Es muy bueno…"

Blackfire, who didn't understand a word they said, looked down at the two and smiled brightly. "Well aren't you two just the most handsome thing in the world!" She gave them both a hug and giggled brightly when they both fainted.

Raven arched an eyebrow and placed her finger delicately into her glass of water. She took the resulting drop of water and placed it on Aqualad's skin, the water was just enough for them to communicate. "So do all Tamaranian girls fall for shorter guys?"

Aqualad snorted in laughter, trying to hide it as a cough. Raven dried her hand and looked over at the alien girl from beside Aqualad. "So why the sudden change? I didn't think you liked her or were too bent on revenge to even try to."

Blackfire stared into her coffee for answers. "When I heard she was sick, I don't know what happened, I just lost it. I remembered how things were when we were young and I just couldn't imagine waking up and one day her not being there. Even when I was plotting against her, I never wanted her dead. And maybe she finally rubbed off on me. Do you know she sent me a letter every day I was in prison?"

Raven nodded. "Yes, that's definitely Starfire."