Chapter 15

The next morning, a few hours before dawn, Robin was on the roof of the Tower, gazing into the still dark sky with a compact, but powerful, telescope. He knew the approaching dawn would soon wash out his view with to much light.

"Checking on the fleet?" Raven asked, after phasing up through the roof, "Sometimes I wish you would sleep later," she commented dryly, as she yawned.

"Actually I'm watching one ship," Robin said, with a sheepish grin, "Their being in a geosynchronous orbit makes it easier," he added, then motioned for her to take a look.

Raven peered through the eyepiece and made a small focusing adjustment, "So that's the VELANCE'R," she said as she looked at the wedge shaped starship. After a moment, she raised her head, and gave Robin a questioning gaze which he held for a moment, then looked away, and Raven gave a small sigh of frustration, "Robin you know that I can feel that something is bothering you, and you know that I won't invade your privacy by going into your mind and actively looking for what it is," she said, "So why do you make me ask?"

She watched as Robin paced a few steps, then looked out at the city, its lights gleaming in the predawn dark like jewels. He turned back to her with a sigh, "Because I'm not sure if I want to know, or if I can handle what the answer might be," he said.

"Robin you have one of the strongest, most resilient minds I know," she told him. She watched as Robin pulled open the neck of his tunic, and pulled something out from underneath it.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked so softly, she almost didn't hear him.

"It's a Mitzpah coin," she replied, then her eyes grew wide as its significance flashed through her mind, "and it's whole!" she gasped.

"Did she tell you anything, about not coming back, and make you promise not to tell me?"

"No," Raven replied, still surprised at the fact that Starfire had left behind her half of the coin, "No, Robin, she didn't, and she couldn't have," she went on, "I would never promise to withhold something that important," she answered him.

Robin nodded, then looked at the coin in his hand, "Then why?" he wondered aloud.

Raven sighed softly, wanting to put Robin's mind at ease, but not sure on how to go about it, so she kept to what she knew, blunt and direct, "All I can tell you is that she's not planning on leaving you," she finally said, then put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "She's planning on coming back after the ceremony," she told him.

Robin looked back, over his shoulder at her, "How can you be so sure?" he asked, "I know you better than to think you've been reading her mind without her knowledge," he added, and was surprised when she smiled and laughed softly.

"I forgot, you've never been around when you're hurt or missing," she said, "Like that time you disappeared, to become Slade's apprentice," she continued, "Robin, I could feel the turmoil in her mind without trying. Like she told you on the roof of the Wayne Enterprise building, she'd rather die than live without you."

"I keep telling myself that, but. . . " Robin said, then trailed off as he slipped the medallion back under his tunic.

"Robin she loves you, you know that, and she knows that you love her," Raven said, hoping to get the idea through Robin's head, "I mean what have the last three weeks been about if you don't really love each other?" she asked, "And believe me you both do love each other," she continued, "even now I can feel your worry, and, yes, your fear, but over riding those is your love for her, and that's not even going deep into your mind," she told him, then took a steadying breath as she considered her next words, "When I stopped by the hanger to see her, she asked about the bond you and I share, and I assured her it wasn't a threat to your relationship," she related, "Then she asked me, directly, if I was a threat. Robin the feelings I got from her then were not ones that would come from someone that would leave you as calmly as Starfire did last night," she concluded, then sighed as she felt Robin's mind calm down some.

Robin moved back over to the telescope, and slid his fingers over the length of it. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, calming himself even more as he thought over Raven's words. He saw Raven's eyebrow raise as he thought back to his and Starfire's time in the park yesterday, "Just how close are you monitoring my thoughts right now?" he asked, then almost laughed as Raven blushed in embarrassment at being caught, "It's okay Rae, I trust you, just don't do it when Star is around," he added, and they settled down to meditate the short remaining time until the sunrise.

As they were eating their breakfast, Robin got everyone's attention, "What I'm about to tell you three isn't going to be new to at least two of you, and I'll be going against Devon'r's advice to Star by telling you," he began, then explained about the political situation with Galfore, and how they thought the incident with Starfire tied into it, "Neither Devon'r, or Galfore have made any comment to me, but I'm fully aware that someone may openly challenge my acceptance as Star's shalocfa," he told them, "That is one reason I'll be wearing the armor she gave me. If I've got to fight, I'd rather have it on in case they decide to shoot me with a star bolt. Which reminds me," he continued, "Beast Boy keep your jokes to a minimum, and preferably when we're the only ones in the room," he said, then smiled softly at the downcast expression on his friends face, "Seriously, if you insult someone up there, even accidentally, you could find yourself on the receiving end of a challenge."

"Okay what do you mean by challenge?" Beast Boy asked.

