I realize the last chapter was much shorter than this one, mostly because I was in a hurry to get it out. I like the way this one flowed, hope you agree. Enjoy!

And you know I really hate it when I can't talk to my friends. But again I'm on the move and only have time to recognize those who reviewed. I'm fixing to go visit my family for Christmas so that's why I'm so busy. Anywho, thanks Valda, Loveableangel, Samanthe2121, TTHPFan, Rose Red2.0, Itxprincessxlala, realfanfitcs, April4rmH-Town. Thanks very much yall, and enjoy the chapter.

Chapter Ten

Blackfire's Tale

It was dusk above the dusty landscape and high cliffs in the Navajo reservation. A jeep trucked along the only visible road, its two occupants where an old man and a younger boy. The boy rolled his eyes as the older man turned up the volume on the Beach Boy's music he was playing. He turned on the heater and a sudden bright light blinded them for an instant. The old man gave a loud gasp in surprise. He fish tailed the car into a skidding halt. He took in several agitated breaths and clutched his chest from a small amount of pain. They both stepped out of the jeep and looked about the area. The boy narrowed his gaze to try and focus on something near the fence.

"Grandpa, what is it?" He didn't answer him but walked towards what his grandson pointed. He bent down and turned over a young girl. The boy jumped back slightly but the old man remained by her side. He laid a hand on her forehead and she coughed out a small amount of spit.

"Breath slowly little one," he whispered. Her lilac hair lay matted and uncombed. She kept her eyes closed. "Do you know your name?"

"N-Name?"

"Your name, what do your mother and father call you?" For a fleeting moment he was sure he saw a black aura surrounding her hands. He looked back at her face and saw her eyes. They were distant and glassy.

"My name?"

TITANS TOWER……………..

Taka poured herself a glass of water in the kitchen area. The room was vacant except for her, as the other Titans had all dispersed to tend to their own things. She brought the shaking glass to her mouth and took a few sips. She felt so tense she was afraid she would throw it all up along with her dinner. Taka heard the door open and in walked Robin. She gulped down the rest of the water and began washing the glass.

"Taka, if you're not to busy at the moment…" She avoided looking at him, her dishes, and only stared straight ahead.

"What is it?" Robin looked around then stood up next to her.

"I'm not sure what the others think but to me it doesn't take much to tell you weren't entirely truthful with your report." A plate slipped from her fingers and clanged in the sink. It startled her but Robin remained firmly still. "It's just you and me right now, and I want to know what happened." Taka looked at him unsurely. "I need to know, Titan." Taka switched off the faucet and dried her hands. She finished wiping her hands but held the towel still.

"Everything I told you about Raven being taken prisoner is true."

"But…"

"But, I neglected to tell you which planet Anubis tested his weapon on." Robin nodded and beckoned her to sit down at one of the bar stools. Taka seemed to have a hard time recalling the event. "As I was making my escape I saw his ship taking on a different form. It was changing in some way." Robin's brow furrowed at the description. "Once it was done transforming a strange light began to flow into a charging sphere beneath it. Then at once the sphere was thrown down to the planet's surface."

"And then," prompted Robin.

"Then I was attacked by multiple gliders, three I think. I managed to make the ump into hyperspace but as you saw the ship was damaged and I received a mild shock."

"Taka, what was the planet? Where were you?" Taka lowered her eyes and swallowed.

"Tamaran." Robin remained in place for a moment, then settled down in a seat of his own. "Everyone Starfire has ever known or loved may very well be gone; it's possible she and Blackfire are the last of their species." Perhaps needing some water himself Robin rubbed his forehead. "I hope you understand Robin. I just couldn't say it in front of Starfire the news would just destroy her."

"Its okay," said Robin quickly. "I think you made the right decision. If it some how finds its way to Starfire, and I'm sure it will at some point, I'll try to tell her that you had no idea." Taka looked very much relieved.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"But in the future, let me know as soon as you have the chance." Taka nodded and left Robin alone. He sighed and after a moment of thinking walked up to the large screen that was also their giant window. "Computer, display celestial layout of the solar system surrounding Tamaran." The screen presented a representation of the sun and other planets that were in the company of Starfire's home world. "What are the atmospheric conditions of Tamaran?" the computerized voice responded;

"The atmosphere is no longer capable of sustaining carbon based life." Robin leaned on the computer consol and drooped his head.

"This can't be happening."

"But it is," said a cold voice. Robin's face grew into a frown. He whirled around and saw Anubis standing behind him.

"I'm not gonna be scared by something I can only see."

"If you can see me, then you should indeed be afraid."

"Where's Raven!"

"Enjoy your planet while you still can, for you shall soon suffer the same fate as Tamaran. Koriand'r, the triangle, and the secret it holds will all soon be mine." Robin clenched his fists.

