Jedi Master Kyre AKA JKM AKA Chaos Storm: Yeah, it does

seantheimp: Yeah, I am. Slowly, but they'll get longer. I think Earth Understanding and Lightning Strikes is about 5 pages long in word, or something like that. That's the next chapter, by the way.

Hotshot45: Right... so continued.

FoS: This chapter minorly features the Titans. I believe the next chapter, the alien and the Titans meet... sort of.

Learning Facts.

When I awoke, the solar body (sun, I believe) was high in the sky. I smiled slightly, then laughed, setting down on the 'floor' of the mobile dwelling. My planetary system's cycle is rather longer than this planet's – twice as long, if I recall properly. So two Earth days would equal one of our own.

I looked over at the zero-g resting station, and smirked. A certain bi'waga was floating in the air, legs kicking out occasionally.

Still wearing a fool's grin, I walked out to the food… there's some earth word for the place… kitchen, and grabbed an energy / protein drink. I never liked eating a great deal when I woke.

&&&&&

Toiréasa walked in while I was playing with the radiowave receiver. The screen was 'fuzzy', but occasionally I got a signal from earth broadcasts.

I had it on what looked like a 'news' show. The concepts that earthlings use were slowly starting to settle, I believe I have gotten a Model zi (two) shri'ka… it would explain the ache I feel whenever I move too quickly. She looked at the display, then turned to me. "Urgh. You're watching human news?"

I smiled at her for a moment. "Of course. I have nothing better to do, anyway. Might as well."

She made a face (though how she manages that, I'll never know), and grumbled her way over to the food storage unit, pushing a hidden button that she must have discovered. The unit opened, and the foods a bi'waga could consume were within her short reach. I made a small face of my own, catching a look of greed on her face. "Zorknarf."

She turned, rolled her eyes at me, and delicately removed a few items from the unit. "I am not."

I turned back to the display, and said softly, "Could have fooled me."

&&&&&

"This is channel 8 news. Have a great day." I sighed, and reached over, shutting the device down.

Toiréasa, who had watched parts of it, finally said, "Well, this makes it interesting. This place sure seems to have a lot of crime."

I shrugged slightly. "I'm wondering more about that 'Teen Titans' thing."

She gave me a look, then laughed. "Well, we have enough supplies to last for awhile, and we can always steal more currency to survive, so I say we get a feel for this territory."

"Sometimes, you sound like a country bi'waga. Territory?"

She 'scowled' at me, and then snorted. "Whatever. I'm not becoming wings today, though. I want to see my own paws."

I grinned at her slightly, then raised my hand upward, making a holding motion. After a moment, the same Mikran I'd called earlier hung from it, none the worse for the wear. I placed it around my thin shoulders, shrugging it into place. The inward facing part was facing out, so the… garment (the closest word would be cloak, but this thing could shelter two moderately normal humans underneath it, if it was required) wouldn't render me invisible. Since it was a simple grey, I doubted they would care much. "You coming?"

Toiréasa eyed me, then yawned widely, displaying her rather sharp front teeth. "Of course." I grinned slightly, and picked her up, placing her on my shoulder. I walked towards the 'door', and pushed it open. With a blink through a non-space, I narrowed my eyes, and walked away from the 'tree'.

The natural area had unnatural rivers of stone, and things that obviously were for sitting. Young humans played with each other, while their guardians (or natural parents) watched them. Strange… weren't these 'Teen Titans' a secret police? Maybe I'm paranoid.

&&&&&

Toiréasa remained quiet, as we walked along the shore of the large body of water. A bay, actually. A giant T stood the skyline, standing there, silver and glass shining brightly. I would have said 'menaced', but some of the things I've heard have made me wonder about these 'Titans'.

I didn't know if the Titans were good… or evil, to be honest. But I'm beginning to believe 'good', because I've overheard a few humans talk about them in rather glowing terms. 'Robin' this, 'Raven' that, it seems like they're heroes or something.

Finally, she said in a quiet tone, "Maybe they're good guys?"

I sighed. "Possible. But we're aliens, remember? Most planets aren't cool with unregistered aliens."

She hissed a quiet laugh. I sat down on the sand, and watched the tower quietly. After the sun had significantly moved (I did not worry about the sun too much, I was covered by the Mirkran), two levitating human figures flew out, followed by a green… something. Then a four wheeled land vehicle raced out, onto the small ribbon that led to the building, followed by a two-wheeled one.

In the distance, I heard a rumble. I doubted the flying figures (two of the three were aliens, I could tell by the aura they emitted) could have done that, they weren't close enough yet, from what I guessed.

I smiled slightly. That made it… interesting. Aliens here meant I might not be cut apart in some barbaric setting to examine my innards. Being able to read auras definitely was a useful ability – and necessary for a summoner of any skill. Still smiling, I held up my hand, damning regulations to hell (though by this point, any regulations that applied to me summed up to "survive, and screw the rest of the regs"). A single ni'taini appeared in my hand, its feathers a shiny silver. I whispered to it, "There were two flying aliens who went…" I pointed in the direction, "that way. Try to find them, and watch what happens. Ok?"

The ni'taini cocked its head to the side, then slowly cheeped once. I shook my head, "no, they don't cook small winged things like you. You wouldn't be a target, unless you get too close. Stay safe first."

It cheeped brightly, then launched from my hand, leaving behind a few bloody scratches. I blinked, examined them, and shrugged, curling my fingers over the scratches, stopping the flow of the deep blue blood. I looked at my hand, then shrugged. Six fingers, five fingers, close enough. All it meant was that my hand was broader than the human hand.

I looked up from my hand, watching it disappear into the skyline. I smiled slightly, and sat down.

&&&&&&

The ni'taini returned, landing on my hand, some time later. It tilted its head at me, and I saw into its memories on what had happened.

Humans holding something that looked like weapons, firing them at others. They weren't technologically as advanced as… I didn't see plasma shots, so it must be small bursts of matter. Then five… people struck. I think a Tamaranian was one of them, from the energy-bolts.

After a moment, I stroked the ni'taini's crest gently, making it coo in pleasure. It cooed again, then slowly faded from existence, returned to its home.

I looked quietly over at Toiréasa. "A Tamaranian and four others. Another is an alien, one feels strange, one part machine, part human, and one human. The strange one has a shapeshifter power, that's probably why I can't pin down his aura. They took down other humans who were… I suspect robbery."

She tilted her head, and remained silent. "Well, this is interesting. We should go back to that safe haven. We can't hide forever." She slowly got up, and nudged me. I in turn got up, and held her in my arms.

&&&&&

We spent the rest of the time I remained awake planning, plotting, and speculating. We had agreed that it was more likely that the rumors about Earth (or the myriad of other names it had in various cultures that have taken amusement in flying by it) being a hero's planet was more likely now.

I yawned, then looked over at Toiréasa. "I'm going to rest."

She tilted her head, then looked at the representation of the sun's position in the sky on the system screen. "Well… I suppose it is nighttime at home. And I think we've been talking in circles for the last Earth hour." She returned her head to its normal position, then looked towards the food. "I'll have a snack, then sleep myself."

I walked away, heading for the zero g… 'bed'. I usually prefer to feel gravity, but I needed the most energy I could get. And that was in zero g.

Plus, I was getting a blasted headache.