Hurray for reviews!
Samanthe – Glad you're enjoying it, but sadly all good things must come to an end. This chapter will finish up this particular book.
MLH – Not over yet, this is the last chapter.
Hotshot – I do plan on continuing the series. I have two more books that I'm writing as we speak. I should have the first chapter of book three up on Monday or Tuesday, God willing and if the creeks don't rise.
April – I couldn't resist knighting them. I just had to do it.
Inuandrave – Nah, I'm not mad. It takes a lot to get me mad.
ValleyGurl – You know, my first story isn't so bad either. Hint hint…
StarSoSweet – What else will I write about? Oh, I have a few ideas…
Well, thank you all for sticking with me for this story. I'm glad you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Please, continue to post reviews if you enjoyed this story, I love the feedback.
That said, I give you my standard disclaimer. I still don't own the titans.
Chapter Twelve: The Voyage Home
It was exactly a month to the day before the newly refurbished Titan One sat cradled in a Tamaranian support frame on a launch pad. Repairs had been completed and the ship had been appointed a new designation by the Tamaranian military, Titan One was now classified as a destroyer. The crew had finished packing their gear and all that was left were the goodbyes.
Galfore and Blackfire saw them to their ship. To say that Blackfire had changed in the last month would be putting it mildly. She had been instrumental in the negotiation of the new treaty with the Gordanians and was beginning to take her restored royal duties seriously. She embraced her younger sister in a tight Tamaranian hug. "Sister, we have been through so much this last month. Will you visit more often?"
Starfire nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes, sister. I most certainly will. And it will be like old times." She had tears in her eyes.
Blackfire did, too. "Just like old times."
Nearby, Galfore had taken Robin aside and put his hand on his shoulder. "I cannot thank you enough for taking care of Koriand'r through all this." There was a pause, not uncomfortable, but no words seemed right.
Robin nodded and broke the silence. "Yes, she's worth it all and more."
Galfore nodded and shook hands with Robin, who was pleased that he didn't use a Tamaranian handshake and thus left him with some feeling still in his hand. They turned back around to see that Blackfire had said goodbye to everyone except Mas y Menos. She was presently wrapped up in a hug with both of them.
Slowly, the titans began to make their way back onto the ship. Starfire had taken the opportunity to fill the now empty cargo hold with enough Tamaranian foods for her to open and stock a restaurant. Her prize, though, was a half ton of zorkaberries. She had made absolutely sure that they were properly washed. All the same, Robin made sure that, in a specially labeled cooler, there was a full treatment of the antibiotic barglox. He wasn't about to let anything like this happen ever again.
The crew strapped into their respective positions on the command deck. Aqualad, however, stood behind the command chair. He turned to Robin and gestured to it. "Command is yours, Robin. For all intents and purposes, the mission is over."
Robin looked up from helping Starfire figure out the seat harness. He regarded the Atlantian with a smirk and then calmly strapped himself into the seat he had occupied on liftoff from earth. "What do you mean the mission is over? We're not home yet."
Aqualad smiled and took the command chair. He began to strap himself in as he felt the ship begin to lift into the upright position. "Bumblebee, raise the control tower. Let's go home."
"Titan One, you are cleared for landing on runway two one niner. Distance to runway is three miles, speed four hundred fifty miles per hour."
Speedy checked his instruments. "Roger, control. Runway two one niner."
Aqualad watched from the command chair as the ship came in for landing at Jump City Naval Air Station. "Speedy, lower the landing gear. Set us down someplace close to the food court."
Speedy laughed. "I'll see if there's a space open." He pressed the requisite buttons and was met with a cheerful display screen with three green lights where the landing gear was situated. "Landing gear deployed. Cool, no crash landing this time."
Jinx looked up from her station. "Always a good thing."
The ship dropped closer and closer as it neared the runway, the altimeter on the helm slowly working its way back down to zero. At zero, the screech of tires was heard and the ship gave a small hop. "Main gear contact. Nose wheel in three feet, two, one." A second screeching sound was heard indicating that the ship was completely on the ground.