"Listen, you stay away from Starfire. And you can do what you want with me." Anubis nodded.

"Yes, I can." With a slight rush of wind he vanished. Robin lost the strength in his legs and he collapsed backward onto the floor. He remained their wishing such a thing wouldn't happen every time he appeared to them.

THE HOLDING CELLS………………..

Starfire cautiously stepped into the brig. Blackfire was pacing back and forth in her small containment. She laid eyes on Starfire and stopped pacing but remained standing.

"To whom am I speaking?" asked Starfire.

"It's me sister," replied Blackfire. Starfire deactivated the force field shielding her from Blackfire and stepped inside. The dark haired sibling smirked as Starfire reactivated the shield upon her entry. "Are you that's safe sister?" Starfire sat down before her. "After all, Arameth could take me over again at any time."

"I am certain that will not happen."

"Robin might not appreciate you endangering yourself or your child like this."

"Sister I have come to ask you something." Blackfire tilted her head. "How did you come to be like this? According to my knowledge you were held in a cell much like this one on Tamaran." Blackfire smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Oh yes of course. That was my situation for a while, for a month in fact. Then I was brought before father."

"He was angry with you yes?"

"Oh at the very least, little sister. After trying to assume complete control over our world for a second time, you could say he was more than slightly peeved."

Blackfire was pushed ahead by two guards leading her along the decorated halls that was the palace citadel. "You could say he almost seemed eager to punish me." They stopped her before King Myand'r. He looked down at her and shook his head in disappointment. He rose to his feet and approached her. He then pointed to the floor with his index finger.

"On your knees," he said quietly but fiercely. Blackfire swallowed and sank to her knees. "Lower." She did so and he took in a deep breath. "I…am Tamaran, my daughter. I am the people and the people are me, when one pains the other does also. You have pained us greatly." He quickly slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. She whimpered but showed little signs of ill resilience. She received another strike and one more. He staggered backward and settled back onto his throne, clutching a section of his chest. "It is with a heavy heart, my daughter, that I must order your exile to the fifth planet among the mines of Kornak." Blackfire looked back up at her father frantically. "May X'hal be with you Kormand'r." He waved his hand dismissively and they took her by both her arms and carried her away.

"Not long after I found myself shoving rocks and scooping up bits of trilithium," said Blackfire darkly. Starfire couldn't help but feel immense sympathy towards her; she was after all her sister.

"Why sister, how could you be sent to such an awful place." Blackfire shrugged.

"They sent me there to die. Strong as I am how could a mere girl survive the mines of Kornak? In that terrible place I faced death on countless occasions. On one occasion an accident caused severe internal damage to my organs. I would have died for sure."

"Yet you are very much alive," said Starfire.

"How observant of you Starfire," mocked Blackfire. "As I lay there feeling pain beyond belief, I saw him." Starfire's eyes grew distant. "You know who I'm talking about, Anubis came. He looks a lot different than he used to but I could tell it was him."

"Why did he come?"

"He offered me a chance, an arrangement if you will." Starfire looked at her unbelievingly.

"You made an arrangement with Anubis?" she asked flabbergasted. "Well its obvious where such a pact led you." Blackfire rose so fast Starfire did as well defensively.

"At the time I was under the impression that he would heal me and then I would be on about my business. Not implant me with an equally maniacal ALIEN SYMBIOTE! ARRGHHH!" She gripped the sides of her head and wobbled about in place.

"Sister?" Blackfire stopped wobbling and looked back up at Starfire, as she did her eyes glowed.

"You would do well to yield before your superiors," said the distorted voice that was Arameth. Starfire stood her ground resolutely. "I could kill you now if I so wished."

"I am afraid you overestimate your position," said Starfire.

"I will not stay here forever! Anubis will come for me, and when he does you will regret it most definitely." Starfire frowned and her own eyes glowed their bright green.

"If and when Anubis does arrive we will fight until the last of us have fallen. And that is a promise!" Arameth stepped backward. Cyborg's voice then issued from the wall comm.

"Starfire." Starfire stared her sister's possessor square in the eyes.

"I am here Cyborg, what is it?"

"Could you come on down to the common room, there's something here I think yall should see." Arameth cooled down and backed away. Starfire lowered the field and quickly left. Careful to raise it back up upon her leaving.

THE COMMON ROOM……………..

When Starfire finally entered the common room the other Titans had already gathered around Cyborg who sat typing a series of keys.

"You sent for me Cyborg?"

"Yeah…"

"Sooo, what's up?" asked Beast Boy. "Something on Raven I'm hoping, you better say 'yes Beast Boy." Cyborg looked back at Beast Boy and blindly pressed two more keys.

"You could say that." An image then popped up on their overwhelming screen. "We received this transmission about two hours ago." The screen came into focus and the curiosity of a boy's face appeared. Robin drew closer to the screen.