"To combat," Robin replied, "If a warrior feels that he or she has been insulted badly enough he will challenge the offender to a shavek hifa, or honor battle," he explained, "The challenger chooses the place of the combat, and the challenged sets the conditions of the fight. I can tell you right now that the only one of the four of us, that could possibly stand up to a Tamaranean with no restrictions on their powers, is Raven," he continued, "That is why I won't be issuing any challenges, but if I am challenged, I must accept and win or stand down as Starfire's shalocfa."

He was silent for a moment as he played that even through his mind, "And before any of you think or say it, this is not just for show in front of Star's people," he told them, "This is very important to her. It's part of her heritage, and her peoples traditions."

"In other words it's part of who she is." Raven cut in, and Robin nodded.

There was silence for a moment, then Robin took the medallion out from inside his tunic, "I've already asked Raven, so I'm asking you two," he began, "Did Starfire say anything to either of you about not coming back?" he asked, then looked at Beast boy, who shook his head. "Cy?" he asked, and was surprised to see him taking a folded piece of paper from a compartment in his arm.

"She left this on the drivers seat of the T-car." Cyborg said softly handing the envelope to Robin. Robin looked at the elegant writing and instantly recognized it as Starfire's, "Seeing as the note on the front of the envelope is in Tamaranean I figured she didn't want anyone else reading it." Cy said.

With a heavy sigh, Robin slid his finger under the flap, and ripped the envelope open, and pulled out the folded sheet of paper inside. In spite of his worries, he smiled to himself as he looked at the purple envelope, and lavender paper, and caught a whiff of roses from the envelope, and strawberries from the paper. They were her two favorite scents and colors. He was barely aware that his three friends suddenly became very interested in the food on their plates as he read the letter.

My Dearest Robin,

I am overjoyed that you are reading this letter, as it shows to me that you are becoming more the open with your feelings, and our relationship. I thought about leaving this with Raven, but you are already more open with her than I am happy with. I do wish to change that, however I will not as I know how much Raven cherishes both your friendship and mine, and I do not want to be the hurtful to her.

As to my leaving my medallion behind, do not worry my love, I treasure it above all my other possessions, but until you are confirmed as my shalocfa it represents to close of a relationship between us, and I will gladly receive it back after the Declaration ceremony.

I know you do not wish to hear this but despite my agreeing with you, and my doing the going along with this leave of absence, I am not happy about being separated from you. I hope our time apart passes swiftly, but I truly do not think it will. So until I see you again gentha'fa, I wait counting the minutes.

All my love

Starfire

XXOO

Robin smiled at the X's and O's under her signature, as he remembered telling her about them when she saw them on a picture that Terra had signed for beast Boy. He was jolted out of his reminiscing by his communicator beeping its tune. Seeing as the other Titans were still seated at the table, and knowing that he and Starfire were supposed to be out of touch until the ceremony, he was curious as to who it could be calling. He flipped the device open and was relieved slightly to see Galfore's face. "Shavota, Emperor Galfore," he said, then grew concerned at the look on the older mans face.

"Greetings young one," Galfore replied, "Have you been in contact with the princess this morning?" he asked.

"No I haven't," Robin replied, then looked at the others who shook their heads no, "None of us have, and I was under the impression that I wasn't to have any contact with Starfire until after the ceremony," he added.

"That is true, but I was hoping that you might have not honored our traditions this one time," Galfore said.

Suddenly Robin got a cold, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, "Vidok'an Galfore, qumo vana rotana a vidi'an Koriand'r?" he asked anxiously, his tone of voice and the fact that he switched to Tamaranean getting the attention of the others.

Galfore seemed to shake himself from his distracted state of mind, then replied, "Early this morning the princess woke and left her quarters, to go to an observation lounge. One of her handmaidens went with her, but Starfire sent her away," he related, then looked away from the camera, "She has not been seen since."

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Robin said, and when the screen went dark he closed his communicator. "Titans go!" he shouted, and they raced for their ships.

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"VELANCE'R control this is Titan one, requesting approach vector and clearance," Robin radioed a while later, as they approached the flagship.

"Titan one, this is VELANCE'R control your vector is 156 by 25, port landing bay forward," came the reply a moment later.

"Roger control, ETA ten minutes," he told them.

"Titan one, this is Titan two," Cyborg's voice said over Robin's radio.

"Yeah Cy, what is it?"

"I've got a signal from Star's locator, but we're still to far out for me to get a lock."

"Thanks Cy," Robin said, then toggled a switch on his communications panel, "VELANCE'R control this is Titans one, request a channel to Emperor Galfore."

'Titan one the Emperor has left orders that he is not to be disturbed."

Robin stewed over that for a moment, then hit his transmit button again, "Pe va Robin, shalocfa cathan du vidi'an Koriand'r, Pe deranda a jerana a vidok'an Galfore, roka," he said his voice calm, but barely controlled, "I am Robin, suitor select of Princess Starfire, I demand to speak to Emperor Galfore, now," he heard echoed on the channel from Raven's ship, 'Well we're certain now that the translators work,' he thought to himself.

