Black Stars – Chapter 2: "From Two Planets"

The next morning, Starfire woke up to the soft chirping of birds and the gentle rays of sunlight coming through her windows. She knew, that no matter how peaceful it seemed on Earth, a war was raging in the Vegan Star System. She might have known it before, but at that moment, the truth struck her. Someone was leading the Gordanian army to attack her homeland. Someone was behind it all. She sighed once more, and dragged her feet along out into the tower's living room. It was very early in the morning, so naturally, only Raven was there.

Starfire took no asking before she seated herself next to the creepy Titan on the couch. She was a bit nervous about talking to Raven again so soon. She could tell that even Raven, who never felt any emotion of any kind, was weighed down by the fact that her friend's people were suffering. Raven, however, kept all her emotions inside. She didn't have to hear anything more of Starfire's whimpering to ask her what she wanted.

" What?" she asked the alien Titan.

"I would prefer it if you not inform the others of what my people are enduring. They will only make the 'big deal' about it. I do not want that to happen." Starfire told her friend, still uneasy about bringing it up again. When she finished rambling, Raven nodded but did not look at her, and said nothing. The sun was breaking through the clouds as the two girls sat in the living room, each minding themselves. A hiss came from behind them. Raven did not notice, or she did not care, but Starfire let out a yelp. The tower door from the hall into the living room slided open, and Robin emerged sleepily, Beast Boy and Cyborg behind him.

"Hey, girls. I didn't know that Starfire was up so early," Robin said, sitting on a chair at the table for breakfast. It was a beautiful day, and Robin started it with his teammates. They each had an enromous bowl of cereal (Beast Boy with non-dairy mik, of course) and stretched out there arms. Beast Boy and Cyborg got onto the couch and scooted Raven and Starfire over annoyingly. Then, the two picked up the ontrollers and a shrill beeping emitted from the television screen. Raven's eyes traveled to Beast Boy, rolled a bit, and went back to the book they were reading. As the two boys were playing and Robin was still having his breakfast, he looked and noticed that Starfire looked a bit... thinner.

"Hey, Srafire. You don't look so well. Have you been eating and stuff lately?" he asked, his brow wrinkling like it always does when he is concerned. At this, Starfire let out another yelp and tried to calm herself down.

"No! Everything is wonderful! Why, friend Robin? Do I seem different to you?" Starfire said frantically, trying to hide the fear she held for her home planet. Robin didn't say anything, but instead opened the door back into the tower hallway and disappeared into the shadows. He knew that something was wrong with Starfire.

Meanwhile, Starfire was still in the living room, accompanied by Cyborg and Beast Boy, who did not notice her fear and sadness at the moment. Raven, at this point, had gotten up and retreated to her room like Robin. She sat on her bed, calming her mind of the images of horror brewing in her head. She had never cared about Starfire's home planet this much before. So... why did she now? Perhaps it was because she had been to the planet herself. Perhaps it was because she was very tight with Starfire. Perhaps it was just because she felt one excuse to let her emotions just a bit through...

Despite what the Titans were doing, a war was brewing in the Vegan Star System. In Gordania's royal palace, endless rows of massive green soldiers with golden armor and bulging lips were marching through the alabaster hallways, each carrying a struggling Tamaranian in their firm graps as prisoners. Among them was the same boy who had gone out searching for what remained of the zorka berry bushes. He had later been assaulted, and his clothes were now stained with his fresh blood. His purple belt was no longer shining, as it was covered in dust from the Gordanian ground as he was dragged on. Finally, he raised his free hand in protest and curled it into a small fist.

"Fargnu relkornph flossek sulchif," he yelled at the soldiers in the odd Tamaranian tongue. The Gordanians around him, however, understood what he was saying without a question. The one beside him knelt down and snickered. He shot back a cruel reply at the young child, sure enough. In English at that.

"Can't we?" he said, and placed a gruesome hand on the boy's hair, ruffling it and jerking his head up.

Meanwhile, in the royal chamber where the Gordanian king and the general of his army sat, the prisoners were thrown at their feet one by one. Each was looked upon, and given the appropriate roommates in the prison, as well as a certain number of whippings before being let retire to their jail cells. Finally, the young boy reached the feet of the two rulers. He gazed upon the king, for their general was hidden in shadows. The king was dressed in slightly ridiculous robes adorned in the finest Centauri diamonds and Psionese gold, from alchemy. He was a grotesque figure, very fat and seemingly bubbling up from his throne. He sported sickly green skin and thick lips. The boy was frigtened, as he could not see the one who would ultimately decide his fate. All he could see was a pair of shining purple eyes, gleaming from under the veil of darkness.

The shadowy figure gasped at the sight of the small boy, so skinny you could see his bones, whimpering on the floor, no older than eleven or twelve years old - but very small despite this. His green eyes, his crimson hair... The general appeared to sneer as they spoke with a cruel attitude.

"He's far too yound to be left without his mother, don't you think? And definitely needs food! Hmm... Fifteen strokes of that whip! Get it going!" the voice commanded. As he heard it, he decided it was an odd kind of female on the throne. Perhaps the queen was the general as well? No, he thought to himself. He was already starving and terrified - this wasn't important right now.

Before anyone in the throne room did or said anything, all that could be heard through the silence was a crack and a scream.