"What the?"

"Grandpa, look I made it do something!" An older man approached the boy and pulled him away from the device.

"George do not be playing with that. It belongs to her." He pointed off to the side and their mouths dropped when Raven looked in their direction. "I'm sorry, a child's mind is always exploring." Raven smiled and shook her head.

"Its okay, I'm not even really sure what it i-" He closed it while she was in mid-speech and the play back ended. They all stared up at the blank screen in wonder and amazement. Cyborg clicked off the screen and pulled out a data disk.

"Like I said, the tower received an incoming transmission not just two hours ago. For some reason the Titan mainframe declared Raven's comm. link an inert signal and merely stored it in the hard drive instead of alerting us." Robin was about to ask a question but Beast Boy beat him to it.

"Can you trace the signal?"

"Already did man, the signal came out of the Navajo reservation in Arizona."

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's move it," ordered Beast Boy. He quickly made his way over to the elevator and was door like a flash. Robin meanwhile checked his watch.

"I agree with Beast Boy, if we're gonna go get her we need to go now. Oh yeah," he said snapping his fingers. "Someone needs to stay here and make sure Blackfire doesn't do anything naughty."

"I will," volunteered Taka with a raised hand. Robin nodded and began walking out, closely followed by Starfire. Cyborg paused at the key board then stood up.

"Maybe I should stay here too." Robin looked back in puzzlement.

"Wait, what?" Taka also looked quizzical.

"You know, case Taka needs any back up. You never know what might happen," he said giving her a quick wink. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged at Robin.

"Whatever, just make sure Blackfire doesn't try anything," instructed their leader. They both gave Robin and nod and/or salute. The married couple stepped inside the elevator and waited.

"Robin?"

"Yes Star?"

"Do you believe we may really have found Raven?" Robin bit his lip.

"I hope so. You know, it could be another one of Anubis' tricks and we both know how real he can make things seem."

"Indeed," agreed Starfire. "I recently spoke with my sister." Robin glanced at her.

"Really, what did she say?" Starfire considered her past conversation for a moment before answering.

"I've been thinking Robin, Blackfire has suffered much since we last parted. Perhaps she has merited a 'second chance' or a pardon if you will." Robin hung his head and sighed.

"I think we should talk about that later Star." She nodded unsurely. "I was just gonna ask, are you up to traveling right now? You got pretty sick awhile ago."

"It is a normality in a Tamaranian pregnancy. I experience mass fatigue and fever within the first few weeks, and then it will be as if I was not with child for many months. Though some mild symptoms may yet still occur, it is unique with each mother."

"Oh," said Robin nodding. Starfire then suddenly took Robin's arm. "Starfire?"

"I am sorry Robin, but I have also spoken to Arameth as well." Robin pursed his lisp together. "He spoke of Anubis bringing death and destruction to both our worlds. Robin please forgive my lack of composure but I am so frightened that if he comes here he will advance to my world." Robin darted his eyes about nervously.

"Yeah, I'm-I'm scared too." A chime sounded and the doors parted. Beast Boy was already leaning on the T-Ship and awaiting their arrival. "Come on Star, let's go get Raven."

ACROSS THE GALAXY………….

Anubis' attendant, followed by two guards, walked into Anubis' quarters. They lowered themselves onto one knee and awaited a response. The evil wraith-like Psion peered out his window into space.

"Speak," came his hoarse voice.

"My Lord, we have completed a full sensor sweep of the planet's surface. The entire citadel has been decimated and soon the planet's atmosphere will be incapable of sustaining life."

"Then why do I sense you have come to report a failure Seth." Seth took a few apprehensive breaths.

"Not a failure entirely my Lord. We detected an ion trail leading away from the planet on the far side." Anubis remained utterly still. "We deduced that tow escape ships we destroyed were merely decoys to allow for the actual evacuation to make their escape."

"Search the surrounding star systems and form a blockade around Earth. If any survivors fled they will have surely taken shelter there. Make sure they cannot escape." Seth bowed his head and rose to his feet.

"Yes my Lord." The three then left Anubis by himself.

"Koriand'r, wherever you are…know that I am always there behind you."

While traveling among the clouds in the T-Ship Starfire rested her head back against the seat and slept. However at that moment she suddenly awoke with a start. Robin heard her gasp and looked back at her cockpit. He tapped his head set.

"Starfire? Are you alright?" She looked about her small space and saw Robin and Beast Boy looking concerned.

"I am-fine," she said setting back down. "Just a bad dream I suppose." Robin hesitantly faced forward again and went back to piloting the ship. Starfire rested her head back again and sent a foreboding look up at the sky.

O-Kay! That's it so far. What did ya like best, what did you not like about it. Tell me please. I'd like to know. Its makes the story better for both of us. Until next update….