Disclaimer: No,I don't own anything but the plot, and the cookies I'm eating D

"spoken" "spoken and emphasized" thought Thought and emphasized

Robin held back the stream of curses in his mind as he rode toward the city park. He had done a quick search of the area around it, but he knew that Starfire was particularly attached to one hill in the park where birds would gather.

I can't believe she yelled like that. I should've known, even Star can only take so much…

Robin frowned, angry with himself. He had seen Starfire angry before, but it had always been over something big-very big, like when her sister attempted to steal her place with the Titans, or when Warp had tried to change history so the Titans would fall apart. (A/N I always thought she was pretty pissed in that episode-she nearly killed Warp when she shoved him into the time portal o.O) Either way, to see her yell was a bad sign and the other four Titans knew it.

As he entered the park, Robin jumped off of the R-cycle with just enough time to hear the hum of another engine, not far away; and an unfamiliar, cold voice.

"It's up to you, Princess. And please don't swear-" as Robin crept up, he saw a large, purple-tinged hand cup Starfire's chin as her eyes glowed bright, bright green,

"-it just doesn't suit you." The hum of the engine rose to a roar as the figure walked away. With a quick glance from behind a tree, Robin could see that the guy was tall, but not overly muscular, with long, light hair that shone metallic cerulean. What he couldn't see was why Starfire was standing there, concern, anger and fear running across her face. What was going on?

"I know you are there, Robin. Do you wish to talk?" Her voice was returning to normal, but Robin heard the faintest tremble behind it as Starfire blinked her eyes back to their typical color. He exited from cover with a frown.

"Star, what's going on?" Starfire turned and held up a quarter sized diskette communication device used in the Vega star system, native to Tamaranians and who knew how many other species.

"I do not know. But we may 'figure it out' if I may watch the message." Sliding the disk into her boot, Starfire took a deep breath and stared up into Robin's mask. He had grown in the time she had known him, so that he was now about 2 inches taller than her.

"Robin…I am sorry for my outburst earlier. I was not angry with you-not that angry, really, it is just that I am worried." Robin opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a finger against his lips. "And my fears might be confirmed before this night ends, so I want to say that I am sorry, Robin, I am sorry." Her head had fallen so that her bangs covered her eyes but Robin knew that she was crying; he tilted her chin with two fingers and brushed the tears away with his thumb. Leaning in so that their foreheads touched, he gave a reassuring grin.

"You don't have to worry, Star. We can take anything that comes."

As they rode away, both teens wondered, silently, who Robin had meant by that statement.

At the Tower, Cyborg dealt Starfire a bone-crushing hug (which was gladly returned) before setting up the Vegan message system on screen. Starfire spent the waiting period with Raven, explaining that certain bonds, when threatened, could cause emotional changes in Tamaranians. Before she could get to what might have occurred, the system was online. Calmly, Starfire took the disk out of her boot and slid it into the machine. Immediately, the screen was filled with the head and shoulders of the man Robin had seen.

His skin had a violet-blue glow that was emphasized by his metallic blue hair. His eyes were so dark blue that they were almost black, and his voice, confident to the point of arrogance, rang out clearly.

"Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, I'm sure it has been a pleasure to meet you face-to-face, if a little…tense." He smirked at this and shook his head so that his hair flew backwards. It struck Raven at the time that the bastard was flirting-and no matter how handsome he was, something about him made her sick.

"But I couldn't say the same for you…because the last bond is being pulled, and I bet even now your veins feel as if they are filled with fire. Are you upset, princess? I hope so, because you have given me a lot of trouble." The man on screen tutted and wagged his finger as if at a bad puppy. Behind the couch, Starfire stood, her hands shaking, and despite herself, a low growl escaped her, the growl that is heard when a wolf prepares to lunge for a man's throat, snarling. The four were staring at her, but were cut off as the man spoke.

"But that's alright. I have something worth the trouble." And on the screen, Blackfire, her hands and feet bound together with manacles that could absorb her power, struggled and cursed in languages that only the aliens could understand. The man's laughter was heard in the backround as he stood at the girl's side.

"I have half the puzzle, Princess. So you can come and claim the last blood kin you have, or we can fight on your turf; and if we do-" he paused and grinned in the haughtiest way imaginable, "-I guarantee that your precious Earthwill be destroyed. It's up to you, Cookie." Taking a hand to his lips, the man blew a kiss and smiled.

"Trionne out!" The screen went black and the silence was broken only by a strange buzzing sound. Turning to see it, Cyborg noted that Starfire had never created starbolts as large as they were now, her entire body encased in a green glow that extended several inches in every direction. Raven stood immediately and focused all of her energy on calming Starfire, placing her hands on the sides of the Tamaranian's head, maintaining eye-to-eye contact. Beast boy was sitting with his head tilted to the side, solemnly thinking out the situation. Robin was seething at the screen, still wondering how such an audacious being came to be…

And who the hell calls her 'Cookie'?