"Shalocfa, penera eta serana," the controllers voice said, sounding flustered, as she told him to wait a minute.

"Robin I apologize for the misunderstanding," Galfore's voice said a moment later.

"It's alright my lord," Robin replied, "Cyborg has picked up the locator signal from Koriand'r's communicator, so we should be able to trace her location once we get on board."

"Very good, however you will go directly to the bridge, and coordinate the search from there. Remember you are to have little contact with the princess before the ceremony," Galfore said.

"Understood," Robin said, and the channel was closed. "Titan two, when we land, you and the others track down her communicator, I'll be coordinating the search from the bridge. Galfore's orders," he explained.

"Gotcha.," Cyborg replied, "We'll find her."

The next few minutes were taken up by the Titans concentrating on landing their ships inside the VELANCE'R's landing bay.

"Greetings Teen Titans, I am Commander Kim'r. I will be your escort on the search," she informed them.

"Cy, BB, Raven go with her, and good luck, I'll be on the bridge," Robin said.

"I am to be your escort, Robin," another female warrior said, "I am Lieutenant Commander Brend'r."

"Good, then let's get to the bridge," Robin said as he watched the others disappear through a door.

"Good you are here," Galfore said as Robin walked onto the bridge, "Your friends have quickly moved to an area aft of the observation lounge where Starfire was last seen and they report that they are getting close to where her communicator is.

"My Lord Galfore, the Titan named Cyborg wants to transmit a signal inside the VELANCE'R," Kim'r's voice reported from the communications station.

"From one of these," Robin said holding up his communicator, "Most likely he wants to try to call Starfire's either to see if she'll answer, or to see if he can hear the call tones." he explained, and Galfore nodded his approval, "Go ahead Cy," he passed on, and a moment later the muffled sound of Starfire's communicator beeping could be heard.

"Behind this door," a voice said over the open channel, and the sound of a door opening could be heard, then the following phrases overlapped each other, "Sweet Azar!" Raven gasped, "Dude!" Beast Boy cried, "X'Hal no!" came Kim'r's stunned voice, "Oh man!" Cy gasped.

"Cyborg report!" Robin ordered over the link, "What's going on there?"

"Robin, open your communicator, but I advise you to brace yourself for a gruesome sight," Cyborg replied.

After a moment, to prepare himself for whatever he might see, Robin opened his communicator and held it so both he and Galfore could see the display screen.

"Oh X'Hal!" Galfore gasped, when he saw the display, then he looked over at Robin whose face had lost all color, and he saw a tear slip from under his mask.

On the display was Starfire's communicator, on the floor of an otherwise empty compartment, with a large smear of blood.

"Cy. . .Cyborg, is there anyway if you can tell if that's Starfire's?" Robin managed to ask as he gripped the edge of a console for support.

"There's a medical team with us," Cy replied, "They're testing it now."

"Emperor Galfore we have checked and some of the blood is Koriand'r's," Kim'r reported, "But the medics assure me that there is not enough here to endanger her life, and it's what they are calling capillary blood, carried by small blood vessels near the surface of the skin."

"So a large scrape would cause something like that." Robin ventured, and Kim'r agreed, "Raven, can you sense anything?"

"Yeah the presence of about three hundred Tamaraneans," she replied, "I'm sorry that's not much help."

"All I'm getting is the life signs of about that many. No way I can isolate on Starfire," Cy reported.

"Beast Boy, morph into a bloodhound and see if you can track her." Robin said, and a moment later the bay of a hound on the trail was heard.

"We're on it." Cy said.

"I give you my deepest apologies young one," Galfore said softly, his good eye sharing his pain with Robin, "She is only here because I assured you that she would be safe."

Robin nodded, then his head snapped up, and he keyed Cyborg's communicator, "Cy Kim'r reported that some of the blood was Starfire's, do they know who the rest belonged to?" he asked when Cy answered.

"All they can say is that it's from a Tamaranean male, and that there's something about the DNA that it's compromised somehow," Cyborg replied a moment later. Just then the baying of the hound stopped and Beast Boy's voice could be heard as if he was trying to wake Starfire up, as he called her name.

"Cy, tell me you have good news," Robin said.

"We found her Robin, she's got a nasty gash on the side of her head, and she's had a nose bleed, but she's fine according to the medics," Cyborg related, "They're putting her on a stretcher, and taking her to the healing section."

"Thanks Cy, Galfore, and I will meet you there," Robin said, and closed the channel, "I will stay outside Starfire's healing room if that is what must be, but I want. . .need to be there." he told Galfore, who nodded his agreement, and they left the bridge.