Titan One was safely back on earth after two uneventful days of space travel. Speedy deployed the drogue parachute and applied the brake and slowly the ship began to come to a halt on the long runway. The ship stopped at the far end of the runway and the helmsman leaned back in his chair. "We have wheels stop."
Aqualad smiled and unstrapped himself from his seat harness. "Nice landing, Speedy. Everyone, let's get ready for egress."
The titans locked their consoles and walked through the ship to the airlock door and opened it. A screaming mass of people and the bright flash of cameras and the steady glare of news cameras greeted them. Robin stepped back from the doorway and motioned Starfire forward. "It's you they want to see."
Starfire smiled her trademark alien smile and took Robin's hand before she floated out the door. The cheers of the crowd increased to a deafening high at the sight of her. The people of Jump City knew they had their heroes back.
Aqualad stood farthest away from the door. He leaned against the wall and looked around with his helmet in his hands. Beast Boy walked past him. "Are you coming?"
The commander smiled. "Yes, I'm coming. But the captain is always the last one off the ship."
Beast Boy shrugged and walked hand in hand with Terra out to face the crowd. Mas y Menos slipped by and stepped out the door. Speedy followed with Jinx, the former clapping Aqualad on the shoulder and smiling before stepping out the hatch. As Cyborg passed by with Bumblebee, Aqualad felt a gloved hand squeeze his own. Raven stood beside him, still in her space suit with her white cloak wrapping around her. She looked into his eyes with an innocent look on her face as she leaned gently into him. "And what about the captain's woman?"
Aqualad laughed. "She leaves on the captain's arm." He offered his arm to her and she took it before leaning in to give him a soft kiss.
They walked out of the hatch. The crowd roared.
It was midnight in the east tower. In the darkness a lone figured moved through the halls to the kitchen. It set the kettle on the stove and waited for it to come to a rolling boil. Two mugs were pulled from the cabinet and tea bags were placed in each, then water was added. Satisfied with the result, the dark figured moved back through the halls with the mugs in hand.
Aqualad lay in his bed, rolling about uncomfortably. He was burning up but shivering with chills. He lay under every blanket he owned and still couldn't keep warm while the fever raged within him. He looked up as he heard the door to his room opening, a familiar figure in white coming to watch over him. He glared.
"I blame you for this."
Raven floated over and sat down close to him. "Hush, my love. It's been two months since I had the flu. How can it be my fault?"
Aqualad narrowed his eyes. "I never said it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you."
Raven laughed and handed him a mug. "Drink this, you'll feel better."
He perked up instantly. "Hallelujah! Coffee." He took a sip and swallowed miserably. "Tea."
She put her hand to his forehead. He was still burning up. "It's good for you."
Any response from the Atlantian was lost in a cough. He drank his tea slowly and soon grew tired. Raven took his empty mug and sat it on the nightstand before she helped him back down and tucked him in. He watched her as she rose and prepared for bed as well. "How did I get such a wonderful nurse, anyway?"
Raven smiled and slipped into her bedclothes and then into bed beside him. "Well, Starfire was busy with another patient so it came down to me. I hope you don't mind."
Aqualad rolled over and sniffled, looking mildly confused. "Wait a minute, another patient? You don't mean…?"
Raven nodded.
His eyes grew wide. "Oh, man. Poor guy."
Across the continent at the west tower, a loud and cheerful voice could be heard bouncing through the halls of the tower. "Love Robin? Oh my love Robin? I have prepared for you the pudding of wellness to help you with the bug of the flu. It's disagreeable burning is a natural curative for many common illnesses on Tamaran."
A door opened and the voice that replied was pained and sickly. "Star, I don't know about all this." The beautiful alien princess spooned the dark yellow pudding into his mouth and his gagging obscured his continued objections. As the disagreeable burning overtook his mouth, Robin realized one thing.
He wasn't concentrating on how bad the flu felt anymore.
THE END of BETWEEN LIFE AND BURNING SPACE
But don't worry, the Teen Titans will be back in...
ONCE AROUND THE SUN
The third book in the "The Life Heroic" series.